We here at WAMG are massive fans of Kevin Smith. Out of all of us, I’m definitely the biggest. Don’t believe me? Here’s the last article I posted on this site – 37 REASONS (in a row) WHY KEVIN SMITH SHOULD PRESENT STUCK LIKE CHUCK. As the title suggests, it is a list of 37 reasons why the new label created by Smodcast Pictures & Phase 4 Films should release my no-budget directorial debut. While caked in self-promotion, the article is fairly light-hearted and actually does offer some insights into the world of indie film. The day after I posted it, I received an email from Phase 4 requesting a screener. Needless to say, I was ecstatic. I immediately sent a DVD their way and have been playing the waiting game since.

And with that bit of backstory established, we can move on to the meat of the article…

Tuesday March 20th marked the release of Kevin Smith’s new book TOUGH SH*T: LIFE ADVICE FROM A FAT LAZY SLOB WHO DID GOOD. Unlike his previous books, this one is not simply a collection of essays, blog posts or transcribed podcasts. TOUGH SH*T is a funny, inspiring and heartfelt autobiography from a man who is already known for being an open book. And with great books, come great signings. Smith is currently in the midst of a 6-city book tour that started in Ridgewood, New Jersey and ends in Chicago on March 30th. I caught up with him on Wednesday at his second stop, New York City.

I arrived at the Union Square Barnes & Noble around 4:20 pm; an ironic time for those who know Smith. The book signing was set to begin at 7 pm and the line was to start forming at 5. I waited on the line that was waiting to get in line. It was less than 30 seconds before I was in the middle of an insanely geeky but utterly fascinating conversation between the people in front and behind me. A bulk of our time was spent trying to guess from memory every Academy Award Best Picture Winner from THE ARTIST to WINGS. The game expanded as more people joined in. Yes, the people that show up to a Kevin Smith signing are just as nerdy as you assumed.

Eventually the time came for Kevin to take the stage. He started by saying there was a fine line between entertainer and being entertained, then read a tweet that someone in the room had sent out just moments earlier.

Waiting for @thatkevinsmith To speak at b&n in union square… If this sucks at least I can go visit the cats at Petco next door  – @Snowtreds

Kevin then asked the audience if we wanted to do a straightforward book signing or mostly Q & A. We ended up with roughly 90 minutes of Q & A followed by a signing. I did not know there would be a Q & A, nor did I plan to write this article, so I unfortunately did not take any notes. However, here are some poorly paraphrased highlights I do remember:

• Kevin likes that he doesn’t go the traditional route when making movies & that he doesn’t do what’s usually expected. In other words, he considers himself an “ass man” even when it comes to making movies.
• Gayle King (“you know, Oprah’s best friend”) loves TOUGH SH*T & read a vulgar passage out loud to Kevin when he was at a morning show taping.
• JERSEY GIRL will always have a special place in his heart, even if only because George Carlin loved his role & his experience on the film.
• He doesn’t think his version of Green Hornet would not have translated well on the big screen.
• Kevin likes to bond with his daughter Harley Quinn through the magic of song. More specifically, the song ‘Joseph Smith American Moses’ from THE BOOK OF MORMON. Their favorite part, “Joseph Smith, don’t f*ck the baby”
• He also gave a brief rundown of the entire play while re-enacting a few moments. He basically called it the greatest piece of art man has ever created. And yes, it was awesome enough to warrant two bullet points.
• While drunk on Pink Zinfandel, Kevin got a tattoo of the Mad Hatter because he is “always late.” When showing Scott Mosier afterwards, Scott reminded him that it is actually the White Rabbit who is always late.
• He would love to see a remake of A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS but he is not the one to make it. Ironically, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS is one of the Best Picture winners that all of us had trouble remembering during our game. Every time he mentioned the movie, our row started laughing.
• He told a story about the first book signing he was part of at the Union Square Barnes & Noble. It was for John Pierson’s book SPIKE, MIKE, SLACKERS & DYKES. Prior to the signing, Michael Moore was talking about how he thought his career was over after CANADIAN BACON flopped. When Michael Moore was called on stage, the room went wild. Afterwards, Moore told Kevin & John that he thinks he might write a book. He witnessed the rebirth of Michael Moore at that signing.
• Kevin got a bit teary-eyed when talking about his father & telling a great story about a special way he said good night to his parents. He also talked about how he would get pulled out of school most Wednesdays to go to the movies with his dad. He said these stories were in the book so I’ll leave it at that so you can read them yourself.

After being told time was up, Kevin took 2 more questions before launching into the signing. A B&N employee announced that to save time, everyone would get only 1 picture & 1 non-personalized signature on the book cover. Their timesaving techniques were futile though since Kevin loves chatting with his fans. It was hilarious seeing the look of panic on the employee faces when he took over a minute with just one person. The next went up with a cell phone in hand so Kevin could talk with someone they called. Just before it was my turn to walk over, someone told me that he is taking too long and starting with me they want everyone to keep their encounter brief.

Screw that.

I walked over to Kevin, shook his hand, posed for a picture and he signed my book. I was a mess of nerves until I started speaking and a wave of calmness washed over me. I let him know that 6 years ago he gave me some advice that always stuck with me and is probably the single biggest reason why I even attempted to make my first feature film. He raised his hand as if to give me a high-five. I went for it but instead he caught my hand and held it up like a sign of victory. For a man as verbose as Kevin, he didn’t have to say anything. I’m sure it is a sentiment he hears often but he seemed to genuinely appreciate how much he has inspired me. We then talked a bit about the film, reviews, casting and even touched on my festival experience. I had become THAT guy the people running the event feared most. Finally Kevin asked what my flick was called. I told him STUCK LIKE CHUCK. His eyes widened and he responded, “You’re the cat who did STUCK LIKE CHUCK!”

Holy shit. My jaw-dropped. I could barely give him a positive reply. I felt like Jaimie in JINGLE ALL THE WAY.

“He knows my film”

He said that he heard a little about SLC, mostly on Twitter, and he even saw that 37 Reasons article I posted. I was in complete disbelief. We started discussing the new distribution label and he let me in on how the selection process works. Before I left, I gave him a DVD screener along with some SLC promo materials, just in case. I thanked him again and walked away. At least I think I walked away. I may have floated or skipped. To be honest, I don’t really recall any of the trip from the stage to the front of the store.

It is not often that you get the opportunity to personally thank a celebrity for being a major influence on your life. Then again, most celebrities are not like Kevin Smith. And for those of you out there sick of reading my posts about how Kevin Smith has inspired me, TOUGH SH*T.

Jerry Cavallaro – @GetStuck – JerryCavallaro.com

Celebrate PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3’s “Bloody Mary Monday” at select theatres across the country! Tonight only, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 ticketholders in select locations will receive a free appetizer with a special PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3-themed beverage purchase – Bloody Mary’s, bloody wine, bloody beer…

*Quantities are limited.  Limit to one (1) free appetizer per person. Must be 21 or over. Check theatre listings for showtimes.

WHERE:

Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek (Austin, TX)
Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar (Austin, TX)
Alamo Drafthouse West Oaks (Houston, TX)
Alamo Drafthouse Mason Park (Katy, TX)
Alamo Drafthouse Westlakes (San Antonio, TX)
Alamo Drafthouse Park North (San Antonio, TX)
Alamo Drafthouse Stone Oak (San Antonio, TX)
Alamo Drafthouse Winchester (Winchester,  VA)
ArcLight  Beach Cities (El Segundo, CA)
ArcLight  Pasadena (Pasadena, CA)
ArcLight  Sherman Oaks (Sherman Oaks, CA)
ArcLight Hollywood (Hollywood, CA)
B & B Colleyville Cinema Grille (Dallas, TX)
B & B Wildwood (St. Louis, MO)
iPic The Arboretum of South Barrington (South Barrington, IL)
iPic Bayshore Town Center (Glednale, WI)
iPic The Domain Austin (Austin, TX)
iPic One Colorado Pasadena (Pasadena, CA)
iPic The Promenade Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, IL)
iPic Redmond Town Center (Redmond, WA)
iPic The Village at Fairview (Fairview, TX)
iPic Scottsdale Quarter (Scottsdale, AZ)
Muvico Rosemont (Rosemont, IL)
Muvico Thousand Oaks (Thousand Oaks, CA)

For movie listings visit www.movies.yahoo.com.

