Back in the early ’90s, back when VHS tape trading and the grey market were in full swing, a movie would surface from the underground that would start to make a buzz. While even then you were always looking for a really pristine quality copy, when I stumbled across this 72 minute feature film, it was one of those visual experiences that you don’t soon forget. In fact, it is one that you immediately start to tell friends about, that they need to see this to believe. The Begotten, written and directed by E. Elias Merhige, is about….well….it’s kind of like….okay, okay. It is really something that just needs to be seen…or rather experienced. There’s no dialogue, just an incredible stylisted piece of cinema. Years later, Merhige would direct Shadow of the Vampire, starring Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich.
Tag Archives: Music Box Theatre
Frizzi to Score The Beyond Live at Music Box
Last year when Italian composer Fabio Frizzi made a small American tour, playing themes from some of the amazing films that he had scored over the years, to say I was bummed I didn’t make it to one of them is an understatement. But now I have something that will make up for that lost opportunity!
Music Box Celebrates the Grindhouse
Chicago area fans of cult and exploitation cinema might want to make sure they don’t have plans next weekend. Of course, I’ll be out of town at Cinevent so I won’t be able to make it, which really pisses me off. But if you’re in the Chicago area, then you need to head over the Music Box Theatre when they celebrate the Grindhouse genre!
Music Box Sets Date for Horrors
I was very surprised and delighted to see that the Music Box Theatre, located in Chicago, has already set their date for this year’s Music Box of Horrors. Why? Well, because for someone who’s fall is usually packed with stuff and events going on every weekend from September to the beginning of November, it’s nice to be able to start marking off these events on my calendar, so I know how to plan accordingly! We’ve been going to these 24-hour marathons at the Music Box ever since they started them back in 2005 and have always had a great time. Any time you get a chance to see a bunch of movies, usually some real good classic titles in there, all screened from 35mm prints, it can only be a good time. Plus, the people coming to this event are actually there to watch the movies. Nothing wrong with a little partying, but the movies come first. So you get very little, if any, of the usual people talking, on their cell phones, and the usual distractions.
LV-426 is Alien Day
For those die-hard fans of the Alien series, we all know that moon where the Nostromo first encountered the infamous eggs was called LV426. Now thanks to 20th Century Fox, Mondo, and the Alamo Drafthouse, we will all be able to celebrate this date with a double feature screening of Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens, taking place on April 29th. Get it…LV426…4-26. Pretty slick, huh? None the less, getting to see these two incredible classics on the big screen is a reason to celebrate no matter what!
You can check out the Alamo’s site HERE to find out where this event might be taking place near you. I know for us Chicago area fans, it will be taking place at the Music Box Theatre, where they will actually be screening Aliens in 70mm! They will also have the exclusive Mondo-designed t-shirt on sale in the lobby. There will also be custom video pre-shows before and between the two features. Really hard to pass up this opportunity.
Once again, this takes place on Tuesday, April 29th. At the Music Box, Alien will start at 7pm and Aliens will start at 9:15pm. Tickets for the double feature are only $12.
24 Hours of Madness…The Music Box of Horrors!
Every October, the Music Box Theatre in Chicago unleashes it’s 24-hour horror movie marathon, something they have been doing for over 10 years. And this October 24th, they are getting ready to do it once again. But this time out, I think it might be a little different. This year, they have their new addition of the lounge in the theater, which is going to be perfect for vendors to be set up, so it won’t be as crowded between movies while people are coming and going. Plus, it will give more options for people to sit and relax while not in the theater.
They are still announcing the films, but have so far announced the following: Child’s Play 2, Deep Red (the Hatchet Murders cut), Serpent and the Rainbow, the unrated version of Frank Henenlotter’s Frankenhooker, Jack Hill’s Spider Baby, which are all presented in 35mm prints, as well as Lon Chaney’s The Unknown, with a live organ accompaniment. Not only is this one of my favorites of Chaney’s work, but anytime you have the chance to see one of his pictures on the big screen, it really is a must. Seeing his talent on screen is just incredible.
