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Horror, sci-fi and fantasy fans are in for a treat at the 6th Fantastic Films Weekend at the National Media Museum in Bradford from June 15.
The West Yorkshire institution will be hosting sneak previews and screenings of ultra-rare prints from the museum archive.
They'll also be featuring some exclusive guests, including a first-ever festival appearance by Lawrence Gordon Clark, director of a series of MR James stories for the 1970s BBC TV classic Ghost Stories for Christmas. Rare MR James titles to be screened alongside his appearance are The Ash Tree, The Treasure of Abbot Thomas, Lost Hearts, A Warning to the Curious and The Stalls of Barchester, all directed by Clark.
Clark will be joined by filmmaker John Hough, director of Hammer Horror classic Twins of Evil, eerie horror The Legend of Hell House and cult masterpiece Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry, which influenced Quentin Tarantino’s new Grindhouse release Death Proof. The festival will feature the screening of a new print of the Hammer classic and John will be present to introduce the film and participate in a screentalk interview about his career.
Also appearing at the festival will be veteran novelist Brian Aldiss whose books have been turned into cult movies, notably Frankenstein Unbound (horror legend Roger Corman’s last film as a director, made in 1990) and A.I. – Artificial Intelligence.
The festival opens on June 15, with a sneak preview of the hugely anticipated Hostel: Part II – the sequel to Eli Roth’s controversial 2005 horror Hostel.
Among the other films to be shown are a brand new print of Hammer classic Countess Dracula, ultra rare screenings of Amicus’ I, Monster and Soylent Green, a unique 70mm screening of John Carpenter cult favourite Big Trouble In Little China and a screening of the only UK print from the museum’s vaults of Dario Argento’s iconic Suspiria. Blockbuster Frank Miller adaptation 300 will also make the leap to the giant screen on the museum’s 14-metre tall IMAX screen.
Festival director, Tony Earnshaw said: "Fantastic Films Weekend keeps going from strength to strength.
"We are particularly thrilled to be screening so many rare and unique prints of classic horror, sci-fi and fantasy films – some directly from the museum’s own archive. And all for a bargain price of £35 for a weekend pass or £15 for a day pass. Go ahead... Feel the fear."
For more information about the festival programme visit the official site.
