Experience the Thrill of the Original Star Wars on the Big Screen Once More!

 Written By Ken Hulsey

Exciting news for Star Wars fans! Multiple sources have confirmed that, to commemorate the film's 50th anniversary, Lucasfilm will bring the original version of Star Wars: A New Hope back to theaters on February 17, 2027. This is the untouched cut that fans remember, before George Lucas made changes and added new scenes over the years. That's right—get ready to chant "Han shot first" once more!

FUNimation Entertainment Announces World Dub Premiere Of "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'"

FUNimation Entertainment announced today that the world premiere of the English dub of "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'" will be held on Thursday, July 2, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. at the Regal LA Live Stadium 14 in Los Angeles, Calif. The premiere coincides with opening night of Anime Expo 2015 — the largest anime and manga convention in North America. FUNimation recently completed principal production of the English dub for the movie which was written by series creator Akira Toriyama and directed by Naoyoshi Yamamuro.

Actors Sean Schemmel and Christopher R. Sabat, starring in the roles of Goku and Vegeta respectively, will be attending the premiere, which will also feature a red carpet event prior to the screening. Schemmel and Sabat are reprising their roles from last year's highly-successful "Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods."

"We're pleased to premiere the English dub of "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'" during Anime Expo 2015," said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and founder of FUNimation. "Our cast and crew have done an amazing job with the dub. Fans will enjoy every minute of it -- from the first scene through the ending credits."

"Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'" is the 20th film in the Dragon Ball franchise. The story is the follow-up to "Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods" and showcases the return of Frieza -- one of the greatest villains in all of anime. The new film will screen in theaters across the U.S. and Canada from August 4 - 12, 2015. Fans are invited to sign up at www.dragonballz.com to be alerted when ticketing opens later this month. Subscribers can also look forward to receiving exclusive offers, sneak peeks, and other news about the film.

A limited amount of tickets to the premiere will be made available to fans and the general public.

For more information on Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F', please visit www.dragonballz.com.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dragonballz & www.facebook.com/funimation, and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/funimation.

Ten More Days Until "In The Footsteps of Godzilla"

by Armand Vaquer

Above, Godzilla approaches the Kachidoki Bridge on the Sumida River in 1954. Photo: Toho Co., Ltd.

Ten more days from today is the Japan Society of Northern California's "In The Footsteps of Godzilla" event in San Francisco.

The April 26 event begins with a screening of the original Godzilla (1954). It is in Japanese with English subtitles. Following the movie screening, I will be talking about Godzilla movies with a focus on the locations and landmarks used. After this, we will be migrating to the Izakaya Roku Japanese restaurant for a V.I.P. dinner. I will have copies of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan available for purchase.


Here's the schedule:

This event benefits the Japan Society of Northern California as it will help to fund future programs.

As we are nearing the date of the event, now is the time to purchase your tickets while you still can.

For further information, including tickets, go here.

16 More Days To "In The Footsteps of Godzilla"

by Armand Vaquer

The Japan Society of Northern California jumped on the news about Godzilla's "appointment" as tourism ambassador for Shinjuku, Tokyo over at Twitter. Their Tweet is shown above.

In only 16 more days, their "In The Footsteps of Godzilla" event will be held in San Francisco that includes a theatrical screening of the original 1954 movie that started it all, a discussion of Godzilla movies (with an emphasis on their real-life locations and landmarks) and a V.I.P. dinner.

Above, Yuu Asakura with The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Speaking of movie locations, I will have copies of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan available. If you want to get a copy, this would be a good time to do so!

For more information, including tickets, go here.

"In The Footsteps of Godzilla" Event News Release

by Armand Vaquer

The Japan Society of Northern California will be holding a special screening of the original Japanese version of "Godzilla" (1954) at the Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street, San Francisco on Sunday, April 26. The doors open at 3:30 PM. 

"Godzilla" will be shown in Japanese language with English subtitles. 

Following the movie, Armand Vaquer, author of "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" will discuss the special effects techniques used in Godzilla movies, the locations and landmarks used and other tidbits of information. A question & answer period is included. 

Following the screening and discussion, a V.I.P. dinner will be held at the Izakaya Roku Japanese restaurant in San Francisco. 

For more information on the screeening, discussion and V.I.P. dinner along with ticket information, go to http://www.usajapan.org/event/in-the-footsteps-of-godzilla/. The public is invited. 

The event will benefit the Japan Society and help to present future programs.

"In The Footsteps of Godzilla" Dinner Information

by Armand Vaquer

The Japan Society of Northern California has posted the menu and information on the post-event dinner that will follow the screening of Godzilla (1954) and the question & answer session on Sunday, April 26 in San Francisco.

 Here's a snapshot of the menu:

To go to the website of Izakaya Roku, go here.

To go to the Japan Society of North America's website on the event (including ticket information), go here.

Japan Society of Northern California "Godzilla" Event April 26 In San Francisco

by Armand Vaquer

Above, an iconic image of the 1954 Godzilla. Photo: Toho Co., Ltd.

Now it can be told!

Yours truly will be heading up San Francisco for a Godzilla event sponsored by the Japan Society of Northern California. The event begins at 3:30 PM (check-in) on Sunday, April 26. 

First, a screening of the Japanese original Godzilla (1954) by Toho Co., Ltd. at the Roxie Theater at 3117 16th St., San Francisco, CA 94103 starts at 4:00 PM.

