The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown every Thursday at midnight is showing free horror films in 35mm. The eclectic series features films spanning the 60s through the 80s, and all are rarely (some NEVER) screened in theaters, and often not even available on video or DVD.

Film series Sponsor Vulcan Video is providing prizes to those who can answer horror trivia questions.

Shows & Screenings

Terror Thursday: NEAR DARK (1987)
Alamo South Lamar
Thursday, October 30, 2008
In the dusty heart of the American southwest, innocent country boy Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) is seduced by a beautiful girl (Jenny Wright) into joining a pack of vicious drifters. But this is no ordinary band of outlaws, and Caleb is soon trapped in a nightmarish world of soulless evil and hellish mayhem that thrives on blood and absolute horror. This extraordinary shocker is one of the most ferociously original vampire movies of our generation.

Terror Thursday: NEAR DARK - now at SOUTH LAMAR
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, October 30, 2008

Terror Thursday: EQUINOX (1970)
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Before he took you to a galaxy far, far away, before he brought you face-to-face with living, breathing prehistoric beasts, Dennis Muren, the future nine-time Oscar-winning visual-effects artist (Star Wars, Jurassic Park), joined forces with a group of talented young filmmakers to create an homage to the creature features of yore in the eerie monster mash Equinox. Deep within the woods and canyons of California, four teenagers happen upon an ancient book containing the secrets of a strange, malevolent world that coexists with that of mankind. This $6,500-budget wonder (originally called The Equinox . . . A Journey into the Supernatural) was picked up for distribution by producer Jack H. Harris (The Blob), who shot new footage for the film with writer-director Jack Woods and released it in 1970 as Equinox. Since then, the film has gained a passionate cult following and inspired succeeding generations of horror/fantasy filmmakers.

Terror Thursday: SPLATTER FARM (1987)- Uncut Version
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, November 13, 2008
After reluctantly agreeing to visit their widowed Aunt Lacy (Marion Costly), twin brothers Alan and Joseph (John and Mark Polonia) arrive at her rural country farm to find a sick and twisted harvest in progress. As it turns out, Aunt Lacy is a little bit loony and insists on keeping her dead husband is inside the house. And her creepy manservant, Jeremy (Todd Rimatti), is no better, having taken up a disturbing hobby: serial killing.

Terror Thursday: INVASION OF THE BODYSNATCHERS (1978)
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, November 20, 2008
San Francisco biologist Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) turns to health inspector Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) for help when her live-in beau begins acting odd — and distant. Matthew and Elizabeth notice that suddenly almost everyone around them has become impassive. When their friends discover a developing doppelgänger in their commercial mud baths, the foursome realizes an alien invasion is under way. Can they stop it?

Terror Thursday: BLOOD FREAK (1972)
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, November 27, 2008
In this bizarre story, a bodybuilder named Herschel has become a serious marijuana addict. One day, while working on a turkey farm, Herschel consumes contaminated meat, and soon after, his head is transformed into a turkey head. The turkey-headed muscle man still craves his weed, so he gobble-gobbles and attacks other addicts and dealers in order to snag their dope and feed his addiction.

Terror Thursday: FUNERAL HOME (1980)
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, December 04, 2008
For the first 30 minutes of the movie¸ you might think you’re watching an episode of The Waltons. Turns out¸ this wholesome americana beginning ends up being a beautiful contrast to the suspenseful insanity that follows and eventually climaxes at the end. Heather has come to help her ”sweet as aunt bee” grandmother run her funeral home turned bed and breakfast. We meet a string of interesting characters¸ and fall in love with the whole family¸ including Kevin¸ Heather’s clean cut gentleman boyfriend. It is impossible to describe anymore of this film without spoiling it’s beautiful spins and twists.

Terror Thursday: FROM BEYOND (1986)
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, December 11, 2008
After inventing a way for creatures from the fourth dimension to come into his own world, Dr. Edward Pretorious (Ted Sorel) suffers a gruesome decapitation at the hands of those he brought “from beyond.” But authorities suspect his assistant (Jeffrey Combs) is to blame. Barbara Crampton co-stars as a beautiful psychiatrist brought in to help police solve the case in this classic 1980s thriller based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft.

Terror Thursday: VICE SQUAD (1982)
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Director Gary Sherman helms this cult exploitation classic, following the undercover efforts of a Los Angeles businesswoman turned prostitute (Season Hubley) — known only by her street name, Princess — to bring down a violent pimp named Ramrod (Wings Hauser). Under the watchful eye of Detective Tom Walsh (Gary Swanson), who’s tracking her every move, she works to solve the brutal murder of a streetwalker named Ginger (Nina Blackwood).