Follow PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TweetYourScream
for audience reactions and important announcements and visit
www.ParanormalMovie.com for more information.

PARAMOUNT TO HOST EXCLUSIVE FREE ADVANCE
SCREENINGS OF “FOOTLOOSE” ON
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30^th

“FOOTLOOSE FRIDAYS” To Be Held One Night Only in 25 Markets in Advance of the Movie’s Nationwide Release on October 14th

Two-weeks ahead of its October 14th release, Paramount Pictures will host exclusive advance screenings as part of “FOOTLOOSE FRIDAY” in celebration of the nationwide opening of Co-Writer/Director Craig Brewer’s new film.

Following the screenings on Friday, September 30th, fans of the film; starring Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Andie MacDowell and Dennis Quaid can tweet their reactions using #Footloose to join the conversation.

Friday, September 30, 2011 at 6 p.m. PT, 7 p.m. CT and 8 p.m. ET.

WHERE: 26 select theatres across the U.S. and Canada: Atlanta (Regal Town Center); Boston (Regal Fenway); Chicago (Regal Webster Place); Cleveland (Regal Crocker Park); Dallas (Rave Ridgemar); Denver (Regal UA Pavilions); Detroit (MJR Partridge Creek); Houston (Regal Edwards Marq*E); Kansas City (AMC Barrywoods); Los Angeles (AMC Century City and AMC Burbank 16); Miami (AMC Sunset Place); Minneapolis (AMC Southdale); New York (Regal Union Square); Orlando (Regal Winter Park); Philadelphia (Regal King of Prussia); Phoenix (Harkins Tempe Marketplace); Sacramento (Century Roseville); Salt Lake City (Gateway Megaplex); San Diego (Regal Mira Mesa); San Francisco (AMC Metreon); Seattle (Regal Meridien); St. Louis (Wehrenberg Ronnies); Tampa (AMC Veterans); Toronto (Cineplex Odeon Varsity Theatre); Washington DC (Regal Majestic)

Admission is free. Visit www.FootlooseFriday.com to RSVP for your exclusive screening now.

For more information about FOOTLOOSE, go to:

http://www.Twitter.com/FootlooseMovie

http://www.FootlooseMovie.com

http://www.Facebook.com/FootlooseMovie

Fans said hello to one of the greatest gangster movies ever made last night (August 23, 2011) when Universal Studios Home Entertainment reunited the cast and filmmakers of the iconic underworld epic, SCARFACE. Guests were invited to an exclusive event at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles to re-experience the explosive power of acclaimed director Brian De Palma’s legendary story of raw ambition. 

Stars Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, F. Murray Abraham and producer Martin Bregman came together again to celebrate the legacy of the film that redefined the gangster genre forever and became a cultural touchstone for an entire generation.

The event coincided with the first-time launch of SCARFACE on Blu-ray™ on September 6, 2011. The evening commenced with a special Q & A presentation that featured the film’s stars and creators, and included a special musical performance by recording artist Ludacris. For those wanting to see the film on the big screen, enter to win passes to see SCARFACE at St. Louis Mills 18 HERE or Great Escape O’Fallon 14 HERE.

Come April 4th, watch the skies… but, do NOT stay inside! You’ll want to be at the Hi-Pointe Theatre in Saint Louis for this special, one night only screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic THE BIRDS.

Turner Classic Movies and Charter are bringing the Road to Hollywood tour to St. Louis in celebration of the TCM Classic Film Festival this April in Hollywood. Join TCM host Ben Mankiewicz and special guest Tippi Hedren for a free screening of THE BIRDS on Monday, April 4 at 7:30 PM at the Hi-Pointe Theatre. Log on to tcm.com/roadtohollywood to get your free tickets!

St. Louis is getting ready for Vincentennial, the Vincent Price 100th Birthday Celebration this May. Pirate Picture’s Wyatt Weed, writer/director of the St. Louis-lensed vampire opus SHADOWLAND, shot this promo film for the event.

This is a longer version of the promo film that ran before films at the recent St. Louis International Film Festival. Vincentennial is a Film festival celebrating the career of Vincent Price in conjunction with an exhibit of Price artifacts and memorabilia and is being presented by Cinema St. Louis. Legendary director Roger Corman will be in St. Louis to kick off the event. The schedule for the film festival will announced in a couple of more weeks. Details can be found here at We Are Movie Geeks.com, the Vincentennial Facebook page (HERE), and at www.vincentennial.com

The website for Pirate Picture’s SHADOWLAND is HERE

Love to laugh? Love great music? Love the movies?

The Saint Louis Symphony is giving this all to you for two nights only, as a way to kick back, relax and enjoy yourselves after a busy, hectic holiday season. The classic CITY LIGHTS from famed actor and director Charlie Chaplin will be screened at Powell Hall, accompanied by a live score performed by the Saint Louis Symphony.

DATE: Wednesday, December 29th and Thursday, December 30th
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63103
MORE: Charlie Chaplin not only wrote, directed and starred in the 1931 film City Lights, he composed the musical score to accompany it. The St. Louis Symphony, under the direction of Music Director David Robertson, will perform an updated orchestration of the City Lights score live with the film.

Visit the Saint Louis Symphony’s Concert Calendar for more info and to purchase tickets.

A Centennial Salute to Composer Alex North

Beverly Hills, CA: The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will celebrate the career of Alex North (1910-1991), the 15-time Oscar®-nominated composer, with a centennial salute featuring a screening of THE MISFITS (1961) on Friday, September 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The event also will include film clips and an onstage discussion hosted by journalist and film-music historian Jon Burlingame, with Oscar-nominated composer Laurence Rosenthal, producer Steven North (Alex’s son), and North’s biographer Sanya Henderson.

Between 1951 and 1984, North received 14 Academy Award® nominations for Original Score and 1 for Song. He finally took home an Oscar statuette in 1985 when he was presented with an Honorary Award “in recognition of his brilliant artistry in the creation of memorable music for a host of distinguished motion pictures.”

David Newman conducts “Main Title” from Alex North’s 1963 score CLEOPATRA. Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, September 5, 2010

North’s “brilliant artistry”included his work for A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951), which was the first major score to draw heavily from jazz influences, DEATH OF A SALESMAN (1951) and WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966). His ability to handle epic subject matter led to such assignments as VIVA ZAPATA! (1952), SPARTACUS (1960), CLEOPATRA (1963) and THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY (1965). In 1955 he wrote the now-classic music that was recorded as “Unchained Melody” for the prison movie UNCHAINED.

Here’s a look at John Williams as he conducts “Forest Meeting” and “Main Title” from Alex North’s 1960 score SPARTACUS. Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, August 28, 2010

North’s musical background was unique; born in Pennsylvania, he studied in New York, Moscow and Mexico. He composed music for the New York stage and for such dancers and choreographers as Anna Sokolow, Martha Graham and Agnes de Mille. North was one of the first composers in Hollywood to incorporate contemporary music styles in his film scores. He demonstrated a particular affinity for specifically American subjects, and his music provided the themes for the film adaptations of numerous literary classics by such writers as Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner. Highly respected by his peers, North was an active mentor to the next generation of composers, including Jerry Goldsmith.

Featuring a jazzy and dramatic score by North, John Huston’s complex film THE MISFITS was the last screen appearance for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. The film follows a sexy divorcee and three aging cowboys who make a living capturing wild horses in the Nevada desert.

The movie also stars Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter and Eli Wallach, one of the Academy’s 2010 Honorary Award recipients. THE MISFITS was directed by Huston and produced by Frank E. Taylor, with a screenplay by Arthur Miller.

Tickets to “A Centennial Salute to Composer Alex North” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets are available for purchase by mail, at the Academy box office (8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or online at www.oscars.org. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved.

The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at the 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills or call (310) 247-3600. 

For more on this and other Academy events, visit their official website at Oscars.org as well as their Facebook page here, or see their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/oscars.

