Friday, October 16, 2015

Kickstart your weekend with cool Cthulhu Christmas Greeting Cards!

Yeah.  Okay.  I know.  It's the middle of October.  And I'm sure you grumble as much as I about all the Christmas decorations lining the aisle of every store.  So, you must be wondering why I'm asking you to Kickstart Your Weekend by pledge support for a set of Christmas Cards.

BECAUSE THEY ARE CTHULHU CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS!  AND THEY LOOK AWESOME!!!!


Wouldn't your loved ones enjoy this festive card?
Well, with my family, it would reaffirm their belief that I am the weird one in the bunch!

And that's just one of a set of four that could be yours to send out to family, friends and those you wish to drive to madness!

Studio WonderCabinet has met their goal, and are now working on stretch goals.  In fact, they surpassed the first one, so all cards will be sent with a Cthulhu Christmas sticker to seal the envelopes with!

Excited yet?  Well, at $4,000 (a bit over $500 away), the studio will add festive tentacles to the envelopes you receive with your cards.  And at $5,000, a fifth card, The Innsmouth Carolers, will be added to the set of four cards sent at pledges starting at just $10!   You can pledge higher, for additional sets, or lower and receive just one card, or a PDF to print your own (included with all card pack pledges), though you don't get the envelopes and cool stickers.

Okay, one thing I didn't explain when I started this weekly feature: I put my money where my post is.  I am backing this project, because if I'm not willing to open my wallet for a project, I shouldn't be posting about it.  So I have cards coming, and my family will be wondering how I got so strange.  My friends, on the other hand, will probably be sending me one!

You can find more about this Kickstarter project, and make a pledge, at the link.  The site includes samples of previous cards the studio has put out, designs for the cards and a sketch of The Innsmouth Carolers!  You have until November 4 to make a pledge, hence the reason for posting this early in October.

And I know you'll make a pledge, because you want an Innsmouth Carolers card as much as I do.  Hell, I might keep one out of my order for myself!  Who wouldn't?

Central Cinema in Seattle screens Ghostbusters and The Evil Dead this weekend.





No, it's not a mashup, though that would be all shades of AWESOME!  But Central Cinema (21st and Union) in the Central District of Seattle, WA, is screening both films this weekend.

Ghostbusters plays tonight through Tuesday, October 20, at 7 pm, with a 3 pm matinee on Saturday, October 17.  The much bloodier The Evil Dead, starring Bruce Campbell, plays tonight though Wednesday, October 21, at 9:30 pm.  And Wednesday is 99 Cent Movie Night!

All shows are digital, and open to all ages (yep, even The Evil Dead!).  You can enjoy dinner in the theater, sip on craft cocktails and even catch a Happy Hour Special before the earlier show!  For more details, and advance ticket sales, visit the Central Cinema website.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

I know this week's update is long, but what can I say/

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!  So you had to expect this week's update would be a massive tome.  And I've probably missed a few events, which I'll add throughout the week in separate updates.

And if you think this one's long, next week is shaping up to be just as long.....

So, let's get thing rolling!

Continuing



If you have an idea for a short horror film, consider submitting it Queer Horror: Nocturnal Submissions.  The bi-monthly horror film festival, with your hostess with the grossest, Carla Rossi, is looking to fill The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) in Portland, OR, with films that are gritty, gory, gay, sexy, scary and stupid.  In other words, almost anything goes.

There are some rules.  Nothing X-Rated (Hard R at the most) and no real-life blood or violence (animal and/or human).  Other than that, let your imagination take you to places you can photograph by camera or smart phone!

The entries may be submitted via Dropbox, Google Drive, or an e-mail attachment to thecarlarossi@gmail.com.  Submissions remain under the ownership of the respective filmmakers/copyright holders, and are screened for this engagement only.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 23, and the films chosen will be screened at The Hollywood Theatre on Thursday, October 29, at 9:30 pm.  Tickets are $8.

You can find more information about submissions, advanced ticket sales, and more at The Hollywood Theatre link.


