The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

"I think the guy in the hat did something terrible."
- Nick Carlton

Hats, masks, and people in the walls ... this marathon had everything!

I'll just start here by saying that I think this year may have been one of the best marathon showings in quite a few years. The lineup was solid, the premieres were generally very good, and the crowd seemed to enjoy the experience all-around.

I can't really say I've recovered from the exhaustion of attending, but I think I'm coherent enough to discuss a few of the high points and (of course) my thoughts on the films.

First and foremost, as always, a HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to all of the people involved, including but not limited to, Joe, Bruce, Anna, Kevin, Kevin, Mike, Kari, Alan, and, uh ... well, just everybody . These things are not easy to put on or coordinate and every year is more impressive than the last.

I leave discussion of the theater particulars (decorations, concessions, etc) to others, but would like to encourage everyone to let us know what you think ... many of the improvements you've seen over the last few years have come about directly because of your suggestions, so seriously, let us know what you liked and what you didn't. Bruce and Joe are most definitely listening.

And now ... for THE FILMS!

YOU'RE NEXT

I'll be honest, I was kinda done with the home invasion genre a few years ago and truthfully this film didn't change my mind. Generally I think the movie is OK, and the crowd seemed to largely enjoy it, but in the end it just didn't play well with me. Still, it had a decent amount of energy to get the crowd going and I'm all for seeing stuff I haven't seen before.

NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE

I'm really a pretty big fan of Herzog's NOSFERATU and this 2k DCP restoration in particular is really gorgeous. Having said that, though, I had just seen the restoration at the Wexner a month or so prior and with it still fresh in my memory (and knowing its length and pace) I opted to step out for a bite to eat. I managed to make it back just as the Count is making his way to Wismar. Still, gorgeous and well played ... hopefully the crowd enjoyed it.

RED LUCK

Mike's a fantastic editor and I love a lot of his surreal style, but after this (and having heard his narration over ALL THE MEMORY IN THE WORLD) I'm beginning to wonder about his overall mental state. Seriously, though, great that he was able to premiere the movie here, and the Q&A was a lot of fun. As I'm sure he'll be glad to hear, the visuals are still echoing about in my brain. Great job, Mike, keep 'em coming.

(But, you know, you might want to see if your health plan covers therapy. All I'm saying is, it's worth looking into ... just think about it.)

HOUSEBOUND

This was the real break-out gem of the Marathon for me. As premieres go, this is definitely the sort of thing I like to see. Granted, comedic horror is a somewhat easier sell, especially to a large audience, but it's still hard to do well. I thought the film was just the right amount of laughs with a clever story and a nice resolution right about the time it started to feel long. This one definitely gets high marks from me. I can guarantee I'll be picking it up at my earliest opportunity.

Costume Contest

Kudos to all the entrants this year, especially considering that most of them had well-prepared costumes and very witty staging. Seriously, I don't usually say much about the costume contest but this year in particular seemed better than most. Although, be warned Pan, the bagpipes may win you two contests, but your luck will eventually run out.

THE SHINING

"Boy, use your SHINNING!"
"Don't you mean 'SHINING'?"
"Quiet, boy, d'ya wanna get sued?"

There were two films which I'd already seen that I was still keenly interested in seeing again, and this was one of them. I've been in the mood to re-watch this for months now, but I was holding off to see the DCP and MAN I was definitely not disappointed. Every time I watch a Kubrick film I seem to focus on something different, and this time it was the score. Somehow I'd never managed to fully appreciate how wide varying that score is and just how much it amplifies the sense of solitude and madness in that movie.

THE MANITOU

I was a bit concerned going in that all the hub-bub about this film was going to be like when we saw THE VISITOR in Boston. In that case, I thought the gonzo crazy aspects were fun but generally I think the film is somewhat monumentally boring. But then I got hit with THE MANITOU and boy were my fears groundless. This movie fully deserves its cult-crazy status in my opinion. It goes off the rails early and just keeps going. Plus, it's the perfect movie for this sort of audience. Very high marks in my book.

