SCI-FI-LONDON: OKTOBERFEST 2009 Festival
Every October SCI-FI-LONDON hold OKTOBERFEST, a Sci Fi based extravaganza. Arguably the most fun and varied Sci-Fi festival in the world. This year you'll be able to catch special events, screenings and their popular All-nighter events.
This year they have some really cool stuff happening including "a co-production we are doing with the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Yup, the home of GMT and all things astronomical, we have created SCI-FI-UNIVERSE, a planetarium show from an SF perspective. Also, at the Observatory we will have some talks and a writing workshop. And to celebrate the release of the DVD and Blu-ray, we will do an invite only screening of the new STAR TREK. Click here for details of how to register for this screening and how to buy tickets for this unique night at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park. Buy a planetarium ticket and you can attend on of the talks or workshop for free - places are very limited and on a first-come-first served basis, so get there early."
This years line up:
Friday 23rd October, 2009
Events held at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
6.30pm: Sci-Fi-Universe
8.15pm: Star Trek (2009)
Saturday 24th October, 2009
Events held at the Apollo Piccadilly Circus
9:00pm: SCI-FI-STAND-UP
Midnight: Anime All-nighter
11:00pm: Aliens and Predators All-nighter
11:30pm: MST3K All-nighter
Classic Screening: Aliens and Predators All-nighter [ SCI-FI-LONDON OKTOBERFEST]
A To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the very first ALIEN movie (and their 10th All-nighter!) SCI-FI-LONDON is giving you the chance to see these iconic movies as they should be seen - on a big screen from 35mm prints.
The event starts around 10.30 with DJ's in the bar and the first movie starts just after 11.00 - the whole. show ends around 10am the next day. There will be some very cool spot prizes and give-aways and a packed goody-bag. Throughout the night we keep you full of Redbull, Ice-Cream and coffee to help you make it 'til morning.
The line up:
ALIEN
ALIENS
ALIEN3
PREDATOR
Tickets here!
Where
Apollo Piccadilly Circus
19 Regent Street
London
SW1Y 4LR
When
10:30pm Sat 24 - 11am Sun 25 Oct, 2009
Classic screening: Norman Jewison's Rollerball
In the not-too-distant future, wars will no longer exist...One of the best dystopian sci-fi movies to come out of the 70s, Rollerball focuses on an ultra-violent sport used to keep an overpopulated planet under control and probes its links to politics, the media and big conglomerates. When a star player refuses to obey the owners of his team, the stage is set for a Gladiator-like confrontation between a rebellious individual and the corporate power that seeks to crush him.
Where
The Prince Charles Cinema
7 Leicester Place, WC2
Just north off Leicester Sq & up from Häagen-Dazs
When
8pm, Wednesday 7 October, 2009
Friday Film Location: 28 Days Later, London UK
28 Days Later
Stars: Cillian Murphy - Jim, Naomie Harris - Selena, Brendan Gleeson - Frank, Christopher Eccleston - Major Henry West
It has been twenty-eight days since Jim, a young bicycle courier, was knocked off his bike and injured in a car accident. When he wakes up from his coma, the world has changed. Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.
A critical and commercial success, 28 Days Later is widely recognized for images of a deserted London. It spawned the 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later, the graphic novel 28 Days Later: The Aftermath, and a possible third film.
28 Days Later features scenes set in normally bustling parts of London such as Westminster Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Horse Guards Parade and Oxford Street. In order to depict these locations as desolate, police would close the roads at 4am and filming would begin immediately. It would last for one hour, and at that time the police would reopen the roads.
As well as having to deal with traffic, the producers also had to ask clubbers to find alternative routes home. In terms of the traffic, the producers correctly predicted that asking drivers to either wait for up to an hour or find another way might cause some considerable consternation. As such, they employed several extremely attractive young women (one of whom was Danny Boyle's daughter) to make the necessary requests. This plan had the desired results, as the drivers responded quite amicably to the young girls.
For the London scene where Jim walks by the overturned double-decker bus, the film crew placed the bus on its side and removed it when the shot was finished, all within 20 minutes.
Where:
Westminster Bridge, Westminster and South Bank, London SE1 and SW1
View Larger Map
Trivia:
It's not explained in the film but the infected are attracted to the tone in human voices.
The decision to film on DV (using Canon XL1 cameras) was both an aesthetic and a logistic choice.
- Danny Boyle felt that the harshness of the DV imagery suited the post-apocalyptic urban landscape and the grittiness of the film in general.
