Post by Clouseau on Aug 2, 2006 14:01:40 GMT
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Film-tastic festival set for city
Julia Taylor
EVER since Gil Lane Young met his colleague, Harry Nadler (who has since died) and Tony Edwards at a Hammer lecture seventeen years ago, they have been organising the Festival Of Fantastic Films, a three-day wonderland of science fiction, fantasy and horror films.
This year’s event will be held at Day’s Hotel, Sackville Street, Manchester, from Friday, September 1 to Sunday, September 3.
Four special guests will be there including American actor, Ken Foree who appeared in the 1978 classic, ‘Dawn of the Dead’ and it’s remake in 2003.
Another visitor will be Ulli Lommel, the German actor and director, famous for directing ‘The Tenderness of Wolves’.
Peter Graham Scott, a vintage director with 60 years experience in the business, attended last year’s festival.
He only found time to tell of his experiences up to 1975 so is returning to update his previous talk. He is noted for his direction of “The Prisoner” TV series.
Finally, Burt Kwouk, the Chinese actor who played Cato, Inspector Clousseau’s butler in the Pink Panther series, will speak.
Gil is particularly proud of the professional and amateur film competitions first introduced in 1996.
Big budget
Most of the independent films are big budget but Gil and Tony always enjoy the quality of shoestring, amateur entries.
Gil said: “The competition is no longer parochial. It has become international.
“Over the years, we have had entries from Israel, America, Germany, Japan, Australia, France, Belgium, Iran and, even Iraq.
“They are mostly ghostly and horror films.
“The judges assess the movies for quality of film, the story, acting skills and special effects.
“This year some of the 21 professional and 30 amateur entries have been very good indeed.
“The most common pitfall, however, is when the makers don’t know when to cut.”
Winning
The best section of every entry will be presented during the weekend and the two winning films will be run on the Sunday night.
Sometimes those who enter the amateur section, and independent winners of the coveted statue, based on the Metropolitan Studios Maria character, have moved on to better things.
For example, this year, the professional film entitled “The Death of Poe” will be shown at the festival.
Only four years ago, the now successful director of it, entered the independent film competition.
To attend for one day (£30) or three days (£70) film fans must join the Society of Fantastic Films.
This classes the function as a club event enabling the organisers to show uncut and, therefore, uncensored, films, although they would never show anything pornographic.
The exception is on the Saturday between 10am and 4pm when, for just a couple of pounds, members of the public can attend a film fair and meet celebrities.
For more information, log on to www.fantastic-films.com/festival.
Julia Taylor
EVER since Gil Lane Young met his colleague, Harry Nadler (who has since died) and Tony Edwards at a Hammer lecture seventeen years ago, they have been organising the Festival Of Fantastic Films, a three-day wonderland of science fiction, fantasy and horror films.
This year’s event will be held at Day’s Hotel, Sackville Street, Manchester, from Friday, September 1 to Sunday, September 3.
Four special guests will be there including American actor, Ken Foree who appeared in the 1978 classic, ‘Dawn of the Dead’ and it’s remake in 2003.
Another visitor will be Ulli Lommel, the German actor and director, famous for directing ‘The Tenderness of Wolves’.
Peter Graham Scott, a vintage director with 60 years experience in the business, attended last year’s festival.
He only found time to tell of his experiences up to 1975 so is returning to update his previous talk. He is noted for his direction of “The Prisoner” TV series.
Finally, Burt Kwouk, the Chinese actor who played Cato, Inspector Clousseau’s butler in the Pink Panther series, will speak.
Gil is particularly proud of the professional and amateur film competitions first introduced in 1996.
Big budget
Most of the independent films are big budget but Gil and Tony always enjoy the quality of shoestring, amateur entries.
Gil said: “The competition is no longer parochial. It has become international.
“Over the years, we have had entries from Israel, America, Germany, Japan, Australia, France, Belgium, Iran and, even Iraq.
“They are mostly ghostly and horror films.
“The judges assess the movies for quality of film, the story, acting skills and special effects.
“This year some of the 21 professional and 30 amateur entries have been very good indeed.
“The most common pitfall, however, is when the makers don’t know when to cut.”
Winning
The best section of every entry will be presented during the weekend and the two winning films will be run on the Sunday night.
Sometimes those who enter the amateur section, and independent winners of the coveted statue, based on the Metropolitan Studios Maria character, have moved on to better things.
For example, this year, the professional film entitled “The Death of Poe” will be shown at the festival.
Only four years ago, the now successful director of it, entered the independent film competition.
To attend for one day (£30) or three days (£70) film fans must join the Society of Fantastic Films.
This classes the function as a club event enabling the organisers to show uncut and, therefore, uncensored, films, although they would never show anything pornographic.
The exception is on the Saturday between 10am and 4pm when, for just a couple of pounds, members of the public can attend a film fair and meet celebrities.
For more information, log on to www.fantastic-films.com/festival.
