They say hindsight is 50/50, but what if the rearview was violent and trashy instead? Put yer movie watchin' goggles on, 'cause you're going to need 'em tonight at The Hollywood Theatre where Dan Halsted is serving up a bloody, sexy b-movie trailer stew fashioned out of some of the best Grindhouse trailers of the 70s and 80s. The lineup is unannounced, but expect to be blown away by what's on hand.
Anyone who's been to one of Halsted's trailer parties and/or Grindhouse Film Fest screenings can testify that the man's got excellent curatorial skills when it comes to genre cinema programming. So you really don't want to miss tonight's show, okay? Want a taste of what to expect? Here's a few Grindhouse trailers to get you in the mood:
Here's what the Grindhouse Film Fest release has to say about tonight's proceedings:
Climb aboard the exploitation starship as we travel to the outer reaches of cinematic insanity! In the 1970s and 80's, distributors trying to creatively sell strange movies in oversaturated markets unwittingly created some of the most mind-blowing pieces of cinema to ever be burned into celluloid.
This is a lineup of the best of these movie previews, presented on 35mm. All the wildest scenes, strangest taglines, and oddball promotional gimmicks crammed into two minute cinematic rollercoaster rides. We'll see Italian horror, blaxploitation, sexploitation, hicksploitation, kung fu insanity, revenge films and so much more. Buckle up and wear a neck brace.
Grindhouse Trailer Spectacular - Greatest Hits happens Tuesday, September 24th at 7:30p.m. at the Hollywood Theatre. More info available here.
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Portlanders are in for one hell of a treat this oh, so rainy weekend. San Francisco's Noir City is headed to town for a special, weekend long festival of obscure thrillers from the 40s and 50s, none of which have ever been available on dvd. Best of all, this Noir City Portland event will be MC'ed by none other than N.C. founder Eddie Muller, author of "Dark City," "Tab Hunter Confidential," and many other film-obsessed tomes.
The Hollywood Theatre is proud to present Noir City Portland! Friday September 20 through the Sunday the 22nd, the full lineup of titles boasts the Film Noir Foundation’s latest preservation efforts, Try and Get Me! (1951), and High Tide (1947), along with an impeccable selection of vintage noir titles including Alias Nick Beal (1949), Street of Chance (1942), The Come On (1956), and more! Hosted by the Czar of Noir himself, Eddie Muller, Noir City Portland will present these films on beautiful 35mm prints! None of these films are available on DVD, so don’t miss this incredibly rare opportunity.
Here's a little bit about the films, most of which are obscure enough to not even have trailer available online! All synopses are sourced from AllMovie:
TRY AND GET ME aka THE SOUND OF FURY (dir. Cy Endfield, 1950):
The Sound of Fury is better known by its general release title, Try and Get Me. Based on Jo Pagano's novel The Condemned,
the film recreates a dismal chapter in American history. In 1933, the
otherwise peace-loving citizens of San Jose, CA, were stirred up by
blind hatred into forming a mob and lynching two accused kidnappers
(this same incident was fictionalized in the 1935 Fritz Lang film Fury). Frank Lovejoy and Lloyd Bridges
play a couple of down-and-outers who kidnap a wealthy youngster in
hopes of getting a huge ransom. Things go terribly wrong.
SLEEP, MY LOVE (dir. Douglas Sirk, 1948):
This noir mystery thriller was produced by Mary Pickford and her husband Buddy Rogers, and directed by Douglas Sirk. Claudette Colbert
stars as Alison Courtland, a wealthy New York socialite who awakens on a
Boston-bound train with no memory of how she got there. A kindly older
woman, Mrs. Tomlinson (Queenie Smith) helps Alison call her husband Richard (Don Ameche),
who informs her that she disappeared after threatening his life. While
traveling back to New York, Alison meets Bruce Elcott (Robert Cummings), who is immediately smitten with her.
