11/12/2019
Noire Magazine it’s bloody brilliant True Horror on the sight of the OMEN films. "The Devil was at work and he didn’t want that film made."
Hitchin Tree Ghost Story Is The Omen set cursed!?
25 YEARS OF THE CIRCUS OF HORRORS
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INDEX
Noire Editorial The purpose of this magazine is to make way for more horror fans out there to come together and enjoy the weird and macabre facet, while indulging in the freaky and frightening side of life. Horror always gets our adrenaline pumping and get’s our excitement to rise, it’s never boring watching a horror film, show or listening to a horror themed podcast. Our magazine explores all that and more, even going into the realm of topics, such as are ghosts real and how to communicate with them. From ghouls, goblins and ghosts to witches, wizards and werewolves and beyond. It’s bloody brilliant, kids!
Zhaneta Petrova
Fitzroy Haunting
2
The Black Dog
3
Luton Paranormal Society
4
Hitchin Priory Hauntings
6
The Circus of Horrors
8
SFX Make-UP
12
Cinema Hauntings
14
Bloody Classics
15
The Omen
16
Upcoming Movies
18
Films & Series
20
Feature: Leslie McKenna
28
Writers’ Corners
30
Events
34
Student life is getting more and more tricky in Fitzroy campus It’s alL fun and games until you get a ghost for a flatmate.
In Fitzroy student accommodation, Luton, from doors opening randomly to mysterious footprints on the carpet to face-shaped water marks, students have experienced some haunting incidents, writes Dimitra Vasileiou Fitzroy Court is a 21st century building and, even though it does not have a fascinating history with witches or creatures lurking in the dark that could give grounds to supernatural stories, it is said to have been the place of death for two students during the last year. Abbie Johnson, 21, talked about some of the strange things she witnessed in November. On Wednesday 13th , a day after the full moon, in which the two worlds are more likely to meet, she was on bed, feeling jumpy when she smelled a hint of Lynx body spray scent.
When she spoke to her flatmate, Erin Piper, 19, about it she told her that Erin herself had a weird experience; after hearing an unidentifiable sound, she got out of the shower and found a footprint of the carpet. Another time, she also saw feet underneath her door, but when she went to open it, nobody was there. The next day, on Thursday another scent hint Abbie’s nostrils, a peach soother one. Even though she did have some in her bag, when she smelled them the other day she realised that they had lost all their scent, shaking her belief that this was the source of what she had been smelling. She, also, found the ring that she got for her 18th birthday and refuses to take off inside the seal of the the washing machine. Still questioning its relevance, she said: “It was like something telling me I can’t lose it. “Maybe it’s my grandad. He’s the only person I know that can be an angel.” On Friday night, the two girls and another flatmate of theirs stayed late, talking in the kitchen, while it was raining outside. When they turned and saw the window, a surprise was waiting for them. Abbie said: “It didn’t look like raindrops, but like someone had flicked water onto the window.” Both Abbie and Erin said that the water had created a shape that resembled a face. Abbie
added: “To me it looked like a long face, sort of like the scream.” Underneath, a number was seen, 3160, which Erin decided to look up. She found that it is an angel’s number and it means that you need to stay strong and that you are protected. She said: “It was the timing. Someone said something rude to my roommate and it was like…. Consequence much?” She decided to look search for the moon signs, too, but as soon as she clicked the full moon all the dishes in the drying rack
Beware of the howls in the night The black dog of Luton that collects souls
The folk history of the British Isles is full of stories of spectral animals with strange powers that hunt forests and hills, such as black dogs. Luton, too, has a black dog legend of its own, writes Dimitra Vasileiou. The town used to be highly avoided by travellers, because it was a habit for the locals to smuggle them, when passing to go to London. Local authorities enabled stricter policies to deal with the issue. A gibbet was built in Galley Hill and many alleged witches and criminals were executed. During one night 18th century, a terrible storm broke out and the gibbet was split in two by a bolt of lightning. A pillar of flames leapt up from it. The crowd gathered there, noticed a huge howling black dog in the flames, until the fire died down. The dog gave a terrifying howl and vanished. Ac c o rd i n g t o t h e l e g e n d , yo u c a n st i l l m e e t t h e black dog at Galley Hill, esp e c i a l l y o n st o r my n i g h t s . It is believed that the beast comes to collect the souls of criminals and witches and drive them through the Gates of Hell.
Other chilling folks of the Black Dog The Black Dog of Bungay Another black dog emerging from the flames was seen in the market down of Bungay, in Suffolk. On the 4th of August 1577, a stormy day St Mary’s Church was having a morning service. Through a flash of lightning, an enormous howling black dog appeared and attacked the scared parishioners. It killed two of them and left a third one severely hurt. Great damage was, also, caused to the church, due to the lightnings. 12 miles away, the Holy Trinity Church was also attacked by a beast similar to that. Three people were killed, and the scratch marks it left are still seen on the door today.
The Lean Dog of Tring Hertfordshire The Lean Dog is said to be h a u nti n g th e ga l l on s . It is associated with the murder of a woman who was thought to be a witch and was drowned by locals. One of her murderers was hanged in one of the gallons, the Lean Dog was seen near. The Baskerville Hound In the late 17th century Richard Cabell was financially ruined due to supporting the losing side during the English Civil War. After a prosper marriage he managed to get his estate and wealth back, something that
made the villagers believe that he had sold his soul to the devil. When he died, their fear that Cabell may rise from the dead flared up and they put his body in a sepulchre lined with iron bars to prevent it from happening. The villagers claimed to hear howling dogs that night pacing outside his grave. Some even talk about demons trying to collect his soul.
