Catch @kierlajanisse.bsky.social’s THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM along with THEATRE OF HORRORS on 12/1 at LF3 / @amcinematheque.bsky.social. Come early for thr @severinfilms.bsky.social Pop-up shop before the screening. 🎟️: tinyurl.com/mj69u5ep

THE VANITY PROJECT PODCAST: TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THE STORY BEHIND STUDENT CONFIDENTIAL!

Toronto's @bloodinthesnow.ca - a festival exclusively focused on Canadian genre work - has begun! It runs Nov 17-22. See my picks for this year's festival here: spectacularoptical.com/articles/blo...

‪I'm gradually moving articles and interviews over from the old website, and here's a piece I wrote in 2013 about one of my favourite films, Gene Kearney's stark, eerie adaptation of Conrad Aiken's "Silent Snow, Secret Snow." spectacularoptical.com/articles/gen...

This morning I got an email that Hark Bohm, the director of NORDSEE IST MORDSEE (NORTH SEA IS DEATH SEA), has just passed away. We announced only days ago that @severinfilms.bsky.social would be releasing a new collectors' edition of the film, and it makes me very sad that he won't get to see it.

Pleased to announce I've partnered with Kraken Underground to put on the first WINTER'S WAKE - a celebration of the seasonal ghost story - Dec 21 on Pender Island, BC, Canada - tix available now at winterswake.ca All attendees get a collectible event poster by @seenstudio.bsky.social

NEW on Spectacular Optical: NORTHERN LIGHT - a monthly video essay series on the classics, hits and misfits of Canadian cinema hosted by @blackzerodisc.bsky.social 's Stephen Broomer. First episode "The Invasion Will Be Televised" now online at spectacularoptical.com/video-essays...

Been working on this release a looooong time. '70s German JD classic NORDSEE IST MORDSEE on North American disc for the first time with amazing new extras including director Hark Bohm, and tributes from Fatih Akin and Jorg Buttgereit! Available this Black Friday from Severin Films!

Oh look what has been officially announced!

TONIGHT! A YEAR IN A FIELD screens at Winnipeg's Dave Barber Cinematheque at 5:15pm as part of the Gimme Some Truth Documentary Festival. See the trailer below: youtu.be/37-oipXz2WE?...

A YEAR IN A FIELD plays at Winnipeg's Gimme Some Truth documentary festival Sunday at 5:15pm. Thanks to @freepking.bsky.social for including it in his article today! www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...

LOS ANGELES!! Catch my film on the big screen supporting David Gregory's latest doc THEATRE OF HORRORS on Dec 1 with David in person and a @severinfilms.bsky.social pop-up shop ! Presented by @cinematicvoid.bsky.social at American Cinematheque LF3. Tix: www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/...

I figure if I'm gonna see @realgdt.bsky.social's FRANKENSTEIN anywhere, this is the theatre to do it in.

YULETIDE TERROR paperback back in stock - but only 80 copies remain, get them before they're gone! There are 24 chapters plus a compendium with over 200 capsule reviews, all heavily illustrated in 488 pages! Make sure to go to the NEW website at spectacularoptical.com

WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE! Get the latest book I co-edited with Clint Enns, TRUTH & SOUL: A ROBERT DOWNEY SR. READER for a special price through Dec 10th. 23 essays, 332 pages, designed by Luke Insect in full colour! ONLY AT www.spectacularoptical.com

"an Alpine traveler possessed by a previous hotel guest’s dark despair": @kierlajanisse.bsky.social's 'Ghost story for Christmas' THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM (2025) screens 11.40am today at @imaginefff.bsky.social projectedfigures.com/2025/10/23/t...

First day at @imaginefff.bsky.social was wonderful, REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND, THE ICE TOWER (both stunning), a career talk with Ben Wheatley (and even managed to squeeze in an off-festival screening of the DOWNTON movie + eat at FEBO (twice))

Oh no!!! www.bfi.org.uk/features/pet...

I'm relaunching my little imprint with a new website, new social media presence, and a new varied slate of projects - follow the official bluesky account at @spectacularoptical.bsky.social - books, films, screenings + more!

The legendary @kierlajanisse.bsky.social in conversation following her scary, stylish and masterfully suspenseful THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM - mandatory Christmas ghost story viewing from now on ❄️ @celluloidscreams.bsky.social

So amazing to see the festival poster for my film blown up and displayed at @celluloidscreams.bsky.social !!!

A great review of my film, which plays today at @celluloidscreams.bsky.social in Sheffield followed by a conversation about the Christmas ghost story.

THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM today at @brooklynhorror.bsky.social !! 4pm at the @nitehawkcinema.bsky.social as part of the "Re-Animators" short film program alongside dark new fairytales by Mattie Do, Adam Egypt Mortimer and Justin Benson + Aaron Moorhead ! Don't miss it!!!

The cover of my upcoming special issue of @gothicstudies.bsky.social - 'Algernon Blackwood and the Gothic' - is here! Eight essays on Blackwood's fiction, delving into questions of genre, war, empathy, occultism, and much more. Full issue out soon! @edinburghup.bsky.social @igagoths.bsky.social

Thanks to @mayhemfilmfestival.bsky.social for hosting the UK Premiere of my film!

