Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Okay, Northwest Horror Fans, here's what's happening during the rest of September under The Shadow Over Portland!

Okay, I know some of you might be wondering why I'm not including a peek at the cool events happening during THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR with this week's update.  Well, truth be told, I'm still working on October's events.  Every time I turn around, something new is happening, and I've been working so hard, I actually broke my keyboard!  Yeah, my main keyboard decided it had enough and stopped working, so now I'm on my backup.  No telling how long this sucker will last, given all the events I keep finding online.  Hope it makes it until payday...

But let me give you a few hints.  Little Shop of Horrors at The Armory Theatre in Portland, OR is a can't miss for Horror Fans looking for a dark musical to spice up their Holiday (review is coming).  Xander and Anya pay a visit to Halloweentown (St Helens, OR) later in October.  The Hollywood Theatre is knocking out of the park, with Hecklevision and Kung Fu Theater getting into the Halloween spirit in October (Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan and Seven Brothers Meet Dracula will be showing), along with SO MANY other treats.  Evil Dead: The Musical is coming to Portland, Vancouver, BC, and Victoria, BC, with shows already selling out.  Friday Night Frights in Tacoma, WA, will show Scream and Halloween.  And the EMP in Seattle, WA, is screening horror films under the "stars" of the Sky Church Theater, The Laurelhurst in Portland, OR, is hosting another Fright Month, and....

Oh, I could go on.  Just visit the Horror Calendar for more details, and EXPECT MORE TO COME!  And I'll be adding posters to the events so you can easily identify what you want to see.  Just give me a few days.

And I haven't even started getting into the meat of the Haunted Attractions coming to the area.  I'll be adding a lot more to this page in the very near future.  And aside from Weird Wednesday (which presents Attack of the Giant Leeches this week), I hear The Joy Cinema is planning another spooktacular event later in October.  Stay tuned for more details.  

Yep, it's going to be a busy couple of weeks at The Shadow Over Portland, but you can help spread the spooky news!  If you don't see your event listed on the site, it could be I have the information and haven't had the chance to write about it.  But why not email me at shadowoverportland@live.com and make sure I know about your spooky happening.  I DO NOT CHARGE for listing your event, nor to I expect any compensation.  I'm just a writer trying to make sure Northwest Horror Fans can make plans for the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!  And if you send me details about your event, I can make sure it will get online to the people who want to know about it.  I'm not kidding, my readership always peaks in October.  

Okay, enough of the shameless plug.  Time to get to the events happening in September under The Shadow Over Portland!!! 

Ongoing




Audry II seems ready to take over Portland this Halloween season.  The film version of the off-Broadway play will be shown several times at McMenimun Mission Theater during October, but before that, Portland Center Stage (128 NW 11 Ave in Portland, OR) presents Menken and Ashman's version of Little Shop of Horror on the U.S. Bank Main Stage.  Of course, the film is based on the Roger Corman cult classic, but with musical numbers and a singing plant LIVE ON STAGE!  If you love the film, you don't want to miss this production!!  PCS suggests the production is suitable for ages 12 and up (be aware that children under 6 are not allowed to attend any PCS production).  The show runs through October 16 and you can find more details and advance ticket sales at the PCS website.

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Well, if you missed the last few times to relieve a childhood cinematic trauma, or the chance to traumatize your kids (let's face it, this film has screened most everywhere under The Shadow Over Portland), The Joy Cinema and Pub (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR) will screen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory through September 22.  Let the child endangerment and chicken decapitation commence!  But hey, everyone learns something in the end and, to be honest, this film was screened on KPTV (back when it was locally owned) unedited on Sunday evenings in the 70s.  And we turned out fine, so no worries!!  The film will start around 7 pm, so check The Joy Cinema website for more details later this week.

Open Auditions





The Fear PDX Haunted House is looking for actors for the upcoming attraction.  You have to be 18 or older to apply.  Fill out the application at The Fear website and you'll be contacted for an interview.  You can find out more about The Fear by visiting the official Facebook Page.

The Spirit of Halloweentown in St Helens, OR




The Spirit of Halloweentown returns to the the city of St. Helens in Oregon for a month-long celebration full of amazing events.  From the St. Helens Halloween Parade on Saturday, October 1, at 4:30 pm, to haunted tours, pumpkin carving contests, a Howl-oween 5K dog walk, and more, this should be on every Northwest Halloween fan's calendar!  You'll find plenty of events happening in the area through Halloween Night, so check out the Official Website link for all the events and details.  And, should you want to be a part of the Halloween Parade, the photo above gives you most of the details.




