This year's installment of the annual horror festival, held each year in New Orleans, offered everything from creepy German resorts to journeys into the dark web to a legendary singer/songwriter.
I probably have mentioned it was extremely well run by staff and volunteers. Just a good experience all around, even though Canal Place is almost certainly the least spooky part of New Orleans.
It’s fun but ignore individual tickets. Buy a pass and hop around. Also despite the effort you will never get to the Priyana North if you’re focused on watching films.
Yeah, you have to make some tough choices. I would have loved to have gone to OCULUS (which I wonder now if I underrated given that I’ve liked most everything else I’ve seen from Flanagan) and THE BEYOND but I wanted to focus on the new stuff. I had to go see PHANTOM with Williams. Mandatory.
Arcadian was the most disappointing due to its reliance on CG monsters in the dark and then the general confusion about what the creatures were outside of the “machine gun” jaw snaps and the one shot of a creature casually digesting someone’s parent. The director’s entire catalog is based on his visual effects and it was just constantly obscured here (though the “wheel” moments were neat).
Appreciate this report from what sounds like an exciting festival. Between I SAW THE TV GLOW, ABIGAIL and CUCKOO, this is one of my most-anticipated years for horror releases.
Well I guess I know what festival to prioritize next year... To hell with mardi gras! I'm coming for the Overlook.
I probably have mentioned it was extremely well run by staff and volunteers. Just a good experience all around, even though Canal Place is almost certainly the least spooky part of New Orleans.
It’s fun but ignore individual tickets. Buy a pass and hop around. Also despite the effort you will never get to the Priyana North if you’re focused on watching films.
Yeah, you have to make some tough choices. I would have loved to have gone to OCULUS (which I wonder now if I underrated given that I’ve liked most everything else I’ve seen from Flanagan) and THE BEYOND but I wanted to focus on the new stuff. I had to go see PHANTOM with Williams. Mandatory.
PHANTOM would have been my pick as well. Williams is a legend.
I’ve been looking forward to IN A VIOLENT NATURE ever since I first heard about it, so I hope I get better mileage out of it than you did.
Beyond that, this is beginning to look like Dan Stevens’s year — at least as far as genre fare is concerned — and I say good for him.
He really goes for it in both films, as in Godzilla.
Arcadian was the most disappointing due to its reliance on CG monsters in the dark and then the general confusion about what the creatures were outside of the “machine gun” jaw snaps and the one shot of a creature casually digesting someone’s parent. The director’s entire catalog is based on his visual effects and it was just constantly obscured here (though the “wheel” moments were neat).
Appreciate this report from what sounds like an exciting festival. Between I SAW THE TV GLOW, ABIGAIL and CUCKOO, this is one of my most-anticipated years for horror releases.
Love coverage like this. Nothing substantial to add but excited for a number of new films I hadn't yet heard about. Thanks!
"a Q&A with songwriter/star Paul Williams conducted by John Cameron Mitchell"
so jealous of anyone who saw this!