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October 15-17, 2010 marks the first-ever Telluride Horror Show, a 3-Day horror film festival in world-famous Telluride, Colorado and  Carrion Film animations (‘Scayrecrow‘, ‘The Screaming Skull‘ & ‘The Hairy Hands‘) have all been selected to be screened. If that weren’t honour enough – each of the films will also feature an introduction by Editor in Chief of Fangoria magazine –  and cineaste of the extreme and the obscure –  Chris Alexander.

Chris Alexander on the Penny Dreadfuls (excerpt taken from an interview conducted circa September 2009): “… it is my pleasure, as both a lover of horror films that break rules and refuse to behave and gothic, stylized shockers that bow and kiss your hand before they cut your throat, to wax rapturous about Ashley Thorpe.”

“Thorpe’s visionary and reverent animated gothic melodramas SCAYRECROW and THE SCREAMING SKULL are throwbacks to a gentler age of terror, especially that of Hammer Studios, the Victorian terror machine that I live and die by and that from 1957 – 1975, pumped out the sort of swoony stiff collared horror films that, well, just aint made no more…But Englishman Ashley Thorpe aims to change all that. And he’s altering the face of fearsome animation to boot.”

From the site: “For three days, horror fans are invited to experience the latest independent horror films in Telluride’s historic Sheridan Opera House and Nugget Theatre. Feature films, short films, special programs, guests, and a party or two. If you love horror flicks then you don’t want to miss this….”

Apart from a world class selection of international shorts and features, the festival also boasts the presence of Tom Holland; the legendary writer/director responsible for some of the most successful films in the horror genre including “Fright Night,” “Child’s Play,” Stephen King films “Thinner” and the TV mini-series “Langoliers.” Other television credits include episodes of “Tales From The Crypt” and “Amazing Stories.” His work as a writer also spans the cult film depths of “Psycho II,” “The Beast Within,” “Cloak and Dagger” and many more.

After the premiere of his new series of short films (created in the great tradition of anthology shows like The Twilight Zone) ‘TWISTED TALES’, Mr. Holland will take the stage with Fangoria’s Chris Alexander for what will no doubt be an exceptional Q&A.

Director Ashley Thorpe: “ I love that the films are slowly being seen as a body of work, as part of a greater project, that’s very personally gratifying and absolutely the way I’d always hoped that they would be seen. I’m also obviously and personally very thrilled for the films to be introduced by Chris as he’s been there pretty much from the beginning, coaxing and encouraging our progress every step of the way. And closer to home my son Josh (pictured) is very excited about it all, he’s absolutely over the moon that he’ll be seen on a big screen in the States.”

‘Scayrecrow‘ and ‘The Hairy Hands‘ will be shown on October 15th at the Nugget Theatre (‘Hairy Hands‘ supporting feature ‘Phasma Ex Machina‘ and ‘Scayrecrow’ running as support short for British Indie hit ‘Colin‘) whilst ‘The Screaming Skull‘ is scheduled to play on the following day with a yet to be announced feature.

DOUBLE COVER CREDIT IN HALLOWEEN RUE MORGUE

Carrion Film has a double presence in this years Halloween issue of Rue Morgue Magazine. Firstly, Glass Eye Pix Horror Radio project ‘Tales from Beyond the Pale’ receives a special feature covering each of the assembled stories and authors in detail as the eagerly awaited Radio series nears its broadcast date.

Carrion Films contribution to the project is ‘The Demon Huntsman‘: the tale, penned by Ashley Thorpe, is once again inspired by a genuine Dartmoor myth of the Huntsman and the Whisht hounds of Dewerstone, and simultaneously another love letter to the golden age of Hammer horror.

Producer Larry Fessenden (taken from Fangoria.com): “The expanded TALES website goes live October 19, at which point the casts will be announced, and the first episode will be downloadable October 26. “We’ll premiere one a week from then on,” Fessenden tells us. “Then eventually, for the Christmas rush, we’re gonna have a CD available, with all the beautiful cards made by Gary Pullin, the art director from Rue Morgue magazine. So that’llbe a fun little package,  and eventually they’ll get on iTunes as well.”

The second article is an interview that Carrion Director Ashley Thorpe recently conducted with graphic artist Derek Riggs (most famous for his seminal Iron Maiden cover art). The interview gives a colourful insight into the artist, his influences (and invariably some of Ashley’s) and the stories behind some of his most iconic images.  The Halloween issue, featuring a fantastic ‘Psycho‘ retrospective,  is on stands internationally now!

Carrion Film animation ‘The Hairy Hands‘ (directed by Ashley Thorpe) has been officially selected to be screened at the prestigious 18th Raindance Film Festival 2010, adding to a plethora of festival screenings for the Ashley Thorpe directed short.

The previous animation ‘The Screaming Skull‘ was screened at last years festival to critical acclaim, garnering a Best UK Short Film nomination.

From the official press release: “Raindance is the UK’s largest independent film festival, showcasing shorts and features from around the world and specialising in independent films and directorial debuts. The festival has a strong legacy of showing alternative, usually more edgy films; hosting premieres of The Blair Witch Project, Memento and Christopher Nolan’s first feature. “

“Sitting on this year’s stellar jury are: Charles Saatchi, renowned British film critic and historian Derek Malcolm; one of Alfred Hitchcock’s original sound producers Ernie Marsh; Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh; Lemmy from iconic metal legends Motorhead; writer, illustrator, musician and filmmaker Dave McKean; Alison Owen (producer of Shaun of the Dead, Elizabeth, Brick Lane, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Chatroom and Tamara Drew), Joe Bateman Festival Director at Rushes Short Film Festival and Mark Herbert head of Warp Films, producer of award winning films such This is England and Dead Man’s Shoes.”

