Colin Baker introduces horror comedy Neighbours from Hell

Colin Baker has filmed an introductory video for his upcoming film Neighbours in Hell.  In the horror comedy, Baker  will play "The Demon".

The video was posted on director Jim Eames's Vimeo page:

From www.nfhellmovie.co.uk

Legend's world premiere and early reception

The new British gangster film Legend is having its world premiere in Leicester Square, London tonight.  Tom Hardy who plays both Ronnie and Reggie Kray and Emily Browning who plays Reggie's wife Francis are among the stars in attendance:

Oozing 1960s glam. #tomhardy #emilybrowning #legendfilmpremiere pic.twitter.com/rvIdC1a4zc

— Legend (@LegendFilmUK) September 3, 2015

The film is released nationwide on the 9th September and in the USA on 2nd October.

This month's Empire and Total Film magazines have both awarded the film 4/5 stars. Empire's Dan Jolin described Hardy's dual performance as "astonishing and magnetic".

Neighbours from Hell: synopsis, poster and images

Currently in post-production, Neighbours from Hell is a horror-comedy film starring Colin Baker as an ancient demon intent on bringing about the apocalypse. 

Here is the synopsis for the film:

On the brink of divorce from his wife Joanna, selfish slob Simon Fisher reluctantly agrees to attend a Halloween supper with his snobby next door neighbours, Phil and Pam. When Simon and Joanna arrive they meet the fifth guest, a mysterious old man. The stranger, is in fact a demon, intent on imprisoning them in the house until midnight, when he will decide which one of them to possess for the next one hundred years. A horror comedy that plays on the prejudices we have for the people next door. Best get to know your neighbours as you may need them some day.

  Thanks to the director Jim Eaves for supplying this material.

Follow the film on social media:

https://twitter.com/NFHell_Movie

https://www.facebook.com/NFHellMovie

Film preview: Afterdeath

One of the most intriguing new British films coming out later this year is supernatural horror AfterDeath.  The excellent first trailer was embedded in an earlier post and this second trailer provides a fuller picture of the film's blend of psychological and supernatural horror:

The official synopsis for AfterDeath follows:

Five nightclubbers find themselves washed up by the tide. They struggle up to an abandoned beach house, only to quickly find that here the physical rules of nature they’re accustomed to do not apply. This house and the world around them is a construct which only exists to prolong their suffering - for they are dead, and the afterlife they’ve discovered appears to have been created only for them. But why? And do the cabin’s two mysterious paintings offer clues to redemption, and a way out?

The film premiered at Madrid's Nocturna Film Festival in May, where it was awarded Best Film in the Dark Visions category, an award for the "most innovative and transgressive" of the independent fantasy/horror films shown.

Along with a varied range of new British horror features, the film has just had its UK premiere at Film4 Frightfest .   In attendance was renowned critic, writer and horror expert Kim Newman who has given the film a positive review, praising script, direction and performances.   Another major boost was the announcement that Icon Film Distribution will be releasing the film and six others as part of a new "Frightfest Presents" label.  From October 19th, AfterDeath will be available to download from major digital outlets such as iTunes, Virgin Movies, Sky, Google and Amazon. Xbox.

One of the co-directors of the film, Gez Medinger kindly sent me these featuring the five lead characters:

Film4 Frightfest: New British horror films screened

Film4 Frightfest is currently being held in London's West End.  The festival showcases new horror films from around the world.
Here are previews and trailers and interviews from Frightfest's Youtube channel for some of the British films being shown at the festival:

The Hallow

The debut feature by director Corin Hardy, this rural set supernatural horror film is pitched as "Straw Dogs meets Pan's Labyrinth."  A conservationist (played by Joseph Mawle) and his wife are warned by locals against entering an Irish forest.  After ignoring this advice, their presence awakens demonic forces.  

The Hallow is being distributed by Entertainment One so should be reach cinemas across the country when released in November.

AfterDeath

Also released in November, although likely to receive only limited cinema exhibition, AfterDeath looks very atmospheric and dramatic.  The film has an original premise: five strangers wake up on a beach after dying - are they in heaven or somewhere worse?   A talented young cast is led by accomplished actress Miranda Raison (best known for her lead role in Spooks).