Also, actress Kimberly Brown (who starred as Marnie in Halloweentown, the Disney Channel Original Movie filmed in St. Helen's) will return to the festival on October 8 and 9.  You can find advance tickets for photo ops and other special events at the link.




Should you feel like dressing up as a creature of the night and possibly winning $1,000, sign up for the Creatures of the Catwalk, part of the month long Spirit of Halloweentown celebration in St. Helens, OR on October 9.  Check out the link for entry fees and more details.  The event takes place on Sunday, October 9 from 2 to 4 pm.  Entries are limited, so get on it, creatures of the night!!

Also as part of the Halloweentown celebration is the Bonfire and Bones-Scream All You Want! Goth Extravaganza.  The party starts at The Waterfront (275 Strand St in St. Helens, OR) at 7 pm on Saturday, October 22.  You eat, drink and dance the night away, while participating in a costume contest!  And yes, there will be a BIG fire!  Visit the link for more details on the event and advance ticket sales.




Oh, Halloweentown (St Helens, OR) just added some of the Scooby Gang to their events.  Emma Caulfield (Anya) and Nicholas Brendon (Xander) from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, will join the festivities.  Caulfield will be at Halloweentown for photo shoots on Saturday, October 29. while Brendon will be available for photo shots October 29 and 30.  And you can buy group photos!  I'll be trying to be there!!  Check out the Official Halloweentown website for all the details.  Just scroll down a bit.


Buy it NOW!



Fabio Frizzi, composer for some of Lucio Fulci's horror classics such as ZombieThe Beyond and Gates of Hell, is coming to The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) at 8 pm on Monday, October 3, to perform tracks from these classic films LIVE with a seven piece orchestra!  Frizzi 2 Fulci starts at 8 pm, with general admission only $25.  Meet and Greet tickets are SOLD OUT!  For more details, and a link to advance ticket sales, visit The Hollywood Theatre official website.  This event WILL sell out, so buy your tickets as soon as possible!

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It's a full evening of mayhem on Saturday, October 15, at The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) starting at 9 pm.  The All Night Horror Marathon will test your nerves (and stamina) as you watch 4 rare 35mm prints of horror flicks from the 70s and 80s.  The titles will not be announced in advance, but the screening will include "a Satanic film, an underrated horror sequel, a forgotten 80s slasher and a batshit-crazy Italian gutmuncher."  Well, that sure narrows it down.  Tickets are $15, and you'll want to buy them in advance!  For more details, and a link to advance ticket sales, visit The Hollywood Theatre website.

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The H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon returns to spread cosmic horror across Portland.  The madness starts at The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) on October 7.  For more details, visit the Official Website.  Be sure to buy your tickets before Saturday, September 24, so you can take advantage of early bird pricing!

As for guests, director Stuart Gordon will return to the festival.  Not only will he present a recording of his new radio play, The Hound, but he'll also be at the 30th Anniversary screening of the director's cut of From Beyond.

Special Guests include John Shirley, S. T. Joshi, A. Scott Glancy, Kenneth Hite, Mike Dubisch, Sean Branney, Andrew Leman, Cody Goodfellow, among others.

Oh, and I'll be a guest at this year's event!  Please be sure to say hello if you happen to attend a panel I'm on, or just see me walking about.  You won't miss me, as I'll be the big guy in the Lovecraft tee shirt and black Stumptown Kilt!

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Oh, THANK YOU, Halloween Gods!  As part of the Chills and Thrills: The Gimmick Series this month, The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is screening the William Castle classic, The Tingler, with Vincent Price, IN PERCEPTO!!!!!  Yes, the theatre will have VIBRATING SEATS!!!!!!!  I can not tell you how cool this will be, and how YOU CAN NOT MISS IT!  Mind.  BLOWN!!  I have my ticket, so I'll see you there.  As long as you buy in advance, as I think this event will sell out!  For more details, and advance ticket sales, visit The Hollywood Theatre website.

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Evil Dead: The Musical is turning the Pacific Northwest with stops at The Alberta Rose Theatre (3000 NE Alberta St in Portland, OR) on October 14 and 15, at the Revue Stage at Granville Island (1601 Johnston St in Vancouver, BC) on October 28 and 29, and the Metro Studio Theatre (1411 Quadra St in Victoria BC) on November 4 and 5.  Some performances in both Portland and Vancouver, BC, have sold out, so you want to buy your tickets SOON!  And yes, there is a Splatter Zone!!  You can find more details, including a list of available showtimes at all three locations and a link for advance ticket sales, at the Evil Dead Tour website.