Article from The Trades

Written by Jeff Ritter

My readers know that I’m a big fan of the Pittsburgh Comicon. It’s a very fan-friendly show, meaning that instead of simply being ushered through cattle lines for a 3 second autograph there is time to chat with your favorite comic artists and writers. There are plenty of up-and-coming talents there eager to show their stuff and compliment your sketchbook with an inexpensive illustration. I’ve made a lot of friends at every level of that show. The only drawback to the Pittsburgh Comicon is that it’s in Pittsburgh, and I’m in St. Louis. It’s 10 hours by car. There are some sneaky speed traps in Indianapolis. And doggone it, there’s no reason my hometown can’t get a convention going. Chicago does two every year, and like the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry, anything Chicago can do St. Louis can do too!

I was excited to learn of the second St. Louis comic convention, called Project Comic Con 2, coming the weekend of September 18-19 to the Maryland Heights suburb just a few minutes from Lambert International Airport. I somehow missed last year’s show, but I’m glad I’m not missing this one.

The guest list is impressive for a second-year show. Adam Kubert, famed for his runs on Wolverine and Superman, will be on hand Saturday only for autographs. He’ll be doing four sketches for charity and you’ll have an opportunity to get one with a winning raffle ticket and a $200 donation. Green Lantern and Flash fan favorite Ethan Van Sciver will be on hand all weekend, as will Supergirl super-artist Jamal Igle. Comics legend Howard Chaykin, the creator of the critically American Flagg! series who has had brilliant runs as a writer or artist on just about everything will be in attendance. Greg Horn, cover artist extraordinaire, and Kenneth Rocafort, the majorly talented artist of Madame Mirage, will be here. For some shows, that would be enough, but St. Louis has some catching up to do in the comic convention scene, and this show isn’t about to pump the brakes! Like the Ghost Rider? Creator Gary Friedrich and artist Javier Salteres are on the guest list. Still not enough? How about Dennis Calero (Doctor Solar, X-Men: Noir), Phil Hester and Ande Parks (Green Arrow, Irredeemable Ant-Man), Ryan Ottley (Invincible), Jason Howard (The Astonishing Wolf-Man), Rick Burchett (Action Comics), Patrick Gleeson (Green Lantern Corps), Jeremy Haun (Battle Hymn, The Outsiders), Robert Q. Atkins (G.I. Joe), Kevin Mellon (Suicide Sisters, Hack/Slash), Matt Kindt (Super Spy) and Brian Hurtt (Queen and Country, The 6th Gun)? There’s still others coming too, but that list alone rivals any artists’ alley at any comic con.

Writing fans aren’t left out either. Many shows are heavily geared for artists, but there are some top writers coming to Project Comic Con 2. Gail Simone is one of the consistently brilliant storytellers in the industry, famous for Agent X, The Secret Six, Welcome to Tranquility, Wonder Woman and Birds of Prey among others. The Unknown Soldier scribe Joshua Dysart will be here, as will Marvel’s go-to guy Fred Van Lente (he’s probably written everything once!) and Jai Nitz of El Diablo and Blue Beetle fame, and frequent Brian Hurtt collaborator Cullen Bunn (The Damned, The 6th Gun). Along with the aforementioned creators who pull double duty like Chaykin, Friedrich, Kindt and others, this is an extremely strong list of writing talents to meet.

Many other talented creators will be on hand as well, and of course no convention would be complete without the vendors. Event sponsors NewCastle Comics of Maryland Heights and Heroic Adventures and Hometown Comics, both in nearby Edwardsville, IL, will surely have a wide assortment of comics and graphic novels on hand. My own neighborhood shop, Comic Relief, will have a booth as well, and I’m sure there will be many others.

With so many comics to browse, artists and writers to meet, and special events such as charity auctions, panel discussions and artist portfolio reviews by Top Cow and Avatar Press to participate in Project Comic Con 2 looks to be well on its way to becoming a destination event on the annual convention schedule. Maybe my Pittsburgh friends can come out my way next year! I hope the legions of comic book fans in the greater St. Louis area (and Kansas City, and Memphis…and Chicago too, even you Cubs fans) come out and support this show. See you there!

Check out the PCC2 website for more info.

On Tuesday morning, WAMG was invited to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ special press preview of John Ford’s UPSTREAM (1927), one of 75 films recently found in the New Zealand Film Archive and repatriated to the U.S. with the cooperation of the National Film Preservation Foundation.

The 1927 silent film, that was thought lost for decades, had it’s re-premiere Wednesday night, September 1, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Many of the VIP’s on hand included Silent Film Historians and those involved with the restoration, as well as the general public.

Having seen the film on Tuesday, I must say the transfer is absolutely beautiful. I was so impressed by the special care taken with the film’s clarity and how vibrant the tinting is on the multiple color frames throughout. The smoky special effects combined with the subtle transitions made me forget I was watching a movie from 1927. With its restoration from its master nitrate print, audiences are sure to be delighted, as I was, to see UPSTREAM in its original form.

Many who were a part of the finding and restoration of UPSTREAM were at the Academy on Tuesday morning. With the international, cultural, and financial impact of the story, all concerned were extremely giddy to finally see the finished film. “The studios are paying to preserve history,” said Michael Pogorzelski, Director of the Academy Film Archive, one of the five U.S. archives that will be restoring and making available the “lost” films over the next three years.

Some of the speakers on hand were Frank Stark, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Film Archive, and Annette Melville, Director of the National Film Preservation Foundation. Ms. Melville said of UPSTREAM, “People knew 75 films were in New Zealand and were held by private collectors, but it was only recently that these movies came to the studios and the Academy’s attention.”

Schawn Belston, Senior Vice President, Library and Technical Services at Fox Filmed Entertainment, jubiliantly said that UPSTREAM, “was the missing piece to THE JOHN FORD FILM COLLECTION.” When I asked him what’s next for this rare find, Belston said, “in October, Fox is taking Ford’s film to the 29th Pordenone Silent Film Festival in Italy and it may be shown at some film festivals throughout the U.S.” I hope I didn’t give Fox any ideas when I jokingly posed the question about a 3-D version of the film. After a pause to consider that, he grinned and retorted with, “Even with AVATAR, Fox is still concerned with silent films.” Belston added that a transfer of UPSTREAM to dvd and/or blu-ray will happen down the road.

Understandably, the one most empassioned about the project was Brian Meacham, Academy Film Archivist whose visit to New Zealand initiated the re-discovery. “It all began by looking for these types of ‘gems’ and then the funding.” After its showing at the Italian Silent Film Festival, Meacham said that UPSTREAM will be added to the National Film Archives in Washington, D.C. on October 28th. Meacham hopes many will be able to see the film in theaters and accompanied by live music.

Wednesday evening’s showing included a live trio with music composed by long time AMPAS collaborator Michael Mortilla. When I spoke with Mortilla about his lively score, he said he was still tinkering with the music and that he actually wrote it recently. “I only composed the music six weeks ago.” When I asked him what motivated him to compose the score in such little time, he said, “I was inspired by the film – the story, the characters, what they were feeling.” Mortilla delightfully utilized the music of the 3-piece orchestra (violin/percussion, woodwinds, and piano) as another character in UPSTREAM and not just mere accompainment. Right down to the sound effects, he used “songs of the day” as well as own “classical repertoire” so that the audience truly experiences the event as a whole. 

As well as the re-premiere, audiences were also treated to the advertising trailer which contains the only known surviving footage of the John Ford sound film STRONG BOY (1929).

As to the backstory, UPSTREAM is one of 75 American films recently found at the New Zealand Film Archive and repatriated to the United States. The films were rediscovered when Brian Meacham, an archivist for the Academy, dropped in on his New Zealand counterparts while on vacation. During Meacham’s tour of the archive, he asked if there were any American films represented in the collection. A thorough search revealed numerous titles including three feature films that were thought to be lost. UPSTREAM is the first of the features to be preserved and screened for the public. The preservation work was carried out by Park Road Post Production in Wellington, New Zealand, under the direction of Twentieth Century Fox and the Academy Film Archive.

Over the next few years, all of the repatriated films will be preserved and made available at the Academy Film Archive and four other major American film archives, in collaboration with the National Film Preservation Foundation.