Director Ashley Thorpe: “Hairy Hands at Raindance…really didn’t expect to be there two years on the trot. It’s all a little overwhelming at the moment. We knew when Tom and I put this one together that this one was supposed to be a bit more of a mainstream effort, but the demand to screen it thus far has been quite extraordinary. It played in Rio yesterday, and I don’t think you could ask for a more wonderfully weird place to screen a film about Dartmoor! Raindance in particular is an important festival to be part of, as it has this sincere commitment to the fringes of pop culture, the darker peripheral stuff, which is where my interests tend to lie anyway.”

“The next 6 months are going to be a very exciting time for Carrion Film, there’s so much on the horizon, … a number of new productions are up and running including of course the radio play with Larry Fessenden and Glenn McQuaid (Tales from Beyond the Pale), some very exciting international collaborations, some amazing festivals lined up in the States, and something that will absolutely take the Penny Dreadful project to the next level. Suffice to say, the House of Carrion knows a lot more than it’s telling…”

As always – watch this site for exclusive updates and interviews.

‘THE HAIRY HANDS”

Dartmoor: the dead of night…953 square kilometres of desolate moorland…1,000 ghosts… and a fugitive racing a haunted road to meet one.  A haunted house movie set in a moving car and based upon a genuine Dartmoor legend it draws upon such influences as Alfred Hitchcock, EC Comics and ‘The Hammer House of Horror‘.

‘The Hairy hands‘ was produced in co-operation with the UK Film Council, South West Screen, Devon County Council and the Exeter Phoenix and was made between June and November 2009.

‘The Hairy Hands’ will screen at Raindance as part of  Shorts programme 9, on Sunday 10th October at 1:30pm. Check the festival site for full details of screenings and events.

THE HAIRY HANDS JOIN ABERTOIR!

‘The Hairy Hands‘ has also just been selected for screening at Wales’ premiere horror festival ‘Abertoir‘. Running between the 10th and the 14th of November the Aberystwyth based festival this year boasts live performances by Punk legends ‘The Damned‘ and  – something of a horror first – the chance to actually join the ranks of the dead and become part of the undead movie ‘The Zombie Diaries 2‘,  on Tan Y Bwlch beach as they film on the Sunday!

From the official site: “With more than 20 films on offer from around the world, including UK premieres, cult screenings and classics, we are delighted to be offering a massive variety of other events that will give fans of horror something truly memorable. Films, music, theatre, book signings, special guests, prizes and bar promotions will turn this peaceful seaside town into a haven for lovers of the macabre- so lock up your grannies, Abertoir is coming!”

For full details on events and special guests as they are announced visit www.abertoir.co.uk or their official Facebook page.

Respected author and filmmaker Philip Nutman – seen by many as the authority on Amicus Horror – has chosen Carrion Film terror triptych ( Scayrecrow, The Screaming Skull & The Hairy Hands) to be part of his special prime-time “Philip Nutman’s Nightmares: My Favorite Horror Shorts”  at Atlanta’s ‘Buried Alive‘ Horror festival’s opening night. There is also a suggestion that the three films may also be screened a second time the following night as part of the competition. This marks the first time that all three films have been selected to be screened at a single festival. Philip Nutman explained some of the reasons for his decision:

“I believe he (Director Ashley Thorpe) has a unique vision and a distinctive talent, that his works deserve to be considered alongside those of The Brothers Quay and David Lynch (especially the early works). They also contain flashes of the arcane poetry of early Kenneth Anger — at least in my eyes — but when all is said and done, they are pure Thorpe… it’s clear the blood of Hammer and Amicus run through his veins, and as a fellow Englishman I know all the influences and passions only too well. Remarkable. Superb — and very creepy. I can’t wait to see what dark delights you gentlemen will surprise us with next.” – Philip Nutman.

Philip Nutman is a multiple award nominated novelist, critically acclaimed screenwriter and producer who has published over 2000 feature articles, essays and profiles over the last 3 decades. He is Fangoria magazines longest serving reporter (writing his first article at the tender age of 18), and covered many of the top horror movies of the 1980’s. As president of RPM Filmworks Inc, he is currently developing a number of projects for the big screen.

Full details on the ‘Buried Alive‘ screening will be posted as soon as they are officially released.

All three films have also subsequently been requested for inclusion at  the Blacklist Art and Film Festival in San Diego and the Telluride Horror Show Colorado (this year guest hosted by ‘Fangoria‘ Editor in Chief  Chris Alexander). More details on these festivals will follow shortly.

THE SCREAMING SKULL AT SALT LAKE CITY…

Carrion Film animation ‘The Screaming Skull‘ has also been selected to be screened at this years ‘Salt Lake City Film Festival‘. Led by a creative team of artists and event coordinators, the Salt Lake City Film Festival was designed to provide exposure and commercial avenues for independent films.

From the official site: “In 2010, the Salt Lake City Film Festival has grown in numerous ways. In addition to our usual home base of the Tower Theater, we’ll be showing films at The Post Theater at the University of Utah on Saturday and Sunday, the Broadway Theater (for our opening night film only) and Brewvies Cinema Pub for late night showings on Friday and Saturday.”

‘The Screaming Skull‘ will be screening at 07:00 pm, Friday 13th August at the Tower Theatre, Salt Lake City.

HAIRY HANDS IN THE PARK!

Exeter’s Big Screen in the Park, wherein Northernhay Gardens is  turned into an outdoor cinema,  will be supporting  the Devon and Cornwall movie scene by showing local shorts before the main feature. Included in this years schedule is  ‘The Hairy Hands‘ which will be the supporting B – movie for Guy Ritchies ‘reinvention’ of legendary Victorian sleuth ‘Sherlock Holmes‘.

Screenings, which take place from Wednesday to Saturday August 11 to 14, start at 9pm, but gates open at 7pm, giving plenty of time to settle in and nosh down on your picnic or other refreshments.

