(Graphic designed by Steve Kirkham)
2000 Archive
(Click
here for information on the 2001 Festival)
(Graphic designed by Steve Kirkham)
The Festival of
Fantastic Films 2000
The 11th Annual Convention of the Society of Fantastic Films
The UK's Celebration
of a Century of Amazing Cinema
was held Friday September 8th to Sunday September 10th 2000
at the Renaissance Hotel, Deansgate, Manchester, England
Click here for Membership Information
The Festival Committee are delighted to announce that Manchester's excellent Renaissance Hotel will be our host for the 11th Annual Movie Convention of The Society of Fantastic Films. The four-star rated hotel is lavishly appointed and we are able to stage the entire convention on the first floor mezzanine level of the imposing 12 story building which overlooks the newly re-built area of central Manchester. There is a large bar and lounge area linked to the function suites by a single corridor and the hotel has its own underground car park at no extra charge to residents.
Click here to read Progress Report One, February 2000
Click here to read
Progress Report Two, June 2000
Introduction to the Festival
If you are a new visitor to The Festival of Fantastic Films web pages we invite you to climb aboard the greatest weekend a science fiction, fantasy or horror movie fan could ever find on the planet.
Based in MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (just two-and-a-half hours from LONDON by rail-link) we have THREE programme streams containing a terrific range of movie-related events that include Guest Interviews, Discussions, Panels, Special Events, Presentations, Auctions, Artshow and Poster Exhibition, Dealer Room, Themed Dinner, Parties and of course an AMAZING number of movies..... the old and the new run alongside each other throughout the second weekend of September.
Please scroll down our pages to get a taste of this 3-Day UK Movie Convention (now in its eleventh year) - and hop off on the various links should you want even more in-depth info! But DO COME BACK... we'll be updating frequently throughout the upcoming year!
Guests of Honour
Martine Beswick
Jamaican born Martine was one of the original Bond girls having appeared in two of the
Sean Connery movies, namely From Russia With Love (1962) and Thunderball
(1965).
Her Hammer career began with the 1966 Ray Harryhausen version of One Million Years BC
as well as the 1968 film Slave Girls (aka Prehistoric Women), although
to genre fans her most successful role was as the distaff side in Dr. Jekyll and
Sister Hyde (1971), with the late great Ralph Bates as 'her other half'. Later genre
appearances subsequent to her move to the US include Seizure (1974), The
Offspring (1987), Evil Spirits and Trancers II both 1991.
Brian Clemens
With Martine appearing at this years Festival it seemed appropriate to re-invite Brian
Clemens, who wrote and co-produced the aforementioned Dr.Jekyll and Sister Hyde
in which she appeared.
So returning for a second visit is this prolific British writer, producer and director
whose many television credits, usually with his partner producer Albert Fennell, include
such notable series as The Avengers (Original and New), and The Professionals
plus his recent collaboration with Festival stalwart Steven Gallagher on the UK series Bugs.
Brian has had a distinguished movie career including writing - co-producing and directing
the much underrated Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter in 1972, as well as co-writing
the 1960 version of Tell-Tale Heart and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
(1973) for Ray Harryhausen.
Brian also wrote See No Evil (1971) and co-wrote / co-produced And Soon the
Darkness (1970).
His appearance at our 1991 Festival was much regarded and it will be great to have him
return to be with us again.
Jorge Grau
Director of THE LIVNG DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE (1974), THE FEMALE BUTCHER (1972), and
screenwriter of M0NSTER ISLAND (1981).
Val Guest
Director, Producer, Screenwriter on a most impressive number of mainstream films during a
long career in movies. Val also directed some excellent Hammer Films including The
Quatermass Xperiment (The Creeping Unknown in the USA), The Abominable
Snowman, Camp On Blood Island and When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth.
He also produced and directed the superb science fiction thriller The Day The Earth
Caught Fire which will be screened at the Festival before Val's on-stage interview on
Sunday September 10th. Hell Is A City was another Hammer production, although not
in the SF / Fantasy genre it was shot in the Festival's home city of Manchester.
Antonio Margheriti
Antonio is a prolific Italian movie Director, who has also been, throughout his long
career, a Producer and Screenwriter.
