I've got some options for Pacific Northwest Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Fans not interest in Barbenheimer

As expected, Barbenheimer is flooding theaters everywhere.  But fear not, Pacific Northwest Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Fans, I've got a lot of great alternatives for your pleasure.

I'm sure I've said it before, but I have such sights to show you.

An event featuring music, comedy, vendors and naked zombies?  I've got that.  Late night slasher and classic Universal Monster features?  Yep, it's here. Creepy markets, a Far Out Film Festival, and a Black Metal Summer Destruction Ritual?  Got you covered and I have even MORE to share!  Just scroll down below.

I'm still a bit behind on the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar, but I hope to resolve that soon.  So, if you want to plan out for the rest of the year, check back later in the week.  

Well, I'm sure I've intrigued you enough to keep reading, so I'll sign off.  Take care, keep hydrated (it's going to be pretty warm out there), and I'll be back next week with even more great things happening under The Shadow Over Portland!

If you'd like to support the site, please visit my Ko-fi page.  Thank you!

Happening This Week 

Live Attractions 

The Portland Art Museum (1219 SW Park Ave in Portland, OR) will host Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio through September 17.  If you've seen the film (and even if you haven't yet, but what are you waiting for?), you don't want to miss this exhibit into the making of a stop-motion classic.

Stranger Things: The Experience comes to a capacious warehouse at 1750 Occidental Ave S in Seattle, WA, through Sunday, August 6.  Children under 5 years of age will not be admitted due to content, and anyone under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult.  You have to expect some real scares when you enter the Upside Down.

Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA is open at the Museum of Pop Culture (located in the Seattle Center; 325 5th Ave N in Seattle, WA).  The exhibit features never-before-seen artifacts from the Laika production studios, immersive set displays, character interactive and a sneak peek at the studio's next feature, Wildwood.  The exhibit will be open through Summer 2024.

 

The Museum of Pop Culture (325 5th Ave N in Seattle, WA) has Jim Henson puppets and set pieces from the 2019 Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on display now.  You can read about the display, and the work the museum put into displaying the artifacts, at the link.

Back in Theaters

The Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR) will show the Lord of the Rings Trilogy through the rest of the month.  Visit the link for the each films showtimes.

First Run Features  

The sci fi buddy comedy Biosphere is playing at the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, July 27).  

Wes Anderson's sci fi romantic comedy/drama Asteroid City is playing at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, July 26), the Salem Cinema (1227 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through Thursday, July 27), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, July 20), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, July 27), SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, July 26), the Living Room Theatres (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, July 27), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, July 27), the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Monday, July 24), and the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, July 27). 

Film Festival Submission Information 

 

Time to start assembling your filmmaking friends for The 15th Annual Guignolfest: 3-Day Horror Film Contest.  For more details, visit the event's Facebook page or website.

The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Festival is accepting UFO/Alien themed short films, documentaries, animation or music videos for the festival, which takes place on September 22 at McFiler's Chehalis Theater (558 N Market Blvd in Chehalis, WA). Submissions are accepted on FilmFreeway through July 15.

July, 2023

Friday, July 21

Shenaniganza PDX has another night market taking place at the Urbanite PDX parking lot (1005 SE Grand Ave in Portland, OR) tonight from 7:30 pm to 1 am.  Expect to find local music acts, comedy and a visiting marching band from Seattle.  Oh, and there's a Naked Zombie Bike ride in route to Urbanite for the event.  Sounds like an interesting, fun evening for all!  General entry is $5.

Friday Night Frights brings the 1982 slasher The Slumber Party Massacre to the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor in Tacoma, WA).  And it's a slumber party, so you can wear your best PJs.  Showtime is 10:30 pm.

The Frankenstein fun continues at the Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR) Midnight Friday, with Boris Karloff's final big-screen appearance as the Monster in Son of Frankenstein tonight at Midnight.

The Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) will screen Ken Russell's Altered States tonight at 7 pm.

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will screen the 1978 remake of the sci fi classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers tonight at 7 pm.

The Mondo Trasho series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) brings the absolutely insane Ninja III: The Domination, a mashup of ninja mayhem and The Exorcist (No, I'm not kidding) back to the big screen tonight at 7:30 pm.  It's Cannon Films at their finest!

