Cool News
You've Heard Of The ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE... Well here's what will be cool and playing there for the next 3 months!!!
Hey folks, Harry here.
Ya know... I get a lot of emails, and one of the most
frequently asked questions is, “When is the next cool
thing at the Alamo Drafthouse?”
I guess over the years of me writing about this, my
second home, some of you have gotten a hankering to
seek it out. To experience the full mug of Guinness...
The hunchbacked waiters... and the best pre-show on
screen in the country.
Well, Tim League (the inventor and chief concocter
of The Alamo Drafthouse) has just put together his
next calendar through mid-November. So... What the
hell, I’ll pass along the events I can’t wait to check
out.
Playing August 19 - 21 at Midnite will be a film I’m
sure many of you have not seen. MYSTERY
TRAIN. I caught this Jim Jarmusch back when the
first BATMAN was still in theaters, and I really dug
this film. If you haven’t seen it. There’s a seat
waiting for ya.
On Wednesday, August 25th at 9:30pm, I’ll be
introducing an archive 35mm print of James Whale’s
classic THE INVISIBLE MAN. This is my favorite
Universal Horror film, if only by an invisible hair. In
fact a title card for the film hangs in my room and I
worship the delicious evil with which Claude Rains
rules with in this classic. If you haven’t seen this film
you can’t really call yourself a filmgeek. It’s required
viewing. Hope to see you there!!!
Then the next night (August 26-28) at midnite you
can grab a looksee at GHOST IN THE SHELL in
35mm and on the big ol screen. Now... I believe that
THE MATRIX will be showing at 9pm these nights,
and if that’s the case... You better fucking believe I’m
catching this as a double feature. I mean how friggin
cool will that be?!? Not many get a chance in this
country to see Anime on the big screen in 35mm, if
you haven’t seen this one that way... check it out.
You can marvel at the depth of field in them
backgrounds and the precision of detail in every shot.
I love this film.
Meanwhile on Thursday, September 9th at 7pm &
9:30pm you can check out one of the Alamo
Drafthouse’s famed Silent Classics with cool as hell
musical accompaniment. But ya know what? This
ain’t just any silent film.... Oh no. This is a landmark
in Geek Cinema. It’s the 1925 Willis O’Brien
classic, THE LOST WORLD. This’ll be a fully
restored print and the music for the evening will be
handled by a special combination of BROWN
WHORENET and the GOLDEN ARM TRIO. I’ve
seen both groups play before with film and folks....
They kick fucking ass. You will have to get
advanced tickets for this one though, either that or hit
up the scalpers out front the night of the event!
THEN.... THE HUGE EVENT!!!!
The First Annual CANNIBAL FILM FESTIVAL!
Running September 9-11 & September 16-18 you
will have the chance to partake in this... the amazing
debut of a sure to be hailed as the greatest festival in
history. You could say you were there! Also, the
Drafthouse will be serving Human Flesh dishes on
their menu. Turns out Tim has been having patrons
sign away their bodies in case of accident. He finally
had enough dead patrons to serve up quite a menu!
Handburgers and Cowboy Chili are just two of the
human dishes.
The festival kicks off Thursday September 9th at
midnite with HUMAN MEAT PIES (aka THE
UNTOLD STORY).
The next night, Friday Sept. 10th will be CANNIBAL
FEROX at midnite.
Then Saturday, Sept 11th will be EATING RAOUL
at midnite.
On the following Thursday, September 16 at midnite
with DELICATESSEN.
Friday, September 17 will be DR BUTCHER M.D. at
Midnight.
Saturday, September 18th will unfurl... NIGHT OF
THE LIVING DEAD.
Expect all types of surprises during the course of the
festival. Personally, I’m looking forward to my bag
of goodies that will inevitably spill forth with human
pieces.
On Friday, September 24th, 9:30pm Guillermo Del
Toro will be introducing and hanging out for
CRONOS. If you have never met or seen Guillermo
Del Toro speak, then you have utterly no idea what
exuberant really means. You will be struck by his
passion for film and his 100% devotion to the genre
of WEIRD FUCKING MOVIES!
