Writer. Editor. Film Scholar. Script Consultant
I will be introducing Herschell Gordon Lewis's slice of gory insanity Blood Feast at BFI Southbank on 2nd April 2026. The screening is part of the season Trash! The Wildest Films You've Ever Seen curated by William Fowler and Justin Johnson, running at BFI Southbank 30 March-30 April 2026.
Congratulations to Jonathan Zaurin and the rest of the team on the release of their second feature film Derelict! Also included on the Blu-ray as an extra to Jonathan's superb, complex and haunting exploration of grief and revenge is The Petting Zoo, the short film I directed with huge help from Jonathan and much of... Continue Reading →
In this episode of the Straight On Till Morning Show, I host a programme on the FrightFest festival, which took place from 21st to the 25th August 2025 in London. I talk to Kim Newman, author of Nightmare Movies and co-writer of Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema, and film critic Dr Anton Bitel, who guide... Continue Reading →
Honoured to have contributed a video essay, 'Material vampires and the defeat of science', to the limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray of Trouble Every Day, released by Eureka Entertainment. The essay was masterfully edited by Jonathan Zaurin, my thanks to him for doing such a wonderful job. More details on the Eureka website.
THE PETTING ZOO, the short film I wrote and directed last year, has been selected to screen at the Razor Reel Flanders Film Fest. The festival runs from 24th October to 2nd November 2024. THE PETTING ZOO screens on 1st November.
In this episode of the Straight On Till Morning Show, I host a programme on the FrightFest festival, which took place from 22nd to 26th August 2024 in London. Kim Newman, author of Nightmare Movies and co-writer of Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema, and film critic Dr Anton Bitel, guide us through their festival highlights.... Continue Reading →
In the next episode of the Straight On Till Morning radio show, I talk to Jane Giles and Ali Catterall, the co-directors of the new documentary Scala!!! Or the Incredibly Strange Rise and Fall of the World's Wildest Cinema and How It Influenced a Mixed-up Generation of Weirdos and Misfits. Thursday 4th January 2024, 8pm,... Continue Reading →
I'll be delivering a paper on Coffin Joe and surrealism at the Cine-Excess conference 'Raising Hell: Demons, Darkness and the Abject' on Wednesday 18th October 2023. Cine-Excess runs from 17th to 27th October 2023 in Birmingham, UK and online. More details on the Cine-Excess website. Pic credit: At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul (José Mojica Marins, 1964)
The short film I have written and directed, THE PETTING ZOO, is now finished. It's a ghost tale about five friends who go to the woods on Halloween and get lost in a local legend. I had invaluable help from the hugely talented Jonathan Zaurin and was lucky to work with a brilliant team of... Continue Reading →
Listen to the annual podcast round-up of the Arrow FrightFest festival with Kim Newman, Anton Bitel and me: This year's themes were: Influencers Religious cults Unwelcome guests New women Tight spots Films mentioned include: Deadstream Follow Her Sissy Something in the Dirt Candy Land New Religion The Leech Who Invited Them Torn Hearts Piggy Family... Continue Reading →
Virginie Sélavy 