Check out the great movies playing in the Pacific Northwest this week!

Okay, the live events are pretty slim this week, but we've got a lot of great movies for Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Fans in the Pacific Northwest to check out.  I've found lots of classic movies and some great new releases, and everything in between.  Sure, check out the new releases if you want, but this edition of the Weekly Update contains all the stuff I think genre fans are craving. 

Everyone is at the multiplex watching some tentpole crap, and I'm alone in a theater watching something cool.

Seriously, this is like Halloween in August.  And who can complain about that!     

Don't forget the head over to the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar if you want to see what's happening during the rest of the year, and beyond.  I'm a bit behind, but hope to catch up on the page over the next week.  I'll let you know if I'm successful or not in the next update.

Well, back to the day job.  Have a great week and I'll be back next Friday with more great events 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.

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

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) presents the Portland premiere of the documentary King on Screen, and the film adaptations of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, Carrie, Creepshow, and Misery.  If CineMagic is showing stuff like this in August, I can't wait to see what they have planned for October!  Visit the link for showtimes.

One of the best (IMO) Universal Classic Monster Films, Creature from the Black Lagoon is playing at the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24).  Even if it's not in 3D, it's so worth checking out on the big screen.

The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will screen the sci fi noir film Dark City in GLORIOUS 35mm through Thursday, August 24.

Ridley Scott's sci fi/horror classic Alien is showing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, August 23).

In space, no one can hear you scream.  But they can hear you laugh.  Mel Brooks' Spaceballs is showing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, August 23).

The Iron Giant is playing at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24).

Batman Forever is playing at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24).

The 5th Ave Cinema (510 SW Hall St in Portland, OR) is showing the animated sci fi classic Fantastic Planet through Sunday, August 20.

A 4K restoration of Park Chan-wook's 2003 classic, Oldboy, is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Salem Cinema (1227 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through through Thursday, August 24), and the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA; scheduled through through Thursday, August 24). 

First Run Features  

Birth/Rebirth, about a single mother and a childless morgue technician bound together by their relationship to a reanimated little girl, is at the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24).

The Australian horror film Talk to Me is showing at the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main Street in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Monday, August 21).

LOLA, the story of two sisters in 1941 building a machine that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future, plays at the Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) through Sunday, August 20.

I missed this one last week.  Jules, the sci fi comedy/drama about a man who befriends an ET that crashes in his backyard, is playing at the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Salem Cinema (1227 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through through Thursday, August 24), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), and The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24).  Not sure if it has to phone home or not, just check it out if you can.

The film opens on Friday, August 25, at the Roxy Bremerton (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 31).

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is playing at the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, August 20), and the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, August 23).

Guess you can't keep a monster shark down.  Meg 2: The Trench opens tonight at the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Skyline Drive-In (182 SE Brewer Rd in Shelton, WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24, with Barbie), the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), and the Milton-Freewater Drive-In 84322 Oregon-Washington Highway in Milton Freewater, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, August 23), playing with Barbie. 

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 24), and the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24).

Wes Anderson's sci fi romantic comedy/drama Asteroid City is playing at the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Roxy Bremerton (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, August 24), and the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA; scheduled through Friday, August 18). 

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.

Volunteers Needed

Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery is recruiting actors, tour guides, tour support and set up help for the Tour of Untimely Departures event on Saturday, October 28.  Email info@friendsoflonefircemetery.org for more info and to sign up.

Haunted Attraction Auditions

Scaregrounds PDX Auditions take place on Saturday, August 19, and Saturday, August 26.  The audition and the acturalevent takes place at Oaks Amusement Park (7805 SE Oaks Park Way in Portland, OR).  Visit the links to find out how to apply.

Monsters are wanted at The Fear PDX Haunted House (12301 NE Glisan St in Portland, OR).  Visit the link to apply.

August, 2023

Friday, August 18

Shenaniganza Version 4.0 takes place from 7:30 pm to 1 am tonight at Urbanite (1005 SE Grand Ave in Portland, OR).  The event features live performances and local crafts, as well as food and beverage vendors.  Admission is just $5.

Friday Night Frights brings an underrated sci fi/horror classic, Event Horizon, to the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor in Tacoma, WA) tonight at 10 pm.  Don't miss out on this chance to see the film on the big screen!

