The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 5:19 pm 
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Just placing this here for when people are back to the land of the living and want to post their thoughts on the marathon.

I'll be posting something in this space today or tomorrow. EDIT: Which is now tomorrow. :)

So, before I get into a rundown of the films, I say it every year, Bruce and Joe are absolutely on the mark with this event and I consider myself truly lucky to be a small part of the entertainment. Every year I thank a ton of people who put work in behind the scenes, but since I've been doing that for so long, I'll just say "Better and better each year."

This year was another one for the history books (and, er, the history Website ... which I will hopefully get to soon(tm)).

The films:

THE TOMB OF LIGEIA - I was really glad Bruce and Joe picked this particular Price film for this year. This one doesn't get played a lot and I honestly think it's one of Price's best performances. It's got an amazing (and frankly groundbreaking) visual palette and I'd love to see it get more of a revival. If you have a region-free BluRay player and can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend the Arrow Films release. It captures the visual qualities wonderfully. http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=493

VAMPYR - I like this film, especially for its innovative film techniques and spooky images. But nothing compares to seeing it with Sue behind the keyboard. Fantastic job, Sue, and an excellent film choice to boot.

BEYOND THE GATES - I was really impressed by this film. It brings excellent production value to the screen and it's a really entertaining ride to begin with, and yet still manages an evocative exploration of abandonment issues and coming to terms with one's past. Kudos to everyone involved and an especially hearty thanks to Stephen Scarlotta for making the trek and joining us for the event.

THE DEVIL - This may have been my "take away favorite film" from the entire event. There is a TON going on in this film, both subtle and gross. The film mirrors, incorporates, and even blatantly references some of the defining works about betrayal throughout western history. Classical influences from the biblical Jacob to Oedipus to Hamlet are woven together with overarching themes of manipulation, deceit, and the folly of political revolution and reform. Fantastic film, and incredibly entertaining on top of its rich discourse on the human condition.

THE BOXER'S OMEN - Apologies to all on the quality involved here but given the source and the time limitations involved we sort of got backed into a corner (see FLESH, below.) Even so, that film is a WHOLE HEAP OF CRAZY and as a fan of old-school Shaw Brothers entertainment I couldn't have been more pleased. Poor timing to order my dinner sub, though. Mental note: Not the best dinnertime cinema.

THE HUNGER - I won't lie, I do love this film. I've seen it many times over and this DCP is a really good transfer, so I have absolutely no complaints on this front. I think the film's pacing is a textbook case of how to build tension without wasting time, I think the visual aesthetic is a feast for the eyes, and I think Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve make for a definition of "sexy" that's absolutely undeniable. Wow. Think I might need to find my heart pills. One second ...

<brief pause/>

WE ARE (UNFORTUNATELY NOT) THE FLESH - I just wanted to shout out from behind the scenes that Bruce and Joe really did do everything in their power to get this on screen. They absolutely wanted it to show, as both were keenly interested to see it themselves. Unfortunately, both the DCP we were sent AND the backup BluRay had mastering problems that weren't revealed until it went on screen (and weren't revealed when we tested them.) Not really much more to say except to apologize. From the technical side, it adds a few more things we'll be checking in future when we get brand new sources, but sometimes there just isn't anything you can do.

THE BROOD - Welcome to the first sacrifice of the night. I got all the sleep I could here so I could remain awake the rest of the marathon. Don't get me wrong, I love THE BROOD, but I've seen it before on 35mm, with a marathon crowd, I have the Criterion BluRay at home, and frankly I realized by 2am when it showed that something was going to have to give. I stand by (and fully encourage) the decision, since it left me more than awake enough for the final four.

NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE - Really not my cup of tea. I get that it's a hyperbolic lens on 80s horror/adventure films (thus the shallow stereotypical characterizations), and it's certainly a great homage to the "gross out" horror genre (Herschell Gordon Lewis, R.I.P.) but even so it feels too thin on story. As far as disgusting elements goes, however, it certainly raises the bar, possibly above the roof (and that's saying something for a marathon where THE BOXER'S OMEN showed.) A big thanks to Jonathan Straiton for sending us the film and for taking the time to record his introduction. Even if it's not my thing, I can certainly appreciate the opportunity to see it. For the people who enjoyed it, be sure to take advantage of his key-chain offer ... he seems a swell guy and I'm sure he promises not to run you over in his truck. :)

THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS - I think, like most people, when I had first seen this film I felt like it was a tad underwhelming and I've never taken the time to revisit it. Man, I was wrong in that. I think this is an underappreciated gem and one of the Wes Craven films you're seldom likely to see with such a great audience. Maybe not his best work but the film has a really unique feel and a perverse mixture of comedy and horror. A world of frenetic chaos crammed into a tiny box. I hope people enjoyed the choice as much as I did.