 Following the screening:

After the film we’ll have the unique opportunity to hear from Japanese-monster expert Armand Vaquer.   Armand will provide commentary on the movie we’ve just seen, including tidbits not generally known to the public. He will also share his knowledge about classic Japanese classic movie monsters (including not only Godzilla but also Rodan, Mothra, Gamera and many others), and the techniques used in the making of Japanese monster movies.

Copies of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan will be available for purchase following the discussion period.

 Lastly:

For those who want more opportunity to interact with Armand, and to meet and socialize with fellow Japanese movie fans over a delicious Japanese meal, we will also have a special VIP post event at a nearby  Japanese restaurant. (The event will benefit the Japan Society  and help us present future programs.) Please check back soon for VIP tickets.

 For details, go here.

Missoula instrumentalist pens score for Korean monster film

From Missoulian

Perhaps Yongary, a Korean knockoff of Godzilla, is like a grizzly bear – a misunderstood predator roused by the humans.

That's the frame of mind Travis Yost, a longtime Missoula musician, had to assume while writing an original score for "Yongary: Monster from the Deep," a 1967 B-movie about "a prehistoric gasoline-eating reptile that soon goes on a rampage through Seoul," according to the plot summary.

He had to create suspense for certain scenes while trying hard to ignore the fact that on screen, what's clearly a man in a rubber monster costume is battered with real fireworks.

It was "the worst job as a stuntman in the 1960s," he said.

Next Thursday, Yost will perform the score along with the movie at the Roxy Theater, armed with a guitar, keyboards, a drum machine and pedal board.

He'll play it all live, with some sequencing but no sampling. It has elements of rock and bubbly electronic, some atonal parts and some lighthearted moments.

"There's going to be a little tiptoeing into the clever," he said.

It is, after all, a man in rubber suit.

Roxy executive director Mike Steinberg gave Yost a list of suggestions for movies he could score, including some old Mexican wrestling films and sci-fi flicks.

The late 1960s look of "Yongary" immediately appealed to Yost, a fan of classic Connery-era Bond.

It has green-screened scenes of characters in automobiles, speeding along past repeated background loops. (Didn't they already pass that gas station?). It has lo-fi action sequences, such as helicopters on a string.

It has bizarre sequence in which an astronaut is summoned for a space mission. In classic B-movie style, he agrees regardless of the fact that he's on his honeymoon.

READ MORE

Rialto Planning to Re-Release Classic 1954 'Godzilla' Back in Theaters

Godzilla - Godzilla Raids Again - Signed and Numbered Poster Print

From First Showing

He's back again! Uncensored! The original Japanese monster that started it all. We know WB is bringing us a brand new Godzilla movie this year, directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters) with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but before then we're getting a throwback to the classics that introduced us to the giant lizard monster. Back in 2004, Rialto Pictures commissioned a brand new digital restoration of the uncut 1954 Japanese classic, Godzilla, or Gojira (which is also now on Blu-ray), and released it in theaters around the US. Now they're bringing it back for its 60th anniversary as well as upcoming release of the new Godzilla movie this summer.

The Rialto Pictures Godzilla page (since they have still the rights for the theatrical re-run) has been updated with some very basic details for the upcoming 2014 re-release of the film. Gojira will begin playing in New York at Film Forum starting mid-April this year - just in time for the new Godzilla in May. It will play at various other theaters in New Mexico, Portland, Washington, Texas, Kentucky and Ohio (with more likely to be added). We expect WB/Legendary to go all out with Godzilla marketing this summer, including possibly additional screenings/plans so stay tuned for updates.

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Giant Mega Monster Movies This Weekend! Mr. Lobo presents Godzilla and Mothra!

Planning a PACIFIC RIM getaway “vacay”? Well, The ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE in WINCHESTER, VA–which presents great first run features such as “Pacific Rim”, is also celebrating the classic beasts and bots of Cinema and has asked MR. LOBO to come down from his secret base PA to host three amazing films that feature chaotic, cataclysmic creatures! GODZILLA at 5pm this Saturday, MOTHRA at Midnight, and on Sunday afternoon, the day after, for the Monster Kids “IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA!”

The posters and fliers were eaten up at Monster Bash. Mr. Lobo looks forward to seeing many of you there! Make a weekend out of it if you can…there is a great Hotel in the same parking lot and wonderful restaurants–And of course, The Alamo serves great food and spirits in the theater. Every row of seats has it’s own table. When was the last time you had someone bring you beer and pizza in the dark? It’s damn spiffy! It reminds Mr. Lobo of the “Thrillville” shows we used to do back in California!

To wet your appetite even further we asked Bob Johnson, who runs Bay Area Film Events and the Sci-Fi Japan website, to say a few things about our Saturday program. Bob has been bringing Kaiju/Tokusatsu to the bay area over the last 30 years with events like GODZILLAFEST and ULTRAMANIA–which Mr. Lobo had the honor of co-hosting on the West Coast.

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King Kong Turns 80 - Hollywood Says It's Time To Party!

From: LA Times

The RKO classic, with the memorable scene atop the Empire State Building, gets a special screening March 24 at the Pomona Fox.

It's been 80 years since a giant ape climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and held on to a tiny actress while planes flew over trying to shoot him down.

That scene in the original 1933 "King Kong" is one of the most memorable in cinema history.

"I don't care how old you are, you feel for the poor gorilla and what happened to him," said "Kong" historian John Michlig, who has written for the "Kong Is King" website.

Though there have been sequels and remakes — including Peter Jackson's CGI-driven 2005 hit — none have matched the magic and romance of RKO's original, produced and directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack.