Meeting the beast
Even though we cannot identify the black dog of Luton, signs of similar creautures can be traced in folktale history. Cu Sith Cu Sith was, according to the Celtic tradition, a harbinger of death, whose responsibility was to take the souls in the underworld. Moodey Dhoo In Channel Islands and Isle of Man, it is believed that seeing the Moodey Dhoo (black dog) is a sign that you are to die soon. Black Dog of Bouley Th e l e gen d s p ea ks o f a p h a nto m d o g wh o s e a p p ea ra n c e p res a ge s sto r m s . Fenrir (Norse mythology) Fenrir, one of Loki’s sons, is a black wolf and, acoording to the myth, is chained and waiting for Ragnarok, during which he will break free and with his upper jaw in the sky and his lower jaw against the ground will devour everything in his path. He will even kill Odin, before he eventually meets his own end.
If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? Luton Paranormal Society (LPS) is a group of volunteers who, even though are no Ghostbusters, are here to help with interactions with ghosts, UFOs, Big Foot and any other that is included in or exceeds the paranormal spectrum, writes Dimitra Vasileiou. The society was founded in 2003 and has made some appearances in the media, including the movie ‘Clophill’. Most reports they get are about orbs, the semitransparent light balls we are used to seeing in many photos in spooky locations. However,
they are often being dismissed by paranormal investigators. LPS’s spokesperson said: “The usual hypothesis presented by believers is that orbs represent spirits of dead people, though some support variations on that. “The science behind this hypothesis is not clear. For example, there are no plausible hypotheses that describe the mechanism by which a person who dies will become a hovering ball of light that appears on film but is invisible to the eye.” There is no scientific explanation behind the Orbs nor a good enough hypothesis
that would make them good investigation material. About 95% of the cases, the camera creates them when the source, which could be an insect, a piece of dust or a water droplet that happened to fly around, has not been caught properly. When asked which of the phenomena they find the most interesting, they said: “Personally I do not have any favourites except to say if I walked into another time zone it might be that good I might not want to come back to this one.” But what happens after ? LPS team, as uploaded on their Facebook page
Segenhoe Church, Ridgmont, Bedford
Luton Paranormal Society (LPS) is a group of volunteers who, even though are no Ghostbusters, are here to help with interactions with ghosts, UFOs, Big Foot and any other that is included in or exceeds the paranormal spectrum, writes Dimitra Vasileiou. The society was founded in 2003 and has made some appearances in the media, including the movie ‘Clophill’. Most reports they get are about orbs, the semitransparent light balls we are used to seeing in many photos in spooky locations. However, they are often being dismissed by paranormal investigators. LPS’s spokesperson said: “The usual hypothesis presented by believers is that orbs represent spirits of dead people, though some support variations on that. “The science behind this hypothesis is not clear. For example, there are no plausible hypotheses that describe the mechanism by which a person
who dies will become a hovering ball of light that appears on film but is invisible to the eye.” There is no scientific explanation behind the Orbs nor a good enough hypothesis that would make them good investigation material. About 95% of the cases, the camera creates them when the source, which could be an insect, a piece of dust or a water droplet that happened to fly around, has not been caught properly. When asked which of the phenomena they find the most interesting, they said: “Personally I do not have any favourites except to say if I walked
into another time zone it might be that good I might not want to come back to this one.” But what happens after an incident is reported? Luton Pa ra n o r m a l So c i et y wi l l investigate the location’s history. “LPS investigates mainly outdoor areas and sometimes there is no recorded history of a haunting. The example being Gubblcote Canal where we have just completed our third investigation and this a r e a i s a l w a y s a c t i v e .” Protection by prayers or crystal rocks like clear quartz are some of the ways some members choose to keep safe.
Do you want to investigate the paranormal as well? Luck is on your side! LPS is recruiting new members. All you need is to be over 18 or, if you are 16-18, have an adult or carer willing to partcipate alongside with you and offer a 15£ donation per year. LPS is a non-profit organisation and counts on these donations for the members’ insurance when attending investigations and website maintanance. Having your own transport is advised. For more information visit their website: http://www.lutonparanormal.com/membership/
Souls Lost in Time
a hitichin priory haunted story
Are the memories of those lying dead inside the building drifting around the grounds waiting to be set free? Or are we letting rational explanations fly over our head?
H Maria Vieira
itchin, a small medieval town, with a gothic aesthetic, will take anyone into a terrifying ride over heavy spiritual energies and unspoken paranormal activity. Taking a look into this town, surrounded by life and joy, in secret holds a dark history of tragedy and violence in many locations, where its locals have reported sittings of ghosts inside their homes, shops, and some have felt a constant presence over their shoulder in dark alleyways; it is perhaps safe to say, some think twice before leaving the comfort of their spirit free homes
at the late hours of the night. Hitchin Priory, one of the most interesting buildings in England, with a history that goes back to the 14th century, stands still today at one of the edges of the town centre. Known for its luxurious insides and the hot spot for parties, wedding and afternoon teas; it is, however, also known many misteries reside in its grounds, its skeleton. The Anglia Paranormal Investigation Society [APIS], founded by Damien Odell in 2002, visited Hitchin Priory in 2015 and claimed the building was very much still active with a paranormal intense phenomenon. In truth, there has been vari-
ous reporting’s of dark shadowy figures passing through doors and strong ghostly impressions of women spirits. “Hitchin Priory was always a challenge, we heard of anecdotal evidence that it was haunted.� Damien Odell in Haunted Hitchin Priory Documentary Film
As discovered by the team members of the APIS, many areas of the Priory have strong entities present, lost, waiting for something that no longer exists. Never dead, but not quite alive either.
A Brief History of Time The three-star hotel started as a Carmelite Monestry, until Henry VIII decided to establish courts in its grounds beside the chapel, which leads one to believe, after the reign of terror this king lead, the number of executions taken place has let souls trapped inside the earth, where the roots of the hotel begin. As many have reported hearing prayers and whispers coming from the cellar bar. In the midst of the 1500s the Delme-Radcliffe family moved
into the Priory, remodelling its structure, leaving the rock skeleton of the then monestry and building upwards, finishing a landscape with a proper mansion for the legacy of a family that would last for four hundred years. Until Anne Malicent Delme-Radcliffe, sold the property in 1965, and as a result, in particular rooms inside de Hotel there has been sitting of men playing cards around a table and a band of children dressed in Victorian clothing, often seen standing in corners.
