Phil Hobden
Encyclopedia
Phil Hobden is a filmmaker based in the South of England. He is also notable as a screenwriter, film producer, journalist and media campaigner. Hobden is the co-founder of Independent production company Modern Life? and has been responsible for the DVD release of numerous films through his distribution sales company Pulp Movies.
, a small county town just outside of Brighton
. Educated between 1992-1995 at the respected Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College
(BHASVIC) in Brighton
, Hobden was responsible for producing and directing over 30 short films and documentaries, including an interview with a pre-Shallow Grave
Danny Boyle
.
Hobden continued his studies in 1995 with a media production degree at university, the acclaimed Cumbria Institute of the Arts
(CIA) (latterly The University of Cumbria
), which boasts such noted alumni as Rikki Chamberlain
, Charlie Hunnam
(actor), Helen Skelton
(TV presenter, Blue Peter
) & Keith Tyson
, (2002 Turner Prize
winner).
From 1993 - 2001, Hobden with partner Ross Boyask was involved in the production of almost 40 short films.
1993 saw Hobden's first short film The Gauntlet completed. Starring Glenn Salvage and Tom Hay, the film was sent by the filmmakers to Jackie Chan
. Chan wrote back commenting... "Good try. Keep going...".
1995 saw short film Boyz Gone Bad win Best Short film at the Brighton Short Film Festival.
In 1998 short film Lone Wolf was screened, in an edited version, On Channel 4
in the UK.
In 1998/9 he saw his first feature film in development, the darkly comic 'Brighton Born, Brighton Dead' which sat with Miramax UK for over 2 years. Eventually the relationship broke down and the screenplay was lost into development hell. It remains unproduced to this day.
In 1999 Hobden won awards for Best Editing and Best Writing for his short film Blue Eyes at the RedTape festival.
In 2000/2001 Hobden was offered the chance to work on the Dave Courtney
gangster action film Hell To Pay
alongside its original director Ross Boyask but turned it down, instead focusing on setting up his own business, the media production company Modern Life?
In 2001 Short film Pure Vengeance, starring Scott Adkins
(Bourne Ultimatum, Sheppard), Brendan Carr (Love Struck, Ten dead men
) and Gordon Alexander (Accidental Spy, The Purifiers) was screened on the Jonathan Ross
BBC2 show Stop Kung Fu.
in 2009 Hobden was credited as Associate Producer on UK action film Unarmed But Dangerous aka Kung Fu Flid which starred Mat Fraser
and Faye Tozer
In 2010 Hobden was credited as Associate Producer on UK horror film Cut featuring Gremlins 2 star Zach Galligan
and UK model Danielle Lloyd
.
Starring Glenn Salvage & newcomer Andy Prior, the film features cameos by Joey Ansah
(Bourne Ultimatum), Brendan Carr, Cecily faye & Cage Rage fighter Jeremy Bailey. Finished in late 2004, the film was shot for under £10k UKP and has been released in over 15 countries to date, including the UK, Canada, US, Thailand and others. The film was Released in the US to positive reviews in September 2005 and then eventually in the UK in March 2007.
Left for Dead
was acquired for broadcast on Sky channel Movies4Men
in late 2007. However Movies4Men
sesequently decided the film was too violent and opted NOT to screen the movie.
. Again directed by Boyask the film stars Brendan Carr, Pooja Shah
, former Steps singer Lee Latchford-Evans
, JC Mac
, Silvio Simac
, Doug Bradley
, Terry Stone
and more.
Ten dead men
sees Brendan Carr star as Ryan, a former killer gone straight who is dragged violently back into the life he left behind... with brutal and bloody consequences.
Ryan has spent years putting his brutal past behind him. A different man now to the stone cold killer he was a lifetime ago. But when an old face from the past arrives on his doorstep, Ryan is called upon to repay a blood debt from years ago. But the price is too high. Betrayed, and with his life falling apart around him, Ryan goes on a murderous, bloody revenge spree against the Ten Men who took his life away from him. Ten men took away his life. Now Ten Men Will Pay. Ten Dead Men is a pulse pounding British action feature, brought to you by the team behind the cult international success 'Left For Dead'.
