We’re celebrating the late, great Roger Corman’s centenary year with a double bill of his two collaborations with Welsh actor Ray Milland on 11 December.

Roger Corman was a trail-blazer for independent film, responsible for identifying and tapping into a youth market for film in the 1950s. Among the many genres he produced and directed, in horror he’s perhaps best-known for his gothic collaborations with Vincent Price, all of which have screened at Abertoir in the past.

We were even honoured to be joined by Corman for a virtual Q&A during our online 2020 edition of the festival. So, to honour his incredible legacy for his 100th year, we’re tapping into that little bit of Welshness in two of his films: Neath’s very own Oscar-winner, Ray Milland.

The films will each be prefaced by extended introductions from Abertoir directors Gaz Bailey and Nia Edwards-Behi, delving a little deeper into the careers of Milland and Corman.

In X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) Milland plays a scientist involved in research seeking to increase the power of the human eye who decides to test a new serum on himself…with increasingly horrifying results. In The Premature Burial (1962) Milland plays Guy Carrell, a man obsessed with the idea that he will be buried while in a state of catalepsy. He marries a woman who promises to cure him with love but then a series of disturbing incidents lead him to suspect his worst fears may be coming true.

Tickets are on sale now and just £10 for both films.