The comedic melodrama Upstream (1927) came at a point of transition for director John Ford. Filmed at the beginning of what would become a 13-year break from the Western genre that had defined many of his earlier works “from the 1910s Universal shorts featuring Harry Carey to Three Bad Men (1926)“ and that would resurface later in his career starting with Stagecoach (1939), it is also one of the last completely silent films Ford made. Starting later that year with the then-unreleased Mother Machree (filmed in 1926, released in 1928) his films began including recorded sound effects and music not a particularly surprising addition at the sound-pioneering Fox Studios.

Based on Wallace Smith’s short story “The Snake’s Wife” (1926), Upstream trades the dark, introspective elements of Smith’s tale of love and betrayal for the cinematically appealing spectacle of vaudeville performances, the grand setting of the London stage, and sweet romantic melodrama. The central focus is a love triangle between a knife-thrower (Grant Withers), his “target girl” Gertie (Nancy Nash), and the egotistical Brashingham (Earle Foxe), a hammy Shakespearean actor; a variety of vignettes depicting the hectic atmosphere in their vaudeville boarding-house flesh out the storyline. With the action confined mainly to the boarding-house’s narrow rooms, Ford’s skill at effectively defining and depicting characters finds space to flourish, featuring among others a pair of dancers, a squabbling sister-act, a long suffering landlady, and a juggler (played by Ford’s brother Francis, himself a former vaudevillian). While not one of Ford’s typical films, there are many “Fordian” themes throughout.

Pictured: 35mm film frames from the only known surviving print of John Ford’s UPSTREAM (1927). Preservation work was done at Park Road Post in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Academy’s screening of John Ford’s UPSTREAM, celebrates the first fruits of a groundbreaking multi-year collaboration of the New Zealand Film Archive/Nga Kaitiaki O NgaTaonga Whitiahua, the American archival community, and the National Film Preservation Foundation to preserve and make available American silent films from the NZFA’s vaults. Of the 75 titles identified for preservation and listed here, more than 90 percent are thought to survive nowhere else. The remainder represents the best surviving source material.

The five major American silent film archives - the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, George Eastman House, the Library of Congress, the Museum of Modern Art, and the UCLA Film & Television Archive – are supervising the preservation work and will take custody of the nitrate originals, as well as the new preservation masters and prints. The NFPF, which is coordinating and raising funds for the undertaking, plans to post digital files for many titles on its Web site, www.filmpreservation.org. The NZFA, whose good stewardship made the project possible, will receive new prints and the ongoing thanks of film enthusiasts everywhere as these long-unseen treasures are screened and made available on the Internet.

• The Active Life of Dolly of the Dailies-Episode 5, The Chinese Fan (Edison, 1914), episode of the famous serial in which ace reporter Dolly Desmond, played by Mary Fuller, rescues a kidnapped girl and gets the scoop (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• Albert Spalding Playing Cavatina by Raft (Vitaphone, 1929), early sound film featuring American violinist and composer Albert Spalding (Library of Congress).
• American Co-Op Weekly (producer unknown, 1917?), newsreel featuring stories related to World War I (George Eastman House).
• Andy’s Stump Speech (Universal, 1924), two-reel comedy in which Andy Gump, played by former Keystone Cop Joe Murphy, runs for office (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• An Animated Grouch Chaser (Edison, 1915), comic short combining live-action with cartoon sequences animated by Raoul Barr© (Museum of Modern Art).
• A Bashful Bigamist (Vanity Comedies, ca. 1922), one-reel farce, starring Billy Bletcher, in which a wife plots to keep her husband at home (Museum of Modern Art).
• The Better Man (Vitagraph, 1912), Western in which a Mexican American outlaw proves himself the better man. This film was preserved by George Eastman House through funds raised by the “For the Love of Film” Blogathon.
• The Big Show (Miller Brothers Productions, 1926), only surviving fiction film made by the Oklahoma-based Wild West Show managed by the Miller Brothers (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• Billy and His Pal (Melies Manufacturing Co./American Wild West Film Co., 1911), Western filmed in San Antonio, Texas, and one of the earliest surviving films featuring Francis Ford. Released in New Zealand as Bobby and His Pal (Museum of Modern Art).
• Birth of a Hat (Stetson Company, 1920), industrial short illustrating how Stetson makes its hats (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• Brillantino the Bullfighter (Monty Banks Productions, 1922), two-reel comedy starring Monty Banks as a weakling who transforms himself into a celebrated matador to win his fickle sweetheart (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• A Broken Doll (Allan Dwan Productions, 1921), Allan Dwan Western, starring Monte Blue as a cowboy devoted to the ranch owner’s disabled daughter. The reels from the New Zealand Film Archive are expected to complete the source material already at the Library of Congress.
• By Right of His Might (Vitagraph, 1915), Sidney Drew comedy in which an overtaxed host hatches a plot to rid his household of an obnoxious guest (George Eastman House).
• Captain Jinks, The Cobbler (Vitagraph, 1916), comedy in which the put-upon Jinks pretends to enlist in order to avoid his wife (Library of Congress).
• China (Educational Films Corporation of America, ca. 1917), 1,000 feet from an educational documentary showing everyday life in China (Museum of Modern Art).
• Col. Heeza Liar’s “Forbidden Fruit” (Bray Studios, 1923), animated tall tale in which the colonel recounts how he single-handedly ended the “Great Banana Famine of 1923â€� (Museum of Modern Art).
• Defying Destiny (Rellimeo Film Syndicate, 1923), melodrama in which a wronged man, played by Monte Blue, changes his appearance through plastic surgery and returns home to reclaim his good name and win his girl (George Eastman House).
• The Diver (Kalem, 1916), documentary showing how to set underwater explosives (Museum of Modern Art).
• Dodge Motor Cars (Dodge Brothers, ca. 1917), two parts of an epic industrial film chronicling the manufacture of automobiles (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• An Easter “Lily” (Vitagraph, 1914), fragment from a drama about the friendship between a white boy and the daughter of his family’s African American servant (Library of Congress).
• Fordson Tractors (Ford Motor Co., 1918), promotional film for the all-purpose tractor introduced by Henry Ford & Son in 1917 (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• From Rough Log to Finished Car (producer/date unknown), industrial film detailing the making of train cars (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• The Girl in the Pullman (De Mille Pictures Corp., 1927), marital comedy about the tangled love life of a neurologist awaiting his final divorce decree. This film will be preserved through a collaboration of Sony Pictures and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

• The Girl Stage Driver (Eclair-Universal, 1914), long section from a Western filmed in Tucson, Arizona (Museum of Modern Art).
• The Greater Call (Essanay, 1910), melodrama about an actress who must choose between career and family (UCLA Film & Television Archive).

• Happy-Go-Luckies (Fables Pictures, 1923), animated adventures of two mutts who crash a dog show (George Eastman House).
• Henry’s Busted Romance (Fables Pictures, 1922), animated tale, inspired by Aesop, in which a tomcat falls for Mademoiselle Kittie (Library of Congress).
• Her First Kiss (Sunshine/Fox, 1919), long fragment in which comedienne Ethel Teare performs wild stunts. This film will be preserved through a collaboration of Twentieth Century Fox and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• The Hidden Way (Associated Exhibitors, 1926), drama, written by Ida May Park, in which convicts befriend a poor family and struggle to go straight (Museum of Modern Art).
• His Mother’s Thanksgiving (Edison, 1910), family melodrama showing what happens when a successful son tries to celebrate the holidays without his mother (Museum of Modern Art).
• His Neglected Wife (U.S. Motion Pictures Corp., ca. 1919), comedy about a writer’s neglected wife who devises her own story to make her point (George Eastman House).
• His Taking Ways (Samuel Bischoff Productions, 1926), slapstick comedy about a hearing-impaired burglar and a coveted suit of clothes (Library of Congress).
• Hold ‘Em Yale (De Mille Pictures Corp., 1928), college romance, based on the play by Owen Davis, about an Argentinean football player at Yale. This film will be preserved through a collaboration of Sony Pictures and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• Hollywood Snapshots (producer unknown, ca. 1925), tour of Filmdom with glimpses of celebrities Ramon Novarro, Jack Warner, Max Linder, and Vola Vale (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• Hunting Wild Geese for Market (Salisbury Wildlife Pictures, ca. 1915), documentary about hunting in the Sacramento Delta, which ends with a plea for greater government regulation (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• Hypnotic Nell (Kalem, 1912), fragment from a comedy in which Nell, played by Ruth Roland, tries to land her cowboy using pointers from a mail-order hypnotism course (Museum of Modern Art).
• Idle Wives (Universal, 1916), first reel of a Lois Weber feature in which a film inspires three sets of moviegoers to remake their lives. More of the film exists at the Library of Congress.

