Friday Night Frights
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Around the world, only a smattering of the best horror films come out in theaters, and gobs of great gore go softly into the night, never to be screamed at on the silver screen. In the past, Cinefamily has reserved just the month of October as an excuse to make merry in the macabre and delight in an onslaught of slaughter; and once All Hallow’s Eve has come and gone, our poor patrons must lurch back to their bloodless daily lives, secretly wishing that the terrifying times never need end. Well, fear not, for now every month is horrific at the Cinefamily! Midnight is the witching hour, and every other Friday night, Friday Night Frights brings you the finest cuts in upcoming horror and gruesome genre cinema, as well as devious picks from the repertory crypt, all with guests galore.
Bad Dreams (25th Anniversary screening, director & co-stars in person!)
“Another of those foul teenage vomitoriums…Why do they make movies like this?” — Roger Ebert
Ever wonder what would happen if Freddy Krueger ran a Jonestown-style death cult? Wonder no more for 1988′s Bad Dreams is here to show you the way! This shocker from Andrew Fleming (who would later go on to make The Craft) takes a cue from A Nightmare On Elm Street and warp-speeds it straight to crazy-cult town. Genre icon Richard Lynch is the demon ghost of a charismatic ‘70s cult mastermind who, after torching his flock in a mass suicide, torments Dream Warriors alum Jennifer Rubin from beyond the grave — and that’s just the tip of the insane iceberg. Hallucinatory madness and gooey FX congeal to make this entry in the cult-movies-about-cults pantheon a true overlooked and overcooked classic; come walk the true path with us for this special 25th Anniversary presentation. Director Andrew Fleming, along with co-stars Dean Cameron and Jennifer Rubin, will be here at the Cinefamily in person for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Andrew Fleming, 1988, 35mm, 84 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Bad Dreams”!
The Monster Squad (director Fred Dekker in person!)
The Monster Squad was, is and always will be a waaaaay better kids’ adventure film than the glory-hogging Goonies, no matter what any ‘80s-nostalgia-loving film fan tells you. That’s because director Fred Dekker and co-writer Shane Black (creator of Lethal Weapon) know what kids really want — scary monsters! Dekker dusts off the Universal vaults for classic, yet fresh takes on Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Gill Man and the Wolf Man (who, it turns out, has nards!), and pits them all against a gang of wise-crackin’, foul-mouthed kids. Hilarity, hijinks and horror ensue, resulting in a delightfully spooky romp that’s well on its way to “unsung classic” status. Like The Wizard of Oz and It’s A Wonderful Life (yes, we’re going there), The Monster Squad was overlooked in its day, and until recently was only available on dusty old VHS. We’re putting those horrible days behind us by placing this monsterpiece back where it belongs — on the big screen. Director Fred Dekker in person!
Dir. Fred Dekker, 1987, 35mm, 82 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “The Monster Squad”!
Thale
What do you say to a naked lady — especially one who emerges from a bathtub filled with a milky white substance, and a hose stuck in her mouth?” — Peter Martin, Twitch
The frozen Nordic wastes have been an excellent locale to set new horror films of the past few years (Trollhunter and Rare Exports being solid examples), and Thale is most devious of the bunch, drawing on gnarled, twisted Norwegian folklore to wave a supremely creepy tale/tail of the supernatural. In it, we follow two crime scene janitorial workers who uncover a mute, naked girl in one of the gore-soaked sites they’ve been hired to scrub. Said girl just happens to have a prehensile tail — and ancient, grisly weirdness ensues from there! Like the best indie horror films, Thale uses its limited means to its great advantage, as it piles on the claustrophobia and dread until you can feel the grip of a furry rear appendage closing around your own throat. A well-acted and smart shocker for your Spring jollies.
Dir. Aleksander Nordaas, 2012, digital presentation, 76 min.
Watch the trailer for “Thale”!
John Dies At The End (co-stars Chase Williamson & Rob Mayes in person!)
“Big jokes, big gags, big setpieces, big monsters and bigger-than-life characters cram their way into every crevice of the 90-minute screen time, as if the world was about to end and this was their last chance.” — Alex Koehne, Twitch
If a horror flick that’s a cross between Buckaroo Banzai, Donnie Darko and Scott Pilgrim floats your boat — or if you just want to see the always-brilliant Paul Giamatti curse like a sailor, then you may have just found your new favorite midnight movie. Director Don Coscarelli (the demented mind behind Phantasm, The Beastmaster and Bubba Ho-Tep) brings his idiosyncratic style to the mind-bending novel by Cracked.com’s David Wong, and the results are a hilarious, clever, and frequently grotesque head trip. The tone’s set by the opening scene: a hypothetical logic problem involving a murder, a poorly-made axe, a giant insect, and a vengeful zombie. John Dies At The End then winds its crazy way through phantom doorways, a new drug that causes people to spontaneously explode, alien body snatchers, alternate realities, heroic dogs, a self-help guru/exorcist (Clancy Brown), a dogged cop (Glynn Turman), and David’s best friend: the titular and possibly doomed John. Totally fun stuff. Schedule permitting, co-stars Chase Williamson & Rob Mayes will be here in person for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Don Coscarelli, 2012, digital presentation, 99 min.
Watch the trailer for “John Dies At The End”!
The ABCs Of Death (filmmakers in person!)
From Poe to Lovecraft, from King to Barker, from EC Comics to Night Gallery, some of the best pieces the horror genre has ever offered up have arrived in short form — and herein lies the appeal and power of the mighty anthology film. Inspired by the classic “A-is-for-Apple” children’s book trope, Ant Timpson (New Zealand film archivist/programmer extraordinaire) and Tim League (of Drafthouse Films) have culled together a woolly bunch of 26 favorite genre filmmakers, assigned each of them a letter of the alphabet, and let their twisted minds run wild! These few insane minutes apiece beautifully range wildly in tone, pacing, and scope, as the diverse assortment of directors includes Ti West (The Innkeepers), Ben Wheatley (Kill List), Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes), Adam Wingard & Simon Barrett (You’re Next), Jason Eisener (Hobo With a Shotgun), Jon Schnepp (TV’s Metalocalypse), and even Marvel comic artist Kaare Andrews. You’ll love some, hate others, and likely be offended by at least half of the shorts, leaving The ABCs of Death as one of the most unique and conversation-starting horror experiences to grace theaters in a long, long while. Segment directors Marcel Sarmiento (“D is for Dogfight”) and Jon Schnepp (“W is for WTF?”) will be here in person for a Q&A!
