The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

So I've finally recovered from this weekend's Music Box Massacre and thought I'd share a little of the experience with you before I drive to Columbus for your marathon. Why on earth am I subjecting myself to this 2 weekends in a row? Because these are better than Christmas and New Year's Eve to me.

Luckily through friends of the theater and host, I never pay for the Chicago marathons and we're able to get in early and grab the best seats. For those who've never been to the Music Box theater in Chicago it is a huge and ornate auditorium that seats about 750 people. The seats are divided into three sections by aisles. Halfway down, there is a handicap row where the seats have leg room, assuming no one in a wheelchair sits in front of you (no one did). The seats are horribly uncomfortable and narrow, and I don't know how some of the larger audience members could do it. This year's marathon did sell out. The lobby did have about a dozen dealers/autograph tables set up which is cool but also makes it incredibly crowded and I'm guessing a fire hazard.

Noon: The Hunchback of Notre Dame begins. Not a bad movie, but very long for a silent film. I'm not sure why the organizers feel like they must have a silent film every year. In the past they did have live organ accompaniment with the silents but not this year. I would have preferred a Universal classic instead.

2:15pm: Isle of the Dead. For some reason there are very rarely any trailers at the Chicago marathons. Before this they played an old B&W western trailer and The Man Who Knew Too Much. Would have been nice if they played HORROR trailers at the HORROR marathon. This movie was very atmospheric and Boris Karloff chews the scenery.

3:45pm Bucket of Blood. Dick Miller as a psychotic beatnik wannabe who makes "sculptures" of his victims is a lot of fun. Beautiful print. There's really a difference in quality between the films Roger Corman directed and the ones he simply produced.

5:00pm The Black Cat Masters of Horror episode screened on DVD. I went home and fed the cat as I'd rather see it in Columbus.

6:15pm The Brood. I love this movie! One of Cronenberg's best (and he's got a lot of good ones to choose from) and most personal. Art Hindle came out to tell some stories and do a Q & A. He was truly a class act and was a fun guest.

8:30pm Re-Animator. Awesome movie, good print. They were out of pizza and not even guaranteeing there'd be more later at this point so I was starving through this one. Afterward Stuart Gordon cam out for his Q&A. I stayed for some of it but had to get food. The bars nearby were packed, but I got a snack at the concession stand and debated what to do about food.

10:40pm From Beyond. I knew I'd probably skip it due to seeing it next week. When it came on and I realized they were playing a DVD, I knoew it was time to leave and get a real meal. I'm not sure why it was on DVD as there are prints available. My guess is that the host wanted to play the director's cut. I'd still prefer a print, as there's less than 2 minutes difference. What's it going to be Bruce and Joe?

12:15am Pontypool. This was the Chicago premiere, and I'm still not sure what to think of it. Definitely a divisive film. Almost entirely one location, a radio station, as our protagonists deal with an unknown infection that seems to be taking over the small Canadian town. I'm split on it. Part of me admires the ingenuity of it but the other part wanted a better payoff.

2:15am Dark Night of the Scarecrow. This 1981 TV movie was pretty good. Unfortunately it was on DVD (I guess an advance copy of the one that's not out yet). I'm a film purist, and I'd just prefer they found something else if there wasn't a print available. The writer/producer did a short Q&A afterwards (at 4am!!!)

4:20am Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. This was the highlight of the marathon for me. I've never seen it on the big screen and never expected to. I'm glad I didn't fall asleep, though I did do a few head snaps. Gorgeous print for an insane movie. People usually think of Blue Velvet when they think of Dennis Hopper, but I don't think he's ever been better than he was in this movie. Rob Zombie credits the first film as being influential to his style, it's not. He's influenced by this film waaaay more.

6:15am Blood Feast. I tried to watch this one, but just couldn't. H.G. Lewis films just don't do it for me, with the exception of 2000 Maniacs. Went to rest in my car for this one.

8:00 am was Maximum Overdrive. This was preceded by the Thriller video and 2 AC/DC videos. Stupid, loud and fun though they really should've cranked up the volume more. A few more head snaps but basically able to stay awake.

10:15am Carrie. A classic that I haven't watched since Joe Bob Briggs introduced it years ago. I'll be the guy this weekend with the Carrie tattoo.

Was great to see that there were well over 100 people left at the end. A great warmup for the main event this weekend. Looking forward to seeing Bruce and Joe and all my old friends and familiar faces. Finally get to see some trailers too!