"King Kong" stars Robert Armstrong as Cooper's alter-ego Carl Denham, a brash filmmaker who takes an expedition to the mysterious Skull Island. They find a giant ape there and bring him back to New York in shackles to exploit him as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."

Though Kong can be savage — he's not above chewing the head off a native — the giant gorilla has a soul and is capable of real tenderness when he falls in love with Ann Darrow (Fay Wray), the beautiful blond actress in Denham's film.

"I think people connect to the character for the same reason we go to the zoo to watch the orangutans and chimps — because they're humanoid," said film historian Scott Essman, hosting an 80th-anniversary screening of "King Kong" on March 24 at the Pomona Fox, where the film played in May 1933. "He is not human, but he's human in many ways. He likes the girl. People relate to him."

Thank goodness producer-director-writer Cooper didn't follow through on his initial concept for "King Kong." "His plan was get a gorilla and a bunch of Komodo dragons and just roll the film," said Michlig.

But the master showman changed his plans when he met stop-motion special-effects wizard Willis O'Brien, who created the dinosaurs for 1925's "The Lost World." O'Brien was working at RKO on his project called "Creation," said "Kong" historian Doug Turner, whose late father, George, cowrote the book "The Making of King Kong."

READ ARTICLE

Universal Monsters Invade The Music Box Theatre In Chicago This Month!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Music Box Theatre

I know that Monster Island News has a lot of readers/fans in the greater Chicago area (yes, I'm talking to you James Baack) that will find this very, very interesting. In fact they may have a monstergasm of some sort!

Your welcome!

Indeed the Music Box Theatre in Chicago is hosting week long festival of classic Universal Studios monster films beginning October 21st. All the usual creatures will be on hand including ... um ... The Creature, Dracula, Frankenstein, Mrs Frankenstein (okay they never really got hitched) The Wolfman and of course a Captive Wild Woman (you can't let em loose to roam the street!)

Here are your films:

Murders in the Rue Morgue October 21, 2:40pm; October 22, 2:00pm; October 22, 5:15pm

Robert Florey, 1932, 61m

In 19th Century Paris, the maniacal Dr. Mirakle abducts young women and injects them with ape blood in an attempt to prove ape-human kinship…

The Invisible Man October 21, 4:00pm; October 23, 2:00pm; October 23, 7:15pm

James Whale, 1933, 71m

A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane.

It Came Frow Outer Space October 21, 8:15pm; October 23, 5:15pm

Jack Arnold, 1953, 81m

A spaceship from another world crashes in the Arizona desert, and only an amateur stargazer and a schoolteacher suspect alien influence when the local townsfolk begin to act strange.

Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3D October 21, 10:00pm; October 22, 3:30pm

Jack Arnold, 1954, 79m

A strange prehistoric beast lurks in the depths of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientist try to capture the animal and bring it back to civilization for study. In 3D!

The Invisible Man Returns October 23, 3:30pm; October 23, 9:00pm

Joe May, 1940, 81m

The owner of a coal mining operation, falsely imprisoned for fratricide, takes a drug to make him invisible, despite its side effect: gradual madness.

Captive Wild Woman October 24, 5:30pm; October 24, 8:45pm

Edward Dymtryk, 1943, 61m

An insane scientist doing experimentation in glandular research becomes obsessed with transforming a female gorilla into a human…even though it costs human life.

The Wolf Man October 24, 7:00pm

George Waggner, 1941, 70m

A practical man returns to his homeland, is attacked by a creature of folklore, and infected with a horrific disease his disciplined mind tells him can not possibly exist.

Dracula October 25, 5:30pm; October 25, 9:00pm

1931, 75m

The ancient vampire Count Dracula arrives in England and begins to prey upon the virtuous young Mina. Starring Bela Lugosi.

The Mummy October 25, 7:15pm

Karl Freund, 1932, 73m

In 1921 a field expedition in Egypt discovers the mummy of ancient Egyptian prince Im-Ho-Tep, who was condemned and buried alive for sacrilege…

Frankenstein October 26, 5:30pm; October 26, 8:45pm

James Whale, 1931, 70m

Horror classic in which an obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses.

Bride of Frankenstein October 26, 7:00pm

James Whale, 1935, 75m

Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Dr. Frankenstein (goaded by an even madder scientist) builds his monster a mate.

The Black Cat October 27, 5:30pm

Edgar G. Ulmer, 1934, 65m

American honeymooners in Hungary are trapped in the home of a Satan- worshiping priest when the bride is taken there for medical help following a road accident.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein October 27, 7:00pm

Charles Barton, 1948, 83m

Two hapless freight handlers find themselves encountering Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster and the Wolf Man.

Here is the full schedule:

Friday 10/21
8:15 – It Came From Outer Space 3D
10:00 – Creature from the Black Lagoon 3D

Saturday 10/22
2:00 – Murders in the Rue Morgue
3:30 – Creature from the Black Lagoon
5:15 – Murders in the Rue Morgue

Sunday 10/23
2:00 – The Invisible Man
3:30 – The Invisible Man Returns
5:15 – It Came From Outer Space
7:15 – The Invisible Man
9:00 – The Invisible Man Returns

Monday 10/24
5:30 – Captive Wild Woman
7:00 – The Wolf Man
8:45 – Captive Wild Woman

Tuesday 10/25
5:30 – Dracula
7:15 – The Mummy
9:00 – Dracula

Wednesday 10/26
5:30 – Frankenstein
7:00 – Bride of Frankenstein
8:45 – Frankenstein

Thursday 10/27
5:30 – The Black Cat
7:00 – Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein

For tickets and more info go HERE

Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film

Source: EMP Museum

EMP Museum announced the opening of its new exhibition Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film which takes an in-depth exploration into horror, its link to humanity, and how that connection is expressed through cinema, biology, history, and contemporary culture. EMP invited some of the world’s most prolific horror film directors – Roger Corman, John Landis, and Eli Roth – to curate a selection of their favorite films that exemplify the genre and illustrate the creative power of horror film. Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film opens October 2, 2011 at EMP.