Dirs. too many to mention, 2013, digital presentation, 123 min.
Watch the trailer for “The ABCs Of Death”!
Let's Scare Jessica To Death
One of the great creepfests to indelibly burn itself into the brains of all insomniacs who watched late-night creature feature television in the ‘70s and ‘80s, John Hancock’s unheralded gem uses post-Sixties malaise to brilliant effect. An “unreliable narrator” tale a la Polanski’s Repulsion, the film concerns itself with the re-unraveling of an ex-mental patient (Zohra Lampert) when she, her husband and his hippy friend buy an isolated New England home in an effort to “live off the land”. Once they’re introduced to a free-loving stranger (the supremely sexy and spooky Mariclaire Costello) who brings with her lust, terror and death — the burn gets turned up to 11! Wisely foregoing onscreen violence in favor of some outstanding dread, this master class in hippie burnout horror is made extra-palpable by its positioning in the aftermath of the “free love” era, as our terrified heroine is not only spooked by what could possibly be zombies/vampires, but also the consequences of amorphous sexual pairings. Let’s Scare Jessica To Death rarely screens in public; don’t miss your chance to be supremely skeezed-out in glorious 16mm!
Dir. John D. Hancock, 1971, 16mm, 89 min.
Watch the trailer for “Let’s Scare Jessica To Death”!
The Brood
NOTE: our showtime of The Brood will actually start at 12:30am. Building upon the incredible little ouevre he had made for himself with Shivers and Rabid , Canadian master David Cronenberg rounded out the Seventies with the film that really knocked him into the horror stratosphere: The Brood. What on the surface seems like an “evil kid” movie in the Bad Seed mold is in fact a scathing indictment of the era’s self-help “Me Generation”, as we follow the institutionalized travails of crazed mom Samantha Eggar and the estranged husband trying to pry their daughter away from the influence of a therapist/guru (played with scene-stealing relish by Oliver Reed.) As the film builds to one of the most unforgettable “holy shit” climaxes in cinema history, Eggar’s fantastic slow-burn performance becomes an outward manifestation of the frustrations, fears and abject horror surrounding Cronenberg’s real-life divorce at the time — and remains one of the most malevolent portrayals of female evil in the genre. Don’t miss the opportunity tear the membrane sac off of mommy’s little monster in glorious 35mm!
Dir. David Cronenberg, 1979, 35mm, 92 min.
Watch the trailer for “The Brood”!
Near Dark (Joshua Miller & Jenette Goldstein in person!)
1987 was an amazing year for young vampire love stories, with the release of both the flashy, angsty The Lost Boys, and this gritty ‘n gory western — one of the best fanged flicks ever filmed. Written by Eric Red (The Hitcher, Body Parts), and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (who would later win a Best Director Oscar with The Hurt Locker, and might again with Zero Dark Thirty), Near Dark was underappreciated at the time of its release, but is now regarded as a bona-fide cult classic, thanks in no small part to Bigelow’s muscular direction and Red’s crackling, ultraviolent script. Drawing from James Cameron’s stable of character actors (he and Bigelow were married at the time), the film boasts career-high performances from Lance Henriksen, Joshua Miller, Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright and a scene-stealing Bill Paxton as arguably the greatest loose-canon psycho redneck vampire of all time. Wrap it all up with an ethereal Tangerine Dream score and you have one of the best horror films of its time. Join us in re-appreciating this blood-soaked gem from a director still on top of her game! Co-stars Joshua Miller & Jenette Goldstein will be here for a Q&A!
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1987, 35mm, 95 min.
Watch the trailer for “Near Dark”!
Zombie
NOTE: the actual start time of this show is 12:15AM. To horror/zombie fans, Lucio Fulci’s 1979 gut-muncher needs no introduction. An unofficial Italian sequel to George Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead, Fulci’s jungle island freakout is truly its own beast, and is a horror tale that owes more to the classic voodoo iteration of the zombie rather than Romero’s modern-age reboot. But forget all that — as there’s a real reason this is regarded as a classic: the wonderful, wonderful gore and make-up effects that Fulci slathers onto the screen with reckless, joyful abandon. All of his stylistic trademarks are present: the creeping dread, the dream-logic hysteria, the eye trauma — all wrapped into one magnificent zombified package, and set to the relentless beat of a voodoo drum score (courtesy of Italian horror movie music stalwart Fabio Frizzi.) We didn’t have space to squeeze Zombie into this past October’s “Video Nasties” retrospective, so don’t miss your chance to see this staple of the genre in glorious 35mm. We are going to eat you!
Dir. Lucio Fulci, 1979, 35mm, 91 min.
Watch the trailer for “Zombie”!
The Entity (30th Anniversary screening, composer Charles Bernstein in person!)
Ever wanted to see a mashup of Poltergeist and I Spit On Your Grave? If so, have we got an incredible movie for you: 1982′s ghost-rape masterpiece The Entity! When Barbara Hershey at her MILFiest attracts the unwanted attention of a randy specter lurking in her Spielbergian suburban abode, some seriously sexy paranormal activity goes down. Accompanied by truly disturbing layers of moody, jarring score work by Charles Bernstein, the film is a visceral rollercoaster of upside-down shocks. And like all good ghost stories of the era, this whack-a-doo supernatural thriller (directed by Sidney J. Furie, ringmaster of such diverse spectacles as Lady Sings The Blues, Iron Eagle and Ladybugs) is “based on a true story” — a fact lent credence by the on-screen presence of a crack team of parapsychologists, who usher in one of the most bat-shit “climaxes” you will see in a movie this (or any other) year. Come enjoy some ghost-coital/post-holiday cheer with us, as we indulge in the film Martin Scorsese’s listed as his #11 scariest flick of all time! Composer Charles Bernstein will be here to introduce the film, and to tell stories of his work scoring horror films in the 1980s like A Nightmare On Elm Street!
Dir. Sidney J. Furie, 1982, 35mm, 125 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “The Entity”!
Dagon (director Stuart Gordon in person!)