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Halloweentown is open for business!  St. Helens. OR, celebrates the filming of the Disney Channel Original Movie with a month long celebration, including a Haunted Hot Rod/Hearse contest and an appearance of Halloweentown actress Kimberly J. Brown (Marnie) for October 10th Pumpkin Lighting Ceremony at 7 pm.  Click on the link to the Facebook Event Page for more details about this month long celebration.

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Open Gallery (323 NW 6th Ave) in Portland, OR, presents Every Day is Halloween, an art show presented by Pork Magazine and Goblinko.  The show features original drawings by Sean Äaberg and denim vests by Katie Äaberg, a Goblinko Megamall Pop-Up Shop and more!  The show runs through November 1, and you can find more details at the Facebook Event Page.

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The Shining continues at The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St) in Portland, OR.  I guess The Rose City has yet to get enough of Jack being a dull boy/axe murderer.  Showtimes are 4:20 and 9:30 pm through Thursday, October 22.  Visit The Academy Theater website for more details.

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The subtitled German horror film, Good Night Mommy, continues to screen at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave) in Portland, OR.  As a pair of twin brothers greet their mother after cosmetic surgery, they begin to doubt the woman is actually their parent.  And, as expected, things go bad from there.  Showtimes are 4, 6:45 and 9 pm through Thursday, October 22, with a matinee screening at 1:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18.  Visit the Cinema 21 website for more details.

The film also opens Friday, October 16, at the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St) in Bellingham, WA.  Shows of Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 8:45 pm, with a Sunday showing at 7:45 pm.  Get more details at the Pickford Film Center website.


Friday, October 16



Evil Dead The Musical hits the stage at The Wildish Theater (128 NE Russet Street in Springfield, OR) for two shows, at 7 pm and 9:15 pm tonight only.  And yes, there will be a SPLATTER ZONE!  And should you splattered with blood, no crying out "D'UH!"  Find more information at the Evil Dead The Musical website.

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I have an exclusive report (well, it was when I added it to the Horror Calendar) from Friday Night Frights in Tacoma, WA.  Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses will screen at the Blue Mouse Theatre (2411 N. Proctor St) tonight at 10 pm.  Tickets for the screening are only $5, a steal during the Halloween season.  Find out more at the Facebook Event Page.
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Mel Brooks' classic homage/spoof of the Universal Horror Movies, Young Frankenstein, opens tonight at The Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St) in Vancouver, WA.  You know the movie, you've memorized the best lines, now see it on the big screen.  Showtimes are 6:30 pm on Friday, October 16, 4 pm on Saturday, October 17, 5:30 pm on Sunday, October 18, 8:30 pm on Monday, October 19 and 5;15 pm on Tuesday, October 20.  Visit The Kiggins Theatre website for more information.

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Okay, despite any issues you might have with Roman Polanski, the person, Rosemary's Baby is a masterpiece of horror.  The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St) in Portland, OR, will screen the film through October 22 and you might not find another chance to watch this true horror classic on the big screen again.  Showtimes are 11:40 am and 6:45 pm through Thursday, October 22.  Visit The Academy Theater website for more details.

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JOIN US!  At The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) in Portland, OR, at 9:45 pm for a screening of Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn in glorious 35mm!!  Presented in partnership with the Living Dead Horror Convention (November 13 at the Oregon Convention Center) and Sinful Audio, I don't think I need to say anything more about why you MUST SEE THIS FILM ON THE BIG SCREEN!  Tickets are $8, or you can spend a bit more and buy an advanced ticket (and be sure you can get into the theater) by clicking on The Hollywood Theatre website.

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Grind This!, a two week celebration of Grindhouse Horror, opens tonight at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR.

Tonight, get ready for disco, Jamie Lee Curtis and a masked killer in the 1980 slasher classic, Prom Night.  And I bet you're waiting for Leslie Nielsen to crack a joke every time he's onscreen (his career changing performance in comedy classic Airplane was in theaters two weeks before Prom Night).