"Audiences have been fascinated with horror stories for centuries, but its presence in popular culture is now more pervasive than ever," says EMP’s Senior Curator, Jacob McMurray. "This exhibition will examine how horror film has evolved over the last century, why we as a culture are drawn to these macabre narratives, and how fear and horror are a vital component to our human identity."

Through a combination of artifacts, interactive installations, and screening rooms, Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film explores films from the last 100 years, and is a balance between classics and cult favorites, and domestic and foreign motion pictures. They include: Nosferatu (1922), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Les Diaboliques (1955), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Suspiria (1972), The Exorcist (1973), Psycho (1973), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Alien (1979), The Shining (1980), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Fly (1986), The Thing (1982), and many others.

The exhibition will feature a selection of iconic artifacts from horror films including:
•Alien creature suit from Alien
•Scavenger demon from Constantine
•Jack Torrance’s axe from The Shining
•"Gill Man" mask from Creature from the Black Lagoon
•Bram Stoker’s Dracula manuscript
•Script from Night of the Living Dead

Interactive installations include:

Scream Booth: In a soundproof booth, visitors will watch a scene from a horror film and are encouraged to scream on cue. A camera takes multiple shots, which are displayed outside the booth.

Horror Soundscapes: Visitors will be able to explore basic music elements and scoring techniques used in horror film to enhance the sense of suspense and horror.

Monster Timeline: A large infographic explores the popular monster archetypes in horror, why they persist into our modern times, and why they resonate.

Shadow Monsters: An installation by visual artist Philip Worthington where visitors can see their projected shadows and watch them morph into monster-like forms.

HOURS
Winter hours September 6, 2011 - May 24, 2012, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Summer hours May 27, 2011 to September 5, 2011, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

CONTACT INFO
325 5th Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
206-770-2700, main line
206-770-2702, box office
1-877-EMP-SFM1, toll-free
www.empmuseum.org

The 2011 Viscera Film Festival Celebrates Female Horror Film Makers

Source: Rachel Grubb / Jamie Jenkins

The moment has arrived. If you think women are too soft to make cut-to-the bone horror, then this festival is for you. If you know women can be just as twisted, emotionally grinding, terror-inducing and splatter spewing as men, this festival thanks you. And if you are one of those horror chicks, this festival is because of you.

Join the celebration of contemporary female directed/produced horror films from across the globe at the 2011 Viscera Film Festival. Seating is limited and you do not want to miss this opportunity to help promote equality and creativity within the horror genre.

During the festival you will be witness to some of the most creative and original new short horror films made by women today. Some are terrifying, some are pulse pounding, and some are hilarious. All showcase what can be accomplished when twisted, cool, darkside-proud women get down to business.

Sunday 17, JULY 2011

The Silent Movie Theater
611 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, Ca. 90036
(323) 655-2520

http://www.seeing-stars.com/theatres/SilentMovie.shtml

TICKETS!

http://www.brownpaperticke​ts.com/event/154825

Advance tickets - $15.00
Door Price - $20.00

SCHEDULE:

5:00 PM - Festival begins! Sit in your seats!
8:00 PM - After Party on the back patio.
10:00 pm - After, After Party at the Rosewood Tavern

SPECIAL GUESTS:

ATTENDING GUESTS

Denise Gossett, Brea Grant, Jonathan Tiersten, Elizabeth Stanley, Amanda Diebert, Cat Staggs, Joe Lynch, Mark Hengst, Dave Decoteau, Brinke Stevens, Chris Gore, Anthony Masi, Paul Solet, Jamie Andrews, Michelle Boyd, Peter Cornwell, Michelle Tomlinson, Dai Green, Devanny Pinn, Danielle Harris, Susanna Lo, Gabby West, Reggie Bannister, Gigi Bannister, Hart D. Fisher, Bill Moseley, John Skipp, Emma Jacobs, Tara Cardinal, Elissa Dowling, Jeff Dylan Graham, Rhianne Bergado, Natalie Pohorski, Bill Oberst, Matt Chassin, Rachel Grubb, Kevin Tenney, Paula Rhodes, Stephanie Thorpe, Nicholas Harsin, Devi Snively and Chela Johnson

ATTENDING FILMMAKERS

Annette Slomka, Nikki Wall, Lori Bowen, Karen Lam, Staci Layne Wilson, Marichelle Daywalt, Mae Catt, Tyrrell Shaffner, Molly Madfis, Susan Bell and Rachael Deacon

The films listed below are the reason for all the jubilation. Feast your ravenous eyes, horror fans!