Legendary horror director Stuart Gordon’s most faithful and unsettling cinematic trip to the H.P. Lovecraft well! Adapted from Lovecraft’s “Shadow over Innsmouth”, Dagon follows a group of vacationers stranded in a Spanish fishing village — one whose inhabitants seem controlled by a shadowy, malignant force. Things are “fishy” in more ways than one, and Gordon masterfully piles on the creeping dread and slimy shocks with the reckless conviction of one deeply steeped in Lovecraftian lore. Anchored by a performance from co-star Ezra Godden that seems lifted directly from the author’s fevered pages, Dagon is a wet and wild ride that gets weirder with each passing scene, leaving you with one of the most bizarre endings of any horror film of the 2000s and beyond. Criminally overlooked, this fish is still fresh, and is one you don’t want to get away — so climb aboard with us and director Stuart Gordon, producer Brian Yuzna and co-star Ezra Godden, who will all be here in person for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Stuart Gordon, 2001, 35mm, 98 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Dagon”!
Alien 3 ("Assembly Cut")
Coming off of the rah-rah bombast of Aliens, the world wasn’t ready for the darker, nihilistic world of Alien 3; here, David Fincher establishes the grimy aesthetic he later employed to unfettered praise with Se7en. Freed from the shackles of the franchise baggage that plagued its original release, this visually impeccable film, set on a hellish, backwater prison planet, can now be properly appreciated for what it is: a stark allegory on faith more in line with the original Alien than its celebrated predecessor. With a career-best performance by a shorn Sigourney Weaver, a cast filled chock-a-block with outstanding British character actors and a scenery-stealing turn by Charles S. Dutton, Alien 3 is now ready to take its place in the pantheon of great sci-fi horror films of the last few decades. Tonight, we screen the long-awaited “assembly cut”: the 2003 version that fleshes out characters and storylines left out of the theatrical version, and more closely represents Fincher’s original vision. Come witness the revival of this maligned gem in its proper glory.
Dir. David Fincher, 1992, HD presentation, 155 min.
Watch the trailer for “Alien 3″!
Alien (Director's Cut)
A few months ago, the British Film Institute voted Vertigo Number One in their new 50 Greatest Films Of All Time. They were wrong. The best film of all time is Ridley Scott’s blockbuster classic Alien. You don’t have to be a sci-fi fan or a horror fan to love Alien, for it’s impossible to not recognize what a masterpiece of suspense and tension it is. The bastard child of 2001: A Space Odyssey and the starbound scarefests of the ‘50s, Alien is a perfectly cast, perfectly designed (in part by Swiss nutter H.R. Giger, who delivered the most terrifying movie monster of all time) and perfectly executed deep-space shocker that has inspired endless imitations and sequels but has never, more than three decades after its release, been matched — but you don’t need us to tell you that. You know and love Alien, so why not suit up in your grimiest space-trucker jumpsuit and join us for a rare screening of the 2003 director’s cut? In space, no one can hear you scream — again!
Dir. Ridley Scott, 1979, 35mm, 116 min.
Watch the trailer for “Alien”!
[REC] 3: Genesis
Paco Plaza and Jaume Balaguero’s [REC] series has set the standard for “found footage” zombie horror, far outshining similar efforts by Hollywood and even zombie master George Romero himself — and [REC] 3: Genesis is the most giddy and playful entry of the series to date. The set-up is brilliant: a camera crew is filming a wedding when the zombie-cum-demon plague established in the former films erupts. The bride and groom are separated in the chaos, and the film tracks their crimson-soaked efforts to find each other in the sprawling, zombie-infested wedding hall. Part Evil Dead, part Four Weddings And A Funeral, [REC 3] is an all-out blast, with Plaza abandoning the restrictive first-person POV early on, letting the gruesome, gory events play out with the benefit of a “normal” camera view — and the results feel novel and fresh. This gorgeous film deserves to be seen on the big screen, where you can see every beautifully rendered dismemberment, and marvel at every dazzling head explosion. RSVP right away, because this is one wedding you’d be a fool to miss!
Dir. Paco Plaza, 2012, 35mm, 81 min.
Watch the trailer for “[REC] 3: Genesis”!
Maniac Cop 2 (director William Lustig in person!)
Finally, a sequel that doesn’t suck! The only thing better than William Lustig’s seminal urban terrorfest Maniac Cop is his Maniac Cop 2, which heads in the blissful direction where all good slashers should go — straight into the realm of the supernatural, as our undead psycho 5-O teams up with an equally menacing serial killer hobo! Featuring a gleefully over-the-top script by Larry Cohen (It’s Alive, God Told Me To) and direction by Lustig that comes at you at nearly every turn with its muscular effectiveness, this Part Deux is no cookie-cutter rehash of the original, for it’s a movie with more than usual on its undead mind: subversive anti-authoritarian themes, shocking violence, crazy twists and a joyfully sweaty/sleazy turn from pock-marked lothario Robert Davi. Add to that genre faves Bruce Campbell, Michael Lerner and the always-freakish face of Robert Z’Dar, and you’ve got the right to remain…dead! Don’t make us take you in for questioning; haul yourself into Cinefamily for a rare 35mm screening of this gem, with William Lustig in person!
Dir. William Lustig, 1990, 35mm, 90 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Maniac Cop 2″!
30 Days of Night
Hollywood’s been “high concept”-crazy since the glorious excesses of the Eighties — but 2007’s 30 Days Of Night has arguably the best high concept ever for a mainstream horror film: for 30 days, an Alaskan town is plunged into total darkness, making it the perfect feeding ground for vampires. Even better, director David Slade’s film, based on a comic series written by Steve Niles, delivers entirely on the premise, with a magnificently bleak winter atmosphere and scary, savage (and thankfully non-sparkly) vampires. Add to this fantastic mix a solid cast of Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston and Ben Foster (in a wickedly creepy Renfield-like turn), and you have the one of the best snowbound horror films since John Carpenter’s The Thing. Naturally, we’re showing this chiller thriller in the dog days of August, so come beat the heat with us for 30 times the terror!
Dir. David Slade, 2007, 35mm, 109 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “30 Days of Night”!
The Descent
One of the most effective fright films of the early 2000s, and arguably the best cave-horror movie of all time, Neil Marshall’s The Descent has been solidly scaring the shit out of audiences for almost ten years with its nerve-shattering suspense and teeth-clenching claustrophobia. Receiving a shower of resounding, well-deserved accolades from the horror fan community upon its original release, Marshall’s gory sophomore effort (his follow-up to the equally rad Dog Soldiers) put the British director on the map as a powerful voice in genre cinema. By deftly employing an all-female cast of cave explorers looking for kicks, the film elicits genuine sympathy from the viewer without ever feeling like a gimmick — a rare feat from a modern horror film. This, along with the true nature of what threat lurks in the caverns, are but a few of the many reasons why this is a contemporary classic. Most people missed The Descent in theaters, so this is your chance to rectify that by joining us for a crimson night of spelunking and splatter!