Other local shorts that will be showing are  Andy Oxley and David Williams’ ‘Day of Rest‘, ‘La Legend-Dali‘ by Tom Austin, and Jerri Hart’s ‘Plan B‘, all made with  support from the Exeter Phoenix Digital team.

Venue: Northernhay Gardens, Exeter, Devon, UK. Entry is £2. Visit the Exeter Phoenix site for full details of each of the screenings.

SCAYRECROW RIDES IN SAN DIEGO!

The phantom Highwayman rides stateside this month as Carrion Film  favourite ‘Scayrecrow‘ plays the ‘Blacklist Art & Film Festival’.

Taken from the Festival site: “The Blacklist Art & Film Festival: champions of gore and advocates of fearless creativity invade San Diego to deliver you from mainstream culture damnation. Rinse your mind of formulaic conventions by joining us in a unique multi-media blitzkrieg of unapologetic creativity and exploits. Award winning horror film atrocities, mind-bending artwork and a night of rock n’ roll mayhem await your depraved souls. The Blacklist Art & Film Festival is a celebration of the World’s emerging talents and unknown innovators of Art, Film & Rock n’ Roll in an effort to inspire the next wave of artists with original and unconventional content.”

The festival takes place August 28th, 5-10pm at the Birch North Park Theatre.

‘Scayrecrow‘ will be riding stateside again very shortly so watch this site for details!

Carrion Film Director Ashley Thorpe has been selected by Producer Larry Fessenden (Wendigo) and Glenn McQuaid (I Sell the Dead) for New York based Horror Factory ‘Glass Eye Pix‘ (one of the indie scenes most productive and longest running companies) to contribute to their macabre radio project ‘Tales from Beyond the Pale‘ – audio theatre inspired by the vintage radio shows of Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre, Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles. The tales will delve into the twisted minds of new and established horror auteurs to present singular stories of the uncanny. Ashley joins esteemed contributors such as Stuart Gordon (Reanimator), Don Coscarelli (Phantasm), Paul Solet (Grace), Ti West (House of the Devil)  and Jeff Buhler (The Midnight Meat Train) amongst other genre notables.  From the official press release:

Hosted by Larry Fessenden, each thirty minute episode will transport the listener through sharp scripting and finely honed performances from actors familiar and new to the Glass Eye Pix stable. Also distinguishing these audio plays will be a concentration on the landscape of sound and music that can be taken for granted in the visual medium of film.

Larry Fessenden: “Glenn and I were driving through a fog-drenched evening with my kid,” Fessenden explains, “and we were playing an old Karloff/Lorre radio show. We turned to each other and both said how much we loved it, and how important radio plays were to us growing up. Then it dawned on us—we had to do this ourselves.”

Ashley Thorpe:  “I was amazed that I was asked to be honest, astonished actually. My stuff tends to be very visual and initially I didn’t honestly think I was up to the challenge. I nearly bottled it. It almost seemed to be the opposite of what I do. The animations are image heavy and dialogue lite. But then I started re-evaluating how the animations work in terms of audio texture and I realised that the part that has always excited me the most during their creation was the point when my story was brought to life by sound; that contradictory moment when the feeling becomes bigger by the focus becoming narrower. Once I started thinking of the project in those terms, the sound painting the environment, heard and not seen, that really encouraged my imagination….and I was amazed at how receptive to my ideas Larry and Glenn were. Man, Glenn really gets my influences (he’s a Terence Fisher devotee) and shares my enthusiasm for mythology… The variety on this show is going to be amazing. You’re in for a real treat.”

Glenn McQuaid:  “One of the inspirations on this project, for me, was that I believe audiences are spoiled these days,” he says. “Filmmakers are struggling to show them something new, trying to surprise people visually. To pull that rug out from under ourselves as  artists, and having to channel terror in a different way, speaks to all of my influences as a filmmaker. You’ll never be able to show the most horrific thing in everyone’s minds, so leave it up to them. When we simmer everything down, this is at the core of what we’re doing.”

Glass Eye’s film composer Jeff Grace is on board for the project aswell as resident Sound designer Graham Reznick, although the Producers have encouraged each contributor to put forward a musician or even a sound that they’d like to use to sculpt the ultimate chilling aural environment. The accompanying website will feature an original poster for each story by Gary Pullin, the celebrated designer responsible for the look of Rue Morgue Magazine. Visitors to the site will also enjoy an intro by the stop-motion animator Voltaire and will find information on the shows collaborators. ‘Tales from Beyond the Pale‘ will be made available through the website and will be downloadable via i-Tunes and Amazon individually or as a series to be enjoyed however and whenever the listener wants. Radio plays for the digital age.

To read the Fangoria report and interview with Fessenden and McQuaid click here.

Production begins in August with initial broadcasts airing Halloween 2010 and downloads available on i-Tunes. For all the latest news visit: www.talesfrombeyondthepale.com

CARRION FILM DOUBLE BILL HITS RIO for ‘ANIMACURSED’ FESTIVAL.

‘The Screaming Skull‘ and ‘The Hairy Hands‘ have both been selected to be screened at this years ‘Animaldicoados Film festival‘ (Animacursed – International Festival of Horror Animation), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The festival runs from Sep 7th to Sep 12th and features work from filmmakers from all over the world.

Director Ashley Thorpe and Producer Tom Atkinson were unavailable to comment at length but expressed heartfelt regret at not being able to attend the festival in person! More details on the screening will be posted as soon as further updates are received from Brazil. Festival website: http://www.animaldicoados.com/

Carrion Film animation ‘The Screaming Skull’ has won Best Animated Short film at this years ‘A Night Of Horror Film Festival‘ held in Sydney Australia. The award is the second accolade for the horror short which was nominated for Best UK Short film at last years Raindance Film Festival and adds to a clutch of awards picked up thus far by the Penny Dreadful project.

Director Ashley Thorpe told D+C Film yesterday: “It’s an absolute honour to be awarded. I was thrilled just for it to be seen by a new audience let alone this. It just goes to show that there really  is a hunger out there for these sorts of traditional stories and that it’s time for British horror to reclaim its heritage.”

