December 29th, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
Well – before we take a little photographic journey back over the second Crappy Christmas show, there’s one more pic from the first Crappy Christmas show to include – I stole this from MOBS stalwart ADQ (and a helluva better photographer than I’ll EVER be, but I did say I’d steal it with attribution):
Alrighty. On to the night of Santa vs. Satan, which nationally syndicated late night horror host, Cinema Insomnia’s Mr. Lobo dropped by to oversee! The whole thing started off pretty serene…
However, we wisely realized that the movie was SO crappy, we’d better cover ourselves:
We still weren’t sure just how many people would come, and then, like something out of a horribly crappy Christmas story, people actually showed up! Lots of ‘em, too! All with $5 in their hands to – to – to see Santa vs. Satan? Did they understand what they were doing, we wondered? Were they of sound mind? Well, OK… We did have that sign warning people… Well, they weren’t all $5 bills. There was this, too:
This might be an appropriate time to mention that we think this is a really good idea for all of you to adopt – it ensures you don’t accidentally spend the money you’ve set aside to see a movie at MOBS. So keep this handy tip in mind, folks.
While there was no dancing Dragon Claus this week, folks seemed to be in pretty good spirits (keep in mind, this was BEFORE seeing the movie), and so it seemed time to start fixin’ that. Mr. Lobo did an intro, most of which I missed, then it came time for him to hand out the 20 or so Crappy Christmas presents we’d brought! There were socks, and an inhumanely ugly and scratchy sweater vest:
(it’s pretty hard to see, but this is the gal who got the sweater vest. And she actually wore it! That’s taking “being a good sport” to a whole new level). There was a book of generic life savers, doggy diapers for excitable urination, a toilet brush, a really “pretty” and nice shower cap:
(again, hard to tell, but that’s Mr. Lobo displaying the wondrous shower cap for all to enjoy). And so many more things you really don’t want to see under that wrapping paper when you’re opening gifts. Oh, and I nearly forgot this:
After the mayhem from the Crappy presents, it was time for the movie. DeeAnn and I braced ourselves for the near-certain mad rush for the exits! And then… nothing. The movie played and I’ll be danged but everyone stayed! And there were even sounds of merriment! Leaving us with nothing to do but shrug. And wait out the hour and a half, knowing that for those watching this holiday atrocity, it would seem more like a day and a half.
And then it ended! And people came out! And Mandi actually drew us a super-cool picture – does this mean there’s MOBS fan art, now?!?
Yes, I think it does! For those who weren’t there, that’s a quote from the movie.
And then I posed for a pic with Mallin, who was oddly affected by the crappiness of the movie – we really didn’t think people’s limbs would begin to blur from sitting through it, but here’s proof:
I sure hope that’s cleared up by now.
Ah – and then the requisite all-male group shot happened (I’m pretty sure we were all glad to get that over with):
But in the end, all holiday cheer was crushed from the souls of those in attendance:
December 21st, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
So here’s a look back at the first Crappy Christmas show of 2009, just 24 hours after it ended.
The night started off peacefully, in opposition to the theme of the evening, as DeeAnn and Robert were setting up the theater for what was to come. The projector was set up, the movie prepped, the concessions arranged, the Crappy Candy Canes carelessly dumped, the Crappy Christmas tree balanced in the mason jar, along with a “Do Not Fondle” warning sign, and a picture was taken with our crappy camera whose batteries were nearly dead (ack! Why don’t I check these things! But at least there was enough power for two pretty lousy quality pics…)
And then some people actually started to show up! And then more!! And then… a crappy polar bear (one of the “stars” of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians aka. MOBS advocate, Mandi), a Christmas tree (? maybe? aka, MOBS advocate, Mallin), and a Christmas dragon/lizard-thing (not exactly sure who was under that head – wait, there’s no dragon/lizard thing in the movie!). So far, this all seemed pretty much normal… (another pic from our Crappy camera follows):
But then, things got weird, as some kind of impromptu dragon/lizard performance occurred, while we were still selling tickets and candy
And then, after the “movie,” things ended the way they started. Sort of…
All in all, it was a great way to kick off the Crappy Christmas season! Now if we can get some Satan costumes (and maybe some Crappy Santas) at Santa vs. Satan… But if you missed Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, you might want to think twice about missing Santa vs. Satan on 12/27…
You can also purchase digital downloads of the movies, too! But that’s not all that Cory McAbee has done. Oh no… The soundtrack to The American Astronaut has been re-released, and the soundtrack to Stingray Sam is also available, and there’s premium packs for both movies, too! Plus T-shirts, posters, stickers and more! Get over and check out all the glorious scifi musical western goodness at http://corymcabee.com/store/store.php
We showed this one a little over a year ago, and it’s another one definitely worth owning as it demands repeat viewing! The more you watch it, the more you get from it!! That’s at OCD – http://www.othercinemadvd.com/mu.html and is only $24.99! It includes a commentary by director Craig Baldwin and other cool stuff!
