The Shadow Over Portland: 6/18/23

Yeah, there's another reason I was able to get the previous Weekly Update out early; I was on the other side of the country! I flew out of PDX last Thursday to Mars, Pennsylvania, for the summer Monster Bash and had a great time!!

If you've never heard of the Bash, it's a celebration of classic monster films, so the vibe is much different from other conventions. The panels are discussions on the films of Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, and the celebrities are (often) from films shot in the 50s and 60s.

But the best part is hanging with all the friends I made at my first Monster Bash, which I attended the year before COVID hit. I wasn't able to get back there until this year, and when I saw everyone, it was as if I'd seen them just a few weeks ago.

Just a bunch of classic monster fans hanging out and having a GREAT TIME!

Bill, Jeff, Rich, Steve and Ben, miss you guys already and can't wait for next year!

I also got to meet some celebrities, like Audrey Dalton, from The Monster that Challenged the World and Mr. Sardonicus...

...Beverly Washburn, from Spider Baby, Superman and the Mole-Men, Old Yeller, and an episode of Star Trek: TOS...

... Tom Savini (You know his films, of course)....

...and Daniel Roebuck from Rob Zombie's The Munsters, Final Destination, and The Fugitive.

I also got to listen to Lynne Lugosi-Sparks talking about her work to preserve her grandfather's legacy...

...and was able to try on an authentic replication of the cape from Dracula when I visited her table. Let me tell you, the cape is heavier than you'd think.

Yeah, of course I had to try my best at Lugosi hands.

And the Bash had panels, contests, an amazing vendor's room, and so much more. But, as I mentioned above, the best part was meeting old friends, like the fellows in the above photo, Scott and Tracey Stanchfield Morris, Terri Mount and Sir Tom, as well as making new ones, like Michael Zatz. I hope I'm not forgetting anyone, and if I did, I'm sorry, but it was wonderful seeing everyone.

Okay, enough of me gushing about my vacation, it's time for the Weekly Update. And boy, do I have some great events to share. I know you want to get to it, so I'll just say, keep scrolling down for all the great movies and events happening this week across the Pacific Northwest!

As always, if you want to plan your geeky excursions later in the year, the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar is full of great cons, film festival and events coming to the area during the rest of the year, and even some happening in 2024. Just remember, I'm always updating it, so keep checking back.

Well, I'm back at the day job, so have to go. Stay safe and I'll be back next week 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 Washington State Summer Con returns to the Washington State Fair Events Center (1301 5th Ave SW in Puyallup, WA) this weekend. Tickets are on sale now. Barry Bostwick (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Megaforce), John Barrowman (Dr. Who, Arrow), Rose McGowan (Scream, Grindhouse, Charmed) and Holly Marie Combs (Charmed), Jewel Staite (Firefly, Stargate: Atlantis), and John Wesley Shipp (The Flash), Vincent D'Onofrio (Marvel's Daredevil, Men in Black, Jurassic World), Vivien Lyra Blair (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bird Box), Giancarlo Esposito (The Boys, The Mandalorian), Todd Stashwick (Star Trek: Picard), John De Lance (Q in the Star Trek universe) and Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis and LaVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Emily Swallow (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett) are scheduled to attend. Grant Gustin (The Flash TV show) is scheduled to appear Sunday only.

UPDATE: Ming-Na Wen (Streetfighter, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Mulan, The Book of Boba Fett) has announced her schedule has cleared and she will be at the con this year on Saturday.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed) has had to cancel her appearance this year. Given her recent announcement concerning her health, The Shadow Over Portland wishes her the best. And F*** cancer.

Jurassic World Live Tour invades the Moda Center (1 N Center Ct St in Portland, OR) through Sunday. Tickets are going fast for this chance to see full sized dinosaurs roaming about the Moda.

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

In conjunction with the Portland Art Museum's Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio, PAMCUT presents the Discovering del Toro Film Series, featuring multiple screenings of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (which starts playing on Saturday, June 10) as well as screenings of The Devil's Backbone, Blade II, Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water (all four presented in GLORIOUS 35mm), and Hellboy through Sunday, June 25. The series takes place at the PAM Whitsell Auditorium (1219 SW Park Ave in Portland, OR).

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) will show the complete Lord of the Rings trilogy, but original and extended versions, though Wednesday, June 28. Visit the link for showtimes.

The Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA) is planing to scare you out of the water with screenings of Jaws through Thursday, June 29.

Mel Brook's sci fi spoof Spaceballs is playing at McMenamins Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR) through Thursday, June 29.

Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) is showing Howl's Moving Castle, both dubbed and subtitled versions, through Wednesday, June 28.

Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) is showing John Water's Pink Flamingos through Wednesday, June 28.

David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) through Monday, July 3.

David Lynch's Blue Velvet is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) in 4K through Sunday, July 2.

David Lynch's version of Dune is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) through Thursday, July 6.