• International Newsreel (International Newsreel Corp., ca. 1926), newsreel including five stories from the United States and abroad (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• The Jam-Makers (Paramount, 1919), cartoon in which Buddy, Susie, and a cat scheme for a taste of homemade jam. This film will be preserved through a collaboration of Paramount Pictures and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
• Jean the Matchmaker (Vitagraph, 1910), charming one-reeler in which the family dog steps in to serve as matchmaker for two shy brothers (Library of Congress).

• Kick Me Again (Bluebird/Universal, 1925), short comedy with Hungarian star Charles Puffy (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• The Lady from Hell (Stuart Paton Productions, 1926), Western in which the ranch foreman, a Scottish nobleman in America, is wrongfully accused of murder. The New Zealand nitrate reels are expected to complete the Library of Congress copy.
• Little Brother (Thanhouser, 1913), one-reeler in which a man hires his girlfriend’s younger brother to help him win her back (Library of Congress).
• Lyman H. Howe’s Famous Ride on a Runaway Train (Lyman H. Howe Films, 1921), thrill-packed short that was accompanied by sound discs which survive at the Library of Congress.
• Mary of the Movies (Columbia, 1923), Hollywood comedy about a young woman seeking stardom. This earliest surviving film from Columbia Pictures exists in an incomplete copy and will be preserved through a collaboration of Sony Pictures and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

• Maytime (B.P. Schulberg Productions, 1923), feature with Clara Bow in an early role. This film will be preserved by the Library of Congress through the support of David Stenn.
• Midnight Madness (De Mille Pictures Corp., 1928), comedy starring Clive Brook as a millionaire who decides to teach his gold-digging fiancee a lesson (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• A Modern Cinderella (Vitagraph, 1910), update of the classic fairy tale, set in a boarding house and featuring Mary Fuller (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• Moonlight Nights (Sherwood MacDonald Productions, 1925), farce in which a young man, told by his rich father to get a job, goes to work in a nightclub (Library of Congress).
• Mules and Gob Talk (Chester Films Screenics, 1920), travelogue highlighting the wildlife of Yellowstone National Park (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• Oh Boy! (Bray Studios, 1927), two-reel comedy with the “McDougall Alley Kids” about a rich boy who gets his comeuppance (George Eastman House).
• Oils Well! (Ben Wilson Productions, 1923), comedy set in the American oil fields in which Monty Banks strives to impress the boss’s daughter (Museum of Modern Art).
• Reckless Youth (Select Pictures, 1922), drama about a restless convent girl whose fling in high society teaches her a lesson (George Eastman House).
• Rips and Rushes (Vitagraph, 1917), comedy set in a dance studio in which three rivals vie for the girl (Library of Congress).
• Robson Trail (Selznick News, ca. 1922), travelogue shot in British Columbia (George Eastman House).
• Run ‘Em Ragged (Rolin Films, 1920), slapstick short featuring Snub Pollard (Library of Congress).
• The Scheme That Failed (Juvenile Film Corp., 1916), tale involving childhood affections and rivalries. The New Zealand nitrate reels complement source material already at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• The Sergeant (Selig Polyscope, 1910), probably the first surviving narrative filmed in Yosemite Valley. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences preserved the film with funds raised by the “For the Love of Film” Blogathon.
• Selznick News (Selznick News, ca. 1922), newsreel with stories about burglar-proof mail containers, golfing moms, a prototype car phone, the Princeton crew team, and the latest fashions (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• Smithy (Hal Roach, 1924), two-reel comedy in which a hapless ex-military man, played by Stan Laurel, discovers that civilian life is tougher than it looks (Library of Congress).
• Stand and Deliver (De Mille Pictures Corp., 1928), adventure set during the Greco-Turkish War, in which a former British officer fights bandits and wins a beautiful Greek woman. This film will be preserved through a collaboration of Sony Pictures and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
• Strong Boy Trailer (Fox, 1929), preview for a “lost” feature directed by John Ford and starring Victor McLaglen. This film was preserved through a collaboration of Twentieth Century Fox and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• Sunset Limited (Edison, 1898), promotional film from Southern Pacific, the earliest work returned to the United States through this project. This film was previously available only as a paper print deposited for copyright at the Library of Congress.
• The Tares of the Wheat (Universal, 1912), family melodrama involving a gambling debt (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).
• The Tell-Tale Scar (Thanhouser, 1914), one-reeler in which an Italian immigrant captures a criminal to earn the reward and win his sweetheart (Library of Congress).
• A Trip Through China (Supreme Feature Films Co., 1917), 970-foot fragment, from Benjamin Brodsky’s ten-reel documentary, showing Peking in the 1910s (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• Tropical Nights (Educational Films Corporation of America, ca. 1924), travelogue capturing the romantic landscapes of the tropics (George Eastman House).
• Under the Daisies, or As a Tale That Is Told (Vitagraph, 1913), two-reeler featuring an early performance by Norma Talmadge. The New Zealand footage is expected to complete the copy held at the Library of Congress.
• Unseen Forces (Mayf ower Photoplay, 1920), feature directed by Sidney Franklin in which a clairvoyant, who uses her psychic powers to help others, eventually wins back her man (Library of Congress).
• Upstream (Fox, 1927), a backstage romance directed by John Ford and starring Nancy Nash and Earle Foxe. This film was preserved through a collaboration of Twentieth Century Fox and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• Walk-You Walk! (Kalem, 1912), short in which a woman turns the tables on an overly amorous date by stealing his car (Library of Congress).

• Why Husbands Flirt (Christie Comedies, 1918), wry marital comedy with a title that says it all (George East-man House).
• A Window on Washington Park (Vitagraph, 1913), touching melodrama in which a generations-old family rift is finally healed (UCLA Film & Television Archive).
• The Woman Hater (Powers Picture Plays, 1910), early Pearl White vehicle in which a disgruntled suitor, claiming to hate all women, changes his tune after his girlfriend saves him from Indians (George Eastman House).
• Won in a Closet (Keystone, 1914), first surviving movie directed by and starring Mabel Normand. Released in New Zealand as “Won in a Cupboard” (Library of Congress).

Wednesday night’s screening of UPSTREAM was presented under the Academy’s “Lost and Found” series banner. LOST AND FOUND is a periodic screening series designed to showcase archival prints of films that have been recently discovered, or restored from new materials that improve the presentational quality of their previously available versions. In some instances the films may be incomplete or damaged, making access unlikely through more traditional venues. The series serves not only as an opportunity for rare access to a “lost” film, but also will call attention to some of film preservation’s more notable success stories.

For more on other Academy events, visit their Facebook page here, see their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/oscars, and at their official website Oscars.org.

All Photos and Images: Courtesy of AMPAS, the New Zealand Film Archive, and the National Film Preservation Foundation.

ONE DAY ONLY! ONE EXCLUSIVE LOCATION!

THE BIG UNEASY (PG-13)

Monday, August 30, 2010
Only at Wehrenberg Des Peres 14 Cine
(12701 Manchester Road)
7:00 PM & 9:30 PM

THE BIG UNEASY is a feature-length documentary from renown humorist Harry Shearer (The Simpsons, This Is Spinal Tap). Shearer, a New Orleans resident, gets the inside story on Hurricane Katrina, and how our nation’s greatest natural disaster could have been far less severe. Join him as he talks candidly with investigators and survivors about why the levee systems really failed, and why there could be a repeat soon.

The movie plays one day only, on the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation. You’ll witness incredible, never-before-seen footage of the early stages of the flooding.

This is a documentary you can’t miss.

