Last weekend, as you probably know, I was at the Bram Stoker Film Festival. And, like last year, I owe you a review.

So, this year. The Thursday-Sunday format worked better than Friday-Monday, though the Thursday showings were pretty quiet. Most of the stalls didn’t set up until Friday either. It’s a shame, because people missed some of the best films of the festival. By the weekend the festival was pretty busy, much more so than last year, though at no point was there an entirely full cinema (it seats about 250, according to one of the volunteers there).

The Hammer exhibition was pretty good. It included a lot of Roy Ashton memoribilia, as well as an art prints stall, oil paintings inspired by Hammer, and some life size statues. There was a lot of interesting info, and good displays, and a good way to fill the thirty minutes between the day time films.

The stalls were a slightly random mix, and changed over the course of the festival. They included a couple of authors, Vampire Wine (good, but expensive), Steampunk clothing, photography, and some of the directors. Oh, and the Hammer stars.

Shane Briant, Caroline Monro, Vera Day, and Martine Beswick. Also present were Emily Booth and Robin Hardy. Briant arrived on Friday, having come over from Australia. I believe it was his first convention appears in years. For someone who made his name playing baby-faced serial killers (my personal favourite is ‘Straight on Til Morning’) he’s a charming gentleman. The Hammer ladies and Emily came for the weekend. They’ve obviously done the festival circuit together for some years, and mostly stuck together when not talking to fans. They charged £15 for an autograph (or £20 for two). There were a lot of serious fans and collectors there, which threw me slightly. I’ve not done this festival thing much 🙂 There were no real queues, though when I was waiting for an autograph from Munro the man before me had brought 22 items to be signed (including some quite impressive Bond paraphrenalia). On the one hand, I don’t want there to be an official limit on stuff, but on the other hand that was a twenty five minute wait.

On Saturday and Sunday there were little talks, readings and Q&As throughout the day. These were running simultaneously with the films, which was a little awkward. I wanted to see everything, but it wasn’t possible. Of course, this is normal for festivals and conventions. What I saw of them was very interesting, and there was a good balance between host-led discussion and audience led. There was also Major Jack Union, who had me all in a flap about Victorians on Mars. He’s also an illustrator, and Katey, I thoroughly recommend you get in contact for future issues of Red Penny Papers! Right up your street.

Saturday night was the Vampire Ball. I can’t squee about the Lancaster Millenium Choir enough, and I would pay quite a lot of money for a CD of their soundtrack to the 1930s Frankenstein. Jack Union’s alter ego did a bit of stand up, Hell’s Belles did a burlesque piece (I have to admit, I missed last years multiple burlesque acts, but the bands were a good choice for getting people moving), a transilvanian band played, and Bad Pollyanna and Black Diamond Bay both filled the dance floor. There were awards for the best costumes (well deserved) and a DJ to fill the gaps, and everyone I spoke to had an awesome time, including the special guests. I managed to snatch a couple of photos with some of them, though I felt a little guilty for doing so when it was their night out too. Major Jack Union did defend them from some of the worst offenders!

Overall, the balance between films and not-films was pretty good. It was great to have more to do this year, and though I didn’t like having to choose I know it’s common to all conventions. The guests were very down to earth and approachable, the stalls managed to seduce a large amount of my money from me, and Saturday night was so much fun.

Next year it’s going to conicide with the Goth Weekend (which has its own issues right now) which will bring a lot more casual ‘Brammers’ in, and they want to be the biggest film festival in Europe in five years. I don’t know about the rest of Europe, but FrightFest is a big name to take on. I don’t think they can keep growing at the rate they are (I don’t know numbers, but it looked like twice as many as last year), not without outgrowing the venue. The venue is perfect, though apparantly it’s in financial trouble. I can’t think of anywhere else in Whitby worth having it, though, so it would be a real shame to lose it.

Part of me doesn’t want it to grow, because I’m selfish. It’s so easy to interact with people at the moment, to chat to the directors (Devi Snively! Elisabeth Fies!), to engage with the guests. Part of me fears that the rules will be stricter and the divisions stronger with a larger festival (that 22 item man won’t get to have everything signed), but if it attracts more money, more guests, and more films, then it might be worth it. I don’t know. I like my little festival!

I’m going again next year, though with it coinciding with the goth weekend I’m going to have to book in about January to get anywhere to stay. I met a lot of people I’ll see again, and I missed a lot of opportunties to network. Who knows, maybe next year I’ll attend as Mina Kelly, and read a bit of erotic horror at the Vampire Ball.

Film reviews tomorrow!