Special Events-October 2011

Our month-long Halloween celebration concludes with the spine-tingling horror of The Tingler, William Castle’s weirdo masterpiece of gimmickry about a lobster-shaped monster that feeds on terror within the human body! Aside from being the first film to use LSD as a plot device, the original theatrical run was presented in “Percepto,” whereby theater patrons were administered buzzer shocks in their seats, to simulate the monster’s attack. The result, of course, was giddy insanity, as star Vincent Price’s voice urges patrons to “scream for your lives!” Best of all, The Tingler features a major subplot based on the Silent Movie Theatre itself and its original owners, the Hamptons. Feel a tingle up your spine as you watch these scenes set in the very location where you are sitting — and maybe a tingle on your tuchas when we shock you Castle-style with real wired seats! Experience The Tingler in “Percepto”!
Dir. William Castle, 1959, 35mm, 82 min.

Watch the trailer for “The Tingler”!

The Innkeepers (director Ti West in person!) – 7:30pm
“The indie king of the slow-burn horror flick is back, and this time Ti West is bringing along an unexpected dose of wit, warmth, and weirdly effective character-based comedy. Scheduled to work during an old hotel’s final weekend in business, a mismatched pair of employees begin a half-hearted search for some of the hotel’s alleged ghosts — and butt heads with a mysterious new visitor (Top Gun’s Kelly McGillis), who offers all sorts of quietly creepy advice to the youngsters. In many ways, West’s The Innkeepers is a lot like his previous features, in that you know it’s a horror/thriller flick going in, but the director has a grand old time while building the tension, laying down the foundations of the (eventual) pay-offs, developing his odd characters in colorful ways, and (this time around) presenting long and amusing volleys of dialogue. If The House of the Devil was his affectionate throwback to the early ’80s, then The Innkeepers is sort of an homage to Roman Polanski with a dash of The Shining and a pinch of various other flicks. And while Ti West is still clearly painting with nostalgic brushes, The Innkeepers marks his most original and novel flick to date.” — Scott Weinberg, Feat.NET Ti West will be here for a Q&A after the film!
Dir. Ti West, 2011, 100 min.

House (archival 35mm print!) – 10:00pm
To watch House is to get a glimpse of what makes ‘80s horror a genre unto itself: beautifully grotesque latex creatures, ingenious practical effects, sly humor and a dense run of questionable fashion choices. After the game-changing successes of Last House On The Left and the Friday the 13th franchise, producer Sean S. Cunningham tackled a re-imagining of a more classic horror movie concept: man versus haunted house. William “The Greatest American Hero” Katt plays a successful Stephen King-esque author and harrowed Vietnam vet who moves into his late aunt’s house to complete his next book, to find it populated with lurking forces that have a knack for accessing his darkest mental places. What follows are garish and freaky encounters with an undead hag, child-snatching ghouls, zombie Army troops and a portal to the netherworld itself! House is that rare horror comedy that doesn‘t overplay either hand, and even emerges as a complex Reagan-era meditation on the aftermath of Vietnam itself.
Dir. Steve Miner, 1986, 35mm, 93 min. (Archival 35mm print courtesy of UCLA Film & Television Archive)

Watch the trailer for “House”!

NOTE: our feature presentation will start around 5PM — but come early at 4PM for pumpkin-carving, cider and a selection of autumnal shorts!

Nipping winds fill the air with the musk of earth, smoke and the breath of grinning jack o’lanterns, sending skeletons of red-golden leaves scuttering toward year’s end — yes, autumn is upon us once again. Join us in a celebration of both the season and Cinefamily’s October birthday, with an autumnal bacchanalia of music and film – replete with pumpkin carving, apple bobbing, mulled cider and other tricks n’ treats. As dusk approaches, we’ll share one of our favorite fall films, Ray Bradbury’s spine-tingling Something Wicked This Way Comes. Helmed by Jack Clayton (director of the classic ghost story The Innocents), with incredible performances by Jonathan Pryce and Jason Robards, and a screenplay penned by Bradbury himself, 1983’s Something Wicked… stands as Bradbury’s personal favorite adaptation of his work. One of the darkest films Disney ever produced, it is among the few “children’s horror” films that is truly frightening for children and adults alike. Come join us — we’ll provide the pumpkins, cider and blood-chilling frights, as we thrill in the sinister shadows of lonely Ferris wheels and the haunted carousels of autumn childhoods. Something Wicked… co-star Shawn Carson will be here for a Q&A after the film!
Something Wicked This Way Comes Dir. Jack Clayton, 1983, 35mm, 95 min.

Watch the trailer for “Something Wicked This Way Comes”!

Can you remember when Vampires were vile creatures of the night — evil incarnate, inhabiting the sack of flesh that once belonged to some poor mortal soul? Do you remember when filmmakers portrayed them as terrifyingly abominable, instead of focusing on their glittery abdominals? We do, and we’re gonna remind you, with gooey transformations, fluttery-winged rapacious were-bats, gnashing skeletal jaws and fangs, and a sensual sense of humor! Let’s spill goblets of gooey gore and toast the vampire film with the most, Fright Night – the original 1985 flick directed by Tom Holland. Our teenage hero is a huge fan of gothic, Hammer-style horror, so it ain’t hard for him to identify his new, nocturnal neighbor as an ancient murderous vampyre! With incredible special effects tumbling out one after another, extreme menace mixed with the humor inherent in madness, and an amazing ‘80s color palate, Fright Night’ll drain you dry and leave you with an unquenchable thirst for the real, vampin’ deal. Long live the undead Evil Ed! Presented in a brand-new 35mm print!
Dir. Tom Holland, 1985, 35mm, 106 min.

Watch the trailer for “Fright Night”!

The writers/stars of Snuff Box — one of British television’s craziest comedy programs ever — come to the Cinefamily for a live panel on the creation of their show, the inner workings of modern British comedy, and a few special live musical moments! What is Snuff Box? It’s the legendary BBC series written by and starring Englishman Matt Berry (The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place) and American Rich Fulcher (The Mighty Boosh, The Sarah Silverman Program) that only aired once in its native country, yet instantly entered cult infamy. It’s a combination of a depraved sitcom about a pair of jovial hangmen, and twisted sketch comedy à la Monty Python, filled with bad first dates, time travel, sex, whiskey, awkward moments, random beatings, snappy musical numbers, one very long white hall, rampant swearing and other pleasures. Join the evening’s co-hosts Steve Agee and Rob Schrab (both of The Sarah Silverman Program) as they probe the minds of Matt and Rich for our depraved mutual amusement — and delve into the mad, mad world of Snuff Box with a screening of Rich and Matt’s favorite episodes!

Watch the “Guitar Lesson” sketch!

Watch the infamous “Restaurant” sketch!

Watch the “Rude Song” sketch! Warning: NSFW.