An inside balcony, a part of the maze that is Hitchin Priory, as a set example of the architeture mould in a whole and resembling the beauty of the grim-looking setting it transmits.
One of the most famous horror tales, dates to the English Civil War, when a cavalier soldier named Goering, fled to his lovers’ arms, finding refuge at the Priory; however, Cromwell’s army discovered him. Desperate, Goering escaped through the underground tunnels to the grounds leading to a vast forest; yet, when he reached the shadow of a white trunk tree with red-leaves covering its head, Cromwell’s army captured the cavalier and hacked him to death right in that spot, while his sweetheart watched from the upstairs windows. To this day, the same tree has never been taken down, and even after the green vegetation was cleared off, the solitary tree remained and the resin gushing from its inside is red as blood, some say the blood of the headless cavalier that every 15th of June rides in search of his beloved. Witnessing his deadth, his dame could not bare the pain of living without Goering and it is said, she has
never left the grounds, becoming the Lady in Grey. In an interesting report, during a party on the outside, an impressive amount of guests allegedly saw a woman in a grey dress, looking out the window.
Dare to look up to the windows and you might see the Lady in Grey waiting from her lover.
When reporting this to staff, guests were assured no one was upstairs as the room in question was empty and locked. A current employee confirmed every detail of these stories and even if sceptical about the supernatural, he knew weird events
were happening at the hotel. Mick Ray, 44, from Stevenage, has been emplyed in the hotel for 7 years and shared some incidents that took place not so long ago. He said: “I was on pot wash duty, on this other night, and everyone had gone home by then. Suddenly, when I looked at the doors separting the servery from the restaurant to the hallwa, I see a dark figure walking past the doors through these small opaque windows, going straight to Radcliffe’s room, a room I knew was empty,” “I understand there is no explanation for glasses exploding and forks disappearing, or even doors opening without comman, but I reckon we see what we want see.” Perhaps, no one will ever truly know what happens inside Hitchin Priory late at night, in closed rooms and locked doors. Nevertheless, one cannot ignore the rather deadly activity and the unrational events, going on around Hitchin Priory. Dare to stay the night.
25 years of immeasurable horror
The Circus of Horrors is currently on their 25-years anniversary tour, continuing a series of spectacular and innovative shows, writes Dimitra Vasileiou. Created by John Haze, Gerry Cottle and Pierrot Bidon in 1995, the British circus performed for the first time at
the Glastonbury Festival. They stand out thanks to their acts, that are strongly influenced by Victorian freak shows and burlesque and incorporate horror, comedy and rock and roll themes. The Circus of Horrors was an instant hit and often appeared in television in shows, such as ‘Don’t try this at home’ with Davina McCall from 1999 to 2001 and ‘Britain’s got talent’ in 2011, in which they were one of the finalists. The milestone they are the proudest of, was becoming the first UK circus to perform in Russia, in the heart of Mos-
cow. In their website they say: “We were on every news programme, politicians called for us to be banned and the alternative people of Moscow turned out their droves and went wild”. This was not the only time the circus was threatened to be banned. The extreme performances displayed,like having a vacuum cleaner being dragged by a performer’s penis, have caused them to be put away from stage in some occasions in the past and , we speculate, in the future as well.
Fun facts: • Many celebrities have appeared on stage with them, including Robbie Williams at the Royal Variety Performance in 1998. • The Circus of Horrors holds 20 Guinness World Records including lifting the greatest weight by the hair, most swords swallowed in one minute and the world’s largest custard pie fight. • In 2001, the circus appeared in the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, where they performed alongside with famous musical artists, as Oasis and Eminem. • In 2017 John Haze stood for Parliament • as an alternative Kemptown candidate.
Ana Gaiao
When we were talking with showman, director, foundeand author/ song writer John Haze, his character “Doktor Haze” was no longer present, and all that could be seen was a tired man with a long schedule ahead, who still took the time to sit with us and kill our curiosity. “This is a very unique show, we started 25 years ago, that’s a long time. And us still doing this goes to prove that there is a large market for it (…) is just still underground, but people like it”
When asked about bad experiences while being received in a town before, Haze told us that there isn’t any, and said: “People sometimes just don’t know what to expect from the show and try to be funny, but they’re never taken seriously by the crew” “Once they do (know what to expect) they come back times and times again, some of them even turn to follow us over years and years.” “I think the word “Horror” is a negative word, but we turn it into a positive word, you can see people laughing, meeting, shaking And when asked about the Dunstable’s crowd, the smile was stronger than any need for rest, he said: “Yeah I like the Dunstable crowd, and they like me too, so it’s good.”
Their official site: circusofhorrors.co.uk
If you want to watch the rest of the interview and get to know more about “The Circus of Horrors” go check our Youtube account, where we posted this and many more stories!
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The Circus of Horrors: 25th Anniversary Tour Review Maria Vieira
The charismatic, terryfing, yet wickedly funny, The Circus of Horrors took us all by surprise at Dunstable with their spectacular 25th Anniversary Tour, in Grove Theatre. The excitement inside the theatre was palpable by everyone, and as soon as the room went pitch-black, the speaker turned to full volume and a voice started to echoe through the walls, a voice insulting the public, the country and using the current political climate to take a stand, representing the United Kingdom in a post-apocalyptic era that is Brexit, welcomed the public to Sin City, and in seconds the public was sucked into their weird world.