The action sequences were 2nd Unit directed by Jude Poyer (28 Weeks Later
, Hitman starring Jet Li
) and the film was executive produced by Audtralian producer David Hannay (of Stone and The Man From Hong Kong fame) and US sales agent/producer Anthony I Ginnane.
Ten dead men
has been released in France, Indonisia, Japan, UK, US UK & Germany as well as other smaller releases.
However in late 2008 Blackhorse Entertainment become insolvent and ceased trading. As part of the liquidation of assets, and in association with Cornerstone Media (a new company that consisted of several former Blackhorse employees), Pulp Movies acquired the distribution rights and remaining stock to both Infestation and The Silencer. Furthermore Pulp Movies obtained the rights to Hobden’s own film, Left for Dead, and that of James Eaves’ The Witches Hammer.
All four were released under the Cornerstone Media banner via retailers such as HMV and Zavvi.
In 2010 Hobden & Pulp Movies were responsible for the sale of UK independent horror film CUT to BritFilms.Tv, the distributor for Hobden’s own Ten Dead Men, which saw the film released on DVD in leading retailers such as Amazon, HMV, ASDA and Sainsbury on the 22nd February 2010
Phil Hobden is also working as a co-producer on the film Kung Fu Flid, being executive produced by Ten dead men
actor & associate producer Terry Stone and featuring former Steps star Faye Tozer
as well as UK film Cut
Quotes from Combat Film have appeared on DVD covers for films such as Confucius, Merantau Warrior, Sinking Of Japan & IP Man 2
From 2006 - 2011 Hobden has also written for Impact
, Vengeance, KungFuCinema.Com, Bloody-Disgusting.com, FareastFilms.com as well as his own film review site 'Phil’s Quick Capsule Review'.
Hobden has interviewed actors such as Dolph Lundgren
, JeeJa Yanin, Stephen M.D. Chang
, Danny Trejo
, Sho Kosugi
, Loren Avedon
, Matthias Hues
, Jeff Wincott, Darren Shahlavi as well up and coming stars such as Glenn Salavge and Brendan Carr.
Hobden has also interviewed behind the scenes talent such as Hollywood stunt co-ordinator Loren Janes (see Bullitt
), director Michael Hurst (New Blood, House Of The Dead 2) stunt & fight coordinators such as Jeff Imada
(They Live
; Heroes
) & Jude Poyer (28 Weeks Later
; Ten dead men
) as well as casting director Mike Leeder
(Rush Hour 3
) & award winning screenfight/martial arts photographer Mike Holdsworth.
A noted MMA Fan, Hobden has also interviewed Strikeforce
& Pride Fighting Championships commentator Stephen Quadros
and WEC/UFC fighter Brad Pickett
.
The format includes news, run down of the UK Box office Top Ten, a feature Story, Reviews section, Cult Film (where the guest host (s) is required to pick a cult movie) and TV talk. The podcast has been avaialble on Itunes from Episode #1 and via the website at www.thefilmpodcast.co.uk
So far guest hosts have included filmmaker Ross Boyask, filmmaker & AMR Movie host Andrew MacKay, writer Chris Regan, Matt Duddy and Scolls Podcast members Phil Ambler & Dion Winton-Polak.
The podcast is produced every two weeks.
and Ten Dead Men
) on various news sources from the BBC and recently on the 'BBC Film Network', Sky TV, Combat & Impact Magazines and numerous local newspapers.
was due to screen on UK Satellite channel Movies4Men after they paid for the rights for broadcast in 2007. However the TV station eventually decided to not show the movie as they could not edit an appropriate version for TV due to the films violent scenes and adult language.
Left for Dead
has remained unscreened on UK TV.
However In 2011 Hobden, alongside the SWEAT Team leadership, helped redefined the board’s agenda to ensure that filmmakers who were making genuinely collaborative films or films with robust profit share agreements in place would be approached differently from genuine exploiters and people looking for free labour for overtly commercial projects.
Whilst he has stopped making films, Hobden stillw rites for Combat Magazine and produces the Filmsploitation Podcast.