“I also think it’s important to remember that filmmaking is a team effort. Especially with Carrion Film. I’m not a one man band. I rely upon a group of dedicated and talented colleagues and friends to realise these things and a great deal of this film’s strength lies in its soundtrack, an exceptionally wonderful and daring piece of work by Mick Grierson. And of course this thing would not have been made at all if it weren’t for the Exeter Phoenix and all the dedicated staff at Animated Exeter.”

A Night of Horror International Film Festival is Australia’s premiere horror film festival, and  has been said that it is ‘Australia’s first horrorfestival’. It was originally a short film festival, but has since expanded to include feature films and horror themed music videos. Indeed, now that the festival runs for a longer duration, the festival’s name, “A Night of Horror”, is actually something of a misnomer (the 2008 festival actually ran for ten days and nights).

In addition to the principal annual event in Sydney, a “best of” program of films from the festival actually tours within Australia and internationally. Some of these screenings take place at other festivals under the “A Night of Horror” banner, and have included programs at: ‘It Came From Lake Michigan Film Festival‘, ‘Weekend de la Peur‘, and ‘Revelation Perth International Film Festival‘.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR TO FANGORIA 294

Carrion Film Director Ashley Thorpe has contributed a retrospective piece on early 80’s sci-fi shocker ‘XTRO’ for new ‘Fangoria magazine‘ column ‘Trash Compactor’. The column is the culmination of 2 years of support and enthusiasm from the magazine, in particular Editor in chief Chris Alexander.

“I couldn’t be happier…honestly it was amazing enough to be mentioned, let alone featured, in the magazine, but then as a result to be asked to contribute an original piece of writing is just mind-blowing. It’s a childhood dream…and it’s difficult to convey to people outside the horror community who don’t read it how big a deal this is. When I first opened this magazine I fell in, never entirely to emerge again. Y’know, I’ve read this bloody rag since I was about 14, passing it round under the tables in class, and it really was a gateway into the wild and weird world of  horror films…one of the things that I love about the Penny Dreadful projects is the sharing of an enthusiasm; specifically taking something that is pretty obscure and communicating to a new audience. So when I had the chance to write a feature of my own I tried to think of a film that was something of a curiosity – something that many people wouldn’t touch with a bargepole – specifically from the early/ mid eighties when my hunger for horror was at its height…and out came ‘Xtro’. What can I say, the runts of a litter tell as much about a family as its pride. I’ve got a bit of a taste for writing now  so keep your eyes open for articles in future magazines.” – Ashley Thorpe

D & C Film  will be publishing a specially written article by Ashley on his response to becoming a Fangoria contributor tomorrow (Sat June 5th) on : Devon and Cornwall Film

Carrion Film Director Ashley Thorpe has been interviewed by Caustic Critic Stuart ‘Feedback’ Andrews for Rue Morgue Radio, Toronto’s all horror broadcast. The interview follows the recent release of ‘The Hairy Hands’ and Rue Morgue magazines previous feature on the  animations ‘Scayrecrow‘ and ‘The Screaming Skull‘ for their ‘Abbreviated terrors‘  back in February 2010.

The interview focuses on the processes behind the creation of the short film, the origin of the myth itself  aswell as further reflection upon the previous animations, particularly ‘Scayrecrow‘ and its influences. A brief review of ‘The Hairy Hands‘ will be appearing in a future issue of the magazine.

Stuart ‘Feedback’ Andrews: “This week I’m talking to British filmmaker Ashley Thorpe from Carrion films: a company behind a series of uniquely stylised short horror films which include their masterwork ‘Scayrecrow’: a gorgeously animated hypnotic love letter to both Hammer horror and the folklore of the British highwayman. Their latest short ‘The Hairy Hands‘ is currently playing the festival circuit and was recently featured at the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival.”

“I have to say that it was a bit of an honour being part of this show actually. I tend to listen to it in the mornings while I’m working, so to actually be on it is pretty bizarre, especially as the films produced thus far have been very low budget short films, very modest little things really, so it’s amazing to receive this kind of attention and enthusiasm…Stuart is another massive Hammer horror fan and I know that he’d really love me to adapt ‘Scayrecrow‘ into a feature length piece, very keen, so as soon as some of these current script commitments are complete …who knows? It would absolutely be the summation of everything I’ve done so far as I’d want it to have the subtlety of performance in ‘The Hairy Hands‘ twinned with the bold painterly qualities of ‘Scayrecrow‘. With this kind of support , y’know, it could really happen...” – Ashley Thorpe

The interview is the culmination of an extraordinary New Year for Carrion films thus far which has seen a wealth of positive reviews for ‘The Hairy Hands’ and features in ‘Fangoria magazine‘ (Issue 293), ‘Rue Morgue magazine’ (Issue 98) and the horror press internationally.

The full interview can be heard via podcast (or downloaded) via Rue Morgue Radio.

DOWNLOAD UPDATE: Since the ‘Monster Invasion‘ feature in Fangoria magazine Carrion film has been inundated with enquiries regarding when / if the film will become available to view online or purchase as a download.

Director Ashley Thorpe: “It’s lovely that people are really anxious to see and own it but the simple answer to this one is – potentially but not imminently. The reason for this is twofold. Primarily it’s a matter of negotiation between the funding sources and if in the near future we can organise how this would work then I’d almost be more tempted to get the films out as a collection on a DVD, ‘Penny Dreadful’s volume One’, all in one place, with perhaps some new exclusive stuff in there to make it worthwhile and desirable. Secondly, with regards to getting the film accepted into festivals internationally, there are still quite a few that are unhappy with a submission being readily available commercially before the festival screenings. Even having a presence on things like Vimeo. So potentially by making the film available you’re  ironically  limiting its chances of being seen. So apologies in the short term but hopefully in the long term something potentially even better might materialise.”

