Films Preliminary Listing
- Pacific Rim
- Robot and Frank
- Dead Snow
- Sleeper
- In Like Flint
- The Cat From Outer Space
The silent movie will be "Hunchback of Notre Dame".
See the publications pages, when they are available, for the full schedule. In the meantime you can peruse the the preliminary schedule below.
Friday Afternoon
Sleeper {4:00pm}
Miles Monroe, played by Woody Allen, goes into the hospital for
gall bladder surgery and due to a medical error wakes up after two centuries of
cryonic suspension, into a totalitarian police state where he becomes a
renegade and a tool of revolutionaries out to crush attempts to clone the
recently deceased Great Leader from the cells of his nose. A hilarious
satire on American culture of the 20th century, this film makes great fun of
many SF films of the seventies most notably THX1138. This is Woody
Allen when he was actually still funny and before he started taking himself too
seriously.
In 16mm, 1 hr. 29 min.
At the Earth's Core {5:30pm}
It starts out as a steampunk adventure with Peter Cushing (the other
Dr. Who) and a boring machine carrying him and an assistant deep
into earth. But then, it turns into a trip through an underground city
controlled by telepathic dinosaur birds that enslave men. Pinewood Studios'
Finest!
In 16mm Eastmancolor, 1 hr. 30 min.
Panel: Beyond Sharknado {7:00pm}
Sharknado got the attention, but did you see Ghost Shark, in which an entire bikini car wash is eaten by a bucket? What about Ragin' Cajun Redneck Gators, with, well, exactly what it says on the label? Syfy's popcorn movies have been a tradition for years, with stars like Debbie Gibson and John Schneider forging their way through over-the-top dialogue and outrageous plots. We'll talk about the best (and worst) of Syfy, as well as what separates a good bad movie from the rest.
The UFO Experience {8:30pm}
A satirical look at the UFO craze of the 1970s, this fan-created film has
been in production for twenty years and was only recently completed. It
was premiered at this past Arisia to great acclaim. ``Ken Burns
meets Ed Wood'' says Blithe. Starring a cast of thousands, many of them
well-known fans. This educational satire will teach you many things you never knew about UFOs, some
of which are completely contradictory.
In 16mm, 1 hr. Color by Cinelab
Silent: Hunchback of Notre Dame {10:00pm}
This early adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic was Universal's
most
successful film of the silent era. Lon Chaney Sr. (whose son later
became
famous as the Wolfman) plays the deaf, half-blind bell ringer of
the cathedral
innocently trying to survive as a complex web of intrigue weaves
around him.
The special effects and elaborate design made it unique at the
time,
with makeup considered so horrifying that crew members were made
squeamish.
Carl Sandburg calls it, ``a picture worth seeing'' and ``Surely
the best piece
of character work [Chaney] has done.'' This film will be
accompanied by our
live organist, Jeff Rapsis, who will give a short talk about it in
advance.
In 16mm, approximately 2 hours
Saturday Morning
Cat from Outer Space {9:00am}
A stranded UFO is impounded by the government, and its pilot, a
cat with
a collar that amplifies brain waves, befriends Frank Wilson, one
of the
scientists called in to investigate it. This very silly Walt
Disney production
is being shown because Val wanted to see it, and you should bring
your kids
to see it too.
In 16mm, 1 hr. 44 min, Color by Fujodak
Panel: Man of Steel {11:00am}
Man of Steel was a huge hit, and is generating a sequel. But was it actually, you know, good? Is Zack Snyder's Superman-- who kills people in cold blood and seems willing to sacrifice lives to stop the bad guy-- a modern twist on the hero, or a pretender? Beyond the moral dilemmas, was the acting, dialogue, and plot enough to keep you engaged? Any thoughts on the sequel? Just feel like snarking about Ben Affleck? We'll cover it all here.