Early Life & Background
Hobden, the youngest of three children, was born in LewesLewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
, a small county town just outside of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. Educated between 1992-1995 at the respected Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College
Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College
Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College, usually abbreviated to BHASVIC , is a college in Brighton & Hove, England for 16- to 18-year-old students.-Location:...
(BHASVIC) in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, Hobden was responsible for producing and directing over 30 short films and documentaries, including an interview with a pre-Shallow Grave
Shallow Grave
-Track listing:# Leftfield – "Shallow Grave" – 4:38# Simon Boswell – "Shallow Grave Theme" – 3:30# Nina Simone – "My Baby Just Cares for Me" – 3:38# Simon Boswell – "Laugh Riot" – 3:02# Leftfield – "Release the Dubs" – 5:45...
Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle
Daniel "Danny" Boyle is an English filmmaker and producer. He is best known for his work on films such as Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Trainspotting. For Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle won numerous awards in 2008, including the Academy Award for Best Director...
.
Hobden continued his studies in 1995 with a media production degree at university, the acclaimed Cumbria Institute of the Arts
Cumbria Institute of the Arts
The Cumbria Institute of the Arts was a further and higher education institution in Carlisle, Cumbria, England.-History:Founded as the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in 1822, it proceeded as the Carlisle College of Art, from 1950, and switched to Cumbria Institute of the Arts from...
(CIA) (latterly The University of Cumbria
University of Cumbria
The University of Cumbria is a university in Cumbria, England. Its headquarters are in Carlisle. and other major campuses are at Lancaster, Ambleside and Penrith. It was established in 2007, with roots extending back to the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts established in 1822 and...
), which boasts such noted alumni as Rikki Chamberlain
Rikki Chamberlain
Rikki David James Chamberlain is a British actor best known for playing Samson in CITV's Captain Mack...
, Charlie Hunnam
Charlie Hunnam
Charles Matthew "Charlie" Hunnam is an English actor. He is perhaps best known to UK audiences as Pete Dunham in Green Street Hooligans and as Nathan Maloney in the Channel 4 hit drama Queer as Folk and to US audiences as Vice President of Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original Jackson...
(actor), Helen Skelton
Helen Skelton
Helen Skelton is an English television presenter. She has worked on the BBC children's programme Blue Peter since 2008...
(TV presenter, Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
) & Keith Tyson
Keith Tyson
Keith Tyson is a British artist. In 2002, he was the winner of the Turner Prize. His work is concerned with an interest in generative systems, and an embrace of the complexity and interconnectedness of existence...
, (2002 Turner Prize
Turner Prize
The Turner Prize, named after the painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. Awarding the prize is organised by the Tate gallery and staged at Tate Britain. Since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the United Kingdom's most publicised...
winner).
As a Filmmaker
Hobden's first film role was on the 1993 Indie British film Project:Assassin (aka New Blood), directed by Mike Hurst and Andy Hurst.From 1993 - 2001, Hobden with partner Ross Boyask was involved in the production of almost 40 short films.
1993 saw Hobden's first short film The Gauntlet completed. Starring Glenn Salvage and Tom Hay, the film was sent by the filmmakers to Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
. Chan wrote back commenting... "Good try. Keep going...".
1995 saw short film Boyz Gone Bad win Best Short film at the Brighton Short Film Festival.
In 1998 short film Lone Wolf was screened, in an edited version, On Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in the UK.
In 1998/9 he saw his first feature film in development, the darkly comic 'Brighton Born, Brighton Dead' which sat with Miramax UK for over 2 years. Eventually the relationship broke down and the screenplay was lost into development hell. It remains unproduced to this day.
In 1999 Hobden won awards for Best Editing and Best Writing for his short film Blue Eyes at the RedTape festival.
In 2000/2001 Hobden was offered the chance to work on the Dave Courtney
Dave Courtney
Dave Courtney is a self-proclaimed British former gangster who has become both an author and celebrity-gangster figure...
gangster action film Hell To Pay
Hell To Pay
Hell to Pay is the ninth studio album by heavy metal band Dokken, released in 2004.-Track listing:#"The Last Goodbye" - 4:37#"Don't Bring Me Down" - 3:24#"Escape" - 4:37#"Haunted" - 3:39#"Prozac Nation" - 4:32#"Care for You" - 4:11...
alongside its original director Ross Boyask but turned it down, instead focusing on setting up his own business, the media production company Modern Life?