Carrion Film can now announce that Penny Dreadful 4 ‘THE HAIRY HANDS” has been selected to be shown at this years Cannes film festival as part of the Short Film Corner. The announcement means it’s the second consecutive year that a Carrion Film animation has been selected for screening at the prestigious event.

Last year ‘Scayrecrow’ was selected to be screened and its exposure at the festival led to ‘The Screaming Skull‘ being screened at the 17th Raindance Film Festival in London and its subsequent Best UK Short Film nomination. ‘The Hairy Hands‘ producer Tom Atkinson has sent this exclusive report directly from the World famous festival:

“Well, here we are again! Cannes 2010 trembles in its Jimmy Choos as Carrion Film screens its latest frightful flick at the world’s greatest film festival. My hotel room is small, the en suite even smaller and the carpet is certainly not red! However with the 2010 Cannes Film Festival in full swing and ‘The Hairy Hands‘ screening to critics and buyers left right and centre I have little time to dwell on my room or the ridiculous rate I am paying for it.”

“It truly is a glorious place to be when the sun shines, the salty sea ruffles your hair and the smell of money makes your head spin. I have spent the first days of the festival exploring the labyrinthine layout of the festival and bumping into old friends and colleagues, all of whom are twitching with glee at the possibilities this festival can hold for the boldest and luckiest filmmakers who meet the right person who just happens to be looking for exactly what they are screening. Moments like this are the stuff of dreams and yes I am on the lookout for just such an opportunity. Personally I would like to meet a horror mad Hollywood producer whose pockets are weighed down with money, whose brain is addled with champagne and possibly cocaine, whose only aim at the festival is to meet a young British Producer with a stunning, short animated horror film that could (and has) been described as “A tense, playful and ultra-stylized slice of modern gothic macabre…” by such luminaries of the genre as Chris Alexander of ‘Fangoria magazine‘. This is, however, unlikely but where there is hope there is…well, me.”

“This hope was boosted the other day as I sat through a screening of the tawdry and pointless yet much vaunted ‘Robin Hood’. This film is the final nail in the coffin of my already tattered faith in Sir Ridley Scott. It is awful, and to my sense of the ridiculous actually burst off the scale when it was reported to be a more sensible and historically accurate version of the  – by comparison – academically precise, Kevin Costner film from the 90’s. The narrative is choppy and unbalanced, the cinematography is woeful, the accents are questionable in the extreme and the only thing remotely convincing was the filth and the sweat on the actors faces. It was uninspiring and unworthy of opening the festival.”

“By comparison, ‘The Hairy Hands‘ looks glorious up on the big screen and audiences so far have cried out in fear, ooohed and aaahed in the right places and the bubble of chatter during the credits is a very positive sign. Silence as the credits roll is akin to the silence among the crowd after the trap hs dropped and the hooded offender twitches and gurgles in the noose. I am here for the duration and will report back upon my return to the UK or as soon as that champagne addled Hollywood exec puts his arms around my shoulder and says “Hey kid, this is the film I have been looking for!” – Producer Tom Atkinson.

Apart from producing ‘The Hairy Hands‘ for Carrion Film Tom also heads up R3D Films;  an award winning production company that currently has Film, Documentary, Drama and Corporate projects in production.

Atkinson’s work has been highly acclaimed by the press, particularly Film4 . He has produced several films, including The Wrestling (2008) starring Kendo Nagasaki and The Pantomime (2009) narrated by Simon Callow. In 2008, in conjunction with Egmont Publishing Atkinson produced the documentary Roy . This film was made to support the relaunch of legendary comic footballer ‘Roy of the Rovers‘ and the reprinting of his most famous stories. Acclaimed by Film4 in a four star review as “a superb short about a football legend who made up for being a somewhat two-dimensional player by virtue of his formidable haircuts, his nose for scandal and the best eye for goal in the business”, ‘Roy’ won the award for Best Documentary Short at the End of the Pier International Film Festival 2009, gained Official Selection in Rushes (company) Soho Shorts Festival 2009  and also screened at the Cannes Film festival. Atkinson has also worked with Oscar-winning production company Passion pictures on a documentary series screened on both Channel 4and More4.

With director Luke Dormehl, Tom Atkinson makes up the team behind the 10 Pound Horror Film: an independent film production that uses transmedia storytelling and is the world’s first fan-funded horror film.

Director Ashley Thorpe was unable to attend the festival due to writing commitments on a number of future genre projects – information on which will be posted here as soon as it is available.

THE HAIRY HANDS GET THEIR GRIP ON CANNES

Ever supportive legendary magazine ‘Fangoria‘ has posted their own news report on the Cannes screening of  Carrion Film animation ‘The Hairy Hands’:

“The latest animated short from UK-based filmmaker (and Fango contributor) Ashley Thorpe, THE HAIRY HANDS (see Fango #293) looks set to have another “hit with a myth,” having been screened recently at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The vivid little flick—Thorpe’s fourth in a series of animations that aim to resurrect neglected aspects of British legend—looks set to follow in the footsteps of the award-winning SCAYRECROW and THE SCREAMING SKULL.

Evoking such previous genre treats as THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS, HANDS delivers EC Comics-style chills, telling of a stretch of Dartmoor road haunted by the eponymous fingered fiends. “My interests have always been this perverse blend of high and low art, and that wonderful kaleidoscope where one feeds from the other,” Thorpe tells Fango. “So it’s rather fantastic knowing that a film based upon the B3212 on Dartmoor has been screened at one of the world’s greatest festivals. It’s a bit like having one of your kids amble accidentally into a cover shot for Time magazine and drop his trousers. It’s extraordinary, really. From the windswept moors of Devon to the sunlit beaches of Cannes… But then, I suppose that was always my intention for the Penny Dreadful project. Get these stories out there!”