The Unfolding

This is a low budget haunted house film set in spooky Dartmoor.  The Unfolding stars Robert Daws (well known for TV dramas such as Outside Edge and Roger Roger) and Kitty McGeever, the Emmerdale actress who sadly died recently.  According to director Eugene McGing, the house in which the film was shot really was haunted!

Aaaaaaaah!

This surreal horror comedy is the directing debut for Steve Oram.  Oram is known for starring in and writing Sightseers and numerous film and TV comedy appearances.  Aaaaaaaah! is set in a world in which humans act like homicidal apes and features well known stars such as Julian Barrett and Noel Fielding of The Mighty Boosh.  This experimental film is getting a limited London cinema release and then will be available digitally.

Bait

Another former Emmerdale actor Dominic Brunt has directed this gritty thriller about two women being terrorized by a vicious loan shark.  Bait stars Victoria Smurfit (known for Ballykissangel and as Once Upon a Time's Cruella De Vil ).  The film will be available on DVD in September.

Another Me

Although released in Spain, USA and Germany in 2013 and 2014, the delayed UK release of this supernatural film will be boosted by the growing fame of Sophie Turner - star of Game of Thrones and next year's X-Men: Apocalypse.  Turner plays a schoolgirl haunted by a ghostly presence.  Rhys Ifans and Jonathan Rhys Meyers also as the girl's father and teacher.  Despite the strong cast and decent trailer, the film was poorly reviewed in the States.

Howl

Howl has a strong horror concept: passengers on a broken-down train must survive the night while deadly werewolves prowl outside.  Ed Speelers stars along with  Shauna MacDonald and Sean Pertwee who have UK horror credentials from their roles in The Descent and Dog Soldiers respectively.

Estranged

Suggesting a mysterious and psychological film, the trailer for Estranged is very promising.  January (Amy Manson) returns home after a near-fatal accident and suffers memory loss.   She begins to investigate why she left her family and uncovers dark secrets.  The formidable James Cosmo (another Game of Thrones actor) plays the father.

Colin Baker turns demonic for new British indie horror film

Doctor Who star Colin Baker has recently been working on British independent horror film Neighbours from Hell.  Colin was transformed into a demon along with his co-star Suzanne Shaw (best known as a former member of pop group Hearsay and her role in Emmerdale).
The film is currently in post-production and you can follow its progress via its Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/NFHell_Movie).  Here are some monstrous images:

Start to finish of @SawbonesHex makeup for @NFHell_Movie promo pic.twitter.com/FiyX3U4S5U

— chris garner (@garner_uk) July 30, 2015

Our very own @SawbonesHex rocking the Demon look @dean8528 @SuzanneShaw - @James_Eaves busy editing at the moment! pic.twitter.com/mOwRkaTtRa

— Neighbours From Hell (@NFHell_Movie) August 12, 2015

Start to finish of @SuzanneShaw makeup for @NFHell_Movie promo pic.twitter.com/SwSUT4X2ar

— chris garner (@garner_uk) July 30, 2015

Previews: Five Upcoming British films in 2015

Spectre, the 24th official Bond film, is clearly the most anticipated British movie of the year.  That hits our screens on 26th October.  Here are five other, very different, upcoming UK films to look forward to in the second half of 2015:

Absolutely Anything - 14th August

A sci-fi comedy starring Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale.  Directed by Monty Python's Terry Jones and featuring the voices all of the Pythons and the late Robin Williams, this should be very funny but the trailer is unconvincing.  The premise seems similar to Bedazzled and Bruce Almighty - average guy gains God-like powers.

Tiger House - 24th August

 

A thriller written by director Simon Lewis who previously scripted Noel Clarke's The Anomaly. Kay Scodelario plays Kelly who sneaks into her boyfriend's house before it is invaded by armed intruders.   Although the murky-looking trailer is not especially impressive, a the strong acting cast is promising.   Rated 15 by the BBFC, Tiger House is likely to attract a young adult audience who will know Scodelario for her roles E4's teen drama Skins and hit dystopian science-fiction film The Maze Runner.  Her co-stars are Dougray Scott (probably best known for roles as villains in Mission Impossibe II and Taken 3) and Ed Skrein (the first actor to Daario Nahalis in Game of Thrones). 