Saturday, July 22

Market for the Strange presents Unleashed, a market featuring over 30 unusual, creepy, gothic and subversive local creators from noon to 7 pm at The Spot (535 Main St in Springfield, OR).  Tickets include access to live performances, a specialty drink menu, and Stranger for a Day card offering special deals at nearby shops.

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will screen the Mexican horror film Poison for the Fairies tonight at 7 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen Alejandro Jodorowsky's The Holy Mountain tonight at 10 pm.

Sunday, July 23

I'm including this because it's a terrifying movie.  The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen Deliverance tonight at 7 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen Tobe Hopper's horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre tonight at 9:40 pm.

Monday, July 24

#AnimeMonday at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) presents Metropolis tonight at 9 pm.

Shinya Tsukamoto's underground body horror classic Tetsuo: The Iron Man is playing at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

Tuesday, July 25

The Far Out Film Festival, a four hour collection of Pacific NorthWest filmmakers and other shorts, takes place at 6 pm tonight at the Cryptatropa Bar (421 4th Ave E in Olympia, WA).

Wednesday, July 26

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show the horror/fantasy Moon Garden tonight at 9 pm.

The Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR) will show the Steven Spielberg fantasy Hook tonight at 7 pm.

Thursday, July 27

Wyrd War brings you the Black Metal Summer Destruction Ritual, with the legendary Greek "tyrants" Varathron, in their first and only appearance in the Pacific Northwest.  Washington's Hulder will take part, as well as JD Dennis Dread.  It all happens at the Star Theater (13 NW 6th Ave in Portland, OR) tonight at 9 pm.  Doors open at 8 pm.  This is a 21 and older show.

The Australian horror film Talk to Me is showing at the Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 3), the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 3), and the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 3).

It opens on Friday, July 28, at the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 3).

Yeah, Disney's trying it again.  Haunted Mansion is playing at the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 3), and the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 3).

Friday, July 28

Friday Night Frights brings the 1986 horror musical Little Shop of Horrors to the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor in Tacoma, WA), with a shadowcast by The Blue Mousketeers, tonight at 10 pm.

The "Pinky Violence" classic Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701 is playing at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

The Moscow Film Society brings Paul Verhoeven's sci fi satire Starship Troopers to the Kenworthy Preforming Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight at 7 pm.  Would you like to know more?  Click the link!

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen Neil Breen's sci fi thriller Cade: The Tortured Crossing tonight at 9:05 pm.

McMenamins Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR) will show ALL the Harry Potter films, in order, through Sunday, July 30.  Pick your favorites to check out, or buy the Wizarding Weekend Prefect Pass and watch them all!  Visit the link for details. 

Saturday, July 29

WasabiCon PDX 2023 takes place today and tomorrow at the Hilton Portland Downtown (921 SW 6th Ave in Portland, OR).  Keep an eye on the Facebook Page for up to the minute details.

Lacy Productions brings Booklover's Burlesque: Revenge of the Sci-Fi Edition to the Alberta Rose Theatre (3000 NE Alberta St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

I Like Comics (1715 Broadway St in Vancouver, WA) will bring actor Jason Faunt (the Red Time Power Ranger from Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel) today starting at noon. 

The anime body swapping romantic fantasy Your Name shows three times today at the Kenworthy Preforming Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID).  The 1 pm showing is dubbed in English, the 4 and 7 pm showing have English subtitles.

Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) will screen Roman Polanski's horror classic Rosemary's Baby today at 11 am.  Fun fact, William Castle was the producer, but was kept from directing the film.  I can only imaging the gimmick he'd had in mind for this one...

Friday the 13th Part Three: In 3D (1982)

Despite such other high profile horror films such as My Bloody Valentine, The Evil Dead, The Howling, and others, Friday the 13th Part 2 brought a healthy profit to Paramount, which lead the studio to release another sequel.  And, as it was in the early 80s, when 3D features were flooding cinemas, why not follow the trend. 

The result was an amazing 3D movie, and I can say that as I saw it in theaters upon its release.  It's the first of two Friday the 13th movies I saw in a theater, and it remains one of my favorites, if only for the memories I have watching it in 3D.