The show starts tonight at 9:45 pm and you must be 21 or older to attend.  You'll find more information at The Laurelhurst Theater website.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

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The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St) in Seattle, WA, presents the strangest cinematic offering I can think.  The American Genre Film Archive and Something Weird Video present Smut Without Smut, a fundraiser for their kickstarter campaign.  The double feature presents two hardcore genre films, The Mad Love Life of a Hot Vampire and The Haunted P___y (I'll let you fill in the blanks and no, you shouldn't need to buy a vowel), WITH THE HARDCORE SEX SCENES REMOVED!  Do either of these films have a plot, or will it be the shortest double feature in the history of cinema?  One things for sure, it should be fun!  The show starts at 8 pm on October 16 only.  Visit The Grand Illusion website for more details and plot summaries for both features.

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If you're looking for something other than the standard candy you'll get trick or treating, head to Choktoberfest, at Old Portland, Hardware and Architectural (700 NE 22 Ave) in Portland, OR, for artisan chocolates, traditional German fare and beer!  Tickets are $20 during pre-sale, via the link on the Facebook Event Page.



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The Funhouse Lounge (2432 SE 11th Ave) in Portland, OR, brings back a Halloween favorite with Murder Mystery Machine.  The Funhouse Lounge Improv Company craft a bloody murder mystery from audience suggestions, and the sleuths of Mystery Inc. are there to investigate.

ZOINKS!  Yep, Scooby Doo and his human friends will puzzle over clues, chase monsters, unmask the villain (one assumes) and treat themselves to Scooby snacks.

Of course, this ISN'T going to be like the Saturday morning cartoon, and the Funhouse Lounge considers the events to be "Rated R" for themes and simulated violence, so you might think twice before bringing the kids.

Shows are at 7 pm Thursdays through Saturdays through November 7.  Tickets are available in advance for $12, and at the door for $16.  Thursday night's performances are "pay what you want," as long as tickets are available.

For more details, and advance ticket sales, visit the Funhouse Lounge website.


Saturday, October 17



Evil Dead The Musical returns to The Wonder Ballroom stage (630 East Main in Portland, OR) for one show only at.....

UPDATE!

 Oh, we now have THREE shows, at 6 pm and 9:15 pm tonight (October 17), and 2 pm on Sunday, October 18th.  Yes, you can find splatter zone tickets for all shows, and why would you miss that opportunity in an Evil Dead musical?  Find more information at the Evil Dead The Musical website.

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The Rocket Sci-Fi Matinee brings another beastly babe to the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay Street) in Bellingham, WA, with a noon screening of The She Creature! An evil hypnotist (is there any other kind?) discovers his lovely assistant's prehistoric ancestors were monstrous aquatic beings, and he uses her to, say it with me now, commit murders.  Yes, that's a shocker, but the creature design looks great and it should be a lot of fun on the big screen.  Admission is only $2, and you'll find advance ticket sales and more details at the link.

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Goobie Gobble, The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) is presenting at 35mm screening of the still controversial Tod Browning's Freaks.  Using deformed actors who performed in circus sideshows, Freaks was considered too shocking to be screened, and was banned in Great Britain, and other countries, for over 30 years.  Yet, it's an interesting study in who the real monsters are, as a beautiful trapeze artist marries a midget performer for his money, only to have her (and her lover, the strongman of the circus) meet their comeuppance at the family of "freaks."  

Let's be honest, the normal people in this film are the villains.  Yet, as the freaks exact justice in the only option available to them, most audiences will be disturbed by the visual images of the "freaks" crawl through the rain to extract their revenge.  It's unsettling, as we "see" those that don't look "right" act as monsters, even as their cause is just.  And our reaction to the final few moments of the film if we (the audience) relieved we wouldn't react the same way to Stallone and the rest of The Expendables acting in the same fashion.