Modern life?
Modern Life? is a British film production company. Founded by Phil Hobden and Ross Boyask, Modern Life? has produced such films as Left for Dead and Ten Dead Men.-Background:...
In 2001 Short film Pure Vengeance, starring Scott Adkins
Scott Adkins
Scott Adkins is an English actor and martial artist who is perhaps best known for playing Yuri Boyka in Undisputed II: Last Man Standing and Undisputed III: Redemption and Bradley Hume in Holby City and Ed Russell in Mile High...
(Bourne Ultimatum, Sheppard), Brendan Carr (Love Struck, Ten dead men
Ten dead men
Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden...
) and Gordon Alexander (Accidental Spy, The Purifiers) was screened on the Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...
BBC2 show Stop Kung Fu.
in 2009 Hobden was credited as Associate Producer on UK action film Unarmed But Dangerous aka Kung Fu Flid which starred Mat Fraser
Mat Fraser
Mat Fraser is an English rock musician, actor and performance artist. Between 1980 and 1995 he was a drummer with several rock bands including Fear of Sex, The Reasonable Strollers, Joyride, The Grateful Dub, and Living in Texas, the latter of which had a number one single in Italy.- Life :Fraser...
and Faye Tozer
Faye Tozer
Faye Louise Tozer is an English singer, songwriter and actress; famous for being a member of pop group Steps.-Music:Steps were a pop group that achieved a series of charted singles between 1997 and 2001...
In 2010 Hobden was credited as Associate Producer on UK horror film Cut featuring Gremlins 2 star Zach Galligan
Zach Galligan
Zachary Wolfe "Zach" Galligan is an American actor.-Biography:Galligan was born in New York City, the son of Carol Jean , a psychologist, and Arthur John Galligan, a lawyer who was a founding partner of the law firm of Dickstein Shapiro. He has a sister, Jessica, and attended Columbia University...
and UK model Danielle Lloyd
Danielle Lloyd
Danielle Lloyd is an English glamour model. The former Miss England 2004 and Miss Great Britain 2006, she first rose to prominence when she was stripped of her Miss Great Britain 2006 title after posing for nude pictures featured in the December 2006 edition of Playboy magazine and her alleged...
Left For Dead
In 2002 Hobden started work on his first feature film, the low-budget martial arts action feature Left for Dead (2004 film)Left for Dead (2004 film)
Left for Dead purports to be the UK's first independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it paved the way for a number of independent action films to follow, including Soul Searcher, The Silencer and The Purifiers.-Synopsis:Left For Dead is a...
.
Starring Glenn Salvage & newcomer Andy Prior, the film features cameos by Joey Ansah
Joey Ansah
Joey Ansah is a British actor and martial artist.-Early life:Joey Ansah was born in London, England of mixed ethnicity, the second son of celebrated Ghanaian fashion designer Kofi and his Devon-born wife Nicola. He lived in London for the first 10 years of his life before emigrating with his...
(Bourne Ultimatum), Brendan Carr, Cecily faye & Cage Rage fighter Jeremy Bailey. Finished in late 2004, the film was shot for under £10k UKP and has been released in over 15 countries to date, including the UK, Canada, US, Thailand and others. The film was Released in the US to positive reviews in September 2005 and then eventually in the UK in March 2007.
Left for Dead
Left for Dead (2004 film)
Left for Dead purports to be the UK's first independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it paved the way for a number of independent action films to follow, including Soul Searcher, The Silencer and The Purifiers.-Synopsis:Left For Dead is a...
was acquired for broadcast on Sky channel Movies4Men
Movies4Men
Movies4Men is a satellite television film channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland, available as a free-to-air service on Freesat, Freeview and Sky...
in late 2007. However Movies4Men
Movies4Men
Movies4Men is a satellite television film channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland, available as a free-to-air service on Freesat, Freeview and Sky...
sesequently decided the film was too violent and opted NOT to screen the movie.