Due to other writing commitments, including the next Penny Dreadful entry SPRING HEEL JACK, the director was unable to attend the screening, but producer Tom Atkinson, who was present, was left extremely optimistic by the response. “THE HAIRY HANDS looks glorious up on the big screen,” he says, “and audiences so far have cried out in fear, oohed and aahed in the right places, and the bubble of chatter during the credits is a very positive sign.”

Newly appointed editor in chief of legendary  ‘Fangoria magazine‘ (currently celebrating its 30th year in publication) – Chris Alexander – has interviewed  Ashley Thorpe for the magazine’s regular column ‘Monster Invasion’. The issue (293) hit news-stands internationally mid April. Here is a brief excerpt from the published feature…

“Film is a dream, an impression of reality. And when it comes to fantasy, horror or science fiction, that dream should have license to play by whatever unnatural laws it chooses to, bending and abstracting its canvas to both engage the mind and stimulate the eye.”

“That’s this journalist’s opinion anyway. It’s also apparently the point of view shared by British horror enthusiast and experimental animator Ashley Thorpe. A painter by trade, Thorpe has been tirelessly advancing his own unique illustrated, living, breathing, Gothic fairy-tale style: a jittery, jumpy blend of photo-realistic images drenched in hand-etched colour, spilling across fantastical landscapes infused with the most evocative nightmare logic.”

“And while his multiple-award-winning short films ‘Scayrecrow‘ (screened at a recent FANGORIA convention) and its companion piece ‘The Screaming Skull‘ put him on the map and made higher-brow genre fans snap to attention, his latest effort, the partially animated, curiously titled ‘The Hairy Hands‘. demonstrates not only his progression as a manipulator of suspense, but as a genre fan who wears his influences on his blood smeared sleeve…” – Chris Alexander FANGORIA

Director Ashley Thorpe: “I’m so very proud to be part of it…a childhood dream come true really…this magazine was  the catalyst for me as a young teen for my utter horror obsession. The magazine never left my side, riding to school with me camouflaged amongst my homework…back in the day when reading horror magazines in public was tantamount to being caught with pornography, ha ha…we’re talking around 1985 / 86, and the movies, the market and the magazine have changed a great deal since then, but I have a good feeling about Chris’ editorship and the new direction that the magazine is taking. The man lives and breathes film and his passion is infectious. Fangoria is definitely in safe hands.”

Producer Tom Atkinson: “Producing The Hairy Hands has been a roller coaster ride, from long hot shoots in dusty Devon barns to securing the Pinhead and Chatterer from Clive Barker’s Hellraiser the potential for the film has grown and grown. With the premier now behind us and The Hairy Hands entered in festivals around the world legendary Horror magazine Fangoria has thrown its support behind the film. Everyone who is anyone in Horror respects the opinions of Fangoria and to have no less than Chris Alexander the Editor in Chief praise the film is a mighty accomplishment.

“A tense, playful and ultra-stylized slice of modern gothic macabre..” – Chris Alexander, Fangoria.

The level of support for the film has further boosted our conviction here at Carrion Films to explore and develop British Horror. Director Ashley Thorpe is already scripting the next film in the Penny Dreadful series and we can promise it will be bigger, better and probably nastier! I am busy promoting the film in the UK and internationally and will report back with news as and when it happens but can exclusively reveal here that a copy of The Hairy Hands is currently sitting on Clive Barker’s desk at Seraphim Films in LA so watch out for exciting news from the US!”

‘The Hairy Hands‘, Directed by Ashley Thorpe and Produced by Tom Atkinson, was co-funded by the UK Film Council, South West Screen, Exeter Phoenix and Devon County Council and was completed in November 2009, receiving its premiere at Exeter’s ‘Two Short Nights’ Film Festival later that month. The film has subsequently been screened at the Arnolfini in Bristol and is now lined up for screenings in a variety of festivals both in the UK and internationally. Details of these festivals will follow shortly, but in the meantime here’s a small section of the interview, detailing future projects, that was cut:

CA: After Hands…tell me about the next wave of Thorpe’s world domination game?

AT: “…Well, I’m currently at work on scripting ‘Spring Heel Jack‘ my Victorian opus, which is pitched somewhere between Batman and Jack the Ripper – very dark psychological stuff, rich in period detail and based in part upon actual historical reports. He’s a devil that has haunted this spectred isle for over a century, from the frozen rivers of Devon to the rooftops of Liverpool. It’s elegant, horrifying and it’ll certainly press a few buttons. I’ve been waiting a long time to make something archly gothic like this…London fog, resurrectionists…This devil, having long been caged will come out roaring! It’ll be something probably a little closer to the textural qualities of ‘Scayrecrow‘ only in that I’d like to have the time to do a bit more hand painted work again. It’s one that I’ve witheld from some of the smaller grants because it’s a project that I feel very close to and I really want to do it justice. The previous films have been a little compromised by schedules, but I’m aiming for this one to be the next big step for Carrion Film, aesthetically and commercially.”

“I also have plans for a feature. Though I have been asked on numerous occasions about turning either ‘Scayrecrow‘ or ‘The Screaming Skull‘ into full length movies, and I’m not ruling this out as I think both of them have enormous potential for features, I’d like to make the Dartmoor portmanteau ‘Hell Tor‘ – which is pretty much an Amicus film for / of Dartmoor based ghost stories. As to whether this would be a live action film incorporating the animated elements or a completely rotoscoped feature I’ve yet to decide. Personally I’d actually like to see it animated, but funding and distribution will no doubt be a deciding factor.”

“I have a wealth of stories still to tell, a lifetimes work quite probably, and as long as people still watch and enjoy them, still aid their creation, I’ll continue making them...” – Ashley Thorpe

The full article can be read in ‘Fangoria‘ issue 293 (available in the UK via outlets such as ‘Forbidden Planet’ and ‘The Cinema Store). Everyone at Carrion Film would like to thank Chris Alexander and all the staff at ‘Fangoria Magazine‘ for their continued enthusiasm and support and wish them every success with the ‘re-launch’ of the magazine.

