It’s horror festival season again, and we’ll be bringing you news on events whenever we receive it (so if you run a festival, let us know what is happening!).

Coming up at the end of October is the unspeakably splendid Mayhem Festival in Nottingham, now in its fifth year and bigger and better than ever. This event now runs for five days, with support from BAFTA and EM Media, and promises a sterling line up of movies, events and guests.

The event opens on October 27th with British supernatural thriller The Awakening – no, not the one with Charlton Heston! Director Nick Murphy will be along for a Q&A, as will Richard Stanley, one of the directors of Theatre Bizarre, which is shown the same night as a late-night treat!

Friday sees occult horror The Devil’s Business – with producer Jennifer Handforf and director Sean Hogan in attendance – and the much-anticipated, already controversial sequel to The Wicker Man, The Wicker Tree. Director Robin Hardy will be along to discuss it. Finally that night, there is Helldriver (pictured), the latest opus from the maniacs behind Tokyo Gore Police. Does that need any further recommendation? No, thought not!

Saturday sees HP Lovecraft movie The Whisperer in Darkness (“filmed entirely in mythoscope”!), controversial shocker A Horrible Way to Die, Dick Maas’ festive horror Saint, Revenge: A Love Story – a nasty sounding tale from the makers of last year’s hit Dream Home – Scary Shorts and a late night screening of the masterpiece that is Theatre of Blood. A packed day for sure!
Sunday sees Tomie: Unlimited – more Japanese insanity from the director of Machine Girl – along with the classic Eyes without a Face, the shocking (and hard to see) Little Deaths and the creepy The Last Employee, as well as the notorious BBC mockumentary horror Ghostwatch, with writer Stephen Volk in attendance. Oh, and the infamously tough horror quiz hosted by yours truly!

Monday sees an extra treat in the form of Ghost Stories for Halloween, as writer Niki Valentine hosts an evening of ghost stories, live readings and television chillers. It’s a free event, so no excuses for not being there!

Outside the movies, there are assorted other attractions, including the ever-popular Thrill Laboratory, which this time will be sending a live feed from a ‘real haunted building’ on Friday evening, the Saturday night party – this time also celebrating Vincent Price’s centenary with special festival ales on tape, stalls from FAB Press and others, and the Laser Maze that I am assured is “a fear filled fun house of ghosts and games”.

As anyone who has been can tell you, Mayhem has one of the best atmospheres you’ll find at a horror festival, helped by the location at the Broadway Cinema, which not only has an accommodating restaurant / bar space but is also in easy reach of most of the city’s other top eateries and drinkeries.

Full festival tickets are £55; prices for day tickets and individual films will be announced shortly.

If you are there, come and say hello!

Ticket booking and venue info at www.broadway.org.uk. Festival info at www.mayhemhorrorfest.co.uk