Monster Fest was born in Melbourne in 2011, and like the mutated spawn of alien experiments gone horribly, horribly wrong, has gradually morphed into something monstrous. It’s now one of the largest genre film festivals in the country, with a mini spinoff touring nationally this month to offer interstaters a taste of the festival’s bloody programming.
Australia’s scary movie show reel is pretty spectacular (from Razorback, Wake in Fright, the Mad Max franchise and The Babadook to Turkey Shoot, Bait, Outback Vampires and Houseboat Horror) and this “Travelling Sideshow” – screening at GU Filmhouse July 21–23 – includes a solid selection of our homemade horror handiwork.
Killing Ground is pure Ozploitation, playing up the outback as a gruesome and unpredictable place where strangers should not be trusted.
Shark movie fin-atics can catch themselves a double-header of great white gore with 47 Metres Down, and Cage Dive, which was shot in Port Lincoln.
With the return of Twin Peaks earlier this year, a remastered version of its movie prequel Fire Walk With Me will screen on July 21 for one night only. Dario Argento’s Suspiria has also been given a 4K (resolution) facelift for it’s 40th birthday.
Zombies, beasties and cannibals round out the features program, and there are also a couple of docos.
Descent into the Maelstrom follows Australian rock royalty Radio Birdman from the band’s formation in 1974 to present day. Read about the Adelaide luthier building custom guitars for frontman Deniz Tek here.
78/52 deconstructs the iconic shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, exploring its influence on modern filmmaking through interviews with Guillermo del Toro, Danny Elfman, Bret Easton Ellis and more.
Monster Fest has amassed huge support from horror devotees, even capturing the attention of Ted Kotcheff, director of cult Aussie thriller Wake In Fright. But the festival sells itself as more than gore. It’s “a celebration of all that is weird and wonderful in the international cult cinema palette – horror, fantasy, science-fiction, action, crime, noir, dark drama, gothic, western, black comedy, animation, erotica and more.”
Monster Fest will run from July 21 to 23 at GU Filmhouse, Hindley Street, Adelaide.
