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Holy cats, creeps, when the local torch-bearin’ mob threatened to lock me in my crypt and throw away the key, they weren’t kiddin’! But, like all good ghouls, ya can’t keep ol’ Xiii down; and now your patience has been rewarded, ‘cuz here come those revoltin’ reviews you know and love (or kinda tolerate)!

Mark Of The Devil

Release Date: Available Now on Blu-ray Written By: Michael Armstrong, Adrian Hoven Directed By: Michael Armstrong Starring: Herbert Lom, Udo Kier, Olivera Katarina, Reggie Nalder

Let me tell ya cats, ‘tis a great time to be a horror hound! Why, you may ask (and e’en if ya didn’t, I’m not gonna let that ruin this here segue)? Well, take this lil’ terror tidbit fer instance: the Criterion of horror, Arrow Video, is finally ready to storm these shores with a dearth of grizzly greats that will fill...

The vintage nastiness of the exploitative cult classic Mark of the Devil gets a pristine revamp from Arrow Video, a favored title from a golden era of new wave British horror that hasn’t had held quite the same reverence as some of the more notable titles of the era, such as Ken Russell’s The Devils, Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man or Michael Reeves’ Witchfinder General. The project was inspired by Reeves’ film, who died of an accidental overdose at the age of 25. In hindsight, perhaps, as directed by Michael Armstrong (the film’s screenwriter who often wrote under the pseudonym Sergio Casstner), the title is a bit too familiar in to Reeves, and often feels like the slutty little cousin to the sleazy themes touched upon in the earlier film. Bizarre performances and an unnaturally evocative ambience help overcome the film’s desperate aim to shock with...

The full lineup for the FrightFest All-Nighter in London has been announced and includes Nothing Left to Fear and The Station:

“The FrightFest All-Nighter 13 returns to the Vue in London’s Leicester Square on Saturday October 26 for the third year, with six killer titles including UK premieres of The Station, Patrick, Nothing Left To Fear and Soulmate. So climb aboard FrightFest’s Halloween Express, with guests including Neil Marshal, Anna Walton, Renaud Gautheir and Michael Armstrong, for the night-ride of your lives.

Tickets for the London event go on sale Tues 1 Oct.

Horror fans around the country can join in the fearsome fun on Saturday 2 November, when the event travels to the Gft Glasgow and the Empires in Sunderland, Newcastle and Poole. On Sat November 16 the event hits the Watershed Bristol

London line-up:

18:30 Soulmate (UK Premiere)

Axelle Carolyn makes her impressive feature debut with a sophisticated ghost story. After...

The FrightFest All-Nighter 13 returns to the Vue in London’s Leicester Square on Saturday October 26 for the third year, with six killer titles including UK premieres of The Station, Patrick, Nothing Left to Fear and Soulmate. So climb aboard FrightFest’s Halloween Express, with guests including Neil Marshal, Anna Walton, Renaud Gautheir and Michael Armstrong, for the night-ride of your lives

Horror fans around the country can join in the fearsome fun on Saturday 2 November, when the event travels to the Gft Glasgow and the Empires in Sunderland, Newcastle and Poole. On Sat November 16 the event hits the Watershed Bristol

London line-up:

18:30 Soulmate (UK Premiere)

Axelle Carolyn makes her impressive feature debut with a sophisticated ghost story. After attempting to commit suicide due to the sudden death of her husband, Audrey (Anna Walton) decides to retreat to a remote country cottage. But she soon discovers her safe haven is haunted by its previous owner.

When a film comes packaged with its own branded barf bag, one approaches the experience of watching it with either trepidation or excitement, depending on one’s taste in cinematic entertainment. Due to the increased popularity of the torture porn genre in recent years, one can imagine that there are a great number of viewers who would fall into the latter camp. Indeed, films like Saw and Hostel owe a great debt to Mark of the Devil, the 1970 horror film directed by Michael Armstrong and starring German cult movie legend Udo Kier.

Kier portrays the too-obviously named Christian, the glamorously and eyeliner-clad assistant to Lord Cumberland, a powerful medieval witch hunter and advocate of torture, played by the intimidating Herbert Lom. When Christian falls for the voluptuous barmaid Vanessa (Olivera Katarina), who is then accused of witchcraft by Cumberland and other townspeople, Christian becomes disenchanted with his master’s ruthless...