Then, on Wednesday, September 29th at 9:30pm you
could be introduced to the classic Tod Browning
masterpiece, FREAKS. No geek is a geek without
knowing the FREAKS song. It’s one of the key
pieces of trivia, and the film is brilliant. To me it
doesn’t feel exploitive, it feels... fascinating. I can
never peel my eyes from the screen. And the story of
all these people... Well, they just wanted to be treated
like everyone else. And like anyone else... if you piss
them off or push them too far.... They’ll kick your
ass. MUST BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED!
On September 30 - October 2nd at midnite you can
rejoice to NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. That’s
right, the original film, in all of Wes Craven’s gory
glory. Before he started cracking jokes. When
Freddy would just rip out your stomach, slice open
your wrists and turn you into a fountain of gore. I
love this film. And... I never got to see it on the big
screen. I discovered it on HBO on late night all by
myself. I’ve been a fan ever since.
Heh... On Thursday, October 7th at midnite you can
check out BEAT STREET and relive the coolness of
this film. So put on your parachute pants and some
cardboard and get funky as hell. Become a robot, do
the electric slide, become a vibrator. Oh yeah
babeeee.
Then from October 8th through the 14th, the Austin
Film Festival will be underway. I’ll be bringing you
all the information you can handle on this festival
soon enough. With SXSW, the Austin Film Festival
makes Austin one of the coolest towns to live. Two
wonderful festivals.... one cool city. I love it.
You may remember my report on last year’s
screening of NOSFERATU with Brown Whorenet.
Well.... on Friday, October 15th at 7 and 9:30 you
can come experience it for yourself. Once again,
you’ll want to get your tickets early lest you risk
being at the mercy of scalpers. You don’t want to
have to shake your wee wee or twirl your boobies just
to afford the extra moolah to pay a scalper. Get em
early!
On October 14 through the 16th at Midnight you can
check out Scorsese’s TAXI DRIVER on this restored
35mm print. How can you stay away? It’s fucking
TAXI DRIVER!
Then the Drafthouse will be the home of a Sam
Peckinpah Retrospect due to the coolness The Show
With No Name and The Austin Film Society.
First up will be RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY on
Thursday October 21st at 6:30 and 9:30. They’ll be
showing a 35 mm print of THE WILD BUNCH: AN
ALBUM IN MONTAGE with it that night as well!
Then that night at midnite and through October 23rd
will be DEATH RACE 2000, and not that pansy ass
remake that Paul Anderson is planning on torturing us
with!
On Wednesday, October 27th at 9:30pm we’ll be
watching THE OLD DARK HOUSE. That’s right,
the old James Whale classic starring Boris Karloff.
You never ever get to see this baby on the big screen,
and this is an archive 35mm print.
Then... On Thursday, October 28th at 6:30 and 9:30,
check out Peckinpah’s THE WILD BUNCH
But hell, why stop there. That night begins the
LUCIO FULCHI HALLOWEEN HORROR
FESTIVAL. Thursday October 28th at midnite, THE
BEYOND will screen. The FlameTrick Subs and
Satan’s Cheerleaders will be kicking ass with a
performance that will bring a rise out of your loins
and a fever in that brain of yours. Just what ya need
for a gut twist.
Friday, October 29th will see THE GATES OF
HELL screening (once again with FLAMETRICK
SUBS and Satan’s Cheerleaders)
Then Saturday October 30th at midnite you can see
Fulci’s ZOMBIE... and if you stick around
afterwards... you can watch... CAT IN THE
BRAIN!!!! Saturday night there will be prizes for the
coolest goriest most gnarly looking zombie in the
audience. So... dressing like Jon Peters won’t win the
prize. Or maybe it will. One never knows.
On Thursday November 4th at 7 & 9:30 we’ll have
Peckinpah’s THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE.
November 4 through the 6th brings...
WARGAMES!!!!!! That’s right WARGAMES! This
will be an archive 35mm print of the film, so expect
Joshua to look sharp as hell. Man, I am sooooo
friggin primed to see WARGAMES on the big screen
again!