But we'll get to that later.  The gist of this review is how well it hold up to the rest of the franchise, and if the producers really cared about continuity.  And it's pretty obvious they didn't, as shown by the first two kills opening the movie.

The film opens on a small convince store located near Crystal Lake, run by Harold and Edna.  While Harold is roaming about the store and the bathroom, Edna is watching a news report on the developing story of Jason's murderous rampage in the previous film.  The station airs footage of Ginny (Amy Steel) from Part Two, as she's loaded onto the ambulance.  Unfortunately for the two, Jason wanders onto their property and, for some reason, kills them both.    

Come on, she heckled her husband for not following his diet, not having premarital sex.

To be fair, Jason does kill an adult character in Part II, but that poor soul found Jason's shack in the woods and the alter dedicated to his mother.  He might not be doing any of the things that attract a slasher, but you know he's dead after entering Jason's home.

But Harold and Edna's deaths make no sense.  They're not doing anything that would prompt a reaction from Jason (unless you count Harold breaking his diet and Edna chastising him for it), and they certainly aren't youngsters.  It feels like the filmmakers wanted to up the body count by starting off the film with two kills.  Who knows, maybe Jason thought he could kill the couple, then run the store himself, before deciding against it and moving on.  You know, now that I wrote it, the idea of Jason running a store, so he can see the kids that deserved killing as they stock up on their way into the woods, might have worked.

Anyway, the focus shifts to Chris (Dana Kimmell) picking up a group of friends to head out to her old home on Crystal Lake.  And it's an interesting group, including the horny couple, Andy and Debbie (Jeffrey Rogers and Tracie Savage), make up artist and prankster Shelly (Larry Zerner), his "blind date" Vera (Catherine Parks), and stoners Chuck and Chili (David Kati's and Rachel Howard).

Okay, if you think Chuck (who looks like a second rate Tommy Chong impersonator) and Chili look too old to be hanging out with the others, just wait until Rick (Paul Kratka) is introduced as the "simple farm boy" holding a torch for Chris.  

Oh yeah, he's a simple farm boy (cough cough).

The age difference between Kimmell and Kartka is only four years (I checked), but Rick looks much older when watching the couple on the screen, which gives his "don't keep me waiting" lines a very creepy feel.  And his wardrobe looks like he's some preppie from a teen slobs vs. snobs movie who just wandered onto the set and was hired on the spot.  The relationship between the two doesn't feel right, despite the best efforts from both actors.

Anyway, let's get back to the movie.  Shelly and Vera incur the wrath of three bikers while stocking up on supplies, who somehow track them  down and syphon the gas out of Chris' van (and you know that's gonna be a plot point) with the intent of burning down the barn.  Of course, they didn't realize Jason was hiding inside, so mayhem ensues.

Just hanging around, as the mayhem continues.

After that, we get a bit more character development as Chris and Rick head into the woods for a bit of bonding, where Chris reveals she was attacked by a deformed man (guess who) two years earlier, for the sin of running away from home after arriving late from a date with Rick and incurring the wrath of her parents.  Again, we have Jason attacking someone who hasn't committed anything that might attract a slasher (other than arriving home late after a date, as far as we know), making Jason more of an opportunistic killer than the previous two movies suggest.  

Anyway, Chris and Rick miss out on the slaughter happening at the house.  And miss seeing Jason don his iconic hockey mask, thanks to Shelly.  And, upon returning to the house, more mayhem ensues.

Interestingly enough, the original script was to focus on Ginny as she takes on Jason once again.  But, in an interview with Peter Bracke for the book Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th, Steel recalls while the producers wanted her back, "Then my agents got involved, and I don't know if it was a money issue or a script issue, but I didn't do it."  That's too bad, as I would have loved to see Round Two of their battle.

The filming of Part III was a bit rough on the actors, as the filmmakers were more concerned about the 3D effects than their character development.  Yeah, that sounds weird when talking about a slasher film, but Zerner talks about it in the extras on Scream Factory's Blu-Ray release.  But that didn't keep the cast from delivering some pretty good performances, considering it's a slasher film and character development isn't a priority.

