Kickstart your weekend Hammer style!

One reason I continue to buy DVDs and Blu-Rays (even though I don't have a Blu-Ray player at this time) is the extra features.  I love watching the interviews with those involved with making the film, the audio commentaries and, okay, even the gag reels.  And yes, while some of these bonus features are little more than promotion fodder, at times you get some insight into the creative process.  You might not like what the person has to say (yeah, I did this film for the paycheck, or can I stroke the filmmaker's ego enough to get me on another project), but such interviews are part of horror history, something fans should embrace.

Which is why I'm recommending you back Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years.  Diabolique Films is part of this Kickstarter campaign, with Hammer film historian Marcus Hearn writing and directing the project.

While Warner has released many of the Hammer films on DVD and Blu-Ray, most are lacking as far as special features are concerned.  This documentary aims to correct that, with interviews with the key players, historians and unseen documents.  And be honest, you would love getting the inside information on productions such as Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Dracula Has Risen From The Grave and Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires.

And what horror fan wouldn't want to know more about\

this wonderfully insane, absolutely awesome film?

You'll be an important part of Horror History by supporting this effort, ensuring future Horror Fans access to the tales behind the films, and that benefits us all.  We get to learn something new about the films we love, and future generations have a historical record detailing what makes these movies so special.

As of this post, the campaign has 25 days left, and is about a third of the way to being funded.  Check out the link and add a few bucks into the kitty, if you feel so inclined.  Future Horror Fans will thank you for preserving such documentation in an accessible form, and you'll get more details on the films you love in the process.

And, as always, I've backed the project.  If I won't support it, I won't promote it.

We're getting close to the MOST WONDERFUL DAY OF THE YEAR!!

And many events in my life over the past week has kept me from posting more on this blog.  Sorry folks, but real life sucks.  It's not as scary as a horror film, just mundane, energy draining and not as fun has having a sexy vampire suck the life out of you.

If something was going to suck the life out of me,

here's my first choice.

So I took some time off from writing on the site, missed a few things (sorry, folks) and spend a few days readying myself for the onslaught of great events happening this week.

But, with the formatting problems I experienced over the past few weeks, I've spent several hours retyping all the weekend's events, and haven't even started on Monday.  And I'm not getting to the rest of the week tonight.  

Oh, and the Horror Calendar is not updated, as I can not figure out how to correct the formatting issues.  I plan to start working on a new version soon, but the update will start on November 1, as so much stuff is happening this week.

So, be sure to visit your local Haunted Attractions, as we want them to return next year.  As for more special events, here's the stuff happening this weekend under The Shadow Over Portland!

And stay tuned, as an update for the rest of the week is coming soon!!

Continuing

Halloweentown is open!  St. Helens, OR, celebrates the filming of the Disney Channel Original Movie with a month long celebration.  Click on the Facebook Event Page for more details.  

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Open Gallery (323 NE 6th Ave) in Portland, OR, presents Every Day is Halloween, an art show running through November 1.  Get more details at the Facebook Event Page.

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Goodnight Mommy continues to play at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave) in Portland, OR, through October 29.  This German film (subtitled, not dubbed) deals with twin brothers convinced the woman who returned to their home after cosmetic surgery is not their mother.  And, as you might guess, things won't end well.  Visit the Cinema 21 website for more details and showtimes.

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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 blood murder mystery from audience suggestions, than unleash the sleuths of Mystery Inc. to investigate.

ZOINKS!Yes, Scooby Doo and his human pals will puzzle over clues, chase monsters, unmask a villain (one assumes) and feast upon Scooby Snacks.  But beware, this is not the Saturday morning cartoon version.  The Funhouse Lounge gives the performance an R-rating for themes and simulated violence, so it's not a Disney on Ice version.

Showtimes are 7 pm Thursday through Saturday until November 7.  Tickets are $12 in advance and $16 at the door, though Thursday'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.  

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Carrie: The Musical runs through November 8 at the Brunish Theatre (1111 SW Broadway) in Portland, OR.  The show didn't do well on Broadway, but that doesn't mean it's a failure.  And watching a wallflower wreck havoc on her cruel classmates could be a reward all it's own.  Visit the Stumptown Stages website for more details and advance ticket sales.  

Friday, October 23

Evil Dead The Musical hits the stage at The Renton Civic Theatre (507 S 3rd St) in Renton, WA, tonight at 7:30 pm and Saturday, October 24 at 6 and 9:15 pm.  And yes, there will be a SPLATTER ZONE!  For more information, visit the Evil Dead The Musical website.

