GrimmFest Cult and Horror Film Festival at Dancehouse & Gorilla

‘Manchester, you are a great audience!’, enthused Claudio Simonetti, at the close of Goblin’s Gorilla gig earlier this year. Buoyed by the rapturous response, he’s back, performing his soundtrack score to Suspiria, as part of the annual Grimm Fest. Less a film, more a fever dream, Suspiria is a visceral assault of sound and vision, and Italian director Dario Argento’s one, genuine masterpiece. Ostensibly, it’s the story of American student Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper), who enrols at a prestigious German ballet academy only to discover the school is secretly home to a witches coven. Shot in Technicolour, Suspiria is a dizzying collision of reds, blues, and greens. The set piece murders are amongst the nastiest in horror cinema. Simonetti’s music – a dissonant mix of banshee wails, metallic drums and shrieking strings – completes the nightmare. Yes, it’s LOUD.  Sadly this event has sold out but there are plenty of other events on the three-day bill with tickets available. Saturday sees a huge line up at the Dancehouse including celebrity guest, actress and writer, Alice Lowe (Sightseers) and a screening of Zomebeavers (11.20pm), while a highlight of Sunday’s programme is a screening of The Canal ft Steve Oram with a live Q&A (Sun 5 Oct, 8pm).

Thu 2 – Sun 5 Oct, Various venues, www.grimmfest.com