<< October 25 - 28, 2006 >>>

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Sponsored by Charles N. Mathewson Foundation, Wild Oats and Le Marmiton.

More than any other movie monster, the vampire seems to have cornered the market in the popularity sweepstakes with not only filmmakers but audiences as well. From F. W. Murnau’s silent NOSFERATU to Bela Lugosi’s early 1930’s DRACULA to Christopher Lee’s sexy undead nobleman via Hammer studios in the mid-century to a plethora of vampiric heroes & heroines, villains & villainesses in the new millenium (witness the long-running "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" TV series and the currently popular UNDERWORLD films) – vampire movies are on top and here to stay. We’re thrilled to bring you some of the best, including Hammer’s HORROR OF DRACULA and BRIDES OF DRACULA, Roman Polanski’s rousing spoof THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS, Bela Lugosi’s 1940’s vampiric encore RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE (for all intents and purposes, a Dracula film in everything-except-name) and Joel Schumacher’s atmospheric, tongue-in-cheek pastiche, THE LOST BOYS. We’re closing out this special four day series with an old-fashioned, all-night horrorthon, with six chilling, crowd-pleasing sagas of zombies and bloodthirsty spirits, including the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, RE-ANIMATOR, HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY and more!

Wednesday, October 25 – 7:30 PM

Double Feature:

HORROR OF DRACULA, 1958, Warner Bros., 88 min. Director Terence Fisher and screenwriter Jimmy Sangster’s stripped-to-the basics, expertly-paced take on Bram Stoker’s popular bloodsucker remains one of the most satisfying, just plain exciting gothic horror films ever made. From Christopher Lee’s revelatory, broodingly romantic performance as Dracula (introducing a sexual frisson to the proceedings) to Fisher’s masterful direction, from Peter Cushing’s Professor Van Helsing to Jack Asher’s atmosphere-drenched cinematography and James Bernard’s superb score, this is perfection. One of Hammer Studio’s most enduring masterpieces!

BRIDES OF DRACULA, 1960, Universal, 85 min. Dir. Terence Fisher. When Christopher Lee temporarily balked at getting typecast as the undead count, Hammer had to create a new blood hungry villain, Baron Meinster (David Peel), for their second Dracula installment. Chained in his castle lair by his conflicted mother (Martita Hunt), the Baron is unwittingly released by a stranded French schoolteacher, Marianne (Yvonne Monlaur), and proceeds to wreak havoc amongst the local female population. Luckily, Marianne is rescued by traveling vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) and the battle of good and evil begins in earnest. A rip-roaring tall tale and one of Hammer’s most satisfying vampire pictures. Booksigning preceding the screening at 6:00 PM with Forrest J. Ackerman (CLASSIC UNIVERSAL) and Dave Marchant (MONSTERIFIC) at Every Picture Tells A Story, 1311-C Montana Ave., Santa Monica (right across the street from the Aero).

Thursday, October 26 – 7:30 PM

Double Feature:

THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS, 1967, Warner Bros., 108 min. Roman Polanski’s expertly balanced blend of humor and horror looks even better today than when it was released nearly 40 years ago. Phenomenal character actor Jack McGowran is perfectly cast as the ancient, screw-loose Professor Abronsius who, with his harebrained sidekick, Alfred (Polanski, doing double duty) is on the hunt for vampires in the snowy Carpathian mountains. Their pursuit shifts into high gear once Alfred’s admired-from-afar love interest, inn-keeper’s daughter, Sharon Tate, is kidnapped by undead Count von Krolock (Ferdy Mayne). With the beautiful, deeply rich color cinematography of Douglas Slocombe and a memorable score by brilliant Krzysztof Komeda.

RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE, 1944, Sony Repertory, 69 min. Dir. Lew Landers, Kurt Neumann (uncredited). Bela Lugosi is a London-based bloodsucker (looking a dead-ringer for his Universal studios Dracula incarnation) who won’t let a little annoyance like WWII interrupt his business. With Matt Willis (as his werewolf assistant), Frieda Inescort, Nina Foch (in her film debut) and Miles Mander. Written by Universal horror vets Griffin Jay and Randall Faye.

