Peculiarly, horror movies about the end of the world have enjoyed a new lease of life during the pandemic.
In waking life, a deadly virus has been spreading across the planet and forced millions to take shelter in indoors. Yet viewing figures for the likes of Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion and Wolfgang Petersen’s Outbreak have skyrocketed.
It might seem strange that people would choose to digest pandemic-themed media when a global emergency is happening right outside their window. But there’s actually some interesting psychology behind it.
Watching scary films about the end of the world is a coping mechanism; allowing us to imagine – and come to terms with – a potential worst-case scenario.
Whilst audience have been lapping up dystopian cinema – lockdown has proven to be a fertile breeding ground for horror flicks.
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And one of the most exciting, upcoming apocalyptic productions is being shot right here in Manchester: Day of the Clones.
Billed as a mishmash of Dawn of the Dead and The Thing (shot with the methodology of Werner Herzog) – Day of the Clones is a twisty sci-fi horror about a scientist hiding in an isolated farmhouse with a group of survivors after the clones he created take over the world.
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The movie is the brainchild of Manchester-born director and Hollywood screenwriter Eric Steele – who is steering the film for Vamoose Productions.
Elaborating on the plot, Eric explains: “It’s all about a small group of people confined in a very claustrophobic space who are forced to get on with each other, something I’m sure a lot of people can relate to at the moment!
“I always found the idea of clones quite creepy, and human cloning is downright terrifying. But when the pandemic hit, I thought this would be a good project because it is contained and claustrophobic – ideal for shooting with a few actors and the minimum of crew.”
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Eric has called Day of the Clones his most ambitious project to date – with the movie starring a mixture of local amateur actors and some familiar professionals seen in the likes of Shameless, Peaky Blinders and Hollyoaks.
But perhaps the most intriguing performer on set is a robot – played by a “specially-built mannequin.”
Day of the Clones is Eric’s second feature film, with the director shooting the self-funded Boy #5 – a Manchester-based vampire flick – in 2019, which is currently playing the festival circuit.
Originally starting out in the movie business as a screenwriter and selling his scripts over the internet, Eric saw one of his works, The Student, picked up by the company that made Stephen King’s Creepshow.
However, it wasn’t until he met his producing partner Barry Morton that he decided to give directing a try.
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Last year, the pair set up their own production company, Vamoose Productions Ltd, and are now hoping to make many more films set in Manchester under this banner.
Eric found himself drawing on all kinds of cinematic influences for Day of the Clones; including the likes of Danny Boyle’s 28 Day Later, Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England, and the classic Hammer Horror films of the seventies.
But his biggest source of inspiration has been Manchester itself.
“[Manchester] is such an interesting city,” says Eric.
“Having lived here all my life, I know its good sides and bad sides. There’s tremendous wealth and poverty. There’s lots of crime but also a thriving art scene.
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“Turn a street corner in Manchester and you’ll never know what you’ll find, from a giant mural to a Brazilian-themed restaurant to an ancient derelict factory.”
With its gritty aesthetic and surviving remnants of the industrial revolution, Eric calls Manchester a “horror filmmaker’s dream”.
“I think it’s that humdrum, everyday despair of the Industrial North,” he says.
“There are remnants of the city’s great past everywhere. Sometimes it feels like you’re walking through a graveyard dedicated to the industrial revolution.
“Mixed in with those amazing old mills are brand new high rise complexes that look surreal and futuristic. It’s a great combination of ancient and modern.
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“For our vampire film “Boy #5” we shot outside a pub with a glowing non crucifix on the wall, outside the abandoned abattoir and in the middle of the busy city centre on a Friday night!”
Day of the Clones has so far been largely self-funded – and now Eric and his production team are looking for donations to help complete the movie.
People will receive perks in exchange for contributions, with all money raised going towards props, postproduction facilities, securing named actors for cameo roles, and visual effects.
It’s a terrific opportunity to support the local arts – and watch a thrilling, terrifying horror film play out in your backyard as a result.
Head over to the crowdfunding page here to learn more.
You can also read about Day of the Clones via the film’s official Facebook page.
Feature
What it’s like to stay in Manchester’s surprisingly affordable new mid-century hotel, Mollie’s
Daisy Jackson
There’s a fine line between ‘tastefully retro’ and ‘your nan’s spare room’, but the city’s newest hotel – Mollie’s Manchester – lands firmly in the former.
Designed by the same team behind Soho House, this (surprisingly affordable) mid-century hotel feels like stepping into the 1950s… if the 1950s had Pelotons and Dyson Airwraps in the wardrobes and enough aesthetic lighting to make everyone look faintly famous.
Whether you’re booking the classic rooms, usually priced from £109, or the huge suites, you can expect the same level of design detail.
Think terrazzo tiles, teak panelling, sage greens, burnt oranges, and interesting textures on every sittable surface.
And unlike some hotels that punish you for booking the ‘basic’ room by giving you a view of an air conditioning unit and a kettle balanced on a luggage rack, every room type at Mollie’s feels far more premium than the actual price tag.
For our stay, we were welcomed with batched cocktails and a mini fridge filled with treats like canned wine (which feels deeply respectful of modern traveller needs), plus a Grind coffee machine, fluffy robes, giant TVs, rainfall showers, and Cowshed toiletries.