Beginning his career in 1950 as an assistant editor, he graduated to directing
documentaries and travelogues, before becoming involved in directing special effects in
the mid-50's. He directed his first feature film Assignment: Outer Space (aka Spaceman)
in 1960, which he also co-wrote. He made a number of movies under the anglicised name of
Anthony M. Dawson. Not to be confused with the late British character actor Anthony Dawson
famous for trying to kill Grace Kelly in Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder.
Antonio's films include a mixture of Science Fiction, Horror and Action movies, including
directing Festival favourite and previous guest the late lamented David Warbeck in The
Last Hunter (1980), as well as Castle of Blood (1964), Seven Dead in the
Cat's Eye (1973), War of the Planets (1965), Hercules, Prisoner
of Evil Terror (1964), The Unnaturals (1969) and probably his most well
known, the famous Cannibal Apocalypse (1980).
SPECIAL GUESTS include
Ramsey Campbell
Janina Faye
Richard Gordon
Stephen Gallagher
Gunnar Hanson
Stephen Laws
Valerie Leon
Norman J. Warren
Independent Films
In addition to the retrospective film programme that is the backbone of the event, the Festival of Fantastic Films has, within the past few years, become the premiere UK venue for new genre movies. We are pleased to showcase an amazing selection of Independently produced feature length and short films from all over the world. Films that you are unlikely to see anywhere else are screened alongside the new movies from major studios right through the weekend. Each year sees an increase in the number of young and highly creative film-makers, submitting their work into our International Competition and giving members of the Festival a unique opportunity to see a great range of movies. The Festival programme also screens new films outside the competition itself and although it is difficult to announce specific titles in advance, we expect to surprise members of the event with major premieres!
The Festival is also the place to meet with many of the creative people from behind and in front of the cameras. In 1998 we had director Jake West and actress Eileen Daly along with their new film RAZORBLADE SMILE. American director Tyler Tharpe came over from the USA to screen and discuss his horror film THE LAST ROADSTOP and from the UK, Jon Sorensen premiered his science fiction feature ALIEN BLOOD. In 1999 delightful American director Joei Gharrity came from Los Angeles to screen her short film THE GRAIL and was sucked into the fannish activities and friendliness of the event
Most of the Independent movies screened at the Festival have a substantial budget behind them, whereas other equally creative genre movies are made each year by talented amateurs working on a shoestring. These films are enormously entertaining and often just as thought provoking as their Indie relatives. The Amateur Contest entries are pre-judged by The Festival Committee with the top rated films going forward to the Festival for the final round. 1998 saw the Award going out of the UK for the first time ever, being won by Florida USA film-maker Shane Hannafey with his science fiction story THE GIFT.
The International Movie Competitions have become a very important section of the Festival of Fantastic Films.
The winner of the Best Independent Short Film for 1999 was:
Harry Weinmann of Australia for SUCCUBUS: THE MOTION PICTURE
The winner of The Delta Award for Best Amateur Film for 1999 was:
Ben Campbell of the UK with his film ABDUCTION
Click here for the Independent Film Competition rules and entry form
Click here for the Amateur Film Competition entry form
Best Theatrical
Picture Award
Our exclusive SOFFIA statuette, sculpted by Jason
Brookes, will be awarded this September to the feature film members vote the "Best
Fantastic Film of the Year".
There are twelve nominations from which members of The Society of Fantastic Films can
select their own personal favourite from the genre movies theatrically released in
the UK during our qualifying period of August 1st 1999 to July 31st 2000.
This will be an annual award made by the Society of Fantastic Films and the winner will be
announced on the last evening of the Festival.
The nominations for this qualifying year are as follows:
The Astronauts Wife
Being John Malcovitch
The Blair Witch Project
Galaxy Quest
House on Haunted Hill
Lake Placid
Last Night
A Stir of Echoes
The Sixth Sense
Sleepy Hallow
Stuart Little
Voting cards will be included inside the Festival Pack given to all members on arrival at the Festival Hotel.
Featured Events
Big retrospective Science Fiction and
Fantasy
movie programme on 16mm and 35mm, including the following:
SHE
THE LADY AND THE MONSTER
BLACK DRAGONS
THE MASK OF DIJON
THE FLYING SERPENT
SHE DEMONS
THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE
HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER
THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
DR JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE
THE LIGHTHOUSE
CARNIVALÉ
3-D!