I've been following this case for a while (this is the most in-depth coverage I've seen of it yet) and it's the first true crime case I've felt tempted to try to write a book about. One wrong turn and I could have been one of those girls. thewalrus.ca/why-did-a-gr...

Some fave reviews out of @mayhemfilmfestival.bsky.social "The best ghost story for Christmas since Stigma - absolutely stunning" (Stigma may be my favourite so this is high praise indeed!)

The first official review of THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM! screenanarchy.com/2025/10/toro...

Festival screenings for OCCUPANT so far: Just after the premiere at Sitges w/ producers David Gregory + Liane Cunje and pals Mariano Baino + Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni; DP Karim Hussain speaking at Toronto After Dark w/ actor Ben Petrie + producer Liane Cunje; UK premiere at Mayhem FF in Nottingham

Canadian Premiere TODAY! THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM will be at Toronto After Dark FF in the 'Canada After Dark' short film showcase at 3:45pm, with some of the cast and crew in person! Would love to see any reviews out of the fest!

The UK PREMIERE of Kier-La Janisse's brilliant adaptation of the Algernon Blackwood short story THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM screens this Sunday at Mayhem, with a post-screening Q&A: Tickets: www.broadway.org.uk/whats-on/may...

World Premiere of THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM tomorrow at @sitgesfilmfestival.bsky.social followed by Toronto After Dark, @mayhemfilmfestival.bsky.social @celluloidscreams.bsky.social @brooklynhorror.bsky.social and @imaginefff.bsky.social

THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM Trailer! bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3...

This indigenous Canadian short film I saw last night as part of @kierlajanisse.bsky.social’s great All the Haunts Be Ours 2 folk horror box set (but apparently also available via YouTube?) would be an excellent thing to watch on Indigenous Peoples Day.

Poster for @shelaghrowanleggscreenanarchy's short film DANS LES PINS (IN THE PINES) 🖤 read more here: screenanarchy.com/2025/10/frid...

Just landed in Sitges to find @severinfilms.bsky.social newest epic boxed set has been announced! EXORCISMO: DEFYING A DICTATOR AND RAISING HELL IN POST-FRANCO SPAIN - 19 films including Alberto Sedano's Severin-produced feature documentary narrated by Iggy Pop, 168 pg book + more! Severinfilms.com

My novella A Christmas Ghost Story is out in paperback from Titan Books today. johnnyalucard.com/2024/03/07/a...

Visiting my producer friend Andy Starke and got to wear one of the actual masks from KILL LIST

It begins!

Today I met THE WOMAN IN BLACK herself, Pauline Moran, and learned that she played bass in a 60s all-girl band called The She Trinity 🤯

Today my friend and I were driving around looking at standing stones in south Cornwall and we stopped in this little town for coffee... and then realized it was the town from STRAW DOGS!!!

THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM has its Canadian Premiere at Toronto After Dark - thanks to @screenanarchy.bsky.social for highlighting my film in the festival lineup announcement! screenanarchy.com/2025/09/toro...

World Premiere of my film THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM at the Sitges Film Fest Oct 15th at... 8:30 IN THE MORNING !! Get the coffee ready haha sitgesfilmfestival.com/en/film/2025...

I was almost outraged thinking a Puma store had removed the Carnaby street Small Faces plaque and then realized it was just posted very high on the wall - so if you visit there, look up!

I'll be in Lausanne presenting ROBERT DOWNEY SR AND THE 60’S : ANTI-ES­TAB­LISH­MENT CINEMA | LUFF share.google/7ktbg8lvql4W... Crossing our fingers the book will make it in time!!

Most people know I am Team Gemser but I make an exception for Erika Blanc's crazed protagonist in I, EMANUELLE (1969) which is the surprise bonus disc in this new EMMANUELLE box set produced by Gillian Wallace Horvat for @severinfilms.bsky.social

RIP Bobby Hart 🖤 Not only did he co-write many classic Monkees tunes as one half of the duo Boyce & Hart (whose own hit "I Wonder what she's Doing Tonight" is also a fave) but when I wrote a chapter on Claudia Jennings for the WARPED & FADED book I learned what a standup guy he was personally too.

SPECIAL FESTIVAL GUEST - KIER-LA JANISSE! @kierlajanisse.bsky.social Come and meet the writer / director / producer behind 'House of Psychotic Women', 'Woodlands dark and days bewitched', 'Haunted Season' and many many more. FESTIVAL TICKETS: exeterphoenix.org.uk/genre/hell-t... #helltor

Individual tickets now on sale for THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM at @brooklynhorror.bsky.social - it's in the short film program RE-ANIMATORS: REIMAGINED TALES FROM BHFF ALUMNI here: brooklynhorror2025.eventive.org/schedule/68b...

SHEFFIELD! THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM is coming your way this October as part of @celluloidscreams.bsky.social - I'll be there in person talking Christmas ghost stories! See their lineup at www.celluloidscreams.com