THE GREAT GATSBY (dir. Elliott Nugent, 1949):
This second film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's definitive jazz-age novel The Great Gatsby stars Alan Ladd
in the title role. Jay Gatsby, formerly Jake Gatz, is a successful
bootlegger with aspirations of being accepted in the highest social
circles of Long Island. Once he's done this, Gatsby devotes his time to
winning back the love of his former lady friend Daisy (Betty Field), now married to boorish "old-money" millionaire Tom Buchanan (Barry Sullivan).
Gatsby's obsession with rekindling old flames results in
disillusionment and, ultimately, tragedy. Sidelines observer Nick
Carraway, the narrator of the original Fitzgerald novel, is expertly
played by MacDonald Carey, while Shelley Winters makes an excellent impression as Buchanan's slatternly mistress Myrtle Wilson. Cast as Myrtle's dour optometrist husband is Howard Da Silva, who essayed a minor role in the 1974 remake of Great Gatsby. That 1974 version has unfortunately kept the 1949 Gatsby from being released to television.
REPEAT PERFORMANCE (dir. Alfred L. Werker, 1947):
On New Year's Eve, Joan Leslie
runs desperately out of a penthouse apartment and into the Times Square
crowd. She has reason to flee--she has just shot and killed her
husband. Through a freakish wrinkle in time, Leslie
is transported back to the last New Year's and is allowed to relive the
past year all over again. This time she is forearmed with the knowledge
of the murder and does everything she can to avoid the deed--a task
made difficult by such antagonists as her nasty husband and her
emotionally disturbed brother (Richard Basehart,
in his film debut). Events lead inexorably to the murder...but will she
do it this time? Cleverly assembled, and with a more expensive cast and
budget than was usual for pinchpenny Eagle-Lion studios, Repeat Performance is a brisk and absorbing semi-fantasy. It was remade for television as Turn Back the Clock (89), with the original film's star Joan Leslie in a brief cameo role.
THE COME ON (dir. Russell Birdwell, 1956):
In this convoluted thriller a manipulative woman gets entangled in her
own web of deceit. The story is set in Mexico, where an unlucky wanderer
has come to fish. There he falls for a woman that he spied on the
beach. She begs the drifter to murder her domineering husband.
ALIAS NICK BEAL aka CONTACT MAN (dir. John Farrow, 1949):
This modern-day "Faust" variation benefits from a superb cast. Thomas Mitchell
plays Joseph Foster, an honest judge who wants to become governor.
Blocked by corrupt political forces, Foster would practically have to
make a deal with the Devil to reach his goal. Enter Nick Beal (Ray Milland),
a diabolically handsome gent with a slick line of patter and a smooth,
infallible method of getting things done. Failing to recognize his
benefactor's true identity (after all, Nick has no horns or cloven
hooves) Foster agrees to the deal when Nick assures him that the end
result is for the good of the people.
STREET OF CHANCE (dir. Jack Hively, 1942):
Based on Cornell Woolrich's novel The Black Curtain (later dramatized several times on the radio series Suspense), Street of Chance top-bills Burgess Meredith
as an amnesia victim. He awakens in the middle of the street, with nary
a clue of who he is or what he's done. Meredith comes to learn that his
past year of darkness has been a crowded one--and that he might be a
murderer! Louise Platt plays Meredith's wife, but it's total stranger Claire Trevor who seems most interested in probing Meredith's past. Street of Chance is worth spending 74 minutes with, even though the true identity of the killer becomes obvious halfway through.
HIGH TIDE (dir. John Reinhardt, 1947):
In this mystery, set within the newspaper industry, a detective is hired
to protect the editor who believes that someone is out to kill him.
Noir City Portland runs Friday, September 20th through Sunday, September 22nd at the Hollywood Theatre. More info available here.
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The Hollywood Theatre's monthly Kung Fu Theater series hosts Lau Kar Leung's 1984 Shaw Brothers' classic Invincible Pole Fighter (aka Eight Diagram Pole Fighter) for a one-night-only, rare 35mm screening on their big downstairs screen. If you're not already a rabid fan, all you really need to know about this one is that it's Kung Fu Theater major domo Dan Halsted's favorite kung fu flick of all time. 'Nuff said; the man knows his martial arts cinema. The rest of us? We're just here to learn.