HALLOWEEN III: THE SEASON OF THE WITCH - This is another film that's been a long time coming to the marathons and I was really happy to see it. Granted, the really terrible 8-bit CRT computer effects are pretty badly dated, but I've always appreciated that the film was an attempt to branch out of the slasher formula and do something genuinely different with a film series. I think that without the "Halloween" branding this film would have been far better appreciated in its time.

THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD - One of my top five most watched horror films, one of my absolute all-time favorite horror films, and one of the shining examples of Dan O'Bannon's truly brilliant (if a bit acerbic) genius, I had no doubt this would play out the marathon and I hope people enjoyed it as much as I did. The combination of dark humor with poignant moments sprinkled in (Frank [James Karen] taking off his wedding ring and getting into the crematorium still gets me), it's also one of the best paced films in the genre. THIS was really the tribute to O'Bannon that I'd been waiting for. Big thanks to Bruce and Joe for bringing it back. :)

Alright, Marathoids, that's all I can think of to say for now. Please let us know what you think either here or on the Facebook page (if you're not registered here, send me a private message and I'll get you set up ... we've had a ton of spam registrations the past few years.)

As always, see you in the next reel!

THIS SPACE FOR RENT

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 6:28 pm 
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Fun, as always. This was my 15th year of these, and I'll be back next year.


High points:
1.The Brood is one of my favorite movies of all time, and it's always a treat to see it on the big screen. Great metaphor for the deleterious effects of divorce/child abuse, and the cycle that it perpetuates.
2. Sue Harshe's accompaniment to Vampyr was a huge treat. The film itself was a bit slow, and during a few moments, I caught myself simply daydreaming to the soundtrack. A wonderful, unique, value-added.
3. Boxer's Omen, despite the grody digital presentation, was crazy and wonderful. This was one I never would have seen in a million years outside of this event, and am grateful it was included.
4. Joe characterized the Devil perfectly, paraphrasing "30 min in, I am not 100% sure what is going on, but I cannot wait to see what happens next" I loved this, and it makes me want to read up more on what was going on in Poland when the film was made---I feel like there is commentary that I missed.
5. Beyond the Gates would have been good enough if it has just been a ton of fun, which it was, but the added themes of the effects of the deterioration of a family were the icing on the cake. This was a treat.
6. Joe was right, The People Under the Stairs is wonderful! Great to see Big Ed and Nadine back together, among all of the other great points of this film.
7. I had to leave before Return of the Living Dead, but this is a great film, so I'm going to include it here.
8. Having the GE next door was great for healthy food options. I left the marathon tired, but not feeling like I was going to die like I have during past events in which I consumed nothing but pizza and hot dogs for 24 hours.

OK:
1. The Hunger, Tomb of Ligeia, Halloween III were all decent but not overly memorable. Glad to have seen them---not returning to them anytime soon. If these are the "worst" films at your event, then you are doing great.


Low points:
1. The Night of Something Strange. I was one of the vocal minority who simply detested this film. Aside from a few interesting pieces of special effects, there was almost nothing to like here. My tolerance for "problematic" elements obviously has to be high for me to enjoy the horror genre, but this film seemed to revel in its homophobia, sexism, and racism with no hint of satire. Many of these are self-evident, but I'll pick out a few:
-black character who is a lazy pot-smoker who talks about being from "the hood" nonstop.
-how do you have a movie that is about STDs, but literally none of the "transmissions" are done through consensual sex? Rape is clearly treated like a light-hearted joke in this film, so it definitely wasn't a commentary on that.
-gay jokes? "Are you boys from California?" Really? in 2016? Also, it felt like that "trapped butt sex" joke went on for a third of the film.
-awful dialogue, out-of-focus camera work, miserable makeup. This kind of stuff is fine, and often welcome, in some 70s grindhouse print or silly 80s slasher, but in a brand-new premiere that we are sorta, kinda supposed to take seriously? (Right? I mean, the film starts with a sober introduction from one of the filmmakers).

