Gothic: The Dark Heart Of Film - Tales of classic Gothic Horror from the BFI (Part 1)

There are certain things Horror related that make me happy, very happy. Those horror-related predelictions will often include such terms as: classic, British, rare, long-forgotten and legendary (there are other terms, such as Maddie Smith, Ingrid Pitt and Barbara Steele - but that's a whole different level of happy).

If the terms classic, British and Gothic are mentioned all in the same sentence then I'm as happy as a pig in the proverbial you-know-what. It's been a source of joy to know that since beginning the scribblings on this blog a year ago that I'm not alone in my classic Gothic horror obsessions.  Indeed, a happy by-product of starting my blog has also been the opportunity provided to write for other websites such as the excellent UKHorrorScene. It's been a pleasure to find that there is a whole legion of fellow British horror enthusiasts and supporters out there who not only love the more established horror fare, but who also share the desire to keep in the wider public consciousness the lesser known, under-rated and sometimes criminally forgotten gems of British horror production.

Take the British Film Institute (BFI) for example. When the BFI announced earlier this year its most substantial project to date for the Gothic: The Dark Heart of Film four month-long event, the reaction of many of us was of deliciously delirious anticipation. The ambitious programme was to include the release of 150 titles and around 1,000 screenings across the UK from August 2013 to January 2014  - and every single one of them was to be Gothic related. Not only was the size of the programme seductively enticing, so was the range of the titles that were going to be made available. So apart from the expected and more established offerings going to be made such as the world premiere of the digital re-mastering of Night Of The Demon (1957) and iconic Gothic releases such as Hammer Horror’s Dracula (1958) starring a certain Christopher Lee - In addition there would be cinematic and DVD releases of rare and long forgotten Gothic related productions. Many of these releases were not only being re-mastered, but there would be some titles that would not have seen the light of day in some cases since their original showing in the cinema or transmission on television.

It was quite simply, the most exciting announcement of the year - well that is if you don't count the news of the new supermarket opening on the edge of the nearest town a few miles away (I live in the sticks, you see), and THAT was big news!

As part of the BFI's Gothic:The Dark Art of Film, the 28th October sees the release of a number of rare and long-thought lost examples of British Gothic televisual splendour. Two long-unseen archive TV titles, both of which are guaranteed to scare and delight in equal measure are the 1970 Play for Today entry Robin Redbreast and the few surviving, terrifying episodes of 1972’s Dead of Night television series. 

In addition to those two offerings there is also a release of M R James’ Classic Ghost Stories (1986), narrated by Robert Powell, which include The Mezzotint, The Ash-Tree, Wailing Well, The Rose Garden and O, Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad. 

If that wasn't enough to wet the Gothic juices any any self-respecting British horror buff then there is also a highly anticipated release of the BBC TV adaptation of Sheridan Le Fanu’s Schalcken the Painter (1979). 

Now, like many people, I'm a very busy person with annoyances such as a day-time job, family matters and various other factors that life can invariably throw at me. Thereby impacting on what I love to do most of all i.e. immerse myself in a world of sci-fi, fantasy and horror. So when I received not one, not two, not three, but in fact all four of the preview discs (together with a veritable wealth of accompanying materials) for the titles that I've just mentioned previously, I was in a quandary of sorts. My options were two-fold: Firstly, I could say that I wouldn't have time to watch them all and subsequently review each title to my usual high standard of Pseudo - P.G.Wodehouse levels of genius. Secondly, I could forego such luxuries as sleep and bugger the consequences, thereby immersing myself in a genuine wealth of British televisual Gothic delight.

Of course, there was never a real consideration of the first option.

Robin Redbreast (1970)

It was the spring of 1984, me and my girlfriend of the time were travelling through an area of the New Forest in Dorset. It was an especially warm afternoon and feeling in need of some liquid refreshment we decided to stop off at the first cafe (or preferably) pub that we came across. After a short while we chanced upon a village, it was pretty, quiet and unremarkable in any way. In fact It was your perfectly normal Southern English country village - except for two things. Firstly, we tried two places to find something to eat and drink, a quiet little pub and a (very) small post office/cafe type of establishment. In both cases we both walked in and immediately the talking or whatever had been going on inside, stopped. The people turned to us and stared…….there was no malice or threat, they just silently stared. One shambolic attempt at small talk as we ordered our drink later resulted in a rather quick consumption of said beverage and we high-tailed it out of there. The Post office experience was also identical, having not learnt our lesson the task to get a postcard for our family met with the same silent (almost suspicious) response.

The second thing that happened was our subsequent attempt to get out of the village. It may be the hot sunny day, the all too quickly downed beer or a combination of both - but we couldn't find our way out of the village. There were roadworks and diversions everywhere it seemed, and for every road we travelled down there was a dead end, or another diversion. For 20 minutes we wandered around and around, until we finally found a way back onto the main A-road and for every one of those 20 minutes, each person we passed simply stride at us as if were something from another planet. I don't recall us ever being worried, though I do remember my ill-considered attempts at humour with my girlfriend, likening our experience to something from The Village of The Damned. or The Wicker Man. She failed to see the funny side - which I could tell from the silent reaction from her to me for the next 30 miles or so.

The experience I had (albeit rather tame) of the rather eccentric reactions from a remote country village to outsiders had a somewhat interesting effect on me. The experience that we had in the village (that may have been more in our heads at the time than anything) that could be examples of more extreme cases of a community separated both geographically and socially (and spiritually) has stayed with me for many years. I'm not the only one to have pondered on what consequences could take place when the old world of tradition and folklore collides with the new modern world and it's fancy ideas, as the aforementioned classics of horror will testify.

