HOOT Horror Marathon Article612 viewsA promo article from HOOT magazine, circa October 1988. HOOT was the brainchild of local gadfly Irv Oslin. It mainly featured weekly runs of national comic strips, many of which did not run in the Columbus market, and other humor writing. Regular strips included Lynda Barry's ERNIE POOK'S COMEEK, the works of Jules Pfeiffer and, later, early material from Ted Rall. It also featured the only local printing of Joe Bob Briggs's weekly column. HOOT was known for its iconoclastic covers (such as the "Give 'Em a Big Dead Slug" parody of Big Bear's then-popular tagline), but also for its staunch support of the Marathons. The Science Fiction fests regularly received cover treatment, and while the Horror Marathons couldn't match this there were usually kind mentions in articles like the one feature here. On a personal note, it was HOOT's coverage of the 2nd edition of IT CAME FROM THE DREXEL NORTH (with its attendant Marvin the Martian cover and "Insomniacs Invade the Drexel North" tagline) that first introduced me to this cinematic thing of ours. Thanks Irv. (Neff)
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Flier for 1997 Marathon603 views*In the fall of 1997, Jeff Frank approached Tim Martin (who was managing the Drexel Grandview at the time) with an idea: he wanted to screen TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 4 that October and subsequently asked Tim to throw together a double feature with it and another film. Tim approached Marc Heuck (then employed at the Drexel and still several years away from BEAT THE GEEKS stardom) and I for help, and naturally, we collectively expanded the idea to a mini-all nighter.
*I stole the event's title from a 1992 HOOT article (which is located in that Horror Marathon's section) which referred to it being "Shock-tober" at the Drexel North. Thanks Irv.
*At the last minute, we found out the print of RE-ANIMATOR was lost in Europe, so we ended up screening ARMY OF DARKNESS instead. We'd make up for it the following year.
*Bruce emceed the event for us.
*We had two major gimmicks as part of this event. During the appropriate moment in THE TINGLER, several plants in the audience pulled the old "snake in a nut can" prank, and another few members "fainted" and had to be carried out. During TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 4, we posted Tim Martin's nephew outside the exit door near the Grandview's screen. At a dull moment in the film (I know, who woulda thunk it?) he ran up the aisle with a running chainsaw (sans chain for safety reasons.) It definitely gave the audience a jolt, and ranks as one of the best gimmicks in Marathon history.
*Incidentally, during this Marathon I told all my friends that after co-organizing one real life Marathon, I was done with the behind the scenes work and would be permanently returning to my role as audience member. HA! (Neff)
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I looked at my watch it was quarter to 8 ...555 views
