By the Book with Lizzie Aaryn-Stanton – Questions for the Cast of Book of Monsters
Available for the first time on disk in the UK, Book of Monsters is a dark horror comedy in the vein of ‘The Evil Dead II’ and ‘Shaun of the Dead’ filled with practical effects driven monsters and intense, gory action. To celebrate the release of the 2-Disk Collector’s Edition we have put together an exclusive interview feature with the main cast of the marvelous movie.
Take on the forces of evil with the Standard Edition Blu-ray or become a fully-fledged monster hunter with the 2-Disk Collector’s Edition. Limited to only 300 copies, the 2-Disk Collector’s Edition features both Blu-ray and DVD versions of the movie, an exclusive hand numbered Slipcover, four collectible lobby cards, signed mini poster and a reversible sleeve signed by Director Stewart Sparke and lead actress Lyndsey Craine. Both versions are exclusive to UK customers and feature a Blu-ray disk packed with over an hour of bonus features including a feature length documentary, deleted scenes, alternate ending, gag reel and more. All of it and some amazing merch is available here www.darkriftfilms.com/shop
Sophie’s 18th birthday party becomes a bloodbath when six terrifying monsters descend upon her house, intent on devouring the party guests and killing anyone who tries to leave. As her school friends are torn apart and consumed, Sophie must rally a band of misfits and take up arms to send their party crashers back to hell. To survive the night, Sophie must face her destiny; monsters are real – and she’s the only one who can stop them.
Book of Monsters stars Lyndsey Craine, Michaela Longden, Lizzie Aaryn-Stanton, Daniel S. Thrace, Anna Dawson, Rose Muirhead, Arron Dennis and Steph Mossman. Also starring is horror legend Nicholas Vince as Jonas, famous for his roles as the Chatterer in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser & Hellbound: Hellaiser II as well as Kinski in Nightbreed.
The film received critical acclaim upon its world premiere at Frightfest London in 2018 and has since won multiple awards at international film festivals including Best Film at the New York City Horror Film Festival.
Below Beth aka Lizzie Aaryn-Stanton @LizAarynStants takes on our By the Book questions on making the movie and much more:
1. How did you get involved with Book of Monsters?
This is such a feel good story so I’m glad you asked! I self-taped for Stewart and Paul’s previous film, The Creature Below eeeons ago. Made it to the callbacks and it was between me and another girl for a role. The other girl got it, and even though I was pretty gutted I followed the films progress and loosely kept in touch with Paul – congratulating them when I saw it was doing well.
Anyway flash forward a couple of years and Paul gets back in touch – would I like a role in their upcoming film? Hell yes! And so Beth was written for me. I always find myself telling other actors this as there is so much rejection you have to face as an actor/tress. It stands as a reminder to me that a ‘no’ isn’t always a rejection – in this case it was a ‘not yet’.
By the way that other girl was Michaela who was 100% right for that part. She and I have grown to be really great friends. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
2. What was the best bit of making the movie?
I know it probably sounds cliché to say that I loved it all but I genuinely mean it I when I say looking back, there wasn’t a moment I wasn’t having fun.
I guess there is one day that stands out – we were filming the scene in the air conditioning shaft and Lyndsey and I were there in this big studio crawling through this makeshift shaft on our hands and knees pretending to escape from a monster… and I just had this moment where I realised that this was my actual job, and I was loving it. I felt such a wave of gratitude for having found something that I loved doing so much, and having the opportunity to work with such lovely people.
3. What is your favourite horror film and why?
Cabin in the woods. I’m pretty bad about being scared in the sense that I jump feet out of my seat in the cinema or embarrassingly scream. Sparkie (Stewart the director) will attest. We’ve been to a few horror festivals together now and he’s seen so many horrors he doesn’t really get scared by them anymore but he loves sitting next to me because my reactions are so big they sometimes make him jump!
Anyway I love cabin in the woods because it’s hilarious as well as scary. Might as well laugh out loud if I’m going to scream out loud eh?
4. Which movie monster would be the worst to be stuck in lockdown with?
Well it think the slasher in BOM is pretty terrifying. But also that weird bear thing that makes the sounds of the things it’s killed from Annihilation has got to be up there. Specifically in a lockdown though? The BOM garden gnomes would be pretty annoying eh?
5. What is next for you?
I’ve got an episode of Call The Midwife coming out through the BBC and on Netflix likely around April this year. When theatre gets going again I was in a solo show that was postponed and I also have a show I’ve written we’re trying to find a home for in London. Lastly I have another horror film lined up I’m really excited about but that’s all a bit hush hush at the moment. Please stay tuned!
Buy Book of Monsters here: www.darkriftfilms.com/shop