POSITIVELY HORROR INTERVIEWS LEE ANN KURR

Positively Horror recently got the chance to put a few questions to Lee Ann Kurr, the brilliant director of the new film 'Student Body' which is making a big splash amongst genre fans right now! Please enjoy the full interview below:

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship with the genre?

I come from a classical acting background, which moved towards more of a playwriting focus, and then towards screenwriting and directing. I grew up really in love with Hitchcock films, as well as coming-of-age teen movies like John Hughes’ films, so I wanted to make something that was influenced by both.

What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?

I have a very vivid memory of watching The Ring at a friend’s birthday sleepover when I was in middle school. I was absolutely petrified and didn’t sleep for a week. And it’s funny– my cinematographer Luka Bazeli, his father shot The Ring. So it all comes full circle!

You have a new film out 'Student Body', could you tell us a little bit about it?

Student Body is a coming-of-age story with a slasher/ genre twist, and deals with teenager Jane Shipley as she tries to navigate difficult friendships and the invasive mentor-like figure of her math teacher. When she and her rebellious peers break into school on a Friday night to horse around, it soon becomes apparent that someone is watching and following them– and they may not be able to escape.

Where did you draw your inspiration for the film?

Many places! Hitchcock, John Hughes, films like Alien and Psycho which have more of character-driven, slow-burn front half followed by a more genre-filled/ horror-driven second half, Lynne Ramsay’s film You Were Never Really Here which deals so wonderfully with the implication rather than explication of violence, and of course other teen greats like Heathers and Clueless.

You have a wonderful and diverse cast for 'Student Body', is it important to you to have diverse representation on screen?

Absolutely, I really wanted the five main teens to feel like a Breakfast Club for this generation, and that meant having actual representation onscreen. Hughes was a wonderful filmmaker, but he was limited in some ways and a product of his time, and I think YA/ teen content is right to move beyond his limitations.

What is your favourite horror trope?

Again, I really love horror movies like Alien and Psycho that take their time. I like that we spend the front half of Alien getting to know all the people on the Nostromo and all the weird politics within the ship, before things start to get really crazy with the xenomorph. With Psycho, the shower scene doesn’t occur until midway through the film. The entire front half is about Marian Crane, a fascinating and complex woman who’s making imperfect choices while trying to get out of a conundrum. Then she has an incredible sit-down scene with Norman Bates as we get to know him a little– all before the famous

shower scene. With Student Body I wanted to give the film time to let the circumstances and relationships marinate before the genre elements really kick in and act like the burner under the pot for things to boil over.

What is something you'd like to see more of in the future in the genre?

I think it’s abundantly clear that the horror genre is extremely male-dominated, still overwhelmingly coming from a white, straight, male, cis-gendered place, even more so than other genres. I’m looking forward to other voices coming to the forefront and expanding what the genre is able to express through different points of view and life experiences.

Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?

Shoutout to Ana Lily Amirpour, Issa López, Rose Glass, Nia DaCosta, Anna Rose Holmer, Jennifer Kent, Julia Ducournau, Coralie Fargeat, Lynne Ramsay, and all the other amazing womxn making beautiful horror/ genre films right now.

And are there any other projects you're involved with that you'd like to talk about?

I’m aiming for my next film to be a ghost story about moving on from the trauma of the past, so hopefully that’ll become a reality soon!

Thank you again to Lee Ann Kurr for the great, insightful interview. You can catch 'Student Body' streaming now.

addressing the Jamie Clayton Hellraiser announcement backlash.

It was announced yesterday that actor Jamie Clayton, known for her roles in the L Word and Sense8, is to play Pinhead in the new Hellraiser film. The backlash to this announcement was immediate, with people flooding online horror groups with their distate at the news. It seemed that wherever I turned online I was met with negative comments regarding this casting choice. 

This right here is the reason I started Positively Horror. The way the negativity to this announcement spread, started to dwarf the voices of those welcoming, and excited by the announcement. My aim with Positively Horror is to make sure there is positivity in the community that I love, when the negativity is so loud, and seemingly impossible to avoid. 

The backlash to this announcement is some of the loudest and fastest spreading I've seen for quite some time so I felt compelled to jump on here to address it. 