Some had never heard of the entertainment company and it was noticebe some members of the audience stumbled across the theatre room by accident, without really knowing where they were and some even left before the second act. When the curtains fell, and people gathered around outside, it was surprising seeing the actors interact with their fans and even greeting known fans as if they were a part of the team. The stunts, the magic and the macabre beauty presented in front of the audience was shocking, yet pleasant to the eye, of course looking around the room it was visible some of the attention they were getting was negative and perhaps a number of people were ignoring some comments of women in rather excessive sexual roles, only to then realise we are all human and a body is just a body. What they are really after is showing off a principal of sexiness and visual pleasure; it is advised the nonattendance of children as a scary
amount of body parts are very explicit throughtout the show. Taking aside all the nudity, it is clear to the ear, this show is funnier than dangerous, just for the fact of how it’s designed and how music is used to tell a story, to hold a moment of suspense. It was intersting to observe the reaction of the public to the fluids, the way the performers interacted with the public, taking them to performe on stage. The live band, playing hard-core music, made the hole show feel more complete, as without it, it would’t be the same, for the lyrics were intriguing, well thought and with tact. The singer Doctor Haze AKA John Haze, singer and songwriter is the innovator behind these lyrics, and the way it was incorporated in the whole show was spot on. On some departing notes, the spectacle wasn’t perfect, far from it, but that is why it makes it more real and it isn’t for everyone’s taste, but all must admit , it brought a positive tone to horror.
SFX MAKEUP OR SFDEAD MAKEUP By Zhaneta Petrova
Ana Before SFX or special effects makeup, as it is most commonly known has become more popular with the increased YouTube videos made. The process and end result are so mesmerising that you just can’t look away. SFX makeup becomes even more popular during the month of October as the “spooky” season approaches and Halloween is steadily coming. You can find countless videos on social media showing amazing artists displaying their artistic skills. You can see this type of makeup most commonly in horror films or even fantasy films, like Lord Of The Rings, where makeup artist spent hours applying prosthetics on actors to make them appear as elves or orcs. From makeup to
make it look like you’ve had a fight to full body and face transformation, so nobody would be able to recognise you. We had one such amazing makeup artist, Paige Joyce third year student of Theatre and TV Production,come into the studio and transform two of our magazine editors into victims. Here we have Ana Gaiao, become a ritualistic sacriface to a cult. We asked Paige what drew her to SFX makeup and what were her inspirations when she does someones makeup for a horror film. She had said that she has been in love with gore and horror for some time now and was always fascinated by the
makeup they would show, ‘I have always liked makeup and creative side of it.’ Her inspiration comes from ‘mainly The Walking Dead and crime shows’. Paige loves true crime shows and the way killers think, their minds and descriptions of how their victims would look before and after, and the emotions the victims would portray. All of this to are key influences to her work. We also asked what was the most difficult makeup she had done on someone. Her response was that prosthetics were the hardest thing for her, as she had to make it all from scratch. Due to the time and patients it takes to make but also adhear to the model is very demanding.
Ana After
Dimitra After
Here we have our other editor Dimitra Vasileliou, who our makeup artist decided to make into an abuse victim. She did an amazing job making these two girls seem like they have actually been throguh the things that the makeup is showing. At the end of the interview Paige said she would love to work in the movie indestry doing horror makeup. Let’s hope to see her work on the big screen soon!
Dimitra, Paige and Ana Follow Paige Joyce on her instagram: @makeupbypaigelj Follow us on our instagram: @noire.magazineuk
Dimitra Vasileiou takes a look on the spooky stories of our local cinemas
Let’s go 4 a movie
Because even spirits deserve a night out.
Watching horror films is nice, but have you ever tried watching one in a haunted screen room? Go to cineworld either in Bedford or Luton and you may be lucky -or unlucky- enough to experience a real-life haunting. In Bedford, both Screen 4 and the toilets are said to be haunted by a hooded figure or a monk. Doors to Screen 4 sometimes open on their own accord, customers have complained about scratching noises above their heads and the feeling of ghostly hands touching their legs.
In the toilets, a little girl once said that she saw the ghost of a monk in the mirror, a sight that terrified her so much that she locked herself in one of the cubicles. Jangling chains is also one of the sounds that have been reported, while seat 8, row A is said to never stay upright. The screen room is extremely cold, which is something I experienced firsthand a month ago. The temperature never rises above 5 degrees! One of the employees has admitted in the past that her nephew had committed suicide by hang-
ing himself of the same grounds that the cinema was built on. Luton seems less promising, as only one incident worth-mentioning can be found. About 19 miles away, in 2005 in Luton Galaxy Cinema another incident in screen 4 took place. According to Luton Paranormal Society’s files, an employee stated: “Two staff members, James and Saffi, went to clean screen 4. “They held the doors open for people and then James went in to see is there was anyone left to come out. “He came back and told us that there was a lady still watching the credits. “A few minutes passed and she never came out so James went to see if she was out. He came back saying no one was there.”
In numerology, the number 4 is a number of being. It is supposed to connect mindbody-soul with the physical world. Cineworld, Bedford
Bloody classics for Christmas The Nightmare Before By Maria Vieira Christmas (1993) In comes the trumpts and the clarinets, a jolly entrance to what soon enough is the introduction to a world kids thought was made of only legends. Tim Burton in 1993 opened a door to the uncharacteristically macabre, where the Pumpkin King grows tired of scares and horror, discovering the circle of trees
Gremlins By Dimitra Vasileiou “Don’t expose him to bright light. Don’t ever get him wet. And don’t ever, ever feed him after midnight.” These are the three rules Billy has to follow when taking care of his mogwai, the fuzzy, cute pet his father brought
connecting all of holiday towns. There is a strange merry vibe to the whole aesthetic of the movie, warming the hearts of those who watch it, even though the characters will certainly make you shiver. There is more to Halloween Town than you can see throught a microscope lens.
home for Christmas. After breaking each one of them and the town is invaded by predatory gremlins that make their life’s mission to destroy everything and everyone, he understands why. The music and the effects create an enchanting atmosphere for the story to unfold. Imaginative, innovative for its time and entertaining, Gremlins (1984) made a monstrous invasion seem like everything we could wish for Christmas.