Mariner '69 {12:30pm}
While NASA was sending the first men to the moon they were also
sending
unmanned missions to Mars for the first time as well. This
JPL-produced
film details some of the later Mariner flights and what was
learned about
the red planet at the time.
In 16mm with a beautiful answer print, 20 min.}
Dead Snow {1:00pm}
A Norwegian movie about a group of friends on a skiing trip who
encounter a horde of Nazi zombies who have been frozen since the
war.
Why are they there? What are they looking for? An homage to
slasher
movies but at the same time a dark comedy, it's a film that
deserves
far more attention than it ever got in its US release.
in 35mm, 1 hr, 31 min.
Preceded by Tele-Comics: Space Barton
This was the first cartoon show ever aired on network
television.
Consisting of still frames with voiceover, it's more like watching
the comics
on TV than a modern cartoon. Produced in 1950, it was off the air
before
television became popular, meaning that very few people today have
seen or
recall it. Dick Moores and Jack Boyd, who produced it, went on to
greater
things later in life.
In 16mm, 15 min
Saturday Afternoon
Message from Space {3:00pm}
With the coming of the Space Age and Project Ozma, mainstream
culture
had to deal with the notion that we might not be alone. In this
1966
Christian-oriented film, a scientist comes to grip with the idea
that his
religion is not inconsistent with the possibility of other
intelligent
life in the universe. Thoughtful and curious, it's one of very few
pieces
of Christian science fiction film out there, and the message it
promotes is
still a good one.
30 min, in 16mm
Jonny Quest: Monsters in the Monastery {3:30pm}
Dr. Banner takes the gang to Nepal to see his friend at a Buddhist
monastery, but he finds that the monastery is being terrorized by
yetis.
Upon investigation, the yetis turn out not to be exactly what they
seem
at first, or are they?
In 16mm, 24 min
Panel: Ray Bradbury on Film {4:00pm}
Ray Bradbury, one of the greats of 20th Century literature, has had many of his works adapted to the screen. From Truffaut's take on Fahrenheit 451 to Jack Clayton's atmospheric Something Wicked This Way Comes, different directors have mined much from his works. Shorts, including The Twilight Zone and Ray Bradbury Theatre, have shown his versatility also. We'll talk about the ways Bradbury's works have hit the big and small screens over the years, opening with a 16mm presentation of The Veldt.
Robot and Frank {5:30pm}
Frank, a nice elderly man with increasing dementia, is having trouble getting around, and his son purchases a robot aid to take care of him. It turns out, though, that Frank's old career was burglary. As the robot becomes his friend, he teaches the robot a trade, in the process stealing jewels which sets the police after them. Susan Calvin would have approved. This is a story about friendship, about aging, and about misuse of technology. }In 35mm Cinemascope. 1 hr. 29 min.
Preceded by Jr. Star Trek
The winner of the 1969 WNET Young People's Filmmaking Contest, this Star Trek adaptation was done by ten-year old Peter Emshwiller, son of famous science fiction illustrator (and filmmaker) Ed Emshwiller. This classic piece of fan fiction was exhibited at conventions for years but has not been seen for a long time. }In 16mm, 8 min.
Movies from Lonestarcon {7:30pm}
If a man, and a famous author, were exposed to science fiction
at the same
time, the result would be fearsome indeed. For the result would be
Lonestarcon! See Leslie Fish playing an actual guitar! Experience
the thrill of the Science Fiction Outreach Project handing out free books!
Yes, for free! View for yourself the amazing John Hertz judging spectacular
masquerade costumes! An Arisia exclusive!
in 16mm Kludgearama, 12 min.
Pacific Rim {8:00pm}
Deep beneath the Pacific ocean, a giant monster emerges from a
fissure
leading from another world, but is defeated at great cost.
The single attacker is found to be the vanguard of a whole
army, and a program to develop giant robots to fight them begins.
