Ultra 8 Bulletin

may images

2011-05-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

Pop! Lock! Flare! Freeze! BREAKIN' returns to Toronto!

2011-02-21T22:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday February 26th! BREAKIN' returns to Toronto!

9:00PM! Saturday Feb 26, 2011!
At the Toronto Underground Cinema!

From the director of RAPPIN' and LAMBADA!

From the producers of BLOODSPORT and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2!

Get ready to pop, lock, flare & freeze! After over 25 years, BREAKIN' returns to Toronto!

Come out, breakdance and behold a MEGA-RARE screening of a 35mm print of BREAKIN'. There will be music, dancing, drinks, popcorn, awesome trailers and more. Invite your friends. Do the Body Rock till the break of dawn! GOOD TIMES GUARANTEED.

BREAKIN'
aka Breakdance: The Movie
1984 / 35mm / 90 min
Director: Joel Silberg
Stars: Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, and Michael Chambers. Plus first time onscreen roles by Ice-T and Jean Claude VanDamme!

"For the break of your life! Push it to pop it! Rock it to lock it! Break it to make it!"

Lucinda Dickey, Adolpho "Shabba-Doo" Quinones and Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers pump up the jam as a struggling trio of dancers - jazz for her, break for them - taking on a rival crew, Electro Rock (consisting of poppers Poppin' Pete, Poppin' Taco and Lollipop) in a professional dance competition. They also struggle to overcome scorn from Kelly's dance instructor, Franco, who disapproves of her hybrid dance style and affiliation with "street dancers." Packed with fast-paced moves, furious jives and featuring the smash hits "Breakin' ... There's No Stoppin' Us" and "Freakshow on the Dance Floor".

Things You'll Learn from BREAKIN'

Dancing in Vegas does not require a pretty face.
Gay men hate to be called "Cupcake."
Socks are under utilized as a fashion statement.
Tina Turner used to rent out her hair.
Linoleum is a breakdancer's best friend.
Never offer "pig cheese" to an overweight woman.
Sweet Tarts do not dissolve when exposed to sweat and make for unique jewelry.
Some girls really like sequins.

http://www.badmovies.org/movies/breakin/

DATE: Saturday Feb 26, 2011
LOCATION: Toronto Underground Cinema (186 Spadina Ave, just north of Queen)
DOORS OPEN: 9:00PM
PRE-SHOW: 9:00PM - 10:00PM
BREAKIN': 10:00PM
TICKETS: $8
BYO-Cardboard

http://www.torontoundergroundcinema.com/synopsis.php?MV=Breakin

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182964891735730#!/event.php?eid=182964891735730

time bandits

2011-01-08T10:02:00.000-08:00

Creepy Christmas Film Festival Begins Dec 1st!

2008-11-30T09:28:00.001-08:00

Glass Eye Pix & Beck Underwood are chilled to no end to invite you on a moving & unforgettable holiday journey. A horrifyingly talented group of artists have created short films inspired by images found through the squeaky doors & cracked windows of the 2008 Creepy Christmas Advent calendar. A new short will be shown each day, beginning Dec. 1st – 25th at: www.creepychristmas.net

FILMMAKERS
Dec. 1 – David Goldin
Dec. 2 – Glenn McQuaid (director of I SELL THE DEAD featured at Toronto After Dark)
Dec. 3 – Sara Driver
Dec. 4 – Heather Sinclair
Dec. 5 – JT Petty (director of S&MAN and THE BURROWERS)
Dec. 6 – Michael Vincent
Dec. 7 – Devin Febbroriello
Dec. 8 – Larry Fessenden (director of WINDEGO and THE LAST WINTER)
Dec. 9 – Beck Underwood
Dec. 10 – Isabel Samaras, Marcos & Nico Sorensen
Dec. 11 – Brandon Taylor & Eric Branco
Dec. 12 – Merrill Rauch, Gareth, Maud & Sam Brown
Dec. 13 – Brahm Revel
Dec. 14 – Jim Mickle
Dec. 15 – Annie Nocenti
Dec. 16 – Graham Reznick
Dec. 17 – Peter Sis
Dec. 18 – Voltaire
Dec. 19 – David Leslie – part I
Dec. 20 – Oliver Noble & Sam Falconi
Dec. 21 – David Leslie – part II
Dec. 22 – Janet Kusmierski & Greg Singer
Dec. 23 – James Felix McKenney
Dec. 24 – Mary Harron, John C., Ruby & Ella Walsh
Dec. 25 – Matt Lenski

a video after my own heart...

2008-11-28T12:20:00.001-08:00

For those of you not getting the reference, the name of my personal business is Ultra 8 Pictures, named after a cool t-shirt that my friend Steve brought me from Japan that had an "Ultra 8" logo on it --- as in Ultraman, the joke being that the series ended at Ultra Seven and there is no "Ultra 8". That is til me, and then later, the reunion series called "Ultraman 8".