Is "The Omen" cursed!? We all know the 1976 classic horror film “The Omen”. A lovely story about the birth and childhood of a boy called Damien, who is actually the Anti-Christ and the son of the Devil himself. But did you know that there were many inexplained incidents on the set of filming that made actors and even the director, Richard Donner think that it could be haunted by something sinister. Some of these incidents involved the untimely death of the cast members family members. The producer of the film GregPecks, wore a cross on the ‘“I’m not taking any chances”. Even the executive producer, Mace Nuefield, barely managed to escape with his life, after the flight he was meant to be on was struck and destroyed by lightening. ory set
"THE DEVIL WAS AT WORK AND HE DID NOT WANT THIS FILM MADE..."
" actually By Zhaneta Petrova Even the cast of the 2006 remake of the film were not safe. John Moore, director of the remake, reportedly shot the scene where Robert Thorn discovers the ominuos birth-mark on his sons head, all day. However later the whole 13, 500 feet film was destroyed mysteriously by the processing lab. Moore said, ‘ The worst thing the lab and the collective crew ever heard off is loosing a roll, which was 400 feet.”. He added, that the lab guys were ‘in tears’ and couldn’t find an explanation. Peter Postlethwaite also become a victiom of the curse when his brother reportedly died after drawing an ominous hand in a card game. Can you guess what it was? Yep, it was 666...
Probably the most frightening event to happen due to the curse was that John richardson, the set designer for the original film, created a particularly macabre scene where a character is decapitated due to an automobile incident. While in Holland August 1976, Richardson and his assistant Liz Moore, were the victims of a head on collision with another vehicle. Moore was split in half due to this in a similar fashion that Richardson had created for the film.
ANOTHER GRUD BY ZHANETA PETROVA
The original Japanese horror film ‘The Grudge’ is getting another remake everybody! However does it deserve one? Following the 2002, origional film, they were in total of about eight films, some following different characters entirely and different timeline to the franchise. Althought the audience might know better the American remake of the films. With so many sequels and prequels, the story of each film is amazing and sticks with over all urban myth of Kayako the vengeful spirit, who kills anyone that dares inhabit here house or even step foot in it . She was killed following the mentl breakdown of her husband who insisted she cheated on him, he then in rage proceeded to kill the family’s cat and then his own son, after which he killed himself. The storyline may seem simple enough, however they it is conveyed throguh the screen to the viewer is great. Cinematagraphy and character development of the original japanese series is praise worthy. Futher in the franchise, the director Takashi Shimizu, gives us an incredible back story to all three victims who start of the curse and how it came to be and whose fault it actually was...
FOR BETTER OR
DGE REMAKE.... FOR WORSE?
Now we have another film to add to the franchise, however it’s to the American franchise rather than the Japanese one. The new film “The Grudge” will be released in the year 2020 and it still follows the baseline of the first film. Someone get’s the curse without them releasing and now they have to figure a way outof this before they are killed like the rest of the unfortunet souls that encountered Kayako. So I ask you, if we all know what to expect what was the reason of making this film? They are trying to revive this franchise to make something out of it like the Japanese directors and producers did, following the books, but adding there own spin on the story. Now do I think this is necessarily a bad thing, not exactly. However, I give my prediction on this film already it being a flop. The story basis after the first three films has become overused and them making another movie years after the last one will only in result in dissapointment from new viewers trying to get into the franh=chise and long term fans. All in all, the franchise is amazing both U.S and Japans version, they add their own thing to each story, which if you wacthed both the Japanese one and American One back to back you still won’t get bored, thinking you’ve watched the same thing.
Films And Series Reviews
Top 10 HorRor Series
Ana Gaiao
2- “Haunted” 1- “MarianNe” The French Horror/ Drama series “Marianne” is the kind of series that will keep you glued to the screen with its intense and horrifying story. The story revolves around the writer Emma Larismon and her fight against the demon’s wife that she had been fighting against since her early teens in her nightmares, trough writing the novels that made her famous. The whole story starts when she turns her back on the books that made her famous, and the evil she was avoiding makes her go back to her hometown and therefore slowly and frightening catch up with her past. With only 8 episodes out and the promise of a second season, this French series made it internationally on the Netflix platform, and is introducing to the public new cinema promises.
3- “The Haunting of a HilL House” With the first season based on Shirley Jackson’s novel named “The Haunting of a Hill House” as well, the series is being called the best horror piece of the year by many of its watchers, bringing up the amazing acting with stars like Carla Gugino, Michiel Huisman and Elizabeth Reaser, but also, the fantastic work of the creator and director Mike Flanagan, who managed to create an anthology just as interesting as horrific. The story lines fluctuate between what happened in the house and how those five young siblings were shaped by the paranormal later in their lives as individual adults and a family, not only featuring the typical horror but also acknowledging traumas, PTSD’s, addiction to fight off memories or the use and extortion of this story for personal benefit.
Haunted was not a series created for sceptics, bringing the promise of a different real-life horror story every chapter, which has even started an interne debate on which or not that could possibly be true, especially during season two.
Between serial killers, haunted houses, stalker demons, cults and ghosts in love with their victims, “Haunted” englobes the full range of different horror types. The episodes always start with the storyteller and a range of people that were, in one-way por the other, affected by it, and slowly dives into scenes/ flash backs of what had supposedly happened. The reason of many of my paranoias and superstitions made it to our top10, with the only negative point to point out being that the majority of the episodes not having a “professional opinion” to state what type of creature it could be or if it is truly possible or not.
4- “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” The Horror/ Crime Fiction Japanese anime “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” is based on a game series and tells the story of a group of friends in a small rural village in 1983. Unlike the majority of any other series or animes, “When They Cry” (the English version of this series) has an alarming escalation of the story through each epi sode, but still, the escalation is taken to its own pace, living the viewers in the dark many times. The series also features multiple arcs and a constant time loop, where the characters will always painfully die, just in different ways and orders, but with new inside stories and clues at every restart. The great story telling skills of Ryukishi07 and the soundtrack composed by Kenji Kaway that sets the perfect mood for the series deserved an honor mentioning in this review as well, getting this anime a place in our Top10 podium.