(from the Abel Raises Cain website):
The soundtrack from Abel Raises Cain features all original music by Alan Abel and spans five decades. Included in this unprecedented collection are rare audio tracks, novelty songs and previously unheard of gems that were all composed, arranged and/or performed by Alan Abel himself. Several tracks also feature Jeanne Abel as Yetta Bronstein. Rest assured that the music by Alan is as quirky, unpredictable and interesting as Abel himself.
About Stingray Sam:
A dangerous mission reuinites Stingray Sam with his long lost accomplice, The Quasar Kid. Follow these two space-convicts as they earn their freedom in exchange for the rescue of a young girl who is being held captive by the genetically designed figurehead of a very wealthy planet. Narrated by David Hyde Pierce.
About The American Astronaut:
Space travel has become a dirty way of life dominated by derelicts, grease monkeys, and hard-boiled interplanetary traders such as Samuel Curtis. Written, directed, and starring Cory McAbee of the legendary cult band The Billy Nayer Show, this sci-fi, musical-western uses flinty black and white photography, rugged Lo-Fi sets and the spirit of the final frontier. We follow Curtis on his Homeric journey to provide the all-female planet of Venus with a suitable male, while pursued by an enigmatic killer, Professor Hess. The film features music by The Billy Nayer Show and some of the most original rock n’ roll scenes ever committed to film.
About Mock Up on Mu:
A radical hybrid of spy, sci-fi, Western, and even horror genres, Craig Baldwin’s Mock Up On Mu cobbles together a feature-length “collage-narrative” based on (mostly) true stories of California’s post-War sub-cultures of rocket pioneers, alternative religions, and Beat lifestyles. Pulp-serial snippets, industrial-film imagery, and B- (and Z-) fiction clips are intercut with newly shot live-action material, powering a playful, allegorical trajectory through the now-mythic occult matrix of Jack Parsons (Crowleyite founder of the Jet Propulsion Lab), L.Ron Hubbard (sci-fi author turned cult-leader), and Marjorie Cameron (bohemian artist and “mother of the New Age movement”). Their intertwined tales spin out into a speculative farce on the militarization of space, and the corporate take-over of spiritual fulfillment and leisure-time.
About Abel Raises Cain: Abel Raises Cain is an unprecedented glimpse into the life and bizarre career of infamous underground media prankster, Alan Abel. Over the past half-century, Abel has made a name for himself several times over with stunts that are just ridiculous enough to be believable, especially to a media that feeds on salacious, far-fetched stories. Alan’s daughter, Jenny, tells her firsthand account of what it was like growing up with this lovable but slightly demented prankster for a father. Abel Raises Cain takes the audience on a roller coaster ride through the myriad of elaborate hoaxes and schemes that Abel pulled off over the years, all of which were designed to provoke and amuse…while at the same time, make people question everything that they see, hear and read.
November 23rd, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
Indiana University Press has published a new book entitled, The Year’s Work in Lebowski Studies, edited by Edward P. Comentale and Aaron Jaffe and featuring an endnote by MOBS pal, supporter and helper William Preston Robertson.