Friday, October 27 – 7:30 PM

Double Feature:

THE LOST BOYS, 1987, Warner Bros. 97 min. Jason Patric and little brother Corey Haim move to a California coastal town with their mother Dianne Wiest, only to find it infested by a gang of teenage, punk bloodsuckers led by Keifer Sutherland. Director Joel Schumacher helms this bizarre, spooky and often funny hybrid of the brat pack and vampire genres, bringing an authentically original California Gothic ambience to the proceedings. With Jamie Gertz, Corey Feldman, Edward Herrmann.

CAPTAIN KRONOS, VAMPIRE HUNTER, 1973, Paramount, 91 min. Dir. Brian Clemens. KRONOS recasts the vampire myth as a swashbuckling adventure, with the dashing swordsman, Kronos (Horst Janson) hacking up the undead like a gothic Toshiro Mifune. The divine Caroline Munro nearly walks away with the film as Kronos’ love interest, in this handsome – and very rarely-screened – Hammer Films production.

Sponsored by Charles N. Mathewson Foundation, Wild Oat and Le Marmiton.

Horror All Night!

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, 1968, 96 min. Director George Romero’s unqualified masterpiece pits a handful of citizens holed up in a farmhouse against a newly revived horde of flesh-eating zombies. The cast of talented unknowns headed by Duane Jones are all alarmingly believable as they fight for life, trying to escape a bad dream that gets uncompromisingly worse and more horrifying as the hours crawl by. If you’ve never seen this hackles-raising classic on the big screen, here’s your chance.

RE-ANIMATOR, 1985, Holland Releasing, 86 min. Adapted from the H.P. Lovecraft tale Herbert West, Re-Animator this mind-bending, darkly funny horror thriller was a breakout hit, establishing director Stuart Gordon as a force to be reckoned with. Impetuous researcher Jeffrey Combs develops a serum that can bring back the dead, something that his new roommate, Bruce Abbott, hadn’t exactly bargained on. Delivers on every front with laughs, shocks and genuine shivers escalating until the outrageous gore-drenched finale. With Barbara Crampton, David Gale.

HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, 1981, 82 min. Italian director Lucio Fulci already had a track record of surreal giallo thrillers before cranking out the DAWN OF THE DEAD knock-off, ZOMBIE, a film that put him on the map with fans of extreme genre cinema. Dubbed the king of Italian goremeisters after following up with CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE BEYOND, Fulci turned out this very atmospheric (and gory) ghost/zombie saga. Katherine MacColl and her husband and son move into an ancient house owned long ago by the insane medical experimenter, Dr. Freudstein. Ghost sightings, mysterious disappearances and bloody killings begin, and the traumatized family wonders if perhaps the good doctor is still around.

CASTLE OF BLOOD (LA DANZA MACABRA), 1964, 85 min. Alongside BLACK SUNDAY, this is Barbara Steele’s shining hour and director Antonio Margheriti’s masterpiece, a spine-tingling and perversely beautiful hymn to love from beyond the grave. A visiting American journalist (George Riviere) is challenged by Edgar Allan Poe and friend Lord Blackwood to stay overnight in the latter’s haunted castle. What he finds there is unrequited love for tragic ghost Elizabeth (Steele) and numerous other undead spirits thirsty for his blood.

PUMPKINHEAD, 1989, MGM Repertory, 86 min. Effects-wizard, Stan Winston made his directorial debut with this macabre modern folk tale. Lance Henriksen stars as a grief-stricken father who goes to an old witch in the swamp to bring forth a demon from hell to wreak vengeance on teen dirtbike riders who accidentally ran down and killed his tiny son.

BURIAL GROUND, 1981, 85 min. Dir. Andrea Bianchi. An archeology professor invites friends down to his villa for the weekend. While waiting, he visits a nearby Etruscan tomb, not guessing that he will be the catalyst for a mass resurrection of the ancient undead. Jaded, bourgeois couples become zombie fodder almost from the time they arrive, amping up the gruesome gore factor like few other Italian zombie films. A laugh-out-loud, so-bad-it’s-good lollapalooza of politically incorrect guts-and-grue that is best viewed with an audience to be fully-appreciated. With Karin Well, Gianluigi Chirizzi and Peter Bark as the weird, incestuous manchild, Michael. Plus great classic horror trailers between the films and other surprises! Snack and coffee during the night thanks to Wild Oat and breakfast included for everyone who makes it through till the end, courtesy of Le Marmiton! Special horrorthon price: $12, General; $10, Seniors & Students; $9, Members.