On Thursday November 11th at 7 & 9:30, Sam
Peckinpah’s STRAW DOGS will be playing. This is
another of those films I’ve been dying to see on the
big screen. Watching Peckinpah on TV just ain’t the
same!
Then.... November 11 through the 13th... It’s THE
OUTSIDERS. If I have to explain... don’t come.
And that folks is the next couple of months at the
Alamo Drafthouse. On the midnight films, I’m
usually there on Thursday nights, though I have been
known to go to all 3 showings of special films. See...
WARGAMES. But I’ll be there for every showing of
the Fulci and Cannibal fests. I’ll be there for both of
the silent films.
So... If that sounds enticing to you. Come on down
and enjoy the hell out of the Alamo Drafthouse.
Besides... You can drink beer till you vomit in your
pitcher. I’ve done it. Why can’t you?
This is the coolest theater on the planet, and Austin
just wouldn’t be Austin without it. So... I hope to see
you there!
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Looks like I'll have something to do on those business trips to Austin. Thanks a bundle!
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The only times I ever get to Austin is during the Austin Film Fest or SXSW, so I always miss the regular Alamo programming...anyone down there in Austin need a film or video editor for hire so I can head down there in non-fest times?
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man.. why can't i live somehwere cool like that? there is absolutely NOTHING like that where i live, and i feel like i'm missing out on a lot in life.
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Wish I could make it down to Austin! sounds like all my favorites are playing. Taxi Driver on the big screen?!! Holy Shit! Have fun Harry, you lucky SOB!!
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Please be sure to give us reports from the Drafthouse. It just puzzles my mind why I have not moved to Austin yet.
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Ghost in the Shell and The Matrix as a double feature on the big screen? *wets pants*
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Aug 15, 1999 10:16:16 AM CDT
DWD: Here's The Roster For The White Street, Red Bank Theater fo
by dwdunphy
Harry, I can support you only so much, and I know that of all the places in this world, the Drafthouse is your favorite, but nationally, this is not useful news for your readers, internationally it's absolutely worthless. Matter of fact, it smacks of getting extra peanuts and brewski from Tim for the plug. You have every right to plug what you want but a) don't purport it to be news and b) don't rub our noses in the fact that our local googolplexes suck and our foreign/indy houses are equally lackluster.
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The cannibal week sure sounds exciting. I might definitely pay the way for a good ten or so of my friends if they would add Cannibal!: The Musical and Cannibal Campout to the roster!
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It's a good thing DAWN OF THE DEAD isn't one of the up-coming flicks at the Drafthouse... had it been, I'd have be forced make reservations and hit the road. I need to see that one on the big screen... I simply must! Harry: has the Drafthouse ever shown it?
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The shows that Tim puts on at the Alamo Draft House are quite cool, no doubt. But if you're on the East Coast, where can you go for neato horror and cult film revivals? Why, to an Exhumed Films show! Exhumed Films is an independent film co-operative that screens horror and cult double features at the Harwam Theater in Mt. Ephraim, NJ (only minutes from Philadelphia, about an hour & a half from NYC.) All shows are only $7 and are in 35mm (not 16mm or video projection.) This October, we're hosting three double feature Fridays, each night dedicated to a classic horror director. Here is our schedule of October shows:
Friday Oct. 1--Tobe Hooper Night:
A secret movie plus TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2!
Friday Oct. 15--John Carpenter Night:
HALLOWEEN and THE THING!
Friday, October 29--Peter Jackson Night:
DEAD/ALIVE and BAD TASTE!
All shows also feature cool trailers, door prizes, and dealer tables where you can buy cool videos, posters and t-shirts. If you're a horror fan on the east coast, you can't miss these shows! If you need directions or more info, visit our website at www.voicenet.com/~jnelson1 or email me at danfraga@aol.com. Hope to see you there in October! -
Is it the unrated print of Dead Alive or is it the butchered MPAA
R-rated one? -
Who said it was news? I, among others, have asked Harry to post the schedule at the Drafthouse many times. Finally he did, and I am happy! I may or may not ever get to Ausin, but in case I do I want to visit the Austin Drafthouse. As for who finds this information useful, that's for them to decide, not you. And it may surprise you to know that sometimes folks from other countries DO visit Austin and maybe one or two would be interested in this "news". And if Harry gets a free beer for the "plug", so what?