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"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."

Wow. 750 seats AND a sellout?! That's more than the Boston and Columbus SF 'thon's combined! But, only 100 left at the end?!! WIMPS!!!!

Reminds me of a couple events here in L.A. over the years. Big crowds at the beginning, but once your Marathon mettle is tested in the wee hours, the hordes weed themselves out. WIMPS!!

And, all those DVD projection screenings? And, if it's one of those airy old fashioned theaters with a large screen, the projection must have looked pretty darn washed out unless they had the latest and greatest in terms of digital projection, which I highly doubt. It's supposed to be a FILM marathon - not some guy airing his DVD collection......

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Long Live the Orson Welles Cinemas

Well, as always, the Chicago Marathon sounds interesting. I'd still like to make it out one of these years, although I haven't been hot enough on the lineups for the past few years to make the trip.

In terms of film vs. video at the Marathons, I can assure you that FROM BEYOND will be screened in 35mm. You're probably right that the Chicago organizers thought that the Director's Cut would play better, but L.A. is also probably right about the likely limits of the DVD projection. The only two video features in this year's Columbus Marathon are Stuart's MASTERS OF HORROR episode and I SELL THE DEAD. The former was only released on DVD, and we were told by IFC that there were no 35mm prints of the latter, so we'll be showing it on Blu-Ray. However, rest assured, we always endeavor to screen films on 35mm, like they were intended to be watched.

Actually I talked to a friend who swears there were well over 200 left. I was basing my guess based on the number that stuck around for the post-marathon photo the host took. The worst for that was the year Bruce Campbell was the guest at the Studio 35. Probably only 40 people stuck around. A lot of veterans couldn't make it because all the Campbell fans bought up all the tickets and left around 3am. Actually the DVD projection looked alright. The brightness was up a little high, but overall the quality was fine-just not film quality.

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"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."

I imagine with work and your own marathons to attend to, the lineup would have to be spectacular to get you out here at that time of year.

I think this year and last year's lineup were pretty solid. Of course with the two marathons, some titles you get one year, we get the next or 2 years later and vice versa. The only lineup we've had that I didn't like was in 2007 when Monster Squad with Fred Dekker, Demons 2, Videodrome, and Halloween 3 was the 8pm-3am chunk. I like Monster Squad enough but it's not horror and needed a stronger supporting lineup with it. Demons 2 sucks but we had an actress from it as a guest. Videodrome and Halloween 3 were great and the audience ate it up. But then it ended with The Raven, It's Alive (which I like but it's slow), Deathdream (which is like paint drying), and finally The Shining. Who hasn't seen The Shining a million times (and it is slow-or rather deliberate), and with 3 ultra-slow movies before it, I just couldn't do it. I had to leave during Deathdream.

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"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."

Yeah, if I lived in our around Chicago, I'd jump at the chance to go, killer lineup or not. I've grown to love attending the infamous Cleveland Sci-Fi Marathon every year, even when the lineup is fairly rotten. But if I loved farther that two hours away from Case Western University, I might think twice about attending so much.

Since the Horror thon website does have a history page it did jog my memory that I started to go to the horror thon since 2001. This will be my fifth 24 hour horror thon 8 overall for the horror thons. 17 overall for the Sci Fi and Horror thons combine. One year I couldn't go due to work. I did look at the lineup for the Chicago and not really impress with the lineup. They need work at it. If I want to go.

It's funny, some people I showed the Columbus flier to, said they didn't like the lineup as much. Ahhhh regionalism.... But everyone agreed that the Columbus flier kicked so much butt compared to Chicago. It will be hard to ever top the lineup of the last Studio 35 marathon. I think Chicago peaked with their first two which combined played: The Crazies, Scanners, Demons, ROTLD, Near Dark, Howling, American Werewolf in London, The Thing, Zombie, Deep Red, Night of the Creeps, Piranha, Imprint, etc... I just love remembering these marathons. My first one was 20 years ago this month. I'm not even sure how many I've gone to, but I think it's safe to say I've spent a good month of my life at marathons. I'm lucky that I live in biking distance from the one in Chicago and have family to stay with in Columbus. I've always been curious about Boston, but the drive/flight and hotel costs are too prohibitive. One day I'll be able to hear them talk about how theirs is the best marathon.... I can't wait for the weekend. I'm driving in tomorrow-for the truly best marathon.

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"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."

Remeber folks to be cruel when it comes to the costume contest.