Ever since my behind the scenes visit to Caine Who Am I, a new temporary scare attraction right in the heart of Sheffield, I had been excitedly anticipating the grand opening. With so many impressive ideas and talented actors in the project, my expectations were high. However, I didn’t know whether all of those ideas had been successfully put into practice; what was waiting inside the maze was still a mystery to me, and I couldn’t wait to dive in. Please be aware that the following review does contain a few details about the maze. There are no major spoilers, but maybe skip this if you’re planning to visit and you want everything to be a surprise. One thing has been clear to me since day one: the National Emergency Services Museum really is the perfect venue for a scare attraction. It was getting dark as we arrived, and as I surveyed the building, with remnants of the sunset fading against its old brick walls, I felt a sense of unease. It’s really quite eerie, and being inside it after dark was a real spooky treat in itself. I was getting quite giddy as we entered the dispatch zone. We were greeted by Sarah who ran us through a few basic rules, and also made us aware of the difference between ‘live spirits’ and ‘real spirits’, and what to do if we were troubled at any point by a ‘real spirit’. Personally, I felt that the mention of ‘real spirits’ at the beginning of the maze did devalue the attraction a bit. After all the effort of building the maze, with all its theatrical elements and skilled actors, it seemed a shame to shift the focus away from them and the scares they were about to deliver. Audiences could easily end up getting distracted; paying less attention to the attraction itself and becoming more concerned with the paranormal. Likewise though, you could certainly argue that this warning adds a great deal of tension to the maze. I guess it all depends on what you personally believe in. Our first scareactor encounter was spot on. He set the scene perfectly by using his voice and body to intimidate and unsettle us, and he got our adrenaline pumping before we entered the first room. This was a good indication of things to come; the scareactors in this maze know exactly what they’re doing. They were energetic and unpredictable; within each scene they engaged us effectively, and pushed us out of our comfort zones. They maximised the spaces they were working in by making good use of props and existing structures; it was evident that they’d taken a proactive approach in preparing for their roles. The maze actually contains a mix of scareactors and genuine paranormal investigators, which presented an interesting change of pace at times. This is a great example of the unique blend of fantasy and reality within this maze. In terms of scare tactics, this maze was a great combination of narrative and impact scares. This is something I don’t see often, and it was great to see it executed so well. We encountered traditional techniques such as theatrical & strobe lighting, jump scares and misdirection, but there was also a solid storyline and effective storytelling devices at work. For example, scenes had their own individual scare climax, but they also contributed towards the narrative because the actors kept referring back to it. Little clues of what was to come, and constant reminders that Caine was waiting for us; it all simultaneously increased tension and developed the story. The set design within the maze was excellent and showed real attention to detail. Each environment was immersive and fun to walk through. The classroom scene was particularly good; the two girls were scribbling away with crayons at their school desks, and the walls were adorned with their sinister artwork. Their bedroom was equally authentic; it was filled with children's books and toys, and the walls were decorated with colourful imagery which, in context, looked quite disturbing. The names 'Jack and Emily' were scribbled on the wall; a reference to the ghosts of two children who haunt the the museum. The moment we had been waiting for did not disappoint. Caine’s cell is probably the most haunted area of the entire museum and the scene which took place in there was extremely tense. Fear levels did drop off a little towards the very end of the maze, but that was more to do with the layout of the building than anything else (we couldn’t get a gate to open), and our final moments with the scareactors were memorable to say the least. This maze was a great experience and it had a lot to offer. There’s something for everyone to enjoy. However, beneath the culmination of the different elements, themes and characters; at the very heart of this project there is subtle theatrical aesthetic which I think seasoned scare attraction fans will appreciate the most. People who have walked through countless combinations of Heras fencing and strobe lighting will understand how refreshing it is to take part in something which tells a story and is also pleasing to look at! Attractions like this offer a perfect alternative to those of a more extreme and shocking nature (which do have their place), and remind us how fortunate we are to have so much diversity within the UK scare attraction industry. Well done to all involved!