Consequently, I could barely contain my joy when the BFI let it be known that a television drama that not only dealt with those very issues, but had itself long since become part of entertainment folklore of mythic proportions, was going to be released. Robin Redbreast originally aired part as BBC's long-running Play for today series on 10th December 1970 and originally gained fame, not just for it's electrifying content, but for being the first of the series ever to be repeated on television a year later on 25th February 1971.

Ever since then, the television broadcast has never been seen - and I mean never. The aura that surrounds this sublime piece of folk-horror and the critical and audience reception it received at the time, together with it's possible thematic influence on The Wicker Man means that perhaps of all the re-released classics this is the one that many of us Gothicheads have been anticipating the most.

The plot of Robin Redbreast was inspired in part by a real case of a 1945 murder of a farmer in Warwickshire, who was discovered in a field with a cross carved onto his face and his body impaled into the soil by his pitchfork. Norah Palmer (Anna Cropper) is a successful television script editor who temporarily runs away to the perceived sanctuary of a remote English country village. The outwardly confident and liberated woman is actually rather vulnerable and emotionally drained as she attempts to rebuild her life after breaking up from her long-term boyfriend.  At first, she finds that the villagers are friendly and plainly traditional in their beliefs, if a little eccentric. Soon after arriving in the community Norah strikes up a friendship of sorts with the good-looking young farmer, Edgar, who far some unknown reason, the villages call Rob. When she becomes pregnant to the handsome (but very naive and rather boring) Rob, she begins to suspect the locals of conspiring against her - particularly the strange self-taught village intellectual man called Fisher. Something, or someone in the village is attempting to stop her from leaving the community for her home in London - but what do they want with her?

One cannot escape the comparisons and possible influence on Robin Hardy's truly sublime The Wicker Man which came three years after this production. I really don't know whether Robin Redbreast directly influenced the story of the doomed Sgt Howie on the Hebridean island of Summerisle, so I don't wish to assume either way. However the influence in some form, direct or indirect, is plain to see. 

In both Robin Redbreast and The Wicker Man we witness, a true outsider travelling to remote community where life revolves around the all important bountiful crops and harvest that are seemingly essential for the community's survival. While both characters are similar in some ways - both Norah and Sgt Howie are resolute in their beliefs (she is a liberated & modern woman, he a highly strung Christian ), both characters make the fundamental error of underestimating the locals and failing to see that actually us is not they are in control of their own destiny, until it proves too late. In addition, there is the presence in each community of a key figure who seem to be moving proceedings along, much to the incomprehension of the outsiders. Fisher and Lord Summerisle may be very different personalities - Bernard Hepton may lack the genuine charisma of Christopher Lee but he more than makes up with his cunning and distinctly cold demeanour. Both leaders are at the very centre of the whole proceedings, carefully manoeuvring the outsiders around like human chess pieces.

The writing and acting is without doubt of the class that you would associate with a BBC production from 'the golden age of television'. John Bowen's script is has some delicious passages of word play - particularly from the always excellent Bernard Hepton who is mesmerising and simply steals each scene he is in. Anna Cropper as Norah is a worthy lead who more than holds her own in a part especially written for her by Bowen. Her performance builds upon the  powerfully written character with subtle shifts in emotion ranging from the outward strength of a modern woman from the city to a vulnerable and confused outsider in the village.

In addition, Andrew Bradford provides in incredible performance of the naive and perplexing Rob who (despite of his disastrous attempts at what he naively regards as intelligent conversation) chases and entices Norah. 

Robin Redbreast, with its emphasis on clever and subtle dialogue expertly brought to life by the cream of acting talent is a triumph of Folk-Horror. It simply has to be watched more than once to appreciate the layer upon layer of building tension.

For any of you who may be put-off by the nature of the production - the format of a wordy play taking place predominately in an interior setting - well don't be. There me be little physical action taking pace on screen, but this is intelligent, thought provoking Gothic drama that is both skilfully written and acted. The clever build up of Psychological tension keeps you guessing until the final and somewhat unexpected climax of the story. The final moments of Robin Redbreast are simply stunning. There is no other adjective that I could use.

DVD information and Special Features 

• The production is presented in its original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The original broadcast was in colour, however thanks to the cost of new recording tape hundreds upon hundreds of productions between the 1950's and 1980's were lost forever after the original broadcast reels were wiped in order for them to be re-used. Consequently, all that remains of this production is the black and white 16mm telerecording which was made available especially to the BFI by the BBC. Despite the obvious effect is has on the production, it does little to detract from the experience of watching and enjoying such a legendary piece of work as this.
• 
  
• Interview with John Bowen (2013) - The writer talks about the origins and production of the piece and gives a brief insight into his varied career.
• 
  
• Short film about village life - Around the Village Green (1937, Evelyn Spice and Marion Grierson). When first seeing the title and basic description of this 11 minute film it seemed nothing more than a quaint, nostalgic piece of what to many is a traditional evocation of traditional English village life. Great pains are made in the film to get across the message that even in fast changing technological and industrial Britain of the early twentieth centre, some traditions remain regardless. On it's own Around the Village Green may serve perfectly as a vehicle to produce a nostalgic picture of a traditional small community existence bravely holding out against the fast encroaching influence of the outside world. However, included in this collection alongside Robin Redbreast it also serves to take on a whole new ominous and seditious undertone in it's message.
• 
  
• Booklet with new essays, biographies and credits.

Coming up in part 2 of Gothic: The Dark Heart Of Film

Dead of Night (1972)

Classic Ghost Stories by M R James (1986)

Lifeforce (1985) - Arrow Films BluRay release.