Ten Dead Men
Hobden’s second film was the action thriller Ten Dead MenTen dead men
Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden...
. Again directed by Boyask the film stars Brendan Carr, Pooja Shah
Pooja Shah
Pooja Shah is a British Asian actress and model of Kenyan-Asian descent. Her grandparents migrated to Kenya from Gujarat in Western India and so her ancestral roots are there....
, former Steps singer Lee Latchford-Evans
Lee Latchford-Evans
Lee Latchford-Evans is an English pop singer, actor and dancer, most famous for being a member of the British pop group Steps.-Biography:...
, JC Mac
JC Mac
JC Mac is an actor and producer based in Hollywood, California.-Early life:Mac was brought up by his grand parents William and Mary Campbell. The family moved from Canning Town in East London to Colchester in Essex when JC was the age of 5...
, Silvio Simac
Silvio Simac
Silvio Simac is a Croatian/Italian martial artist who has appeared in many mainstream American action movies. He is a 14 times British Taekwondo Champion . He holds 4th Dan Black Belt in ITF Taekwondo, 5th Dan in Choi Kwang Do, 3rd Dan in Kickboxing, 1st Dan in Brithai Karate and 1st Dan Black...
, Doug Bradley
Doug Bradley
Douglas William "Doug" Bradley is an English actor best known for his roles in the Hellraiser film series.- Early life :Bradley was born in Liverpool, England...
, Terry Stone
Terry Stone
Terry Stone , also known as Terry Turbo, is a British actor and film producer. Before a career in film, Stone was a rave promoter, and is co-founder of Garage Nation and Rave Nation with Jason Kaye. He is most notable for his role as Tony Tucker, in the 2007 film Rise of the Footsoldier...
and more.
Ten dead men
Ten dead men
Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden...
sees Brendan Carr star as Ryan, a former killer gone straight who is dragged violently back into the life he left behind... with brutal and bloody consequences.
Ryan has spent years putting his brutal past behind him. A different man now to the stone cold killer he was a lifetime ago. But when an old face from the past arrives on his doorstep, Ryan is called upon to repay a blood debt from years ago. But the price is too high. Betrayed, and with his life falling apart around him, Ryan goes on a murderous, bloody revenge spree against the Ten Men who took his life away from him. Ten men took away his life. Now Ten Men Will Pay. Ten Dead Men is a pulse pounding British action feature, brought to you by the team behind the cult international success 'Left For Dead'.
The action sequences were 2nd Unit directed by Jude Poyer (28 Weeks Later
28 Weeks Later
28 Weeks Later is a 2007 British/Spanish film sequel to the 2002 post-apocalyptic horror film 28 Days Later. 28 Weeks Later was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and released in the United Kingdom and United States on 11 May 2007...
, Hitman starring Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
) and the film was executive produced by Audtralian producer David Hannay (of Stone and The Man From Hong Kong fame) and US sales agent/producer Anthony I Ginnane.
Ten dead men
Ten dead men
Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden...
has been released in France, Indonisia, Japan, UK, US UK & Germany as well as other smaller releases.
The Future
Although he has been inactive for the most part for the past four years, Hobden's website has claimed that in 2012 he will return to filmmaking with an as yet untitled horror film.Additional Projects
Hobden has also been involved in several non filmmaking projects. These have included:Pulp Movies Distribution
In 2008 Hobden, through an associated company called Pulp Movies, was responsible for the UK DVD releases of UK action films The Silencer & Infestation through collaboration with leading UK Independent DVD distributor Blackhorse Entertainment.However in late 2008 Blackhorse Entertainment become insolvent and ceased trading. As part of the liquidation of assets, and in association with Cornerstone Media (a new company that consisted of several former Blackhorse employees), Pulp Movies acquired the distribution rights and remaining stock to both Infestation and The Silencer. Furthermore Pulp Movies obtained the rights to Hobden’s own film, Left for Dead, and that of James Eaves’ The Witches Hammer.