Terror Thursday: the original BLACK CHRISTMAS (1975)
Alamo Downtown
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Terror reigns inside a sorority house a few days before Christmas break as a series of menacing phone calls — and the discovery of a dead girl’s body — transform yuletide cheer into fear. Margot Kidder, Olivia Hussey and Andrea Martin (”SCTV”) co-star as just a few of the petrified sisters at the mercy of an unseen stalker in this 1970s horror gem from director Robert Clark, who told a much happier holiday tale with his 1983 classic, A Christmas Story.

Midnights at the Baxter is the only place to catch cult films on the big screen at midnight in Louisville, Kentucky. Films are shown at midnight every two weeks at Baxter Avenue Theatres in Louisville, KY. No DVD projection - all the films are shown in their original 35mm glory.

Here is the Midnight Movie schedule:

9/27/2008 - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, starring Johnny Depp as gonzo writer Hunter S. Thompson

10/4/2008 - It Came From Outer Space, presented in 3-D and based on a Ray Bradbury story

10/11/2008 - The Haunting, a bloodless-yet-creepy 1963 horror movie starring Julie Harris

10/18/2008 - Double feature with the Asylum of Satan and Abby by Louisville filmmaker William Girdler

10/25/2008 - The campy horror flick, Killer Klowns From Outer Space

10/31/2008 - Dead Alive, a gory New Zealand horror-satire

11/15/2008 - The series will continue with the entire Back to the Future trilogy

11/29/2008 - the cartoon-live action breakthrough film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

12/13/2008 - Bill Murray in Scrooged

12/20/2008 - the perennially popular family comedy, A Christmas Story

1/10/2009 - Brandon Lee’s last film, The Crow

1/24/2009 - Back when Mel Gibson was only kinda crazy…The Road Warrior

2/14/2009 -Just in time for Valentine’s Day is everyone’s favorite matchmaker. It’s Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Amelie

Midnights at the Baxter movie series can be found on the Web on these sites:

www.myspace.com/midnightsatthebaxter and http://www.baxter8.com/

Shriekfest is an international festival and screenplay competition dedicated to getting horror/thriller/sci-fi/fantasy filmmakers and screenwriters the recognition they deserve. What makes their festival unique is that they proactively help the filmmakers and screenwriters by promoting their work to the industry.

The 2008 Shriekfest Film Festival Awards took place at Raleigh Studios, located at 5300 Melrose in Hollywood, CA. The screenings take place in the beautiful Chaplin Theatre which seats 171 people. The Chaplin Theatre also has Dolby surround sound capabilities.

The 8th Annual Shriekfest Film Festival Awards

Best Horror Feature Film: “Bane”
directed by James Eaves

Best Thriller Feature Film: “Alien Raiders”
directed by Ben Rock

Best Short Film: “Kirksdale”
directed by Ryan Spindell

Best Super Short Film: “Eel Girl”
directed by Paul Campion

Best Horror Feature Screenplay: “The Great American Nightmare”
written by Tom Manning

Best SciFi Feature Screenplay: “Scavengers”
written by Diana Kemp-Jones

Best Fantasy Feature Screenplay: “The Hercynian Ocrhid”
written by Melisa Ford

Best Short Screenplay: “Making the List”
written by Jesse Kyle Reisman

The Pretty/Scary Award**: “Side Effect”
directed by Liz Adams

Best Acting Performance: Rhoda Jordan in “Rule of Three”

Audience Choice Award: “The Open Door”
directed by Doc Duhame

Best Under 18 Film: “The Perfect Victim”
directed by Eric Badger

Best Under 18 Screenplay: “Big Kids Play Manslaughter
written by Kelsey Bollig

** Pretty/Scary Award sponsored & chosen by Pretty-Scary.net

For more information - 8th Annual Shriekfest Film Festival Awards

For all those that crave Horror films…

The Starz FilmCenter has a Horrific Double feature of two BRAND NEW films destined to become Halloween classics. Both films will be presented back to back with some great horror film trailers sandwiched inbetween (and a peek at their upcoming midnight series at the 30th Starz Denver Film Festival - THE WATCHING HOUR).

It’s the perfect event for Halloween don’t miss your chance to be a part of it. See both films for only $10!

Films In Program…

Blood Car
USA, 2007, 75 Minute Running Time Genre/Subjects: Black Comedy, HorrorLanguage: English

In the near future gas prices have reached astronomical highs nearing $40 a gallon. One man, Archie Andrews, an environmentalist elementary school teacher, is trying to discover an alternate fuel source. While experimenting with wheat grass, Archie accidentally stumbles upon a solution. That solution turns out to be blood. HUMAN BLOOD!