And the film's message resonates today, as we are besieged by politicians wanting to erect a wall against those who look and act different than "us," painting them as monsters without questioning our motivations for excluding them from our society or their inner humanity.  A thinking film for Northwest horror fans, Freaks screens today and Sunday, October 18, at 3 pm.  For more details, and advance ticket sales, visit The Hollywood Theatre website.  

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More zombie mayhem hits Portland, OR, tonight, as Stumptown Zombie Con 2015 travels about our fair city.  The event starts at The Dixie Tavern (32 NW 3 Ave) at 2 pm, should you need help from Makeup Artists to help you find your inner zombie (the event will list prices and strongly suggests tipping the people applying your makeup).  Be sure to make an appointment!

At 4 pm, the event starts up at The Dixie Tavern, then makes its way to Jones Bar at 5:15 pm, Waterfront Park at 6:30 pm, Kells Irish Pub at 7 pm, then ends at Ankeny Alley from 8:30 to 10 pm.

As the event is bar oriented, you must be 21 or older to attend.  Also, the site suggests paying your tab with cash.  Prizes will be awarded for best costume, and a Zombie, Monster or Halloween Themed costume is required.  Tips for winning a best costume prize, as well as more information about the event, is available at the Facebook Event Page.  Oh, and the event is free (except for your bar tab)!
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The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St) in Seattle, WA, is screening A Nightmare on Elm Street and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, both in GLORIOUS 35mm!  Okay, the first one is a classic and the sequel, well, it does stray from the typical NOES scenario, as Freddy is trying to posse a young man and re-emerge into our world.  But the homoerotic overtones give the script more of a punch than your average sequel, and it's amazing New Line Cinema let director Jack Solder and writer David Chaskin veer so far from the source material, and into the realm of a high school student questioning his sexual identity.

ANOES plays at 7 pm on Saturday, October 17 and 8 pm on Monday, October 19.  Freddy's Revenge plays at 9 pm on Saturday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 20 at 8 pm.  Visit The Grand Illusion website for more details.

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If four hours of "spooky Horror and Halloween shopping fun" sounds like a great way to spend your Saturday, head to The Jack London Bar (529 SW 4th Ave) in Portland, OR, for the Ghoulie's Graveyard Sale, starting at 4 pm.  You can pick up that special decoration to make your Halloween Home complete, while enjoying Spook Music, Spooky Raffles and DRINKING!

Okay, I should not need to mention this event is for those 21 or older.

And, after the sale, you can stick around for the "classic industrial night Tyranny" starting at 10 pm!

Get more information at the Facebook Event Page.

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If you happen to be north of the Columbia River, the zombies are coming! Doomsday Brewing Company (421 C St Unit 1B) in Washougal, WA, is hosting a Zombie Brewfest from 3 to 10 pm, featuring over 25 local craft beers amongst the zombie fun, as well as live music by Guillotine Necktie and food by Foody Blues BBQ and the full Doomsday Brewing menu.  General Admission is $15, with presale tickets available now with two extra beer tokens!  Visit the Facebook Event Page for more details and a link to advanced ticket sales.

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The EMP (325 5th Ave N) in Seattle, WA, is hosting a Fashionable Undead Prom: '90s Nightmare dance for all Horror Fans.  Sure, the site has suggestions on what to wear, but seriously, do true Horror Fans need them?  Tickets to the Prom include admission to Can't Look Away, the EMP's horror museum and, I have to say (based on my visit several years ago), it's worth the cost.  Tickets are $25 ($18 for EMP members) and you'll find more information at the link.

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Halloween gets an early start in Tigard, OR, as The Joy Cinema  (11959 SW Pacific Highway)
presents Scare-a-Thon, 12 hours of great old and new horror films.  It all starts at 1 pm with the greatest horror comedy ever made, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, followed by The Bride of Frankenstein at 3 pm.

Next, for the first time in the Portland area for 60 years, the Vincent Price thriller, The Mad Magician, will be shown in GLORIOUS 3D at 5 pm, along with the 3D Three Stooges short, Spooks.  Hell, that's better than ANY 3D feature offered in the giant multiplexes.