Considering the hype-up sexuality in Part II, this film is pretty light on any sexual content.  Shelly keeps sabotaging his efforts to hook up with Vera, Chris keeps Rick at arm's length and only token couple Andy and Debbie get down and dirty under the sheets.  Debbie also has the only nude scene in the film, as if the filmmakers just realized they had to include some nudity into the mix.  The scene feels tack on, even thought Savage sell the reason she's going to take a shower.

Sure, I told my boyfriend he should try showering.  Why the hell am I still with him?

Okay, I have to talk about the batshit crazy ending, which will involve spoilers.  So if you haven't see this film yet, skip down the next seven paragraphs.

Ready?  Here we go.

Chris ends up as the Final Girl, taking on Jason in the barn.  But, as with the previous entry, she's given a hand by a man.  Ali, the biker we assume Jason bludgeoned to death earlier, pops up to give Chris enough time to pick up an axe and deliver it to Jason's head.

We get a nice 3D moment, with the axe handle hanging out mid screen, before Jason reaches out with both arms (covering both sides of the cinema) and staggers forward.  But then he collapses on the barn floor, allowing Chris to take a canoe out into Crystal Lake.

Sound familiar?  Well, Chris wakes up in the canoe to see Jason hunting her down in the house.  As she tries to paddle away, she realizes it's all a dream.  At least until Pamela jumps out of the lake, head attached, to pull her under.

Damn, Pamela has a great medical health plan.

But surprise, that's a dream, as Chris is placed in a police car by an officer that seems to be treating her more like a suspect than a survivor, and the camera pans to Jason, axe still in his head, laying on the floor of the barn.

And cue the disco version of Harry Manfredini's iconic score.

Okay, I will say, Pamela's makeup is great, with some (I assume) live worms squirming on her face.  But it's just a cheap ripoff from the first film.  And it doesn't give Chris any closure.  She came to face her fears of man who attacked her, but is being hauled away to, one must assume, a mental health facility.

And we get another missed opportunity.  Had Chris met up with Ginny at the same psychiatric hospital, and planned to get out once Jason started his murderous rampage again, that would have been cool.  But that wasn't to be in the sequel we all know is coming.

Okay, spoilers over.

The gore is fine, taking full advantage of the 3D process.  And that's where the film shined, compared to the other 3D features released during the brief revival in the 80s.  Unlike Jaws 3D, Amityville 3D, and Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, Friday the 13th Part III was shot in Polarized 3D, more akin to the modern 3D films, rather than in Anaglyph 3D (the one with the red/cyan glasses).  And it showed.  I remember being seated on the right side of the theater when I saw the film on opening weekend, and after sitting through the end of Part II, the title credit zoomed out to the left side of the theater.  Everyone on that side of the aisle started cheering, and I couldn't understand why.  Until the rest of the film's title zoomed out in front of my eyes, and everyone, including myself, on the right side of the theater cheered.

Okay, the head looks fake.  But the popping eyeball in 3D looked awesome!

Based on what I remember of the original screening, then seeing an anaglyph version (admittedly decades later), the polarized version is much better.  I've also seen Creature from the Black Lagoon in both 3D versions, and it confirms my opinion.  The Polarization system reduces the ghosting effect (the doubling of an image if your line of vision isn't exactly right), and is much clearer.  Granted, we're talking 1980s technology, so the film wasn't as pristine as Avatar, but it's so much better than the 3D films coming out in the 80s.  Also, the filmmakers were able to move the camera, resulting in a much better looking film than one would expect, as discussed in the Scream Factory's Blu-Ray release.

Some lawsuits came about due to the 3D technology used in the film, but you can look up that on Wikipedia.  What is interesting was Paramount spent seven weeks and $2 million to convert the film into 2D for venues unable to screen the film in 3D.  And the efforts paid off, as the film grossed over $9 million dollars on its opening weekend.  

As for the Blu-Ray, the picture quality looks a bit wonky.  But I don't think that's the fault of Scream Factory, rather the technical abilities of turning 3D to 2D at the time.  And let's be honest, most current features are shot in 2D, then converted to 3D, making a transfer to home media much easier.  But the picture quality is fine, given the technology at the time.

Based on the box office returns (over $36 million), you knew a sequel was coming.  But, for some reason, Paramount decided to call it The Final Chapter.

Sorry, had to stop laughing before I could continue.  'Cause we all know that's not true.

I have much more box office money to grab.  You know I'll be back.