The man behind the Leatherface mask in the 1990 film Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III will be making a special appearance at the 2018 Hot Springs International Horror Film Festival this September.
Leatherface himself, R.A. Mihailoff, will be appearing in the annual film fest for the premier of his latest film entitled Ride hard, Live Free. The science fiction flick, directed by Tony Mendoza, is set in a post-apocalyptic world and follows a woman and three outlaw bikers gang on their journey to discovering the depths of what they are willing to live for and die for, and how much they are willing to give up.
“The underlying theme centers around the underdog,” Mendoza said, talking about the theme of the movie. “We wanted to create a world where the odds are stacked against a likable character.”
Speaking about the film, Mihailoff said they consulted with three outlaw biker gangs in order to portray the bikers as accurately as possible. They also worked on set with some bikers. He said that every prop that was used to represent bikers– everything from the costumes down to the colors they wear – were accurate representations of biker culture.
“This movie was the perfect thing for me… let’s go down the list,” Mihailoff said. “I got to ride Harleys out in the desert, I got to handle firearms, and I got to hang out with real motorcycle clubs. Those are all checks in the plus column.”
Mihailoff has a long history with the horror and science fiction genres. He has appeared in various films such as License to Drive, Krampus: The Devil Returns, and Drive, in addition to appearing in the Texas Chainsaw franchise.
In addition to attending the festival, Mihailoff will also be appearing at Spa-Con where he will have a table set up. He has also organized a procession of motorcycles to arrive at the theater on premier night.
About the Hot Springs International Horror Film Festival
The Hot Springs International Horror Film Festival is an annual event presented by The Hot Springs Arts & Film Institute. It was founded and is run by film industry professionals. The festival is dedicated to helping promote aspiring and talented filmmakers. The festival provides opportunities for networking and exhibition in a historic theater venue where films can be experimented on the “Big Screen.” This annual event is located at the Historic Central Theater, 1008 Central Avenue in downtown Hot Springs National Park, AR.
The Hot Springs International Horror Film Festival (HSHFF) is an independent film festival conceived with the idea that “filmmakers know films” and that talented film-making will inspire, amaze, and educate. The Institute recognizes and promotes a variety of films in the Horror, Science Fiction, and Thriller genre. The Institute’s mission is to promote, inspire, educate, and bring together talented filmmakers from around the world.
This year will be the sixth year for the horror film festival. The event will take place from September 20 through 23. Festival director Bill Volland is excited to introduce the many new additions to this year’s festival.
See you there!