In any case, this new compilation of essays from 21 fans and scholars promises it “contains neither arid analyses nor lectures for the late-night crowd, but new ways of thinking and writing about film culture.”
Here’s the table of contents:
Introduction / Edward P. Comentale and Aaron Jaffe
Part 1. Ins (Intrinsic Models and Influences)
1. The Really Big Sleep: Jeffrey Lebowski as the Second Coming of Rip Van Winkle / Fred Ashe
2. A Once and Future Dude: The Big Lebowski as Medieval Grail-Quest / Andrew Rabin
3. Dudespeak: Or, How to Bowl like a Pornstar / Justus Nieland
4. Metonymic Hats and Metaphoric Tumbleweeds: Noir Literary Aesthetics in Miller’s Crossing and The Big Lebowski / Christopher Raczkowski
5. The Dude and the New Left / Stacy Thompson
6. The Big Lebowski and Paul de Man: Historicizing Irony and Ironizing Historicism / Joshua Kates
7. Lebowski and the Ends of Postmodern American Comedy / Matthew Biberman
8. Found Document: The Stranger’s Commentary and a Note on His Method / Thomas B. Byers
9. No Literal Connection: Mass Commodification, U.S. Militarism, and the Oil Industry in The Big Lebowski / David Martin-Jones
10. “I’ll Keep Rolling Along”: Some Notes on Singing Cowboys and Bowling Alleys in The Big Lebowski / Edward P. Comentale
Part 2. Outs (Eccentric Activities and Behaviors)
11. What Condition the Postmodern Condition Is In: Collecting Culture in The Big Lebowski / Allan Smithee
12. Holding Out Hope for the Creedence: Music and the Search for the Real Thing in The Big Lebowski / Diane Pecknold
13. “Fuck It, Let’s Go Bowling”: The Cultural Connotations of Bowling in The Big Lebowski / Bradley D. Clissold
14. LebowskIcons: The Rug, The Irong Lung, The Tiki Bar, and Busby Berkeley / Dennis Hall and Susan Grove Hall
15. On the White Russian / Craig N. Owens
16. Professor Dude: An Inquiry into the Appeal of His Dudeness for Contemporary College Students / Richard Gaughran
17. Abiding (as) Animal: Marmot, Pomeranian, Whale, Dude / David Pagano
18. Logjammin’ and Gutterballs: Masculinities in The Big Lebowski / Dennis Allen
19. Size Matters / Judith Roof
20. Brunswick = Fluxus / Aaron Jaffe
21. Enduring and Abiding / Jonathan Elmer
Endnote: The Goofy and the Profound: A Non-Academic’s Perspective on the Lebowski Achievement / William Preston Robertson
So if ya like Lebowski, you might want to add it to your Christmas list. It’s also available at Amazon.
And in the “entirely unrelated” department, last night at the screening of Medicinal 101, I got tipped off about a very cool event in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There’s a theater group there named Commedia Beauregard who for the past two years has done the holiday standard, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, BUT – they do it in Klingon!
And this year, they’ll be doing it over 12 nights! If they were only touring…
November 9th, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
Well, I finally had time to write about this!
If you haven’t heard, WWE wrestler Christopher Keith Irvine – I mean, Chris Jericho – was at this year’s Sacramento Horror Film Festival to do a Q&A for the film he’s in, Albino Farm. And so, he was on-stage with SHF’s MC, nationally syndicated late night horror host, Cinema Insomnia’s Mr. Lobo.
But he did a lot more than just “A” – specifically, drunkenly calling Mr. Lobo “Hadji” and if that wasn’t enough, then calling him a “fag.”
An edited video made it to TMZ, so take a look:
But apparently this video doesn’t begin to cover the verbal abuse drunkenly hurled about by Christopher Keith Irvine – I mean, Chris Jericho. He apparently mocked the cast and fans of Repo! The Genetic Opera more than is shown in the video above, along with ridiculing “film geeks” everywhere. And managed to spill his “apple juice” down the front of his shirt, which Mr. Lobo chivalrously dabbed at with his trademark green and black tie.