But, at that point, things change, and men learn a lot more about
the kaiju
than they had bargained for, as well as a lot more about
themselves. This
is not your father's giant lizard movie! It is the story of
unlikely heroes going out to vanquish a seemingly undefeatable
enemy.
in 35mm, 2 hr. 11 min
In Like Flint {10:15pm}
James Coburn plays secret agent Derek Flint who is called out of
retirement
when the Intelligence Chief discovers something amiss during a
golf game with
the president. This marvelous spoof of James Bond films involves a
secret
cabal of women taking over the world, and the cameo from Buzz
Henry is worth
the price of admission. A delighful comedy, a statement about the
women's
movement, a satire on American values, and great fun for everyone.
In 16mm, 1 hr. 45 min. Rectified television print from
Cinemascope original
Dirty Movie: Devil In Miss Jones {midnight}
Historically significant for being one of a handful of films that
legitimized the pornography industry in the early seventies and
opened it to mainstream audiences, this film is also a classic
fantasy.
Roger Ebert calls it, ``The best hard-core porno film I've seen''
and lauds it
for treating the leading character as a real person.
A lonely young woman commits suicide and finds herself
in an odd position rejected both by heaven and hell. She is sent
back to
earth with the admonition to sin some more in order to be admitted
to hell,
and she chooses the sin of lust which she discovers herself
admirably equipped
to enjoy. Variety says ``In Miss Jones, the hard core porno
feature approaches
an art form'' and you may find it has done more than just approach
it. ID
at door required, 18 and older only.
In 16mm, 1 hr. 2 min (plus trailer)
Sunday
Captain America {10:00am}
In the seventies, with a bad war going on, the energy crisis, and
general
malaise, Americans needed a superhero they could believe in:
Captain America.
This is the first episode that explains the creation of Captain
America.
No commies, pinkos, fellow-travellers, or water fluoridators
allowed.
In 16mm, 24 min.
Johnny Sokko-- Last Show {10:30 am}
Johnny Sokko is a member of Unicorn, an international organization
that fights
against the evil Gargoyle Gang (who can be detected by their
beatnik beards
and stylish sunglasses), using his Giant Robot. After many years
of showing
this program at Arisia we have come to the last episode showing
the demise of
the Giant Robot. It is kind of sad. Warn children of sadness
before watching!
In 16mm Fujicolor. 24 min.
Superfriends: Space Pirates {11:00am}
Pirates from outer space, flying huge wooden galleons (somehow
reminiscent
of the Space Battleship Yamato which premiered in Japan only two
years earlier)
invade earth and only the Superfriends with their super powers can
prevent them
from stealing the treasures hidden below Chichen Itza, Stonehenge,
etc.
24 min, in 16mm
Panel: TV Year in Review {11:30am}
Our annual look back at SF, horror, and fantasy in 2013 on TV. What were the memorable shows? What are the new ones to watch? Vampires, time travel, super heroes-what's hot and what's not?
Robot and Frank (2nd show) {1:00pm}
Frank, a nice elderly man with increasing dementia, is having
trouble getting
around, and his son purchases a robot aid to take care of him. It
turns out,
though, that Frank's old career was burglary. As the robot becomes
his
friend, he teaches the robot a trade, in the process stealing
jewels which
sets the police after them. Susan Calvin would have approved. This
is a
story about friendship, about aging, and about misuse of
technology.
in 35mm Cinemascope , 1 hr. 29 min
Preceded by Jr. Star Trek
The winner of the 1969 WNET Young People's Filmmaking
Contest, this
Star Trek adaptation was done by ten-year old Peter Emshwiller,
son of
famous science fiction illustrator (and filmmaker) Ed Emshwiller.
This
classic piece of fan fiction was exhibited at conventions for
years but
has not been seen for a long time.
In 16mm, 8 min.