I'll address the main complaints that I've come across so far;

Firstly,  people aren't happy that it is a woman in the role. I've even seen one complainant saying that it shouldn't be a woman because they arent threatening enough, if that isn't a perfect example of the deeply ingrained patriarchal, privileged worldview I don't know what is. Now, without even crediting Jamie Clayton for her acting abilities she has been shunned because she is a woman. I'd like to take a few quotes from the original source material 'The Hellbound Heart' novella which talks about the gender of the cenobites:

“He was having difficulty guessing the speakers gender with any certainty. It’s clothes, some of which were sewn both to and through its skin, hid its private parts and there was nothing in the dregs of its voice or in its willfully disfigured features that offered the least clue.”

“Only these sexless things with their corrugated flesh.”

“Not it he now saw, but she. The hood that it had worn had been discarded, as had the robes. The woman beneath was grey yet gleaming."

When the cenobites are described here, early on in 'The Hellbound Heart' they are shown to be genderless in their androgynous appearance and disfiguring body modifications, which would suggest that anyone of any gender should be able to play the part, not just a male actor because that's what you're comfortable with. 

The third quote describes one of the cenobites as revealing herself as female, which I'm sure would put the "women can't be threatening" argument to bed. So this first complaint falls flat immediately when referencing the source materail.

The second complaint is that if its not Doug Bradley its not Pinhead. Doug Bradley is phenomenal, I adore him and his portrayal as Pinhead, but guess what, if Jamie Clayton takes over the role, Doug Bradley's films don't cease to be. You can still revisit them as much as you like, and continue to appreciate him in the iconic role. Something I've begun to wonder over recent years, is why don't we as a community want to accept someone new filling a well loved role if it means we get to see more of a favourite character on screen? In the theatre world it is completely normal to have roles played by different people, and as a theatre patron you get to experience someone filling that role and giving their own interpretation. You may have favourite portrayals of Elphaba, but wouldn't be up in arms everytime you saw it on the west end with a different cast. It seems like a strong sense of entitlement to something that doesn't actually belong to you. 

The third complaint is one that thankfully I haven't seen too much of yet, but it is there, like a festering boil. The transphobic response to the role being given to a trans woman. Once again, putting aside Clayton's acting prowess just to complain that the studio is pandering to 'woke Culture'. As I've shown earlier in the post, any gender should be able to play the role, and anyone with a shred of awareness knows that REPRESENTATION.MATTERS! 

I'd like to wind down this rant by taking a quote from the man himself, Mr. Clive Barker regarding this new production,

“This is a Hellraiser on a scale that I simply didn’t expect. David and his team are steeped in the story’s mythology, but what excites me is their desire to honour the original even as they revolutionize it for a new generation.” As well as being a producer on this film, Clive Barker is the man that created Hellraiser, so if he is excited for it, surely we can be too. 

I am personally very excited for this and would like to congratulate Jamie Clayton on landing the iconic role!

Catch up with Briana Morgan

Positively Horror recently got the chance to catch up with the brilliant horror author and playwright Briana Morgan as she prepares for the release of her latest novel Mouthful of Ashes. Please enjoy the full interview below:

Last time we spoke you were just preparing to release your horror play Unboxed. Firstly, how have you been?

Yes, it’s been a while! I’ve been doing well. For about six months, I couldn’t write anything. I think I stalled out because of the pandemic and burnout in general. Since getting back into writing, I’ve revamped my Patreon, finished writing my adult horror novella Mouth Full of Ashes, and started drafting a new found footage book. I’ve also been writing a lot of short stories.

You released a short story collection since we last spoke called The Tricker Treater and other stories. Could you tell us a bit about that?

It’s a collection of stories featuring the themes of love, loss, betrayal, and sacrifice, among others. I’ve always been intrigued by horrors real and imagined, so the collection contains monsters, ghosts, and humans doing inhuman things.

If you could choose only one story from the collection to be turned into a film, which would it be?

It would be hard to pull off, but I would love to see “The Tricker-Treater” adapted into a film. I designed the monster in that one, the Tricker-Treater, and I’d love to see him on the screen.

You run a Patreon for fans to keep you with your works in progress and have fun film nights amongst other things. What is your experience with getting to interact with fans in this way?

It’s so humbling to have people supporting me and wanting to spend time with me outside of reading my work. I feel I’ve really built a community of like-minded friends and fans, and I’ve seen some genuine friendships blossom among my supporters as well. Creating a Patreon is one of the best things I’ve done as an author.

What else can people expect when joining your Patreon?