- All the scenes of the Infected in a particular style - using a type of slow motion feature on the Canon XL1 DV cameras with which the film was shot. Shooting at that speed on a film camera gives basic slow motion, but doing so on a DV camera produces the kind of staccato effect seen in scenes involving the Infected.
- "The police and the local authorities were quite happy to assist us because we could set up scenes so quickly. We could literally be ready to shoot with a six-camera set-up within minutes - something we would not realistically have been able to do if shooting under the restrictions of 35mm which takes a good deal more time to set up a single shot."
Westminster Bridge can also be seen in; Doctor Who (1964 & 2005), Monty Python's Flying Circus, 102 Dalmatians, Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix
Preview of Thirst and Q&A with Park Chan-wook (Old Boy) in London
Curzon Cinemas is delighted to welcome director and writer Park Chan-wook to discuss his latest film in this post screening Q&A.
A priest becomes a vampire… another man’s wife is coveted… a deadly seduction triggers murder. Sang-hyun (played by top Korean star Song Kang-ho, The Host) is a priest who cherishes life so much that he volunteers for a secret vaccine to eradicate a deadly virus. In the process however, he becomes infected by vampire blood and his faith is tested further when a childhood friend’s wife, Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), comes to him asking for help. Sang-hyun soon plunges into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the Seven Deadly Sins. The new film from acclaimed director Park Chan-wook (Old Boy) was jointly awarded the Cannes 2009 Jury Prize.
Where
Curzon Soho
99 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5DY
When
6:10pm, Monday 5 October, 2009
Classic screening: John Carpenter's The Thing
In a windswept Antarctic research facility, a group of American scientists are terrorised by a shape-shifting extra-terrestrial.
After a helicopter from a neighbouring Norwegian camp is destroyed pursuing a dog and the crazed pilot shot, MacReady (Kurt Russell) and a small team set off to investigate. A grisly discovery awaits them: the camp is populated by mutilated corpses and there's evidence of a long-frozen UFO. Back at the base the stray dog wreaks havoc, undergoing a grotesque transformation and killing the other hounds before being burnt to death. An autopsy on one of the bodies from the Norwegian camp reveals that a chameleon-like alien that can take the form of whatever it kills is at large - and any one of the team could be its host. In an astonishing finale, bodies are ripped apart and limbs are lopped off as paranoia breeds hysteria and the crew are picked off one by one...
Where
Cineworld Cinema (TBC)
When
15 September, 2009
Preview: Dorian Gray and Q&A with director Oliver Parker and screenwriter Toby Finlay
Oliver Parker directs a strong cast in this adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic novel of youth, excess and vanity. Adored for his beauty, Dorian Gray can seemingly have anything or anyone his heart desires. When this power is captured in a painting, Dorian wonders what he wouldn't do to stay as beautiful. As the painting begins to show the excesses of an indulgent lifestyle and Dorian himself stays ageless, it seems his wish come true...
The BFI are pleased to announce that this preview will be followed by a Q&A with director Oliver Parker and screenwriter Toby Finlay.
Preview: Dorian Gray and Q&A with director Oliver Parker and screenwriter Toby Finlay
Wednesday September 9, 2009 at 6:20pm
BFI Southbank NFT1
Belvedere Road
London, England SE1 8XT
FRIGHTFEST: UK PREMIERE of Millennium: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Join us at FRIGHTFEST the UK's Leading fantasy & horror film festival. For The premiere event of the year for horror fans - Time Out
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev
Cases rarely come colder than the inexplicable 1960s disappearance of a teen heiress from her family’s remote island retreat. Nor do fiction debuts come any hotter than the European best seller ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ by Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson on which this gripping nail-biter is based. Director Niels Arden Oplev’s atmospheric and strikingly original thriller introduces the provocative odd couple of a disgraced financial journalist and a multi-pierced hacker with severe social behaviour problems. Together they uncover an undetected chain of serial killings when investigating the decades-old mystery in a startling and near-the-knuckle giallo Swedish style. With very disturbing and intense scenes, and an international superstar-making performance from Noomi Rapace as the tattooed Lisbeth, MILLENNIUM is the Euro sensation of the moment. The other two parts of the MILLENNIUM movie trilogy, based on ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire’ and ‘The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest’, are released soon.
FRIGHTFEST: UK PREMIERE of Millennium: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Saturday August 29, 2009 at 3:45pm
Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA
The Wolfman Cometh
The Wolf Man
Despite leaving nothing to the imagination the Wolfman trailer is compelling and let's us know that that Joe Johnston's The Wolfman is a quality production with top notch acting.