Here's the lowdown on the event:
Kung Fu Theater presents an extremely rare 35mm print of the kung fu masterpiece Invincible Pole Fighter! Around here, we consider this the greatest kung fu movie of all time. Advance tickets are strongly recommended for this show.
Invincible Pole Fighter (1984) A family of fighters is ambushed by invaders in a fierce battle that leaves the family's father and four of six brothers dead. One of the remaining brothers (Gordon Liu) swears revenge, and forces his way into the Shaolin Temple to master his pole fighting skills. When his younger sister is kidnapped by the invaders, it's payback time. After numerous jaw-dropping fight scenes, there is a massive climactic battle that ranks among the greatest action scenes in movie history. This film is directed by martial arts master Lau Kar Leung (36th Chamber of Shaolin), stars Gordon Liu (36th Chamber, Kill Bill) and was a huge influence on the Wu Tang Clan. This is an all-out kung fu masterpiece.
Invincible Pole Fighter plays one-night-only at the Hollywood Theatre on Tuesday, February 12th at 7:30pm. More info available here.
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In the past, I've shared a couple of old pieces that pre-date the blog. There was this essay on one of my favorite films, Days of Heaven, that I'd completed as a student. I also posted a rumination on Drugstore Cowboy that was cobbled together for a purpose outside of the blog. Since the Hollywood Theatre is about to embark on a four day run of It's a Wonderful Life, I've decided to go ahead and offer up an analysis of that film, written while in my final year at Marylhurst.
Like the Days of Heaven piece, this one's definitely not a review, more of an examination of identifiable themes running below the surface of the film. Reexamining the piece, I still like a lot of things about it and agree with most of what I had to say at the time, but it's definitely written in a voice that I rarely use anymore and it's hard to imagine that, if I were to write about the film again, I would employ the same strategy.
Oh, and if you're one of the 3 or 4 people who have never seen the film, don't read this post until you've had a chance to watch it this holiday season, as there are MANY SPOILERS throughout it.
In Frank Capra’s 1946 film, It’s a Wonderful Life, the character of George Bailey serves as an all-American “everyman” whose existential quest for home and community provides viewers with programmatic strategies for living in American society. Essentially, the tension facing George down throughout the film is the choice between living out his dreams of world exploration or settling into a role as a reliable cornerstone of his community and family in sleepy Bedford Falls. In the contrast between George’s objective reality in Bedford Falls and the dystopian reality of Pottersville, we, along with George, are given the opportunity to examine the difference between, on the one hand, living in a community based in connection and, on the other, the isolating effects of a money-driven world where everyone is out for themselves. Below the surface of this simple fable of a man losing and rediscovering purpose, there courses an instructive rumination on the friction between the competing strains of individualism and collectivism under capitalism that lie at the base of the American mythology. It’s a Wonderful Life, in its particular consideration of this strain, offers viewers an alternative and utopian reading of the possibilities present for enriching the experience of the individual through participation and action in the interests of the social collective.
Throughout the film, George is depicted as Bedford Falls’ only buffer against the exploitation of Mr. Potter. Potter, in his relentless move to buy up all valuable interests in the town, is the living incarnation of capitalism. He consistently verbally disparages the working class citizens of Bedford Falls, all while making his fortune off of their misery. The bust of Napoleon in his office hints at both his status as the town’s principal landowner/grabber and his many attempts to destroy the building and loan. During the scene where George begs Potter for mercy, the statue even casts a shadow not unlike the shape of a buzzard, strongly hinting at Potter’s treatment of the working class as mere carrion for his unquenchable appetite for wealth and power. Beyond just signifying the imperialistic tendencies of industry and capital, Potter functions as the force that keeps class divisions in Bedford Falls from melting away, as his business practices are focused primarily on keeping the poor from ever rising above their lowly social position. This is what makes Mr. Potter the perfect foil for George. Everything that is good, decent, and charitable about George’s character is countered in the miserly, “twisted,” and self-obsessed caricature that is Potter.
