The Book Of Beasts Launch And Signing
THE FESTIVAL RETURNS 20-22 OCTOBER 2023 WITH ITS UNIQUE MIX OF FASCINATING GUESTS, FANTASTIC FILMS & FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE
THE BOOK OF BEASTS author, Andrew Screen, will be among the guests at Festival of Fantastic Films 2023. HEADPRESS will be selling copies over the weekend.
In 2023, this legendary celebration of horror, SF and fantasy brings you Madeline Smith, Stephen Volk, Jenny Runacre, David McGillivray, Jane Wymark, Toby Hadoke, and Ramsey Campbell. Unfortunately, a schedule change means that Mark Gatiss can no longer join us.
20-22 October 2023, Pendulum Hotel & Conference Centre, Manchester UK
Click here for tickets on Eventbrite⇒
About the book
Nigel Kneale is perhaps best known for his pioneering work in television fantasy, notably the creation of Quatermass, and his landmark adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 for the BBC. This book is the first in-depth study of another, arguably lesser known but equally as important, Kneale creation: the 1976 Folk Horror anthology television series, Beasts.
Each of the six episodes of Beasts was a standalone supernatural drama exploring themes and ideas prevalent throughout Kneale’s work, all within the confines of a lowly British television budget. From pilot episode Murrain to cult favourite Baby, Beasts charted an uncanny British landscape, where the ghost of a dolphin haunts an aquarium and a supermarket is plagued by a mysterious animalistic presence.
In researching and writing this book, author Andrew Screen was given rare access to Kneale’s original scripts and production paperwork and provides an exclusive account of Kneale’s trials and tribulations in developing the series. There are also interviews with members of cast and crew, a discussion of episode treatments that were prepared but never realised — and the reasons why Kneale abandoned these at an early stage. Moreover, each storyline is contextualised with real life developments and events, exploring the mythological and cultural inspirations that place the series within its immediate historical framework.
Written with full permission from the Kneale estate, THE BOOK OF BEASTS is a comprehensive overview of a cult television series and its enduring impact on viewers today.
Location Info
Who: Author Andrew Screen
What: The Book Of Beasts: Folklore, Popular Culture and Nigel Kneale’s ATV TV Series
When: 20-22 October 2023
Where: Festival of Fantastic Films 2023, Pendulum Hotel & Conference Centre, Manchester UK here⇒
This is a ticketed event. Get tickets on Eventbrite here⇔