Murder Party
USA, 2007, 80 Minute Running Time Genre/Subjects: Black Comedy, HorrorLanguage: English

Synopsis: It’s Halloween night in Brooklyn. Chris (Chris Sharp), a lonesome and unremarkable fellow, finds a mysterious invitation on the street and follows it to what he thinks will be a fun costume party. It turns out to be a lethal trap set by a gang of deranged hipster artists. Their plan is to lure someone to their remote warehouse base and ritually murder them as part of an extreme artistic event. As the booze-and-drug-fueled night wears on, rivalries within the group flare up with violent consequences. A body count accrues and Chris must take advantage of the ensuing chaos if he’s ever to escape the warehouse and survive the night. A deliciously over-the-top horror comedy written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier.

Cedar Lee Cult Film Series

The Cedar Lee Theatre is proud to continue its showings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show the first Saturday of each month at midnight. Get a discount admission of $5.75 to Rocky Horor if you come in costume. Limited edition 20th Anniversary T-shirts will be on sale at the Cedar Lee Theatre while supplies last.

In addition to showing Rocky Horror, the Cedar Lee Theatre is proud to present its on-going Cult Film Series. Admission is just $5!

The Cedar Lee Theatre has added a very special screening to the Cult Film Series line-up on Halloween night. They are showing the 1983 British horror anthology film SCREAMTIME (click here to watch the trailer) at midnight on Friday, October 31st.

The film will be proceeded by a scream contest in the auditorium. The person with the loudest scream measured in decibels will win a $50 Cleveland Cinemas gift card plus other great prizes coutesy of Big Fun on Coventry. Rules for the contest are as follows: only attendees of Screamtime are eligible to enter. No amplifying device of any kind can be used to enhance scream.

Contestants must register at the Cedar Lee between 11:30 PM and midnight on October 31, 2008. Contest will be limited to the first 15 to register.

Upcoming Films:

10/31/08 - Screamtime (midnight only)
11/1/08 - Re-Animator
12/6/08 - Coen Bros. Double Feature: The Big Lebowski & Raising Arizona

For More Information

Cedar Lee Theatre
2163 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Showtime Information: 440-564-2030

Previous Films:

1/5/08 - A Clockwork Orange
2/2/08 - The Warriors
3/1/08 - Better Off Dead
4/5/08 - Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
5/3/07 - Harold and Maude
6/7/08 - Pink Flamingos
7/5/08 - Cannibal! The Musical
8/2/08 - Rushmore
9/6/08 - Dead-Alive
9/13/08 - Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3D
9/20/08 - Amityville 3-D
9/27/08 - Parasite (3D)
10/4/08 - Donnie Darko: The Director’s Cut

Midnight Movies at Camera Cinemas

Stay up late as Camera Cinemas and KSCU 103.3 FM proudly present MIDNIGHT MOVIE MADNESS, showing a combination of new releases and cult favorites. The series screens Friday midnights at Camera 7 Pruneyard, and Saturday midnights at Camera 12 in downtown San Jose.Tickets for all seats are only $7.50, and every screening features special guest appearances, free giveaways, and other mad hook-ups, including concert tickets, t-shirts, DVDs, CDs, and rare movie posters.

The fall/winter lineup is as follows:

November 21-22–Twilight (2008)
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (”Lords of Dogtown”). Starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart and Peter Facinelli. When 17-year-old Bella Swan moves to the small town of Forks, Washington, she becomes drawn to pale, mysterious classmate Edward Cullen — even after Edward confides that he and his family are vampires.

December 19-20–tba

January 16-17–Army Of Darkness (1992)
Directed by by Sam Raimi. Starring Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz and Bridget Fonda. In this inspired sequel to the “Evil Dead” series, unassuming store clerk Ash is time-warped by a magic spell into England’s Dark Ages, where he must find the Necronomicon, a compendium of the black arts, before he can return home.

For more information:

Camera 7 Pruneyard
1875 S. Bascom Avenue
Campbell, CA 95008
408-559-6900
Camera 12 Downtown
201 South Second Street
San Jose, CA 95113
408-998-3300

www.cameracinemas.com

The term Midnight Movie has its origins from the practice of 1950s local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming, often with a host delivering humourous comments during commericals.

The term midnight movie is currently used in two different, though related, ways: as a synonym for B Movies reflecting the often low-budget status of late-night movies both theatrically and on TV, and also as a synonym for cult film.

Two of the better known Midnight Movie hosts were Vampira (Malia Nurmi) and Elvira (Cassandra Peterson). Both personas were sexy vampires, with Elvira’s being more campy.

Some of the films that are part of Midnight Movies history are:

El Topo (1970)

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Freaks (1932)