This brief post has been brought to you courtesy of my pal Mike who directed my attention to this video by Bloc Party for the song "Flux."

Dec 1st - Free screening of ENTER THE FAT DRAGON!!!

2008-11-20T14:50:00.000-08:00

Christmas treats are being delivered early this year with a FREE screening of the Kung Fu Fridays cult favourite, ENTER THE FAT DRAGON, starring Sammo Hung! 35mm print! Big Screen Thrills! Be sure to show up early to get a seat!

Monday December 1st - 7:00 PM
Innis Hall - 2 Sussex Avenue
ENTER THE FAT DRAGON
1978 / Hong Kong / Cantonese with English Subtitles / 89 mins
Director: Sammo Hung
Martial Arts Director: Sammo Hung
Cast: Sammo Hung, Li Hai-sheng, Leung Kar Yan, Roy Chiao, Feng Ko-an,

Time to relearn the one of the first cinematic combat styles taught in the temple of the late, lamented Kung Fu Fridays with Enter The Fat Dragon, starring Hong Kong fight flick legend, Sammo Hung. In this rollicking tribute and loving send-up of the legacy of Bruce Lee, Sammo plays a farm boy who comes to Hong Kong to work for his uncle. He idolizes Lee and attempts to act like him, fight like him and even dress like him, every chance he gets, leading to a mix up with a bunch of crooks who kidnap the girl he has a crush on. Sammo had worked with Lee on Enter the Dragon, appearing as a Shaolin fighter who spars with Lee at the beginning of the film. His respect for the screen icon shows as every scowl, thumbed nose, shriek, and hand gesture is nailed down perfectly. Loads of laughs and the last reel is chock full of wild fights as Sammo dukes it out with a European boxing champion, a black karate expert a la Jim Kelly from Enter the Dragon, and a Chinese kung fu master of played by Leung Kar Yan, who played the bad guy in several Kung Fu Fridays picks including The Victim, My Life Is On The Line and Five Kung Fu Daredevil Heroes. Without a doubt, Enter The Fat Dragon is one of Sammo Hung's most entertaining films and the features the best imitation of Bruce Lee ever seen on screen. Many thanks to Rob King for making this screening possible!

Check this clip from the flick!

Dec 1st & 2nd - Tiffany stalkers examined in I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW

2008-11-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

Vagrant Films Releasing presents
I THINK WERE ALONE NOW
Director: Sean Donnelly / 70 min / USA
Monday, December 1, 2008 at 7:00pm
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 9:00pm
Bloor Cinema - 506 Bloor St. W

"This fascinating and deeply disturbing documentary takes you deep into the worlds and obsessions of Kelly McCormick and Jeffery Deane Turner, who have been separately stalking 80s pop icon Tiffany for nearly 20 years.

Many people are familiar with American pop singer Tiffany, who had a number of hit songs during the 1980s, including “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Could’ve Been.” Less known is the story of two of Tiffany's most devoted stalkers: Jeffery Deane Turner, a 50ish man with severe Asperger's Syndrome, and hermaphrodite-in-transition Kelly McCormick. Sean Donnelly’s documentary I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW tells the stories of these obsessed fans and in doing so, honestly deserves the distinction of being one of the strangest films on this year's Fantastic Fest program.

Turner serves as an elder statesman of celebrity stalkers; he has been engaged in a pointless, multi-decade pursuit of Tiffany’s attentions. In one famous incident during the late 80s (which is documented in the film) Turner showed up at Tiffany’s emancipated minor hearing with a samurai sword and five white chrysanthemums. Like Turner, Kelly McCormick is completely obsessed, which is evidenced by the dozens of Tiffany images that paper the walls of her barren apartment, and McCormick's disturbing, profane rants about being united with the pop singer. McCormick’s obsession, however, exists in an entirely different space than Turner’s and seems to be rooted in a big tangled knot of psychological and physiological dysfunction that defies glib descriptions.

I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW packs enough mystery, horror, science-fiction and human intrigue into 100 minutes to fill a number of feature-length films. Everything in this film is completely true, however, and it’s so strange that many will have a hard time believing it’s real." --- Rodney Perkins (taken from the Austin Fantastic Fest website)

http://www.ithinkwerealonenow.com/

Nov 24 - 2LDK vs. ELECTRIC DRAGON 80,000V!!!!

2008-11-20T12:11:00.000-08:00

2LDK vs. ELECTRIC DRAGON 80,000V!!!!
A FREE Pub Night presented by the Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow
Monday, November 24, 2008
Paupers Pub
539 Bloor Street West, 2nd Floor (across from The Bloor Cinema)
Contact Info: jfilmpowwow@yahoo.ca

Don’t like Mondays? Who does? So, what better way to ease your way into the week than by coming out to Paupers Pub to catch a FREE double bill that will literally kick your ass! Tsutsumi Yukihiko’s “2LDK” has two jealous roommates getting caught up in a cat fight the likes of which you’ve never seen before! And… Sogo Ishii’s “ELECTRIC DRAGON 80,000V” puts you in the middle of a battle between two modern day urban superheroes: Dragon Eye Morrison (Tadanobu Asano) and The Thunderbolt Buddha (Masatoshi Nagase)!

