Category Archives: Movie Events

Movie screenings, midnight shows, movie marathons, and other interesting events that we think you should know about.

BAVA-THON!

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For those of you closer to the Eastern side of Pennsylvania, and love the work of Mario Bava, then you have the opportunity to see 10 of his films on the big screen, all showing from 35mm! As much as I love the Chicago area and the amazing programming the Music Box does, seeing these events on the far side of the country really makes me jealous!

Brought to you by Exhumed Films and The Gap Theatre, located in Wind Gap, PA, they will have two nights of Mario Bava features, 3 on Friday, Aug. 7th, and then 7 (!) on Saturday, Aug. 8th. Having the opportunity of seeing 10 titles from the master is just amazing. From the man who pretty much invented the giallo, then set the standard, but then giving fans so much more in the way of some incredible cinematography, you hit some of the best in Italian cinema right here. And seeing these on the big screen is so different than watching them on your TV. Here are the titles:

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William Castle Fest at the Music Box!

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“For the first time in motion picture history…” was a line that director William Castle used quite often to promote his new movie, that usually came with a gimmick. Whether it was Percepto, Emergo, or Illusion-O, Castle made not only pretty entertaining pictures but made going to see one of his film an event. While he didn’t create ballyhoo, he damn near perfected it when it came to his films. This August, as Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, you’ll be able to experience 5 of his features, most of which from 35mm. See below for the schedule and start making your plans.

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Pan’s Labyrinth Returns to Theaters

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This year is the 20th anniversary of Guillermo del Toro’s film Pan’s Labyrinth, an incredible tale of about a young girl who is battling three different trials in a fantasy world, while dealing with something even more terrifying… reality. Especially when that reality is during war time and your new stepfather is one sadistic SOB. The film won the Academy Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Makeup, and had been nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Original Score, and Best Foreign Language Film. But at the Ariel Awards, Mexico’s Oscars, it won Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Actress (Mejor Actriz – Mercedes), Best Cinematography, Best Score, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, and Best Special Effects, and was nominated in three other categories.

So it seems that it wasn’t just me who absolutely loved this film, and it still remains as one of my favorites of del Toro’s work. In fact, I even have the Faun tattooed on my arm, along with the quote from del Toro “Unlike a maze, a labyrinth is a constant transit. It’s about finding, not losing, your way.” Words to remember.

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Super-Horror-Rama Goes Full Throttle!

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They are back!!! Now that Chicago’s Music Box Theatre is finished installing their 3rd theater, John McDevitt and his Super-Horror-Rama screenings are back with another amazing pair of fun fright flicks, both based on the works of Stephen King and both dealing with some psychotic vehicular madness!

On July 24th at 11:30pm, you can see John Carpenter’s Christine (1983), starring Keith Gordon and that beautiful cherry red, but deadly, 1958 Plymouth Fury.

Then the next night, on July 25th, you can see King’s one and only time in the director’s chair, for better or worse, in Maximum Overdrive (1985)! Sure, some might say it is a trainwreck, but damn if it isn’t a fun ride! With an all-star cast including Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, Lisa Simpson herself, Yeardley Smith, this really is just a lot of fun, with metal carnage, some slight overacting, and a soundtrack by AC/DC!!! What more could you want?

Just click HERE to buy tickets. And if you like what Super-Horror-Rama is doing and want to help them continue to do so, join their Patreon! There are 3 different levels with plenty of cool benefits for you, but it also helps John continue to program these great little features each month. Just click HERE if you’re interested in joining.

Music Box of Horrors 2026!

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Okay Music Box fans… pay attention to this! The Music Box has announced the date for this year’s Music Box of Horrors, which will be on Saturday, October 24th, from noon to noon on Sunday. Tickets for this event will go on sale at noon on Thursday, June 11th. Now last year, the whole marathon sold out in a little over 24 hours! So, if you have any inkling to make it to this year’s marathon, I would set your clocks, alarms, computers, or whatever else you need to remind you to order your tickets once they do go on sale. Otherwise, when you see all the amazing titles they are going to be screening this year, you might be a little bummed.

