The Circle Cinema's first slumber-party, an all-nighter of cult horror films, begins at 10 p.m. Saturday and runs for 10 hours.
I wrote about this event in Sunday's paper, but I figure the information bears repeating in the blog arena for two reasons. No. 1: The people most likely to attend such an event are young people who read us on the Web site. No. 2: Such an event is the kind of thing you need to plan for in advance. How many would find about this on Friday or Saturday and commit to a five-film blowout.
Here are the particulars, culled from my previous article:
Admission is $20 for the five-film event, but there is a $10 rebate for those who survive until the slumber party's conclusion about 8 a.m. Sunday, said Joshua Peck, Circle Cinema's midnight-movie programmer.
The concession stand will be open, and those with the munchies will also be satisfied to know that free pizza from Joe Momma's arrives after the first film, or about midnight, and Old School Bagels is donating its products about 7 a.m.
The film menu consists of a zombie flick, a ghost story, a slasher movie, a tale of revenge and a look at satanists.
"We were looking at presenting subgenres of the horror genre," Peck said. "I know that's kind of a film-geeky thing to say, but that's probably who we're targeting with this event."
He supplied the order of the film lineup, but only identified three of the films. Two will remain a mystery until the night of the party.
Film No. 1: "The Return of the Living Dead," in which zombies go on the hunt for human brains when a pair of bumblers release a strange gas that re-animates the dead. The star is Oklahoma actor Clu Gulager, and the 1985 film is acclaimed as one of the most humor-filled of the genre. Tagline: "They're back from the grave and ready to party!"
Film No. 2: Surprise No. 1 , according to Peck. "This is a really obscure ghost film from Japan, very bizarre, totally gonzo," he said.
Film No. 3: "The Burning," a 1981 slasher flick notable beyond its theme of teens butchered at a summer camp. Among the screenwriting team: Studio honcho Harvey Weinstein. Among those who made this their first film: Holly Hunter, Jason Alexander and Fisher Stevens. Tagline: "Gather around the campfire to die!"
Film No. 4: "Night Warning," from a film print that arrives at this event courtesy of the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, known for its own cult film showings. "I've heard this one is just a bonkers revenge film," Peck said of the 1983 picture with a cast that includes Bo Svenson and Susan Tyrrell along with newcomers, at that time, like Bill Paxton and Julia Duffy. Tagline: "She was lonely. He was all she had. No one would take him from her — and live."
Film No. 5: Surprise! "The best way to describe this is that it's about satanists, and it's not available on DVD," Peck said. "That's all I can say. It's a surprise."
