Manchester will turn into Santa Carla ‘the murder capital of the world’ for two terrifying days as ‘For The Love of Horror’ convention comes to Bowlers Exhibition Centre this 19th-20th October 2019! Featuring a range of special guests, immersive entertainment, unique photo opportunities and seven original actors from The Lost Boys film, this is the biggest ever reunion of its kind!

The Lost Boys reunion is highly-anticipated, especially considering the much-loved 1987 horror film has inspired generations of fans still at-large today. Directed by Joel Schumacher, The Lost Boys follows the story of two brothers and their move to the fictional Californian town of Santa Carla, where they encounter a local population of… vampires!

Now people can encounter those vampires for themselves right here in Manchester, as seven of the cast will come together at ‘For The Love Of Horror’, with photograph and signing opportunities available– plus a recreation of The Lost Boys set! Actor Kiefer Sutherland, who plays one of the most iconic vampires – David – will be in attendance at the convention for three hours on the Sunday, whilst the other six cast members will be present for the whole weekend.

For The Love Of Horror

Therefore, guests have the opportunity to meet Jason Patric – who starred as Michael, Alex Winter (who plays Marko), Jamison Newlander (the film’s vampire hunter Alan Frog) and Billy Worth, the actor behind the infamous vampire Dwayne. Chance Michael Corbitt, who starred as Laddie Thompson - the child vampire prodigy - will also be there.

There are even more surprises to behold. Not only will The Lost Boys soundtrack stars Tim Capello and G Tom Mac be in attendance, but they will recreate some of the film’s most iconic music moments, with Tim performing ‘I Still Believe’ while the cast look on from the crowd! The stage will be transformed into the Lost Boys set just for this special occasion, recreating the scene from the film complete with flame thrower canons next to the stage. G Tom Mac will also be performing the iconic ‘Cry Little Sister’ on both days.  

For an added thrill, there is also a Mad Monster Afterparty on the Saturday evening, including a Cantina Bar and a range of high-adrenaline entertainment. The massive exhibition centre is after all expected to become an immersive horror world over the course of the weekend, also featuring Cosplay opportunities, merchandise stalls, dark decoration, makeup competitions, Q&A sessions and more.

The Lost Boys feature highlights a love for all things ‘80s – and it was this interest in 1980s culture and its links to horror that was a considerable focus of a recent symposium at Manchester Metropolitan University titled ‘The Gothic 1980s’. Exploring why this was ‘the decade that scared us’, a range of academics from across the country came to present papers on a range of fascinating topics, including the worlds of Pet Sematary, Stranger Things, Werewolves, Vampires and much more. It was organised by Dr Sorcha Ní Fhlainn (author of Postmodern Vampires: Film, Fiction, and Popular Culture) of The Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies, who also arranged a screening of The Lost Boys afterwards. She reflects:

“The Lost Boys remains a beloved film in 1980s horror. With its brilliant soundtrack, ultra-chic vampires and distinctive set design, and including a dynamic cast, its classic status is affirmed by its die-hard fans, including myself, and its endlessly quotable, quippy script. I am extremely excited by the celebration of this vampire classic in Manchester in October; it promises to be a wickedly cool return to the gothic 1980s!”

The same year that saw The Lost Boys released after all – 1987 – also saw a range of cult and creepy favourites such as Jaws: The Revenge, Hellraiser and The Monster Squad. ‘For The Love of Horror’ aims to allow fans to reflect on and discuss horror of the past, whilst also enjoying contemporary creativity.

For example, the convention also presents a Saw Special series of star guests this year, including Tobin Bell, the  American actor best known for his award winning portrayal of the twisted killer John Kramer / Jigsaw all eight films in the franchise.  Also present will be Shawnee Smith, an American actor who plays the young apprentice of Jigsaw, and Costas Mandylor – the man behind Detective Mark Hoffman in the films.

Also appearing over the course of the weekend will be Sid Haig, an American actor best known for his role as Captain Spaulding in Rob Zombie's horror films House of 1000 Corpses, and Bill Mosley who also stars in this film as well as Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Devil's Rejects amongst other cult favourites.  If that wasn’t enough, American screenwriter and film director Fred Dekker will also be in attendance, as will star of the Candyman trilogy of horror films Tony Todd.

Another unique special guest will be Chris Lyons, the Director of Buckingham-based Fangs FX – a special effects company that creates prosthetic teeth and facial effects for screen and stage. This seems rather fitting given that much of the attention of this year’s convention will be on the subject of vampires! Just some of the films and shows that Chris has worked on have included all eight Harry Potter films, Game of Thrones, The Wolfman and Being Human. He will also be signing photos at the convention.

A range of different photo and signing opportunities are available with special guests, including a Lost Boys Special photo shoot - featuring Kiefer, Jason, Tim, Jamison, Billy on the Sunday, and all without Kiefer on the Saturday. These must be pre-booked in advance online, as must tickets for entry, with single-day as well as whole-weekend options available. Why not immerse yourself?

Considering that 2018’s ‘For The Love Of Horror’ also came to Manchester and amazed crowds with its unique opportunities and star attendees including Tyler Mane, Danny Trejo and Ola Ray… there are even bigger expectations for 2019! With more special guests yet to be announced, save the date of this 19th-20th October at Bowlers Exhibition Centre.

www.fortheloveofhorroruk.com/tickets