Discussions, Panels
Film Fair, Auctions
Low-price Convention Bar!
Guest of Honour Signing Sessions
Amateur and Independent Short Film Contests
Film Programme
Our extensive film programme includes these new movies:
BLOOD
CARNIVORE
DARK LIGHT
DIAGNOSIS
EL TRIANGULO DEL LAGO (THE LAKE TRIANGLE)
FOILED
GO TO HELL!
THE GHOST OF GREVILLE HALL
LOS SIN NOMBRE (THE NAMELESS)
SANCTIMONY
LES SIAMOISES
SPACEMAN
TOTAL ECLIPSE
24 HOURS IN LONDON
SHORT FILMS include
BABY DOLL
THE BALLAD OF KIM AND JOE
CHILDREN OF LIR
DIONYSUS LOST
GREEN FINGERS
THE FRAGILE SKIN
THE LAST DREAM
LET'S STAY FRIENDS
NARCISSUS
PENALTY
Special Events
FESTIVAL OPENING CEREMONY
A humorous introduction to the Festival
with Horror novelist STEPHEN LAWS and writer, director STEPHEN GALLAGHER,
both of whom will be conducting Guest interviews throughout the weekend.
A LITTLE GLUE, A LITTLE STRING AND A LOT OF
IMAGINATION
An illustrated talk by MIKE TILLY on the work of Effects master LES BOWIE who
produced amazing effects and glass paintings for very little money.
WHAT'S UP DANTE DOC?
Documentary film by GRANT LITTLECHILD on the work of
director and fan Joe Dante.
JUST CALL HIM JESS
Documentary film by Spanish filmmaker CARLES PRATS
on the work of Jess Franco.
THE BLAIR WITCH SYNDROME
Producer RICHARD GORDON chairs a discussion on how the success of the
zero-cost movie has influenced Independent producers.
REPUBLIC - THE SERIAL KINGS
An illustrated talk by ADRIAN JAMES on the science fiction
serials of the finest action-movie studio of all time.
plus many other Q&A sessions with directors and producers of a number of
the films we shall be screening throughout the weekend.
The Auction
RAMSEY CAMPBELL puts a multitude of movie related items
under his infamous gavel... and we'll guarantee he'll keep you amused and
penniless!
Full Attending Membership is £60.00 (UK pounds), or $95 (US dollars) which entitles you to Progress Reports, Programme Booklet, Badge, and Attendance to all of the events over the three days of the convention. A single day membership is available for £30.00 (UK pounds).
Children: Attending Membership £20 up to 12 years of age and £30 up to 16 years of age.
Supporting Membership £30, entitles you to three Progress Reports, Programme Booklet, Badge, and Attendance to any of the events on any SINGLE day of the convention. (Supporting membership can be upgraded to FULL by paying the balance at any time up to the end of August 2000).
Register now by printing the form (click below) and mailing to the Festival address! For your convenience, Visa and MasterCard bookings can be accepted by phone: call [Country code 44] (0)161 707-3747 (call any time but please check the time difference if calling from outside the UK).
Click here for a membership form you can print and mail.
Festival e-mail may be sent to Harry Nadler: [email protected]
The Society of Fantastic Films is a member of the British Federation of Film Societies
In Memoriam
Norman Shorrock 1929-1999
David Trengove 1944 - 1999
Norman and David were both involved in
Science Fiction fandom for many years and with the Festival of Fantastic Films since its
inception.
Click here for Harry Nadler's fond memories of two
friends no longer with us.
Other Sites of Interest
Click here to see the 1999 Archive Website
Click here to read Darrell Buxton's 1999 Festival Report
Ramsey Campbell - The Official Website
Festival organizer Harry Nadler's movie memorabilia site
"The Tingler" - the horror films of William Castle
3DTV - LCD Glasses, 3D Movies, & More!
Concatenation Convention Reviews
Virtual Manchester
everything you need to know
about the Festival's home city
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Site created 4 June 1997 by Bill Burns
[FTL Design :
Long Island : NY : USA]. Last updated 4 September 2000.
All pages copyright © 2000 by the Society of Fantastic Films.
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