In any event, Christopher Keith Irvine – I mean, Chris Jericho – issued the following non-apology apology:
“I realize some inappropriate comments were made and I apologize if I offended anybody. Just know that everyone on stage was having a blast and we all shared a drink and a laugh after! The good news is I got my wish of being posted on TMZ.” The truthfulness of “everyone on stage was having a blast and we all shared a drink and a laugh after,” is highly questionable. OK, it’s really just not true.
Then GLAAD issued the following statement on the controversy:
“There is no time, context or occasion in which it is acceptable to utter racist and anti-gay slurs. Jericho’s hollow apology ‘if (he) offended anyone’ is a template used by many and is insincere and worn.”
At the same time, Mr. Lobo realized that this behavior could not be left unchallenged — literally! Here is video of the “press conference” he held, which also made it to TMZ:
Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen Mr. Lobo’s remote control thumb in action, and this ain’t a challenge anyone wants to take too lightly. Apparently Christopher Keith Irvine – I mean, Chris Jericho – felt the heat, too, as he posted to his twitter stream the following:
“Mr Lobo rules….and is in no way related to Sheriff Lobo.”
Nice try, but do you really think that’s gonna appease a resolute Mr. Lobo who now is in the position to defend the honor of legions of movie fans? I don’t think so…
And now it’s made it to Fox 40 news – embedding video from Fox40 was slowing down the blog – so just go to their site to see the news report:
November 8th, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
Last month, a guy named Matt contacted us about proposing to his girlfriend, Rahel – and wanted to do it at MOBS – and the whole thing would be a surprise to her!
He had put together a compilation of video of the two of them which would run with trailers. At one point in the video, the screen goes black, and during that time is when a spotlight would hit them and the actual proposal happens. We had previously figured out where they’d sit and had the spotlight pre-aimed, and last night – on Sunday, November 8, 2009, it all went off without a hitch! EXCEPT… I forgot to bring a camera, so we have no pictures of them at MOBS.
October 27th, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
La Raza Galeria Posada’s putting on some free screenings of (the very cool) El Santo flicks! Yep, you read that right! They’re free, and they’re all this week. The first one was last night, and I meant to get info out before then… (ahem, sorry Mindy!), but better late than never, I suppose.
Anyway, it’s all going on at the gallery at 1022-1024 22nd St (on 22nd between J and K St). They all start at 7 PM. If you’ve never seen a Santo flick, you ought to try to catch at least one of them!
Tuesday 10/27: Santo vs. Blue Demon in Atlantis aka. Santo contra Blue Demon en la Atlántida (1970)
Wednesday 10/28: Santo vs. The Wolf aka. Santo vs. Las Lobas (1976)
Thursday 10/29: Ghost in the Wax Museum aka. Santo en el Museo de Cera (1963) (plus a talk by Dr. Fred Dobb)
Friday 10/30: Santo and Blue Demon vs. The Monsters aka. Santo y Blue Demon contra Los Monstruos (1970)
About El Santo:
Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (September 23, 1917 – February 5, 1984), born in Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico, more widely known as El Santo (the Saint), was a Mexican Luchador enmascarado (Spanish for masked professional wrestler), film actor, and folk icon. El Santo, along with Blue Demon & Mil Máscaras, is one of the most famous and iconic of all Mexican luchadores, and has been referred to as one of “the greatest legends in Mexican sports.” His wrestling career spanned nearly five decades, during which he became a folk hero and a symbol of justice for the common man through his appearances in comic books and movies.
Another local area plug:
The production of The Rocky Horror Show (that’s the play, not the movie) closes this weekend at California Stage, so you’ve only got two more chances to catch it – Friday, Oct 30 and Saturday, Oct 31. Both nights, it’s at midnight ONLY. Admission: $12.00. California Stage, 2509 R St (corner of 25th & R in Sacto). They keep selling out, so you might want to reserve tix by emailing GreenValleyTheatre@yahoo.com . I saw it last Saturday, and it’s definitely worth checking out!