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show Stuart Gordon's From Beyond tonight at 9:30 pm.

Queer Screams: LGBTQ+ Genre Film Festival takes place this weekend at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) this weekend.  Friday features a Lynn Lowry Double Feature of Shivers and The Crazies, with the actor in attendance, and Sunday features a screening of Elvira's Haunted Hills, with director Sam Irvin in attendance, and MUCH MORE!

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show the sci fi film in GLORIOUS 35mm tonight at 7:30 pm.

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) is showing the anime Paprika tonight and tomorrow at 10 pm.

Frankenstein Friday at the Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR) continues with House of Dracula, starring Lon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine, Lionel Atwill and Glenn Strange tonight at midnight.

Saturday, August 19

I have no idea what this movie is, but it sounds AWESOME!  The new priest in town, armed with extraordinary martial arts skills, crucifix blades and a handgun with a holy cross on the handle, starts kicking ass and cleaning up the streets.  But will he meet his match with a bloodsucking, skull stealing vampire serial killer?  Find out, as VHS Uber Alles brings this obviously cheesy film to The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) in GLORIOUS VHS tonight at 9:30 pm.

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show the Shaw Brothers most notorious film, The Boxer's Omen, tonight at 9:30 pm.

The Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) will bring E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial to the Palouse Nature Center Patio (1040 Rodeo Dr in Moscow, ID) for a FREE outdoor screening.  

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show David Lynch's Blue Velvet tonight at 11 pm.

Sunday, August 20

Animayhem at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Memories, a sci fi anthology by Katsuhiro Otomo and Satoshi Kon, tonight at 7:30 pm.

The Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) will screen the animated film The Iron Giant today at 4 pm.

Ack ack ACK!  Mars Attacks! at at the Roxy Bremerton (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA) tonight at 6 pm.

WHOA!  The Matrix is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 9 pm.

The Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) is showing The Twilight Saga: Eclipse today and on Wednesday, August 23.

Fathom Events brings Porco Rosso to theaters nationwide and Tuesday, August 22.  Click the link to find a theater near you.

Monday, August 21

EXCELLENT!  The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is showing Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure tonight at 9:15 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen a restored version if the Japanese-Indian animated adaptation of the religious epic Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama today at 6:30 pm.

The Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) is showing The Twilight Saga: New Moon tonight at 7 pm.  Costumes are encouraged, and there will be trivia, audience interaction and more surprises.  And 10% of ticket sales from this screening (and the three that follow) will be donated to the Quileute Indian Reservation located near Forks, WA, where much of the film was shot.  And yes, you can buy tickets for all four films at a discount.

Fathom Events brings The Wind Rises to theaters nationwide and Wednesday, August 23.  Click the link to find a theater near you.

Wednesday, August 23

The Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR) will show the Jim Henson fantasy Labyrinth tonight at 7 pm.

Church of Film brings How Death Came to Earth, a collection of works buy Indian animator Ishu Patel, to the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

BECU Outdoor Movies at Marymoor Park (6064 West Lake Sammomish Pkwy NE in Redmond, WA) screens the romantic fantasy classic The Princess Bride tonight at dusk.  "Doors" open at 6:30 pm, with live entertainment (TBA) at 7 pm.

Thursday, August 24

The 99W Drive-In (3110 Portland Rd in Newberg, OR) will show Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn tonight only staring around 9 pm.  The event includes a crowdfunding campaign for a local short film, Rat Problem.  Gates open at 6 pm.  Groovy!

Be sure to bring a shrubbery!  Thirsty Thursday at the Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR) will screen Monty Python and the Holy Grail tonight at 8 pm. This is at 21 and older event.

Oh my GOD!  The Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR) will show Troll 2 tonight at 8 pm.

Friday, August 25

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) presents the One-Shot Comic series through Thursday, August 31, featuring The Crow, Mystery Men, Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, the director's cut of Watchmen, and Dread.  Don't expect any connected universes, cameos, mid-credit teasers, or anything like that.  Just comic movies with a beginning, middle, and "honest-to god" endings.  Visit the link for showtimes.

The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will screen the animated feature Batman: Mask of the Phantasm in GLORIOUS 35mm through Thursday, August 31.

The over-the-top gooey gore fest Street Trash is playing at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 9:30 pm.