Legend - 9th September

In this crime biopic, Tom Hardy plays both of the Kray twins, the notorious East-End gangsters.   A major film on the subject, The Krays, has been done before but that was 25 years ago and the story is due a revisit.   The earlier film starred brothers Gary and Martin Kemp who obviously didn't pass as identical twins, but Hardy will thrive in the unique challenge of playing both Ronnie and Reggie. Also promising is the involvement of Brian Helgeland as writer-director.  Helgeland wrote the script for LA Confidential, one of the greatest crime films of all time.  The trailer suggests a stylish, intelligent and witty treatment, a British Goodfellas perhaps.  Also featuring is Christopher Eccleston who plays the police detective Leonard 'Nipper' Read.

Containment - 11th September

This thriller features an ensemble cast including Louise Brealey (Molly Hooper in Sherlock) and Lee Ross, Andrew Leung and Sheila Reid (experienced actors who have appeared in Doctor Who and many other TV shows).  The trailer reveals an exciting concept in which residents of a tower block discover themselves locked inside with no water and electricity, apparently to contain a deadly virus. This film is unrelated to a TV series of the same name which is soon airing on American television.

AfterDeath - 20th November

British horror has had a quiet few years, the last major hit being The Woman in Black in 2012.  This trailer suggests an atmospheric and well-acted dramatic film.  A talented young cast is led by accomplished actress Miranda Raison (known for numerous TV roles including Doctor Who, Spooks and Silk).  Hopefully, AfterDeath will pick up good cinema distribution.  If not, it may be one to look out for on DVD.

Robots and androids in British film and TV

As Humans, Channel 4's series about synthetic androids, reaches its conclusion, here is a selection of other British film and programmes featuring artificial intelligence themes and characters.

Clips and trailers are taken from official YouTube channels:

The Terrornauts (1967)

B-movie from Amicus Productions in which an Earth astronomy picks up a mysterious signal and then is pulled into space.  The astronomers are dropped onto an asteroid where they meet an alien robot and strange creatures.

Network Distributing

Robert's Robots (1973-1974)

Written by Rentaghost creator Bob Block, this ITV children's series told the story of inventor Robert Sommerby who builds life-like robots.

Network Distributing

Red Dwarf (1988-)

From the third series of the sci-fi comedy, "mechanoid" Kryten became a regular aboard the titular mining ship which has drifted into deep space over thrre million years,  Although programmed to serve, Lister, the last human on board, teaches Kryten to become more independent and outspoken.

BBC Worldwide

Black Mirror  - Be Right Back (2013)

In this episode from Charlie Brooker's dark anthology series, a widow orders a synthetic clone of her late husband with a personality created from his social network and email communications. 

Channel 4

The Machine (2013)

In this low-budget British independent film, set during a future cold war, British military scientists work to create cyborgs and androids.  The plan unravels when their creations become sentient.

Movieclips Film Festivals and Indie Films

The World's End (2013)

The third film in the "Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, directed by Edgar Wright and starring Simon Peggg and Nick Frost.  A group of former school friends go back to their home town for a reunion pub crawl.   As the night unfolds, they discover the town has been taken over by alien android clones,

Movieclips Trailers 

Robot Overlords (2014)

This British independent sci-fi film is set in a future in which a race of powerful alien robots have taken over the Earth and monitor humans thoughts through brain implants.  A group of teenagers fight back against the robots' control.

Signature Entertainment

Previous posts:

Robots and androids in classic Doctor Who

Robots and androids in modern Doctor Who

Top 20 British Films at the UK Box Office in 2015 so far

Listed here are the Top 20 best performing British films at the domestic box-office so far this year.  The figures come from Box Office Mojo and country classifications from the Internet Movie Database:

1) Cinderella -  $32,596,816 - USA | UK

2) The Theory of Everything - $31,909,172  - UK

3) Kingsman: The Secret Service -  $24,160,744  - UK

4) The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - $23,064,109 - UK | USA