Director(s): Tobe Hooper
Cast: Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay, Mathilda (Gorgeous) May, Patrick Stewart
BBFC Certificate: 18
Running Time: 116 (International version)/101 minutes (American Theatrical release)

The simple fact is is that I owe the director, Tobe Hooper an apology for the poor box office performance of his 1985 movie, Lifeforce. I propose this seemingly bold statement because it was partly my fault why the movie wasn't a great success at the time, let me explain. 1985 was a strange old year all round. Bob Geldof was busy feeding the world with his live Aid, I gave money and watched the whole event in a haze of beer. I also spent a great deal of time throughout that year's summer at a variety of open-air Rock gigs , much of it seemingly in perpetual rain, all of it in a haze of beer. It was in truth, my year of hedonistic fun.

There were also parties, plenty of parties - well at least that's what I seem to remember as time has passed. Yes, Lots of parties filled with music, bad food, girls and all in a haze of beer. However, 1985 wasn't just my year of self-indulgence (there are indeed some who know me that would argue that I've had many other years of me, me, me, in addition to just that one), it was also a year of strange contradictions in the science fiction movie world.

It was the year that produced science fiction perfection in the form of Brazil, Back To The Future, The Quiet Earth and O-Bi, O-Ba: The End of Civilisation. However, it was also the year that brought us Morons From Outer Space, Cocoon and Weird Science………

Now it could well be that most years are full of such cinematic contradictions, however this particular year stands out for me for one particular reason. It was during one particular hazy beer episode in June of 1985 when it was suggested by a female friend of mine that we go and see a movie that week. Of course it would have to be sci-fi or horror - she was a major Gothic horror buff herself, which was one reason why we were close. The other was that she was drop-dead delicious. Anyhoo, the choice of movie going came down to two simple choices: the current box office smasher, Cocoon, or a lesser known sci-fi/horror film, Lifeforce, that had been released around the same time, but to less glowing reviews. 

Well, I say it was a simple choice, however it quickly became apparent that it was far more complex than that. The problem was that she wanted to see the aforementioned piece of sentimental syrupy claptrap directed by that guy who used to be Richie Cunningham in 'Happy days' (Cue, my very bad Fonzie impression), whilst I wanted to see the intriguing looking film about space vampires directed by the guy who made a rather good flick about a Leatherfaced, chainsaw-loving guy and his slightly eccentric family in Texas. I would love to say that I held out for days with my side of the argument, citing the quality of director Tobe Hooper's previous work and the profound effect that his work had had on not only within the genre's that we both loved, but on the wider cultural landscape as a whole. However, those who know me well will not be in the least surprised to learn that after a small discussion, I quickly relented and agreed to watch Cocoon. Did I mention that she was drop-dead delicious?………..

The consequence of my not sticking to my movie-going principles and instead thinking with my, er, well you know, was that Lifeforce was released to underwhelming box office returns. It found itself in a disappointing fourth place, losing a head-to-head battle against Cocoon, earning just over $11,000,00 at the US box office. I did manage to see Tobe's movie when it came out a year or so later on video (in which the film was finding something of a new resurgence), but the damage had been done. I'm sorry Tobe, I really am.

So when I found out that the good people at ARROW FILMS were due to release a remastered edition of Lifeforce BluRay, then I thought that possible redemption might finally be mine.

"Follow me lads, what's the worst that could happen?"

Lifeforce is based on Colin Wilson’s novel ‘The Space Vampires’. The screenplay was written by non other than Dan O’Bannon (Alien, Total Recall & Return of the Living Dead) and directed by the aforementioned friend of leather face, Tobe Hooper. So far, so good.

The movie begins with a joint British and American Space shuttle mission researching Halley's Comet when they discover that within the head of the Comet is an enormous alien space ship, seemingly derelict. Naturally, our intrepid Astronauts waste little time in spacewalking from the Churchill (the shuttle) over to the alien vessel where they discover the interior to be more organic in nature rather than mechanical. They soon come across a huge number of alien corpses, who are remarkably bat-like in their appearance. Amidst the floating corpses the crew find what appear to be three naked humanoid bodies in glass boxes, apparently in some kind of suspended animation.

At this stage the wise move would be to leave the alien lifeforms where they are and get assistance, thereby not risking bringing anything harmful back to their ship that could run amok and, well, kill them all……….. So naturally the crew decide to bring the three humanoids back to the ship and return to Earth. The consequences are naturally dire, as contact is lost with the shuttle and a rescue mission is launched, sending the space shuttle Columbia to find out just what the heck is going on. The rescuers soon find that the interior of Churchill has been almost completely decimated by a fire. All that has survived the trip back to Earth are the three glass containers with the humanoids inside, who are immediately transported to the European Space Research Centre in London (yes really, London).

At this point things start to go pear-shaped as the aliens turn out to be anything but nice as they begin to literally suck the life out of their captors and in turn set off a chain event of transforming the populace of London to a fellow life sucking Zombies. The race is on to save humanity from having the life-force sucked out of it by these space vampires.