When you subscribe to my Patreon, you’ll get access to an exclusive Discord server, movie nights, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and more. I’m planning to start streaming video games soon, and once I hit $100/month, I’ll be posting monthly vlogs. 

What is your favourite horror trope?

It’s so hard to choose! I’ve always been a sucker for the final girl, though.

What would you like to see more of in the genre in the future?

More diversity. More disabled protagonists. Less sexual assault and exploitation of women.

You are currently gearing up for the release of Mouthful of Ashes, which is available for pre-order now. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Mouth Full of Ashes is my love letter to The Lost Boys. It’s one of the first vampire movies I ever saw, and it sticks with me as one of my favorite horror films. If you’ve seen The Lost Boys and want something queerer and more modern, this novella is for you.

Here’s an overview:

Mourning the sudden loss of her sister, Callie Danoff wants nothing more than to embrace a fresh start in a new town, leaving the haunting memories of her sister’s death behind. But when her brother Ramsay drags her to a spooky boardwalk, the two become entangled with a local vampire gang and its enigmatic leader, Elijah. Callie refuses to accept their existence... until she and her brother unknowingly ingest vampire blood. Now, they only have three days before they turn into vampires themselves.

With her carefree summer thwarted, Callie must trust a group she barely knows in order to save her family.

And is there anything else that you're currently working on that you can talk a little about? 

I have a story in the upcoming Kandisha Press anthology Slash-Her, and I’m super excited about that. I’ll also be appearing on some podcasts this fall, sharing readings on YouTube, and reviewing books for The Wicked Library. Beyond that, I’m working on a found footage book that I’m looking forward to querying.

Thank you Briana for the great interview. Please check out the pre-order link below to grab your copy of Mouthful of Ashes:

https://amzn.to/3Are9MB

And check out Briana's social media accounts below:

https://twitter.com/brimorganbooks

https://instagram.com/brianamorganbooks

https://tiktok.com/@brianamorganbooks

Hellraiser on the big screen!

The other night I went with my twin brother to see one of our long standing favourite horror films on the big screen, fully uncut! 

Hellraiser is a beautifully macabre adaptation of the Clive Barker novella The Hellbound Heart, and even all these years after its release it still packs a punch.

I first saw hellraiser when I was around thirteen and was getting into horror more and more. The hellraiser films were being shown on television late at night, and being the only person in the house that could fully work the vcr, I set it to record them without parental consent (what a rebel!). Flash forward to the next day when my brother and I sat down to watch it. We didn't know how to take it, we'd never seen anything like it and admittedly said that we didn't like it upon first viewing. Of course, this is because it was so far removed from anything in the genre that we'd seen up to this point. We were used to slashers and comedy horror in the early stages of our horror journey, and the sheer audacity of Hellraiser had left us stunned. 

We could have left it there, but it played on our minds and we had to soon revisit it and delve further into the labyrinth with Hellbound: Hellraiser 2. This is when we fell in love! 

Hellraiser was such a unique experience, with it's originality and melodramatic flair that it is a joy to experience every time I revisit it, finding new things to marvel at each time. Uncle Frank may be the monstrous antagonist of the film, but Julia is a truly magnificent villain and she will go down in history as a wicked step mother not to be trifled with. 

Getting the opportunity to see Hellraiser on the big screen made me fall in love with it all over again, and it was an entirely immersive experience letting the Christopher Young score wash over me from the title screen until the end of the credits roll. 

GUEST BLOG: SOUNDTRACK SPOTLIGHT - PSYCHO

For this Soundtrack Spotlight I have chosen ‘Psycho.’ A film by Indian writer and director Mysskin. Though he only made his directorial debut in 2006 his films have met critical acclaim and he has spanned genres from romance, thrillers, horror and even super hero action movies. 

With a soundtrack composed by Ilaiyaraaja, while not specifically a horror composer, certainly a master of the craft with a career spanning nearly four decades with over one thousand film compositions to his name. 

The music begins at the climax of the opening scene with a short sharp burst of scratchy strings holding two long droning notes while each bar is interspersed with a higher trill bringing a sense of high tension. 

During the next scene in which the parents identify the body, there is a very low single not drone in the background which adds the perfect sense of dread until the body is identified as their child at which point the music stops almost mirroring the numbness of the parents.

During the party scene the music takes on a diegetic approach in the form of a string ensemble playing at the party, this moves into a musical number as is common in Indian cinema. 

These first few opening scenes give a representation of the main motifs used throughout the rest of the film.