After Potter is able to unethically secure the upper hand in the struggle, sending George spiraling into a crisis of faith, we are given the opportunity to view Potter’s unchecked capitalist ambition in the form of Pottersville, an alternate version of Bedford Falls where the socially progressive advocacy of George and the Building and Loan never came into existence. Without the class solidarity that George brought to the working class citizens of the town, Pottersville resembles nothing less than the real world in its depiction of cold, neon-lit spaces of consumption and depressed urban dwelling spaces.
It is in the disparity between Pottersville and Bedford Falls that the political didactic of the film is forwarded. On the surface level of the plot, we are asked to identify with George’s personal struggle as he is given the opportunity to see the value of his life in relation to the lives of his family, friends, and community. However, if we are willing to dig a bit deeper, it is not difficult to acknowledge that the interconnectivity that we witness between George and the other citizens of Bedford Falls makes life in Pottersville appear drab, miserable, and meaningless. The latter version of the town speaks to the alienating and competitive byproducts of capitalism while the former suggests that a more equitable distribution of wealth might lend itself to an increasingly vibrant, proud, and socially rich climate. This simple message could be dismissed as unsubstantial and tangential if it were not for the fact that the film was produced less than a decade after the Great Depression. With residual social anxiety and animosity focused upon financial institutions and the Potters of the world, it is not difficult to regard this pressure within the film as a polemic against the exploitation and abandonment of the working classes to the terrors of listless poverty. As such, Pottersville is an uncaring landscape littered with the deeply bruised ambitions of its agitated and morally bankrupt citizenry. Because there are no connections between the people, there are no options available to them outside the dismal status quo.
Which is why the outpouring of community support surrounding George, after his reinstatement in the “real” world of Bedford Falls, speaks so loudly to the need for opposition against the more dehumanizing aspects of the capitalist economic model, the endorsement of the community illustrates the integration of the individual into a symbiotic relationship with the larger social body. In this utopian display at the close of the film, the effect of a single member is validated, reflected, and reinforced by the supportive safety net of the people of Bedford Falls. George’s Building and Loan, continually recognized throughout the film as being focused towards building the community versus the profit building model upon which Potter’s bank is firmly established, becomes the paragon upon which sustainable strategies of community can be devised. The film optimistically hints that those who are willing to fight for their ideals in Bedford Falls will keep this best idea at hand.
It's a Wonderful Life plays for four days at the Hollywood Theatre beginning on Friday, December 21st.More info available here. Remember to find and "like" us on our Facebook page.
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It's only been a few months since the nearly 50-year-old Jet Li shot his way through The Expendables 2, a series so improbably successful that a third installment is already a foregone conclusion. Does anybody else remember when Li's martial arts prowess was the only weapon he needed? If not, Kung Fu Theater is ready to refresh your memory with a rare 35mm screening of Martial Arts of Shaolin (aka Shaolin Temple 3), starring a young, fresh faced kid who doesn't need any firearms to make his way through this world.
Kung Fu Theater presents an extremely rare 35mm print of the kung fu classic Martial Arts of Shaolin!
Martial Arts of Shaolin (1986) A young Jet Li stars as a monk from the Northern Shaolin Temple who sets out on a quest of vengeance against the man who killed his parents. When his initial attempt fails, he finds himself on the run from a powerful Lord and his army, and must team up with students from the Southern Shaolin Temple to stay alive. Featuring a wide array of fighting styles, martial arts weaponry, and non-stop jaw-dropping fight choreography. No other film has ever shown off Jet Li’s incredible kung fu ability like this. Directed by master Lau Kar Leung (36th Chamber of Shaolin). Don’t miss this!
Martial Arts of Shaolin plays one-night-only at the Hollywood Theatre on Tuesday, December 11th at 7:30pm. More info available here.