"Look at me everybody, apparently I'm a bit gorgeous"

Now before I start with such lesser topics as dialogue and plot, I'll get to it straightaway. When I mean 'it', I mean something far more important, and one of the foremost associations that many minds have with this movie (both positive and negative) - her name is Mathilda May. The 18 year old French girl & in only her second acting experience, plays the female vampire completely naked throughout the film (well except for in a couple of brief scenes). I will leave it up to others far more able and qualified to examine whether this is another example of cinematic female exploitation (after all, neither of her fellow male aliens at any time display the 'sexual tackle' bestowed upon them), or if the filmmakers intention it was to exemplify the message of the female empowerment of her sexual irresistibility to all. Whatever the view some may have, the truth that cannot be denied is that her brave and fearless performance has a genuine spectral and supernatural edge about it that perfectly compliments the genuine erotic nature of her appearance and interpretation. I do not wish to dismiss the suggestion that it is exploitation, however it is the stuff of a million male fantasies - now maybe that's the real reason why my girlfriend didn't want me to go and see it……….

Lifeforce it neither a bad film or a great one, however it does have clear examples of both extremes within it. The movie didn't perform at all well on it's initial cinematic release, and while that may be partly my fault, it's safe to say that critics and audiences alike were intrigued and confused in equal measure on it's first viewings. In part this is due to the movie's numerous influences, it's almost as if the homages were fighting to be acknowledged. A prime example are the opening scenes where the astronauts first come across the alien ship and travel through its interior is a clear reference to Ridley Scott's masterpiece, Alien.

"Nothing to see here guys….move along, move along"

The fact that the screenwriter was also responsible for writing that seminal movie is perhaps no coincidence with the slow atmospheric build up as the humans head towards the alien ship and then the journey through a very organic-living spacecraft interior (all accompanied by a majestic musical score by Henry Mancini). 

Another more implicit influence on Lifeforce are the various parallels to the familiar Dracula story with Vampires brought back to our shores only for him/her to escape and wreak havoc upon the people and place it finds itself in. This reference is has been clearly identified by Tobe Hooper himself who says in one of the interview extras that he consciously wanted the alien spacecraft to have an authentic classical Gothic look, or as he puts it “The look of the ship in my head was Dracula's castle…."

Indeed, The whole movie can been seen as a disjointed concoction of of different themes within one movie - we start with a traditional creepy strange alien found in space, then we move onto to an alien invasion of earth with the final third of the film morning into a more modern day obsession of a Zombie apocalypse taking over one of our major cities. 

This very unevenness has confused and distracted critics and audiences alike ever since it's initial release.

Yes, this is something of a mishmash of a concept and film, though that could be explained in part by the films legendary complex and problematic production and post-production history. Not only did the film-shoot quickly fall behind schedule, it soon started to go well over-budget as the film studio, Cannon, began to lose what little control it had over it's films finances (hence one of the many reasons for the demise of one of the last great hopes for the British cinema industry). The result was the non-filming of key scenes and some lingering mechanical issues with the Zombie characters malfunctioning on a regular basis. These were but two problems, there were many, many more.

Things didn't get any better in post-production when it seemed at times that the movie would never see the light of day. The initial cut of the film came out at 128 mins which Tobe Hooper said was needed to fully cater to the ambitious themes, messages and feel of the movie - otherwise, he said, the story just wouldn't make sense. However both the film company and the home distributors practically choked on their prawn sandwiches at the expansive running time and insisted that nearly 30 mins was chopped off, many of them taking place at the beginning of the film on the space shuttle Churchill. Not only that, it was felt that the 'overtly British' feel of the film would put off wider (American) audiences so a number of the British performances (notably that of Nicholas Ball) were not only trimmed, some were cut completely, but also some voices were over-dubbed with American actors - Tobe was not pleased.

Finlay and Finch search frantically

 for their careers

Another uneven quality to the film is the acting and certain plot issues. Lifeforce boasts something of a stellar British cast with the likes of acting stalwarts such as Frank Finlay, Peter Finch, Nicholas Ball and a pre-Star Trek Next Generations Patrick Stewart - to name but a few. Some of the performances, particularly from Finlay are truly excellent and evenly played and only rarely encroaching on the territory of the 'Ham'. However, some of the other performances are less convincing, for example, Steve Railback's performance in the central role being at times somewhat toe-curling and bordering on histrionic. 

The dialogue too at times is hard to believe, with such lines as "Don't worry. A naked girl is not going to get out of this complex."….. which is soon to be followed by the classic "Now she has clothes". Shakespeare this aint.

Oh and yes, there are certain plot issues that I've always had. For instance, just what the hell sort of organisation brings back three potentially threatening aliens back to Earth and puts them in a complex guarded by a few unarmed middle-aged overweight men?

However for all it's faults, and there are quite a few, I truly love this movie. What it occasionally lacks in logic, structure and dialogue, it makes for in spades in other areas. Mathilda May is not only delicious but utterly convincing in her role as the life sucking alien. The special effects provide a knuckle ride of an experience at times from the beginnings of the alien ship exploration through the blue light life forcing sucking visuals and finally right through to London's violent Zombie apocalypse.

Some may call this a so-bad-that-it's-good-guilty-pleasure of a movie experience, but it's far more (and better) than that. It is almost Tobe Hooper's whole career in one single movie - periods of brilliance mixed with moments of ordinaryness and all surrounded with a modicum of chaos. Hooper has not directed a movie of the stature and budget of Lifeforce since, that may be down partly to his own reserved character and well-known shyness or partly due to the politics of contemporary film making. Tobe Hooper deserves much more than that.  

One is for certain is that I love this film. Yes it is unevenly chaotic at times and utterly brilliant at others - it sort of reminds me of myself…….

It is widely considered (well at least between me and a mate after an online discussion yesterday) that in the last year or so, Arrow Films have noticeably raised their game in terms of the quality of their releases. Whatever your opinion on the quality of the movie itself, one cannot deny that once again they have kept up the constantly high standard of treatment and packaging. In terms of the visual treatment, the effect is simply jaw-dropping with the crispness and colour quality that at times overwhelms the visual input - the transfer is simply excellent.