5- “Bates Motel” Reaching the finale with five seasons, “Bates Motel” represents everything our deepest darkest being always wanted to know: “How are psychopath killers created?” Based on Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “Psycho”, “Bates Motel” is the story of Norman Bates teenage years, from the unfortunate incident with his father and the fresh start with a new hotel and business, to everything going wrong, with bodies buried and sinking, inappropriate and unhealthy mother-son rela-
tionships and dead people talking. With award worthy main characters, Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore never left us down, very much the opposite, they were always standing out, making us have mixed feelings of pure hate and cherishment for their characters like no other artist would.
6- “MONSTER” Who would have thought that saving one life would result in the end of many others, writes Dimitra Vasileiou After the terrible death of their adoptive parents, Johan and Anna Liebert end up in the hospital, the boy with a terrible shot wound in the head and the girl in such a shock that has her unable to even speak properly. Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the charismatic surgeon who operates Johan, and, against all odds, manages to save his life. Years later, he witnesses the murder of one his patients and finds out that Johan has turned into a killer, known by some as ‘monster’. Now, with the police going after him for crimes he didn’t commit, he promises to find and kill Johan himself. Mysterious, brilliant and breathtaking, ‘Monster’ is full of dark secrets, WW2 inhuman experiments and has a plot that promises to captivate your heart and mind.
9. “Slasher”
7. “Scream QueEns” Spoiler Alert! ‘Bad neighbours meet scream!’ Hilariously funny with shocking but entertaining deaths writes Georgia Robey. However, Ariana Grande should have had more screen time and more lines. Tyler shouldn’t have been killed off in the season 2 as he was the only guy interested in Chanel No5, who unfortuantely has been bullied by her alleged ‘friends’ and has been unlucky in love. The relationship between Borck and Chanel Oberlin made sense and they were compatible together although it was a bit creepy at the same time due to the age difference; John Stamos is old enough to be Emma Robert’s dad!
8. “American HorRor Story” AHS: An anthology of series consisting of a house with a deadly secret, a demented asylum, a witch coven, an unusual show, a hotel, a haunted farmhouse, a cult and an apocalypse, writes Georgia Robey. It has an intiguing opening which will have you on the edge your seat. In each season, a dfferent creepy story unravels with many twists ans suspence. It will make you jump out of your skin! However, it is difficult to find online.
‘You’re Next meets Halloween’, writes Georgia Robey. Sarah quickly finds herself at the centre of a series of murders that revolve around the sevent deadly sins, which appears to be the work of ‘The Executioner’. But the original killer who went by the name Tom Winston, is in prison. That means someone else is behind the mask this time and the perp’s true identity must be discovered. As long-buried secrets begin to surface, everybody around Sarah is a suspect - or a vicim. Described as groy bloodbathwhich does exactly what it says on the tim. Twisted, terrifying snd threatening scenes and a twist that promise to keep you up at night.
10. “Light as a feather” ‘Pretty Little Liars meets prom night,’ writes Georgia Robey. Four best friends invite the shy new girl out on Halloween, but they quickly regret their decision when she suggests they play a game of ‘Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board.’ The seemingly innocent game goes awry when the five girls who played start dying off in the same exact way predicted. The survivors are then forced to figure out why they’re
being targeted - and whether the evil force hunting them down is one of their own. Described as dark, sexy and scandalous, it would be perfect for a girls’ night in or a sleepover.
Alex should have had a love interest, since she is the only gay character on the show. This way, the show would have more diversity and LGBT+ content.
FRIGHTENING FILM REVIEW ANNABELLE CREATION (2017) RATING:
‘EVIL DEAD MEETS CHUCKY’ By Gerogia Robey
SYNOPSIS: A couple in the 1950s embed their daughter’s spirit into a doll, only to realise it is a demon. Years later, they open their home to a nun and six orphan girls, one of whom finds the doll and ends up putting herself and everyone around her in dager.
REVIEW: Described as the best horror of the year which will put you off dolls for life. It is nerve-jangling and a lot better than it given credit for. Director David F Sandberg takes on this fourth film in the Conjuring franchise and manages to add all the skillful and spirited elements to make it work. He always knows how to
ratchet up suspense, composing shots filled with beautiful scenery, giving the viewer the impression that there’s always something lurking in the dark. It is visually amazing and it has competent performances. Despite the well-designed atmosphere, the core story lacks the apeal we would expect, since the ghostly entity is a bit on the cliched side. It shocks and entertains at the same time though.
Despite her first being linked to The Conjuring which was poor, Anabbelle seems to have redeemed herself in this brilliant sequel. It is rare that a terrible film has such a great follow-up that surpasses its downfall but this is certainly a glittering. Anabbelle Creation is a won-
derfully executed film, with genuine scares and eerie tone. If you are a fan of previous James Wan produced horrors, don’t worry, ‘Anabbelle’ still has plenty of that jump scare goodness we love! An acceptable horror entertainment that knows how to make the stroy flow and, thus, the viewer doesn’t feel competely
lost until the arriva of the last act. Its characters are more interesting than the previous ones and the fact that the protagonist has a walking problem geerates a series of very stimulating stress situations. The movie manages to steadily increase its intensity without ever being slow-moving and tiring and the finale is nail-biting and gripping. One creepy moment follows another , but what I find concerning is that it seems it is pilling up scares instead of trying to make the characters relate to the audience. Whileit is not without its flaws and cliches, it’s a good solid horror film; strong and spooky.