THE STRANGE COLORS OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of this style of film. They're intended to be intense visual experiences, surreal trips of fantasy which are meant to evoke an almost visceral response in the viewer, and this film most certainly did that. But as much as I can appreciate that style of film, and as vivid as the imagery is, I find an impenetrable enigma and a conflicting non-sequitur narrative to be, well, a bit grating after a while. I'm glad it showed, and I'm glad I saw it, but it's not one I'll feel the need to revisit anytime soon.

THE SATANIST

This film turned out to be exactly what I thought it was going to be ... and I'm OK with that. Granted, it's a crap film. Granted, it's hugely boring. Granted, the soundtrack is just, well, mind-numbingly bad. Still, I find it an interesting bit of history to see, back when any flimsy excuse could keep a film from being labeled as pornography. Plus, there's a certain appeal to knowing you're one of the only living people to have seen a film ... even if it is crap.

DEMONS

I slept through almost all of this. Hey, I have my limits, and I could feel myself drifting off before the title card even hit the screen. I woke up for about the last 10 minutes. I can't really comment on the film, except to say that I'd seen it before a long time ago and I didn't really hate myself for missing it.

TENEBRE

I don't quite share Joe's absolute devotion to Dario Argento, but I will say that of all of his films this is probably the most approachable for me. I generally like the film, and this was my first chance to see it with an audience. I did drift away in the middle, though, so I'm going to have to go back and watch it once more when I'm more awake. If you're interested in picking it up, I highly recommend this restoration, the recent Arrow Films release. From what I could tell it's the best version that's out there.

THE WICKER MAN

This was the other film I'd been really excited about seeing. I've seen this film a dozen times, in all of its various forms, and for me it never disappoints. Granted, the believability gets a little thin in spots, but I found myself being much more forgiving of the narrative than I have in the past. I'm not sure the added footage from the previous director's cut is all that necessary but the remainder of the DCP transfer was really spotless. Plus, y'know, 1973 Britt Ekland gyrating naked against a door is certainly a plus.

THE INVISIBLE MAN and THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE

And here, gentle readers, is where I have to let you all down ... for you see, our merry trio of miscreants decided that we had indeed seen both of these films enough times already. The late hour of the marathon plus our growing fatigue led us to decide "This is the end, my only friend, the end." With a few quick words to Bruce and Joe on the way out, we bid our adieu and made for home.

I have to say, I had a fantastic time and was, as usual, delighted and impressed with the lineup and the offerings. I hope everyone had a good time and again, I encourage everyone to comment here (or Facebook, or email, or wherever you're comfortable chatting) with your thoughts and recommendations for future events.

OK, back to sleep.

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David A. Zecchini; Creature of the Wheel, Lord of the Infernal Engines
"Damnati Im Ludum" (VitruvianZeke@att.net)

Was it me or did The Satanist play like one of those old driver's ed movies where they beat in your brain to 1. wear your safety belt, 2. don't speed and 3. don't drive drunk?

I think the Satanist was shown at either Sunday school or CCD...in any event, I watched the first 30 minutes and I had enough of the monotone narration and 1960's nudity...don't get me wrong, I can never be mad about looking at too many tittay's but this one put me to sleep.

In any event, I had a great time with every moment (including THE GREAT SODA INCIDENT OF 2014) my only feedback would be to only show 11 movies because I was left with a decision..leave early or stay for two movies when you only want to watch one (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) but this is just a selfish request. Other than that, J &B and the Electric Marathon Orchestra (naming rights pending) pulled off another great marathon!

Can't wait for 10/17/15!

I'll post a full review later, but some super quick thoughts:

-Housebound was a big hit

-The Satanist was indeed bad, but the crowd still seemed somewhat entertained, as many people laughed at the awful dialogue, the shot of the wife walking all the way from one house to the other, etc.

-Good-sized crowd. Not a sellout, but I was afraid that this would be a really small year, and it didn't seem to be.