The BluRay release comes on two separate discs - one with the original American theatrical release version and the other is the international version which is the far superior of the two as it is the fuller 116 min cut and resembles far more Hooper's original look for the film rather than the one cut and butchered by the American distributors. 

The restoration in particular highlights the high standard of the original lighting, photography and especially the special effects which were put into the film's production - The scenes of, and inside the alien ship, together with the subsequent 'battle for London' simply take on a further breathtaking quality of clarity and detail. The film is now quite simply a stunning visual feast for the eyes.

The ears don't lose out either as a result of the restoration, the music and sound effect quality means that the restored master audio mix is astonishing in it's clarity, adding tension and fear during the action sequences and providing a genuine level of atmospheric on other set-pieces. All of which serves to envelop and consume you completely as it combines with the visual elements - It is quite possibly the best sound 're-vamp' for a BlueRay release that I have heard for quite some time.

As usual Arrow films provide a genuine profusion of extra special feature goodies to further tempt us.

2-Disc Blu-ray Special Edition Features:

- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of both the Theatrical and International Versions, transferred from original elements by MGM with supervision by director Tobe Hooper

- Optional uncompressed 2.0 Stereo PCM and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Surround Sound

- Isolated Music and Effects Sound Track

- Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

- Audio commentary with Tobe Hooper, moderated by filmmaker Tim Sullivan

- Audio commentary with Academy Award-winning visual effects artist Douglas Smith, moderated by filmmaker and scholar Howard S. Berger 

- Audio commentary with make-up effects artist Nick Maley, moderated by filmmaker Michael Felsher

- Cannon Fodder: The Making of Lifeforce - An epic UK-exclusive look at the genesis, production and release of Lifeforce featuring interviews with Hooper, producer Michael J. Kagan, editor John Grover, actors Aubrey Morris and Nicholas Ball, makeup artist Sandra Exelby, screenwriter Michael Armstrong, sound designer Vernon Messenger, artistic designers Tom Adams and Douglas Smith and effects artist John Schoonraad

- Space Vampires in London: An interview with Tobe Hooper

Blimey, someone still looks a bit hot….

- Dangerous Beauty: An interview with Mathilda May, Lifeforce’s iconic star.

The still remarkably gorgeous French actress talks candidly about the strange experience of being 18 and able to speak virtually no English in London AND spending most of the production naked. Her account of the nerve it took to stand and perform with out any clothes on in front of so many people and her lack of regret of the experience whilst acknowledging that she wouldn't do it again, is refreshing and humorous. She gives a lovely account of her time before and during the movie recounting how all her dialogue was learnt phonetically in her only one previous acting experience. Indeed, she confides that much her English speaking performance was leant from listening to and copying Frank Finlay's magnificent speaking voice.

- Carlsen’s Curse: Star Steve Railsback looks back on Lifeforce and his career

- Original Theatrical Trailer

- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin

- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by science fiction expert Bill Warren, a new interview with Oscar-winning visual effects artist John Dykstra by Calum Waddell, illustrated with original archive stills and posters

This article can also be found on that most excellent of websites UKHorrorScene.

Level 17 - A John deCaux Web series.

Fifth Dimension disclaimer: At no time were any bloggers, Aliens, Australians or assorted independent film-makers harmed in the production of this piece. At no time is any offence meant, well that is except for the Aliens - I don't trust those buggers…..

Even though I love my classic sci-fi/Fantasy and Horror more than any sane man really should, It was nevertheless a welcome chance this weekend to watch some brand new work out that is currently out there in Internetland. As I've said before somewhere in the depths of this blog, I do wonder sometimes why I put myself through the trauma of watching some of the work that is being independently produced - I really do. Though well intentioned, the result without exception results in one of three different reactions for yours truly: 

1) Pure despair at the well-intentioned but downright awful nature of some independent productions - namely bad writing, bad production, bad acting and bad effects….you know what I'm saying, they're bad! The passion is there but unfortunately, the talent is not.

2) Pure joy at the rather excellent independent productions  - these guys clearly have a passion AND some genuine talent.

3) The realisation that these good filmmakers are annoyingly, far more talented, inventive and depressingly much younger than I ever will be. (Number 3 reaction inevitably follows quickly after number 2 reaction, and usually with tears and tantrums on my part).

I know that this make me sound like a bitter and twisted guy, that I simply resent people of drive, talent and charisma. No not at all, I don't resent them, I just find them annoying. I think they make me as jealous as hell, so maybe I do get a little envious as to how good some of these people are - does that make me a bad person?

Take for instance a new friend of mine from Australia - John DeCaux. For a start, I know what you are thinking, but steady on, it's not his fault he's Australian. I have many Australian friends and many of them are actually quite nice too. Secondly, I have absolutely no idea how to pronounce or correctly spell his surname - so far I have at least six variations. For that Jon DiCaux  John deCaux, I apologise.

John had very nicely asked via my facebook page for this blog whether I would be good enough to check out episode 1 of his Science Fiction web-cast production, Level 17 on the old interweb. So having a few valuable minutes of free time in my all too busy life I decided to watch the said production that can be located on that wild and wondrous land called 'YouTube.

So Mr DeCaux, before I bestow words of wisdom, humour and dare I say it, beauty about episode one - I wanted him in his own words to please provide me with a snappy synopsis….to which the reply came.