So get out all that pent up Monday aggression by seeing FREE movies, plus a chance to win great door prizes, hang out with cool people and have a few pints and some grub*

*The Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow is presenting films for free, but all drinks and menu items must be purchased. Must be 19+ to attend.

Trailer for ELECTRIC DRAGON 80,000V

Trailer for 2LDK

Nov 21 - Q&A w director of REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA

2008-11-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

One of the hit films from the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA is making its Canadian theatrical debut tomorrow, Friday, November 21st, exclusively at The Bloor Cinema. Director Darren Lynn Bousman will be in attendance at the opening night show at 6:45 PM to introduce the film and he will also participate in a Q&A moderated by Richard Crouse immediately following the screening. The film runs at The Bloor Nov 21 - 27.

REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Cast: Paris Hilton, Alexa Vega, Anthony Stewart Head, Sarah Brightman, Ogre, Terrance Zdunich, Bill Moseley, Paul Sorvino
A worldwide epidemic encourages a biotech company to launch an organ-financing program similar in nature to a standard car loan. The repossession clause is a killer, however. www.repo-opera.com

"Whether or not you belong to the army of dark-eyeliner-wearing androgynes that are giving the movie the cult it seeks — and who’ve filled up the Bloor Cinema once already when it played Toronto After Dark last month — you have to concede that the year in film has yielded nothing remotely like this goth phantasmagoria. And while it only rarely achieves its ambitions, Repo! The Genetic Opera still ventures into territory that even genre movies seldom travel." --- Jason Anderson, Eye Weekly
Read Jason Anderson's interview with REPO! director Darren Lynn Bousman at Eye Weekly

Dec 6 - REMOVABLE PARTS — A Series of Love Songs About Voluntary Amputation

2008-11-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

REMOVABLE PARTS
A Series of Love Songs About Voluntary Amputation
Created by Corey Dargel, with pianist Kathleen Supové + opening act, Ryan Driver
http://www.removableparts.com

Saturday, December 6, 2008
Doors 7pm, concert 8pm
The Music Gallery
St. George the Martyr Church
197 John St. at Stephanie

Tickets: $15 regular, $10 member, student + advance
Advance tickets at TicketWeb — BUY NOW!
Contact Info: 4162041080 / jonny@musicgallery.org

Removable Parts (9pm) is a theatrical series of love songs about voluntary amputation. In an updated version of the lover's plaint, the unrequited lover – whose heart is broken – begins to question the usefulness of his other body parts. Loosely based on medical journals, psychiatric case studies, and actors' monologue collections, the songs and banter in Removable Parts take a sideways look at amputees, devotees, and wannabes, with a balance of empathy and irreverence.

Removable Parts received the award for “Outstanding Performance-Art Production” from the 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Awards.

Corey Dargel (composer/lyricist/singer) has been called “a baroquely unclassifiable artist” (New Yorker) who makes songs that "smartly and impishly blur the boundaries between contemporary classical idioms and pop" (New York Times). His gentle assault on the pop idiom creates a tension that pervades his music: Deadpan and detached vocals reveal heartbreaking intimacies, awkward and obtrusive drum patterns struggle against fragile harmonies, vocals and music uneasily opposing each other as songs stumble to their ends. He has shared the stage with Joanna Newsom, Final Fantasy, Grizzly Bear, Anti-Social Music, Nico Muhly, the American Composers Orchestra, and others. Dargel’s debut album, Less Famous Than You, was released on Use Your Teeth (London) in May 2006 and named one of the Top Ten Albums of 2006 by Time Out New York. His forthcoming album, Other People’s Love Songs, will be released October 28th on New Amsterdam Records. Dargel is presently composing new works for singer and chamber ensemble, commissioned by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Avian Music, and NOW Ensemble.

Kathleen Supové (pianist) is one of America's most acclaimed and versatile contemporary music pianists, known for continually redefining what it means to be a pianist/keyboardist/performance artist in today's world. She regularly presents a series of solo concerts entitled The Exploding Piano at The Flea Theater in NYC, in which she has pioneered both repertoire and presentational concepts involving electronics, theatrics, and cutting edge works for Yamaha Disklavier. She has presented a number of concert theatre works there, most notably the evening-length staged piece for singing/reciting/moving pianist called Jitters (music by Randall Woolf and texts/directing by Valeria Vasilevski). In addition, Kathleen has been a featured artist in the Summer 2000 issue of Yale Theater Journal, which was devoted to concert theatre. She has performed throughout the US, at universities and conservatories, and as a featured guest at many new music festivals, most recently the NIME Festival in NYC and the Other Minds Festival in San Francisco. Kathleen's most recent solo Infusion, is on the Koch label.