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Portland's Grindhouse Film Festival rises once again for yet another monthly dip into the waters of b-movie exhibition. This month's offering is the 1982 British, sci-fi horror flick Xtro from director Harry Bromley Davenport (Mockingbird Don't Sing). What's it about? Well, it all begins when young Tony sees his dad get hijacked by alien visitors. Several years later, his pop reappears and then things truly begin to shift towards the unthinkable.
It all goes down tonight at the Hollywood Theatre at 7:30p.m. Here's what the good folks at Grindhouse central have to say about tonight's feature:
On Tuesday November 27th at 7:30pm, the Grindhouse Film Festival presents the only known 35mm print of the batshit-crazy 80′s sci-fi/horror film Xtro!
Xtro (1983) How to describe Xtro? A young boy witnesses his father being abducted by a light in the sky. Three years later, that light returns and plants a seed in the ground. That seed grows into a horrible creature. That creature impregnates a woman. That woman gives birth to a fully-formed version of the father, just as we last saw him. The father returns home and gives his son telekinetic powers. The son uses his telekinetic powers to make his toys come to life and do his bidding. And then things start to get WEIRD!
Xtro plays one-night-only at the Hollywood Theatre on Tuesday, November 27th at 7:30pm. More info available here.
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Have you heard the one about the rock band made up of martial artists who fight ninjas when they're not rocking out in the club? Yeah, neither had I until seeing Miami Connection, a b-grade bomb from 1987 that's been plucked from obscurity by Drafthouse Films in an attempt to reconnect this forgotten relic with audiences amped up on a "so-bad-they're-good" kick. The big surprise is that, despite highlighting some of the most inept filmmaking this side of Ed Wood or Tommy Wiseau, the revival campaign is absolutely a well-placed bet; as far as terrible films go, this one's a hoot, offering up more than enough unintentionally comedic moments to recommend it to any and all lovers of absurdly poor cinema.
What little plot there is centers around the band Dragon Sound, a group of friends (how do we know they're friends? Because they proclaim it loudly in their song "Friends"at the beginning of the film) who play together and steadfastly fight "Against the Ninja" (yes, that's their other song) whenever they're not busy attending the University of Central Florida (an obvious point of pride made apparent by the sheer amount and variety of UCF t-shirts worn by them).
If it sounds like I'm discussing the characters in an overly generalized way,
it's because there's really not a lot of nuance to how they're drawn in
the film. Director/actor Y.K. Kim might
be billed as the lead, but there's such an evenhanded diplomacy
employed here that there's really no hierarchy in place here. When the plot turns to the conflict between Jane (Kathy Collier) and her evil, ninja-affiliated brother, she's the lead. When things inexplicably shift to Jim (Maurice Smith) locating his father via snail mail, the members of Dragon Sounds (sans shirts) earnestly lift him on their shoulders, suggesting that Jim is the lead. A masterpiece of clarity in screenwriting this is not, though it is frequently hilarious in just how clumsily its story is stitched together.
Did I mention that the ninjas are coke-dealers? Or that a film named Miami Connection is actually set in Orlando, Florida? Or that the ninjas are also a motorcycle gang; yes, much like Dragon Sound's musician/student/martial artist membership, these ninjas can multitask, too. Between the poorly choreographed fight scenes, club audiences who couldn't clap on beat to save their lives, a scene devoted almost entirely to leering at girls on the beach, and the endless parade of stilted performances, it'd be easy to assume that Miami Connection is deserving of its status as an overlooked film of the 80s. Quite the contrary, it's arguably a severely flawed diamond in the rough, absolutely worth celebrating for the convoluted contours of its ineptitude.
Take a look at the trailer and try to tell me you're not intrigued:
Miami Connection plays two-nights-only at the Hollywood Theatre on Friday, November 23rd at 9:30pm and Saturday, November 24th at 7:30 & 9:30pm.More info available here.