We all hate those days when you wake up during
an apocalypse

"Smart, savvy and unpredictable, Ethan is a college student who struggles to understand his destiny when time begins folding in on itself. According to the mysterious arrival of Professor Anderson, the only way Ethan can save his gorgeous girlfriend Danielle is to save the world by any means necessary."

Well that kind of wets the appetite doesn't it? Let me say straight away that the seven-ish minutes of LEVEL 17 - Episode 1 is, barring a couple of minor gripes very,very good. 

There is little time at the beginning of the episode for a namby pamby detailed exploration of the characters or plot here. Instead we are immediately faced with the sight of Gun toting Bio-suited soldiers rounding up civilians and chasing a rather excellent Alien down a city street (not an entirely unknown sight here in the North of Scotland….). We then have essentially a few rip-roaring minutes of the main character Ethan (excellently played by Hjálmar Svenna) first being confronted by the sudden morphing of Professor Anderson into his kitchen (like that has never happened to me either), who proceeds to give our hero a cryptic message about saving his girl and the planet before morphing away once again. Ethan then spends the rest of the frantic episode being chased through the streets in an effort to evade the gun-wielding Bio-suits, whilst at the same time trying to locate the whereabouts of his girlfriend. A rather nice cliffhanger leaves us guessing as to who is hiding in the house he finds himself in at the end …..……..

Just a hunch, but I'm thinking the IOB Corp may not be nice people..

What we have here is a production that belies the origin of many of the people involved in it's creation. The direction and camerawork is excellent, providing a truly professional creation yet still making the viewing experience as realistic an experience for the viewer as possible. The episode as a result is genuinely exciting as the chase progresses through the streets. The acting too is good, with Hjálmar Svenna as the lead character, Ethan, showing a remarkable range of acting ability. We don't really see enough as yet of the other principle characters to be able to make much of a judgement as to the overall acting quality, which will be of interest for future episodes as the quality of the supporting cast can affect the quality of the production

The special effects for the brief glimpse that we have of the Alien is simply stunning - I cannot say anything else but that. Though the glimpse that we have of it is brief, It far out-shines anything I've seen from an independent production in a very long time. I simply can't wait to see more of this creation.

There are a few gripes, minor ones, but they are there just the same. While the Alien special effect is amazing, one or two of the others - a car in the street and the initial shot of a flying machine - are OK, but not overly authentic. The scene where the professor appears in  Ethan's kitchen has some very unconvincing blood and the 'finding' of the box with the character's name on it in which he finds a gun seemed a little cliched. However, as I said, these are but minor criticisms - the overall quality is excellent. 

Something is happening - but what? Who are the mysterious and seemingly all-powerful IOB corporation? Is it an Alien invasion? Will Ethan save his girl? And will I actually receive a reply to any of my letters to Helena Bonham Carter? 

The assurances from John that many of these questions will be answered in the future episodes will be answered is good - though just how he may get Ms Bonham Carter to leave her director chappy and spend her days up here in the North of Scotland remains to be seen.

See the You Tube clip for yourself below and make up your own mind about the episode. However, if you watch it and find yourself disagreeing with me then of course you are quite wrong and misguided.

However, that's all well and good - just because the first You Tube clip looks pretty darned good, with the excellent direction, camera work and Alien special effects it doesn't mean to say that I can completely trust these guys. I mean, I don't want to find out that John and some friends got together over a beer or three and thought that it would be a good wheeze to play around with a camera for while. Then get bored and bugger off after an episode or two when they had to give the camera and Bio-suits back to the guy from the fancy dress shop down the street.

So I suggest that you tell me and my loyal reader or two (I do have at least two, probably) a little bit about yourself.

" I'm a director/writer/producer at Six Foot Four Productions in South Australia. Level 17 is an Australian Action Adventure Sci-Fi web-series that has just been released. Professional, emerging, amateur and student independent South Australian filmmakers have combined their talents to produce the digital web series “Level 17". We are hoping to get the word out there about the production and all the hard work that has gone into everything from the shooting to the visual effects."

So why this genre? After all, Science Fiction is a highly competitive and can have a, how can I put it politely, rather emotional and opinionated fan-base at times…...

"Part of our culture is interest in science fiction, fantasy and action based adventures with Level 17 promising to meet those needs in a fresh, new innovative web-series. With a confirmed YouTube partnership, the web series launched on August the 14th to satisfy an already large following based on the successful “likes” count on the Internet such as Facebook."

Don't stop now John mate, you're on a roll - this is good stuff. You've got me convinced.

"Be honest John - do these make my head look small?…."

"The production has brought together very talented South Australian individuals that are on the way to establishing themselves in their chosen careers.’Level 17’ is an all-new sci-fi, action based web series that relied on emerging Film makers and volunteers to create."

The effects for Alien character we briefly see in episode 1 are simply stunning. So have you some experience of doing this sort of thing before?

The amazing visual effects you see in episode 1 were
created by the team at JFX.

"Previously having worked before on ‘Almost There’, a feature film nominated for “Best Feature” in 2011 and 2013, the team of John deCaux (Director) and Adam M. Carter (Producer) have gathered together some of the finest Indie film makers and volunteers to create the all-new sci-fi action based web-series filming just under a week. Although the production team worked well together with the help of sponsors such as The Adelaide City Council, the post production team have been working around the clock creating special effects including amazing CGI sequences that will hit audiences in the face. The amazing Alien characters were carefully constructed under the direction of myself (John deCaux) along with Jack French, the Special Effects Supervisor."

So when is episode 2 due out? - hopefully we won't be waiting for too long or else I may have so 'send the boys round'…..Oh and how many episodes are you and your band of merry men (and girls)planning to release?