"Removable Parts pleases on almost every level... with an intelligent grace that is as moving as it is impressive." — New York Times

"Bizarre, complex, and strangely moving, Removable Parts is lyrically brilliant and truly original." — Flavorpill
"...at once uproarious and harrowing..." — The New Yorker

http://www.removableparts.com

Don't Miss LET THE RIGHT ONE IN!!!

2008-11-19T20:41:00.001-08:00

Now only playing at the AMC, be sure not to miss this film out before it leaves the cinemas. Its One of the year's BEST films and one hell of a classy horror flick! - Colin

According to Cinema Clock, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is playing downtown at:

AMC Yonge & Dundas 24 (AMC)
Toronto Life Square, 10 Dundas St. East, Toronto
Fri: 2:35, 5:10, 7:45, 10:20
Sat, Sun: 12:00, 2:35, 5:10, 7:45, 10:20
Mon, Tue: 2:35, 5:10, 7:45, 10:20

http://www.lettherightoneinmovie.com/

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl

"The exceptional Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In warms your heart as it chills your blood, and that's the most disturbing thing about it." --- Peter Howell, Toronto Star

(A well-crafted horror film in the tradition of Guillermo del Toro's THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, Swedish import LET THE RIGHT ONE IN ably blends genre chills with genuine feeling. OskarKåre Hedebrant) is a 12-year-old outcast who is frequently picked on by his classmates. He dreams of getting his revenge, but he never stands up to the boys. With the arrival of his new next-door neighbor, 12-year-old Eli (Lina Leandersson), Oskar may finally have found a friend, ally, and first love. But Eli is no ordinary girl: she must keep her pale skin out of the sunlight, she can perform inhuman physical feats, and she has thirst for blood. The bodies begin to pile up, but Oskar can't stay away from the girl who has finally given him courage. Based on the novel by John Ajvide Linqvist (who also wrote the script), LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is the best kind of horror film: one that transcends the tropes of the genre to become something new. This is director Tomas Alfredson's first foray into horror, and he doesn't hesitate to include bits of vampire mythology. But his background making comedies and dramas gives the film a surprising depth; the relationship between Oskar and Eli is tentative and sweet, even though their interactions may be surrounded by blood and violence. Composer Johan Soderqvist and the sound department create a fascinating palette of music and sounds that add to the film's perfectly chilly mood, and setting the film in a snowy Swedish suburb gives director of photography Hoyte Van Hoytema a starkly beautiful environment for shooting. Though LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is ostensibly about a pair of children, this is a horror film for adults. There are plenty of scares, but it remains moving and intelligent, a rare feat for the genre. (Taken from Rotten Tomatoes)

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is part of Magnet Films' Six Shooter Series
http://www.sixshooterfilmseries.com/

Nov 28 - THE KILLER (LE TUEUR) Opens in Toronto

2008-11-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

Evokative Films presents
THE KILLER (LE TUEUR)
A film written and directed by Cedric Anger
Opens in Toronto November 28th

Evokative Films is very pleased to announce the theatrical release of its first acquisition: THE KILLER (LE TUEUR) a French Film Noir written and directed by Cedric Anger and starring Gilbert Melki (Angel-A, Intimate Stranger, Monsieur Ibrahim), Grégoire Colin (In the Arms of my Enemy, The Intruder, Sex is Comedy), and Mélanie Laurent (Paris, Don’t Worry, I’m Fine, The Beat that my Heart Skipped).

Christmas Eve in Paris. Leo Zimmerman is a businessman who lives for his beloved little daughter’s smile. Outwardly, his life is exemplary. However, when Dimitri Kopas walks into his office, pretending to be a normal client, Leo understands that a contract is out on his head and that the young man has come to town to kill him. Overcome with anxiety and paranoia, no longer able to sleep, Leo decides to meet the killer face to face and to broker a strange deal.

THE KILLER (LE TUEUR) has recently been nominated in the First Film category of the French Louis-Delluc Awards, often called the “Goncourt of film”. It had its North American Premiere last July at the Fantasia International Film Festival, where the actor Grégoire Colin was present to introduce the film. THE KILLER was also part of the programming of this year’s Rotterdam International Film Festival and Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it was one of the 10 Variety Critics' Choice, amongst others.

The Original French version with English Subtitles copy of THE KILLER will start its run at Toronto’s AMC Yonge & Dundas from November 28th.

