Too 'B', even for IMDB

You know the story: The effects are all about chicken blood, the plot's riddled with clichés and the dialogue’s been lifted off the back of a Space Raiders packet. But that doesn't mean a B-movie can't be downright bloody terrifying. Super Furry Animals frontman and notable fan of the aesthetic (see the video to Run-Away for most recent evidence) <strong>Gruff Rhys</strong> remembers his first encounter

Feature by Dave Kerr | 12 Jun 2009

There's a Welsh language horror film that I first saw when I was five years old called Gwaed ar y Ser, which translates to Blood on the Stars. It's kind of a Wicker Man meets Celebrity Big Brother come slasher movie about this group of sinister kids who are going around killing the minor celebrities of Wales in the 70s, occasionally with snakes. They electrocute and kill the leading harp player by connecting her harp to the mains; they blow up the most famous rugby player by putting a bomb inside the ball... I think they blow up Barry John, he’s a rugby legend! The light entertainment TV personalities I used to see on telly every day were being murdered in front of my face, I had to be carried out of the cinema screaming. Now that’s definitely a B-movie. I mean, it’s beyond B-movie. Maybe it’s a C or D. I got a copy of it a few years ago, it hasn’t really been shown anywhere since 1976 and it’s still incredible.

Super Furry Animals play Fat Sam's stage and DJ the Rizla Arena at RockNess, Dores on Sat 13 Jun.

A season celebrating the work of B-Movie King Roger Corman starts with House of Usher, Filmhouse on Thu 18 Jun, 1pm, £6.50 (£5.50) and is complemented by Roger Corman: In Person, Cineworld on Wed 24 Jun, 6pm, £15 (£12).

http://www.rockness.co.uk