Dir. Neil Marshall, 2005, 35mm, 99 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “The Descent”!
House Of Wax (2005)
This is indeed the House Of Wax remake featuring the hype-laden, gruesome on-screen demise (spoiler!) of gossip rag celebrity extraordinaire Paris Hilton — but that’s just the tip of the viscous, melting iceberg, for this twisted re-imagining of the 1950s Vincent Price frightfest delivers a wet, viscous punch that’ll leave fans of oily classics like Slither and the ‘80s version of The Blob thirsty for more. Director Jaume Collett-Serra (who would later go on to direct the also-great, also-crazy Orphan) more than delivers on the ick factor, with not only victims encased in wax — but an entire creaky, leaky mansion also constructed entirely out of the stuff. This is a full House of great kills, production design and gooey bucketfulls of imagination, all leading up to a body-melting climax for the ages. We’re giving this House a new lease — on death!
Dir. Jaume Collet-Serra, 2005, 35mm, 113 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “House Of Wax”!
Deep Blue Sea (director Renny Harlin in person!)
Sure, Jaws is cool and all, but you know what’s cooler than a giant killer shark? Genetically engineered super smart killer sharks, that’s what! Hollywood action-meister Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Mindhunters) knows how to deliver on a high concept premise, and Deep Blue Sea is Harlin delivering at his no-holds-barred best. With a stellar cast featuring Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Stellan Skarsgard and Sam mutherfuckin’ Jackson, Harlin infuses a great B-movie set-up with his muscular chops, and the result is one of the most crowd-pleasing animal attack films of the ‘90s — and the only great shark movie since Jaws. Forget all those Sci-Fi Channel cheapies, ‘cause this is the real deal, overflowing with all the flesh-ripping, explosions and panicked swimming you deserve. Don’t miss this chance to see it with like-minded shark fin-atics, and best of all, Renny Harlin himself in person!
Dir. Renny Harlin, 1999, 35mm, 105 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Deep Blue Sea”!
Arachnophobia
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “arachnophobia” as an “irrational fear of spiders” — but there’s nothing irrational about it: spiders creep everyone out, and no movie has made squirmier use of this psychological reality than this 1990 creepy-crawly “thrill-omedy” classic. Big city doctor Jeff Daniels takes a small town job, just as the offspring of an ultra-deadly Amazonian spider begin a quickly slithering invasion. From there, director/longtime Spielberg collaborator Frank Marshall goes for broke, exploiting everything we fear about the little eight-legged bastards — namely that there’s one lurking under your chair right now! Backed by John Goodman doing his best Bill Murray from Caddyshack, and Julian Sands doing his best Julian Sands, the film’s true triumph is its unparalleled spider wrangling, all accomplished prior to the CG revolution, which means real spiders skittering, jumping, dangling, and making your skin crawl! Some horror movies leave you scared to turn the lights off — but Arachnophobia will have you double checking your toilet, cereal boxes, and slippers for weeks to come.
Dir. Frank Marshall, 1990, 35mm, 105 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Arachnophobia”!
FRIDAY NIGHT FRIGHTS presents Juan of the Dead (sneak preview, director in person!)
Special Thursday night show presented by Friday Night Frights!!
Fifty years after the Cuban Revolution, a brand-new hostile takeover is taking place, but these rebels only want one thing: to chomp your flesh. Welcome to the very first independent film to emerge from Castro’s World in half a century! Our hero Juan is a shiftless procrastinator, but knows an opportunity to make a quick buck when he sees one — so when Havana is overrun with zombies, Juan bands his friends together to form a ragtag “cleaning service” militia, ridding households of unwanted, undead loved ones. Much like Romero’s late-‘70s gold standard in satirizing modern culture through zombification, Juan of the Dead takes every opportunity to hilariously skewer the everyday ins-and-outs of Cuban society, from the government classifying the putrid hordes as “dissidents”, to public transport that still runs regardless of the bloody carnage. And, it’s gloriously splatterific from top to bottom — would we have it any other way? Director Alejandro Brugués will be here in person for a Q&A after the film, moderated by Josh Miller and Sebastian O’Brien of Cinefamily’s Friday Night Frights!
Dir. Alejandro Brugués, 2011, 35mm, 92 min.
Watch the trailer for “Juan of the Dead’!
From Beyond (director Stuart Gordon in person!)
Every bit as colorful, gruesome and insane as his preceding seminal masterpiece Re-Animator, Stuart Gordon’s From Beyond continues his legendary fascination with H.P. Lovecraft, as well as provide another amazing collaborative canvas for horror film icon Jeffrey Combs to strike with his riveting brand of ultra-impassioned performance. From Beyond tells the gooey tale of a pair of scientists discovering a new gland in the brain — one that happens to yank nightmarish creatures from another reality into our dimension. If that doesn’t already sound like enough fun, Dawn Of The Dead‘s Ken Foree gets thrown into the mix, as does uber-sexy Barbara Crampton (who spends most of her screentime traipsing around in BDSM fetish gear.) Wicked psychedelia, intense latex monster effects and all-out craziness ensues, resulting in one of the Eighties’ greatest lurid horror fantasias. You’d have to be stuck in a hellish alternate reality yourself to miss this rare screening, especially since director Stuart Gordon will be there in person!
Dir. Stuart Gordon, 1986, 35mm, 86 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “From Beyond”!
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Death is the utimate trip, so won’t you come groove on the vibes of Dr. Phibes? Horror icon Vincent Price is known for plenty of savage, spooky and shocking roles, but none are as far-out as his titular turn in The Abominable Dr. Phibes! In this epitome of cool U.K. horror from director Robert Fuest (The Final Programme, And Soon The Darkness), Price plays a phreaky phantom of the opera who’s got a bone to pick with the stuffy British doctors who allowed his beloved wife to die on the operating table. With the aid of his hot chick sidekick and his bizarro clockwork band, Phibes wreaks vengeance on the M.D.s with wacky and gruesome deaths inspired by — biblical plagues? Fuest imbues the ‘70s psychedelic proceedings with visual flair and gorgeous production design, making this an abominable in-theater experience you can’t miss!
Dir. Robert Fuest, 1971, 35mm, 94 min.