5) Shaun the Sheep Movie - $20,274,277 -  UK | France

6) Into the Woods - $14,859,690 - USA | UK | Canada

7) Far from the Madding Crowd - $8,767,667 - UK | USA

8) The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death - $7,371,544 - UK | USA | Canada

9) Jupiter Ascending - $6,551,281 -  USA | UK | Australia

10) Spooks: The Greater Good - $4,700,720 - UK

11) Woman in Gold - $3,878,626 - USA | UK

12) Ex Machina - $3,816,953 - UK

13) Selma - $3,738,077 -  UK | USA

14) Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots - $3,593,395 - UK

15) Mr. Holmes - $3,522,964 -  UK | USA

16) Testament of Youth  - $2,877,384 -  UK

17) Suite Francaise - $2,621,594 -  UK | France | Canada | Belgium

18) Child 44 - $2,078,131 - USA | UK | Czech Republic | Romania | Russia

19) A Royal Night Out - $1,590,5675 - UK

20)  Man Up - $1,562,6085 - UK | France

Legend - New Official Trailer

Trailer for upcoming film about the notorious East End gangsters, the Kray twins.  Tom Hardy plays both Ronnie and Reggie Kray: 

The film is released on 9th September in the UK and 2nd October in the USA.

Two UK independent sci-fi films seeking crowd-funding

Crowd-funding has become a new source of funding for independent film projects.  Anyone can donate a small amount towards production funding and larger donations will often be rewarded with awards such as exclusive merchandise or even a walk-on part in the film.

Here are two British independent science fiction projects.  If interested, make a donation and/or share the details on your social networks:

Last Man on Earth is a short pre-apocalypse sci-fi thriller about a team of virologists searching for a cure to cancer.  This Manchester-based production is to star Colin Baker, who you probably know played the Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who.  As well as the production funding,  a proportion of your donation will go towards a cancer research charity.

The Dark Channel is described as "sci-fi noir."  It will be a black-and-white film and the trailer shows an impressive visual flair.  The film's director Mark Davis, has extensive experience in editing and visual effects and has previously worked on major projects such as  Doctor Who, Sherlock and Peaky Blinders.  Davis also edited Noel Clarke's 4,3,2,1 and Clarke has given his back to The Dark Channel.

Jekyll and Hyde on television and film

                                                             

Jekyll and Hyde, coming to ITV this autumn,  is the latest production inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's classic 1886 novella about a good man who transforms into his evil alter ego.

Set in the 1930s, Tom Bateman (Da Vinci’s Demons, The Tunnel) takes the lead role as Robert Jekyll,  grandson of Stevenson's Dr Henry Jekyll. Other leading roles are played by Richard E Grant (made famous in Withnail and I and more recently playing "The Great Intelligence" in Doctor Who) and Natalie Gumede (Doctor Who - Last Christmas, Coronation Street).

The series is written and executive produced by Charlie Higson, star of The Fast Show and celebrated novelist (Young Bond, The Enemy).   It will have ten episodes and is described by ITV as an "action adventure series" which "exudes mystery, fantasy, horror and sci-fi". 

Alongside Dracula and Frankenstein, Jekyll/Hyde is a Victorian gothic horror character who has been adapted and reinvented multiple times.  Around a hundred actors have played variations of the part in film and TV.  The earliest was Hobart Bosworth in a now-lost 1908 film.  Here are three subsequent short silent films which are now in the public domain:

1912

1913

1920

Rouben Mamoulian's 1931 film is still seen by many as the definitive adaptation of the story for its ground-breaking transformation scenes and a brilliant central performance by Frederic March. This film was also remade ten years later starring Spencer Tracey.  Britain's gothic horror specialists Hammer Studios produced two versions of the story: 1961's The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll starring Paul Massie and 1971's gender-switch version Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde starring  Ralph  Bates and Martine Beswick:

In recent decades, the story has been  adapted more often for the small screen, including TV movies in 1990 and 2003 starring Michael Caine and John Hannah, and the Steven Moffat's modern-day series in 2008 starring James Nesbitt.  Sadly, there was no proper resolution to Moffat's series as the BBC decided not to recommission it for a second run:

DVD REVIEW: Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

Fans of Doctor Who might be interested to check out this time travel comedy from 2009.  It was written by Jamie Mathieson who wrote two of the best episodes from last year's series: Mummy on the Orient Express and Flatline.  Although it is inferior to the quality of those stories, it is an enjoyable film with entertaining performances and plot.

