Jonny’s Cult Films: MAYHEM – Super duper Saturday!!

Next up was Prospect, A sci-fi movie about a father and daughter who visit a remote poisonous moon on the search for a rare valuable substance but come up against a fight for survival, For me personally i couldn’t get on board with it, Maybe it was because it was after One cut of the dead and this felt like a long drawn out come down but i really can’t put my finger on why it didn’t work for me, Although saying that Emma loved it! I’ll say that this would be the Marmite movie of Mayhem, Love it or hate it?

Next up was the quite brilliant Number 37, Described as a homage to the classic Hitchcock movie Rear Window and that’s pretty much what it is, Set in the grim Suburbs of South Africa this really gets under your skin from the off, The premise of the story is that a a small time gangster has been paralysed in a drive by shooting and is confined to a wheelchair and his apartment. his girlfriend gets him a pair of binoculars so at least he can spend some of his time looking a the world going by, This also means he can see into another apartment block which he witness a murder, He is also in debt to a particularly nasty gangster to whom he owns quite a large amount of cash, He is given a deadline date to pay up or else, When he witnesses the murder he comes up with the idea of blackmailing the killers, Sounds like a good plan but oh no, It is a brilliant film and take on rear window. The characters are brilliantly played by a superb cast and you really feel for them  especially for his girlfriend who just wants to do the right thing by all involved, Some great plot twists along the way kept me well and truly gripped, One definitely to keep your eyes out for.

Next up was the always hugely popular Short films showcase, MAYHEM originally started out as just a short film festival and the showcase is now a regular and very welcome staple of the festival. As with every year they were brilliant, My personal favourites were Mermaid, Bitch and from the always brilliant Alice Lowe a creepy in fact VERY creepy short called Salt. Ill try and get some more information on the shorts and hopefully do a post about all of them very soon, Watch this space folks!

Next up was new found footage movie The Devils Doorway, When i heard it was yet another found footage movie i was i have to be honest not too bothered about seeing it but it was great! Set in an Irish nunnery in the 60’s after an anonymous letter two priests are sent to try and explain a phenomena of statues crying blood which was being hailed as a miracle, Little known to them there was a hell of a lot more behind it and a very creepy dirty little secret that is kept in the basement! My apprentice from work Joe came for the Saturday this year and after the showing he was saying how much it freaked him out and it also made him jump so much at one part that he actually bit his tongue! It did carry quite a heavy and very poignant message as a thread throughout the film that was explained in  more detail after the showing by director in attendance Aislinn Clarke. Running at a good time of 78 minutes it felt just the right length, You should seek out, turn the lights out, Turn the volume up and try not to bite your tongue!

Last but by no means least was a screening that i had been waiting for since it was announced, An 11PM showing of the Lamberto Bava/Dario Argento classic Demons. But before that was a very special screening of what is said to be Astron Six last film(i hope not!) called Chowboys and it was one of their best ever, make more please!!!
 Along with other classics shown at this slot on a Saturday in previous years such as Suspiria, The Texas chainsaw massacre and Planet of the vampires to name but a few the announcement that it would be Demons was hugely popular and it showed by the amount of people that were in the cinema for the great late night showing. MAYHEM even had a cool Demons shrine that i had loaned my very own Gerreta Geretta Demons doll.

Filled with cheese, Puss, Gore, ridiculously overacted and a soundtrack featuring the likes of Go West and Saxon it went down a storm and a fantastic way to end a simply brilliant Saturday at MAYHEM. So it was yet again off to Brewdog for a pint that then followed a trip to the curious tavern for another beer where we spotted director of The Devils Doorway Aislinn Clarke sat on her own so we all said a quick hello then Joe headed off for his taxi and we headed back to the hotel only to discover that the bar was 24 Hours! Just another quick one? Bad head tomorrow? Ah fuck it, It’s only once a year! Coming up next MAYHEM super Sunday,
Thanks for reading folks,
Jonny T.