Basically, this movie was as if some awful frat boy watched It Follows and Cabin in the Woods (which are both amazing films) and tried to imitate it with his terrible friends. There is a difference between a homage to 70s/80s horror, and a poorly written and executed imitation.

2. Naturally the loss of We Are the Flesh was disappointing, but what are you gonna do? In a perfect world, Joe and Bruce would be able to test these films and/or their backups beforehand, but that may not be practical.

You win some, you lose some. Can't wait to see what you guys cook up for next year. Feel free to lay into me for being too stuck up: you're welcome to come over and watch Troll 2 or Cannibal Holocaust with me sometime.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 6:41 pm 
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One thing I guess I want to clarify is that my criticism above is purely contained to the film itself, *not* to the event. I am glad that Bruce and Joe bring in hard-to-find films, new films, challenging films, and I love being exposed to new stuff. These events rule, and not everyone is going to like every film, and that's arguably a sign that you are doing things right.

Keep up the good work, guys.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 8:27 pm 
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I had an amazing time; thanks as always to everyone who put in the work to make this such an amazing event! Here's my breakdown:

-TOMB OF LIGEIA: I knew I was in trouble sleep-wise for the marathon when I was already starting to doze off during this movie. That being said, this film had some fun campy moments. My favorite was when Vincent Price was hypnotizing Rowena - "You see a butterfly. Reach out and touch it--no, it flew away."

-VAMPYR: This was such a treat! The movie was great--the part with the first-person coffin view legit freaked me out--and the live score was just incredible, as expected. Thanks again to Sue for putting on a great show!

-BEYOND THE GATES: Had its flaws in terms of pacing, but otherwise a great mix of comedy, horror, nostalgia, and a surprising emotional arc for the characters. Really enjoyed it.

-Q&A, Costume Contest, THE DEVIL: I had a few other northeast Ohioans with me, and given that they're bigger sports fans than me, they wanted to go grab dinner and watch the Indians beat the Blue Jays, so we skipped these two events and the movie and did just that.

-THE BOXER'S OMEN: I was hyping this one to my friends, since I saw it on DVD several years ago and remembered really enjoying it. While I'd still recommend it, I wish I would've remembered all the eating/puking out/re-eating of gross "food" as part of the black magic spells--my friends were not as happy with me for that part of it.

-THE HUNGER: Slept through most of this one, but I liked the moodiness of what I did see. I'll have to rewatch at some point.

-WE ARE THE FLESH: Really bummed we lost this one, but hopefully it'll show up on Netflix or Shudder or something at some point. Kudos to the behind-the-scenes team for trying everything in their power to get this one working, but as a glance at the Hall of Marathonia will show you, these sorts of hiccups just love to show up at marathons. I'll admit I spent the first minute or two thinking the blackouts were an artistic choice and tried to figure out what exactly they were trying to convey.

-THE BROOD: WOW. I had not seen this before and it was maybe my most anticipated title, and it did not disappoint. The ending was truly shocking, disturbing, suspenseful and meaningful. I definitely want to watch this again ASAP.

-NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE: I 100% agree with rotorueter on this one. From the first time I saw the trailer at SHOCK-O-RAMA, I thought it looked chincy and stupid, and the first ten minutes, which featured no less than two rape scenes, did nothing to convince me otherwise, so I attempted to close my eyes and get some sleep during this film. Unfortunately, since I was expecting WE ARE THE FLESH, I had just chugged a cup of coffee and sleep was not in the cards, so I spent most of the movie with my eyes closed out of spite, hoping in vain to fall asleep, and eventually putting my headphones in and listening to podcasts with my eyes closed. Obviously I can't say I gave the movie a fair shake, since I didn't even see most of it, but what I did hear and see was, as rotorueter said, very outdated in terms of sexism, homophobia, racism, etc. I understand it was a comedy and that kind of stuff can work sometimes in a satirical/self-aware context, but again, to echo previous comments, it felt like a movie for teen boys and frat bros made by someone who thinks "shocking," "offensive" material (which stopped being shocking at least 20 years ago) is always funny in and of itself, and had no nuance or artistry to it at all. Again, maybe I missed something in not paying attention to it, and no judgment at all on anyone who enjoyed it or went along for the ridiculous ride, but personally, it was the antithesis of something I want to spend my time watching.

-THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS: This one really made the most of its setting. The house felt like, as Joe Bob Briggs put it, a kind of twisted Wonderland that always had some hidden passage or trap up its sleeve and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering how they were going to get out of each situation. Also, it seems like every marathon reveals a hidden theme which runs through a few of the movies, and between BEYOND THE GATES, THE BROOD and THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS, it felt like this year's theme was child abuse/neglect.

-HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH: Well, I guess I know what I'm going to be humming for the rest of the month. 15 days to Halloween, Halloween, Halloween...

-THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD: Slept through about the middle third, but it seemed like a kinetic, raucous good time.

-Miscellaneous stuff: as always, cannot say thank you enough to everyone working behind (and in front of) the scenes. It's really inspiring to see how much everyone from the theater and the marathon crew gets behind these events, and it's the main reason I'm such a cheerleader for the marathons in my everyday life. The Drexel seems to have really embraced the 'thons and it seems, at least on the surface, to be a fairly well oiled machine at this point, so personally I didn't have any issues with food, merchandise, communication, etc. The decorations were PHENOMENAL...multiple times I found myself in the lobby just staring at the giant skull-filled VHS tape. Really amazing work. Final note: despite all the terrifying films, the most horrific thing I experienced during the marathon was someone in my row deciding to lay down on the seats for some shut-eye without shoes or socks--nothing says horror like the occasional whiff of a stranger's foot odor. :? But I had a great time and, for the most part, really enjoyed the lineup. Hopefully I'll make it next year for Sci-Fi!


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:00 am 
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As always, great time and great job done by Joe and Bruce. This was a very short year for me as I was struggling during the start of People Under the Stairs and went home 15 minutes into the movie. My highlights are as follows:

- Really liked Tomb of Ligeia. Great print and, although a bit silly at times, still a really good flick. Predictably, the Donald Trump joke was inevitable, which came 30 minutes in, which I'm surprised it took that long.

- Vampyr - not a fan of the flick but really enjoyed Sue's music that accompanied the flick. Death by flour mill drowning...who knew that was thing?

- Beyond the Gates - Loved this flick! This was a true homage (unlike the latter) to the 80's without going to silly. Got a chance to speak with Stephen and he was a genuine dude. he really loved the event and really liked the crowd.

- The Devil - Probably in the minority but I really liked this. Although, I couldn't really figure out who the Devil was but I'm a bit of sucker for the bizarre.

- Boxer's Omen and the Hunger - I stepped out and got a bite to eat and watched a game

- We are the flesh - bummed that this wasn't shown but very intrigued to watch this on my own now.

- Night of Something Strange - Glad I saw it with the Thon crowd. I'll never revisit this movie ever again. Nothing more needs to be said, that hasn't already been mentioned. Take away all the stereotypes, the gay jokes, etc...and it was just a bad movie. Again, glad I saw with this group because there would be no other reason to see this.

Again, I left early because I was losing steam and couldn't keep my eyes open at all during People Under the Stairs. The bummer was that, I really wanted to watch the last 3 and movies and just couldn't stay awake. Add that to the theatre being an oven for, what seemed to be 3-4 hours, an annoying group of girls (should say one girl specifically) who complained, talked through movies, asked the snorer to leave, and was just overall rude. Of which I don't get why someone would buy a $40 ticket to a movie marathon, just to sleep through 15 hours of movies. Maybe it was cheaper than a hotel?
Anyway, this is no bearing on Joe or Bruce at all, however; I do think the slower start go to me and if I can offer any feedback, I kind of liked the old bounce around in the past. Can kind of be a little more strategic with movies I want to see and movies I want to sleep through but this just me being selfish.

In any event, great job again. Looking forward to next year.