The Olympia Film Society's Reel Oddities series will show the Wachowskis' Speed Racer at 7 pm every Wednesday in June at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA).

First Run Features

The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will show the dark horror/fantasy Moon Garden, with some screenings in GLORIOUS 35mm, through Monday, July 3.

The film is also showing at the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA) through Monday, June 26.

The horror comedy The Blackening is playing at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, June 29).

Wes Anderson's sci fi romantic comedy/drama Asteroid City opens tonight at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), the Salem Cinema (1227 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside in Portland, OR), Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR), SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), the Living Room Theatres (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, July 2), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, June 29), and the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, June 29).

The film opens on Friday, June 30, at the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Thursday, July 6), and opens on Thursday, July 6, at Kenworthy Preforming Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID; scheduled through Saturday, July 15).

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.

June, 2023

Friday, June 23

The Hillsboro Hops presents Star Wars Night tonight at the Ron Tonkin Field (4460 NE Century Blvd in Hillsboro, OR) coinciding with their home game against Everett. Enjoy the game with an evening filled with your favorite characters, and a night ending Star Wars themed firework spectacular.

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will show the director's cut of Ari Aster's Midsommar tonight and tomorrow at 10 pm.

Mad Heidi, which features the titular character fighting against an evil fascist cheese tyrant in a dystopian Switzerland, is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 11:15 pm.

The La Grande Drive-In (404 20th St in La Grande, OR) will show The Boogeyman (after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) tonight and tomorrow.

The After Hours series at Kenworthy Preforming Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) presents Pink Flamingos tonight at 10 pm.

The live action/animated classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit plays tonight and tomorrow at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR).

UPDATE: The Friday screening is SOLD OUT.

Guillermo del Toro will appear at the Portland Art Museum's Grand Ballroom (1219 SW Park Ave in Portland, OR) today from 3 to 4 pm for a a discussion of his works. The event is SOLD OUT, but maybe he'll be around the museum that day. Never know.

Saturday, June 24

The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will show the director's cut of Ari Aster's Midsommar through Tuesday, June 27.

David Lynch's Inland Empire is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) through Tuesday, July 4.

More David Lynch goodness is at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) with screenings of Eraserhead tonight at 9:45 pm, and on Monday, June 26, at 7:30 pm.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) today at 2:40 pm.

Sunday, June 25

The Rocket Sci-Fi Matinee series at the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA) presents The Space Children today at 1:45 pm.

David Lynch's Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) today at 7 pm, and on Sunday, July 2, at 4 pm.

Monday, June 26

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show a 50th anniversary screening of 1973's The Wicker Man tonight at 9:30 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show Evil Dead Rise tonight at 9:30 pm.

Tuesday, June 27

The Grindhouse Film Festival at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show Lucio Fulci's horror classic Gates of Hell (AKA City of the Living Dead) in GLORIOUS 35mm tonight at 7:30 pm.

The Moscow Film Society invites you to relive a childhood trauma with a double feature of Watership Down and The Plague Dogs at Kenworthy Preforming Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight starting at 7 pm.

Thursday, June 29

The Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA) will screen the sci fi film Under the Skin tonight at 7:45 pm.

Friday, June 30

The Final Friday Films at the Liberty Theatre (1203 Commercial St in Astoria, OR) will show the filmed in Astoria sci fi comedy Short Circuit tonight at 8 pm. Admission is just $1.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen the sci fi anime classic Ghost in the Shell tonight at 11:30 pm.

The Silver Screen Society will screen Hayao Miyazaki's Porco Rosso, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl's Moving Castle, in both dubbed and subtitled versions, at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) through through Thursday, July 6.

David Lynch's Eraserhead is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) today at 10:30 pm, Saturday, July 1, at 7 pm, and Wednesday, July 5, at 5 pm.

Wednesday, June 28

Re-Run Theater at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show V: The Original Miniseries tonight at 7 pm.

July, 2023

Saturday, July 1

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen the sci fi action classic Aliens in GLORIOUS 35mm today and tomorrow at 7 pm.

Get ready to be afraid of getting into the water all over again, as the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) shows Jaws tonight at 5:45 pm, and Monday, July 3, at 6:45 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen David Cronenberg's Videodrome tonight at 8 pm. As part of a Canada Day celebration, you can see this with Panos Cosmatos' Beyond the Black Rainbow as a double feature for one sweet price, if you want.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen Panos Cosmatos' Beyond the Black Rainbow tonight at 10:30 pm. As part of a Canada Day celebration, you can see this with David Cronenberg's Videodrome as a double feature for one sweet price, if you want.

As part of the monthly Studio Ghibli series, the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA) will screen Ponyo through Wednesday, July 5.

It's two slasher films for the price of one, as The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) brings writer/director Jay Burleson's homage to video store rentals The Third Saturday in October Part V and The Third Saturday in October, in that order, to the big screen. And plan on a selection of classic 70s and 80s slasher flicks before the film and during intermission.

Sunday, July 2