Lawrence Talbot, a haunted nobleman, is lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father, Talbot sets out to find his brother... and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline has come to investigate
Updated : Movie Con 2 - Day 1 Triangle Presentation
In my previous round up of Movie Con 2 Day 1 I omitted to mention that Christopher Smith (Severance, Creep) gave us a taste of his new film Triangle. If the tension of Creep is maintained with the added dimension of Smith's intention to take you somwhere new, works out. Be prepared to have your mind thrown, dropped and kicked. Triangle will premiere as the opening film for the Film4 FrightFest on Thursday August 27, 2009. More info here!
BFI & Empire's Movie Con 2 kicked off today
Today the much anticipated Movie Con 2 kicked off. I'm still reeling from the mind blowing Film goodness of day 1.
The BFI & Empire Magazine have pulled off another collaborative coup for film lovers. The second Movie Convention is heading to all time greatness.
Movie Con is a annual collaborative effort between the BFI & Empire Magazine. It takes place just after after Comic Con (San Diego) at the BFI on the Southbank in London. This means that the organisers can cherry pick the best of Comic Con as well add some good stuff. It's held for film fans and the core content covers forth coming features in the Super Hero, Horror, Fantasy, Sci Fi, blood and Cult genres.
Empire have a much better run down of today's schedule over here. But today's events have roused me from my Blog laziness of late and mention must be made of some of the key events:
Trailers & footage from Astroboy. Over the last 18 months I have been hearing the buzz about the animated Astroboy feature but had no real interest in this remake of a 60s Japanese TV show. After today's clips I'll be seeing this gem. It will enthrall kids & older kids alike. It had the audience oohing, aahing & laughing in all the right places.
Harry Brown Presentation. Harry Brown is a new film from British filmmaker Daniel Barber and stars Sir Michael Caine. The film is about an elderly veteran that due to circumstances decides to do something about his neighbourhood that has been over run by young yobs.
Coming across as a modern day version of Michael Winner's Death Wish with big boots, genuinely threatening yobs, knuckledusters and big guns. The clip we saw made it clear this was a quality production with outstanding performances Sir Michael and the blinding Sean Harris as a very, very scary low life (think Drexel nastier brother, the love child of Travis Bickle & Myra Hindley on crack). I recently saw Tonto Woman the brilliant short that Daniel Barber adapted from an Elmore Leonard story. He received an Oscar nomination for it. I'm looking forward to seeing Harry Brown in full as well as anything else Daniel Barber serves up. Think Peckinpah with a social conscience.
Next up the indomitable genius "Still not a Sir" Terry Gilliam showed us some mind melting clips from The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus. Seems to be a true return to form for Mr Gilliam whose tribulations of getting his film made rival anything you have seen on screen. Doctor Parnassus recaptures the magic of Time Bandits and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen with a dash of sensibility from The Fisher King.
* When re-watching the classic Spies Like Us keep an eye out for Terry Gilliam as Dr. Imhaus.
Kick Ass Presentation. Put together by the Stardust team & 
Brad Pitt, independently financed, directed by Matthew Vaughn, written by Jane Goldman (Mrs Johnathan Ross but a super talent in her own right) & Mark Millar. Kick Ass promises to turn the Super Hero genre upside down. Referencing the both comic & film super heroes, eastern sensibilities and the slacker/Clerks space. The Kick Ass clips shown deliver in the holy Triumvirate of modern super hero genre: high action, humour & blood stakes.
I was surprised thaty neither Jane Goldman or Matthew Vaughn did not pitch up but enjoyed Editor Jon Harris' presentation and chat with Christopher Mintz-Plasse (yes that's right McLovin) and Jason Flemyng. I'm slightly annoyed I didn't get a chance to quiz Flemyng about Clash of the Titans & Solomon Kane both of which I am eagerly waiting for.
The super secret screening
I guessed that this year's secret screening was going to be District 9 - D9. I have been curious about D9 for awhile Weta and Peter Jackson's name should have made this a dead cert but South African films tend to do emotional small films well and haven't really shone in the high action or sci fi genre as yet. D9 changes that - whilst being true to it's African setting it shines at being a high adventure sci fi romp that has it's roots firmly planted in complex social issues. Google "District 6" & "Africa xenophobia" for sight of the bigger picture.
Originally Jackson and Director Neil Blomkamp were to make HALO: Combat Evolved when that fell through they decided to remake an earlier Blomkamp short film "Alive in Joburg".
