Publishing Date: July 2002

Director John Hough joins our guest list

International film Director John Hough has joined our list of Guests of Honour. British born, John directed many genre movies including The Legend of Hell House (1973), Twins of Evil (1979), The Watcher in the Woods (1980), The Incubus (1982), A Distant Scream (1984), Black Carrion (1984), Czech Mate (1984), American Gothic (1987), Howling IV: The Original Nightmare (1988). John also worked in television before breaking into film, where some of his credits included The Avengers and The Saint.
John should have lots of stories and anecdotes to tell us, and should prove a popular guest.

Other guests confirmed.

Mel Welles

Mel Welles will be with us for the whole weekend.
He appeared as Jules Deveroux in Roger Corman's 1957 classic Attack of the Crab Monsters. His favourite role however was as Gravis Mushnick in the 1960 horror comedy Little Shop of Horrors.

John Scott

Film music composer John has written the music for many notable fantastic movies including - Study in Terror (1965), Doom Watch (1972), Satan's Slave (1976), Jules Vernes Rocket to the Moon (1967), People That Time Forgot (1977), Greystoke: Legend of Tarzan (1984), The Final Countdown (1980), Trog (1970), King Kong Lives (1986), Inseminoid (1980) etc.

Frederick Smith

Writer Frederick wrote the novel upon which the 1964 movie 633 Squadron was based. At the Festival we will be showing Devil Doll (1963) in which Frederick and our good friend Richard Gordon were both involved.

Stephen Gallagher

Novelist and TV screenwriter of such fantastic fare as Chimera, Bugs and Oktober, will be with us to act as interviewer and joint master of ceremonies, along with Stephen Laws.

Stephen Laws

Writer of many classic chillers such as Ghost Train, The Wyrm, The Frighteners and Gideon, Stephen will perform as interviewer and joint master of ceremonies with Stephen Gallagher.

Janina Faye

Actress Janina has been a regular and popular attendee at the Festival for a number of years now. Janina appeared in Day of the Triffids, Dracula, Hands of Orlac and in Paul Cotgrove's Greenfingers.

Ramsey Campbell

Ramsey is one of the UK's top horror writers, his work includes The House on Nazareth Hill, Ghosts and Grisly Things, The Last Voice They Hear and Meddling With Ghosts. His novel The Nameless was filmed by Spanish Director Jaume Balaguero. Ramsey will be hosting his now Infamous Auction, an item not to be missed, with rib tickling quips and critiques on the lots as they pass through his hands.

Udo Kier

We are still awaiting a definitive reply from Udo Kier, but as time goes by it looks as if Udo will not be joining us at this year's Festival.

Richard Gordon

Producer Richard started his company, Gordon Films, over 50 years ago. He began by importing and distributing British and other foreign films in the U.S. He later moved into production, but goes without screen credit on some of his early films, including the Boris Karloff movies The Haunted Strangler and Corridors of Blood. Richard produced Devil Doll, for which our Guest Frederick Smith wrote the screenplay.

Norman J. Warren

Editor, Writer and Director whose work includes Horror Planet, Inseminoid and Satan's Slave. Norman will with us for the whole weekend.

Dealers/Film Fair

On the Saturday of the Festival we will have a Dealers Room and Film Fair, open from 10 am. to 4 pm.
Anyone wishing to book a dealers table should contact Phil Nevitski on 0161 228 2947 or mail him at P.O. Box 364, Manchester. M60 1AL.

Auction

Ramsey Campbell will be the auctioneer for the Festival Auction.
If you have any genre film memorabilia you wish to donate to the Festival contact Gil Lane-Young at 'Penrose', 21, Winton Road, Bowdon, Cheshire. WA14 2PE or ring him on 0161 929 1423.
If you wish to put items in the auction and want money for them, we accept items, but take 50% of the price realised, make sure you let Gil know if you are donating or splitting.