-Were there any dates announced for next year, for either the sci-fi or the horror? I was hoping we'd get a film or three for the sci-fi, but I didn't hear anything. But I'm just wondering if I missed anything while I was in the bathroom?

-Bruce mentioned the possibility of a 12-hour horror trailer-thon. I can't speak for anybody else here, but I can tell you that I personally would be a lot more tempted to drive down from Toledo for a trailer-thon if it was 2 old movies and a bunch of trailers as opposed to just a bunch of trailers. (Now if you would have to charge extra because of those movies, then maybe that would kind of ruin things and kill any good crowd for the event. And I obviously am not privy to cost details like that. But if there are 2 old movies you could find that wouldn't add a great deal of cost...)



What was that all about anyways? I was sitting in the far right section, so while I noticed the ruckus, I couldn't make out many details.



I have no problem with a 26 or 27 hour marathon.

Hell, why not officially start at 11am or even 10am next year? That would lower the chances of running over into any Sunday showtimes for the theater.

And for anybody who didn't stick around until the end, I think Texas Chainsaw Massacre finally finished pretty much right at 1:30.

I didn't see it because they were behind us but we did hear from someone in the lobby that someone threw soda on another.

Like I said, it's a selfish request mainly because I was spent by the end of the wicker man and really wanted to see TCM but it does not negate the great time I had.

The crowd was really great this year, and turned YOU'RE NEXT and HOUSEBOUND from what would have been so-so viewings for me at home into amazing theatrical experiences. So much fun! Although I believe the aforementioned soda incident had to do with someone getting mad at someone else's constant running commentary, so maybe some areas of the crowd were better than others.

I too left after THE WICKER MAN, but there was something to like in all the movies I saw (slept through DEMONS and some of THE MANITOU and was just barely conscious for STRANGE COLOUR...), the costume contest was great (thanks for sending me to the second round as the Invisible Man), the Overlook Hotel lobby decorations were amazing, and everyone seemed so pumped to be there! Thanks again to everyone that put in all the hard work and I'll see you in March for Sci-Fi!

I too saw the soda toss but am not sure about the details, also there was some other drama......reminds me of the good old days at the Drexel North.

I am sad to say I left after DEMONS, it wasn't due to fatigue, after sitting for 18 hours my tailbone was so sore I couldn't take it. Getting old sucks. I will be bringing a very soft cushion to the Sci-Fi marathon in March.


YOU'RE NEXT

Love this Movie and the crowed was really in to it!!

NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE

Not Bad, a bit slow but over all a good Dracula Story


RED LUCK

Mike has some real disturbing dreams but they translate into a very trippy movie!!

HOUSEBOUND

AMAZING!! Already ordered it on Blu-Ray.

Costume Contest

Glad to see this contest making a come back.

THE SHINING

Always a great movie.

THE MANITOU

Waaaayyy Better than I expected. I will be seeking this on DVD or BluRay at some point.

THE STRANGE COLORS OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS

The Low point of the 'thon, felt like it was 18 hours long with no redeeming qualities. This is the type of movie I would like to see dropped from future marathons.

THE SATANIST

I didn't think anything could make boobs boring, boy was I wrong. Still it was cool to see this long lost classic and the Cafe Flesh trailer made watching this movie well worth it.

DEMONS

Always enjoy seeing Demons especially on the big Screen

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"If you have GHOSTS you have Everything" - Papa Emeritus II GHOST B.C.

Ha! I was wondering if anyone would be discussing "THE GREAT SODA INCIDENT OF 2014."

Short version: My friends and I traveled from Chicago and Indianapolis to check out the show, for the last 10 years we've been going to a marathon in Chicago held the same weekend. The lineup for this year's Shock Around the Clock convinced us to give it a shot this year. We ended up sitting in front of two drunk/stoned guys who would NOT stop talking. They were occasionally doing "drunk grad student MST3K," but mostly they were just having conversations about their lives, girlfriends, jobs, etc. directly into the back of our heads. We repeatedly asked them to be quiet (every single time they were super defensive and indignant) and went to talk to theater management a couple of times; they watched the guys but didn't see them "do" anything, so nobody said anything to them. Near the climax of "The Shining," some *other* people sitting behind us started talking, and one of those two guys leaned in right next to my ear and said--not quietly!--"HEY THOSE GUYS ARE TALKING ARE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING?" Before I could even process what was happening and answer, that guy was covered in soda and the next thing I know we're all standing out in the hall with Joe, who was trying to mediate and figure out what had happened and what would happen next.