Watch the trailer for “The Abominable Dr. Phibes”!
Friday Night Frights presents Demons
Taking its cues from Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead and ramping the madness up to 11, Demons pushes forward from the ‘80s Italian horror mold of basic giallo/slasher tropes to become a freaky, fucked-up funhouse of amazing grisly setpieces. Directed by Lamberto Bava (son of Mario Bava), and with a script written by maestro Dario Argento, Demons centers around a movie theater that’s screening a film about demons — during which the patrons become possessed by (you guessed it) demons! It’s meta-horror that pre-dates the meta-horror boom of the ‘90s/’00s, and frankly, it’s a million times more fun. Wacky characters, awesome monster make-up and gallons of grue abound, with its breakneck pace and non-stop gore gags making it a wild ride from frame one. A screening of this Satanic masterwork is rare indeed; we can’t promise you won’t get possessed, but we can promise you’ll love every sinful second!
Dir. Lamberto Bava, 1985, 35mm, 88 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Demons”!
Dr. Giggles (20th anniversary screening, Larry Drake in person!)
Dr. Giggles is a film that has it all — mirth, murder, medical puns — which makes it all the more perplexing that it wasn’t declared a cultural touchstone upon its release in 1992. Starring Emmy-winning Larry “L.A. Law” Drake in the tittering, titular role, Dr. Giggles is the quaint story of a small town doctor who just wants to see his patients well and rested…in the morgue! This gleeful and gory late entry in the slasher pantheon is both hilarious and at times shockingly grotesque — and is well-deserving of a clinical re-evaluation on this, the 20th anniversary of its release. So put on your best blood-soaked scrubs and grab your sharpest scapel, ’cause the doctor is in…SANE! Dr. Giggles star Larry Drake will be here for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Manny Coto, 1992, 35mm, 96 min. (35mm print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive)
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Dr. Giggles”!
Watch the original teaser trailer for “Dr. Giggles”!
Friday Night Frights presents Jason X (screenwriter Todd Farmer in person!)
Pinhead and the Leprechaun may have beat him in the space race, but no earthbound slasher handled the challenges of star-slaughter with more wit and grace than Jason Voorhees in 2001′s space odyssey Jason X. What should be a one-joke riff is actually a constantly inventive satire of sci-fi/horror genre conventions, and even manages to take loving machete jabs at the F13 franchise itself without descending into all-out parody. The result: a photon blast that lives up to the promise of Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, and in some ways even surpasses it with inventive kills, glorious gore and a great cameo by David Cronenberg. Oh, and space boobs too! Truly the best of the “in space” slasher trend, Jason X was sadly underappreciated upon its release, but we’re thawing this gem out of cryosleep on Friday, April 13th, so you can enjoy it in all its theatrical g(l)ory. When it comes to killin’, Jason is the final frontier, so don’t miss this star trek — into terror! Jason X screenwriter Todd Farmer will be here in person for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. James Isaac, 2001, 35mm, 91 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Jason X”!
Creepers (aka U.S. version of "Phenomena")
Coming hot on the heels of his shock classics Deep Red and Suspiria, Italian horror maestro Dario Argento was at the height of his powers in the early ‘80s — and Phenomena, aka Creepers, plays as both a sort of greatest-hits package of the director’s best impulses and fetishes, and a brain-busting head-spinner that stands mightily on its own. A very young Jennifer Connelly stars as a psychic ingenue (with a love of creepy-crawly insects) who’s menaced by a giallo-style killer at a Swiss Academy for girls. Throw in a a razor-wielding chimp(!), a typically nutty Donald Pleasance, a stellar soundtrack featuring Iron Maiden, Motorhead and (of course) the inimitable Goblin — and you have one of the best psychotronic film freakouts of the era. Tonight, we’ll be screening Creepers, the original American release cut — but have no fear, as it’s considered by many to be the preferred, faster-paced version of the film. So come get your creep on with this ultra-rare 35mm screening of one of Argento’s creepiest classics!
Dir. Dario Argento, 1985, 35mm, 82 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Creepers”!
Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (cast/crew reunion screening!)
NOTE: This screening will start at 12:15AM, rather than the typical Friday Night Frights midnight start time.
Truly one of the zaniest and most wildly entertaining installments of any horror franchise EVER! In the grand tradition of later horror sequels (in which the mayhem relocates to some far-flung locale like outer space, da hood or the Big Apple), James D.R. Hickox’s Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest deliciously mutates Stephen King’s original story and brings the murderous culty whelps to the urban jungle of 90′s Chicago; child actor Daniel Cerny delivers an awesomely creepy performance as the pious Eli, who isn’t going to let the obstacles of city life get in the way of his harvesting of a corn demon to reap unholy vengeance on this mild, midwestern Sodom and Gomorrah. On top of that, his adoptive uncle just happens to be caught in the web of an…international corn conspiracy? Kernel for kernel, you can’t beat Urban Harvest‘s audacity or insanity — and, you’re in for a truly unique theatrical experience, as our Friday Night Frights screening marks the straight-to-video COTC3’s first theatrical screening in…possibly ever! Come stalk next to “He who walks behind the rows” for the most terrrifying, corntastic event of this harvest season! Director James D.R. Hickox, cinematographer Gerry Lively, writer Dode Levenson, Daniel Cerny (“Eli”) and Jim Metzler (“William”) will all be here to introduce the film!
Dir. James D.R. Hickox, 1995, HD presentation, 92 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest”!
Kill List (2/3, 11:59pm)
The most wickedly vibrant genre film to emerge out of England in years, Kill List is a tour de excessive force that deftly blends Wicker Man-style occult freakiness with pulse-pounding gangland realism. Leading a cast full of breakout performances, Neil Maskell plays an increasingly bombastic and completely terrifying contract killer who comes out of an early retirement at the promise of a big payoff — handed to him by an organization more ominous than any such group of characters ever seen in the pantheon of gangster movies. Throughout this constantly morphing cinematic melange, director Ben Wheatley (Down Terrace) injects scalding fresh blood by diving into a dizzyingly unpredictable succession of genres, from nuanced marriage drama to heat attack-inducing horror, all seamlessly stitched together with the visual and sonic flair of a true auteur. Whether you worship at the altar of art house or the church of the midnight mass, Kill List will make you a convert.
Dir. Ben Wheatley, 2011, 35mm, 95 min.
Watch the trailer for “Kill List”!