Last edited by Worldsfinest on Mon Oct 17, 2016 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:06 am 
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agentstinky wrote:
Final note: despite all the terrifying films, the most horrific thing I experienced during the marathon was someone in my row deciding to lay down on the seats for some shut-eye without shoes or socks--nothing says horror like the occasional whiff of a stranger's foot odor.


I noticed a few people who thought it was a great idea to walk around bare foot. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!! I found that to be absolutely repulsive because there's nothing like having dead skin cells from someone's feet in your coffee, popcorn, hotdog, etc...


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 9:09 am 
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My Post-Mortem is going to be shorter than normal, because I cut out so early, which also meant I didn't write down the trailers and shorts. But here are my thoughts.

TOMB OF LIGIEA: A bit on the slow side, sure. But Price has never been better than he was in this film, and I found myself thinking several times that when he was younger and clean shaven, he was quite a handsome looking dude. I appreciated getting this one in, because I don't know if I would ever have sought it out on my own.

VAMPYR: Very slow, but again, Sue Harshe's music was perfect. The only problem I had was that between the slowness of the film and how soothing and entrancing the music was, I found my eyes closing several times.

BEYOND THE GATES: This was just a ton of fun. Well-made, cheesy in exactly the right ways, and the practical effects were very welcome. I laughed, I gasped, I had a great time. This was the highlight of the marathon for me, and the film from the marathon that I definitely plan to share with my wife once I get the chance.

Q&A: I missed most of this to go change for the costume contest. I got back in time for the very end, and from what I heard, Stephen seemed like a really cool guy. I'm glad he made it out for the event, and I hope he enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed having him there. Any chance of getting JODOROSKI'S DUNE for the Sci-Fi and bringing him back out?

THE DEVIL: This movie was an experience. I still don't know what was actually going on in the film, and would love to do the research to see what was happening politically in Poland at the time. It seemed like some of the translation for the subtitles might have been subtly off - where the words were translated literally perhaps, but not with a sense for how language should flow in English - but I still really appreciated it.

BOXER'S OMEN: My plan was for this to be the final film I stayed through, but quickly into the movie I started to do the head-nodding thing. Knowing that I was going to leave after it, I decided to just cut my losses and go home to rest up for the Columbus Marathon Half the next morning.

RUN-THROUGH: I didn't really get to see what was on the screen when I went running in, but it was a ton of fun to run through the Marathon in the middle of my half-marathon. Thanks for your cheers - they helped sustain me for the next 8 miles I had to go after that (even if you didn't cheer for me during the costume contest).

I had hoped to come back for RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, but by the time we had gotten our medals, food, and made it back to the car, it was already after 11:00, and I was exhausted.

Looking forward to coming back in the Spring and hopefully getting to stay all the way through the Sci-Fi marathon.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 12:01 pm 
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AEinhorn wrote:
RUN-THROUGH: I didn't really get to see what was on the screen when I went running in, but it was a ton of fun to run through the Marathon in the middle of my half-marathon. Thanks for your cheers - they helped sustain me for the next 8 miles I had to go after that (even if you didn't cheer for me during the costume contest).


Oh man, that was you? Awesome! I was standing at the back of the theater while I charged my phone when you ran through, and I was very confused at first when I saw someone come sprinting through the theater doors. You came through during Halloween III, and about two seconds after you ran through and the lights were turned back off, a side character got mutilated by the energy beam from the Silver Shamrock logo, which made for a very interesting juxtaposition to say the least.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 3:02 pm 
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agentstinky wrote:
Oh man, that was you? Awesome! I was standing at the back of the theater while I charged my phone when you ran through, and I was very confused at first when I saw someone come sprinting through the theater doors. You came through during Halloween III, and about two seconds after you ran through and the lights were turned back off, a side character got mutilated by the energy beam from the Silver Shamrock logo, which made for a very interesting juxtaposition to say the least.


Hey, I told you guys that I'd come back and run through the Marathon during the Half during the costume contest. :D


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 3:35 pm 
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AEinhorn wrote:
Hey, I told you guys that I'd come back and run through the Marathon during the Half during the costume contest. :D


Ahh I see, I was out to dinner during the costume contest so it was a complete surprise to me.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:03 pm 
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I will be filling this in over the next couple days but I need to fill in a couple blanks right away:

The films:

THE TOMB OF LIGEIA - As always any Vincent Price Film is a welcome addition to the marathon and it was a perfect way to start the event.