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Yet another solid Shaw Brothers Studio flick comes to the Hollywood Theatre courtesy of this month's installment of Dan Halsted's ongoing Kung Fu Theater series. For November, Dan's chosen Lo Lieh's 1980 kinetic classic Fist of the White Lotus (aka Clan of the White Lotus) to entertain the Kung Fu crowd. It's Gordon Liu vs. Lo Lieh (as the evil, white haired Pai Mei) in a no-holds barred battle to the death. You wanna see a dude kick ass while getting dressed after a bath? Need to bone up on your tiger style? This is your movie, people!
Here's what the folks at the Hollywood have to say about Tuesday night's presentation:
Kung Fu Theater presents the only known 35mm print of the martial arts masterpiece Fist of the White Lotus! One of the top five kung fu movies of all time!
Fist of the White Lotus (1980) Gordon Liu is out to avenge the destruction of the Shaolin Temple! But he’s up against an incarnation of the greatest villain in martial arts movie history: the unstoppable white eyebrowed Pai Mei (Gordon Liu played another incarnation of Pai Mei in Kill Bill Vol. 2). Lo Lieh plays the villain here, and he’s at his trash-talking, beard-stroking, kung fu annihilating best. He’ll even fight while he’s naked. But watch out for his kung fu crotch! The opening credit sequence alone is worth the price of admission, and the fight scenes are choreographed by kung fu master Lau Kar Leung (director of 36th Chamber of Shaolin). Don’t miss this, it’s a crowd-pleasing masterpiece.
35mm kung fu trailers before the movie.
Fist of the White Lotus plays one-night-only at the Hollywood Theatre on Tuesday, November 13th at 7:30pm. More info available here.
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Banned in several countries due to the misconception that it was a snuff film, Ruggero Deodato's 1980 shock horror film Cannibal Holocaust has become somewhat of a rite of passage for extreme horror fans. The story is simple: an academic (Robert Kerman) heads to the Amazon to find out what happened to a missing film crew. He stumbles upon an indigenous, cannibalistic tribe from which he recovers the crew's footage. Upon returning to America, he reviews what they shot, revealing the group of filmmakers grisly, nasty ends. Pretty basic stuff, and it doesn't take a genius to understand the influence of Deodato's film on the found footage craze driving such pictures as The Blair Witch Project, [REC], Paranormal Activity, and, most recently, V/H/S.
Cannibal Holocaust, unlike those other films, has built up a reputation as one of the most transgressive films of all time. In Britain, it became one of the holy grails of the video nasties, movies that were forbidden for sale by legislative decree, resulting in an active black market for bootleg video copies of those films. For more on video nasties, I've included a short piece hosted by English critic Mark Kermode after the trailer.
The Hollywood Theatre's monthly Grindhouse Film Festival brings Portland audiences the chance to catch the film this Tuesday on the big screen, projected from a rare 35mm print. Here's what the theater's press release has to say (note the warning about refunds):
The Grindhouse Film Festival presents the only known 35mm print of Ruggero Deodato’s soul-shattering horror film Cannibal Holocaust.
Cannibal Holocaust (1980) A crew of documentary filmmakers, working on a movie about a lost cannibal tribe, disappears deep in the Amazon jungle. An anthropologist is sent in search of them, and finds only their film footage. When he screens the film, we witness the crew’’s horrible fate. This gut churning descent into the dark side of humanity includes some of the most horrific images ever burned into celluloid. This film is absolutely guaranteed to shock, offend and disgust. It is also one of the most powerful films of all time.
WARNING: This film contains extreme violence and scenes of animal cruelty. No one under the age of 17 will be admitted, and no refunds will be given to those offended.
Cannibal Holocaust plays one-night-only at the Hollywood Theatre on Tuesday, October 23rd at 7:30pm. More info available here.
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I'm not sure if it was posting 10 times in seven days last week or just how busy things have been while shutting down my day job at Video Verite, but you might have noticed that the blog's been fairly quiet this week. Even without posting this week, we finally passed 30,000 hits yesterday, a small milestone for our humble, little film obsessed site, indeed. Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read, comment, and encourage me to continue posting.
Even with all the other regular life distractions at hand, I was still able to catch a small handful of films opening this weekend at the local indie theaters. Here now is a sampling of just a few of the many options available in PDX for the cinematically curious.