During an evening in their local pub, three blokes stumble across a tear in the space/time continuum in the gent's toilets.  Through this they travel backwards and forwards in time and have to work out how to fix the problem without bumping into themselves and therefore erasing themselves from existence.  A mysterious woman from the future also appears at random moments and implies that the trio have an important destiny.

Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel seems heavily influenced by Shaun of the Dead (2004).  The film focuses on three young male friends who are unhappy in their work and love life, and it's easy to imagine Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in these parts.  Both films also use the setting of a grotty pub and cheesy music is played from jukeboxes for comic effect.  

Unfortunately, the comparison to Shaun of the Dead, does not favour FAQ About Time Travel.  Although well played by three engaging comic actors, Chris O'Dowd, Marc Wooton and Dean Lennox Kelly, the central characters are thinly drawn.  There is very little back story and at only 83 minutes, little time for proper characterisation.   O'Dowd plays Ray, not a great leap from his IT Crowd character Roy,  who is obsessed by time travel and science fiction.  There is a very weak romance between Ray and the mysterious time-traveller Cassie (Anna Faris).  Wooton plays Toby who dreams up awful sci-fi plot ideas and writes a letter to "Hollywood" complaining about their lack of originality.  Lennox Kelly plays Pete who is more cynical and less nerdy, being unable to distinguish between Star Wars and Star Trek.  Another major similarity between this and the Shaun of the Dead is that both films are full of intertextual references.

Mathieson's script is better on plot than characterisation.  There are some good twists and a lack of unnecessary  pseusdo-science.   Sadly, the film's director Gareth Carrivick died of leukaemia only a year its release.  It was his only feature film.  Although the film lacks cinematic flair, Carrivick used his experience directing television sitcoms to get likeable comic performances from the cast. Although not a great success, this film is recommended to anyone interested in time travel concepts and to fans of the lead actors' other work.

PREVIEWS: Three British films coming up in 2016

To follow up the recent post on British films coming out over the six months, here is a look further ahead to three intriguing films due out next year:  

Billie Piper City of Tiny Lights Director: Pete Travis Starring: Riz Ahmed, Billie Piper, Vincent Regan Genre: Crime thriller Known facts:  A London-set film noir thriller .  Riz Ahmed plays Tommy Akhtar, a private investigator drawn into a dark conspiracy after being hired to find a missing a girl.  Billie Piper co-stars in her first feature film role since Doctor Who established her as a major acting talent.  This is an adaptation of a novel of the same name by Patrick Neale who also wrote the film script.  Pete Travis previously directed cult favourite Dredd. Currently in post-production.

Gemma Arterton She Who Brings Gifts Director:  Colm McCarthy Starring:  Gemma Arterton, Glenn Close, Paddy Considine Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama Known facts:  Based on M.R. Carey's The Girl with All the Gifts and adapted by Carey himself, this is  essentially another zombie story set in a dystopian future.  However, the novel was praised for its character depth and intelligence, and the non-generic title and quality casting suggests this should appeal to more than diehard zombie fans.    Director Colm McCarthy is making his feature film debut following excellent work in TV drama, including episodes of Sherlock, Doctor Who and Peaky Blinders. Currently in production.

Eddie Redmayne   Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Director: David Yates Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston Genre: Adventure, Fantasy Known facts:  Written by J.K. Rowling and set in the same wizarding world as Harry Potter, this is the story of Newt Scamender, a researcher of magical creatures.    For her first screenplay, Rowling has teamed up with David Yates who directed the last four Potter films.  Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne plays Scamander. Currently in pre-production. The first of a planned trilogy, the film already has a release date: November 18th.

Other projects of interest next year are new films from British directors Edgar Wright (Baby Driver),  Ben Wheatley (Fire Fire) and Michael Apted (Unlocked).  Steven Spielberg is also directing a largely British cast for his adaptation for Roald Dahl's The BFG.   More news on these films and others will continue to be posted right here!