All four were released under the Cornerstone Media banner via retailers such as HMV and Zavvi.
In 2010 Hobden & Pulp Movies were responsible for the sale of UK independent horror film CUT to BritFilms.Tv, the distributor for Hobden’s own Ten Dead Men, which saw the film released on DVD in leading retailers such as Amazon, HMV, ASDA and Sainsbury on the 22nd February 2010
| Year | Film | Director | Release Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Cut | Directed by Alexander Williams | UK DVD Release by BritFilms |
| 2008 | The Witches Hammer | Directed by James Eaves | UK DVD Release by Blackhorse & Cornerstone Media |
| 2008 | Left for Dead Left for Dead (2004 film) Left for Dead purports to be the UK's first independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it paved the way for a number of independent action films to follow, including Soul Searcher, The Silencer and The Purifiers.-Synopsis:Left For Dead is a... |
Directed by Ross Boyask | UK DVD Release by Blackhorse & Cornerstone Media |
| 2008 | The Silencer | Directed by Steve Lawson | UK DVD Release by Blackhorse & Cornerstone Media |
| 2008 | Infestation | Directed by Ed Evers-Swindell | UK DVD Release by Blackhorse & Cornerstoen Media |
Night Warrior Graphic Novel
Modern Life? have numerous additional interests: From highly regarded martial arts action comic book, Night Warrior (www.nw-comic.co.uk) which is based on a short film made by Modern Life? in 1994 to PulpMovies.co.uk in which Modern Life? has been responsible for releasing UK films Infestation and The Silencer, in partnership with UK studio Blackhorse Entertainment.Phil Hobden is also working as a co-producer on the film Kung Fu Flid, being executive produced by Ten dead men
Ten dead men
Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden...
actor & associate producer Terry Stone and featuring former Steps star Faye Tozer
Faye Tozer
Faye Louise Tozer is an English singer, songwriter and actress; famous for being a member of pop group Steps.-Music:Steps were a pop group that achieved a series of charted singles between 1997 and 2001...
as well as UK film Cut
As a Writer
Hobden has been the Film News & Review Editor for Combat Magazine since 2007 where he regularly writes a column called ‘Combat Film’ that looks at Action film related topics. Such topics have included “The Top 10 Worst Named Martial Arts Movies” & “Assassins, Mummy’s & Superheroes”Quotes from Combat Film have appeared on DVD covers for films such as Confucius, Merantau Warrior, Sinking Of Japan & IP Man 2
From 2006 - 2011 Hobden has also written for Impact
Impact (action entertainment magazine)
Impact is a monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom since 1992. It is likely modeled on its French "older brother" "Impact" started in 1986. It covers the field of action entertainment: including Hong Kong action cinema, worldwide martial arts films, Hollywood productions, anime, comics,...
, Vengeance, KungFuCinema.Com, Bloody-Disgusting.com, FareastFilms.com as well as his own film review site 'Phil’s Quick Capsule Review'.
Hobden has interviewed actors such as Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomise the movie action hero stereotype including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.A graduate in chemical...
, JeeJa Yanin, Stephen M.D. Chang
Stephen M.D. Chang
Stephen M.D. Chang is a Canadian actor and martial artist, who has starred and guest starred in numerous films and television series. Prior to moving to Canada, Chang grew up in Hong Kong after escaping Communist China, and counted Bruce Lee among his childhood friends, before Lee became a star...
, Danny Trejo
Danny Trejo
Dan "Danny" Trejo is an American actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films, most notably in roles as an antagonist, or anti-hero.-Early life:...
, Sho Kosugi
Sho Kosugi
Sho Kosugi is a Japanese martial artist with training in shindō jinen-ryū karate who gained popularity as an actor during the 1980s, usually playing a ninja. He is the father of Kane Kosugi and Shane Kosugi. After taking a hiatus from film, he started a taiko group in California...
, Loren Avedon
Loren Avedon
Loren A. Avedon is an American martial arts film actor. He has also acted in several popular American TV shows, including Baywatch.-Biography:...