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* Sharlto Copley whio plays D9 lead Wikus Van De Merwe is not a trained actor and was a producer on Alive in Joburg.
Next up was Warner Bros screening of the Jonah Hex 
trailer. I've been waiting for this film for about 20 years.
Jonah Hex is a scarred Mad Max by way of Dirty Harry in the West that was on the wrong side during the Civil war. This makes fior an intresting character seeking redemption.
The trailer looked good but it could still go either way the newly added occult plot devices are a bit of a concern. I'm holding off on judgment for now.
Finally and "saving best for last" Robert Downey Junior & Guy Ritchie made an appearance to introduce an extended trailer for Sherlock Holmes. They were in good spirits and played off each other like a comedic duo rather than Star and Director. And well they should be in high spirits the Sherlock Holmes footage was everything it needed to be. My only query would be that it seemed fairly light and didn't really show any darkness that usually haunts Victorian era pea soap London. Possibly emulating the very successful Iron Man's formula? I'm holding thumbs.
White Lightnin’ Special Preview and Q&A with director Dominic Murphy in London
White Lightnin’ Special Preview and Q&A with director Dominic Murphy in London
Electric Sheep Magazine presents weird, wild and wonderful films every first Wednesday of the
month at the Prince Charles Cinema.
A dark, surreal semi-biopic about glue-sniffing, hard-drinking, hell-raising Appalachian mountain dancer Jesco White (impressively played by newcomer Ed Hogg), British director Dominic Murphy’s controversial debut feature takes us deeper and deeper into Jesco’s crazed visions and wild religious fantasies, culminating in horrific revenge and violent redemption.
We are delighted to welcome Dominic Murphy for a Q&A after the screening.
With thanks to Momentum Pictures. White Lightnin’ starts its theatrical run at the ICA and Rich Mix (Bethnal Green), London, on September 25.
London, England WC2
FRIGHTFEST 2009: World Premiere - The Descent: Part 2
FRIGHTFEST 2009 CLOSING FILM - WORLD PREMIERE
Terror mounts as fear cuts deeper in the chilling continuation to the globally successful 
horror hit THE DESCENT. Dazed, confused and traumatized, Sarah Carter emerges alone from the cave system where she confronted frightening enemies: herself and her darkest dread. With no rational explanation to what exactly happened or why she’s covered in blood, the authorities force her back into the subterranean depths to help locate her five missing girlfriends. But as the rescue party enters further uncharted domains, flashbacks start haunting Sarah as shocking memories of the recent past hideously hit home. Only she realizes the full horror of their futile mission. And only she knows what lurks to trap them in the eerie shadows of the labyrinthine warrens. For they are venturing into the habitat of a new tribe of Crawlers, inbred, deformed and even more viciously feral than Sarah faced before in the black recesses of her worst nightmares.
FRIGHTFEST: World Premiere - The Descent: Part 2
Monday August 31, 2009 at 9:15pm
Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA
Film4FrightFest 2009
FILM4 FRIGHTFEST is the UK's premiere fantasy and horror film festival. Now in its tenth year, each August thousands of genre fans gather together in the heart of London's West End at the prodigious Empire Cinema for five packed days of premieres, previews, personal appearances, signings and surprises.
The Film4 FrightFest 2009 celebrates ten years of chills, thrills and kills by moving to the Empire Cinema, Leicester Sq, to serve up its distinctive and controversial mix of must-see and yet-to-be discovered genre movies from around the world. From Thurs 27 August to Monday 31 August the UK’s top event for horror fans will unveil thirty five new films in two screens. Empire 1 will house the main event while ‘FrightFest Discovery’ will play in Empire 4.
Internationally, the festival strikes gold with the UK premiere of MILLENIUM: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, based on the best selling novel by Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson. Then there’s Dario Argento’s latest thriller GIALLO, HIERRO, from the producers of PAN’S LABYRINTH, the eagerly awaited slasher tribute THE HILLS RUN RED, Christian Alvart’s powerfully disturbing CASE 39, Ti West’s occult masterpiece THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL and from the producers of WOLF CREEK, an Aussie gripper – COFFIN ROCK. Monsters loom large in this year’s line-up with zombies particularly in good form. There’s DEAD SNOW (Nazi zombies), COLIN (low-budget zombies) THE HORDE (angry zombies) and ZOMBIE WOMEN OF SATAN (burlesque zombies). Monster mayhem and murder take centre-stage with a sinister collection of night-creatures in the riveting horror anthology TRICK R TREAT and an army of big bad bugs in INFESTATION. Then there is the aptly named VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL and perhaps the most controversial film at this year’s event – THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE.