TRAILERS:

American Mary by the Soska Sisters - WORLD PREMIERE
Adventure Girls by Dara Moats and Jon Deitcher
Blood on the Flat Track by Lainy Bagwelll, Lacey Leavitt
The Blood Shop by Annette Slomka- WORLD PREMIERE
WIH Month PSA by the Soska Sisters
You Can Execute Her but You Can't Kill Her by Jasmine Hirst
L.A.G.P. by Susan Bell - WORLD PREMIERE

FILMS*:

2-15-1996 - Mae Catt (USA) - WORLD PREMIERE
Aftershock - Lori Bowen (USA)
Bon Appetit - Kate Shenton (U.K.) - US PREMIERE
Doll Parts - Karen Lam (Canada)
Blood Bunny - Molly Madfis (USA)
A Fever and a River - Rachael Deacon (USA) - LA PREMIERE
Short Lease - Jennifer Eiss (U.K.)
Box - Nikki Wall (USA) - WORLD PREMIERE
The Ghost and Us - Emily Carmichael (USA)

Intermission - 15 Minutes

The Party’s Over - Gigi Romero (Spain) - US PREMIERE
Lump - Faye Jackson (U.K.)
Threnody - Tyrrell Shaffner (USA)
Nursery Crimes - Laura Whyte (U.K.)
The Key to Annabel Lee - Staci Layne Wilson (USA)
The Many Doors of Albert Whale - Marichelle Daywalt (USA)
Daddy’s Girl - Helen Komini Olsen (Norway)

*Mature Content. Parental Discretion Advised

FILMMAKERS Q&A

Filmmakers Karen Lam, Mae Catt, Rachael Deacon, Nikki Wall, Lori Bowen, Molly Madfis, Staci Layne Wilson, Marichelle Daywalt, and Tyrrel Shaffner onstage to answer your questions!

AWARDS!

Winners of Best Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography announced!

This is some exciting stuff! But don’t grab your hat yet. The fun and festivities don't end there. Immediately following the festival will be the After Party on the back patio until 10PM! Drinks, food, and fun with filmmakers, guests, and more!
And for those who just can't stop the party there is the After, After Party.

Rosewood Tavern
448 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, Ca 90036
(323) 944-0980
http://rosewoodtavern.com/

VISCERA SPONSORS

Fearnet.com, Final Draft, Gorilla Software, Fangoria Entertainment, Fangirltastic, The Chainsaw Mafia, 33 Rooms, Women in Horror Month, Malibu Wines, Farmer’s Daughter Hotel, Matt Orsman, Crimson Stained Lace Productions, Kimyoo Films, The Horror Digest, DOA Bloodbath Entertainment, Rotten Cotton, Hot Zombie Chicks, There is No Halo, Annie M. Vickar Dolls & Skellery, Angel City Derby Girls, Zerner Law, Jessica Grundy, Morgue Art Films, Friendly Misanthrope, 1428 Films, Dan Dillard, Mike Merryman, Caisson Films, Hannah Foreman, Nick Goodrick, Assorted Oddities, Jen Morgart, Scary Art, The Big Bad, Lia Scott Price, Amityville Studios, Quirk Films, Philly Chick Pictures, Laughing Vixen Lounge, Brent Schoonover, Irene Langholm, Shannon Rose, Mark Berryman, Cassandra Sechler, Mike Snoonian, Mary Katherine Sisco, Simon Nisbet, Post-Mortem Depression, Susan Bell, Jeffrey Kane, Dreams for Dead Cats, Charon Pictures, Fable & Fury, Entertainment Partners.com, Emy’s Gift Shop, The Womanimal, FoamyWader, Neverland Jewelry, Red Carpet Crash, Kaci Hansen, Fright Rags, Drix Productions, Rude and Reckless, Gabrielle Faust, The Big Bad, The Zombified, Alternative Cinema, Obscure Artifacts, Have a Heart for Horror Cookbook, Terrorscribe and Cryes Creations.

VISCERA PARTNERS

National Horror Festival of Wales
Mile High Horror Festival
All Things Horror
Shriekfest
Fanta Festival
FilmDemic festival
The International Horror & Sci-Fi Festival
Jaipur International Film Festival
ZedFest
A NightMare to Remember Film Festival

For further information regarding the festival please visit http://viscerafilmfestival.com

So what are you waiting for? You know you’re itching to be there. Maybe you even have ideas for films of your own. But seating is limited so you’ll have to hurry!

It's Monster Movie Madness At The Los Angeles Museum Of Art!

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Sources: LA Times / LA County Museum of Art

The Los Angeles Museum is going crazy for monster movies in July with an exhibit of artwork by macabre movie master Tim Burton plus a series of monster movie screenings suggested by the film maker.

The first in the series of movie screenings is this Saturday (July 2nd) and features "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad"!

Here is the info:

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents a major retrospective exploring the full range of Tim Burton's creative work, both as a film director and as an artist, illustrator, photographer, and writer.

Tim Burton was born in Burbank in 1958. After studying at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), he worked as an animator at the Walt Disney Studios before breaking out on his own. Taking inspiration from popular culture, fairy tales and traditions of the gothic, Burton has reinvented Hollywood genre filmmaking as an expression of a personal vision.

The exhibition brings together over 700 drawings, paintings, photographs, moving-image works, storyboards, puppets, concept artworks, maquettes, costumes, and cinematic ephemera, including art from a number of unrealized and little-known personal projects. Many of these objects come from the artist's own archive, as well as from studio archives and private collections of Burton's collaborators. Hundreds of never-before-exhibited artworks and sketches will be joined by a selection of film posters accompanied by music composed for the exhibition by Burton's longtime collaborator Danny Elfman.

Two large-scale outdoor artworks are also installed on campus: a topiary inspired by Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Balloon Boy, an enormous figure based on an amalgamation of characters that Burton first introduced in his 1997 book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories.