The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will show the 1970, shot in Seattle reimagining of the Greek myth Shredder Orpheus through Sunday, August 27.  Writer/director/star Robert McGinley will be in attendance for a Q and A after Saturday's screening.

Saturday, August 26

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Pixar's The Incredibles, part of the Family Flicks series today at 1:30 and 4:20 pm.

Brian Yuzna's satire of the American dream, the body horror Society, is playing at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 9:30 pm.

The dark comedy Heathers is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) through Thursday, August 31.

The 2023 Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema and Entertainment Series will screen the fantasy classic The Princess Bride, with live entertainment by Birdhouse, at the Fairhaven Village Green (1207 10th St in Bellingham, WA).  The movie starts at dusk, with the live entertainment starting 2 hours prior to the film.

Studio Ghibli at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen the English dubbed version of Princess Mononoke today at noon. 

Asteroid City is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) through Tuesday, August 29.

The Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor in Tacoma, WA) will show The Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight at 11:55 pm.

Ladyhawke (1985)

Okay, I'm going to write about one of the best 80s fantasy movies.  And no, I'm not talking about the '87 quotable classic, or the one that heralded the rise of a muscular action hero.  I'm talking about the overlooked, should be classic, Ladyhawke.  And while there exists a glaring issue with the film, it's a solid fantasy that deserves more love than it's received.  

The story starts with Phillipe Gaston, a thief known as The Mouse (Matthew Broderick, WarGames, Ferris Bueller's Day Off), escaping from the prison of L'Aquila.  The ringing of the bells alerting everyone of his escape captures the attention of disgraced Captain of the Guard Navarre (Rutger Hauer, The Hitcher, Blade Runner), and he saves Phillipe from from the party sent to track him down, led by the villainous Captain Marques (Ken Hutchison, Straw Dogs).

Navarre wants Phillips to help him enter L'Aquila, so he can kill the Bishop (John Wood, WarGames).  His reason are kept hidden, which works in the film's favor, as Navarre isn't a cold blooded murderer.  He takes out Marque's men in the first fight with only one possible kill.  And doesn't even kill Marque after the captain pushes one of Navarre's loyal soldiers onto his blade.  Rather, he takes them out with a bunch of horseshoes, a steaming stick plucked from a fire, and some serious bad-assery.  And I'm mean that.  Towards the end of the battle, he just smacks a soldier's sword away with his hand before striding off to regain his sword and double barrel crossbow.  Hauer is such a badass during this fight, it should have made him a major action hero.  But it was the 80s, and all action heroes had to have massive muscles, so what can you do.  

Oh, did I mention he has a hawk that follows him?  That's important later.  

Don't mess with me, or I'll give you the bird.  Sorry, couldn't stop myself.

Phillipe isn't happy with the prospect of returning to L'Aquila, But he's convinced by Navarre and they bed down in a farmer's barn.  However, the farmer has some evil intents, and Phillipe is saved by a black wolf.  Of course, Phillipe is frightened of the wolf and goes to awaken Navarre.  Finding him gone, he tries to kill with the badass crossbow.  But a mysterious woman (Michelle Pfeiffer, Scarface, Batman Returns) stops him and goes off with the wolf.

And who's hand wouldn't be stayed from killing a wolf by her.

Phillipe discusses the evening's events with Navarre in the morning, who envies Phillipe's meeting with the mysterious woman.  We get another battle, and the hawk is wounded.  Navarre instructs Phillipe to take the bird to a castle, where a defrocked monk, Imperius (Leo McKern, The Omen, The Prisoner), lives.  The monk, upon hearing Navarre's name, takes the bird under his wing (sorry, couldn't help myself), and works to heal it.  Phillipe, wondering why Imperius has locked the door to the chamber, picks the lock and finds the hawk is woman he met earlier.

Phillipe learns Navarre and the woman, Isabeau were lovers, cursed by the bishop, who lusted after her.  Now, Navarre becomes a wolf at night, while Isabeau is a hawk during the day.  Imperious admits he was the one that gave the couple away, but has found a way to break the curse.  

More mayhem ensues the next day, as the Bishop's soldiers storm Imperial's castle, but Navarre shows up to save the day.  Imperious tries to convince Navarre he's found a way to end the curse, but Navarre won't listen to him.  His goal is to kill the bishop, while Phillipe and Imperious do their best the keep that from happening.  