Programme Schedule

As usual with a month to go the final programme is still in formation, but this will give you a good idea of the way the programme is looking. But remember some items may not happen and we cannot be sure all the events etc. will take place exactly as laid out here.

FRIDAY 30th August: Early arrivals can catch all 12 episodes of Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, or Hammers classic 1958 movie Dracula.

The official Opening Ceremony will start at 7.30 pm. The movies so far picked to follow are Last House on the Left in 35mm, The Mole People, Uzumaki, The Flesh and the Fiends, The Whip and the Body and The Saragossa Manuscript. We will also be showing at least five Independent Shorts:- Nebulous Dawn, Reconcilers, First Light, Incredibly Strange People and Fusion 21. Guest of Honour John Scott will be on stage at around 10 pm, followed by his movie The People That Time Forgot.

SATURDAY 31st August: Starts with Gerald Price giving an illustrated talk on The Fantasy Films of the 1920's. The Independent feature Dark Heaven, the classic Topper Takes a Trip. These are followed by The Amateur Movie Competition, and the Independent feature Sauls Pupils. Our Guest of Honour Mel Welles will be on stage at 2 pm. preceded by his film The Little Shop of Horrors. The award winning Donnie Darko. Ramsey Campbell's Infamous Auction will take place at 4 pm. We also have a Drive-in Double bill of Screaming Skull and The Giant Leeches. At 6 pm Saxon Logan will be on stage with his film Sleepwalker. Guest of Honour John Hough will be interviewed on stage at 10 pm. preceded by his film
The Legend of Hell House. The evening will finish off with a new 35mm presentation, title unknown at present. at 12 midnight Gerald Price will present his History of Monogram and PRC a profusely illustrated talk.

SUNDAY 1st September: Starts with the 35mm presentation of Anguish, also showing will be Ghost of Thomas Kempe, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Richard Gordon's Fiend Without a Face, and Haxan. at 12 Noon we will have the 35mm presentation of Company of Wolves. 2 pm see our Guest of Honour Frederick Smith on stage followed by his film Devil Doll. The Closing Ceremony will start at 8 pm and include Awards and Prize giving, plus the raffle draw. The End of Festival Party will commence at 10 pm and will include The Great Fantastic Movie Quiz with prizes plus, we hope, a few surprises.

A number of slots in the programme have not yet been finalised, we are awaiting the movie production companies letting us know which new films they will let us have.

Registration

If you have not already registered for the Festival we would advise you to do so as soon as possible. It is suprising how many people think they have registered, but have not. If in doubt check with Tony Edwards on 0161 707 3747 or e-mail me at [email protected].
There is a registration form with this Progress Report. When you have registered a hotel booking form will be sent to you along with your Festival Ticket.
When you arrive at the hotel take the lift to the mezzanine floor, immediately you come out of the lift you will find the Festival Registration Desk, where you will be issued with a Festival package, which will contain, among other things, your Festival Programme and Festival ID badge. Wear your Festival Badge at all times it is your passport into all the events and movies, without it you will be challanged if you try to enter any Festival rooms.

Fees

Full attending membership is GBP 65. This entitles you to all Progress Reports, Programme Booklet, Badge and attendance to any of the events and films over all three days of th convention.
Supporting Membership is GBP 30 and entitles you to the above, but attendance on only ONE SINGLE DAY of the convention. You must specify which day you wish to attend.
Children: Full attending membership is GBP 20 up to age 12 and GBP 30 up to age 16.

Hotel Accomodation

Bed and Breakfast rates at The Renaissance are GBP 60 per night for Single or GBP 75 for a Twin or Double room.
You do not have to stay at The Renaissance to be a member of the Festival. There is plenty of alternative accomodation available in Manchester. The Visitor Centre can be reached on 0161 234 3157.