It seemed like the vast majority of the crowd were really cool and there to watch the movies and have fun. We got unlucky and sat in front of the 1% of the audience who paid $40 for a ticket so they could sit around and drink and talk like they were in a high school cafeteria for 10 hours. After those two guys left, we watched about half of "The Manitou," but the other people who were behind us ramped up their chatter, and we didn't feel like dealing with any more of that, so we just went back to our friend's place in Columbus and went to bed. Overall a pretty horrible experience, although we know that's not the fault of the people running the show or the theater management. Those guys were determined to do whatever they wanted, and I doubt they would have stopped talking even if someone else had said something to them.

Overall an excellent marathon! I didn't get to see much of The Manitou because I had some friends stop by that I have not seen in a very long time so we all went to the lobby to chat. I was pretty much out of it during the Satanist. Sounds like I didn't miss too much - it was what I thought it was going to be. Maybe SWV can get a hold of it...

Housebound was fun and I've told a lot of people to see it. The Shining NEVER disappoints. Demons was fun and luckily Tenebre was pushed back so I was charged up from napping during the Satanist.

I felt the sting of lack of horror trailers - so I would LOVE to attend a non-stop marathon of horror trailers.

I hope the person who won the Goblin poster enjoys it. The show was amazing that the guys were very nice.

I wanted to thank the person who was at the end of the row who graciously got up a billion times because I had to get for for whatever reason.

I can't say the same to the jerk who thought it was okay to move all the stuff my wife and I had in our seats so he could sit down only to ask "oh, were you sitting here?" ugh. Since this was after the soda incident, we chose not to make a scene.

Overall, it has me excited for the coming marathons!

Thanks to everyone who made this a great one!

Guys, I'm really sorry you had this happen to you. That really sucks, and for the most part, the audience is pretty well behaved. (Though please see the break-out discussion on the "Where's the Kaboom?" board.) Sorry your trip was soured by this.

Had to take a couple days to recuperate (as well as deal with some personal issues that caused me to hit the ground running immediately after leaving the marathon on Sunday afternoon). But here's my take...

I really felt this marathon and 2014's sci-fi is a return to marathon greatness. The line-up was solid. The pre-show trailers and shorts were awesome. The decorations looked great. The concessions worked out quite well. And the crowd was pretty good - not sold out but really thick, and many people stuck around for a long time.

Thanks to everyone who organized the event or helped out in any way, and thanks to everyone who bought a ticket, even if you had to leave early. There's something special about sitting in a movie theater with 200+ of your closest friends, enjoying horror movies for a full spin of the planet.

Also, along with all their other hard work, a big shout-out and pat on the back to Joe and Bruce for organizing a great event from the top down. They've taken a lot of care to listen to what is being said on the message boards about gripes/concerns as well as things people love. The outreach via the message board, Facebook, and even (gasp!) Twitter was really pretty great during this calendar year. Keep up the great work, guys.

And of course a tip of the hat to the good folks at the Drexel (yes, including CAPA). Kevin Rouch does a great job managing the theater, and he is a real mensch for letting Joe and Bruce run with the creative control behind the event.

Now, for my movie-by-movie breakdown...

YOU'RE NEXT - I saw this at a press/public screening last year and loved it. Unfortunately, the rest of that audience didn't, and the movie bombed. It was great to see the film again with an audience that shared my background in horror movies and appreciated all of the inside genre jokes as well as the extreme nature of the ending. Ahhhh, the blender.

NOSFERATU - I've always wanted to see this, and I'm glad I got a chance to this year. It's a real slow burn, and I can't say I'm dying to watch it again. However, I can cross it off my bucket list. The projection looked really good, and the audience was quite respectful throughout, which can sometimes be a challenge for a movie like this.