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Attack on Titan Part 2 opens tonight at The Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St) in Vancouver, WA.  For more details and showtimes, visit The Kiggins Theatre website.  

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The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St) in Portland, OR, is ending the spooky season with a bang, screening The Exorcist through Halloween night,  The website mentions this is the Director's Cut, including additional scenes and some superimposed demon faces.  I can't say it's an improvement over the original version, but catching the infamous Spider Walk sequence on the big screen will be a treat!  Visit The Academy Theater website for showtimes.  

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The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St) in Seattle, WA, screens Tobe Hooper's insane sci fi/horror trainwreck, Lifeforce, in glorious 35mm.  And calling it a trainwreck isn't a bad thing, as space vampire Mathilda May infects most of London while strolling about buck naked, turning the populace into energy sucking vampires collecting the city's lifeforce for an alien spaceship.  Oh, this film goes so wrong in so many glorious ways, making it a not-to-be-missed experience on the big screen.  The film plays tonight at 8:45 pm, Saturday, October 24 at 4:30 and 8:45 pm, and Tuesday, October 27, at 8:45 pm.  Visit The Grand Illusion website for more details.

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Also at The Grand Illusion Cinema is the animated feature, Extraordinary Tales.  Based on five of Edgar Allan Poe's stories, this anthology features the voice talents of Sir Christopher Lee (in his final film performace), Bela Lugosi (from a 1930s recording), Julian Snads, Guillermo del Toro and Roger Corman.  I saw this at The H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland a few weeks ago, and while I found the animation a bit uneven at times, listening to Lee and Lugosi read Poe is a treat.  And the film is well made, despite a rather obvious (and unnecessary) wrap around storyline.  The film shows at 7 pm tonight, 2:30 and 7 pm on Saturday, October 24, 9 pm on Sunday, October 25, Monday, October 26, and Wednesday, October 28, and at 7 pm on October 27 and 29.  Visit The Grand Illusion website for more details.

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Test your horror movie knowledge with the MovieCat folks at The EMP (325 5th Ave N) in Seattle, WA at 5:30 pm tonight, than stick around for the Campout Cinema presentation of The Return of the Living Dead at 8 pm.  The film is open for those 21 or older.  Find more information on the day's events at The EMP website.  

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The Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway) in Tigard, OR, hosts the premiere of Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension through Thursday, October 29.  The film will screen in both 3D and 2D during the week.  As this is a premiere showing, tickets are $12 for the 3D presentation, and $10 for the 2D showings.  Visit The Joy Cinema website for more details and showtimes.  

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Grind This! continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR, with a repeat showing of the 80s slasher classic Prom Night.  Jamie Lee Curtis, disco, a masked killer and Leslie Nielsen playing it straight (his career changing performance in Airplane! opened two weeks earlier) makes this a must see on the big screen.  The show starts at 9:45 pm tonight only, so visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.  

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Saturday, October 24

The Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St) in Bellingham, WA, presets a screening of The Witches today at noon.  This tale of a boy and his grandmother trying to stop a coven of witches from turning all of the children in Britain into mice might be either a bit too intense for kids, or the PERFECT Halloween treat for the youngsters.  Visit the link for more details and advance ticket sales.  

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Corvallis, OR, gets a chance to do the TIme Warp again, as The Majestic Theatre (115 SW 2nd St) screens The Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight at 8 pm.  Costumes and theatrics are encouraged, so break out the garters and panyhose!  Tickets are $10, or $8 for members, students and (REALLY COOL) seniors!  Check out the Facebook Event Page for more details and a link to advance ticket sales.

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I've put a spell on you, and now you'll go to The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) in Portland, OR, for a screening of Hocus Pocus in glorious 35mm!  Three witches (Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker) are resurrected on Halloween night, and only two teens, a young girl and an immortal cat can end the curse forever.  Damn, sounds like an average weekend at The Shadow Over Portland office!

Part of the Family Pictures series, this is a great film to introduce the young ones to the spooky elements of the Halloween Season, or just relive your childhood in the comfort of a movie theater.  The film screens today and tomorrow (Sunday, October 25) at 2:30 pm.  For more details, and advance ticket sales, visit The Hollywood Theatre website.  

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Should your tastes run towards Masked Wrestlers battling Monsters ( and what Northwest Horror Fan could resists that?), The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) in Portland, OR, is screening Santo y Blue Demon contra Dracula y Hombre Lobo.  Yes, luchadors battling Dracula, the Wolf Man and their minions!  This dubbed feature is family friendly, and will feature local vendors pedaling their Halloween wares before the film screens at 4 pm.  For more details, visit the Facebook Event Page.  The event is sponsered by Cine Lucha Fest.  

