THE TENTH Horrorfest Film Festival is in full swing at the Labia and tonight one of the highlights is the screening of The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.
The legendary 1920s silent film will be screened (Friday October 31, tonight, 8.30pm) with a new soundtrack performed live by The Makabra Ensemble, coinciding with the Halloween dress-up competition and the Night Market.
The Festival officially launched on Wednesday with the Bloody Parchment
The Horrorfest continues until November 7 with film screenings, dress-up opportunities and it being the Labia, the opportunity to take a beer into the cinema.
The live soundtrack screenings are always popular and they last screened The Cabinet of Dr Caligari in 2007, so it’s about time to show it again.
While many people have a soft spot for horror films, the idea of taking part in a celebration of horror films is not exactly a mainstream one in this country, yet the Festival has not only survived but slowly grown over the years.
“It’s not like it is a huge commercial venture, the films are often off-centre, so they don’t draw everybody,” said Horrorfest organiser, Paul Blom.
The biggest drawcard for the fans, it would seems, is the variety of what they offer.
Horror stories aren’t usually aimed at kids, but the Festival also includes a special kids’ chapter. While Halloween dress-up is not compulsory, it is encouraged for when they screen The Nightmare Before Christmas (November 1, noon)
Blom pointed out that different people like different aspects of the Festival, like some would attend only the screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (November 1, 8.30pm), while other only go for the short films (Shadow Realm Short Film Collection Volume 2 on Sunday November 2 at 6.15pm, Volume 3 on Tuesday November 5 at 6.15pm)
Or how about the documentary on the Italian chiller/horror genre, entitled Yellow Fever: The Rise and Fall of the Giallo (Tuesday November 4 at 8.30pm). Or try Raynard’s Circle (Wednesday November 4 at 8.30pm) the Spanish film which blends history, found footage, mockumentary and narrative. The Spanish film is centered on a film crew making a documentary about Frederick Raynard, a Nazi war criminal and occult expert who was never caught, and never turned up dead after the war either.
For a local touch, check out the documentary that goes behind the scenes of the infamous 1996 remake of The Island of Dr Moreau. This was to be South African born writer/director Richard Stanley’s first big studio movie, but it was destroyed by a clash of vision, vain stars, studio interference, bad creative decisions, lack of interest and really bad weather. Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s The Island of Dr Moreau (Wednesday November 5, 8.30pm) is directed by David Gregory and features soundbytes from some (though not all) of the actors in the original movie.
Then there is the classic Halloween (Sunday November 2 at 8.30pm), John Carpenter’s re-mastered horror which celebrates its 35th birthday this year.
Or for something new try Fangoria Magazine editor Chris Alexander's sequel to his Blood For Irina, Queen of Blood (Thurday November 6. 6.15pm), starring South African born Shauna Henry and Nivek Ogre (of Skinny Puppy).
*Check www.horrorfest.info or www.labia.co.za for the full schedule.