The scares continue with The Abominable Dr. Phibes at 7 pm, Return of the Living Dead at 9 pm and Charlton Heston laying the groundwork for his NRA leadership role in the post-apocalyptic The Omega Man at 11 pm.  Admission is $5 for regular features, $6 for the 3D feature, or buy a full day pass for just $19!

So Pick and Choose, or spend all day at The Joy Cinema.  Hey, the forecast says it will rain on Saturday, a great excuse for spending 12 hours in the comfort of a theater, watching some great horror classics!

Visit The Joy Cinema website for more details.

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Grind This!, a two week celebration of Grindhouse Horror, continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR.

Tonight, the deadly effects of cheap booze hits home in 1987's Street Trash.  Hobos are melting thanks to the drink Viper, while two brothers find different ways to deal with homelessness, while a cop is looking into the liquifying homeless population.

The film starts at 9:45 pm and you must be 21 or older to attend.  Visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Sunday, October 18



Sure, it's a sci fi/action film, but Robocop has some amazing, nightmare inducing makeup effects by Rob Bottin that I can't not include it.  Cartopia (1201 SE Hawthorne Blvd) in Portland, OR, will screen this classic, followed by an episode of Twin Peaks (note: episodes have screening since May, so you will be a bit behind) tonight after the sun is down.  Get there early and partake in some of the food served at Cartopia!  Check out the Facebook Event Page for more details.

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The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St) in Seattle, Washington, presents Rampaging Mutant 35mm Triple Feature Pizza Party at 3 pm on Sunday, October 18.  As the program describes mutants as "rarely happy and usually on some sort of a rampage," I assume this film will not contain turtles turning into ninja.  But, you never know, as the films are not listed!   Visit The Grand Illusion website for more details.

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Grind This!, a two week celebration of Grindhouse Horror, continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR.

"Wanna date?!?"

Yes, Frankenhooker is tonight's film, and this is a doozy.  After a experimental lawnmower accident kills his fiancee, Jeffrey Franken sets out to bring her back to life, using the body parts from various prostitutes.  But his reanimated bride to be is more interested in earning a living, and killing her clients, than being with him.

The film starts at 9:45 pm and you must be 21 or older to attend.  Visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Monday, October 19



Grind This!, a two week celebration of Grindhouse Horror, continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR.  

A young man finds a special high thanks to a parasitic worm named Aylmer in Frank Henenlotter's dark comedy Brain Damage.  Aylmer secretes a highly addictive hallucinogenic, and all young Brian to maintain a steady supply is kill people for Aylmer, who eats brains.  Yeah, nothing can go wrong with that arrangement.

The film starts at 9:45 pm and you must be 21 or older to attend.  Visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Tuesday, October 20



Grind This!, a two week celebration of Grindhouse Horror, continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR.

A returning Vietnam vet finds his attempts to rebuild his life put on hold in Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except (AKA Stryker's War).  When a murderous cult (led by Sam Raimi!) tortures his old girlfriend and the local cops, Stryker and his friends arm up and aim to take the cultists down.  Oh, and according to The Evil Dead Companion, keep an eye open for an uncredited cameo by Bruce Campbell as a video newscaster.

The film starts at 9:45 pm and you must be 21 or older to attend.  Visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Wednesday, October 21



The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St) in Seattle, WA,  screens Science Crazed at 8 pm tonight only.  I can't do justice to the plot synopsis offered by The Grand Illusion, but I will say it involved experimentation at the Shelley Institute, an woman giving birth to a full grown mutant/man that starts rampaging through the institute, with only....  Oh hell, you probably know the rest.  If not, visit The Grand Illusion website for more details.

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Grind This!, a two week celebration of Grindhouse Horror, continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR.  

Demons 2, directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento (both worked on the script as well) takes place in a modern high rise, where a television show about the demon attack in the first film being aired.  As a young girl watches, a demon emerges through the television and attacks, turning her into a demon.  And, as I always say, mayhem ensues.