Speaking of titles, they have announced 3 of them so far. They are Amityville II: The Possession (1982), Black Magic with Buddha (1983), and The German Chainsaw Massacre!

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Carpenter Fest 2 at the Midway Drive-In

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While last night / this morning is still a bit of a blur, we were at the Midway Drive-In yesterday for their From Dusk to Dawn Carpenter Fest 2, where they screened They Live (1988), The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), and In the Mouth of Madness (1994). And what a night it was.

Setting up there as a vendor is not an easy task, especially for some that don’t particularly like being outside in the sun. The things we do for our passions, huh? The temps were in the mid ‘80s with a lot of sun, and you could feel it. Being there around noon to start getting set up, right in the middle of the heat index, it takes its toll on your body. But for events like this, I will be more than welcome to go out of my comfort zone, and I’ll gladly continue to do it.

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World Tour Commences

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Starting tomorrow, I will be out of touch from most of the world for all of next week. I get to go on a fun adventure for work, one of those team building events. And boy am I excited. Trust me, images from Christopher Smith’s movie Severance have been going through my head for the last couple of weeks. If you email me, I will get back to you as soon as I return.

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That Very Witch Double Feature

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On May 30th, at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago, they are hosting That Very Witch Double Feature! Starting at 9:30pm, the first film is the Italian film Baba Yaga (1973), starring Carol Baker, Isabelle De Funès, and George Eastman, in a strange tale directed by Corrado Farina, of a photographer falling under the spell of the witch. Filled with eroticism, strange nightmares, and highly memorable images.

The second feature is Virgin Witch (1971), directed by Ray Austin, and starring real life sisters Ann and Vicki Michelle, who are invited for a weekend photo shoot at country home of Patricia Haines, who plays Sibil Waite, the owner of a modeling agency. But little do the sisters know Sibil has much more on her mind than modeling. In fact, she is in search of a virgin to join her coven of witches!

Both films will be introduced by author Payton McCarty-Simas, who will be selling copies her book That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism & the American Witch Film after the show. Severin Films will also be there with a Pop-Up in the Lounge before and after the screenings.

Just click HERE to get to the Music Box’s page for this event.

Carpenter Fest 2 at the Midway Drive-In

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That’s right folks, the Midway Drive-In is doing it again, holding a Dusk-to-Dawn event screening 4 different films from John Carpenter!!! And unless you’re wearing your special sunglasses, you’re going to need to come to this event, buy some popcorn, corn dogs, and cheeseburgers, and spend money on the vendors. OBEY! CONSUME! All of this takes place on Saturday, May 16th. The doors open at 5pm with the pre-show starting at 8pm, so make sure you get there early to not only get a good spot, but also to enjoy a wonderful night at the drive-in!

For those that get there early, we’ll be handing out free sunglasses to the first 100 people in line to get in! Now, we’re not saying that you need to wear these glasses to see what is really going on, but one never knows…. Right before the gates open, we will be out there passing the sunglasses and maybe even some eye patches (in case you’re more Snake Plissken fan than Roddy Piper!) to those in line until supplies last. In other words, make sure you get there early!

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Fond of His Mother: Queer-coded Hitchcock

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No matter how you want to, or not want to, read into the subtext of some of the films from Alfred Hitchcock, he no doubt was pushing the limits of certain subject matters in some of his films. Whether it be sex, violence. or queerness, Hitchcock was not only a master of suspense, but subtext, getting different things past the censors and studio heads without them even realizing it. Next month, the Music Box Theatre is celebrating 4 of those films: Strangers on a Train (1951), Rebecca (1940), Psycho (1960), and Rope (1947). While Rebecca will be from a DCP, the rest of the films will be screening from 35mm prints.

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