RED LUCK - Mike Olenick, you crazy bastard. My son Ben wanted to ask "Who was the good guy?" but I didn't think there was an answer for that. It's nice to see something different and experimental from time to time. It was a very interesting film and was a nice break in the narrative of the other movies, but please go see a therapist about those dreams.

HOUSEBOUND - I knew virtually nothing about this movie when I saw it, and it was a great movie to go into cold. A great pairing with YOU'RE NEXT, and though I didn't take it as an overt comedy, I thought it was a hoot. Great to watch with a fan-based audience, too.

Costume Contest - Curse you, all of you creative people! I thought my TEEN WITCH "Top That!" tribute dance troupe would be a sure-fire win. Seriously, though, that was one of the best costume contests I've seen at a marathon in years. Lots of creativity. Lots of fun. Competition is great when people are that excited to be involved. It will be difficult to "Top That" next year.

THE SHINING - Had to run out and get a salad during this to balance out all the rest of the concession food. Caught the ending, which looked great. Noticed a lot more chatter from the crowd on this compared to the last time it showed, but I blame that on ROOM 237 because everyone was analyzing it. In this case, I think the chatter was a good thing. (Oh, Pooh bear and your firetruck ladder.)

THE MANITOU - Though it was marred at the beginning with some awkward sound level issues, it eventually got cleared up. I remember the movie being bonkers, but I forgot how bonkers it was... from the moment the old woman floats down the hall and knocks down the railing like a row of bowling pints. However, when the dwarf manitou emerges, it goes even farther off the rails. Thank god they were in Computer Hospital with all the manitous from the machines to protect them. Sadly, my kids slept through this one. They would have loved it.

THE STRANGE COLOUR OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS - This was the only movie I really didn't like. Looked great, and sure I appreciated the nudity, but I can only look at a knife threaten to cut a nipple only to stab the vagina so many times before I get bored. I dubbed it CLOSE UPS: THE MOVIE and finally fell asleep half-way through. I suppose we have to have one of these films in each marathon to give people something to complain about. :-0

THE SATANIST - There's a reason this film was lost with no one caring it was. Still, I can't say I wasn't wildly entertained. From copious petroleum jelly breast massages before the masseuse turns into Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno, to hairy-backed nerdy writer's O-face, this film was snark worthy and refreshingly short. I had fun.

DEMONS - I love this flick, but I pretty much slept through it. My apologies to those around me for my snoring.

TENEBRE - Similarly, I had hit my wall and slept through this one too, except for the bloody tail end of the movie. Will catch it on Amazon Prime later this month. Me falling asleep isn't a criticism of the movie, however... this is just what happens when you get into your 40s.

THE WICKER MAN - Looked great. Sounded great. The "final cut" scenes were easy to identify because they looked like they came from a work print rather than the original negative. Neat to see again. And yes... Britt Ekland dancing naked. She could come beat on my walls any day of the week.

THE INVISIBLE MAN - I made it through about half of this film because I was just so damned tired. Still, I love the movie, and the DCP looked great. Always nice to see a classic, and this is one of my favorite Universal Monster movies. Made me want to take off my clothes and frolick around outside like Claude Rains.

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE - I had seen the 4K restoration when it played at the Gateway this summer, but it's still worth another watch. Didn't particularly like the cleaned up soundtrack. (There was something disturbing about the muddiness of the sound from the original version that made it feel more real and less perfect.) Still, neat to see again, and a great end to a great marathon.

Looking forward to next year!

1. Yes, the only reason some of those "cut" scenes exist is that they were from a print that was sent to Roger Corman in consideration for U.S. Distribution. The original negative is thought to have been used for landfill UNDER a London street.

2. Hey, I got to TIE UP Britt Ekland back in the 80's!!!


Sadly, it was just for a movie, but, jealous ain't you?