28 Days Later Review 28 Days Later is a zombie film directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 127 hours) and Peter Hitchin reviews his first attempt at a horror film in this 2002 cult classic. RATING: t follows Jim (Cillian Mur-
I
phy) as he awakens from a coma, only to find that the streets of London are deserted until he is attacked by the undead, infected with a virus that induces monstrous rage in those who get contaminated. He joins other survivors such as Selena (Naomie Harris) and Frank (Bendan Gleeson) as they try to get to Manchester as the British Army have set up a camp there claiming to have the answer to the infection. The dialogue is minimialistic and it works in its favour, allowing the background ambience to take priority. It truly feels like the country is post-apocalyptic and deserted, with only the infected being its occupants. It explains only what is needed to be explained, allowing the audience to find out just what they need to know, without the exposition becoming sloppy. The decision to use Actors who had never been heard of before as the majority of the main cast is a gamble that pays off well. It allows us to love their characters for who they are without us loving them for the person
portraying them. It also marked the debut for Cillian Murphy who went on to play Scarecrow in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy and Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders, and the first major role outside of the UK for Naomie Harris who went on to play Eve Moneypenny in the James Bond series (Skyfall onwards). The cinematography is stunning. The various shots of isolated cities gives you a grasp of the scale of the situation. The shot of the gang of survivors driving through all the abandoned cars on the motorway up to Manchester highlight just how truly alone they are, and it looks beautiful.
It gives you a grasp of the scale of the situation. The shot of the gang of survivors driving through all the abandoned cars on the motorway up to Manchester highlight just how truly alone they are, and it looks beautiful. For a first attempt at the horror genre, Danny Boyle shows that when it comes to films, he is truly a jack of all trades. This film is a must see for any fans of horror. Although it might not be as gory as other films, it’s isolation of the characters provide a more psychological impact, rivalled only by George Romero’s Dawn of The Dead.
Horror Feature Leslie McKenna
Leslie’s smile hides writing that’s vile To look inside the mind of a horror writer is to take a pick inside a basement you know is haunted by a ghost.
T
here is always some wicked side to an artists, a kick they get, either it’s drugs or alcohol, some writers get their kickout of horror and thriller, of the dark fantasy behind an unseen realm. And for a sweet university lecturer, her kick is the unknowa-
By Maria Vieira
ble, the adrenaline of open doors leading to a pitch-black hallway. Lesley McKenna teaches Horror and Dark Fantasy, amongst other units, to Creative Writing students, in the University of Bedfordshire. A unique unit for those who wish to tip their
toes to the dark side and pick through the blinds what might be lurking on the otherside. Writing Horror for many affects them, because in a certain way, you are visiting the boogieman willingly, and you are not sure if after tasting the poison you will
ever get out; However, for Lesley, it’s near the boogieman she found peace. “My life has affected it a lot, let’s put it that way. I started writing horror because I was fascinated with it. And then as I got older, life happens to you and some of the personal stuff impacts on what you write, so I transformed my experiences into horror and a lot of writers do that. It’s a way of purging yourself,” she admits, giving a sense of how horror aided her in difficult times. Writing for many is an escape route or a device to make some sense of the world, of what surrounds them. For Lesley, horror was her way of stopping the noise. “A short story, I wrote for this course actually, was probably one of the worsts I have written.
did you get your ideas from?’ or ‘how can you write such awful things, does that mean you are like that?’,” she tells these episodes with a hint of remorse in her voice, passing the message that these are the comments filled with prejudice, that harm those who want to share their life with a different sting to it.
W
ith a grown fascination for the myth and the sypernatural, she dreamnt of monsters and beasts, but that never meant she shared the same desires of the insane. “I did a horror reading once of one of my stories and I mean it was fine, it was just a little murder story, but someone came to me afterwards and said ‘I thought you were such a nice person’.
“In more recent years, writing horror for me is acknowledging we all have a darkness inside us” It was about a necrophiliac priest, who would kill its victims, because it was a sexual thing of his and in this particular story he dug up a rotting corpse and made someone have sex with it,” she confesses with hesitation in her voice. There is a lot to uncover under the layers of human emotion, but the topic always on top of the table is fear. The shot of adrenaline that spikes the sensors. What would it be if the thing we feared the most, was fear itself? “I think there is a stigma against the horror that you don’t find for sci-fi or fantasy. Certainly, a lot of students who come through, often say to me, ‘Leslie I don’t want you to judge me on this, this is not me’. So, yes, a lot of people are judge you by what you write and therefore the horror genre seems to fascinate people as well as repel them. There are people that will say ‘where
We, horror writers, do tend to get a lot of flak that other writers don’t get,” she says, now laughing about the ludicours incident. There is a story to be told in horror. It’s not all jump scares and scenes so bloody, you need to shut your eyes. That is why so many commit the same mistakes, over and over, it is perhaps time to go off the cliché. “A lot of people make mistakes in thinking the horror is much more important than the character, because character is all and if you can’t create a character that isn’t at the centre of that horror, then everything else is mechanical. Another thing would be using the same old tired clichés, that we see all the time, example, people by the house they have been told not to buy. If you are going to do that, then there are at least some fresher ways of doing it,” Leslie comments with a side of hope in her
eyes that perhaps she will be able to challenge her students to find new ways of presenting horror. Nevertheless, even in horror, there is a lot yet to be uncovered, barriers to be broken, goals to be achieved, there is a story Leslie still wants to see be written. “[I wish there was] more acceptance of women. There are quite few of us, but a lot of awards still go to men. Bur also a lot more of different cultural presentations, as it is still a very white middle-aged men province, not as much as it was, but it’s still there and those boundaries need to become more mainstream then they are now,” she says, amused with the idea, that even now in plain 21st century there are a lot of problems that go almost ignored. “Also, a lot more horror for children. I don’t mean shed loads of killing, but like Darren Shan, who wrote a great series, even hellish gory, it was accessible for children, where the child is faced with a an obstacle and then gains strenght throught it. That can make horror positive,” she reflects, eager to make a point, where it’s not always horror that makes us scared, sometimes it’s the simple prediction of when entering a room you will be scared. After the conversation with Leslie, walking home, it was easy to realise we have deep in our minds this condescending idea of what horror is. “I haven’t written horror in a while, but the fascination is still there. Those of us who write horror remain true to it, for some weird and wonderful, strange reason. We are always fascinated by the unseen, the untoucheble and the unknowable. Trying to make the unknowable concrete and you can’t always do that, but you try through your writing,” she finishes, with a smile on her face.