Fans of AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON will get the chance to meet John Landis, who is attending the festival, alongside the cast, to present a fully restored version of the classic, as well as a never-seen-before documentary feature. Other directors currently confirmed to attend include:, Adam Gierasch (NIGHT OF THE DEMONS), Ti West (THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL) Dave Parker (THE HILLS RUN RED), Lee Demabre (SMASH CUT), Christopher Smith (TRIANGLE), Philip Ridley (HEARTLESS) and Federico Zampaglione (SHADOW). Other special guests include directors Adam Green, & Joe Lynch and actors Jim Sturgess and David Hess.
FrightFest Discovery makes its debut this year in Empire 4, where nine new films will be screening including the world premieres of EVIL THINGS, directed by Dominic Perez and FRAGMENT, directed by Andrew Miles – both films using the device of camera footage to chilling effect. Also showing are Cannes headline grabber COLIN, reputedly made for £45, the critically-acclaimed PONTYPOOL and the grisly remake of Larry Cohen’s cult classic IT’S ALIVE. Also this year there is a horror writing competition (details to be announced), a ‘100 Best Deaths’ event, hosted by DEAD SET actor Andy Nyman, plus the usual special guest appearances, Q & A’s, sneak previews, a short film strand, signings, competition prizes and give-aways – all of which goes to make up the unique experience that fans across the world have come and made their own.
Film4FrightFest 2009
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA
FRIGHTFEST: World Premiere Triangle - OPENING FILM
The Boat That Shocked! First came CREEP. Then SEVERANCE. Now Film4 FrightFest is delighted to premiere British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour, it jangles her already distraught nerves. But little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. For their boat is overturned in a weird storm and they take refuge on a strangely deserted liner that suddenly cruises into view. All is not as it seems on board the SS Aeolus, yet Jess just can’t put her finger on why… From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale, TRIANGLE is Smith’s best, polished and most mature work. His sophisticated and intricate script is always kept on an intriguing angle, the sudden violence is jolting, the atmosphere remains continually creepy and Melissa George gives an exceptionally haunting and moving performance.
FRIGHTFEST: World Premiere Triangle - OPENING FILM
Thursday August 27, 2009 at 6:30pm
Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA
OPENING FILM - WORLD PREMIERE
Preview screening of The Disappeared & Q&A with the Director & Stars
Debut director Johnny Kevorkian's superior London-set chiller
has rising star Harry Treadaway as Matthew, a teenager literally haunted by the disappearance of his young brother. A series of uncanny occurrences convince Matthew that something beyond everyday urban blight lurks at the heart of the mystery. And guess what? He's right. Kevorkian creates a dark mythology to transform familiar surroundings into something worthy of your nightmares.
There will be a Q&A with the filmmakers after the screenings on 17 & 22 June.
Dir Johnny Kevorkian, UK 2008, 96 mins, Cert tbc
12 Carlton House Terrace
London, England SW1Y 5AH
Special Midnight Screening: DRAG ME TO HELL
Descend to the depths of hell for this special preview of Sam Raimi’s return to the horror genre, the highly anticipated Drag Me To Hell. Be afraid, very afraid as our cinema becomes the Curse-On-Soho for a night of hellish tunes, devilish décor and spine-tingling visuals. With goody bags for all plus a free Taboo cocktail, this is the only place to see this nail-biter.
Special Midnight Screening: DRAG ME TO HELL
Tuesday May 26, 2009 at 11:30pm
Curzon Mayfair
38 Curzon Street
London, England W1J 7TY
Film4 Frightfest, London - March 2009
Put the date Saturday March 7th in your diary. Because for one day only FrightFest returns to its spiritual home of the Prince Charles Cinema, where it all began a decade ago.
So banish those credit crunch cold winter blues at our annual spring screening bonanza un-spooling at the newly revamped Prince Charles. We’ve assembled a programme of six superior movies for your enjoyment and know they’re all high on your want-to-see list.
12:00 Embodiment Of Evil 18
14:00 Shuttle 18
16:00 Repo The Genetic Opera 18
Plus Intro with Director & Cast
19:00 Surprise Film 18
Plus Intro with Director & Cast
21:30 Not Quite Hollywood 18
23:45 Turkey Shoot 18
All day tickets £30 available now (£1.50 card fee).
Film4 Frightfest
Saturday March 7, 2009 at 12:00pm
Prince Charles Cinema
7 Leicester Place
London, England WC2