VAMPYR - This one sparked my imagination and really enjoyed certain aspects of it. Sue did a great job with the music and atmosphere.

BEYOND THE GATES - This was a really good movie, the first half was a bit long but once it got going it was a fun ride. would certainly buy a retro VHS copy if they make one.

THE DEVIL - Sorry but this was a boring P.O.S. everyone around me was groaning about how horrible this film was and honestly I would not classify this as a Horror Film. The perfect example of film that should not be shown at future events.

THE BOXER'S OMEN - This was a huge disappointment, I had such high hopes for The Boxer's Omen but in the end it was a let down, all the best stuff was in the trailer.

THE HUNGER - How can you not love this film, yes it's slow paced but overall it's a great story and a new twist on Vampire mythology.

WE ARE THE FLESH - I was happy this one was dropped, I have a feeling it was not going to be to my liking.

THE BROOD - I always like The Brood, and even after multiple viewings I find myself asking questions about the meaning of the film.

NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE - I have to give this film credit, I thought after seeing Brain Dead (aka Dead Alive) and Bad Taste nothing could gross me out but boy was I wrong, my stomach actual turned over a few times while watching this film, and the uncomfortably laughter from everyone watching was perfect. I don't think I would watch this one again but it certainly accomplished what it set out to do.

THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS - This was the 3rd time this year I have watched People under the stairs and yet I still enjoyed it, its a strong entry into the Wes Craven film catalog and just a fun film.

HALLOWEEN III: THE SEASON OF THE WITCH - This was the high point of the marathon for me, I never thought I would get to see H3 on the big screen and it certainly did not let me down. I would love to see a sequel to H3 because you know the real Cochran was hiding in a bunker somewhere and it was a robot Cochran that was killed.

THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD - DO YOU WANNA PARTY? The perfect song for the perfect Zombie Comedy Movie and a great way to end the Marathon.

The Horror Marathon really needs to scale back on the premiers and focus more on traditional Horror. The 2nd Half of this marathon was Very strong and kept me wide awake. Overall I had a great time.

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Last edited by Ghost on Tue Oct 18, 2016 9:37 am, edited 3 times in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:20 pm 
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Much as the madness-infused dreamscape of the late, great 8th Annual SHOCK AROUND THE CLOCK was composed of matters most fleeting, nightmare visages peeking out from behind the ether of reality, so too are my impressions of this past weekend often like half-remembered dreams from another world. To wit:

-"Delirious" is a word that I've often used to describe the cinema of Andrzej Zulawski, and seeing THE DEVIL for this first time just confirmed once again that this word choice is highly appropriate. As Dave mentioned above, it's festooned with references to classic tales of deceit and betrayal, HAMLET the most prominent of all. It's fitting, as in ways both explicit and implicit, Zulawski's films often deal with the theatricality of emotions. And who is Hamlet but a man spending half the play hemming and hawing over what to do about his problems, who feigns madness to get his way, and who employs a theater company to act out a revenge play in order to trap the murderer of his father. Milton's PARADISE LOST, with its Satan who spends much of the narrative trying to convince the reader that he's just misunderstood, is also a key, related text here. But in a larger sense, I just love the wild abandon of Zulawski's films. Half the fun of THE DEVIL was in surrendering myself to the madcap ride on which he was taking the audience. It's a welcome relief in an era in which so many films are predictable and focus-grouped to death.

-Every Marathon has its own unique ebb and flow. I'd like to think that this one mirrored the dominant theme of madness that ran throughout, as we began with dread-soaked, dreamlike narratives, before gradually moving into the more full-blown of the remainder of the lineup. Sue Harshe's score for VAMPYR was well in keeping with this progression. It wasn't as immediately propulsive as the one she composed for CALIGARI in 2011, but the way that it conveyed a tone of encroaching dread while yanking at the edges of the fabric of reality was stunning in total. A what a dread-filled film VAMPYR is! There's a shot early on in which the camera pans across Allan's room, the camera lens distorting the image just enough to make it seem both perfectly mundane and disturbingly off. I've yet to encounter many films that build that subtle sense of dread in such an effective manner.