And yeah, no spoilers, but we all know how it ends.

Come on, it's a romantic fantasy.  It's not going to end on a sour note.

I have an idea why this movie didn't do well.  While it won a Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film, it made only 18.4 million US dollars on a 20 million dollar budget.  Considering the success of The Princess Bride two years later, it's baffling why this film isn't better loved.  But, as I mentioned, I have a few thoughts on that.   

Let's dispel the idea that the score by Andrew Powell, of the Alan Parsons Project, as a flaw that doomed the film.  Sorry, I'm not going there.  While it's more prog-rock than a classic orchestral score favored by other fantasy films, it hits all the notes.  Just listen to the opening credits, which hints at the dark mystery of the story, before getting into the heroic theme, then introducing the romantic theme. It's better than most crtitics say, and I wonder how many of them had no problem with Queen's We Will Rock You in A Knight's Tale.

No, I think the film's only flaw is casting Broderick.  It's not that he gave a bad performance, but he was the wrong actor for part.  No matter how good he is, and he's good, his performance still feels like a kid from New York wedged into a Medieval fantasy.  And though his breakout role came the following year, it's hard not to watch the film now without expecting Marques to call out "Bueller" during their first encounter.

I still expect Broderick to start singing Twist and Shout at this point.

But everything else works so well.  Director Richard Donner delivers a gorgeously shot film, and frames some epic moments with the two real stars of the picture.  Hauer never looked more like an action hero.  As I mentioned earlier, his first fight scene is so good, you can forgive some awkward choreography.  Donner made him look like a glorious badass, and between this and Blade Runner, he should have been a bigger action star. 

Pfeiffer is shot to be luminous and ethereal, but she delivers more than just being a pretty face.  When Phillipe, upon their first encounter, asks who she is, her reply, "I am sorrow," is emotionally devastating.  She's mysterious at first, before enjoying the company of Phillipe later on.  And I don't care what the trailer hints at (we'll get to that in a moment), she's devoted to Navarre, and is just happy to be around someone during the night.

And that's proven late in the second act, where the lovers see each other for the first time in two years.  Hauer and Pfeiffer are just riveting, and sell their relationship in just a few seconds together.

He's just a second from crying out, which will tear your heart apart. 

The battle sequences are exciting without being as overblown, as with some other fantasy films at the time.  And the old school special effects, using dissolves and clever editing to portray the transformations, is perfect.  Sure, the filmmakers could have gone for full blown transformations using effects pioneered in earlier films like The Howling and An American Werewolf in London.  But this isn't a horror film, and such an effect-heavy sequence would have gotten in the way of the story.

I mentioned earlier how I don't know why this film bombed, but I have an idea.  While the poster is pretty bad, lacking any appearance by Hauer, the trailer is just awful.  It focuses on solely on Broderick, and even suggests he's the romantic lead, when he's just the audience surrogate, allowing us to be brought into this realm.  The narrator does mentions the fantasy element, but the trailer doesn't show it.  Hell, watch it below and you'll see what I mean.   It's incompetent marketing at its finest.

I am so glad I didn't see this before I watching the film.  I wouldn't be writing this review, as I'd avoided it at all costs.

Look, I get the focus on Broderick.  He scored a hit with WarGames two years earlier, and I'm sure his presence allowed the movie to be made.  But once the studio heads saw the film, they couldn't figure how to sell the film on its merits, so just decided to focus on a bankable teen star.  

Which is a shame, as Hauer and Pfeiffer are the real stars.  As mentioned above, during the final moments of the second act, when the two are able to see each other, Hauer's cry of agony as Pfeiffer transforms into a hawk and flies off packs an emotional impact.  If you're not affect by that scene, well, you have no heart.  And I'm saying that as a die hard horror fan.  Had the trailer focused on them, and the fantasy elements of the film, I believe the reception by audiences might have been stronger.

Ladyhawke is a great fantasy film and deserving of a better release than the bare bones Warner Achieves Blu-Ray version available.  Check it out however you can, generate some interest, and maybe a company like Shout Factory will give it a proper release. Even if that doesn't happen, I hope I've introduced you to a great fantasy film that doesn't deserve to be swept into the dustbin of cinematic history.

I'm staking my claim, this is one of the best fantasy films of the 80s  Watch it and prove me wrong.