And finally, some updates to prior entries:
In case you’ve read the older posts, I wanted to update about the LA County Museum’s Film Program that I posted about way back in August, but forgot to post about again. They managed to get $75,000 from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as well as another $75,000 from Time Warner Cable, in partnership with Ovation TV – for a total of $150,000. They also received a $1.5 million in-kind contribution from Time Warner for advertising. I think this sort of ties in with the post about Rooftop Films. It’s a little unclear how long this will tide them over, and do keep in mind they tend to do film prints, but that’s still a decent chunk of cash, particularly given it’s a program within LACMA (and not an independent venture, which has to find a venue, etc). I have to hope it’s well used.
No word on where Rooftop is in their fundraising efforts (remember, they were trying to raise $70,000 by the end of this month), although they are kicking off a series of three “40/40 Vision” events where for $40 you get beer, a themed meal, and a short film. It’s a little unclear on what the second “40″ stands for, but maybe the films shown are under 40 minutes? Also included in the price is the “chance to meet Rooftop staff.” Hmm. Ya know, at Movies on a Big Screen, you’re guaranteed to meet MOBS “staff” every single week.
September 28th, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
It seems that the increasingly popular Las Vegas Film Fest, Cinevegas, is going “on hiatus” for 2010, citing the economy. The fest, which Dennis Hopper serves as Chair of their Creative Advisory Board, has played host to a number of celebrities and major studio premieres, along with a healthy mix of straight-up indie flicks.
Fest president Robin Greenspun told The Hollywood Reporter, “CineVegas has become such a well-respected film festival, and rather than allow the economy to affect its level of quality we have opted to put the event on hold.”
Some commenters on the internet have speculated there may be more to the story. One person (identified as michaelny) noted in a follow-up to Indiewire’s article, “The level of quality now is NON-existent, as in no quality whatsoever,” as the fest will not exist. The same person further mentions that arts organizations have had to scale back around the country to adapt to the economy, and wonders why this might not have been an option, rather than completely shuttering the fest for the year. Their final statement in this comment: “Furthermore, it sends a rather chilling message to the independent film community at large: ‘better to quit rather than risk the glory of your reputation by producing something more modest.’”
And he’s right. Many fests (and other arts organizations) have had to scale back, including Tribeca and the New York Film Festival. Late last year, however, the economy did deliver a fatality in the world of fests: the rapidly growing Jackson Hole Film Festival went under, despite having 10,000 in attendance in 2008, “roughly the same size as the venerated Telluride,” according to the Jackson Hole News & Guide.
Now, New York’s Rooftop Films is also having some financial issues.
Their website has the following: “Rooftop Films needs your help. While you have already made the 2009 Summer Series our most successful ever – your attendance, your feedback, and your films have all been through the roof – that is sadly not enough in today’s economic climate. As the 2009 festival winds down, cutbacks by funders and sponsors have created a severe gap in our budget, which threatens to drastically shrink our future programming. We must raise $70,000 by October to ensure that Rooftop can continue without compromise in 2010. Your donation – whether it’s $1,000 or $100 or $10 – is crucial to that effort.”
Wow. Now granted, we’re generally in a bit of a different class than Rooftop Films (although we have shown a few of the same titles in the past), but what we couldn’t do with 70K! Hmm – maybe some of these folks oughtta bring MOBS on for some consulting on how to beg, borrow and jury-rig your way to holding screenings on the cheap.
September 28th, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
Dead Exit, the locally produced zombie short which was primarily shot at the old MOBS location in West Sacramento is now available on DVD!
All but the opening scene was shot at the old MOBS screening space in West Sac! We also hosted the sneak preview of it back in March of 2009. Since then, it’s won “Best Short Horror Film” at the Action on Film Festival, was nominated for Best Horror Film at this year’s DragonCon, and has screened at both Shocker Fest and the Chicago Horror Film Festival! It will also be screening at Sac Horror Film Fest on their closing night, Oct 25th, as part of a shorts compilation beginning at 8 PM!
But now — it’s also on DVD for only 10 bucks!! It is a shorter film, but has been fleshed (ahem) out with 90 minutes of features, including a commentary. Support local filmmaking! Support zombie flicks! Buy it by going to the Dead Exit site and choosing either Google Checkout or Paypal!