Yes, they did drop Let Sleeping Corpses Lie from the lineup, which I have to say I was very bummed to hear. But they have added another title that is going to be a real treat. In 1982, director Harry Bromley Davenport gave us Xtro, a movie that showed us that all aliens weren’t as friendly as E.T. If you haven’t experienced this strange, gory, and trippy tale of an alien visitor, then you are in for a treat. You will see things in this movie that you probably have never seen before, like a woman giving birth to a full grown man. Let’s just say it gets a bit messy. This is also being presented from the only 35mm print known to exists. So this title alone makes it worth you coming out for this event.
Music Box of Horrors Tickets Giveaway…THE WINNERS!
Thanks to everyone that submitted their answer for our little trivia question. The answer was in fact the 1973 film The Legend of Blood Castle, also known as Ceremonia Sangrienta, Blood Castle, Bloody Countess, The Female Butcher, and a few more titles. Grau made this film right before making his version of a zombie film, Let Sleeping Corprses Lie, which also has a variety of AKA’s. Here’ the trailer Grau’s take on the famous Hungarian Countess.
But let’s get to why you’re here….the winner. A Bloody Congraduations (as well as 1 free ticket) goes to Aaron Christensen, Jerry Downing, Christopher Sobczak, and Kristin Wicks. Your name will be given to the Music Box where you will be have a ticket waiting for you when you get there. Looking forward to spending 24 hours of maddening movies with you!
Music Box of Horrors Free Ticket Trivia!
Okay folks…are you in the Chicagoland area? Or if not, are you still wanting to attend this year’s Music Box of Horrors, held at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago from noon on October 24th to noon on the 25th? For updates on this event, head over to their official page HERE.
Well, if you are one of these people, then here is how you can win a free ticket to this event. Below is one simple trivia question. All you need to do is email the answer to me, at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Then this Tuesday, I will draw 4 names from all the correct entries and announce them here. Ready?
There are four films listed so far for this year’s 24-hour marathon. One of the directors of these four films also made a film loosely based on the famous Elizabeth Bathory, the Hungarian noblewoman who was said to have killed upward to 650 young girls to bath in their blood.
What is the name of the director and the name of the film?
Music Box of Horrors Giveaway
For those who didn’t know, the Music Box of Horrors returns this year on October 24th for another 24-hours of movies, mayhem and madness. They have only announced a few titles so far, more recently the addition of Jorge Grau’s Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (aka Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, amongst about a dozen other titles). Needless to say, I was very excited to hear that, since this is one of my favorite European zombie films. Made only a few years after Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, and amazing gore effects by Italian mastro Giannetto De Rossi (Zombie, The Beyond, House by the Cemetery), Grau gave us something that was slightly different in the zombie mythology, with a little bit of a enviromental message, and one hoot of a undead flick. If you haven’t seen this, then now is your chance to not only see it, but see it on the big screen! The Krypt will be vending once again this year, so we’ll have our usual wares of horror reference books for you to help with your horror education.
Tickets for this onslaught of horror are only $25 if you purchase them before October 1st. Between the 1st and Oct. 23rd, the tickets will be $30, and then $35 at the day of the show. So you should really order your tickets now and save that extra little bit of cash.
The Beyond at the Music Box Theatre
Later on this evening, I will be heading into Chicago for a midnight screening of Lucio Fulci’s The Beyond, thanks to not only the Music Box but also Grindhouse Releasing for all of their hard work they have done on this. But why drive the hour+ long drive into the city to see a movie that I’ve already seen twice on the big screen at this same theater, not to mention having seen it upon its original release back in the ’80s (although in a highly cut version, under the re-titling of Seven Doors of Death)? Because of many reasons.
First and foremost, The Beyond is one of my favorite movies, so having the chance to see this on the big screen is one that I’m going to take advantage of whenever I can. Also it is to show support. Support to folks at Grindhouse Releasing for all of their hard work that they do in preserving this amazing films. And support to the Music Box Theatre for continuing to screen these kind of films. If we don’t support this kind of work, then they are going to wonder why bother and stop them.
And the most important reason….YOU GET TO SEE A LUCIO FULCI CLASSIC ON THE BIG SCREEN!!!!
So…we’ll see you there, right?
kitleyskrypt.com 