Film Contest



Okay, I have the details for the Night of the Living WAM (Wait a Minute) film contest, sponsored by Tacoma Filmmakers.  The idea to create a one minute horror film win one week.  Competition starts on October 1, and ends on October 9.  Of course, a special mystery element, required to in the film, will be announced at the start of the competition.  The contest is open to filmmakers in the Tacoma, WA, and surrounding area.  The top thirty films will be screened at the Blue Mouse Theater (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA) at 10 pm, presented by Tacoma Filmmakers and Friday Night Frights (which will screen John Carpenter's Halloween as well).  For more details on the contest, visit the Night of the Living WAM website.

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Red Flag's 8th Annual Guignolfest: 3 Day Horror Movie Contest kicks of on October 21 at the Analog Lounge (720 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR).  No other details are available at this time, so keep checking the Official Website or The Shadow Over Portland Open Film Submissions page as October approaches.

September, 2016

Wednesday, September 21



It's more fun than a barrel of monkeys, it's a swamp filled with Giant Leeches!  This week's Weird Wednesday offering from The Joy Cinema and Pub (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR) is is the Roger Corman produced film, Attack of the Giant Leeches (AKA Attack of the Blood Leeches or The Giant Leeches).  Aside from these oversized worms, the film includes moonshiners, a cheating wife (played by Yvette Vickers from Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) and a park ranger torn between protecting the swamp or dynamiting the blood sucking giants.  As always, you must be 21 or older to attend this screening.  Don't forget, admission is FREE, so stop by the concession stand and pick up some treats to enjoy with the film.  Please DO NOT bring outside snacks or beverages with you, as this might incur the wrath of the local giant leeches and you might wake up in the sewers as their blood dispenser.   Seriously, concession sales bring these free films to The Joy, so spend a few dollars and support the theater's efforts to keep Wednesdays WEIRD.  The show starts at 9:15 pm, and you can find more details at The Joy Cinema website.

Friday, September 23



Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th Ave in Seattle, WA), in association with Grindhouse Releasing, presents a digital restoration of the gore classic I Drink Your Blood, in its original, UNCENSORED form.  No showtime has been announced, so check back here, or visit the Grand Illusion Cinema website, later in the month.

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Having Grimm withdrawals, or just morning this will be the final season?  Well, thankfully, you can have a morsel to tide you over with Thank Grimm: It's Burlesque!  Crush Bar (1400 SE Morrison St in Portland, OR) will help you get over your Grimm problem with dancers offering their takes on popular characters/monsters from the TV show.  For more details, and a link to advance ticket sales, visit the Facebook Event Page.

Saturday, September 24



The digital restoration of Don Coscarelli's horror classic, Phantasm, comes to The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.  A pre-recorded Q and A with Coscarelli and actors Michael Baldwin, Reggie Bannister, Bill Thornbury and Kat Lester takes place after the film.  For more details, and a link to advance ticket sales, visit The Hollywood Theatre website.

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Fritz Lang's classic sci-fi epic, Metropolis, comes to The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) today at 2 pm with a live organ accompaniment.  Oaks Park organist Dean Lemire will provide live accompaniment on the Beverly Ruth Nelson memorial organ to this classic of silent cinema.  Tickets are just $12, and you can find more details, as well as a link to advance ticket sales, on The Hollywood Theatre website.  

Wednesday, September 28



Frankenstein: A Cabaret opens at The Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight, running through Sunday, October 2.  A modern retelling of the classic horror story, The Broken Planetarium (click the link to visit the troupe's website) uses Shelley's work to explore female sexuality, desire and the drive to create.  The site notes this show is appropriate for those 18 years of age or older.  For more details and advance ticket sales, visit the theater's official website.

Friday, September 30



Fright Film Month starts early at The Laurelhurst Theater and Pub (2735 E Burnside in Portland, OR) tonight as 1973's The Wicker Man screens through October 6.  Yes, it's the good one with Edward Woodward and Sir Christopher Lee, not the remake!  Don't miss a chance to catch this classic on the big screen!  No word on showtimes yet, but check back here, or visit The Laurelhust website closer to October.