Bad Film: Death by Television {3:00pm}
Isaac Asimov states that the worst thing a science fiction
mystery can do
is suddenly introduce a previously-undescribed technology at the
end which
explains the story. In this Bela Lugosi film, made while he was
struggling
to find any work at all due to his opiate addiction, the writers
manage to
introduce at least two. The wooden acting and clumsy
characters help enhance the effect. Presented in conjunction with
the
Institute for Very Bad Cinema. MTSK3-like commentary encouraged.
60 min, in 16mm
Panel: State of the Trek 2014 {4:00pm}
The reboot of the Trek franchise by JJ Abrams was originally well-received, breathing new life into the franchise while seemingly respecting its roots. Last year's sequel was less well-received by fans. Which one represents the direction of the franchise, and is there hope for the future?
Classic Trailer Park {5:30pm}
Everybody's favorite event! Two hours of trailers for movies you love,
movies you hate, and movies you've never heard of! Once again we
reach into the dumpsters behind the movie theatre for the finest trailers
possible, old and new.
2 hr. In damn near every format made
Sleeper (second showing) {7:30pm}
Miles Monroe, played by Woody Allen, goes into the hospital for
gall bladder surgery and due to a medical error wakes up after two centuries of
cryonic suspension, into a totalitarian police state where he becomes a
renegade and a tool of revolutionaries out to crush attempts to clone the
recently deceased Great Leader from the cells of his nose. A hilarious
satire on American culture of the 20th century, this film makes great fun of
many SF films of the seventies most notably THX1138. This is Woody
Allen when he was actually still funny and before he started taking himself too
seriously.
In 16mm, 1 hr. 29 min.
Dead Snow {9:45pm}
A Norwegian movie about a group of friends on a skiing trip who
encounter a horde of Nazi zombies who have been frozen since the
war.
Why are they there? What are they looking for? An homage to
slasher
movies but at the same time a dark comedy, it's a film that
deserves
far more attention than it ever got in its US release.
in 35mm, 1 hr, 31 min.
Preceded by Tele-Comics: Space Barton
This was the first cartoon show ever aired on network television.
Consisting of still frames with voiceover, it's more like watching the comics
on TV than a modern cartoon. Produced in 1950, it was off the air before
television became popular, meaning that very few people today have seen or
recall it. Dick Moores and Jack Boyd, who produced it, went on to greater
things later in life.
In 16mm, 15 min
FILM PLACEHOLDER C {11:30pm}
HALF HOUR SLOT 2 hrs.
Bad Movie: Hangar 18 {midnight}
The first satellite launched from the space shuttle is intercepted by a UFO,
which then lands on earth. Since the president (Robert Vaughn) is worried
about the elections coming in two weeks time, he has the spaceship taken to
Area 51 and hushed up, but the astronauts who saw it go looking for it.
MST3K discussion of the somewhat curious dialogue is encouraged and prizes
will be awarded to people pointing out General Electric 650, Xerox
Sigma 9, Data General and IBM/360 computers. Sponsored in conjunction with
the Institute for Very Bad Cinema.
1 hr. 37 min, in 16mm
Monday Morning
Audience Choice {9:00am}We will run any of the films listed for this weekend. You must arrive at 9 AM in order to cast your vote. Film will begin promptly at 9:15 after setup and preparation.
Unscheduled Shorts
Space Angel: National Bank Case
An entire bank has been carried off into space and Scott
McCloud,
Space Angel, is dispatched to find it. A curious product of the 1960s,
this was filmed in the Synchrovox process with static cartoon
drawings with live action lips superimposed.
in 16mm, 6 min.
Cinema Time Capsule (2013)
short documentary
5:32 - sound - 16mm or 35mm blowup - color by Foto-Kem
The Avon Cinema in Providence, RI. opened in February of 1938. Join the owner and staff for the celebration of its 75th anniversary.
The Exhibitor (2013)
short documentary
7;30 - sound - 16mm or 35mm blowup - color by Foto-Kem
Follow Dave Mead, projectionist at the Wellfleet Drive-In on Cape Cod, as he operates the equipment and discusses his craft.