With the opening night drawing ever closer, our Screen Editor cast his wry eye over the Mayhem 2018 schedule to pick out five films you simply cannot afford to miss...
Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
Thursday 11 October, 7.30pm
Director: John McPhail
Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire
Running time: 92 mins
"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Young Anna was nestled, all snug in her bed, not knowing tomorrow, she'd meet the undead." Has a trailer ever been as perfectly succinct in summarising what a film has to offer? If a festival Zombie film featuring an undead Father Christmas wasn't enough, Anna and the Apocalypse is a goddamned musical to boot. What more could anyone possibly want? With a string of cracking reviews backing it up, this looks like the perfect opening night blend of comedy and horror to get everyone warmed up for Mayhem 2018.
Screening will include a Q&A with director John McPhail
Mandy (2018)
Friday 12 October, 10.30pm
Director: Panos Cosmatos
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache
Running time: 121 mins
Before you even consider the fact that we live in a world where Nicholas Cage and Ken Barlow's son are in a film together, the neon-soaked Mandy trailer looks crazier than a shithouse rat. I count myself amongst the legions of people that would gladly pay to watch Cage read from a Burger King menu, so throw the palpable sense of emotion and insanity portrayed in the trailer, along with a hyper-violent demonic fantasy, into the mix and it looks like we could well have a barnstorming Mayhem classic on our hands.
One Cut of the Dead (2017)
Saturday 13 October, 12pm
Director: Shin’ichirô Ueda
Starring: Takayuki Hamatsu, Yuzuki Akiyama, Harumi Shuhama
Running time: 96 mins
A metafictional comedy about a low budget zombie film that is rudely interrupted by the emergence of a real zombie apocalypse feels almost too good to be true for Mayhem audiences. An epic 37-minute opening single take, as well as an intentionally low-budget aesthetic promise a film that satirises independent genre filmmaking as much as it does traditional zombie tropes. The trailer looks like a beautiful blend of George A. Romero and Ed Wood that has somehow found a fresh take on the zombie genre.
Demons (1985)
Saturday 13 October, 11pm
Director: Lamberto Bava
Starring: Nicoletta Elmi, Michele Soavi, Natasha Hovey
Running time: 88 mins
Mayhem loves digging out an old classic to remind their audience that the festival isn't all about the latest and greatest in the horror genre. This year we're presented with Lamberto Bava's Demons, the story of a group of random people who are invited to a screening of a mysterious movie, only to find themselves trapped in the theatre with ravenous demons. The fact that this screening coincides with Broadway's announcement of their own Mystery Film event is probably just a coincidence... right?
The Witch in the Window (2018)
Sunday 14 October, 4.45pm
Director: Andy Mitton
Starring: Arija Bareikis, Alex Draper, Zach Jette
Running time: 77 mins
Andy Mitton's film has garnered praise for its patient delivery of a story that puts character development and emotional impact at the forefront. The trailer promises a film that envelopes its supernatural elements within the ordinary, everyday domestic experiences of a separated father and his estranged 12-year-old son, whilst remaining utterly creepy and unsettling. The Witch in the Window looks as sure to pack an emotional punch as it does to scare the absolute bejesus out of us.
Mayhem Film Festival is taking place at Broadway Cinema between 11-14 October. For more information and tickets, visit the Mayhem website
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