, Matthias Hues
Matthias Hues
-Biography:Hues was born in Waltrop, Germany, and was raised on a ranch by his doctor-father Josef...who, according to the younger Hues, did not even own a television set. Matthias 's first Hollywood acting role was as Yuri in the film No Retreat, No Surrender 2...
, Jeff Wincott, Darren Shahlavi as well up and coming stars such as Glenn Salavge and Brendan Carr.
Hobden has also interviewed behind the scenes talent such as Hollywood stunt co-ordinator Loren Janes (see Bullitt
Bullitt
Bullitt is a 1968 American police procedural film starring Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Vaughn. It was directed by Peter Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. The story was adapted for the screen by Alan Trustman and Harry Kleiner, based on the 1963 novel Mute Witness by Robert L....
), director Michael Hurst (New Blood, House Of The Dead 2) stunt & fight coordinators such as Jeff Imada
Jeff Imada
Jeff Imada is an American marital artist, stuntman, actor and director. He has performed stunts in over 100 films and television programs and authored one of the first books published in the US about the balisong knife.-Life and career:...
(They Live
They Live
They Live is a 1988 science fiction/horror film directed by John Carpenter, who also wrote the screenplay under the pseudonym Frank Armitage ....
; Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
) & Jude Poyer (28 Weeks Later
28 Weeks Later
28 Weeks Later is a 2007 British/Spanish film sequel to the 2002 post-apocalyptic horror film 28 Days Later. 28 Weeks Later was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and released in the United Kingdom and United States on 11 May 2007...
; Ten dead men
Ten dead men
Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden...
) as well as casting director Mike Leeder
Mike Leeder
Mike Leeder is a film producer born and raised in the United Kingdom, but based in Hong Kong since 1990. He has built a solid networrk and reputation in the Film and TV industry throughout Hong Kong, China, and the rest of Asia....
(Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 3 is a 2007 martial arts/action-comedy film, and the third installment in the Rush Hour film series, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, that began with the 1998 film Rush Hour and continued with the first sequel Rush Hour 2 in 2001. The film was officially announced on May 7, 2006,...
) & award winning screenfight/martial arts photographer Mike Holdsworth.
A noted MMA Fan, Hobden has also interviewed Strikeforce
Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...
& Pride Fighting Championships commentator Stephen Quadros
Stephen Quadros
Stephen “The Fight Professor” Quadros , is an American broadcaster specializing in play-by-play, color commentary and interviews for the combat sports genre on cable, pay-per-view and DVD...
and WEC/UFC fighter Brad Pickett
Brad Pickett
Brad Pickett is an English mixed martial artist and the former Cage Rage British Featherweight champion and Ultimate Challenge MMA Featherweight Champion. He currently competes as a Bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
.
Filmsploitation: The Film Podcast
In September 2011, Phil Hobden launched the Filmsploitaion Podcast - a film, news and reviews podcast co-hosted by Richard Blanchette. With alternating guest hosts, the podcast is seen by many as the successor to the phenomenally popular AMR Movie Show, also co-hosted by Richard Blanchette.The format includes news, run down of the UK Box office Top Ten, a feature Story, Reviews section, Cult Film (where the guest host (s) is required to pick a cult movie) and TV talk. The podcast has been avaialble on Itunes from Episode #1 and via the website at www.thefilmpodcast.co.uk
So far guest hosts have included filmmaker Ross Boyask, filmmaker & AMR Movie host Andrew MacKay, writer Chris Regan, Matt Duddy and Scolls Podcast members Phil Ambler & Dion Winton-Polak.
The podcast is produced every two weeks.
Press
Phil Hobden, his company Modern Life? and his films (including Left for DeadLeft for Dead (2004 film)
Left for Dead purports to be the UK's first independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it paved the way for a number of independent action films to follow, including Soul Searcher, The Silencer and The Purifiers.-Synopsis:Left For Dead is a...
and Ten Dead Men
Ten dead men
Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden...
) on various news sources from the BBC and recently on the 'BBC Film Network', Sky TV, Combat & Impact Magazines and numerous local newspapers.