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Has anyone out there, you too Harry, have you guys heard of Cherry Hill High, it was made I think in 1975, it's really bad but so fucking bad that it is hysterical, funnier than any of these movies (AMERICAN PIE....)
It's about these six girls on a bike ride in hot pants, platforms, halter-tops, tube tops and blue eyeshadow riding through the country side trying to get de-virginized in the most creative way, ANd let me tell you, if you guys can get your hands on a copy or if the Alamo can perhaps play it on the it's fabulous screens one of these days...GET BAKED BIG TIME before you see it, it is a total trip-fest laugh your lungs out, oh my god, this is weird but insane and sooo soooo bad that it is a GEM..discovered it the other day with my two best friends, invited a bunch of people over and they loved it!! CHERRY HILL HIGH, you 'll never look at another camel-toe the same again.... -
The print of DEAD/ALIVE that Exhumed Films will be showing in October is the unrated version. To my knowledge, there is no such thing as an edited DEAD/ALIVE in 35mm. It was only cut when the film was released on video. Fer Chrissake, don't miss this show!
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I want to live in Austin! I want to go to see films at the Alamo Drafthouse! Delicatessen? That is such an amazing movie. Most people seem to prefer City Of Lost Children, but personally, you can't go past that bedsprings scene. Damn, I love that scene.
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The Alamo sounds kinda mighty. Nonetheless, here down under we have a range of cinemas that are similar and it would surprise me that other cities didn't have an Alamo somewhere. For instance, there is Melbourne's Astor Theatre. This cinema specialises in 70mm prints and features a massive, flat-matte screen with a shallow curve. This means that edge-to-edge - even corner-to-corner - focus is maintained. Over the coming weeks we have such double bills as WHITE ZOMBIE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE; CABARET and BLOW UP; EVIL DEAD and RE-ANIMATOR; BIG BOSS and FISTS OF FURY; GODZILLA and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD; FREAKS and LOLITA; A TOUCH OF EVIL and LA JETEE; Bergman's SAWDUST AND TINSEL and SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT; STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE and so on. Many of these are the fully restored prints. In addition there are some terrific modern double bills and one-offs - from SOLARIS to THE MUMMY and RAIDERS.. Maybe it's about time for a cool cinema round the world crawl! BTW - anyone seen Ken Loach's new flick 'My name is Joe'? Terrific as per.
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When I first saw Dead Alive, it was at the now-defunct NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREXEL 24hr Horror Film marathon in Columbus Ohio, at the now defunct Drexel North theatre. The print carried a Trimark logo, but had come all the way from New Zealand, still had the title BRAINDEAD, and even had "God Save the Queen" before it began (I guess it's UK law or something). Trimark had asked the crowd to help pick a new title--I refuse to believe that group chose something as lame as DEAD ALIVE. When it was released as DEAD ALIVE, there were cuts made in some of the dialogue, but to my knowledge, no less gore is present. So, yes and no, DEAD ALIVE is still way gory in 35mm.
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The Canibalism Film Fest sounds fun. However, I'm not familiar with most of the films. So, I'd love some feedback on whether
Human Meat Pies or Cannibal Ferox
are better movies......
Just wondering, and thanks
Desslock28
desslock28@hotmail.com
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Harry's page is linked off of our main page and from our reviews page, but I've got to admit, I don't have him linked from the the film links page. It hasn't been updated since April, 1997; time for an upgrade, and 1000 pardon's to Harry, etc.
Tim
Alamo -
Gee... when I met Harry a few years ago when I was on a Texas trip, I forgot that we went there to see the original Halloween. It's a really cool place... tons of atmosphere... kind of what all theaters should be... and the food ain't half bad either!
Harry definitely knows what he's talking about regarding theater experience... now only if they'd franchise it... ;-)
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