October 31st 2013. Trick Or Treat Of The Day.
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Finally the Day of the Dead is upon us, and the requisite scares and screams of the cinematic sort descend like a ravenous devil bat on our shriek-happy metropolis. Continuing series today include MoMA's Auteurist History of blah blah blah, y'know what? I'm not even gonna try to pretend we care about any screenings today that don't remotely attempt to scare the holy livin' bejeezus out of us! So let's get to the listings, shall we? As follows;
Film Forum
NOSFERATU (1979) Dir; Werner Herzog
MoMA
THIS SPORTING LIFE (1963) Dir; Lindsay Anderson
RED DESERT (1964) Dir; Michelangelo Antonioni
LUCKY LUCIANO (1973) Dir; Francesco Rosi
BAM Cinematek
THE LODGER (1927) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
Bowtie Chelsea Cinemas
POLTERGEIST (1982) Dir; Tobe Hooper
Anthology Film Archives
LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE (1974) Dir; Jorge Grau
COUNT DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE (1972) Javier Aguirre
Nitehawk Cinema
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) Dir; Rupert Julian
A NITE TO DISMEMBER: HORROR FLICK MARATHON (1962-85) Various directors
Tonight's Pick? I'm going for a first for the site (which is remarkable until you consider it's just about 18 months old) and naming Nitrate Stock's inaugural SIX-fer! Which until now has never been employed as an actual term, but the internet loves neologisms if naught else! For untoppable bang for yer buck the Nitehawk Cinema in bloodcurdlingly-bearded Billy-Burg presents the original Lon Chaney PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at 7:30pm, complete with musical accompaniment from the experimental metal combo Black Lodge, then embarks on its ambitious Spook-a-thon; A NITE TO DISMEMBER! Five works of horror cinema spannings three decades that each focus on a different trope of the genre; the wolfman, the witch, the vampire, the slasher, and the zombie. Zombies, actually. Lots of them. Here's the deal;
10pm - AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) Dir; John Landis
Midnight- BURN WITCH BURN (1962) Dir; Sidney Hayers
2am - FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) Dir; Tom Holland
4am - THE BURNING (1981) Dir; Tony Maylam
6am - DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) Dir; George A. Romero
The whole shebang costs $66 American ($16 for PHANTOM and $50 bucks for DISMEMBER), but you get the live sound experience of the early evening silent and the DISMEMBER marathon is hosted by FANGORIA's Sam Zimmerman and the Nitehawk's own Kris King, and includes costume contests, trivia, a late bar, and free popcorn, coffee and a self-serve breakfast. Admit it, this is a tough deal to beat. Even if you only choose one or the other the doings promise to be the best Halloween movie experience to be had in the five boroughs tonight. So let's be adult enough to admit we're sick of the brawls and the vomit and every third jackass dressing as IRON MAN, yet be 8-year old enough to admit we wanna sink into our seats and chow popped corn and have the spine scared out of us by the cinematic experts. Perhaps I see ya there. Perhaps I'll be the person seated behind ya. Perhaps I'll reach over and YEEEAAAAARRRGHH yeah that didn't come out right maybe I'll just see ya there I won't leave my seat promise. Boo.
For more info on these screenings click the interactive calendar on the upper right side of the page. And be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter! November '13 calendar goes live after the witching hour, and I'll be back tomorrow with the 1st Pick of 11/13. Til then DON'T GO INTO THE BASEMENT! DON'T! AND WARN EVERYBODY TO NOT GO IN TOO! THEY'RE COMING TO GET YOU BARBARA! KEEP WATCHING THE SKIES!! YOU'RE NEXT!!!!!!!!
-Joe Walshkenstein
