Frightfest 2012 Reflection

Another 23 films across 5 days and this time it wasn't the shock to the system that last year was.
 
As well as the films we also saw Ross Noble miming the picking up of an orphan by slotting a testicle into its emptied eye socket, we saw Alex Garland get increasingly uncomfortable as he struggled to answer simple questions about Dredd ("How did you choose the director?", "um... er.... fuck...") and we saw Simon Pegg ram his nose so far up Greg Nicotero's ass it's a wonder that Nicotero was able to walk afterward.
 
Dario Argento's hour long interview on the Friday meandered between unintelligent Italian mumbling and softly spoken scathing comments (on the Suspiria remake: "they think they can do better? Let them try"), it's a terrible shame he didn't bring a film with him but to see him have a stumbling natter was (occasionally) illuminating none the less. It's a shame the Q&A at the end descended into passive-aggressive attention seeking mingled with unashamed arse snogging. With tongues if they could.
 
Nearly every film this year had cast and crew in attendance, which meant nearly every film had an audience Q&A at the end, which in turn meant nearly every film had some idiot flapping their useless jaws and allowing the baffling bullshit that should really be kept inside their little heads to just flow out. One chap stepped up at the end of The Seasoning House and proclaimed "It was unconvincing. Any chance of a recut?" What a prick.
 
The short film showcase was once again superb. The best was Gargols, a Spanish short about an invasion of giant snails. There was also telekinetic children, tentacles and heavy metal demons on offer. Probably the most memorable moment (for all the wrong reasons) is when a man a few rows back had a seizure just as, on screen, a lady was sewing her mimsy shut. He had to be taken away in an ambulance.
 
And the films. After a slow start the quality really began to pick up. The programming order was a touch odd (2 comedies and a film about rape for opening night), and the amount of rape featured in the films caused twitter voices to get shrill despite the fact that there were only really 2 films that went down that route. Nobody got angry about the amount of times we had to watch male genitalia get torn off and then dangled in our face though, there's equality working a treat.
However the biggest surprise to be had this weekend was that the best film we saw was a remake. Lists:
 
5 favourites;
1) Maniac [2012 Remake]
2) American Mary
3) Tulpa
4) V/H/S
5) Sinister
 
5 not favourites;
1) After
2) Outpost II: Black Sun
3) Dead Sushi [Deddo sushi]
4) Stitches
5) The Possession
 
Thanks to Ali, Joe and Ted for keeping the migraines in check. More next year?