Ashley Thorpe

An exploration of the cinematic history of the folk horror, from its beginnings in the UK in the late sixties; through its proliferation on British television in the seventies and its many manifestations, culturally specific, in other countries; to its resurgence in the last decade.

In 1897, when Bram Stoker published Dracula, Oscar Méténier invented the Grand-Guignol. Live depictions of death, bloody melodramas, screams of the victims and the audience: here is the story of this Parisian theater of horrors that revolutionized the depiction of death in art.

Shooting a vampire flick in an old, abandoned manor house should have worked like a dream, but the film crew is out of their depth, over schedule and desperate to get the shoot finished and go home. However, as the moon turns full, the nightmare begins. Blood flows and the body count rises as cast and crew meet the manor’s resident werewolf…

Spain, 1975. Franco's death opens the door to the possibility of uncensored cinema. After two years of relaxed censorship, it is abolished in 1977, and the “S” rating is created to protect viewers from films that may “offend their sensibilities.”

Documentary on '90s British vampire culture.

An unnamed madame operates a unique peep show that caters to its customers deepest desires, fears, and sins. Tonight, it welcomes a businessman with a unique connection to an extreme fantasy website. Soon he will become a witness to three stories of victims that found the website. It’s only a matter of time before he’s made to pay the ultimate price for dabbling in the dark side of desire.

An animated documentary chronicling famed paranormal investigator Harry Price’s research at Borley Rectory, renowned as the ‘most haunted house in England’.

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, our story follows the exploits of a bumbling investigative journalist as he struggles to discover the truth behind enigmatic horror author H.P. Lovecraft and his mysterious past. Along the way strange and macabre tales play out, pulling the reporter ever deeper into the writer's mystical world. Will the journalist finally prevail or will he end up without a clue as usual? One thing's for sure: the truth is out there... he's just not entirely sure where.

A brand new feature documentary about the incredible life and career of prolific film producer and director Charles Band.

The story of how famed psychical researcher Harry Price became involved in a real-life plan to build a lighthouse that could be used to direct a beam at Mars, contacting the aliens who supposedly lived there.

A short animation that evokes the 19th century penny dreadfuls to tell a Hammer - style romp about a ghostly Highwayman wreaking revenge on those who conspired to put him and his sweetheart in their graves.

Dartmoor: the dead of night...953 square kilometres of desolate moorland...1000 ghosts...and a fugitive racing a haunted road to meet one. 'The Hairy Hands' is the fourth in the series of 'Penny Dreadful' animations inspired by neglected aspects of English folklore. A haunted house movie set in a moving car and based upon a genuine Dartmoor legend it draws upon such influences as Alfred Hitchcock, EC Comics and 'The Hammer House of Horror'.

Spencer Penraddon returns from the 1st World War to his ancestral home. His sister has succumbed to the blight that has cursed the family since the hall was erected in the 17th century...and symbol of the family curse is the mysterious 'Screaming Skull'. Legend has it that the skull belonged to the loyal slave of 18th century Magistrate Azariah Penraddon. Upon his death the slave wished his remains to be returned to the West Indies. But for reasons unknown Azariah did not grant the slave's final wish and his remains were interred on the edge of the family plot. It was soon after that the disturbances began... If moved the skull was believed to emit terrifying screams and terrible commotions would sound through the house.