Tickets are available NOW at prevailing admission price at the box office or online at www.wehrenberg.com

As some of you know, in addition to occasionally contributing to WAMG I am a filmmaker myself.  My first feature is a comedy called STUCK LIKE CHUCK, which Travis reviewed last year. Since then, the film has played several festivals and even won a few awards, including Audience Choice Comedy at SINY and an Indie Spirit Award in Orlando. It is set to be released on DVD and digitally at the end of the year but you can get a special signed & numbered “official bootleg” DVD right now. They are only available until July 31^st and all of the money raised will go towards making my next film!

So what is the next film? STUCK LIKE CHUCK TOO. No it is not a sequel but a fictional retelling of my experiences on the festival circuit with my first feature. Think of it as CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM if Larry David was a 21 year old indie filmmaker. STUCK LIKE CHUCK TOO takes a satirical look at film festivals through the eyes of a filmmaker who is in love with his lead actress and struggling to promote his film’s big premiere. We plan to film it at the Orlando Film Festival this November and a ton of great people are already involved, including indie film icon Lloyd Kaufman and legendary film consultant Bob Hawk.

If you would like to get STUCK LIKE CHUCK on DVD and help get STUCK LIKE CHUCK TOO made, please visit www.IndieGoGo.com/StuckLikeChuckToo before July 31st!

And if you haven’t seen it yet, here is the trailer for STUCK LIKE CHUCK:

Feel free to contact me if you’d like to know more about the film or have any questions. Thanks!

Jerry Cavallaro – www.StuckLikeChuck.com

I finally got to attend a Famous Monsters Convention! I’ve been a huge fan of the magazine since I bought my first issue when I was 8 years old in 1969 at Wood Drug Store at the corner of Taylor and Manchester in Kirkwood. It was issue #64 with Basil Gogo’s painting of Vincent Price from HOUSE OF WAX on the cover and from then on, I lived for the magazine, buying all subsequent issues and eventually tracking the earlier ones until I acquired a complete run. In 1973 the first Famous Monsters Convention was held but I was too young to attend. The magazine, run by legendary editor Forry Ackerman, ended its original run in 1983 after 191 issues. Famous Monsters returned to newsstands (sans Forry) in a couple of brief incarnations (including an on-line form) over the next couple of decades and another Famous Monsters Convention was held in 1993 (I wish I had gone but I was underemployed at the time and couldn’t afford it). Forry Ackerman died in 2008 at age 93 and a fellow named Phil Kim soon purchased the Famous Monsters brand. When I heard that Phil was not only bringing the magazine back in print form but that he was throwing a large-scale convention July 9-11 in Indianapolis, I contacted him. I told him about my Super-8 Movie Madness show, which I throw at the Way Out Club the first Tuesday night of every month in St. Louis. I convinced him that a Super-8 MONSTER Movie Madness show would fit right into the theme of his convention and that it would be a nostalgic trip for monster kids who grew up reading Famous Monsters! Phil invited me to bring my equipment and a box full of Super-8 sound condensed versions of classic monster movies to the show. This was a real treat for me since I had purchased my first Super-8 films as a child through the order forms in the back page of Famous Monsters!

Phil Kim and Co. premiered their new issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland, #251, at the con and what they are doing with the magazine is fantastic. There are four different covers, all by notable fantasy artists, and I didn’t hesitate to buy a couple of copies of the special ‘Convention Cover’ issue that they unveiled. The new magazine well-captures the spirit of the old one with a good portion dedicated to the classic movie monsters. That said, I wish the Con had been geared in that direction as well, but it wasn’t. It was ambitious and for a first Con, went about as well as could be expected, but it was way too skewed toward the younger tattoo/goth/death-metal crowd with not enough programming geared to ‘Monster Kids of a certain age’ (ya know, the folks that actually grew up reading Famous Monsters).

The problem with the con can be summed up in the ‘celebrity’ guest list. The two guests who best represented the classic Famous Monsters brand were artist Basil Gogos, who painted so many of the wonderful FM covers and Bela Lugosi Jr, (who looks like a robust version of his Dad in those final days).  Both were gracious and approachable, and added much-needed class and nostalgia to the proceedings. (though they weren’t around on Sunday). The NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD/DAWN OF THE DEAD/DAY OF THE DEAD casts were there. They were all super-nice but have been doing a lot of shows the past few years and are a bit overexposed. The RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD cast was new (at least to me) and I was glad to see them there. The guests I was most jazzed about meeting were Herschell Gordon Lewis, Margot Kidder, Eric Roberts, and Thomas Jayne, but they were all no-shows. I understand that cancellations are always a risk and not something promoters can’t control but it was still disappointing. I know Lewis cancelled a couple months beforehand, Kidder a couple of weeks before, Roberts I’m not sure when (I noticed one day he was scrubbed from the site), and apparently, Jayne the headliner (though, with the exception of PUNISHER and THE MIST, a curious choice for a Famous Monsters headliner) was a last minute cancellation (I heard to attend a funeral). Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, William Forsythe, and stars like that are nice guys and staples at these shows but there was almost no one representing the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. These were the decades Famous Monsters of Filmland was published. There are plenty of players from horror films of that era still with us and I couldn’t understand why none were included (some Hammer glamour would have been nice). Were some invited? I don’t know but there’s something wrong when I attend a ‘Famous Monsters’ con and my favorite guest is Denise Nickerson, who played Violet Beauregarde in WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. My understanding is that a promoter who later severed ties with Famous Monsters had booked most of these guests.

Programming: There was a fantastic 2-hour panel discussion with Phil Kim, Lugosi Jr, Gogos, Mick Garris, and several others including a life-size Forry puppet Saturday afternoon. They reflected on the past and future of FM and all spoke at length sharing anecdotes about Forry. To me this was the highlight of the weekend (though not well-attended). On Sunday there was supposed to be another panel with some of these same people on ‘Famous Monsters Lifestyle’ but it never happened (I was told the participants were “too tired”). There was something called ‘Famous Monsters Film School’ but I didn’t make that. There were separate Q&A panels with the Romero DEAD casts and RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD cast and those were, as usual, most interesting. Charles Band’s roadshow is always a hoot. Most of the other programming was films, both feature length and shorts, by amateur filmmakers followed (or preceded) by panels by them. The rooms for most of these only held 50 seats but most were still poorly attended. I ran my 18 minute condensed versions of THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE in 3-D on Super-8 sound film Sunday afternoon in one of these rooms. All 50 seats were filled and there were people standing near the back. I think that enthusiasm reflected a real desire for nostalgia that was missing. The parade of FM beauty contestants was fine but I didn’t get the con’s tattoo sub-theme. There was a tattoo contest/display in a cavernous nightclub within the hotel that went on for hours and hours all day Saturday and Sunday. Tattoos were shown off, but unless you were sitting less than a few feet away (which no one was) you couldn’t see them anyway. I’m sure the local Indy ‘tattoo crowd’ was thrilled with this event, but again I’m failing to see how it had anything to do with classic monsters.

The VIP party: This is where I think the organizers could have done something special but really dropped the ball. It was very well attended (I’d guess 400 or more were in the ballroom). It cost (some people) an extra $25.00 (which bought stale pizza and access to a cash bar), but they weren’t keeping track of who paid and who didn’t and were letting folks file in regardless. I was running Super-8 monster movies on a large screen off to one side of the stage but had to turn the sound off after about an hour. There were some awards given to horror host Sammy Terri, Lugosi Jr, actor Billy Drago, and others but none of them spoke. Phil Kim didn’t speak either. Then there was a magician but you had to get on the dance floor near him to see what he was doing. About 10:30 a wretched death metal band got on stage and as soon as they began, half the crowd bolted for the exits. I continued to show films for about another hour with the sound down while the band played. After their set, it was time for a video and panel tribute to a ‘Horror Movie Icon’. This was the Famous Monsters of Filmland VIP party at the first FM convention in 17 years, so I’m sure you’re thinking the tribute was perhaps for…..hmmm… Forry Ackerman?..….Wrong!…maybe Ray Harryhausen, whose 90^th birthday was the previous week?….wrong again….perhaps Vincent Price, whose 100^th birthday would have been next spring?….nope. The VIP party at the first Famous Monsters convention in 17 years paid tribute to….Corey Haim !?!?! I know when I think classic movie monsters, the first star I think of is a former child star who appeared in a couple of horror comedies in the 80’s . I loaded up my projectors and was back in my room before midnight, though I heard that I missed two more metal bands that played until 2am. Again, the VIP party would have been the perfect opportunity to celebrate movie monsters but they instead went for a heavy metal show with a Corey Haim tribute.