In Search of Blind Joe Death, dir. James Cullingham
A documentary on the immensely, influential primitive folk picker John Fahey. The film brings together a wide swath of individuals, ranging from members of Calexico to Pete Townsend to musicologists and various associates, to heap much deserved adulation at the feet of the late steel string guitarist. Fahey's life and (especially his) music form a story worth exploring and I've often wondered why no one had made a film about him. In Search of Blind Joe Death is a compelling view for both fervent followers and those completely unfamiliar with Fahey's legacy.
In Search of Blind Joe Death plays one-night-only at the Hollywood Theatre on Saturday, October 21st at 7pm.More info available here.
Washington D.C. hardcore band Bad Brains were a complete anomaly when they first emerged in the punk scene of the late 70s. Being an all African-American punk group in a mostly white playing field was one thing, but Bad Brains was also the fastest, most technically innovative group that anyone had ever seen playing this kind of music.
Directors Logan and Stein tell the story of the band's formative years while following them on the road during a recent, tumultuous reunion tour. Their cameras don't stop rolling even when things get rough between the band (singer H.R. displays his notorious mental health issues for the camera, causing things to go sour near the end of the tour), adding much needed tension to a film that might otherwise just be an exercise in nostalgia.
Bad Brains: A Band in D.C. screens
at the NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium (in the Portland Art
Museum) as a part of the Reel Music Festival series on Friday, October 19th at 8:45pm. More info available here.
This 1971 fever dream of a film started the ball rolling for the Australian New Wave. Detailing the downward trajectory of John, a Sydney-based schoolteacher (Gary Bond) on vacation in the Outback town of Bundanyabba (referred to as "the Yabba" by the natives he meets), the film throws our hero into a volatile mix of gambling, alcoholism, and kangaroo death unlike anything I've ever seen. Donald Pleasence shows up about a third of the way through the picture as Doc Tydon, a drunken physician living in squalor. Once they meet, John and Doc's paths are tied together to the bitter, marsupial-wrestling end.
Recommended for those who revel in the weirder, more disturbing side of cult cinema (probably not ideal viewing for card carrying members of PETA).
Wake in Fright begins its run at Cinema 21 on Friday, October 19th. More info available here.
As I pointed out last week, without the success of the 1931 version of Dracula, Universal Pictures might not have continued producing what are now unquestionably a series of the best monster flicks of the silver screen. Taken on its own, though, Dracula is a masterpiece of the macabre, filled with more shadows than light and powered by an unparalleled and unforgettable performance by Bela Lugosi in the title role.
If you haven't seen the film in a while, or even if you have, there's no better time to revisit it than now while the Hollywood Theatre has a 35mm print on hand.
Dracula plays at the Hollywood Theatre on Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st at 2pm.More info available here.
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Here it is, the great granddaddy of 'em all (if by "all" you mean monster movies), James Whale's 1931 creature feature Frankenstein. Based on Mary Shelley's iconic, Gothic horror novel from 1818, the film was quickly green lit by execs at Universal after the wild success of Dracula. Whale promptly recast the lead; Universal originally wanted Bela Lugosi to play the part, choosing Boris Karloff as his murderous and (in Whale's sympathetic hands) misunderstood monster.
Let me just say, this is one handsome movie. Many of the shots are firmly under the spell of German Expressionism and the look of the thing capably resonates a creeping terror throughout. And though they might seem a little dated, the performances are great across the board. Karloff is a mountain of decaying flesh here and it's the role for which he'll always be remembered. Many folks champion Whale's sequel, Bride of Frankenstein, and I can certainly follow (and might even agree with) that argument, but the original film still retains a power that can't be denied.
For two afternoons only, the Hollywood Theatre has a 35mm print of this classic horror film available for Portland film fans to enjoy. Don't hesitate, 'cause it'll be gone before you know it. 'Tis the season, after all.
Frankenstein plays at the Hollywood Theatre on Saturday, October 13th and Sunday, October 14th at 2pm.More info available here.
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