Caine - Who Am I? is an exciting new scare attraction which will run in May 2014 at the National Emergency Services Museum in Sheffield. The maze itself is still under construction; however, PUP Events (the creative team behind the attraction) kindly invited me to their scareactor training day, which took place at the venue itself. This gave me exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the work so far, and the chance to talk more about process of designing this attraction. Without giving too much away, one thing I will tell you is that the team have worked extremely hard to bring their concept to life. The integration of actual historical events and the ghosts who haunt the museum is very impressive. So much research and thought has gone into this; all the stories and characters are real. The team have taken inspiration from the ghost walks that already take place in this creepy old building, added fictional elements, old school storytelling and traditional scare tactics, with a few surprises thrown in there too. It is a very interesting mix of fantasy and reality. The scareactors have also gone to a great deal of effort to prepare for this event. They have immersed themselves in the history of the building to help them understand their characters. One cast member even spent time alone in the room which is haunted by the spirit of his character, in order to communicate and connect with him. I also spent time in that room, and I must admit- it’s deeply unsettling. And yes, if you attend this attraction, you too will be stepping inside that room. Lee Conway, creative director at PUP Events, spoke passionately about the importance of theming and quality storytelling. He and his partner Sarah are big scare attraction fans, and it shows. Having progressed from home haunts to designing and producing professional attractions, they have an appreciation and understanding of the UK scare industry which has fuelled their enthusiasm for this unique project. I’d like to thank the team for this fascinating insight into concept, design and planned execution of Caine. I can’t wait to see the end result!

All-round awesomeness: You’re Next Pitch black comedy, slasher vibes, gore- what’s not to like? This film is smart and fast-paced, and I loved seeing the total transformation of the main character (played by Sharni Vinson). Her demeanor at the beginning of the film, in the awkward ‘meeting the family’ scenarios, is sweet and utterly adorable. She then springs into action the second they come under attack; she’s strong, resourceful, and a joy to watch. Such a brilliant performance. The script is great too; the interaction between the characters in certain scenes is particularly funny, interspersed with moments of violence and the kind of gore you can really get your teeth into. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun watching a horror movie.   Scariest: V/H/S/2 I enjoyed V/H/S,  but it felt inconsistent due to certain segments being significantly better than others. Also, the central story about the discovery of the tapes themselves was insipid almost to the point of feeling unnecessary. V/H/S/2, however, is an absolute treasure chest of horror gems, and it also utilises a much more engaging central story with a great pay-off at the end. Each segment is unique and entertaining; I was fully engaged throughout, and some are downright terrifying which is obviously a bonus. It’s everything the first one should have been.   Best cinema experience: The Conjuring We know the drill when it comes to haunted house movies such as this. Or do we…? This film is much scarier than I expected. I put that down to the fact that James Wan’s skills are so finely tuned by now, he can expertly build tension to unbearable levels, dangle us in suspense for what feels like an eternity, then break the tension at the perfect moment and give you an immediate heart attack. He doesn’t even have to deliver a nasty visual to acheive this; sometimes he shows very little and we still get a good scare. Formulaic? Yes, but that is true of so many horror films I see, and I won’t discredit this film for that reason. It’s an amazing piece of work.   My favourite: American Mary I can’t remember the last time I fell in love with a protagonist the way I have fallen in love with Mary Mason. She is strong yet vulnerable, intelligent, beautiful, deadly, and strong-minded. The character is so compelling, I rooted for her every second of the film, right the way through to the dramatic finale. The film itself has a strong body-horror theme; it reminded me a little of David Cronenberg (more specifically ‘Dead Ringers’, with the body modification & clinical vibe). It has some distressng visuals, which are actually quite subtle in the sense that they’re infrequent; we’re not overexposed to the torture and gore. It really got my imagination going, and parts of this film will stay with me forever.   Best remake/sequel: Maniac As remakes go, it really doesn’t get better than this. I loved this film! One of my favourite things about it was its somewhat conflicted tone. Super modern and stylish, particularly in terms of the mise en scène, with a retro soundtrack. It’s dark, brooding, and intense; this is largely down to Elijah Wood’s amazing performance. A genius bit of casting. All these elements combine to create a heavy mood- I found myself observing in an almost trance-like voyeuristic state at times, as I silently watched the horrific events through Frank’s eyes. I particularly like the scenes where Frank cruises the city streets at nighttime. It is bleak yet beautiful, and well worth a watch.   Celluloid Screams highlight: The Battery A great zombie movie that focuses almost exclusively on the relationship between the two protagonists trying to find their way, post zombie apocalypse. This relationship is so well constructed; the film has a great script and I loved the way the characters’ personalities clashed. It creates humour and emotion within the context of their situation. We’ve all had that conversation about our big plan in the zombie apocalypse- where we would go, who we would go with, and what weapon we would use etc. This film deals with the realities of these choices with more emphasis on the survival aspect than fighting off the zombies, which I really liked. The characters are so human; they end up in situations that I could completely imagine myself getting into if I were stuck in that world.   Biggest letdown: Insidious 2 This was an interesting one for me; I genuinely thought I would enjoy it. This film seemed to be lacking something. What really surprised me were the ‘scary’ scenes- the tension builds as you would expect it to, but then breaks either too soon, or not at all! The scares are still there, but they lack the build-up to really pack a punch. The end result is a jump scare without the dread. Not at all what I expect from James Wan. I was, however, happy to see more expeditions into ‘The Further’ (the garish realm of smoke, echos and  multicoloured lights which I liken to a journey on a ghost train, and I mean that in the best way possible). This was the fun element of ‘Insidious’, the part that didn’t take itself too seriously, and I was pleased to see more of that. They should make a third which is 100% set in ‘The Further’….