How to get to the Festival

Arriving by car.
From the SOUTH of Manchester (Note: Junction 17 on the M60 - turning right after leaving the motorway - (Prestwich) will give a more direct route down into Manchester via the A56, but takes a little longer - see directions below under "NORTH").
Travellers by car should come in towards Manchester on the M6/M62 motorway from the south, onto the M602 to the roundabout at the end. Take the first left at the roundabout (which also has traffic lights) onto Albion Way (A5063) and follow it to the end, moving into the right-hand lane. Take a right turn at the T-junction (traffic lights) and you are on the A6. Travel down onto The Crescent passing Salford University on your left and go through the next three sets of (which are in close proximity to each other). At the next set of lights turn right (New Bailey Street B5221) under the railway bridge at Salford Station and at the second set of traffic lights turn left into St. Mary's Parsonage. (Follow the orange signs for MARKET PLACE CAR PARK). This will lead you directly to the T-junction with Blackfriar's Street. A careful right turn (there is an entrance/exit to Market Place car park directly opposite you) will bring you to the front door of The Renaissance and pointing the correct way to get to the the hotel car park (which is underneath the hotel) after checking in and asking for a car park key. The car park is free to residents subject to available space. Last year we all had parking space without problems, but spaces cannot be guaranteed. There is a direct passenger lift from the car park into the hotel.

From the NORTH of Manchester. If you come in from this direction (across the Pennines) you'll be on the M62, changing briefly into the M60. Come off at junction 17 and turn left onto the main road into Manchester (A56) which is Bury New Road. Just keep straight on this road and directly onto Deansgate. You'll pass Manchester Cathedral on the left and see the 12 storey hotel on your right.

Arriving by train.
If you arrive by train at Piccadilly Station you need to go directly down Market Street, pass the Arndale Centre, into St. Mary's Gate and across Deansgate to reach the hotel. That's about a 10 to 15 minute walk. If you arrive at Victoria Station you will to walk down the station approach, turn left onto Victoria Street and walk past the Cathedral. You'll see the Renaissance towering 12 storeys upwards on your right.

Arriving by air.
From Manchester Airport there is a direct Metrolink rail service into Manchester. This comes in at Piccadilly Station, or you can transfer to a connection and ride through to Victoria Station (the nearer station to the Festival hotel). Then follow the above instructions.

Foot-bound systems.
There are bus services and the Metrolink running close to the Renaissance hotel.
However you get to the Festival, we hope you have a safe and speedy journey, but take care out there.

Other News.

HAMMER FILMS - The Bray Studio Years.

Norman J. Warren in association with Donald Fearney of F.G.S. Productions are presenting a one day Hammer Festival at the Cine Lumiere in London, 10.00 am to 6.00 pm on Saturday, October 12th 2002.
There will be the rare opportunity to see four major Hammer films on the big screen :-

"YESTERDAY'S ENEMY" - Stanley Baker, Leo McKern.
"THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES" - Andre Morrell, Jaqueuline Pearce.
"CAPTAIN CLEGG" - Peter Cushing, Oliver Reed.
"GLASS CAGE" - Honor Blackman, John Ireland.

Special signings during the day with invited guests, including Geoffrey Toone (Terror of the Tongs), Brook Williams (The Plague of the Zombies), Yvonne Monlaur (Brides of Dracula), and a host of other Hammer guests who will be attending throughout the day.
As the day coincides with the publication of Wayne Kinsey's new book :-

"HAMMER FILMS - THE BRAY STUDIO YEARS"

You'll have the opportunity to buy a copy of this comprehensive history of Hammer Films in the golden days at Bray Studios between 1951 and 1966, and Wayne (Editor of " The House That Hammer Built") will be on hand to sign your copy of the book.

Tickets for this special Hammer Films event are GBP 20.00 per Person, and are available from:-

Mr. Donald Fearney, 25, High Hill Ferry, Bakers Hill, London. E5 9HG.

State the number of tickets you require, and list names if you are purchasing tickets other than for yourself - admittance to the venue will not be permitted without a ticket.
Please include your name, address and telephone number with your application, and
Please make all cheques/postal orders payable to Norman J. Warren.
Licensed bar and cafe available all day.