"I'm post production right now and the next episode is due out mid November. We plan to have three seasons of six episodes."

In all seriousness, I simply can hardly wait for episode 2. What we have here is a group of thoroughly professional, gifted and passionate people who are putting their heart and soul into this project. This is no half-hearted amateurish 'lets have a go and have a laugh' attempt at making something of note. If you don't believe me then check out the first production diary to see just how much work these guys are putting in to the preparation of this web-series. I have it easy on comparison, I just sit at my iMac and watch this stuff then spend a little while putting a few scribbles together and a deluded attempt to sound humorous and witty. These guys are the ones doing the real work, they are the real deal. 

I am still as envious as hell as to how good this series could become - but I can live with that.

John and the team can be reached on the Level 17 Face book page 

www.facebook.com/level17webseries.

The project can also be at the Level 17 official webpage HERE.

Scary Stories: The Children's Film Foundation (BFI DVD)

I'm not one to dwell too much on the past, I'm really not. I have little time for regrets and for the plethora of 'what could have be been's' that we probably all have in the tattered timelines of our existence…..Well, there is the case of the missed opportunity with those sisters from Greece in 1999, but that's another story…………

Nostalgia, on the other hand - well that's something completely different, I often have time for that. Which is probably a good thing considering my love of classic sci-fi, fantasy and horror. So when I was received the latest preview DVD from the British Film Institute (BFI) via the marvellous ukhorrorscene I was as nostalgically excited as I have been for quite some time. Because not only was I going to watch and review a chilling story or three from a cherished but long-gone media production company, I was also going to take a brief trip back to perhaps the most important and influential parts of my childhood. The DVD in question is a three-part collection called Scary Stories and the company is The Children's Film Foundation.

For those of few of you that may not know (and boy do I pity you having missed out), The Children's Film Foundation (CFF) produced home-grown entrainment for young cinemagoers for well over 30 years. It was originally set up in 1951 as a non-profit initiative by the owner of the Rank and Odeon chains to give youngsters the chance to get the film-going habit, and not only that, they would get the opportunity to see the types of entertainment that THEY wanted to see. So saw the birth of the Saturday morning picture club. In truth it is difficult to over-estimate the importance and contribution the the CFF made to the entertainment landscape of Britain for over three decades. This wasn't some two-bit tin pot attempt to throw some cheap rubbish at the kids of this country in the hope of keeping us occupied for a few hours on a Saturday Morning (though if you ask my mum, she would say that my and my brothers weekly cinema trips were her much needed time of rest and sanctuary within the chaos of the Anderson boys' weekend). No, there was indeed a genuine warmth and rapport between the CFF and it's audience that was both unique and pleasurable. The Foundation knew what it was doing, and boy it did it well.

It is difficult to convey the excitement that I and many of my friends experienced each weekday until that long awaited Saturday morning came, and along with it, it's many delicious delights. Each and every member of the audience would be armed with enough sweets, chocolate and drinks to feed a small African nation, before plowing into the Halifax ABC cinema (now sadly gone i'm afraid) and bring good natured havoc and stress to the poor workers there who most probably dreaded the onset of this day just as much as we looked forward to it. Each new feature during the morning would be greeted with raucous cheers from the audience now out of it's collective head on sugar products - ahh, good times, good times.

But enough of that splash of Nostalgia for now, I'll return to the CFF later…… back to the DVD review, driver, and don't spare the horses!!!

Do not be fooled by the notion that this is a collection of stories designed for a young audience and that as a consequence the result for an adult wanting a few 'scares' would be be lacking and insipid. There are authentic periods of fear, drama and yes, even terror, in this collection. It's something of a contradiction that as the fortunes of the CFF were in financial straits the decision was made to be more and more daring and inventive in the material being produced. The later Gothic themed productions which thrilled and chilled young audiences back then will, dare I say it, still have the same effect on young and older viewers alike on this re-release.

It certainly helps that the usual CFF quality writing, production and acting is clear to see in this collection. The calibre of the storytelling is simply of the very highest order, there is no 'dumbing down' of the dialogue just because the target audience is young - a lesson perhaps that some could learn today in the annuls of children's entertainment. The locations are sumptuous, the special effects convincing and the action sequences are exciting. This is made all the more impressive by the fact that all three films were (as all CFF films had been) made on very limited budgets. 

Each of the three films are perfect illustrations of how the 'ghost' movies in the CFF catalogue often shared a common element - the past. Whether it be a 19th century Gothic fare as in the first film, the recent and harsh past in the second film and the unsettling and traumatic past in the third edition  - the element of time and its powerful effect are equally effective in their results.

The Man From Nowhere (1976) is a delightfully written nineteenth-century Gothic chiller and directed by non-other than the acclaimed director James Hill (A study in Terror, Born Free). Alice Harvey, an orphan, has been invited to the country to live with her great-uncle at his mansion, Tower House. However, from the very beginning of her arrival in the countryside, a strange and sinister Man appears & insists she return to the orphanage. If she doesn't leave, the stranger insists that the consequences will be deadly.  Who is this 'man from nowhere', why is he trying to scare her away? and will anybody believe her that this man from nowhere actually exists?

The acting in this piece is sublime - particularly from the young Sarah Hollis-Andrews who as Alice is magnificent as the at first terrified but still determined and resourceful girl. Excellent too is that fine British character actor, Ronald Adam as the grouchy old Uncle. Mention too should go to the location of the film, especially the old, rambling Gothic mansion that simply exudes menace and atmosphere.

The Theatre-style closing credits, with each of the principle actors bowing or curtsying to the camera is a genuine joy.