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Long Live the Orson Welles Cinemas

First off I'm sorry to hear about the terrible experience some of you guys had as a result of the soda incident. I sat on the right side of the theater with a few friends and we were just coming back from dinner when it happened. I didn't really know what happened until now aside from seeing Joe talking to some people in the lobby. It sucks that something along those lines can ruin what was an otherwise amazing marathon experience this year in my opinion. People sitting around us were respectful and very courteous, I'm sorry that wasn't everyone's experience.

I'll also reiterate the thanks many of us have already posted to Bruce, Joe, the Drexel Staff and everyone else that put on the marathon this year. The shirts and mugs were spot on this year and the concessions we're definitely up to par. The theater also seemed packed. I'm curious to know what the actual attendance was this year. It could easily be the biggest I've ever seen the crowd, although I've only been to a few marathons since 2009 and Rockpocalypse to compare it to.

Aside from the environment the marathons offer, the showcase of films each event has offered that I've never seen or have missed has always been one my favorite parts of attending. Going in this year I had only seen The Shining previously. Back at the Sci-Fi Marathon in March I had seen none. The experience of simply seeing what is offered with friends and family in a setting such as the marathons is priceless in my opinion and has kept me coming back.

As for the movies, You're Next really surprised me. It played well and the crowd had a blast with it. As soon as I got home I added it to my Netflix to watch with my wife who was unable to attend this year. In my opinion, the trailer for this movie did it a huge disservice when it was released. I remember remarking to those who would listen how stupid it looked. I will happily eat my words now, You're Next was easily one of my favorites that played this year.

I appreciated Nosferatu the Vampyre for what it was although it was the one movie I felt the audience took a little out of the experience for me on it. Movies like Nosferatu suck me in, and I get really engrossed in the pacing of the story. It seemed like the crowd was coming off the high which was You're Next and was looking at anything to get a laugh in on Nosferatu (which is fair). I didn't find anything particularly hysterical about half of a horse's ass on screen for 30 seconds but the guys behind me certainly did. This one I'll probably revisit at home when I'm feeling up to it.

As for Red Luck I really enjoyed the intro Mike gave before the film and the Q&A afterwards. After listening to the Q&A I really would love to see the film again and see things I may have missed. The whole potential connection to a certain historical serial killer was a novel idea I completely missed during the viewing and would love to revisit if I ever get the chance to see the film again.

Housebound was pretty much what I expected it to be. My expectations were high and it pretty much met all the ones I had. Its definitely one I'll probably sit down with my wife and watch again when I get a chance.

We left and ate dinner during The Shining, so I won't comment. The Manitou dragged for me. I don't know if I was getting tired or what, but even with all the ridiculousness it didn't do too much for me. The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears was simply exhausting. I enjoyed the artistic style of the movie, but man after an hour it was just draining to watch. I'm glad I saw it, but I don't think its a movie I'll revisit in the near future.

I finally started falling asleep by the time The Satanist started playing. Thank god I didn't have any nightmares after seeing the nerdy protagonist's hairy body in the first sex scene if you can even all it that. I'm more bummed I slept through portions of Demons. What I saw I really enjoyed but I ended up sleeping through the entire middle of the movie.

I'm glad I finally woke up in time to watch Tenebre in its entirety. It definitely was one of the sleeper hits of the marathon for me. I had watched Suspiria leading up to the marathon with mixed reviews so I was pleasantly surprised with Tenebre when it aired. The murders were gruesome, the soundtrack was perfect for the film and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat for how early in the morning it aired. I can definitely see why Mike Olenick sung this film's praises earlier in the evening.

The Wicker Man was enjoyable, and the ending certainly got me. No idea how the movie hadn't been spoiled for me all these years since its been released but it was one of the few movies I actually found terrifying in its premise.

I was in and out on The Invisible Man although I was awake enough to get a general idea of what was going on. Since Sunday, I ended up sitting down and rewatching this movie with my son and wife. Its a fun, novel movie from the time and has definitely grown on me as I've seen it a second time. At about an hour, its the perfect length to watch with a little one and I can see The Invisible Man becoming a Halloween tradition to watch in my family.