It even has a commentary!! So grab it! And who knows – if enough copies sell, maybe some producer will kick down $5 mil for a feature adaptation (or $500K. or $200K. or…?? Wes, Ryan, Bob – I get 10% as an adviser if that happens because of this blog post, ok? OK!).
But seriously! Grab it! It’s a great zombie flick and is a great way to reminisce about the old West Sac space (for those who went there)! And to view the bloody horrors that occurred within and without the walls of 600 4th St, which you were blissfully unaware of as you enjoyed a movie at MOBS.
September 8th, 2009 / Author: Movies on a Big Screen
This weekend – Sept 11 and Sept 13 – will mark our 3rd year anniversary here at MOBS! From a quick count, it looks like over the past three years, we’ve shown nearly 150 unique titles!
The very first movie we screened was a documentary on an early 80’s hardcore band (at least they were lumped in with hardcore bands at the time and were definitely part of that scene). While we didn’t plan this, we’ll be moving into our fourth year with a title featuring a different kind of “core” – nerdcore, with the screening of Nerdcore Rising, and it somehow seems extremely appropriate.
Speaking of nerds, I want to give a special mention to SacGeeks
We first met the proudly geeky founder, Steph, when we did the Buffy night a couple of years ago. She did a huge amount of work promoting it, and was instrumental to that evening’s success. Since then, she has tirelessly supported Movies on a Big Screen and independent film in Sacramento in general – in addition to countless other geeky events, many of which she organizes herself. She also runs Fantastic Frontiers, and has even recently started creating content and posting to youtube! So come out and celebrate geekdom this weekend at the Nerdcore Rising screenings, and definitely check out SacGeeks! Without folks like Steph, it’s pretty unlikely we’d have made it through three years. Which leads me to…
Many other organizations, groups, bloggers and individuals in Sacramento have also helped us get to this point in time, as well! An all-encompassing list would be nearly impossible to create, but some of the organizations include (in no particular order): Sacramento News & Review, Capital Public Radio, Sacramento Bee, Midtown Monthly, our first “home – the now-defunct Fools Foundation (and Liz Donner), The Book Collector, Sacramento Magazine, KDVS, Al Williamson and The Guild Theater, The Verge Gallery, LJ Urban, World’s Best Comics, Sacramento Press, Minnick Web Services, Capital Film Arts Alliance, Midtown Grid, Trash Film Orgy, Access Sacramento (and its Executive Director, Ron Cooper), SacTown Magazine, and Submerge. Blogs include SacRag, Living in Urban Sac, Heckasac (who even blogged about our very first night), Dumbworld Order, Secrets of Sacramento, and Central City Guy (aka, Rob McQuade – the first to use the acronym “MOBS” which we promptly appropriated). Wow – but I’m still not done…
Because then there’s the people: Galen Howard, Aaron Hawkins, Bill Robertson, Stew and his wife Marissa, current ex-pat Dave “Smith,” Jason and Jeanine Hale, Korey, Cinema Insomnia’s Mr. Lobo, Bill Burg (of Sacramento Old City Assn and a jillion other things), and everyone who has ever gone to see something we’ve shown and/or plugged us on or off the Internet! Whether you’re a “regular” or not, every single person has helped keep us going! And we also thank every filmmaker who has worked with us to have their films shown at MOBS!
So really – thank you ALL for helping to keep MOBS going – and throughout our fourth year, we pledge to continue to bring the strange, the thought-provoking and the just plain cool titles that we’re known for – which in most cases, wouldn’t otherwise play in Sacramento.
Oh yeah – and there’s now a MOBS Café Press thing set up! You can buy shirts, tote bags, etc – and we don’t get a penny from it (it’s all sold at-cost). But when you wear or use the stuff around town, you’ll be constantly pushing MOBS on the unsuspecting public!!! Given the fact that our advertising budget is 0 dollars, every little bit helps! It’s at http://www.cafepress.com/moviesbigscreen
And don’t forget to catch Nerdcore Rising this weekend!