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Should you be able to ditch the kids (er, leave them with a sitter), head to f/stop Fitzgerald's Public House (3356 Grove St NE) in Salem, OR, and enjoy the B-Movies and Beer presentation of Deadly Premonitions.  The film deals with a woman planning a high school reunion, only to find her fellow students dying after she calls them about the event.  The film starts at 9 pm and you can find more details at the Facebook Event Page.  Oh, and the website promises blood, shower scenes and lesbians.  Obviously, you must be 21 or older to attend.  It is a bar, after all.

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The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St) in Seattle, WA, and Scarecrow Video present Shock and Awe: A Secret No-Budget Thriller Fest.  The day long festival starts at 1 pm, and features 5 unnamed films "guaranteed to cause permanent brain damage."  If you think you can handle it, tickets are $15, $10 for students and (really cool) seniors, and $5 for members.  Visit The Grand Illusion website for more details.  

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One of my favorite bad movies, Maximum Overdrive, screens tonight at The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) in Portland, OR at 7 pm.  Normally, I'd be there, but the film is presented in Hecklevision, allowing audience members to text their snarky remarks onto the screen for all to see.  And while the movie is heckle worthy, I won't be in the audience, as I don't want to see a bunch of heckles on the big screen.  I'd rather watch the movie with friends and a ample supply of beer, and have fun in person.  But that's just me.  If you're interested in MST3K-ing a film, and being allowed to use your phone in a theater, go for it.  Tickets are $8. and you can find out more details, and a link for advance ticket sales, at the link.

Oh, and The Hollywood Theatre serves beer and wine, so that will help loosen things up.  

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The American Genre Film Archive and Something Weird Video brings Smut Without Smut, a fundraiser for their Kickstarter campaign, to The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) in Portland, OR, tonight at 9:30 pm.  The double feature presents two hardcore genre films, The Mad Love Live of a Hot Vampire and The Haunted P___y (I'll let you fill in the blanks and no, you can't 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?  Tickets are $8, and you'll find more details, as well as a link for advance ticket sales, at The Hollywood Theatre website.  

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Grind This! continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR, with a repeat showing of 1987's Street Trash.  Hobos are melting after drinking Viper, while two brothers find different ways to deal with be homeless, and a cop is looking into the liquification of those on the street.  The show starts at 9:45 pm tonight only, so visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

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It's a THRILLER!  Thrill the World takes over SW 2nd Ave from W. Burnside to Ankeny in Portland, OR, near the entrance to Saturday Market, to show zombies can dance and party.  A fundraiser for the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center, the THRILLER takes over at 3 pm.  Find out more at the link.  

Sunday, October 25

Fathom Events is screening 1931's Dracula, with Bela Lugosi, as well as the Spanish version filmed after Tod Browning and his crew were done shooting for the day.  Lugosi is the superior Dracula, as Carlos Villarias seems more like a silent actor inserted into a talkie, overacting in every scene.  However, the director of the Spanish version, George Melford, benefited from watching Browning's dailies and setting up his shots to top them.  Judge for yourself, Portland Horror Fans, as both will screen at Lloyd Center 10 in Portland and the Cedar Hills Crossing 16 in Beaverton.  Showtimes are 2 and 7 pm local time.  As the screening is nationwide, check the link for a screening in your area, as well as advance ticket sales.

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The Horrors of Hale Pele, an art show by Devon Devereaux, Van Tiki, Rob Kramer and Dave Hansen, opens at Hale Pele Tiki Bar (2733 NE Broadway) in Portland, OR, tonight at 4 pm.  The show will be up through Halloween, but the artists will be around to meet and greet patrons (and partake in cocktail specials) until 8 pm tonight.  Costumes and other shennanigans are encouraged.  For more details, visit the Facebook Event Page.  

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Wanna Date!?!?!

Grind This! continues at The Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside) in Portland, OR, with a repeat showing of the sleaze classic, Frankenhooker.  After a horrific accident results in the death of his fiancee, a mad scientist rebuilds her from the parts of dead hookers.  Oh, yeah, that will end well.  The show starts at 9:45 pm tonight only, so visit The Laurelhurst Theater website for more details.

Grind This! is sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

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If I missed your event, or you know of something coming in the future, email me at shadowoverportland@live.com and I'll be sure to add it to the Horror Calendar and future updates.  And it won't cost ANYTHING!  The Shadow Over Portland exists only to help spread the word about genre events in the Pacific Northwest!

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