With the new ‘Penny Dreadful’ animation ‘The Hairy Hands‘ complete and beginning it’s crawl towards the World’s film festivals – and with the complete film unable to view until those screenings are secured – Carrion film thought what better time to finally reveal the official trailer and give you a taster of what to expect!  The film was produced in co-operation with the UK Film Council, South West Screen, Devon County Council and the Exeter Phoenix and was made between June  and November 2009.

This trailer is perhaps of particular interest as it features a number of sequences that will not be seen in the final film. These shots were not cut from the finished print however, they were actually created especially for the trailer and it also features a section of voiceover (relating to Dartmoor – the film’s setting) recorded especially by Doug Bradley that also isn’t present in the final film.

DOWNLOAD – ‘THE HAIRY HANDS’  Trailer (M4v i-Phone friendly format)

UNRATED REVIEW – Cinema of the Extreme.

Carl Ford (‘Dagon magazine‘)  has posted a review of three short films by Ashley Thorpe on behalf of ‘Unrated magazine‘. Here is a brief excerpt:

“Despite the United Kingdom being fertile territory for horror filmmakers; with its history steeped in an abundance of folklore and myths relating to ghosts, monsters, cryptids and all manner of paranormal activities; few recent filmmakers have turned to its dark terrors for inspiration. Fewer still have exclusively focused their art on these outre occurrences, which is a grand shame since Britain’s heritage boasts a number of ghoulish legends that prove far more interesting than the constant barrage of recycled horror tropes with their inspiration drawn from American culture and rehashed monster movies. Step forward Ashley Thorpe who, under the banner of Carrion Films, has been causing quite a stir amongst horror genre aficionados with a series of creepy animated shorts that have picked up a plethora of awards on the independent film circuit…”

On ‘The Hairy Hands‘ – “…Featuring further nods to AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, Hammer Films’ BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY’S TOMB (1971), Amicus’ DR TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS (1965) and much of the exposition resembling Marion Crane’s guilt-ridden car journey from Hitchcock’s PSYCHO (1960), THE HAIRY HANDS plays as a road movie along the lines of THE HITCHER meets THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS. There’s very much a 60s/70s feel to proceedings with a scene depicting an outdated rural garage run by an attendant who could have stepped out of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, and its infusion of foreshadowing via the use of symbols of death and foreboding radio messages (THE WAR OF THE WORLDS). Despite the allusions Thorpe’s film is stylistically unique, combining the use of slow moving camera, and action, bold lighting colouring techniques and stop motion with a fast paced narrative the results of which are impressive as well as damn right spooky!” – Carl Ford UNRATED

To read the full article visit: UNRATED MAGAZINE

BCFM INTERVIEW – ASHLEY THORPE & ED BERRY

Mark LeLeivre of Bristol’s BCFM Radio has interviewed Carrion Director Ashley Thorpe and stalwart actor Ed Berry for their dedicated movie and music show. The interview was broadcast on Saturday 27th of March but can still be heard via podcast or by clicking here: LISTEN TO BCFM INTERVIEW.

“The Hairy Hands” is vibrantly colorful, which owes a lot to the old “Hammer Film’s” and the “lurid” blues, reds and greens of Bava and Argento from the days of the “Technicolor three strip process”, their new film “The Hairy Hands” tells a newly emerged story of a pair of roaming, disembodied hands that haunt a road across the old Moor. Featuring the voices of Doug Bradley (Pinhead: The Hellraiser Films) and Nicholas Vince (The “Chatterer” Cenobite: The Hellraiser Films, Nightbreed). “The Hairy Hands” will undoubtedly do well and I am sure make it to the cinema as a supporting feature and to TV, alongside “Tales of the Unexpected”, “The Twilight Zone” and “Night Gallery” programmes we use to watch as kids back in the 60’s/70’s.” – MARK LeLEIVRE BCFM

Apart from a few candid insights into the animations and their production processes the show also included a widely eclectric selection of music including Fabio Frizzi’s theme to ‘City of the Living Dead‘, the Fantomas cover of ‘Spider Baby, ‘Dracula‘ by James Bernard, ‘The Hunt‘ from Jerry Goldsmith’s score to ‘The Final Conflict’ aswell as a wealth of vintage stingers and trailers.

To join Mark’s online horror / cult / exploitation community – ‘Incredibly Strange Film Club’ – visit Facebook.

THE SCREAMING SKULL ‘DOWN UNDER’

We have just received confirmation that Carrion Films award nominated animation ‘The Screaming Skull’ has been officially selected to be screened at the ‘Night of Horror international film festival‘ held annually in Sydney Australia. The festival runs April 15th – 23rd 2010 and showcases a varied mix of international features and shorts. The festival’s director had this to say (taken from official site):

‘...the best part of being involved in a horror film festival is having the chance to watch a wide variety of cutting edge films made by up and coming genre filmmakers. The horror genre has always provided an outlet for the dark imaginations of cinema’s most talented practitioners: Carl Theodor Dreyer, Fritz Lang, Ingmar Bergman, Roman Polanski, Stanley Kubrick, and Francis Ford Coppola (to name but a few), have all made important and powerful horror films. Hollywood’s current A-list includes several directors – notably Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson – who launched their careers with inventive, low-budget horror masterpieces. And thankfully some of our favorite directors, including John Carpenter, Dario Argento and George Romero, never left the genre that they helped define.’

The Raindance ‘Best UK Short’ nominated  film can be downloaded in its entirety from this site and more details regarding this screening will be posted as soon as we receive them.