This exhibition was organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York.The Los Angeles presentation was made possible in part by LACMA’s Wallis Annenberg Director’s Endowment Fund.

And on the monster movie series:

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
July 2, 2011 | 2:00pm

“The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (1958): Directed by Nathan Juran, the film was the first of three “Sinbad” movies Columbia produced that special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen designed and animated with the dazzling stop-motion technique he called Dynamation. It took Harryhausen 11 months to complete the painstaking work on the film, which features creatures including a cyclops and a cobra-woman; Sinbad (Kerwin Matthews) even has a sword battle with a skeleton. The late Bernard Herrmann, who is the subject of several centenary celebrations this year, penned the score. Three years ago, “Sinbad” was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Fantastic Voyage
July 9, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Fantastic Voyage” (1966) Directed by Richard Fleischer, this thriller finds a group of doctors, assistants and a CIA agent miniaturized and injected into the body of a scientist who escaped from the Soviet Union. (The scientist is comatose after an assassination attempt and this experimental effort is believed to be the only way to save him.) Stephen Boyd, Edmond O’Brien, Donald Pleasance and Raquel Welch, in her first major film role, star. The movie won Oscars for art direction (color) and for its then-cutting-edge special effects.

The Thing
July 16, 2011 | 2:00pm

“The Thing From Another World” (1951) Produced by Howard Hawks and directed by Christian Nyby (though for years it has been contended that Hawks actually directed the classic), “The Thing From Another World” is set at a base in the North Pole where six scientists find evidence of a crash by an unknown flying object. A U.S. Air Force re-supply crew is sent to the base where a frozen, tall alien creature (played by a young James Arness) is discovered. Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey and Dewey Martin are among the stars. Time magazine named the movie, which was remade in 1982 by John Carpenter, as the greatest sci-fi film produced in the 1950s

Journey to the Center of the Earth
July 23, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Journey to the Center of the Earth” (1959) James Mason, Pat Boone, Diane Baker and Arlene Dahl headline this film, based on the novel by Jules Verne. The sci-fi fantasy revolves a professor in Edinburgh who leads an expedition to the center of the earth after he receives an unusual rock from one of his students. Bernard Herrmann also penned the score for the film, which earned three Oscar nominations, for art decoration-set decoration, effects and sound

The Incredible Shrinking Man
July 30, 2011 | 2:00pm

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” (1957) The great sci-fi writer Richard Matheson penned the film, which is based on his novel; Jack Arnold, who helmed the 1954 3-D hit “Creature From the Black Lagoon,” directed. Grant Williams stars in the title role, playing a businessman who is hit by a radioactive cloud while sailing with his wife. Six months later, he begins to shrink due to the radiation and pesticides. A hit with both critics and audiences, the film won the 1958 Hugo Award for the year’s best science fiction or fantasy dramatic presentation

Jason and the Argonauts
August 6, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Jason and the Argonauts” (1963) Ray Harryhausen considers this to be his best film, and it does feature his memorable stop-motion sequence in which Jason (Todd Armstrong) and two of his men battle an army of skeletons. The sequence took Harryhausen nearly five months to complete. Bernard Herrmann also penned the evocative score

Mothra
August 13, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Mothra” (1961) The female creature first appeared in the serialized novel “The Luminous Fairies and Mothra” before she made her film debut in this Japanese feature. A giant lepidopteron with butterfly-moth characteristics, Mothra has been an ally with Godzilla but often the two square off in combat — with Mothra winning most of the bouts. When the film was released in the U.S. in 1962, it ran on a double bill with “The Three Stooges in Orbit.”

This Island Earth
August 20, 2011 | 2:00pm

“This Island Earth” (1955) Shot in Technicolor and featuring innovative special effects for its time, the film, directed by Joseph M. Newman, stars Jeff Morrow as the intellectual alien Exeter who recruits Rex Reason as scientist Cal Meacham and Faith Domergue as Dr. Ruth Adams for a “special” research project.

Horror of Dracula
August 27, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Horror of Dracula” (1958) The first — and arguably the best — in a long line of Dracula films from Hammer, the film cast towering Christopher Lee as the vampire count and Peter Cushing as his nemesis Van Helsing. It was released in the UK as “Dracula” but was renamed for the U.S. so as not to be confused with Tod Browning‘s 1931 Universal classic starring Bela Lugosi.

The exhibit of Tim Burton artwork runs from May 29th through October 31st!

For more info please visit - http://www.lacma.org/series/saturday-monster-matinees

Celebrate The 100th Birthday Of Vincent Price With HOUSE OF WAX in 3D!

Source: Downtown Independent

I just wanted to quickly pass along this information on a special screening of the Vincent Price classic "House of Wax" at the Downtown Independent cinema her in Los Angeles on June 11th.

Here are the details:

The Board of the Vincent Price Art Museum Foundation and the Family of Vincent Price invite you to celebrate
THE ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY OF VINCENT PRICE and THE GRAND OPENING OF THE VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM.

Join us for a 3-D screening of 1953's HOUSE OF WAX starring Vincent Price PLUS "THE LIFE AND ART OF VINCENT PRICE" slide show and talk by Vincent's daughter, Victoria Price.

Proceeds raised will benefit THE VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM.

Everyone will receive a set of commemorative 3-D glasses!

TICKET INFORMATION:
$85 VIP tickets or $150 for 2 tickets:
($50 per person is tax-deductible)
includes 6:30PM rooftop pre-screening celebration.
Beer, wine, and culinary selections from A Treasury of Great Recipes by Mary & Vincent Price.
Meet Victoria Price, Museum Director Karen Rapp, and VPAM Board Members.
$25 Tickets for: "The Art & Life of Vincent Price" and HOUSE OF WAX in 3-D.