I exist on a staple diet of gory horror and heavy metal. Deliver them to me simultaneously and I’ll be dining out for decades on what has been served. This is precisely why Repo! The Genetic Opera is a firm favourite of mine; a film I will revisit time and time again for a dose of Grand Guignol merriment. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and featuring performances from Bill Moseley, Anthony Head and Sarah Brightman, the film’s soundtrack also boasts an array of beloved credits, including Slipknot’s Shawn Crahan and Korn’s Ray Luzier. Since its release in 2008, the film has developed a cult following of shadow-casters, cosplayers, and everything in between. I was lucky to catch it at the Showroom Cinema in Sheffield as part of its UK tour. Nathan (Anthony Head) is a repo man employed by Geneco: a company owned by Rotti Largo that offers financing for organ replacement in a surgery-addicted society. Should you miss a payment, Geneco can legally repossess your organs, and the repo man steps in. Nathan’s teenage daughter Shilo (Alexa PenaVega) is sheltered due to serious illness; she knows nothing of his work, nor of the world beyond her bedroom window. However, her world is turned upside down as Rotti decides that his own offspring are not worthy heirs to the Geneco fortune. Visually, this film is enthralling. Set in the future, the city is aglow with technology; floating digital billboards, holographic communication devices, and artificial eyes available for purchase that visually record memories. Yet for all this technological enlightenment, this society dwells in darkness. The city is evidently in ruin; a dystopian gothic nightmare. This juxtaposition creates some really cool visual contrasts. This decadent society is hooked on plastic surgery and there are frequent references to masks. These have sinister undertones of hidden identities in a world consumed by concerns over self-image and genetic perfection. Such dark themes have a strange resonance in the colourful, carnivalesque aesthetic of the final scenes in the opera, in which people rejoice over the cosmetic alterations and convenient organ transplants that Geneco have made possible; the same company that exerts an Orwellian grip of fear and control over them with a threat of legal organ repossession. It’s a mind-blowing concept. Combine this with music and my much-loved gore, and what you get is a completely unique viewing experience, climaxing in a histrionic and tense resolution on stage (an interesting reminder of the film’s theatrical heritage.)   The Grave Robber character, who serves as narrator in this film, is also an extremely effective and entertaining plot device! He addresses the audience with occasional updates, immediately enhancing our level of involvement with his macabre and darkly poetic speeches. He closes the film in this manner and the story ends with the same mischievous, darkly enigmatic tone that the opening scenes embodied, leading to a satisfying conclusion to which the entire cinema responded with loud applause at the screening I attended. For all the praise I tend to heap on this film, there are a few aspects I rate less highly. For example, the first time I watched this film, I was actually a little thrown off by the musical style. A certain amount of plot detail is delivered to us ‘opera style’ - through songs. It’s easy to misinterpret these songs as a musical break from the narrative, a momentary development of an important detail which has been dignified with an interlude, as is the case with many mainstream musicals. While we’re picking nits - the narrative is also a little clumsy. The film begins with some unsubtle exposition and then rushes through various plot points, making certain revelations feel relatively insignificant even though they’re really not, such as the fact that Rotti is terminally ill. At times it also feels as if certain characters play out as narrative devices rather than something we can become invested in. For example, there is little time spent addressing Blind Mag (Sarah Brightman) and her conflict in the film; her apparent confinement is never portrayed as a situation of such severity that it necessitates such a gruesome gesture of triumph towards the end. Instead, her circumstances serve as a reminder of Geneco’s power, and the ultimate point of contention between the main protagonists who steal the show. Ultimately, such comments around plot, pacing and character development are rendered pointless when you take a step back and appreciate Repo! for what is really is – an audacious, unique and outrageous display of bloody, rock & roll pageantry; a melodramatic gore-fest that’ll have you belting out its tunes long after the curtain has lowered.