The Dealer room: Cortland Hull had his unique life-size figures displayed but where was the Universal Monster Army and their awesome display of vintage 60′s monster toys? Were they invited? It would have been the perfect place for them. The FM gang had a whole wall and some impressive banners plugging their magazine and upcoming film projects (!). The new FM #251 they were selling seems impressive (I haven’t read the 130 page mag yet), but the all-Forry Ackerman issue #250 seemed even better and covered in detail his 47 film appearances. Many of the amateur filmmakers had tables and were selling DVDs of their films (and some were selling, or trying to sell, autographed photos of themselves). There were too few vintage items for sale. Mike Pierce, of Monsters Among Us, had his amazing collection of vintage monster mags and Famous Monsters back issues and Corey from ‘Reel Art’ Movie Posters had some good deals (I bought vintage NIGHT TIDE, THE FLESH EATERS, CASTLE OF BLOOD and OBLONG BOX 14 x36 insert postes for $10.00 each!). Gary Nickel’s had some great t-shirts and I bought his SHE-CREATURE and DR. PHIBES work shirts. One thing that was missing was DVD-Rs of rare movies. There were none and I’m wondering if the organizers forbid them for legal reasons (usually cons are loaded with these). What there was plenty of was homemade jewelry, artwork, soap, and t-shirts (some with vulgar sayings that would have made Forry blush). The dealers I talked to did not do well in sales. I think with the large number of celebs, attendees may not have had enough money to spend after purchasing autographs.

This is just my honest assessment of the Famous Monsters Con and I’m not trying to be a whiner. I talked to many attendees my age and most felt the same way I did. I’m glad I went and saw a lot of old friends and always had someone to talk to. It went well in terms of organization. Phil Kim’s a businessman and sees a demographic he feels he needs to appeal to. I just wish it had been more distinguished from all the other cons, more a celebration of classic monsters, and maybe the next one will. As someone else noted: “You can by a brand, but you can’t buy a legacy” (maybe Famous Monsters will put Corey Haim on the cover of issue #252!). When the death-metal band took the stage at the VIP party, the singer began by shrieking, “I know you’ve all come here to rock!!!” I shouted back, “No, we’ve come here to celebrate Movie Monsters!”, but I don’t think anyone heard me.

l to r: Banners of the new covers in the dealer room, Me setting up Super-8 Monster Movie Madness at the VIP ball, Bela Lugosi Jr. with Famous Monsters editor Phil Kim

l to r: The Forry Ackerman action figure!, actor Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) greets Ed Gale (of Chucky fame), Con stalwart Tom Savini, wearing the rusty SAW mask.

l to r: with Denise Nickerson (Violet from WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY), costumed ghosts, Legendary Famous Monsters cover artist Basil Gogos, some of Cortland Hull’s lifesize monster figures.

Hey Missourians… St. Louis is one of 20 cities selected to participate in a contest to win ‘The Other Premiere’ with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in attendance on behalf of their upcoming film THE OTHER GUYS.

In anticipation of the nationwide release of Columbia Pictures’ THE OTHER GUYS, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, in theaters August 6th, the film will make its World Premiere in New York City on August 2nd. But the fun won’t stop there.

The movie will have another premiere — “The Other Premiere” — and moviegoers can help decide where it will be. Beginning today, moviegoers can go on Facebook at www.facebook.com/otherguysmovie and vote in a poll to decide which Other City will host THE OTHER PREMIERE. Ferrell and Wahlberg will attend the red carpet event in the winning city on August 5th.

Commenting on the announcement, Adam McKay, director of The Other Guys, said, “We’ve all had those moments when we’ve had to watch some other guy be the cool guy.  But your city can be the cool city.  Get on Facebook and vote, and we’ll bring The Other Premiere to you.”

The 20 candidate cities are Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and Washington, DC. On August 2, Ferrell and Wahlberg will announce the winning city.

Synopsis:

In THE OTHER GUYS, NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. They don’t get tattoos – other men get tattoos of them. Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You’ve seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They’re not heroes – they’re “the Other Guys.”

But every cop has his or her day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City’s biggest crime. It’s the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff?

THE OTHER GUYS stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, with Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. Directed by Adam McKay and written by Adam McKay & Chris Henchy, the producers are Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jimmy Miller, and Patrick Crowley. THE OTHER GUYS will be in theaters August 6th.

Follow @OtherGuysMovie on Twitter and tell your friends what city you voted for. #OtherGuysOtherPremiere. Visit THE OTHER GUYS official site here.

Experience the coolest job ever and watch the red-carpet premiere of THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE right here and LIVE Beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST/ 7:30 p.m. CST/8:30 p.m. EST  today!

The mystical masters behind the blockbuster ‘National Treasure’ franchise, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, are celebrating their latest big screen incarnation, ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,’ with a special music event in the heart of Manhattan. Since this epic comedy adventure about a sorcerer and his hapless apprentice was filmed entirely on location in New York City, it is a “super” natural fit to honor the film’s impending July 14 release by throwing a party in iconic Bryant Park featuring performances by OneRepublic and Alpha Rev, plus appearances from the movie’s stars and filmmakers, including Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Toby Kebbell, Teresa Palmer, director Jon Turteltaub and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Sorcery & Songs:

Special red-carpet presentation recognizing July 6, 2010, as Sorcerer’s Apprentice Day in New York City.

OneRepublic will perform a short set, including “Secrets,” a song featured prominently in the film, as well as their multi platinum breakthrough single and internet sensation, “Apologize.”

Alpha Rev, a MySpace.com #1 ranked indie band from Texas , will perform their song from the film, “Phoenix Burn.”

You can also watch the event at http://www.myspace.com/wonderland powered by Ustream or at ustream.tv/WaltDisneyStudios. This special celebration marks the 1st live streaming event on Disney.com

Synopsis:

Walt Disney Studios, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub present ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ — an innovative and epic comedy adventure about a sorcerer and his hapless apprentice who are swept into the center of an ancient conflict between good and evil.

Dave (Jay Baruchel) is just an average college student, or so it appears, until the sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) recruits him as his reluctant protege and gives him a crash course in the art and science of magic. As he prepares for a battle against the forces of darkness in modern-day Manhattan, Dave finds it is going to take all of the courage he can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.’

THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE is rated PG and magically materializes in theaters on July 14, 2010.

TWILIGHT NIGHT in Saint Louis had a huge turnout, setting the bar for the massive record-breaking crowds that turned out for the opening of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE.

From Variety: “TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE, descended on the fanatical masses at midnight, as it debuted with an estimated $30 million and topped the highest grossing midnight movie of all-time.”

The event had plenty for fans to enjoy, including Nordstrom Team Edward and Team Jacob make-overs, photo opportunities, lots of great free TWILIGHT giveaways, a fantastic cover band and an evening outdoor screening of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON… and much more.

The icing on the cake for the fans was a guest appearance by TWILIGHT star Jack Huston, who plays Royce King in ECLIPSE. While many had an opportunity to see him in person, a select few fans won VIP Meet and Greet access to the star, complete with autographs and photo opportunities.

Some of the lucky TWILIGHT NIGHT VIP Meet and Greet Fans:

If you’re not familiar with the madness, here’s a brief rundown: Remember (before video tapes) the Super-8 films they used to sell in the 1950′s and 60′s that were condensed versions of features? In the 1970′s they sold SOUND versions of these films and 16 of these will be projected on a large screen at the Way Out Club (they average about 15 minutes each).

Admission is a measly THREE BUCKS!!!!

The 7 Charles Bronson movies I will be showing at SUPER-8 CHARLES BRONSON MOVIE MADNESS are: DRUM BEAT (the subject of my last ‘NOT Available on DVD’  Column), MASTER OF THE WORLD, THE DIRTY DOZEN, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, BREAKOUT, HARD TIMES, and LOVE AND BULLETS. The HARD TIMES print is dubbed into German and printed on B&W stock but that’s the only way I could find it. There’s not much dialog in it anyway and the language of Charles Bronson kicking ass is international!