More Info: http://www.downtownindependent.com/events/the-one-hundreth-birthday-of

See Also: The Fly - Bobble Head Figure / Shock It To Me! Brings Two Classic Vincent Price Movies To San Francisco's Clay Theatre / Vincent Price Presents - A Wonderful Horror Comics Anthology From Bluewater / House of Wax (1953)(Warner Bros)

Godzilla To Invade Washburn University This Weekend!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Washburn University

I just got tipped off to a great Godzilla movie festival at Washburn University (Kansas) this weekend. It's actually a Godzilla film festival with a touch of Frankenstein thrown in for good measure. Now I don't expect all of you to start packing for Topeka immediately after reading this, but if you are close by you should check it out.

Here is the press release:

The big green guy is stomping back to Washburn University for the sixth annual Godzilla and Friends Festival on May 6 and 7. No admission is charged and the public is invited to this event that celebrates the cultural history behind the giant creature in all of its bizarre diversity.

Events are planned 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 6, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 7, with film and trailer screenings, various commentaries, contests and giveaways in room 112 of the Henderson Learning Resources Center.

A contest to see who can put forth the best imitation of the monster Japanese film star will be Saturday afternoon. All films will be shown in English.
The new edition of the festival includes the theme of “Monster Mash,” in which numerous giant monsters compete for screen time and challenge one another.

The schedule is:

May 6 (Friday)

7 p.m.: “Destroy All Monsters,” (1969), features monsters from the earlier series plus creatures who warranted their own feature films, such as “Varan, the Unbelieveable.” Previews of other monster films will be shown.


May 7 (Saturday)

“Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster,” (1964). Created by Toho Studios, this giant creature is an unusual adversary who was resurrected many times to Battle Godzilla. Here he meets Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra in what would be the fifth entry in the initial Godzilla (Gojira) series.

“Monster Mash” entry I: “House of Frankenstein,” (1944), starring Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr. and includes the Wolf Man, Count Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, the mad doctor and the hunchback.

“Monster Mash” entry II: “How to Make a Monster,” (1958). Teenage Frankenstein and Werewolf are at the mercy of a studio make-up artist gone mad. A cheapie black and white movie that ends in a firey color climax.

Bill Tsutsui, author and University of Kansas professor, will share his experiences during the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

A surprise feature film will conclude event.

The Godzilla and Friends Film Festival VI is hosted by KTWU TV and is made possible with support from the Washburn University office of international programs, office of multicultural affairs and Center for Diversity Studies, the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Kansas and donations from audience members.

In conjunction with the festival, KTWU will show their own giant monster movie, “The Giant Gila Monster,” at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7. This oddball offering from 1959 is a “Godzilla” knock-off in which a giant gila monster roams the desert and attacks trains and people before finally being stopped by a band of industrious teenagers. The special effects are of the low-tech variety with miniature trains being burned with match-size flames.

For information, call Bill Shaffer at 785-670-1111.

Godzilla, Frankenstein and The Giant Gila Monster? Kansas is the hip place to be this weekend monster maniacs!

"Godzilla, Frankenstein and Gila Monsters! Oh, My! Now I... I know we're not in Kansas!"

See Also: Godzilla - Kreeeang Silver T-Shirt / Loathing "King Kong vs. Godzilla"? / GODZILLA To Get Spoofed In NOTZILLA: DUKE OF THE MONSTERS / "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" 55 Years Ago / IDW Releases Info On GODZILLA Comics For July / IDW Launches GODZILLA: KINGDOM OF MONSTERS eBay Auction To Aide Japan / GODZILLA: KINGDOM OF MONSTERS #4 And GODZILLA: GANGSTERS AND GOLIATHS Coming In June / Is Legendary Pictures About To Hand GODZILLA Over To Del Toro / Godzilla To Stomp On 70 Comic Book Stores This March / What Was It Like To Play Godzilla, King Kong, Rodan, Mothra ......? / Godzilla: Kaiju World Wars Board Game / The 100 Greatest Monsters From Movies And Television #10 - #1 / Godzilla Stomp Card Game / Gareth Edwards Talks About GODZILLA To The Press / Is There Going To Be A New "Japanese" Godzilla Movie In 2012? / Reflections On The Hiring Of Gareth Edwards As The Director of Godzilla / Gareth Edwards To Direct Legendary's Godzilla / More Info On GODZILLA MONSTER WORLD From IDW / Godzilla vs The Gryphon - Exclusive Art From Todd Tennant / Godzilla - 13-Inch Plush - Doll / Chinese Entertainment Co. Buys Share In Legendary Pictures / Godzilla Goes Prime-Time! - Godzilla vs Megalon On NBC In 1977 / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla 3D (2012) Into Perspective (Part 2) / Godzilla 2012: Brian Rogers On Legendary Pictures Film Plans / GODZILLA 2012 Producer Brian Rogers To Speak At 3D ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT / It's GODZILLA Vs TUFFZILLA In Court / New Legendary Pictures GODZILLA Design To Be Revealed At Comic Con! / Arkansas Family Builds Ultimate GODZILLA Suit / Tim Burton On For MONSTERPOCALYPSE - Still In Line For GODZILLA? - More Film Details! / A Reason To Be Optimistic About Godzilla 3D (2012)?

