GOTHIC (1986)

• Director: Ken Russell
• Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, Natasha Richardson, Myriam Cyr, Timothy Spall
• Film: 87mins | UK | Subtitles | Intermission
• Event: Doors 6pm | Intro + Film 6:30pm – 9pm [18+]
• Event takes place in the Members’ Bar (membership not required)

As a wild storm rages over Lord Byron’s literary house party, the poet suggests that his famous guests concoct a ghost story.

“CONJURE UP YOUR DEEPEST, DARKEST FEAR… NOW CALL THAT FEAR TO LIFE.”

Cult film night BAR TRASH continues with CELLULOID JAM, an unofficial celebration of 50 years of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975).

At its core, ROCKY HORROR is a Frankenstein origin story, centred around a scientist running amok with his own sense of genius and haunted by his failed experiments. Indeed, Richard O’Brien — creator of The Rocky Horror Show — would describe Frank N Furter as “a drama queen… a hedonistic, self-indulgent voluptuary… that’s his downfall”. What better way to wrap our Brit Horror sidequest at Finsbury Park Picturehouse than GOTHIC (1986), an extravagance from Ken Russell — “The most British film director in history” (Jon Dear) — and the first of two of the maestro’s films in my CELLULOID JAM season (you can also see TOMMY at Beer Merchants Tap next week)? 

“Lock up the kids and blindfold your granny; Ken Russell is at it again.”

Peter Travers, People

GOTHIC delves into the erotic and terrifying night on the shores of Lake Geneva that gave birth to Mary Shelley’s classic horror story and everything that came after. Featuring an electrifying ensemble — Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, Natasha Richardson, Myriam Cyr and Timothy Spall — Ken Russell’s film takes you on an hallucinatory rollercoaster ride that ably demonstrates the director’s “talent to appal” (Derek Malcolm). As Natasha Richardson commented at the time, GOTHIC might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s absolutely its audacious attraction.

 “As ghoulishly funny and frenzied as a carnival ride through The Marquis de Sade’s Tunnel of Love,”

NY Times

Polite notice: We are showing GOTHIC with subtitles from the best available digital source. 

// Part of BAR TRASH Season 9 — CELLULOID JAM, an unofficial celebration of 50 years of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975). Hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo (creator of BAR TRASH and QUEER HORROR NIGHTS) and friends, all films screen with an introduction, intermission, and subtitles/captions (where possible!). Tickets £8 / £5 for PH members. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for news and updates. //