Controversy
Hobden has not been a stranger to controversy in his career so far, with his films causing issues to both TV networks and distributors due to their hard edge violent content.Ten Dead Men
The initial DVD release of Ten Dead Men (aka 10 dead Men) was banned in Germany as the film was seen to be too violent in places. The film did eventually come out after many delays but with a Keine Jugendfreigabe (FSK 18): "no youth admitted", only adults, the highest possible rating.Left For Dead
Left for DeadLeft for Dead (2004 film)
Left for Dead purports to be the UK's first independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it paved the way for a number of independent action films to follow, including Soul Searcher, The Silencer and The Purifiers.-Synopsis:Left For Dead is a...
was due to screen on UK Satellite channel Movies4Men after they paid for the rights for broadcast in 2007. However the TV station eventually decided to not show the movie as they could not edit an appropriate version for TV due to the films violent scenes and adult language.
Left for Dead
Left for Dead (2004 film)
Left for Dead purports to be the UK's first independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it paved the way for a number of independent action films to follow, including Soul Searcher, The Silencer and The Purifiers.-Synopsis:Left For Dead is a...
has remained unscreened on UK TV.
SWEAT Team/Watercooler
In 2008 Phil Hobden was accused by The SWEAT Team/Watercooler of breaking NMW regulations in regards to a crew announcement on UK Forum Shooting People for UK action film Kung Fu Flid (aka Unarmed But Dangerous). These allegations lead to a very public three year war of words between Hobden and Watercooler member.However In 2011 Hobden, alongside the SWEAT Team leadership, helped redefined the board’s agenda to ensure that filmmakers who were making genuinely collaborative films or films with robust profit share agreements in place would be approached differently from genuine exploiters and people looking for free labour for overtly commercial projects.
Retirement From Filmmaking
On the 9th July 2011 a message on the Modern Life web site a post entitled "And Now The End Is Here..." announced the retirement of Phil Hobden from filmmaking.Whilst he has stopped making films, Hobden stillw rites for Combat Magazine and produces the Filmsploitation Podcast.
Filmography
Released Films| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Cut | Co-Producer | Directed by Alexander Williams |
| 2009 | Kung Fu Flid | Co-Producer | Directed by Xavier Leret |
| 2009 | Conversations With Dead Men | Producer | Uncredited Co-Director |
| 2008 | Ten dead men Ten dead men Ten Dead Men is the follow-up to the cult independent action film Left for Dead. Produced by the same company, Ten Dead Men features many of the same actors as its predecessor. Ten Dead Men was directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden... |
Producer & Story | Uncredited Additional Direction |
| 2008 | Miracle - The Latch | Producer | Music Video for Lee Latchford-Evans Lee Latchford-Evans Lee Latchford-Evans is an English pop singer, actor and dancer, most famous for being a member of the British pop group Steps.-Biography:... |
| 2006 | Wilderness | Producer | Music Video for The Morrighan |
| 2006 | 10,000 Cigarettes | Producer & Director | making of Documentary for Left For Dead |
| 2006 | Sixth Form Poetry | Producer & Writer | Music Video for band Wherewithal |
| 2005 | Left for Dead Left for Dead (2004 film) Left for Dead purports to be the UK's first independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it paved the way for a number of independent action films to follow, including Soul Searcher, The Silencer and The Purifiers.-Synopsis:Left For Dead is a... |
Producer | Uncredited Co-Director |
| 2005 | The Johnna Man | Associate Producer | Currently unreleased |
| 2004 | Lone Wolf 2 : Break Time | Producer | Short Film |
| 2002 | Pure Vengeance | Producer | Short Film |
| 1998 | Blue Eyes | Director & Producer | Best Writing 'RedTape Festival, 1998' |
| 1997 | And Penance More | Director & Producer | Short Film |
| 1996 | Fixing To Blow | Director & Producer | Short Film |
| 1995 | Butterfly Man | Fight Co-Ordinator | Short Film |
| 1998 | Lone Wolf | Co-Director & Producer | Short Film |
| 1994 | Boyz Gone Bad | Director & Producer | Short Film |
| 1993 | Project Assassin | Grip/Extra | Directed by Andy & Michael Hurst |