Writers’ corner
It’s still in the house: A horror story based on real events by Dimitra Vasileiou
M
atthias gave up. He’d been trying to sleep for at least two hours, but insomnia ruined his plans. His mind was playing once again all the embarrassing moments he had that day, that month, that lifetime. It didn’t matter that he had moved to Kerch now, that everything was different, that nobody knew about that time in middle school when he drunk-flirted with a pillar by mistake. If his mind wanted to torment him, the distance and the time that had passed meant nothing. He got up and headed to the kitchen to get some water. He turned on the light, walked in and faced the embodiment of his worst fear. A scream escaped his lips as the demon entered his field of vision. He had heard the horrendous rumours but had dismissed them as tales created to scare away unwelcome visitors. But there was no mistake. A cockroach was standing on the floor, right in front of the fridge, staring at his soul. He took a step backwards. The hideous creature took a step forward. He knew it was time for him to attack. It was either him or it. He imagined it thinking: “Petty, weak humans! One small atomic bomb and you are all dead. We are more powerful than you’ll ever be.” He couldn’t let it win and have his human pride crashed. He slowly took off his right
slipper. The cockroach slightly moved its wings. Matthias was overwhelmed with panic, but he refused to let it show. Holding tightly on the slipper, he hit the creature cautiously at first, manically later, until it was completely motionless. As soon as he got the bottle of water, a knock was heard. He found his neighbour in front of his door and was asked whether he was the one that had screamed earlier. After he blamed the television he didn’t yet have and reassured her that everything was okay, he returned to the kitchen. But nothing was there. The beast was gone. He searched the drawers, looked under the table and the fridge while the sweat started falling onto his forehead. When the inspection proved to be fruitless, he returned to his bed. Insomnia had found another way to torture him. Every time he closed his eyes, he would imagine of an army of cockroaches walking on his skin, mocking him, ready to attack. He knew that it was still somewhere in the house, regaining its strength. They would meet again. At around 5 am he finally managed to fall asleep only to dream of an enormous insect sitting on a wagon drawn by smaller ones, giving orders. Flames were slowly eating up the whole city. He had never hated his brain that much before.
You’ll make it there
By Vicent Price
Tree branches pass overhead, indistinguishable from the gaps open to the dark sky until headlights illuminate their leaves. The trees crowd around the road, an endless grove of darkened foliage that shrouds your passage. The road has two lanes, but barely anyone passes going the other way. Sometimes, you think you see headlights in the distance when you crest a hill, but by the time you crest the next they’re usually gone.
You’re alone out here. The only motorists you’ve passed are three bikers whose headlights shone so brightly in your eyes you had to look away from the road for a moment. Unsafe, of course, but their lights were blinding. What else could you do but stare into them like roadkill? In the patches of sky you glimpse through the trees, you occasionally see the moon, always in the same place, its bright sliver a welcome relief from the
And then it’s gone again, and you want it to come back. How long have you been driving, again? To relieve the silence, you listen to music from your phone, but the audio fizzes and pops o c c a s i o n a l l y . The contacts on the cassette adapter must be dirty. It’s been so long that you’ve cycled through all the songs on your phone. But the radio’s just
static, and you need music. Underneath you, and this is what you’ve been trying so hard to ignore, the growl of your engine is silent. It’s like it’s dead, out of gas, but the bumps in the road and the view out the.
windshield tell you you’re moving. You can’t see how much gas you have - the meter is dark. But you move, God you’ve been moving for ages by now, and you’re on your way. When you think about your destination, well,
it
makes your head hurt. You’re going somewhere, of course, you wouldn’t have gotten in the car if you weren’t. But come to think of it - do you remember getting in the car, really? This makes your head hurt, too, and you can’t think about it too long. You’ll make it there eventually, wherever you’re going. You’ll make it there.
Email your short stories via our email:Noiremagazine@ outlook.com Vicent Price e-mail: (@sylveondreams on tumblr)
To Die For Events You cannot miss the bloody Wave Cult 13’s Christmassacre Friday, December 13th 10 pm - 3 am Annie’s Attic Sounthend’s Alternative Music Venue
Bringing you the Halloween/Xmas crossover party you’ve been waiting all your life. Put on a fancy dress and come December 13th with a horrifying beginning at 10 pm and get back home a different person at 3 am. Enjoy a side plate of subgenres of rock, with special guest musicians and DJ’s. Come down to Annie’s Attic Southend’s Alternative Music Venue, Southend-on-Sea and don’t forget to be in a scary mood. The Halloween Ball London 19 Tuesday, December 31st 10 pm - 6 am Electric Brixton
Simply London’s biggest Halloween party. Once again prepare yourself to enter an epic world where mosnters mingle with humans, while you wait impatiently for the midnight strike of a new year yet to come. Dress up in December 31st starting at 10 pm and end the night in a grand first day of 2020, until 6 am or later.
The Blood and Tears Walk Wed, January 1st 7 pm - 9 pm Outside Barbican Tube Station
Will you venture into the dark side of London’s History? Starting from January 1st you can begin a journey through England’s famous psyc-
This event is for no child, so remember, you must be 18 or older and don’t forget your ID. Now hurry up and get those tickets before they are snatched by other creatures. Only with these can you enter the mansion. Ready to step one-foot forward 2020 with a scare?
otic serial killer, unveil the secrets the government would rather have you not know and walk along the streets where too many were executed for their wrongdoings. From 7 pm to 9 pm, you will see, hear and feel the past life of themagic city, observing its other facet. Be brave to walk amongst those who killed and visit the dark allies no other dears to enter. A tour that will make you shiver.
Southend’s Horror-on-Sea Film Festival 2020 Fri, January 10th January 19th Southend - on - Sea
Celebrating their 8th year,Horror-on-Sea comes back with a serial killer line-up of independent films. Remaining the biggest UK film festival, in the upcoming year, it will run for two weeks, from January 10 until January
19, come down to Southend-on-Sea and live or die during 36 feautures and 62 shorts, hearing the voice of small film producers, wanting to share their fears of horror, with others. Horror movies & Chill?
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