I can’t just show Charles Bronson movies (I wish I could but I only have those seven) so I’m showing nine other (non-Bronson) films. They are: REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, Mae West in I’M NO ANGEL, THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN (the subject of this week’s ‘NOT Available on DVD’  Column! What a coincidence!), THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, THE MUMMY’S GHOST, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in THE GORGON, Bugs Bunny in ALL THIS AND RABBIT STEW, Brian DePalma’s DRESSED TO KILL, and the humorous 1941 Robert Benchley short CRIME CONTROL.

The Way Out Club is located at 2525 Jefferson Avenue in South St. Louis (corner of Jefferson and Gravois). Head down to the Way Out Club beginning at 8:00 July 6th and bask in the glory that is Charles Bronson!

SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATES THE LUNAR ECLIPSE WITH “TWILIGHT NIGHT” AT ST. LOUIS UNION STATION ON JUNE 26^th

TWILIGHT NIGHT at St. Louis Union Station to Provide Families, Friends and Fans the Opportunity to See  the Twilight Saga: New Moon Under the Stars

with special cast appearance by Jack Huston (Royce King)!

St. Louis, MO  June 18, 2010 – In celebration of the lunar eclipse on the evening of June 26^th, Summit Entertainment is inviting St. Louis to TWILIGHT NIGHT, a free event at St. Louis Union Station in the South Plaza which will include a special cast appearance from Jack Huston (Royce King) from Twilight Saga: Eclipse.  Doors will open at 6pm with an outdoor screening of New Moon to begin at 9pm (event will be moved indoors if there is inclement weather).  Prior to the film, fans can engage in Twilight-filled fun with a Cullen Make-Up Booth, Twilight Tarot Card Readings, Twilight Henna Tattoos and live Twilight-inspired songs by local band Bitter Pill.  Along with the special booths fans can capture their memories with the special TWILIGHT NIGHT Red Carpet and Photo Booth, both provided by Moviefone.

Here’s a little bit about Jack Huston:

JACK HUSTON (Royce King) emerged as one of the hottest young actors to watch after his 2002 appearance in “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” on the London stage for director Peter Hall, starring Brenda Blethyn. Huston recent projects include playing the wonderful Bosie opposite Al Pacino in Wilde Salome; and filming Bernard Rose’s Mr Nice, opposite Rhys Ifans, David Thewlis and Chloe Sevigny. The film was included in the SXSW Film Festival in 2010. He had starring roles in the teen thriller Shrooms and The Weinstein Co.’s Outlander with James Caviezel and John Hurt. Other film credits include Factory Girl for The Weinstein Co., Hemmingway’s Garden Of Eden with Mena Suvari, and Shrink alongside Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams, which premiered at 2009′s Sundance Film Festival. He is currently shooting the Martin Scorsese show “Boardwalk Empire” for HBO with Mark Wahlberg executive producing and starring Steve Buscemi.

TWILIGHT NIGHT is a 12-city event including outdoor screenings of THE TWIILGHT SAGA: NEW MOON.  The family and community-oriented events are the perfect chance for those new to the film franchise as well as moviegoers in general to immerse themselves in THE TWILIGHT SAGA phenomenon just in time for the highly anticipated theatrical release of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, the third installment of Summit Entertainment’s TWILIGHT SAGA film franchise, on June 30^th.

• THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is rated PG-13 for some violence and action.
• THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality.

In THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, directed by David Slade from a screenplay written by Melissa Rosenberg and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, Bella (Stewart) once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge.  In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Edward (Pattinson) and Jacob (Lautner) — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

*Cities, venues and times are subject to change.  Visit http://eclipsethemovie.com for the most current information.

About the TWILIGHT SAGA film series
The TWILIGHT SAGA film series stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson and tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together…even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires.  The action-packed, modern day vampire love story TWILIGHT, the first film in the series, was released in theatres on November 21, 2008 to a blockbuster reception. The second installment of the film franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON was released November 20, 2009.  The franchise has grossed over $1.1 billion in worldwide box office ticket sales to date.

Attention WAMG readers… have we got a special ECLIPSE giveaway for all you TWILIGHT fans!

The Contest:

We’ll pick at random two lucky winners (and 2 guests) who will have the rare chance to be part of an extraordinary “V.I.P. Meet and Greet” with a cast appearance from THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE on Saturday, June 26th from 7:15 – 8:15pm at Union Station.

This is how you win:

1. As always, this is a St. Louis event, so if you’re not planning on being in St. Louis on Saturday, June 26th… don’t bother playing the game. However, I imagine many will travel great distances for a chance like this.
2. Which Team Are YOU On? Enter your name and email, along with your favorite Twilight Saga character, below in the comments section. Wait, there’s more… you’ve got to tell us why you’re on that team. Be specific, creative… sell us on why you think that character is the best. Be sure to include your email, otherwise we don’t know who you are and you won’t get this great prize.
3. While the “VIP Meet and Greet” event begins at 7:15pm, potential winners should try to plan on being at Union Station between 6-7:15pm to acquire your precious wristbands.

If you don’t win, here’s more info on the TWILIGHT NIGHT:

SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATES THE LUNAR ECLIPSE WITH “TWILIGHT NIGHT” AT ST. LOUIS UNION STATION ON JUNE 26th

TWILIGHT NIGHT at St. Louis Union Station to Provide Families, Friends and Fans the Opportunity to See the Twilight Saga: New Moon Under the Stars with special cast appearances!

In celebration of the lunar eclipse on the evening of June 26th, Summit Entertainment is inviting St. Louis to TWILIGHT NIGHT, a free event at St. Louis Union Station in the South Plaza which will include special cast appearances from Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Doors will open at 6pm with an outdoor screening of New Moon to begin at 9pm (event will be moved indoors if there is inclement weather). Prior to the film, fans can engage in Twilight-filled fun with a Cullen Make-Up Booth, Twilight Tarot Card Readings, Twilight Henna Tattoos and live Twilight-inspired songs by local band Bitter Pill. Along with the special booths fans can capture their memories with the special TWILIGHT NIGHT Red Carpet and Photo Booth, both provided by Moviefone.

TWILIGHT NIGHT is a 12-city event including outdoor screenings of THE TWIILGHT SAGA: NEW MOON. The family and community-oriented events are the perfect chance for those new to the film franchise as well as moviegoers in general to immerse themselves in THE TWILIGHT SAGA phenomenon just in time for the highly anticipated theatrical release of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, the third installment of Summit Entertainment’s TWILIGHT SAGA film franchise, on June 30th.

* Cities, venues and times are subject to change. Visit EclipseTheMovie.com for the most current information.

• THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is rated PG-13 for some violence and action.
• THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality.

DESTROY THE BRAIN in association with GRINDHOUSE RELEASING is proud to bring Lucio Fulci’s masterpiece THE BEYOND to the Hi-Pointe Theatre as the second entry into DESTROY THE BRAIN presents LATE NITE GRINDHOUSE. Showing in 35mm, experience a hellish, surrealistic nightmare that only the Italian master of gore could bring you.

Originally released in 1983 under a heavily censored title of Seven Doors of Death, Fulci’s second entry in his unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy was unleashed on drive-in screens and grindhouses in the US for a brief period of time. Over time, bootlegs emerged of the film in its uncut form, mainly sourced from an uncensored Japanese laserdisc.

Finally in 1998, Bob Murawski and Sage Stallone completely re-mastered the film and got Quentin Tarantino to endorse the release through Miramax. The film gathered over $1 Million during its midnight show run.

For fans of the director Lucio Fulci (CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, ZOMBIE), this is a film that must be seen on the big screen. If you are unfamiliar with Fulci, this movie is a great one of his to start out with.

THE BEYOND will be showing at 11:30pm at THE HI-POINTE THEATRE (1005 McCausland Ave. St. Louis, MO) on Friday, June 25th and Saturday, June 26th.Follow DESTROY THE BRAIN on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/destroythebrain
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http://www.destroythebrain.com
http://www.hi-pointetheatre.com