-Speaking of VAMPYR, I sorta hope that my lasting memories of the screening don't include the most annoying stereo effect of the event: a left channel of the snoring guy, a right channel of the loudest popcorn eater I've ever heard. Seriously folks, when you can hear someone eating food halfway across the theater, it's not a good sign.

-For the record, the cancellation of WE ARE THE FLESH ranks as one of my all-time lowest moments in organizing and attending these cinematic things of ours. It took me well into NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE to readjust my expectations as a viewer, because damn if I didn't want to see this film something fierce. Apologies again to all.

-NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE, you say? What an interesting dichotomy of responses this film has yielded so far. The crowd reaction at its end (and the reaction to it of those who stuck around for the end of the Marathon) was very strong. But here and on other online venues, it's gotten a bit of heat. I was in and out of the theater throughout its running time trying to find a fix for WE ARE THE FLESH, so I can only comment on most of the film. One friend asked me why we had shown it, as it wasn't a good film. To which I replied "Good has many definitions." No one is ever going to judge NOSS as possessing KANE-worthy quality. That's probably missing the point, as it clearly aims to be a good crowd film. It also seems to me that Jonathan Straiton's intent was to fill the story with as many offensive elements as possible (which was sorta part of its marketing.) Now results may vary depending on your level of interest. He also seems to be setting up those stereotypical characters from teen films past only to knock them down (literally in the case of Dirk, who seems to be set up for a Bruce Campbell-esque heroic arc, only for the ending to remind the audience that the guy is a real jerk.)

-I could watch James Karen, Clu Gulager, and Don Calfa banter for days on end. And I'm so glad that those of you who stuck it our until the end enjoyed RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD so much.

-Can I just throw some more props Stephen Scarlata's way? He was such a cool guy, and his enthusiasm for the Marathon (and for all of you) greatly warmed my heart. I was impressed and moved by BEYOND THE GATES, even more so when Stephen detailed the miniscule budget he had to work with. I joked about it in our DUNE conversation, but we'd love to have him back someday (and we'd also love to make sure that Jackson Stewart makes his way here too.)

-The great demon of sleep finally claimed my soul for about 45 minutes during THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS, but I paid my penance by rewatching it on DVD last night. Happy to see that so many of you cottoned to its charms. Man, Everett McGill is so delightfully unhinged in this one. Makes me wish that he had more roles in which he could really cut loose.

-THE HUNGER. Having seen this twice already this year, I expected to not be as engaged this time around. But damn if I wasn't totally enthralled. It's such a marvelous evocation of early '80s New York, unabashed in its very East Coast sensibility, while also being a tender, sad, universal story about death and the act of dying. I sometime wish that I could bottle the first ten minutes of this film and live them for a few years.

-And powerful, sad films? THE BROOD fills that bill in spades. That final shot of Candice Hinds's tear-stained eyes always gets to me, the fitting conclusion to a film about the cycle of abuse and how it's carried on from generation to generation.

More can be said, but I've blabbed on enough for now. Time to return SHOCK AROUND THE CLOCK to the grave for another year.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:27 pm 
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Ghost wrote:
THE DEVIL - Sorry but this was a boring P.O.S. everyone around me was groaning about how horrible this film was and honestly I would not classify this as a Horror Film. The perfect example of film that should not be shown at future events.


All due respect, my friend, but I've had a good chunk of attendees tell me (in person and online) that they really enjoyed THE DEVIL. Your group might not have liked it, but there's also probably another group in the theater who didn't like HALLOWEEN III. I can't guarantee that everyone is going to like all of the films, but the great thing about these events is that if you don't enjoy one title, another one will be coming down the pike in another few hours.

Ghost wrote:
The Horror Marathon really needs to scale back on the premiers and focus more on traditional Horror.


Wellllll, the two premieres we showed were pretty traditional horror titles that also paid tribute to '80s horror. And these events have always been composed of a rich array of Horror and Sci-Fi films both traditional and non-traditional. I would also argue that we placed a greater emphasis on fun Horror flicks this year; the second half of the lineup was almost all potential crowd pleasers, we opened with a Vincent Price film, we had a classic silent Horror film, etc.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2016 8:35 am 
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Let’s do this:

The Tomb of Ligeia. One of the best collaborations between Roger Corman,Vincent Price and Poe’s source material. Probably my second favorite Corman-Price-Poe jam behind only Masque of the Red Death which has stellar cinematography from then future director Nicholas Roeg. A sturdy example of what it’s supposed to be.

