TOP DOWN presents PETER JACKSON'S DEAD ALIVE (aka BRAINDEAD)

Long before Peter Jackson's involvement in all things Tolkien made him a household name along the lines of Lucas or Spielberg, the man cut his teeth practicing the art of b-grade horror and cult cinema.  Early salvos such as Bad Taste and the uniquely wicked Meet the Feebles might have prepared the few that saw them for Dead Alive (released as Braindead in Jackson's homeland of New Zealand), but let's be honest here, most fans in the U.S. were directed to the early works after seeing Dead Alive for the first time.

What to say of Dead Alive twenty years after its release?  Time has shown it to be among the very best of a particularly humorous breed of splattercore cinema, the equal of (or possibly even better than) Sam Raimi's 1987 classic Evil Dead II and far above other pretenders to the throne such as Cemetary Man or even (and I know I'm gonna get some flack for this) the quite excellent Re-Animator. 

The film has plenty of guffaw-inducing moments on hand, from the crazy monkey-rat creature to the famous use of a lawnmower as a weapon, but it's also among the bloodiest of horror films.  Jackson gleefully doles out the gore like someone who just got a deep discount at the fake blood shop, enough so that it still retains the power to shock the uninitiated even as it simultaneously inspires convulsive laughter.  Oddly, the newly released, meta-rom-com Ruby Sparks (from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine) features a few choice moments from Dead Alive and, sure enough, the audience for that film recoiled when those bloody images filled the screen.

Combining the supernatural, a love story, and one hell of a Freudian obstacle (you thought Norman Bates' mother was overbearing) to its protagonist's happiness, Dead Alive has it all.  And whether you've heard it once or a thousand times, "I kick ass for the lord," remains one of cinema's funniest battle cries.  Dead Alive is a film that deserves to be seen again and again.  Don't miss the chance to see it with a packed audience at Top Down.

The NW Film Center's Top Down Rooftop Cinema series presents Dead Alive (aka Braindead) on Thursday, August 16th at 8pm.  More info available here.

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NW FILM CENTER'S TOP DOWN ROOFTOP CINEMA NEEDS A HELPING HAND

Call it a mixed blessing, if you will, but the phenomenal success of the NW Film Center's annual Top Down rooftop cinema series has presented its organizers with a unique problem to solve.  Bottom line, the audience has outgrown the outdoor screen upon which the summertime screenings are projected.  It's reached the point where those unlucky enough to be at the back of the crowd have to squint in order to even be able to tell that there's a movie being projected at all.

As no doubt many of you are aware, the Film Center is a regional, non-profit media arts center, not exactly the kind of organization that tends to have much petty cash hidden away for emergencies of this variety.  Fortunately, we live in the age of crowd-funding where websites like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo allow individuals to throw down a few bones in support of the artists, organizations and causes they love. 

Can you tell where we're going with this?  Yes, Top Down needs your help to make this year's outdoor film series an enjoyable experience for all in attendance.  They've got a Kickstarter campaign in progress as well as a winning season of Thursday night screenings lined-up for Portland audiences.  A donation of any size will help ensure that the NW Film Center is able to reach their goal and purchase a screen large enough for all to experience a little cinema under the stars.

And what to expect of this year's films?  Well, as usual, it's an eclectic mix of crowd pleasers ranging from an old favorite from the great Preston Sturges to a campy children's entertainment starring Don Knotts.  Also on the schedule, one of local film hero Gus Van Sant's best films and a rock and roll musical for the new millennium.  All in all, a series of events worthy of your patronage.

Here, again, is the link for the fundraising campaign, complete with details of the different rewards available for each level of support.  This link will allow you to peruse the specifics of this year's schedule.  And, because who doesn't love trailers, here are the coming attractions:

The NW Film Center's Top Down rooftop cinema series kicks off on Thursday, July 26th at the Hotel deLuxe's parking garage (located at SW 15th & Yamhill).  The opening night film is Preston Sturges' 1942 screwball comedy The Palm Beach Story.

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