Horror fans rejoice! It's time again for the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival.
I love horror. In fact I love horror so much that you could say I'm an activist for horror films. I love the genre because within the safety of a movie theater it takes us someplace dark and taps into some of our most primal emotions in an attempt to enlighten us. That's horror at its best and that's what most of the horror at Horrible Imaginings aims to do and does... But yes there are a few that aim just to entertain or amuse and there's a place for that within the genre as well.
Horrible Imaginings is the fevered brainchild of Miguel Rodriguez. He's on a mission to help the oft-maligned genre get some respect by showcasing some of the best new and classic work from the genre. This year he reminds us of the "splatstick" (splatter gore and slapstick comedy) glory of "Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn," and the low budget artistry of Jack Hill in "Spider Baby."
But he also highlights what's new and daring. Back in 2010, Rodriguez discovered the genre genius of the Soska Twins with "Dead Hooker in a Trunk" and now those twisted twins are taking the festival circuit by storm with "American Mary." This year he showcases his first horror documentary, "Zero Killed," in which a filmmaker asks people to make films about their murder fantasies and then asks them to talk about their fantasies ten years later.
There is also a fabulous shorts showcase of films from local filmmakers and filmmakers from around the globe.
So if you are a horror fan you have to attend. And if you are not a horror fan, this festival provides the perfect opportunity to view a diverse cross section of the genre and maybe find something you like.
For full disclosure, I am one of the board members for the festival and I do appear in one of the films -- getting my head blown off.
To get a real sense for what the festival is all about, take a listen to the Midday Movie segment I did with Rodriguez about horror and the festival.
