THE 25th Festival of Fantastic Films will begin, appropriately, on October 31 with a showing of BBC I’s Ghostwatch, first presented on Hallowe’en 1992.

Gil Lane-Young and fellow festival founder, Tony Edwards, have invited the script writer, Stephen Volk to participate.

During the three day event featuring classics by Hammer Horror and Universal Horror a brand new film, The Zombie King will be shown.

Gil, from Glenfield, Bowdon, said: “It’s a regional premiere.”

In contrast they’ll re-run Curse of the Undead, presented at the first Festival of Fantastic Films.

“The villain is a vampire in this Cowboy version,” said. Gil.

Another original will be The Giant Claw. “The flying bird in it looks really silly,” he said.

The biggest attraction will be when Professor Richard Dyer talks about serial killers in films., some of which were originally censored.

Speaking about censorship, Gil, 69, believes it should only apply to children because ‘adults have some degree of responsibility towards themselves.’

“If I don’t fancy a film, I don’t watch it. That’s the ultimate censorship.”

People could draw their own conclusions after hearing David Hyman, a member of the British Board of Film Classification, talk about movies which have been banned.

“We’ll be pleased to welcome Caroline Munro of Spy who Loved Me fame,” he said.

“She’s the only person I know who is 60+ and looks 30.”

Two other guests will be Ruggero Deodato who directed, among others, Cannibal Holocaust and Robin Stewart best known for playing Mike Abbott in ITV’s Bless this House.

“When the guests aren’t working, they’ll chat to people in the bar,” said Gil.

• The Festival of Fantastic Films is at the Manchester Conference Centre from 8pm on October 31 - 8 pm on November 2. For tickets call 0161 707 3747.