Founded a few months ago, Evokative Films is a new genre of film distribution company that brings clever, entertaining and original international genre features to film enthusiasts across Canada. The enterprise concentrates its activities in the home entertainment market but will also release most of its titles theatrically through limited releases. Its first titles include THE KILLER (LE TUEUR) (France), ADRIFT IN TOKYO (Japan), BLACK (France), HANSEL AND GRETEL (South-Korea), HAZARD (Japan), PARKING (Taiwan) and CRYING FIST (South-Korea).

Pictures and trailer available at http://www.evokativefilms.com/press/letueurgallery.html

Friday Nov 21 - GREEZEFEST III at the El Mocambo

2008-11-19T20:24:00.000-08:00

GREEZEFEST III featuring:

Blue Mercury Coupe
The Shifters
The Goddamn Goddamns
DJ Dave "Big Daddy" Faris

THE EL MOCAMBO
62 Spadina Avenue
Toronto, ON M5T 2G8
(416) 777-1777
Doors at 9:00 PM - $10 cover

Blue Mercury Coupe has developed a reputation for loud and raucous live performances. This six-piece combo manages to combine the best of the bad, bringing together four decades of Americas most marginalized music. They deliver a sound that is at once recognizable as it is impossible to place in any specific way. You hear hints of 40s jump, 50s rockabilly, 60s garage and 70s punk.

Influenced by classic punk rock, muscle cars, loud guitars and fast woman, Montreal's The Shifters are making a long awaited return to Toronto. If you haven't seen the Shifters and you like it loud and greasy, don't miss them this time around

Hamilton upstarts The Goddamn Goddamns are the latest in long line of storied Steeltown punk rockers. Earning their chops on stages in and around Southern Ontario the GD, GDs are a perfect compliment to the Greezfest III line-up

And don't forget pre-show and between set music will be in the hands of DJ Dave ?Big Daddy? Faris, who will be spinning the best old school punk rock, garage, psychobilly and rock and roll. Dave has made a reputation for himself DJing the monthly ?Rock and Roll Riot? at the Cameron House and recently guesting at John & Jenny's Rock ?N? It Up 3.

To make it more thrilling there are fabulous door prizes to be won. Arsenic Addiction is offering up a Pin-Up photography package and special edition prints worth hundreds of greenback dollars. Plus Jimmy Hellbent from Reactive Ink is making the deal sweeter with a chance to win a $50 tattoo gift certificate.

www.myspace.com/bluemercurycoupe
www.myspace.com/theshifters
www.myspace.com/thegoddamngoddamnsband

Nov 26 - Mary Bronstein's YEAST

2008-11-19T17:54:00.000-08:00

Mary Bronstein's
YEAST
Presented by Over the Top Fest
7:00PM - Wednesday, November 26, 2008
CineCycle (Down the alley behind 129 Spadina Ave.)
Doors open at 7PM. Movie starts at 8PM.
$10 at the door. SPECIAL DEAL! 3-for-$20 if you bring two friends you don't like.
Due to Ontario Ratings Board regulations, this screening is 18+.

"Yeast is the feel-good movie of the year. No matter how miserable your life may be, you’ll feel better off after seeing Mary Bronstein’s chaotic debut." --- Twitch

Four Stars! --- Film Threat

YEAST (2008) USA
Director: Mary Bronstein
Cast: Mary Bronstein, Amy Judd, Greta Gerwig, Sean Williams

Over the Top Fest is incredibly thrilled to present to you, the first screening in Canada of Mary Bronstein's YEAST! Made by many of the fine talented people who made FROWNLAND, one of the hits of the last Over the Top Fest, YEAST is a film about a maddeningly un-self-aware, tyrannical and emotionally stunted young woman trying to negotiate two toxic friendships. With a physical aggressiveness and emotional violence that is surprisingly, yet undeniably, feminine in nature, YEAST explores the grinding mechanics of friendships that have run their course. Relations between these young women aren’t just a little bit ripe… they are Ebola-infested, maggot-filled and bursting at the seams.

Read how the folks at the Maryland Film Festival pitch the film:

Do you go to the movies for stories that distract you from the problems of life -- light-hearted romps in which familiar, likeable characters share some laughter and good times as they topple the obstacles between themselves and their goals? If you answered yes, director Mary Bronstein's debut feature YEAST is NOT the film for you.

Yeast comes from much of the same team that brought us 2007's confrontational and claustrophobic Frownland -- arguably the most controversial film from last year's Maryland Film Festival. And as with Frownland, Yeast takes viewers outside their comfort zone with its often-unpleasant characters, its unconventional approach to storytelling, and its uncompromising aesthetics.

Yeast begins by throwing us into an awkward situation -- a young woman, Rachel (Mary Bronstein) rousing her disheveled roommate Alice (Amy Judd) for a camping trip they've planned with Gen (Greta Gerwig, star of Baghead). Alice refuses to come, and at first we're struck by her seemingly unmotivated surliness towards Rachel. But as Rachel and Gen venture into the woods, what slowly emerges is a warts-and-all portrait of a manipulative person who compulsively undermines the people in her life -- and the also-imperfect friends who've decided they've finally had enough.

