WHAT'S ON - GUESTS
BRIAN ALDISS
Brian Aldiss, the elder statesman of British science-fiction writing, is in a direct line from the great H.G. Wells. Published since the 1950s, he has developed a compelling body of work that focuses on the social changes to society, eschewing the technological obsessions of other writers. In film, this has been most apparent in AI: Artificial Intelligence, dwelling on the impact of human attachment to robotic child substitutes rather than the “toys” themselves or the moral issues around such intelligences that assume human emotion. At 82, he remains active, writing and talking about science-fiction and film and plans to have a new book out later this year.
LAWRENCE GORDON CLARK
A revered figure among aficionados of eerie TV, Lawrence Gordon Clark was responsible for a string of classic adaptations of stories by M.R. James. Beginning with The Stalls of Barchester, first broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1971, Clark created an annual feast of televisual terror that has rarely been surpassed. Between 1971 and 1977 he helmed six creepy tales in the BBC’s A Ghost Story for Christmas strand, all but one of them (Stigma) by M.R. James. He returned to the format in 1995 with the Yorkshire Television series, Chiller. We are delighted to welcome him to the 6th Fantastic Films Weekend.
JOHN HOUGH
One of the youngest directors ever hired by Hammer, John Hough enjoyed a substantial early success with Twins of Evil. He would later go on to direct some of the biggest names in ‘70s cinema, including Bette Davis, Orson Welles, Peter Fonda, John Cassavetes and Sophia Loren. A master at creating suspense on screen, he has at least two classics under his belt: the aforementioned Hammer horror and the brilliantly conceived The Legend of Hell House. TV work has included The Avengers and three stories in the Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense series. We are delighted to welcome him to the 6th Fantastic Films Weekend.