The Last Horror Movie (2003)

Director:

Julian Richards

Writers:

James Handel (writer)
Julian Richards (idea)

Release Date:

13 May 2005 (UK)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Wait until you see the final cut...

Plot:

A serial killer uses a horror video rental to lure his next victim. What begins as a teen slasher transforms into a disturbing journey through the mind of Max Parry, a mild mannered wedding photographer with a taste for human flesh. |

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Taunting | Film In Film | Diner | Cynic

Awards:

9 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kevin Howarth	...	Max
Mark Stevenson	...	The Assistant
Antonia Beamish	...	Petra
Christabel Muir	...	Sam
Jonathan Coote	...	John
Rita Davies	...	Grandma
Joe Hurley	...	Ben (as Joe Morley)
Jamie Langthorne	...	Nico
John Berlyne	...	Phil
Mandy Gordon	...	Sarah
Jim Bywater	...	Bill
Lisa Renée	...	Waitress
Christopher Adamson	...	Killer (as Chris Adamson)
Adrian Johnson	...	Kelly
John MacCrossan	...	Groom
Megan Whelan	...	Bride
Philip Harvey	...	Bride's father (as Philip Chapman)
Alexandra Hill	...	Bridesmaid
Melanie Smith	...	Bridesmaid
Nicola Greene	...	Registrar
Simon Sherlock	...	Ritchie
Julie Mayhew	...	Julie
Gary Richards	...	John
Linda Regan	...	Terri
Lynn Radnedge	...	Jennifer
Stephen Dibben	...	Best man (as Steven Dibben)
Lena Oldrich	...	Bride (as Lena Olbrich)
Karl Warwick	...	Giles
Henry Douthwaite	...	Crispin
Gemma Morsley	...	Bridesmaid
Laura McNaught	...	Fiona
Norman Mann	...	Bride's father
Tamara Ustinov	...	Bride's mother
Arthur Egmore	...	Groom's father
Edna Egmore	...	Groom's mother
Derek Wright	...	Priest
Rosana Coutinho	...	Bride
Julian Richards	...	Groom
Craig McCall	...	Rabid Scot
Mike Tims	...	Best man
Alex Ratcliffe	...	Brick attack victim
Jason Flavien	...	Traffic warden victim
Paul Conway	...	Tim
Miranda French	...	Frying pan victim
Elif Tarakci	...	Baseball bat victim
Anna Scaife	...	Final Victim
Teri Levett	...	Housewife
Duncan Holmes	...	Stabbed man
Tara Lester	...	Stabbed woman
Lisa Rose	...	Art student
Ranjit Krishnamma	...	Ajay
Pierre Maubouche	...	Suffocated man
Philip Rosch	...	Throat slash victim
Sabine	...	Video store girl (as Sabina Cangiano)
Catherine St. John Smith	...	Sofa girl victim
David Redgrave	...	Grieving husband
Mark Lambourne	...	Police detective
Harry Grint	...	Young Max
Brook Griffith	...	Young Sam
Simon Anderson	...	Father Simon
Emma Powell	...	Mother
Eduardo Garay Martinez	...	Executioner
Drummond Bowskill	...	Executioner
Nick Meakins	...	Executioner
Manfred Gluska	...	Gardener
Tom Bird	...	Yuppie
Ilona Medvedeva	...	Mother (as Ilona Medvedev)
Imran Sanusi	...	Jogger
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brian Bowles	...	Newsreader (uncredited)

Directed by
Julian Richards

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James Handel		writer
Julian Richards		idea

Produced by
Louis Melville	....	co-producer
Zorana Piggott	....	producer
Julian Richards	....	producer
William Richards	....	executive producer
Mike Tims	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Simon Lambros

Cinematography by
Chris St. John Smith

Film Editing by
Claus Wehlisch

Casting by
Julian Richards

Production Design by
Bettina Eberhard

Art Direction by
Neil Jenkins

Costume Design by
Jason Gill

Makeup Department
Antonia Donlea	....	makeup artist
Paul Hyett	....	senior prosthetics designer
Bianca B. Ruzicanin	....	makeup artist
Madelaine Van Groeningen	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Katia Kogler	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Serena Hunt	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Simon Lambros	....	sound designer
Simon Lambros	....	sound mixer
Robin Todd	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Paul Hyett	....	special effects
Robin Pritchard	....	prosthetics designer

Editorial Department
Mark Talbot-Butler	....	on-line editor

Other crew
Rosana Coutinho	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Prolific Films
• Snakehair Productions

Distributors

• Cinema y Video (2004) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Fangoria Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• THINKFilm (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Bedford Entertainment (2004) (USA) (all media)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• Cinema Novo (Portugal)
• Daylight (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Film Entertainment Group (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Hart Sharp Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• High Fliers Distribution (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Jinga Films (2006) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Legend Films International (2005) (Austria) (all media)
• Legend Films International (2005) (Germany) (all media)
• Legend Films International (2005) (Switzerland) (all media)
• MRA Entertainment Group (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• MegaCom Film (MCF) (2007) (Serbia) (all media)
• Movienet International (2007) (Japan) (all media)
• Neo Publishing (2007) (France) (all media)
• NoShame Films (2006) (Italy) (all media)
• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (2005) (Denmark) (all media)
• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (2005) (Norway) (all media)
• Nordisk Film (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Prism Leisure Corporation (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Selecta Vision (2006) (Spain) (all media)
• Tartan Films (2005) (UK) (all media)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Austria) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Velocity Home Entertainment (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Videosonic Arts (2006) (Greece) (DVD)
• Warner Vision France (2007) (France) (DVD)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence and language.

Runtime:

UK:80 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Germany:18 (JK/SPIO) (cut) | Australia:R (DVD rating) | Finland:K-18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:MA | Norway:15 | Ireland:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Company:

Prolific Films

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Max slits the throat of the woman his assistant was supposed to kill, you can clearly see that the knife does not make contact with her throat.

Quotes:

Max Parry: Now, why don't I care about that? I mean, I know you care about that; that's why you think I'm a bad person, but the thing is, I don't care about it. I didn't ask not to care about it, but I don't. And if I don't care, how can I think it's wrong? And if I don't think it's wrong, why shouldn't I do it?

Movie Connections:

References The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

A fresh take on the serial killer genre

"The Last Horror Movie" is an effective film that could be described as a British "Man Bites Dog". Unpredictable, witty and thought-provoking, Julian Richards' film rises above the limitations of its budget and the result is a haunting production that is difficult to forget.

The film's star and narrator, Kevin Howarth, is superb as the psychopathic wedding video organiser, Max. Howarth's performance is right on the mark. Like Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" Patrick Bateman, Max reveals the thought-processes that go through his disturbed mind.

The film has the ability to put the viewer in an uncomfortable place and some scenes have a genuinely surprising outcome. This won't appeal to viewers expecting an "August Underground"-style gore-fest but it does have moments where the visual effects are excellent.

An ingenious film, this is worthy of a viewing. Unlike most films, "The Last Horror Story" works best on VHS or DVD rather than the big screen.

8 out of 10.