The next piece of music while Gautham Is listening to Dagini’s radio show is another string ensemble piece with a wind melody played over the top which breaks to silence when the serial killer arrives and then builds to a crescendo after Dagini’s abduction.

While the killer is talking with Dagini the music is again a minimal string ensemble, though this time non-diegetic, until the next scene when the killer plays a CD in his car, this time diegetic but still the same minimal string ensemble. The constant mixture from diegetic to non-diegetic of the same minimal string ensemble is interesting and builds an uneasy immersion for the viewer.  However, this technique is not carried on too much throughout the rest of the film, which is a bit of a shame as it makes you feel as though the filmmakers really had immersion in mind. 

As the film moves on the music from the opening scene is reintroduced as a theme for the killers’ murders, and as the killer becomes more erratic the piece of music also builds in instrumentation and volume, signifying his loss of control.

Later in the film we are treated to a car chase, that has some pulsing strings along with a horn melody that gets higher in pitch as the chase goes on, the constant elevation in pitch really adds great tension here.

The music becomes more sombre as the chase comes to an end and Gautham’s brother is killed. 

Later as we learn more about the killers past and motives there is a ritual scene accompanied by choral vocals with orchestral music to create a religious feeling. 

As we reach the final act, we again get some pulsing strings and horns while the killer chases Gautham in the dark.

All in all, the film was enjoyable and the soundtrack kept the suspense even if it did give up on the immersion early on. 

Check it out on Netflix (UK) now and give it a listen.

POSITIVELY HORROR INTERVIEWS CYNTHIA MURPHY

Positively Horror recently got the chance to ask the brilliant new YA author Cynthia Murphy some questions. Please enjoy the full interview below. 

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship with the genre?

I’m 37 and I live in Manchester with my husband and our dog, Loli, who is a mixed breed rescue from Romania. 

I’ve adored horror since being young, starting with Point Horror books and Christopher Pike before working my way up to Stephen King, when I was definitely far too young.

What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?

I think with books, it was MR James short stories, a book I bought without really knowing what it was before progressing to Point Horror. I still remember being terrified by those old school ghost stories. In terms of movies, I didn’t really watch any horror films until I was a bit older but I did have an incident where I flipped over the TV when I was about ten and it was on the bodybag being dragged down the hallway scene in A Nightmare on Elm Street. To be quite honest, it scared me so much I can’t believe I actually went back and watched it years later!

Your debut novel ‘Last One to Die’ is a blend of thriller, slasher and supernatural, do you have any favourite sub-genres that you gravitate towards?

I love them all. I really love a supernatural element because your imagination can go wild and it doesn’t always have to be rooted in reality. Saying that, I absolutely adore slasher movies - there is something so terrifying about being trapped in what should be a safe environment and having no escape.

Last One to Die has been very well received in the online bookish community, do you feel that bookstagram is a big help in today’s world for getting work out there?

Bookstagram and Twitter have been amazing, especially for someone who released their debut novel during a pandemic! I think the whole community is so creative and supportive and I have found some real kindred spirits over the course of the year. The support for Last One to Die has been beyond my wildest dreams and the community has absolutely helped get the word out about my creepy little book.

Your next book Win, Lose, Kill, Die is set for release early next year. Could you tell us a little bit about it?

This book has been living in my brain for about six years, seven by the time it comes out in 2022. It follows Liz, who is a student at Morton Academy, which has a reputation for only selecting the best and brightest students. Everyone there is on a scholarship, so there is a really diverse cast of characters, not just the usual super-rich, privileged kids that you often see in a boarding school novel. However, that means that everybody is thirsty to succeed and some will do absolutely anything to get what they want. Liz and her friends must figure out who is stalking the students and try to keep themselves safe, all while learning about Morton’s murky past. The story is told from two points of view – Liz and the murderer…

Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?

I love anything by Kat Ellis and have followed her career since her first book, Blackfin Sky. I also love Mina and the Undead by Amy McCaw, anything by Dawn Kurtagitch, Mark of the Wicked by Georgia Bowers, Kathryn Foxfield’s novels and House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. I also have a huge TBR pile with books on it such as The Taking of Jake Livingston and Such Pretty Things by Lisa Heathfield.

And are there any other project you’re involved with that you’d like to talk about?