For that discerning viewer who will revel in an honest portrait of the vicious, grotesque little ways human beings mistreat each other, Yeast provides a special treat. It's a bold and edgy film that probes complex psychological ideas we may have never seen onscreen before -- and in doing so articulates a strong belief in the ability of film culture to keep moving forward. (Eric Allen Hatch)

Contact Info Email: overthetopfilm@gmail.com

Nov 13 - Maggots + zombies invade The Revue: CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD

2008-11-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

Vagrancy Films presentsCITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (1980)
aka THE GATES OF HELL
Directed by Lucio Fulci
+ SPECIAL BONUS TRAILER INSANITY REEL
Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 9:30 PM
The Revue Cinema
400 Roncesvalles Avenue (map)
$10.00 @ the Door
You must be 18 years of age ( or at least look it )

Back in 2006 Vagrancy Films gave Toronto a once in a life time chance to see this classic in a real Grindhouse Cinema.

That screening was held at the famous METRO THEATRE and while the cum and piss stains were nice.. the actual presentation of the film was somewhat fucked. Let's just say the Metro's projectionist was less than perfect.

After some serious consideration we have decided to bring "CITY" back to Toronto for one more head drill, but this time a true professional will be handling our crown jewel.

The Seven Gates of Hell have been torn open, and in three days the dead shall rise and walk the earth. As a reporter (Christopher George) and a psychic (Catriona MacColl) race to close the portals of the damned, they encounter a seething nightmare of unspeakable evil. The city is alive--with the horrors of the living dead! Directed and co-written by the legendary Lucio Fulci (Zombie, The Beyond, The New York Ripper), "City of the Living Dead" features some of the maestro's most shocking and controversial sequences of all time. This is the definitive version of Fulci's hallucinogenic masterpiece of horror: uncut, uncensored and presented in all its brain-ripping glory.

Vagrancy will be screening the 100 % COMPLETE EURO PRINT complete with the original titles and English Soundtrack and shit load of our offensive trailers before the film.

Our last Fulci Event @ The Revue had only a handful of seats left. Don't miss your final chance to see this Italian Gore Classic on the big screen. Tickets are $10.00 and will be sold in advance closer to the date of the screening.

Nov 26-29: Free Japanese Films at the Bloor Cinema

2008-11-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

The Japan Foundation presents four free screenings of recent Japanese films at the Bloor Cinema, Wednesday, Nov. 26 - Saturday, Nov. 29. Films include a stop motion puppet animation, a crime drama, a drama set in Okinawa and a comedy from cult favourite Takashi Miike. All films are rated PG and screened in Japanese with English subtitles. No ticket or reservation is required for these screenings, so please arrive early to ensure seating. See bloorcinema.com or jftor.org for more information.

Wednesday, November 26, 7:00 p.m.
THE BOOK OF THE DEAD, Dir. Kihachiro Kawamoto, 2005
A stop motion puppet animation film set in a time when Buddhism was first being introduced to Japan, The Book of the Dead tells the story of Princess Iratsume, a devoted Buddhist who encounters the ghost of Otsu, a long-dead prince with a legendary connection to one of her ancestors. 70 min.

Friday, November 28, 7:00 p.m.
SHANGRI-LA, Dir. Takashi Miike, 2002 Umemoto (Yu Tokui), the owner of a small printing company, loses everything when his largest customer, Uwazoko-ya, goes bankrupt and defaults on their debts. Umemoto ends up at an orderly homeless people's community called Shangri-La where, under the guidance of an ex-assassin known as the Village Chief (Sho Aikawa), he and the people of Shangri-la decide to seek revenge against the Uwazoko-ya organization. 104 min.

Saturday, November 29, 4:30 p.m.
BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT, Dir. Tetsuo Shinohara, 2004
Hinami (Karina) applies for a part-time job cutting sugarcane on a plantation in Okinawa. She finds herself working with four other young men and women under the supervision of the experienced Yutaka (Nao Omori). Their task is to harvest all 70,000 sugar cane plants by the end of March, but the demanding physical labor and Yutaka's leadership soon cause problems. 123 min.

Saturday, November 29, 7:00 p.m.
HALF A CONFESSION, Dir. Kiyoshi Sasabe, 2004
Former police detective Soichiro (Akira Terao) turns himself in to the police and confesses to the murder of his wife (Mieko Harada), explaining that the shock of their son's death brought about the onset of Alzheimer's disease in his wife, leading her to ask him to end her suffering. However, he refuses to explain his movements in the two days between his wife's death and his surrender. 122 min.

Nov 12-16 - Gangsters, Fairy Tale Killers and More at Reel Asian 2008!

