sunshine on leith (& lothian road)…
Well Dead by Dawn 2015 is over, and I post from my cosy bunk bed in (very) sunny Edinburgh, having made my way up on Thursday afternoon following a manic few hours where every punter within a hundred miles seemingly wanted to call in before I left – phew. Bottom bunk, by the way.
A giant chocolate muffin and a listen to Iggy Pop on the train here temporarily put paid to the tiredness but even a pit stop for overpriced sangria and peri-peri chicken at the Nando’s over the road from Filmhouse couldn’t stop me nodding off flagging eventually and almost missing a bit of the 11pm opener Tusk (retired mariner creates man-walrus as new best friend), which would have been a terrible shame. Thankfully there’s only the one film on opening night; defeat was admitted and a hasty retreat was beaten afterwards with no chips and curry sauce in sight so that a decent night’s sleep could be had in preparation for the rest.
I’m biased, as it’s far and away my favourite event of the year (and much more so than the commercial juggernaut and endurance trial that is Frightfest, fun though it is) but this year’s Dead By Dawn line up has been the best in living memory, for me at least, with only one dropped ball in Blood Punch (and as with last year’s Housebound everybody else seemed to like it), the Saturday line up in particular comprising back-to-back unmissables to the extent that my planned nap sadly never got taken and I missed the end of the ever-thoughtful and nuanced Dagon (Lovecraft/Macarena Gómez/zombie fish people). Well it was 4am.
The day had started sixteen hours prior with 1986’s Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer; one of my all time classics and a first opportunity for me to see it on the big screen having – like everybody else – made do with a mangy (but much prized) VHS copy of it back in 1995 which is when I last saw it, and I’ve now seen it twice. It’s certainly lost nothing at all in almost thirty years since being made and for those might be interested, the BBFC shitstorm which ensued upon it’s emergence in the UK is detailed here – I remember it well. In addition to my belief that it’s one the best horror films ever made, Henry is without exception the singularly most unpleasant film I have ever seen including all of the usual suspects (A Serbian Film – check, Martyrs – check, Human Centipede – don’t be silly) and even though I did a little dance upon finding out it was on the programme, I reckon it’ll be at least another twenty years before I see it again. I can’t decide whether that’s a recommendation or not. No, it’s not.
We have had the ethereal and very lovely When Animals Dream, plus my hit of the weekend and the winner of the Audience award (and which offered the unmissable opportunity for me to see two of my favourite actors, Macarena Gómez (again!) and Luis Tosar, on the same screen) Musarañas – recommended! I have eaten at least my body weight in Wagamama on not one evening break but two, sat on the Filmhouse steps in the sunshine every afternoon with my packed lunch and not washed my hair or had to wear makeup for four days. I think that was definitely the next best part after the films.
All good things have to come to an end and the time for making tracks isn’t far away – I will be back in Scarborough in the morning bright eyed and bushy tailed and normal service will be resumed (including phone on at 9.30am as per). To those waiting on email replies, I’m getting to it now (and to those who have asked about the new site, we’re all just waiting for the photos – fingers crossed for Thursday).
More soon! It’s definitely time to get up but as is tradition, here is the winner of the Audience Award for Short Film; not even really horror, but fun in a very special way nonetheless. Enjoy.
Anybody want a Milky Way?
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