Ahead of Halloween, this weekend sees the return of Glasgow Horror Festival. Run by local independent horror collective Popcorn Horror, the two-day celebration of all things macabre will take over The Classic Grand and Stereo Cafe Bar, and include a mix of traditional film festival, fan convention and performing carnival.

The main screening is the 1959 horror classic House on Haunted Hill, starring Vincent Price as a millionaire who invites assorted people to stay overnight at his purportedly haunted mansion, offering $10,000 to anyone who survives the experience. The screening will recreate some gimmicks for which producer William Castle was notorious, including flying skeletons, ghouls arising in the aisles, and on-site nurses providing death warrants for the viewers. There will also be a screening of acclaimed short film The Childish Thing, about a man clearing out childhood memorabilia and discovers some things refuse to be forgotten, and was inspired by director Jeremy Herbert’s childhood night terrors.

Also tackling the subject of night terrors is Nicoletta Wylde, a stand-up comedian whose show Afraid of the Dark is a semi-autobiographical account of dealing with the haunting fears, with a unique brand of surreal and bloody prose performance relating a journey around the monsters in the darkness and just what it takes to vanquish them.

Taking place in the eerie boiler room of Stereo Bar, the ‘interactive attraction’ The House With Neon Windows is a combination of live music, ‘80s visuals, old-school horror and escape room puzzles, presented in partnership with bespoke fright experts Scare Scotland.

 

Fans of live horror experiences will have plenty to entertain them with a double-bill from Big Puppet Theatre Co showcasing two original theatre performances, and GOTHeatre, whose new show Ghost Story features a young governess reading a haunting tale to the son of her new employer, only to discover that truth and fiction are often indistinguishable.

An area for monster photo ops will be available, but instead of the typical icons of horror cinema, these will feature creatures from the ranks of Scottish indie horror filmmaking. Featured are the ghoulish creations from Keith Robson’s Creek (a swamp monster from Scotland’s desolate marshlands) and Gavin Robertson’s Wendigo (a demonic spirit from Native American mythology possessing and torturing those who have eaten human flesh).

Other attractions include makeup effects artist Taarna Swanson hosting a demonstration of how gruesome monsters and injuries are created; retro gaming establishment R-Cade exploring the history of horror games and providing a number of gaming stations to relive your 16-bit childhood; and burlesque dancer Roxy Sparks shocking the stage with a performance involving demonic nuns, crucifixion and fire-eating.

Downstairs of the venue will form the convention hub, with a diverse range of horror vendors and artists trading. Books, comics, crafts, artwork, clothing and merchandise will all be available from the selection of stalls, and a busking plinth will provide music and performances from local musicians.

The event runs from 27th to 28th October, and tickets event are available here, while the Facebook event page will provide any updates. Popcorn Horror itself can be found online, on Facebook and Twitter.

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