2008-11-07T11:16:00.000-08:00

THE 12TH ANNUAL TORONTO REEL ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
NOVEMBER 12 to 16, 2008

The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival celebrates its 12th year as Canada’s longest running showcase of contemporary cinema by East and Southeast Asian moviemakers from around the world, including Canada! The festival is an eagerly anticipated annual event that attracts thousands of attendees to five frenetic days of screenings, industry panels, workshops, receptions and galas.

For full festival information visit: www.reelasian.com or call 416.703.9333
Tickets & passes are now on sale online for this year's Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival!

Highlights Include:

CinemAsia (pre-festival on Tue Nov 11 at 6:30pm and 2:30pm on Fri Nov 14)
Reel Asian joins forces with the Munk Centre's Asian Institute for a retrospective on Japanese cult director Sabu (DANGAN RUNNER, UNLUCKY MONKEY and who also starred in Takeshi Miike's ICHI THE KILLER) including screenings, talks and a reception.

Tue Nov 11, 6:30 PM - CinemAsia Gala: MONDAY
MONDAY
Koichi Takagi has lost his memory and must unravel a series of bizarre events from the past few nights. This astute social satire by Japanese director SABU is part of a retrospective focus in collaboration with the Asian Institute. Innis Town Hall - 2 Sussex Avenue

WED NOV 12, 7:00 PM - Reel Asian Opening Night Gala
THE DRUMMER
Come celebrate the Opening Night of the 12th Annual Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival! The rebellious son of a Hong Kong gangster is cast away to the mountains of Taiwan and discovers enlightenment through the mesmerizing power of Zen drummers. Starring Jaycee Chan, son of Jackie. Special appearance by director of The Drummer, Kenneth Bi! Bloor Cinema - 506 Bloor Street West - $20GA

THURS NOV 13, 9:30 PM - Korean Fairy Tale Horror!!!
HANSEL AND GRETEL

I've got three words for you: Korean. Fairy. Tale. A horror adaptation of the Brothers Grimms’ timeless fable HANSEL AND GRETEL uses the fantastical palette of children’s storybooks to unearth deep psychological underpinnings of our darkest fears… Innis Town Hall - 2 Sussex Avenue

THURS NOV 13, 6:00-8:00 PM - HONG KONG, 100 YEARS OF FILMS: A PANEL ON THE CENTENNIAL
For two decades since the 1980s, Hong Kong filmmakers have faced severe challenges in the cinema marketplace. They have also achieved ever-wider international critical recognition. This panel of critics, archivist-historians and film programmers will discuss the past and prospects of Hong Kong cinema -- 100 years after they started. Munk Centre, Rm 208N

FRI NOV 14, 2:30 PM - CinemAsia presents: THE BLESSING BELL
THE BLESSING BELL
When laid-off unexpectedly, one labourer takes off in the opposite direction. This award-winning film follows its mesmerizing protagonist, Susumu Terajima, as he wanders away from his mundane existence in a deadpan trance of exquisite subtlety. Innis Town Hall - 2 Sussex Avenue

FRI NOV 14, 10:30 PM - "Disquieting: Late Night Shorts"
Tales of twisted desperation from the Philippine slums…a surreal car ride through the Taiwanese countryside…a lesson in morality from Canada's backwoods…plus two other shorts traversing dark territories with the most beautiful cinematography. Innis Town Hall - 2 Sussex Avenue

SAT NOV 15, 10:30 PM - "Confessional: Late Night Shorts"
Kitten pornstars, neon kimonos, insane patients in orange jumpsuits, and…how to learn English? Two lovers run out of gasoline, but realize they don't really need to go to the station to fill up. Ohhhh yeah, that's good. Innis Town Hall - 2 Sussex Avenue

SUN NOV 16, 8:30 PM - Closing Night Gala - Adrift In Tokyo
ADRIFT IN TOKYO
Don't miss our Sunday night send-off that had audiences at Fantasia cheering. Our Closing Night Gala promises to leave you tickled until next year! Touching, funny, outrageous yet grounded in humanity, Adrift in Tokyo is the ultimate road movie. A wild-haired loser named Takemura and a tough debt collector take a walk through the ever-changing landscape of Tokyo. Bloor Cinema | 506 Bloor Street West | $15GA

For full festival information visit: www.reelasian.com or call 416.703.9333
Tickets & passes are now on sale online for this year's Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival!

Sat Nov 8th - The Return of SHOCK & AWE - Dusk til Dawn Exploitation Cinema!

2008-11-06T20:46:00.000-08:00

Dion Conflict and The Fox Theatre present:
SHOCK AND AWE
Saturday November 8th @ 11:30 PM till November 9th at 10:30 AM
FOX THEATRE
2236 Queen Street East - Toronto, ON
Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the door

Take a moment to think back to the days of your teenage youth. What were the things you used to enjoy most during those carefree days? Staying up all night with your friends? Eating and drinking unholy amounts of junk food and soft drinks? Or going to the theatre to watch R-rated movies loaded with action, gore, sex, rebellion, and bizarre tales of mayhem? What if you could do all these things again?

