Horror in the Hammer: An Interview with Aaron Allen
By: DAvid Briggs
(Posted Aug. 26, 2014)

Aaron Allen does his part to bring the horror to Hamilton. Zombie walks, horror film screenings, and other macabre shenanigans are all part of Allen's arsenal of atrocities he unleashes regularly upon city residents.

Horror in the Hammer serves as his vehicle for spreading the fear. A popular site amongst horror and genre fans, Horror in the Hammer serves as the emblematic hub for the group's events.

Jennifer Emily founded the group in 2008 as they staged their first event—the Hamilton Zombie Walk. Since then, the group's momentum continues to grow as more horror fans, filmmakers, and artists continue to contribute to the cause.

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One of Horror in the Hammer's marquee events is Fright Night Theatre. Founded in 2009, film fantatic Jay Winger served as programmer until late 2012.  "I'm sort of the lead programmer now  for the screenings,"  Allen explained.

As such, you'll often run into Allen at horror conventions and festivals, searching for content for their monthly screenings.
And much of this content is homegrown, as the group actively promotes and screens independent talent.

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And he digs deep for cinematic gold. Their site explains it best: "Fright Night Theatre is not just a scary night at the movies – it’s a celebration of fringe film-making, controversial cinema, tongue-in-cheek B-movies, and the art of the macabre."

"We have had a lot of success with short films," Allen explains. "People love short films. It's more bang for their buck."

"We charge five bucks for nine or ten shorts," he adds. "That's a good night at the movies. And we have a nice variety. We tend
to pick things that go from the creepy and the surreal to absurdly slapstick and gory. We try to cover a wide range."

Screenings are held at the Staircase Theatre, "a nice intimate venue but you get the big screen experience. And there's a bar out front," Allen enthuses.

These "grass roots screenings" foster a film community within the city, Allen explains. "We need to have a communal experience with film...we need a scene."

And with Horror in the Hammer strongly fighting on the side of indie filmmakers, the scene's fire is burning white hot. Fright
Night Theatre provides exposure for many filmmakers who know all too well how difficult it can be to find an audience.

As Allen says, "if it's a good film, we'll screen it."

Be sure to visit the sites for Horror in the Hammer and Fright Night Theatre to keep up with screenings, events, and to learn
how you can become involved.