I’ve got quite an exciting pre-order campaign coming up for Win Lose Kill Die. I can’t talk about too much at the minute but all will be revealed around Halloween. I can say it might be re-visiting a villain that people became familiar with in Last One to Die…

Thank you again to Cynthia for the great interview. To find her work check out 

@cynthiamurphyya on social media and

https://www.waterstones.com/author/cynthia-murphy/4546077 for all releases. 

POSITIVELY HORROR INTERVIEWS REECE CONNOLLY

Positively Horror recently got the chance to ask Horror creative Reece Connolly some questions. Please enjoy the full interview below. 

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship with the genre?

I'm a writer, performer, and producer based in East London but originally from just outside Newcastle. I work across stage and screen, as well as creating short stories and illustrations. Pretty much everything I do has a tinge of horror to it in some way, it's undoubtedly my favourite genre. I love reading horror, watching horror, and making horror, and always have. 

What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?

As long as I can remember I've been drawn to it. Anything weird, grotesque, dark and unusual has piqued my curiosity. I remember as a kid seeing these huge Stephen King, James Herbert, Thomas Harris books lying around the house, which my parents enjoyed reading. The cover art would endlessly fascinate and terrify me, which also really triggered my imagination. And so that was the sort of thing I continued to seek out and grow to love and respect. 

You were in the wonderful indie flick A Werewolf In England which is available now, can you tell us a bit about that experience and why everyone should watch it? 

It's a loving homage to the Hammer flicks of old, a classic monster invasion romp set in a crumbling Victorian inn, featuring a really motley crew of rogues fighting for survival. Incredibly gory, very camp, chock-full of nods to everything from Troma to early Sam Raimi. Perfect family viewing. I'd followed the work of Charlie Steeds [who wrote and directed the film under his studio, Dark Temple Motion Pictures, who specialise in these amazing homegrown horrors] for a while, so it was so so cool and exciting to get to work on something with him and his team. Challenging too, but in the best way - I learnt so much on that set, and am very proud of the finished piece. If it sounds up your street, definitely check it out!

As well as acting You're creating a horror webcomic called the Void-Witch, with the first episode available now, what are your plans for the comic? 

It started as a quasi-experiment/challenge to myself, creating a mini-comic featuring some original characters I'd had lurking in my brain for some time. I love illustrating, but it had been an age since I'd tried writing + drawing a comic - so I thought why not! But the response to it was very warm and enthusiastic; people want to see more! And I have plans for how the story can pan out, so all I need to do now is get those stories out onto the page.  I'd love more people to get to know those characters, and see the sort of stories I enjoy telling. 

What is your favourite horror trope?

Something I love is when things subvert expectations, playing around with established rules and tropes, taking you by surprise. That's often where the really really fun things happen. Horror is so steeped in tradition and lore and cliche - so when someone comes along and takes that history and then twists it into something new and punky and unpredictable, that's super-exciting. 

What is something you'd like to see more of in the future in the genre? 

I want to keep seeing new and diverse voices being championed and supported in the horror industry. New authors, actors, filmmakers from communities and cultures that have been for so long totally unrepresented within the genre. We need more POC creators, women creators, LGBTQ+ creators, creators from different social backgrounds. And when a project comes along made by an underrepresented community, we have a responsibility as sn audience to show up for that, support it, champion it. Put your money where your mouth is. 

Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?

Anything Jordan Peele and Ari Aster are putting out is very far up my alley. I’m so excited to see what Nia DaCosta does with the new Candyman too. Whatever Robert Eggers is cooking up next, because The Lighthouse changed my life. And I'm obsessed with Brand New Cherry Flavour on Netflix right now - I want to crawl inside Nick Antosca + Lenore Zion's mind.

And are there any other projects you're involved with that you'd like to talk about?

I’ve got a solo show coming to the London Horror Fest this year, called SUCKER 4 U, about a man’s brief but passionate affair with the dread-god Cthulu. It’s very queer, very rude, really dark, and I can’t wait to unleash it onstage. Again, lovely family-friendly stuff. And currently also working on a Christmas show about the antichrist for a gorgeous little theatre on the North East coast. Bringing horror home!  Hopefully more film stuff too. Always ready to work with Dark Temple again [Charlie if you’re reading this plz cast me some more].  Plus, I’m always churning out new illustrations [and hopefully more comics] on my Insta art account - @beyondtheplughole - so please check that out too.  So yeh, support queer artists!

Thank you again to Reece for the interview. To keep up with their work just follow the link below. 

https://linktr.ee/reececonnolly