Crawlspace (director in person!)
Equalling his turns in Woyczek or Aguirre: The Wrath of God for pure moment-by-moment mania, Klaus Kinski gives one of his career-defining performances as the uber-creepy Dr. Karl Guenther in the 1986 voyeur-tastic freakout Crawlspace! The film concerns an apartment building run by our madman Klaus, and the impossibly accommodating labyrinth of air ducts that allow the good doctor to spy on his tenants. No one can ooze creepiness like Kinski, and director David Schmoeller wisely milks this super-power for all it’s worth. The film is a loving and effective tribute to Psycho with a few nice twists up its sleeve, a fun ‘80s vibe, and a great score by regular De Palma collaborator Pino Donaggio. Plus, there isn’t a moment when Kinski’s face is onscreen that won’t make your skin crawl — with delight! Director David Schomeller will be at the Cinefamily for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. David Schomeller, 1986, 35mm, 80 min.
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “Crawlspace”!
New Year's Evil
Blaze Sullivan is having a doozy of a stressful New Year’s Eve: the hip punk rock TV show she hosts, “Hollywood Hotline,” is doing a live broadcast; her son is whacked out of his gourd on drugs; and, a creepazoid ID’ing himself only as “Evil” keeps calling into her show to inform her that he’s killing “naughty girls” at midnight for each of the four time zones! Unique to the post-Halloween slasher boom in that it utilizes neither the Ten Little Indians unseen-killer gimmick nor the masked monster approach, New Year’s Evil is a perfect example of the ‘80s holiday-centric horror film. As well, Kip Niven gives a memorable performance as our handsome Ted Bundy-esque psychopath, Roz Kelly (“Pinky Tuscadero” from Happy Days) is our bizarre elder heroine, and the film’s portrayal of the “badass” punk scene is a hoot! To quote the punk-in-film encyclopedia “Destroy All Movies”: “If [all] that doesn’t sound like a goddamn masterpiece to you, then what are you living for?”
Dir. Emmett Alston, 1980, 35mm, 90 min.
Watch the trailer for “New Year’s Evil”!
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
When setting out to make the sequel to the scuzzy, visceral and wildly original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre — a film so incredible that pretty much nothing could compete with it — director Tobe Hooper made the bold choice of making the comedic subtext of the first film the overt text, resulting in this colorful, legendary ‘80s slice of satirical Americana written by fellow Texan filmmaking legend L.M. Kit Carson. In a film that shares more kinship with funhouse splatter flicks like Evil Dead 2 and Dead Alive than its immediate predecessor, Hooper assembles a great cast with genre star-making turns from Bill Moseley, Caroline Williams (as the sexy heroine DJ Stretch) and original Chainsaw alum Jim Siedow, but the real casting coup is the inclusion of gonzo Dennis Hopper as the chainsaw-wielding sheriff gunning for revenge on Leatherface and his kin. Arguably the most fun and re-watchable of the franchise, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a veritable feast of gags and gore. Besides, what more perfect way to celebrate Thanksgiving can there be than with the cannibalistic First Family of Horror? Have a seat at the table — we’ve saved you a drumstick!
Dir. Tobe Hooper, 1986, 35mm, 89 min.
Watch the trailer for “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2″!
The Beast Within (Phillipe Mora & Paul Clemens in person!)
The Hollywood machine was quick to find new and goopy ways to insert monsters inside of our bodies, in the wake of Alien — and, not content to make just another Alien knockoff, director Philippe Mora took the concept to a whole new level with the cult classic The Beast Within. It posits what we’ve all asked ourselves at one point or another: what would happen if I were raped by a monster? Equal parts possession movie, werewolf movie and grindhouse sleazefest, this early ‘80s gem is anchored by a strong cast featuring Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch and a fearless performance by beast spawn/lovelorn teen Paul Clemens. It also features some of the coolest monster make-up and transformation effects of the period: pulsating bladder and slimy latex that demands to be seen on the big screen, and will still make you squeamish nearly thirty years later. Satisfy your inner beast with us, Friday Night Frights-style! Schedules permitting, Philippe Mora and Paul Clemens will join us for a Q&A after the film!
Watch Cinefamily’s original trailer for “The Beast Within”!
The Oregonian (L.A. premiere, director in person!)
“Bold, impressionistic, possibly symbolic or maybe just nuts, The Oregonian follows a young woman (Lindsay Pulsipher of “True Blood”) as she wakes up from a car crash to find the world has gone horribly wrong. With its startling sound design and Reeder’s backwoods, David Lynch-esque world view, the film never the less fits comfortably within what seems to be one of the subtexts of Sundance films this year: ‘Am I crazy, or is this the apocalypse?’ ” — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
There is a place where the skies are wide and the forests are thick — to say nothing of completely strange. You can lose yourself forever in these woods. Here you’ll meet truckers with serious problems, and old women with unspeakable powers. You may even make a furry friend. Just be sure to stay quiet. Spend some time with a woman from Oregon, who is lost on the road and running away from her past. Now she has a chance to experience everything the grotesque Northwest has to offer, whether she likes it or not. If you are familiar with Calvin Lee Reeder’s surreal horror shorts Little Farm and The Rambler, then you know you are in for some thick atmosphere in The Oregonian. Reeder is a king of ambiance, using color and sound to creep you out as much as the sinister characters do. The moody, tense vibes will make you laugh, too. Come in, sit down, and get lost. Writer-director Calvin Reeder will be here for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Calvin Reeder, 2011, HD presentation, 81 min.
Watch the trailer for “The Oregonian”!
The Gate (plus Q&A w/ director Tibor Takacs!)
From the golden era of cinema’s small horrible creatures (Gremlins, Ghoulies, Gary Coleman, etc.) comes The Gate, a film which remains just as genuinely spooky and cool as from when it first primed your childhood nightmares! In his feature debut, Stephen Dorff plays a precocious kiddie who accidentally unleashes the gate to Hades in his Spielbergian suburban backyard. Exploring the same haunting, hallucinatory territory of Phantasm or the original Evil Dead, and containing a very large number of indelible freaky images, The Gate is special due to its comittment to unsettle you; not satisfied with merely presenting a torrent of demonic little homunculi (portrayed incredibly by actors in suits rendered tiny and hellish through forced-perspective and other camera tricks), director Tibor Takács also turns up the moody burn to a fever pitch, and doesn’t skimp on the legitimate, non-kid-friendly scares. Also, it is a well established fact that any movie that uses a Satanic Heavy Metal record as a plot device is awesome. Don’t be late…for The Gate! Director Tibor Takács will join us via Skype for a Q&A before the film!