Vampyr. Music was absolutely on point, but the dream-like nature of the film and the hypnotic music made the experience a bit of a struggle for me. Would like to re-experience at full clarity at some point. Appreciated what I did encounter. Dryer’s filmmaking was so alive. What I saw was impressive, but I also did some nodding off.

The Devil. I am firmly in the pro category on this. I won’t pretend that I can explain it, but its nightmarish hellscape and propulsive energy kept me engaged. It’s not a film I’m likely to forget any time soon.

The Boxer’s Omen. It was fun, though it wasn’t the best movie to see right after eating dinner.

The Hunger. Always loved this one. Happy to see it on the big screen. Its sad eroticism still holds up despite that oh so cheesy 80s veneer on the film (which I like). That cut from Sarandon spilling on her shirt to her standing up, getting ready to change is a bit of a howler ... Still weird to know that Tony Scott jumped from this to Top Gun.

The Brood. Cronenberg is a master. This may not be his best, but it’s on the shortlist and is very much of a piece with his body-horror centric early days. This one has emotional punch. Not just visceral.

People Under the Stairs. Wes Craven is a legit genre master, but he made some garbage too. This is in that in-between world, trending toward good. I may overrate from nostalgia, but there is a demented Home Alone vibe to the movie. There’s a cartoonishness as well, especially with Evertte McGill’s “daddy.” The fun house nature of the key set generates some, well, fun. I suspect people my age like it. Wondering how others noticeably older and younger feel. Am I grading on a nostalgia curve?

Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Getting its proper due as a minor 80s curiosity/classic.

Return of the Living Dead. “Do you want to party?” This is so nostalgia wheelhouse for me I can’t pretend otherwise. I love this movie and its ridiculousness.

Ok, now doubling back to the two premiers:

Beyond the Gates definitely gets a thumbs up, though I’m not sure I liked as much as others. Criticism: a bit slow and there was something about the lead actor that I just didn’t like. I can’t explain it beyond that. But overall I liked it. Good premise (I played a fair amount of Nightmare in my youth so I certainly felt like the target audience). Pretty entertaining. Good balance of laughs to seriousness. Scarlata was great in the Q&A and just to chat with in the lobby afterwards.

Night of Something Strange. Positive: I was happy to see this in an amped-up horror marathon crowd because that is the only context that I can give anything resembling an endorsement. Negative: Everything else. Just a really gross, dumb, repugnant movie. Another classic example of horror filmmakers weaned on Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson who only see the guts and jokes and think advancement consists of “what if I put this in a vagina?” Sure, I laughed a few times and there is part of me that appreciates the willingness to shock but the end product felt like it was conceived and executed by horny, immature high school students. To top it all off, I thought the acting across the board was hot garbage. I wish them all happy, healthy and prosperous lives but I hope for their sake this is never one of their default top 3 movies on their IMDB pages.
Still, glad it was included! (I actually enjoy not liking movies sometimes -- makes me feel like I still have standards/tastes).

Bummer about We are the Flesh, but these things happen.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2016 8:55 am 
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Joe Neff wrote:
Can I just throw some more props Stephen Scarlata's way? He was such a cool guy, and his enthusiasm for the Marathon (and for all of you) greatly warmed my heart. I was impressed and moved by BEYOND THE GATES, even more so when Stephen detailed the miniscule budget he had to work with. I joked about it in our DUNE conversation, but we'd love to have him back someday (and we'd also love to make sure that Jackson Stewart makes his way here too.)


Had an opportunity to chat with Stephen in the lobby after The Hunger and he's a genuinely nice guy who gets "it" regarding horror and our gaggle of marathoids. He LOVED the event and really wanted to stick around for the finale but said he had an early flight back to LA.

As Not Worlds mentioned, I had some issues with the main character (Gordon?) in Beyond the Gates. Can't put my finger on it but he just didn't seem like the right fit for that role? However, if that's my only gripe, then I think the movie passed the test. Also, a major hubba, hubba to Brea Grant and Barbara Crampton!


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