Keep your eyes open for Asia Argento, who was 10 years old at the time, making her screen debut.  And, as expected, lots of gory demon attacks.

The film starts at 9:45 pm and you must be 21 or older to attend.  Visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Thursday, October 22




The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St) in Seattle, WA, presents a Bigfoot double feature!  Local filmmaker John Portanova's award-winning Valley of the Sasquatch is paired with one of his favorite 70s Bigfoot films, Creature from Black Lake.  And Portanova will be in attendance!  The show starts at 7 pm tonight only.  Visit The Grand Illusion website for more details.

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Tonight only, at The Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St) in Vancouver, WA, is screening the classic silent film, The Golem, with musical accompaniment by local composer and pianist Beth Karp of an original score she wrote for the film.  Showtime is 7 pm.  Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.  You can get more information on the screening, and find a link to purchase advance tickets, at The Kiggins Theatre website.  

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Grind This!, a two week celebration of Grindhouse Horror, continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR.  

It's a bit out of order, but Demons, directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento (both worked on the script as well), plays tonight.  If you saw the sequel and thought it didn't make much sense, well, the first one is just a confusion at times.

A mysterious masked figure is handing out tickets to a special midnight screening at a local cinema.  As the moviegoers settle into their chairs, one is turned into a demon and some spectacular mayhem ensues.  The ending is just bonkers, as the two survivors ride a motorcycle through the theater, attacking demons with a sword and avoiding a helicopter that falls through the ceiling!  Yeah, it gets that crazy.

The film was one of the many horror films in the 80s released into American theaters unrated, as the violence would have earned it an X-rating from the MPAA.  Of course, that would have been the kiss of death, as that rating was associated with pornography and would have limited theaters willing to show, and advertise, the film.

The film starts at 9:45 pm and you must be 21 or older to attend.  Visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

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Told you it was going to be a long one tonight.  And I expect next week's post to be just as long, so brace yourselves, Horror Fans, we're in the thick of it now. 

If you have an event I missed, please email me at shadowoverportland@live.com and I'll get it on the site.  If you emailed me and you don't see your event, I might have missed it in the deluge of information that's hit me in the past two weeks.  Please email me again and I'll set things right.

And remember, should you attend any of these events, let the organizers know you read about it at The Shadow Over Portland!

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

The Joy Cinema is adding to your Halloween season with a great Weird Wednesday offering and Scare-a-Thon this Saturday!

Leave it to The Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway) in Tigard, OR, to kick off the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR into high gear this week.  First up is a great Weird Wednesday offering, Bride of the Gorilla!



Raymond Burr (in an un-Perry Mason role) plays a South American plantation manager who kills his employer to get with his wife (Barbara Payton).  However, a local witch curses Burr, who finds himself turning into a gorilla at night.  Through Lon Chaney Jr. into the mix, shake well, and you have a great concoction for October sipping.

Okay, it's never spelled out if Burr turns into a gorilla, or is under the witch's hypnotic spell, but the movie is a lot of fun.  And with a script by Curt Siodmak (1941's The Wolf Man), you know you'll get a few hints of the beast within the man peppered throughout the story.

As always, admission is free, but you must be 21 or older to get in.  And be sure to spend the money you save on the ticket price at the snack bar to help keep Wednesday WEIRD at The Joy.  The film starts at 9:15 pm.



Oh, but The Joy Cinema has more coming this week,  On Saturday, the Scare-a-Thon starts at 1 pm, with a great collection of old and new horror films.  It all begins with the greatest horror comedy ever made, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, followed by The Bride of Frankenstein at 3 pm.  
Next, for the first time in the Portland area for 60 years, the Vincent Price thriller, The Mad Magician, will be shown in GLORIOUS 3D at 5 pm, along with the 3D Three Stooges short, Spooks.  Hell, that's better than ANY 3D feature offered in the giant multiplexes.