Haunters of the deep (1984) is perhaps my least favourite of the three films, though that may have something to do with it in part being set underground, thereby playing on my longtime fear of closed spaces. Nonetheless, it is a worthy feature. A wealthy American business man and CEO of a powerful mining company. together with his young daughter, is visiting an old disused Cornish Tin mine. He is intent on re-opening the mine to tap into the huge wealth of Tin that lies deep below the surface of the sea - despite the warnings of peril from a grizzled old miner (played by the magnificent character actor, Andrew Keir) about the violent past of the mine. The pressures of contemporary unemployment and the demands of big business (remember this is Thatcher's 1980's) means that there is plenty of local demand for risking their lives in the dilapidated tin mine - despite the reasons for it being closed in the first place. When history threatens to repeat itself and the ghosts of miners who suffered a grisly death reappear, It is left to the American businessman's bored daughter and local lad, Josh, to attempt a daring rescue.

The setting for this ghost story is once again a major plus with the Cornish coastline shown in all its picturesque yet dramatic glory.

In John Krish's Out of the Darkness (1985), we witness perhaps the most unsettling of the three stories in which a seemingly idyllic Derbyshire village is scarred and haunted by a tragic secret from the era of the Black Death. When the Neil family chance upon the picturesque village and decide to buy a dilapidated cottage they have no idea that it was once inhabited by a family who were destroyed by the plague. Things start to change though when a friend of one of the Neil boys starts to 'see' the ghost of a boy who it turns out was a 'village outcast of the plague', hunted out by the angry village mob. Soon, boys find themselves in the middle of a dramatic adventure when the horrific events of the past threaten to keep their painful secret, assisted by their friend, Tom, and a local folklore expert (played by Michael Carter - The Keep, Return of the Jedi).

Apart from the genuinely thrilling climax to the film, the audience is asked to consider the real world implications of the story - mainly the lengths that a group of people, in this case a village community, can ultimately be capable of. This is intelligent stuff.

The events of the film are given even greater resonance taking pace as they do in around Eyam, Derbyshire, where the plague had a huge impact. Even today you can see you can see the headstones of plague victims dominating the local graveyards.

Extras

• Brand new High Definition transfers of all films - and believe me, they look great! As usual the BFI have made sure that the best available film materials from the national archive have been used in the transferring of these productions. Each of the three films has benefited beyond all recognition from the digital remastering resulting in a real clarity of picture free from dirt or crackles. 
  
  UK | 1976 + 1984 + 1985 | colour | English language | 57 mins + 59 mins + 66 mins | DVD9 | Dolby Digital mono 2.0 audio (320kbps) | Original aspect ratios 1.33:1 + 1.85:1 (16x9 anamorphic) + 1.33:1
  
  
  
• Complete illustrated booklet with essays by The Man from Nowhere writer John Tully, actor Michael Carter and Dr. Rachel Moseley all providing fascinating insights and personal recollections into the making of the movies.

A little bit more on the Children's Film Foundation

The three hour(ish) long features included one this marvellous DVD perfectly encapsulates the ethos of the CFF throughout it's existence - to produce a variety of genre films all containing common ingredients such as mystery, adventure, science fiction and horror. 

Perhaps the Foundation's greatest achievement (apart from keeping raucous under-12's off the streets for a while) was it's major contribution in not just nurturing young and upcoming talent, but also using the talents of many well-established stalwarts of the British film industry. 

The golden years of the CFF were during the 1960's and early 1970's had weekly national attendances not far short of the half a million mark - staggering figures.

Alas, by the mid-1980's the audiences for these Saturday morning rituals were beginning to dwindle. Age, work and and an obsession with the opposite sex meant that yours truly had long since ceased to join my fellow manic throng at the Halifax ABC. In a wider sense, the output of the CFF was dealt two separate death blows. Firstly, the small tax on cinema tickets that channelled funds into British Film production was cancelled in the early 1980's by Margaret Thatcher and her band of society cut-throats. The cessation of the Eady Levy not only dealt a mortal blow to the CFF but it also meant deep trouble for the wider remnants of the British film industry that were holding on by their crumbling fingernails. 

The second death blow came in the form of television with the onset of children's Saturday morning shows with their selections of swapping or custard pie throwing. The organisation tried in vain to change with the times by negotiating production deals with the major TV companies and changing into the Children's Film and Television Foundation (CFTF), but the damage had been done. The production money and the audiences were gone.

Film production eventually stopped in 1987. 

The company is still in existence, with it now known as The Children's Media Foundation. It is an independent non-profit organisation which campaigns for good quality entertainment for children and young people throughout the UK. Not only that, it actively supports production and is determined to further wider understanding of cultural  media for children.

It would be all-too easy to become too blinded by the nostalgia of my childhood when talking about the special place the CFF and those Saturday morning get-togethers have in my and millions of others who shared that unique experience. What is perhaps more important is the knowledge that this company produced entertainment that never preached or patronised but always achieved the highest quality in all artistic areas.

So without being overly sycophantic, the BFI's objective to create a flourishing and innovative movie environment whilst cherishing and preserving the magnificent film collection that we have, should be applauded.

This collection of stories is a prime example of that need for preservation. That movies of a dark and risky nature, such as the 3 in this series were being made by an organisation in trouble is testament to the ethos of the CFF. 

That is why I have no qualms in giving this DVD 8.5 out of 10.

It may be made for youngsters…. but it will still scare!

This article can also be found on the most excellent of horror websites at http://www.ukhorrorscene.com/scary-stories-childrens-film-foundation-vol-4-2013-bfi-dvd-review/