A Quick Update On NIGHTBEASTS

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Brent Thomas

I just got an email from Brent Thomas about a new festival screening of the really cool looking Bigfoot horror "Nightbeasts".

Yes, I know, another day another Bigfoot movie right?

Well, normally I would say yes, but "Nightbeasts" looks like an excellent entry into the genre with all kinds of Native American lore and pissed off Sasquatch's running around.

Anyway, the film is set to premiere at the end of this month (Feb 24-27) at the Independent Film Quarterly Film Festival at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood.

Hopefully Brent can score me some tickets to that one.

Here is the trailer for "Nightbeasts":



See Also:Bigfoot Movie News - Nightbeasts Premiere Info - The Bloody Rage Comes To DVD / Another Reason To Not Wander Around In The Woods At Night - Wes Sullivan's 'Nightbeasts' /

Japanese SciFi Epic GANTZ To Hit Theaters Nationwide In January

Source: Media Lab

GANTZ, a live-action Japanese feature event, is making its world premiere in 325 movie theaters in an exclusive one-night Fathom event on Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. PT (tape delayed). Following the feature, GANTZ’s two leading actors, Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City) will participate in an exclusive live interview that can only be seen at this event.

Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the web site (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Presented by NCM Fathom and NEW PEOPLE, in association with Dark Horse Comics, GANTZ (English dubbed) tells the story of childhood friends Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato who are accidentally killed while trying to save another man’s life. Rather than find themselves in the hereafter, however, they awaken in a strange apartment in which they find a mysterious black orb they come to know as “GANTZ.” Along with similar abductees, they are provided with equipment and weaponry and manipulated into playing a kind of game in which they are sent back out to the greater world to do battle with alien beings, all while never quite knowing whether this game is an illusion or their new reality.

Ninomiya and Matsuyama are two of Japan’s biggest stars. Ninomiya, best known in America for his role in Clint Eastwood’s 2006 blockbuster, Letters from Iwo Jima, is both an actor and a singer. He is world-renowned as a member of the Japanese boy band “Arashi,” which topped Japan’s music charts in 2009 with the three best-selling singles. Matsuyama has been one of the most sought-after actors in Japanese film and has won several awards including Japanese Academy Awards Best New Actor (2007) and Most Popular Actor (2009). Matsuyama is recognized for his part as L in Death Note (2006), Death Note II: the Last Name (2006) and Death Note: L, change the WorLd (2008).

“GANTZ is the kind of kinetic action film that pushes the boundaries of the sci-fi genre,” said Seiji Horibuchi, founder of NEW PEOPLE. “We’re very excited to work with NCM Fathom and Dark Horse Comics to organize this special event and look forward to the property’s domestic popularity growing even more following this new release.”

GANTZ will appear in 325 theaters, including AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc., Clearview Cinemas, Cobb Theatres, Goodrich Quality Theatres, Hollywood Theaters, Marcus Theatres, National Amusements, Rave Motion Pictures, R/C Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters, as well as The Beacon Cinema (Pittsfield, MA), The Carolina Theatre (Asheville, NC) and Palace Cinema 9 (South Burlington, VT), through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network —North America’s largest cinema broadcast network.

“GANTZ offers a thrilling world that nobody has ever seen in live-action,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. “Incredibly popular in Japan as well as among American manga and anime enthusiasts, this new GANTZ rendition is sure to thrill audiences in local movie theaters around the country.”

EMPTY TRASH - Starring Rachel Grubb - To Debut At Minneapolis Underground Film Festival

Source: Rachel Grubb (Press Release)

Minnesota filmmakers J.L. Sosa and Tristan Corrigan eagerly await the worldwide festival debut of their 26-minute short film, “Empty Trash,” at the
Minneapolis Underground Film Festival.

It will bring a gag-inducing finish to the MUFF’s Short Story Film Showcase, at 12:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. MUFF-goers can expect a fast- paced whirlwind of murder and bleak humor that Geek Tyrant called “great and disturbing” and Horror News Net said “ends with you wanting more.”

To order tickets, visit: Minneapolis Underground Film Festival

“Empty Trash” is a neo-noir crime drama/horror short about a paroled ex-con who is forced into executing a small-time heist that quickly descends into sadistic mayhem. It stars some of the edgiest performers to emerge from the Midwest independent fi lm scene: Loren Farrand, Wade Dienert and Alex Wade. Making a special appearance is legendary scream queen, screenwriter, producer, director and pin-up model Rachel Grubb (“Chimera Tribe: The Rakai,” “Bad Girls Burn In Hell,” “Why Am I in a Box?”)

“Empty Trash” was written, produced, edited and co-directed by Jorge Luis aka J.L. Sosa (“Moon Patrol,” “Donna, My Love”). Sosa’s greatest claim to fame is co-starring with cult moviemaker Ted V. Mikels in R.P. Whalen’s 2006 mockumentary “Mondo Collecto.” Sosa is also a freelance writer, reporter for the award-winning weekly newspaper the Hutchinson Leader, and contributor to the movie news website Film School Rejects.

Co-director and cinematographer Tristan Corrigan is a recently commisioned officer in the U.S.
Navy serving on the USS Gary. While attending Iowa State University, he worked on the crew
of the After Dark horror film, “Husk.” After several years of kicking ass for Uncle Sam on the high seas, he hopes to return to the film world with a vengeance.

The “Empty Trash” teaser trailer is online at www.vimeo.com/11191361.

Find “Empty Trash” updates, production stills and behind-the-scenes photos on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Empty-Trash/118277938198751

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