If you end up on the better side of the hotel, you’ll have views of the city skyline from your bed, your sofa, or your bath.
Design details in a Mollie’s Manchester roomGrind coffee machine in the roomA Dyson Airwrap in the wardrobe of a studio roomAnd an actual Peloton bike in your room, tooThe beautiful bedroomA bunk room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterViews from your bedA Mollie’s Motel suite
There are bunk rooms you can book too, where up to four people can climb into stylish wooden sleep pods, so cool I’m immediately planning a girls’ night out where someone can hand me a martini as I climb into a luxury bunk bed.
Downstairs in Mollie’s, which has taken over the former Granada Studios, you’ll find a cocktail bar that seems to pay homage to the building’s history.
Studio IV has vintage TV screens above the bar, music performances and DJs on stage, and cocktails inspired live music you can enjoy from a loungey vintage-patterned sofa.
Breakfast at Mollie’s ManchesterCocktails in Studio IVMollie’s Diner is open nowBurgers and fried chicken at Mollie’s DinerStudio IV cocktail barInside Mollie’s Motel & Diner Manchester
Then there’s Mollie’s Diner, which fully commits to recreating 1950s Americana. Inspired by a vintage Cadillac, the interiors are all deep burgundy leather booths, glowing globe lights, and polished chrome details.
The menu is exactly what you want from a diner like this: thick milkshakes, burgers, steaks, and fried chicken in the evenings; waffles, French toast, eggs any style in the mornings.
Mollie’s Manchester may be inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood – but it’s heralding in a new Golden Age of hotel for Manchester too.
The Marble Arch is increasingly becoming much more than a pub – it’s now a brilliant Manc bistro
Danny Jones
If you’ve been to The Marble Inn in Manchester before, you’ll know it’s always nailed cosy Northern pub vibes; to tell the truth, the food has always been pretty good, too, but their new menu is really something to write home about.
So we did.
The historic old boozer located on Rochdale Road has sat there in some shape or form since way back in 1888, and naturally, things have evolved significantly over the years – decades, certainly.
But the latest iteration of food and drink at the increasingly forward-thinking Marble Arch Inn is a cut above, bringing together a fusion of current culinary trends and contemporary takes on pub classics.
No. 73 enters a new chapterOne of the best pies we’ve probably ever hadCredit: The Manc Eats
Now just over a month into its run at the home of Marble Brewers just beyond Ancoats, it feels rather fitting that this place has always sat on the cusp of surrounding districts in somewhat of a Manc no-man’s land, as there’s something about this place that feels like it’s dancing on the line of a scene.
Recently installed head chef Adam Shatarsky is still self-admittedly pretty green in comparison to lots of other local chefs, as he’s only been cooking for around five years, but his spells at Mackie Mayor’s Taiko and Cardinal Rule in NQ have already proved he’s got to grips with how the city eats.
His food just keeps getting better and more confident in experimentation, it would seem – as proven with this approach to Marble Arch classics like fish and chips, their pies, burgers, the treasured Sunday roast and so on.
The difference is now that some of these mainstays and undeniable British favourites have been levelled up quite significantly. Now there’s bone marrow in the mince used for those oh-so-juicy patties; toast is fried in beef fat to dovetail with a tartare dish, and the chips are some of the best you’ll find in a pub.
Seriously, they even use the Brewery‘s new cult favourite Earl Grey keg flavour to make their rarebit recipe. In fact, when one local punter saw that the staff were enjoying a posh chip butty with wild garlic and mushrooms for the staff, they couldn’t help but ask for one, and now it’s a special menu item.
A familiar faceThree small plates for £25Credit: The Manc
This is the kind of ethos they’re trying to keep across the board: attempting new things and trying to be more modern when it’s appropriate, but still holding onto their traditions and looking after their regulars.
Adam’s only ever trained in British kitchens, so he admitted doesn’t know any different really, but he does know the global variety offlavours and textures he likes and is not afraid of trying to find ways to make even the most contrasting ones come together.
Case in point: freezing and shaving feta over lemon ricotta and fresh beetroots. Stunning.
He’s even brought over a variation of his popular fried chicken sando from Taiko, though this one has nowhere near as much of that Eastern heat, and instead focuses on the theme of making hearty and filling comfort food.
For instance, there’s an undercurrent of just that extra little bit of richness running throughout the menu, from the bone marrow that makes already satisfying dishes even more indulgent, to the tallow, truffle and drippings that are used to great effect.
The same goes for the use of cheese, as well: even in the simply incredible mixed mature cheddar and red Leicester curd that surrounds that singular 72-hour caramelised onions (wow doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of our for this one.
All of them are big top-note flavours, sure, but none of them overpowers the overall taste, whether it be brining and curing chicken in dark brown sugar and soy, or a 16-hour low and slow braised beef that literally melts in the mouth from the bread and the butter to the eventual meaty bite.
We can’t speak highly enough of what is now being served out of The Marble Arch Inn’s kitchen, and truly believe what Adam and the existing pub team are now doing is brilliant and very much worth shouting about.
Can’t beat a burger and beerSuch a cosy spotMmmmadeleinesCredit: The Manc Group
The Manc -
4th December 2020 
