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=493VAMPYR - 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 ...
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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!
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