Dead by Dawn, Scotland’s International Horror Film Festival, returns for its 20th Anniversary this year (25 – 28 April) at The Filmhouse
All-inclusive Passes priced £75
This year’s festival is the 20th Anniversary and to celebrate in the run-up, there will be a screening of a season of some of the favourite movies from past festivals. The Dead by Dawn Prelude season will show:
KILLING WORDS – Sunday 10 February only
Spain / 2003 / 89 mins / Laura Mañá / starring Darío Grandinetti, Goya
Toledo, Fernando Guillén
Psychological thrillers abound, but few are as genuinely tense, atmospheric and unsettling as this. Goya Toledo is Laura, a psychiatrist, who regains consciousness bound to a chair, an unwilling viewer to Ramon (Dario Grandinetti in sublime form) explaining what trail of crimes has led him to this point in his life, where he goes from here, and how she will figure in it. The stage is set for a charged and utterly engrossing encounter between two players, neither of whom is used to losing even the most innocent of games, let alone one where the stakes are so high.
BUBBA HO-TEP – Sunday 24 February only
USA / 2002 / Don Coscarelli / starring Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella
Joyce, Heidi Marnhout, Bob Ivy
Elvis and JFK, languishing in an East Texas rest home, sally forth to battle an evil Egyptian entity who has chosen their long-term care facility as his happy hunting grounds. Don Coscarelli handles the bizarre material (based on a short story by Joe R Lansdale) with precision and care, treating the characters, and old age for that matter, with such respect that no matter how absurd things become, you are with them all the way. An engaging, laugh-out-loud funny, bittersweet story of redemption, courage and friendship.
DEAD BIRDS – Sunday 10 March only
USA / 2004 / Alex Turner / starring Henry Thomas, Patrick Fugit, Nicki
Aycox, Michael Shannon, Muse Watson
It’s 1863, and William (Henry Thomas), an ex-Confederate soldier, has come into some gold via the bloody robbery of a bank. He and his gang hightail it to an abandoned plantation out in the middle of nowhere, the ultimate goal being to reach Mexico where they plan to live the good life. Or at least a richer life. There’s a feeling of dread that immediately seizes the film once the bank robbers reach the plantation, and this feeling continues throughout. Dead Birds comes highly recommended, especially for those seeking a horror film that can actually scare!
END OF THE LINE – Sunday 24 March only
Canada / 2007 / Maurice Devereaux / starring Ilona Elkin, Nicolas
Wright, Neil Napier, Emily Shelton, Tim Rozon
Karen, a psychiatric nurse, struggles through the final hours of a hellish shift. It’s a full moon, the weirdos are out in force, and she’s just found out that an unstable patient discharged against her recommendations threw herself under a subway train. Karen’s journey home starts in an almost deserted underground station where she finds herself receiving too much attention from a seriously sinister guy. Rescued by another passenger, her night gets worse when her train stops suddenly in a tunnel. Darkly funny and genuinely creepy, this movie is a thrilling ride!
THE DARK HOURS – Sunday 7 April only
Canada / 2005 / Paul Fox / starring Kate Greenhouse, Bruce McFee, Jeff
Seymour, David Calderisi, Trevor Hayes
On a weekend at their cabin, psychiatrist Dr Samantha Goodman, her husband and her sister get a surprise visit from one of Sam’s ex patients. Having had enough of having his head shrunk by the good doctor, Harlan’s purpose runs deeper than just a simple desire for revenge… While it’s possible to watch The Dark Hours strictly as a tense as hell thriller, there’s a lot more going on here than meets the eye. It manages to include explorations of infidelity, accountability, gender politics and modern psychiatry. Add in some beautiful moody cinematography, disconcerting sound design, a great supporting cast and an ambiguous and thought provoking finale, and you’ve got a rarity – a smart, harrowing film relying (mostly) on nuance and intelligence to make you squirm
Buying three or more tickets at the same time gives a 15% discount otherwise individual tickets are sold at regular Filmhouse prices.
Tickets can be bought from Filmhouse in person or by phone on 0131 228 2688 or through the website at www.filmhousecinema.com
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