Frightfest 2020 Day One - Thursday

Always bloody and always unbowed, Frightfest has not totally succumbed to the effects of the pandemic that currently continues to threaten the health of the world. It has had to change a bit, though, which is why this year's festival has gone digital and has a slightly smaller lineup. It's still Frightfest, though, with the only major difference being that we're not getting to meet up with the vast number of like-minded friends we have made there over the years. But there will always be next time. The only other differences have been the absence of the traditional train trip to London and the not needing to set ourselves up in a West End hotel for five days. Yes, this year Frightfest is being beamed direct to the House of Mortal Cinema where the plan, as ever, is to cover as many of the films showing as possible. So, without further ado:

Sky Sharks

Continuing the tradition of the first film at the August festival being Not Very Good (Adam Wingard's THE GUEST being the exception that proves that particular rule) this time Frightfest took the plunge and started with The One That Everyone Walks Out Of. At least let's hope this is the only one. Brian De Palma has been influenced by Hitchcock, Quentin Tarentino has been influenced by everyone. With SKY SHARKS, director / co-writer / editor / costume designer Marc Fehse seems to be channelling both Bruno Mattei and Richard Driscoll in an attempt to outdo them both in terms of incompetence with this witless farrago of babbling nonsense. Zombie Nazis fly sharks and attack passenger planes. There is some kind of organisation out to stop them consisting of an actress from HOSTEL, her blonde blue-eyed co-producer colleague, and a really, really old man. Tony Todd pops up onscreen. So does Amanda Bearse from Tom Holland's FRIGHTNIGHT. Both likely shot their scenes without a full script because it probably still hasn't been completed. SKY SHARKS is a barely coherent parade of non-sequiturs and random scenes thrown together, with added sequences of "comedy" that are less respecting of the naked female form than CARRY ON EMMANNUELLE was back in 1978. And there I was worrying I hadn't seen anything to go on the 'Worst of the Year' list yet.

Onwards to Day Two!