MY OUTDOOR MOVIE FESTIVAL

Since moving into our awesome apartment in 2013, Craig and I have hosted epic screenings outside on our terrace (with the exception of 2014's terrace closure).

Amidst the backdrop of midtown Manhattan, here's every film we've screened to date, and some of the opening trailer reels I created for these special nights:

2017 (so far)

2016

 

2015

 

 

  

2013

 

C.H.U.D.COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN

Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers for the win, please...

C.H.U.D. is a 1984 American horror film produced by Andrew Bonime, and directed by Douglas Cheek with Peter Stein as the director of photography and William Bilowit as production designer. 

The cast includes Daniel Stern and John Heard and features early appearances by both John Goodman and Jay Thomas as police officers.

It was followed in 1989 by C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D.

ハウス (HOUSE)COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN

Today's COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN continues with the midnight-fave Japanese movie HOUSE, which combines some freaky images to get you in the mood...

  

House (ハウス) is a 1977 Japanese horror film directed and produced by Nobuhiko Obayashi. The film stars mostly amateur actors with only Kimiko Ikegami and Yōko Minamida having any notable previous acting experience. The film is about a schoolgirl traveling with her six classmates to her ailing aunt's country home, where they come face to face with supernatural events as the girls are, one by one, devoured by the home.

RIP Ken Russell

I was midway through High School when my Early Civilization teacher Mr. McCreedy recommended I watch Ken Russell's Rock Opera Tommy.

I'm sure it had to be sparked by the fact that most of my movie-going habits revolved around new Hollywood releases when not rewatching the oeuvre of Spielberg and Lucas.

Or it could have been my much bragged about discovery of my parents' late 60s records, which included The Who, but also obscure psychedelic vinyl dreams like The Electric Prunes.

Years before viewing anything remotely avant-garde, the cinematic suggestion came at the right time in my life. With the exception of a heavily edited-for-television Altered States, it was the first Ken Russell film I'd ever seen and I never forgot the first viewing.

I wish I could brag that I saw the film projected on an Omnimax dome under the influence of a nice closed-door contact high, but I first saw Tommy on a crappy pan-and-scan VHS. I don't even think the sound was stereo. But none of that really mattered. This was not only my first experience with the music from The Who's rock opera, but the eye-popping visuals assault you even with the sound off.

Suddenly Tina Turner wasn't just the leggy comeback queen from Thunderdome or Private Dancer. She was a gypsy - the ACID QUEEN.

Ken Russell commands such a crazy performance from her, it's hard to believe she's only in the movie for one song. It's equally impressive that his assembled dream cast of Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed and Robert Powell are so into being pushed to dramatic extremes.

Suddenly movies had deeper meaning. Thematically it dared me to question religion, society, government, medicine, celebrity culture and commerce. Technically it introduced me to radical montages, gonzo narrative, inventive camerawork and outrageous set pieces. I still marvel, in this age of motion-capture CGI, at the number of optical effects performed in-camera.

Tommy also became the film I subjected a lot of my friends to sit through. In part, this was to show-off the lunacy that it was, but mainly to verify the cool-factor of my teacher.

what I'm geeking out over lately...

It came from Roger Corman (in case you couldn't tell from the sexed-out nerd porn movie poster)! One part jump-on-the-bandwagon of Alien, but kinda original overall. Is it exploitation? Is it art? Is it sci/fi soft core? Yes, maybe, sure...

CLICK HERE to read all about it on Forces of Geek.