Dir. Tibor Takacs, 1987, 35mm, 85 min.
Watch Friday Night Frights’ trailer for “The Gate”!
Clive Barker's "Nightbreed"
Nightbreed is a rare breed indeed, the sort of gleeful, kitchen sink monster movie you just don’t see made nowadays. Directed by Clive Barker and adapted from his own novel “Cabal”, Nightbreed tells the tale of a rock n’ roll rebel (played by a brooding Craig Sheffer) who may or may not be guilty of a string of brutal murders, and who also happens upon a literal underground society of monsters. Did we mention that David Cronenberg plays his therapist in a deliciously perverse, scene-stealing performance? Hijinx and an onslaught of good old-fashioned latex creature make-ups ensue, and the results are unhinged, dizzying and never, ever dull. The film was Barker’s follow-up to his seminal Hellraiser, but it was sorely neglected at the time of its release in 1990. Now you have a chance to rectify that gross injustice by seeing it as it was meant to be seen — in a dark room full of like-minded, questionable weirdos! Come join us in Midian, where the monsters live!
Dir. Clive Barker, 1990, 35mm, 102 min.
Watch our trailer for “Nightbreed”!
Candyman (director Bernard Rose in person!)
Be it a horde of zombies, or one particularly large mutated lizard, the source of terror in a horror film with an urban setting generally requires a large volume of monster(s) to be effective — but the Big City has its fringes too, often hidden in plain sight. Therein lies the simple genius of Bernard Rose’s urban ghost tale Candyman, which takes the seeds of Clive Barker’s Lovecraftian short story “The Forbidden” and bears horrifying fruit by transplanting it to inner-city Chicago. Rose turns the infamous Cabrini–Green housing project into a world just as removed, mysterious and steeped in folklore as any backwoods or Old World village, as grad student Virginia Madsen’s investigation into a local boogeyman known as The Candyman (Tony Todd, in a chilling, career-defining performance) plays just as much on our dread of the supernatural as it does on our societal dread of the ghetto. With the help of composer Philip Glass, Rose crafts one of the most frightening and overtly artistic mainstream horror films of the modern era, by turns equally Gothic, romantic and bloodily baroque. Come summon the Candyman with us as he was meant to be summoned: on the big screen! “Sweets to the Sweet…” Bernard Rose will be here in person for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Bernard Rose, 1992, 35mm, 99 min.
Watch our trailer for “Candyman”!
The Kindred (director Jeffrey Obrow in person!)
The golden age of practical horror movie FX had a relatively brief but gloriously bladder-pulsating run starting in the late ‘70s until the early ‘90s, when the CGI revolution quickly transformed the entire cinema landscape. Produced during the heart of this era, the vastly underseen The Kindred deserves a second life, for not only does its shocking transformation effects match those of An American Werewolf In London, The Thing and The Howling — but its crazed original plot is a rarity for a film produced during the endless ‘80s slasher sequel goldrush. The story concerns John, whose mother is a renowned scientist. On her deathbed, John’s mother instructs him to destroy all her lab notes, before accidentally blurting out that he has a brother. Naturally, John and some friends venture to his mother’s lab, wholly unprepared for what they’ll find. In addition to its fantastic grisly grue, The Kindred also features two Oscar-winning actors: A Streetcar Named Desire‘s Kim Hunter and that great chewer of scenery, Rod Steiger! Schedule permitting, co-director Jeffrey Obrow will be here for a Q&A after the film!
Dirs. Jeffrey Obrow & Stephen Carpenter, 1987, 35mm, 91 min.
Watch the trailer for “The Kindred”!
Alligator
If the animal attack genre has a Holy Trinity — then Jaws is God, Orca is Christ and Alligator is the Holy Ghost. This masterwork (scripted by John Sayles!) takes the urban myth of the “alligator flushed into the sewer” and follows it to its natural payoff — namely, a giant alligator rampaging through Chicago. But what makes this film stand tall among its peers is a central performance by Robert Forster as the down-on-his-luck-cop-obsessed-with-his-hair-loss who just so happens to be the guy to go mano-y-gator with the scaly antagonist. Director Lewis Teague shows some real ingenuity in making the real-life gator look huge; it’s the kind of clever trickery that is so sorely lacking in today’s era of crummy CGI SyFy Channel creature quickies. Best of all, Alligator’s chock full of rampaging fun — there’s a scene involving a child and a swimming pool that you won’t soon forget — and a heartfelt sincerity that elevates it to the status of timeless creature classic. Later, Alligator!
Dir. Lewis Teague, 1980, 35mm, 89 min.
Watch the trailer for “Alligator”!
CINEFAMILY SENIOR PROM: Carrie + Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II
Corsage? Check. Streamers? Check. Tiara? Check. The wild anticipation that tonight might be the night you finally get to third base? Absolutely — ‘cause it’s prom time!!!! Calling all geeks, jocks, princesses, and weirdos: whether prom is one of your most cherished memories, or whether you were too busy getting high/studying/making out/crying to go in the first place — now is your chance to do it again (or for the first time), but ten times better! With booze and friends! Bring your high school sweetie, a gaggle of girlfriends, or roll stag to the first annual Cinefamily Senior Prom! Have some punch (hope no one spiked it!), get your prom photos taken with your BFFs, scarf down some Pazzo Gelato and — let’s not forget — dance the night away in-between our two prom-themed horror features, with DJ Tuna on the decks!. Make it a night to remember! Here’s the lineup:
Carrie – 8:00pm
The ultimate high school horror film, Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s first novel Carrie proved to be a rare perfect blend of story and artistic vision. De Palma really pulls off a balancing act here, deftly juggling comedy, melodrama and horrific hysteria, making it seem effortless all the while. He’s at the top of his camera spinning, split-screen lovin’ game here — the climactic pig-blood prom freakout will forever remain an iconic moment in the pantheon of horror. The cast is also stellar, led by young, hot Sissy Spacek, batshit crazy Piper Laurie, and rounded out by strong turns from Nancy Allen, Amy Irving, Betty Buckley and a pre-fame John Travolta. If you’ve never seen this masterpiece on the big screen, now’s your chance! If you miss this one — they’re all going to laugh at you!
Dir. Brian de Palma, 1976, 35mm, 98 min.