The scares continue with The Abominable Dr. Phibes at 7 pm, Return of the Living Dead at 9 pm and Charlton Heston laying the groundwork for his NRA leadership role in the post-apocalyptic The Omega Man at 11 pm.  Admission is $5 for regular features, $6 for the 3D feature, or buy a full day pass for just $19!

So Pick and Choose, or spend all day at The Joy Cinema.  Hey, the forecast says it will rain on Saturday, a great excuse for spending 12 hours in the comfort of a theater, watching some great horror classics!

Visit The Joy Cinema website for more details.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Julie Adams to appear at The Living Dead Horror Convention in Portland, OR!


I was a horror fan since the age of three, when I saw Invaders from Mars in the basement TV room of my grandmother's home in New York.  My parents didn't know I was watching, but I was enthralled by the film.  And had nightmares for a few nights.  Despite my parents best efforts to shield me from the cinematic offerings of thing all dark and scary, the obsession never died.

I'm not about to debate my parents decision to keep me from watching horror films as a young child.  They did what they thought was best, and I love them for it.  And, they allowed me to watch horror films (as well as Connery era Bond films) once they were edited for network television.  This was decades before cable, but they would let me stay up long after my bedtime to watch what they wouldn't take me to the movies to see.  They also let me read novelizations of the movies I was forbidden to see, such as The Omen, as they felt not seeing visual decapitations, but reading about them, was safer for my adolescent development.

Again, I'm not criticizing their choice to shelter me from such films.  But, when we moved into the Pacific Northwest back in early 70s, they allowed me to purchase a small black and white TV with money I earned picking strawberries (yes, that was a thing) and I got to watch the horror films on KPTV.  My family has an affinity for sports that I never understood, the same as they didn't understand my love for all things scary and fantastic.

Which leads me to the first time I saw Creature from the Black Lagoon.  It wasn't on the family viewing schedule, as was Singing in the Rain (which I love), so I was in my room, watching on my small TV screen.

It was a great film, full of thrills and scares and a wonderful woman named Kay.  But then, she decided to swim in the Black Lagoon and reveled her WONDERFUL white swimsuit.


Okay, it's a one piece and looks tame by today's standards.  And I can not explain how it burned into my brain.  But it did, even before the underwater ballet scene.  I was in love with a cinematic icon, the same way I fell for Caroline Munro in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.  It was a moment that not only cemented my love for films scary and fantastic, but also for the women who acted in them.

I still have my crushes for women in horror films, even to this day.  But Ms. Adams was my first, and strongest.  She was smart, sexy and pined for by a monster I felt myself to be.  I was always the gangly kid who'd rather read and watch horror and sci fi that participate in any normal school activities like sports.  And I would always identify with the Gillman, even now, as the outsider pining for the love of a beautiful woman, but without the social graces to make his amorous intentions known.


Okay, lesson one.
Not how to act on ANY date!

Yes, I know, the Gillman went about it the wrong way, but much like Kong, his heart was in the right place.  And I always thought, had I been him, I could have made things work out better.  An adolescent fantasy, to be sure, but one that kept hope alive through my teenage years.  And I feel I'm better for it, by knowing how NOT to approach a woman.  The Gillman and Kong got it wrong and I learned from their mistakes, saving me much embarrassment.  I like to think I've had much stronger relationships with the women in my life, thanks to learning from the monster's mistakes.

Which is why I look forward to finally meeting Ms. Adams at The Living Dead Horror Convention, this November at The Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR.  The first reason is to finally meet the woman I've had a cinematic crush on for years (yeah, my heart still drops as she drops her robe and revels her one piece, even after all these years), but also to thank her for cementing in my mind that brute strength and force won't win a woman's heart.  It takes the heartfelt appreciation of her, as exemplified by Richard Carlson (as Dr. David Reed) to win her heart.  It's a lesson well learned.

And let's not talk about Mark Williams.  We all know how that ended up....



It's pretty obvious who gets to live.
Stupid jock.
No, I'm not bitter at all.