Carrion film Director Ashley Thorpe, in light of the release of ‘The Hairy Hands‘,  has been interviewed by Stuart ‘Feedback’ Andrews (host of Rue Morgue Radio) for Canada’s seminal horror periodical ‘Rue Morgue magazine‘ as part of their regular ‘Abbreviated terrors‘ feature on Independent short film.  Stuart  recently posted interviews on Cinephobia held with Malcom McDowell and Ray Harryhausen. The interview will appear in  issue 98 ( a tribute to  the late Spanish horror legend Paul Naschy) and is due to hit stands internationally  on March 1st 2010.

A brief excerpt from the interview: – “…What attracted me to ‘the bloods’, was the same thing that attracted me to the other neglected  English myths; was this idea of ‘lost stories’ populated by sorely neglected and often archetypal gothic characters. The Highwayman is a case in point. In the sixteen and seventeen hundreds these criminals were the rock stars of their day, their executions were attended by tens of thousands of people. Nowadays, you say ‘Highwayman’, people think Adam Ant.
We’re in an age now wherein, for good or ill depending on your point of view, British genre fiction has been swamped by an American style of horror. The days of Kensington gore have long gone. Nothing feels very indigenous anymore. A British zombie movie is still a zombie movie and still ostensibly a love letter to Romero’s legacy, however admirable. We seem to have lost our monsters, our ghosts and our demons, which is bloody criminal as Britain is a country saturated with a rich heritage of horrors – fact and fiction. British genre product rarely reflects and celebrates this fact. What I’m hoping to do is, however modestly, is to at least ‘reconnect’ with that dark vein that runs through our culture and hopefully share a few old tales that I believe are  worth telling.” – Ashley Thorpe

Rue Morgue, based in Toronto,was established in 1997 and dedicates itself to covering “Horror in culture and entertainment,” taking its name from Poe’s short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” It was founded by its original Editor-In-Chief Rod Gudino in 1997 who handed the position off to Jovanka Vuckovic in December 2005. In 2010 those reins were handed over to Dave Alexander.

Rue Morgue covers horror in all media: films, books, websites, comic books, music, etc. Each issue includes feature stories, opinion columns, and numerous reviews. It has quickly become a leading horror magazine on the market as well as having a strong online presence, including weekly broadcasts of Rue Morgue Radio. Rue Morgue has grown into a very active community among horror fans and celebrities, with their annual Rue Morgue Festival Of Fear, as well as their online message board, the Rue Mortuary, and the newest umbrella, Rue Morgue Cinema, that has already landed a selection at the Toronto International Festival with Publisher Rodrigo Gudino’s short films, The Eyes of Edward James, The Demonology of Desire and The Facts In the Case of Mister Hollow.

“I remember buying my first issue of ‘Rue Morgue’ when I had first moved to London, back when I was working on putting ‘The Vampire‘ together.  Apart from being drawn in by the ‘Day of the Dead’ cover (the art and design of the magazine by Gary Pullin is generally fantastic throughout) I subsequently became a dedicate fan due to the magazine’s breadth of coverage on all aspects of horror, and subsequently, after moving to Greece, had it shipped out to me by a friend so that I could continue reading it. Though ‘Fangoria’ remains my ‘first love’ in a sense, mainly due to nostalgic memories of buying it after school and hiding it in my English folder, ‘Rue Morgue’ took its place along side it as I got older due to its sense of community and willingness to dig out the lost or little known gems in the genre. It was importantly also the first place that I encountered Chris Alexander, who used to have a regular column, who has since gone on to champion our work. It was, and is, a magazine that I constantly turn to as a source of inspiration – whether to directly inspire my work, turn me on to alternative authors or filmmakers or to further educate myself in the field. And it’s written with such a genuine passion for horror, it’s infectious, and it’s fun. If ever you felt slightly ‘out of place’ because of your love for the genre, reading ‘Rue Morgue’ is a homecoming celebration. I’m proud to be a part of it.” – Ashley Thorpe

Penny Dreadful four ‘The Hairy Hands‘ was completed late last year and after recent test screenings at Exeter’s ‘Two Short Nights‘ festival and a cast and crew screening for the South West Screen / UK Film Council at Bristol’s Arnolfini Arts Centre, is now taking its first steps out upon the festival circuit. The film features regular Carrion film star Ed Berry and also features voiceover work from Doug Bradley, Nicholas Vince and BBC Radio DJ Jo Loosemore.Watch this site for future screening details and trailer.

Meanwhile…scripting is still in progress on further Penny Dreadful animations including ‘Spring Heel Jack‘ and Carrion Film’s first proposed feature: ‘Hell-Tor‘ – further details and production art to be posted here shortly!

TOM LEINS REVIEWS ‘THE HAIRY HANDS’

Paignton based Film Critic Tom Leins has posted what can only be described as a glowing review of Penny Dreadful number 4: ‘The Hairy Hands‘ for Devon and Cornwall Film:

“Devon filmmaker Ashley Thorpe has forged a solid reputation with his sinister succession of short films based on notorious local legends. His latest offering is The Hairy Hands, a vivid, hyper-stylized horror flick that packs an improbable number of chills into its admirably brisk 11 minute run-time.

With a ghoulish line in atmospherics and a welcome attention to detail, The Hairy Hands has a uniquely disquieting vibe, and the sense of foreboding is cranked up one notch at a time. Thorpe coaxes a nuanced performance out of leading man Edward Berry, and he gives this supernatural tale an all-too-plausible edge.

Make no mistake, Ashley Thorpe’s menacing short film will grab you by the throat with its hairy hands, and not let go until the chilling final frame. Freaky folklore just got re-booted for a new generation. Accomplished stuff.“ – Tom Leins for D & C Film.

Tom Leins spent two years working as a film critic for national movie magazine DVD Monthly. Since the magazine closed down in 2009 he regularly contributes to a variety of websites, not least Devon & Cornwall Film – which showcases ‘Sex, Leins & Videotape’ – his excellent weekly DVD column. Tom’s short stories have been published in magazines all over the world, and can also be found across the web.