Senior Prom Dance Party – 10:00pm
After Carrie, the front row couches slide to the side, and the dance party begins, with DJ Tuna spinning tunes deep into the night!
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II – midnight-ish
Wisely departing from the slasher angle of the original 1980 Prom Night — which, by 1987, was essentially the product of a different era — Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II forges its own territory — by shamelessly aping A Nightmare On Elm Street via Carrie! The results are wildly entertaining without veering into the almost-inevitable camp direction that most horror films would soon head; veteran Canuck director Bruce Pittman knows what he’s going for and achieves it with style. The story follows the resurrected ghost of ‘50s psychic/prom queen/slut Mary Lou, as she possesses a hapless ‘80s teen girl in order to reap revenge on those who wronged her decades ago. The film has its tongue planted firmly in cheek as evidenced by character names like Henenlotter and Carpenter, and it has no trouble keeping the gory good times going — and if that’s not enough, it also features a wacko performance from perennial ‘80s horror hanger-on Michael Ironside (Total Recall, Scanners). This is one prom you don’t want to skip!
Dir. Bruce Pittman, 1987, 35mm, 97 min.
Watch our trailer for the Cinefamily Senior Prom!
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (brand-new HD restoration!)
Would you believe us if we told you there was a time, not so long ago, when broadcast television produced great and scary original horror films? It’s true; Friday Night Frights would never lie to you! To prove it, we’re screening the landmark 1973 movie-of-the-week chiller Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, about a young woman who inherits her recently deceased grandmother’s house, only to discover that the old place has a nasty pest problem: disturbing, murderous miniature demons who only show their hideous, twisted visages at night. This truly creepy slice of classic telly stars Kim Darby (from the original True Grit), and marks one of the final performances from workhorse character actor/Preston Sturges regular William Demarest (The Lady Eve, Sullivan’s Travels). Though the film was released theatrically in Europe under the name Nightmare, presenting it on the big screen is a wonderful and rare treat that only enhances the film’s sense of itchy dread — plus, we’ll be screening Warner Brothers’ brand-new HD restoration. So come gasp, shriek and soak in the vintage terror before the Guillermo del Toro-produced studio remake of Don’t Be Afraid… hits theaters this summer!
Dir. John Newland, 1973, DigiBeta, 74 min. (Re-mastered archival video [from the long-lost camera negative] courtesy of the Warner Archive Collection)
Watch our trailer for “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark”!
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Jason Voorhees clearly never received Dr. Suess’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” as a gift growing up, because — despite surviving a supposed drowning, then being partially killed thrice, and officially killed thrice more — over the course of seven films the guy never left Crystal Lake. Hell, by contrast, after only six entries the Leprechaun had gone to L.A., Vegas, outer space, and tha Hood (twice) — which is why the glorious Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is such a silly inevitable treat, for the big guy is practically burstin’ to get out! Not only does VIII feature the most offable cast of expendables yet, but it also contains some of the most insane and ridiculous kills of the entire franchise (rooftop boxing practice, anyone?) Come kick back with us on Friday, May 13th as we revel in pure hockey-masked absurdity and destruction with one of our fave Jason sequels — plus, come early for a pre-show montage of every single previous Friday the 13th kill!
Dir. Rob Hedden, 1989, 35mm, 100 min.
Watch our trailer for “Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan”!
FREE SNEAK PREVIEW: Stake Land
Like the undead lovechild of Zombieland and The Road, fest sensation Stake Land is the perfect antidote for the emo-teen vampires of Twilight. These vamps don’t sparkle like couture in the sunlight, and they sure as hell don’t want you to love them — they’re dirty, scary bloodsuckers who’ve become the dominant predators in a post-apocalyptic hell. And it seems vampires aren’t the worst thing out there, as our band of travelers (rounded out by genre favorite Danielle Harris and Kelly “Top Gun” McGillis) run afoul of a religious cult with nefarious designs of their own. Like all good horror yarns, what makes Stake Land special is the characters and the situations, and the film delivers with strong performances and unexpected twists. It all translates into a rockin’ good time for anyone who has ever loved Mad Max, but wished there were more vampires in it!
Dir. Jim Mickle, 2010, 98 min.
Watch the trailer for “Stake Land”!
Body Parts (20th Anniversary screening, director Eric Red in person!)
Cinema’s long-standing fascination with limbs that rebel against their owners dates all the way back to the ‘20s, with The Hands of Orlac — but Eric Red (creator of The Hitcher and Near Dark) flat-out perfected the formula with Body Parts, a white-knuckle manic thriller woefully underseen upon its release in the horror-challenged early ‘90s, but densely ripe for rediscovery. Jeff Fahey plays a scientist who loses his arm in an auto accident, only to get a replacement “part” from a deceased (you guessed it!) serial killer. What makes Red’s take on the idea stand out is the masterful way he ratchets up the tension; the guy knows how to styishly tighten the screws ‘til the wood is stripped, never letting up. Add to that one of the all-time astounding car chase setpieces, as well as Fahey’s crazed, inspired performance (which could honestly give Jack Nicholson’s turn in The Shining a run for its money), and you have yourself a bonafide hidden treasure. Writer/director Eric Red will be here at the Cinefamily for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Eric Red, 1991, 35mm, 88 min.
Watch the trailer for “Body Parts”!
Killer Klowns From Outer Space (Chiodo Brothers in person!)
The Chiodo Brothers trio are masters of the wondrous and sadly fading art of special effects puppetry. Their handiwork (pun intended!) has spanned decades, from the toothy fur balls in the Critters franchise to the gun-toting, epically vomiting marionettes in Team America: World Police — and in 1988, the planets aligned to let the brothers pool their collective creativity/borderline madness into their own feature film. The result: the dementedly hilarious gonzo classic Killer Klowns From Outer Space, about a sinister race of ugly-as-hell alien clowns hellbent on harvesting lipsmackin’, delicious humans. Effortlessly tapping into the freaky-funny nature of clowns, the Chiodos offer up a sideshow of loony danger with balloon animal guard dogs, deadly fun houses, human ventriloquist dummies, flesh-eating cotton candy, a pitch-perfect teeter-tottering theme song by The Dickies — and Animal House’s John Vernon doing what he does best: grumbling about punk kids! The Chiodo Brothers will be here in person for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Stephen Chiodo, 1988, 35mm, 88 min.
Watch the trailer for “Killer Klowns From Outer Space”!