Lastly, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre didn't quite live up to my expectations. I don't know if they were unreasonably high going in, or if I was simply too tired to get into the movie or if I had seen too many horror films and was desensitized to what was going on in the film. It was enjoyable, don't get me wrong but it seemed like something was missing. That said, its definitely on my "rewatch" list and will be revisited soon once I feel up to watching movies again.

With all that said, thanks again to Bruce and Joe, and everyone that makes this event possible. I had a blast and I'll be eagerly awaiting to do it all again in March with the Sci-Fi Marathon.

Very.

Or, the time I got to bound and gag SHARON STONE! But, that's for another day............

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Long Live the Orson Welles Cinemas

Ok. Mostly recovered. Batteries almost back up to full power. The makeup work from taking Friday off (pre-gaming) and Monday off (recovery) has abated and I’m ready to put some thought into some hot, post-mortem action.

YOU’RE NEXT
Definitely the biggest pleasant surprise. I know it was out last year and once I saw the masks and the home invasion plot in commercials, my mind went “PASS.” Never gave it another thought. Saw it was part of this year’s lineup and thought, “really? Ok, whatever.” Listened to the podcast and when Joe said it would likely play first, I became intrigued. Having seen it now, I get it. More fun that I would’ve ever expected.

NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE
I’ve seen it. I like it. I’m glad it was at this point in the lineup because it would’ve knocked me out cold just about anywhere else. Great to see it on the big screen.

RED LUCK
I skipped it for a drink and part of the OSU game. I’m not proud, but that bourbon was good and I had a sore throat.

HOUSEBOUND
I’m in line with everyone else. Good fun. What is it about the New Zealand accent that makes me laugh at just about everything they say? Actually, maybe that’s more of a me issue.

THE SHINING
Classic. Looked great. Nothing to add.

THE MANITOU
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG. THIS was the highlight of the event for me. We were promised whackadoo but even with that warning, I didn’t anticipate how nutty it would get, I mean it was a studio film starting Tony Curtis. I must’ve been under some strong white man magic. You got a classic Tony Curtis just being Tony Curtis all over the place. You got a disgusting neck growth. You got a levitating old lady. You got amazing Native American stereotypes. You got an awesome/disgusting evil entity. You got lasers.

THE STRANGE COLORS OF YOUR BODY’S TEARS
VitruvianZeke captured my feelings almost exactly. I’d be willing to rewatch it though. Some real nightmare juice in this one. Have to admit it’s sticking with me longer than some of the other parts of the lineup.

THE SATANIST
Appreciative of the experience. The product’s faults have been well covered.

DEMONS
Another classic. I thought that given its noisy, gory nature I’d be awake throughout, alas, this was the one that I caught the biggest nap during (probably about 30 minutes). Always fun, especially with a crowd.

TENEBRE
Argento fan, but this was a first-time viewing for me. I really enjoyed it, though it felt like it was really dragging on at a few points. I don’t know if that’s the film’s natural pace or just an effect of the marathon. I traditionally get fidgety/irritable somewhere around movies 9, 10 or 11. Looking back over past marathons, I tend to be harder critically on the movies in that slot. Not sure if it’s coincidence or causality. All that said, other than pacing, I don’t have any complaints. Honestly, maybe my second favorite Argento.

THE WICKER MAN
I forgot about how much singing is in this. I also forgot how upsetting I find the end of the movie to be, not the twist, just the prolonged march to death once the reveal occurs. Really hard for me to watch.

THE INVISIBLE MAN
This was a nice palate cleanser from the heaviness before it and the heaviness to come. I know tradition has put the “old B&W movie” in the first part of the lineup given the tamer nature usually. I thought this was a great slot for it though. First viewing for me. A darker story than I was expecting. The doc sure was full of himself. This one looked great too.

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE
My first big screen experience with this one (viewed MANY times at home). Great to finally check that off my big screen movie bucket list. Looked fantastic, agree with Kevin on the impact of the muddied older sound. Still as effective as ever for me.