My friends, you can.

On Saturday, November 8th, for one night only at the Fox Cinema, our own unique homage to classic grindhouse films is scheduled. Beginning at 11:30pm that evening, we’ll be showcasing forgotten classics and cult favourites from the grindhouse era, and we’re not shutting off the lights until 10:00am the next morning. This marathon experience will no doubt be one of the most talked about and unforgettable events ever to grace the screen at the Fox.
Long before PVRs, DVDs, or even VCRs, Grindhouse cinemas offered patrons a "low rent" fare combining exploitation films (action, horror, erotic, comedy) in continuous loop, usually three or more features, for one price. The films were inexpensively produced and low in quality, but always attracted an audience due to their lurid and sensational content.

This November 8th, the Fox Cinema and Dion Conflict pay tribute to that era of cinema, with SHOCK AND AWE: The Grindhouse Experience. Sponsored by Rue Morgue Magazine and the After Dark Film Festival, SHOCK AND AWE will titillate, terrify, and cause fits of uncontrollable laughter, often simultaneously, from start to finish.

Featuring six incomparable classic grindhouse films from the 70s and 80s, the night promises to be nothing less than legendary. On the bill for this illustrious event are:

- John Carpenter’s student film DARK STAR a gleefully low-fi comedy/sci-fi piece drawing from hippie subculture and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.

- William Asher’s psychological incest thriller NIGHT WARNING starring Jimmy McNichol as young Billy Lynch as Susan Tyrrell as his dominating Aunt Cheryl.

- The Lasse Braun 1975 erotic masterpiece SENSATIONS with Brigitte Maier.

- The ultra-rare, racially-charged revenge flick THE BUS IS COMING, directed by Wendell Franklin.

- And, as a special new twist, a bonus mystery film whose title will be revealed on Facebook, but only to those crafty sleuths clever enough to uncover it.

But wait! We’ll be saving the best for last, with the headlining cult classic splattercomedy epic, THE TOXIC AVENGER, from your pals at Troma films, shown for the first time on any Canadian big screen since its all-too-brief release in 1985. The film will be screened uncut and uncensored, for one time only. Don’t miss out on what could be the most profoundly ridiculous movie you’ll ever see on the big screen in your entire life.

As if the films themselves weren’t enough to entice you to pay us a visit this November 8th, we’ll also be offering rare exploitation era collectables, including Super 8 films, several cult classic movies on DVD, and small press publications from established GTA film buffs.

Intermissions will feature cleverly chosen themed snack bar offerings including mouth-watering themed treats, gallons of Jolt cola, an array of breakfast items, and select offerings from participating local restauranteurs. Curator and host Dion Conflict will also be showcasing some lost music videos, world premiere short films from local directors, and trailers of other rare grindhouse offerings from his private collection, one of Canada’s largest and most eclectic private archives. There’s also a good chance you’ll see some surprise celebrities popping by as well. What more could you ask for?

Ever since the first SHOCK AND AWE event this past June, moviegoers have been clamouring for another all-night experience, and this one is sure to delight. Tickets aren’t going to last long, so get yours early: Shock and Awe tickets can be purchased at the Fox Cinema box office and also Suspect Video (605 Markham Street) and Eyesore Cinema (801 Queen St. West – above Rotate This) for a mere $20. If there are any leftover, we’ll be selling them for $30 at the door. Wristbands will also be given to patrons for "in/out privileges" for the marathon film screening. All films will be screened on original 35mm film reels.

This is the only festival of its kind in Toronto. On Saturday, November 8th, at 11:30pm, come to the Fox Cinema at 2236 Queen St. East and see what all the fuss is about.

Eyesore Cinema is OPEN!

2008-11-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

The day that local film buffs have been waiting a long time for — specifically, since Feb. 20 of this year, when the Queen West branch of Suspect Video burned to the ground during last winter's great fire - has arrived. Shortly after the blaze, store manager and curator Daniel Hanna was already hard at work at planning a new "video and culture" shop even before the last embers on Queen Street had died out, and after six months, the hard work has paid off: Daniel Hanna's new video store, Eyesore Cinema, opened on Wednesday, August. 27 on the second floor of 801 Queen W. (located conveniently above Rotate This). Daniel, a long time champion and promoter of Asian film, promises that Eyesore Cinema is committed to bringing it's members the "best of the best" and "best of the worst" films that this world has to offer.

Basic Membership is $5.00 or you can choose the Premium Membership option for $50.00 (with discounted prices on rentals and late fees) and there are Prepaid Rental deals as well. New releases rent for two nights and catalogue titles rent for a week. Eyesore Cinema also carries a discriminating selection of DVD titles for sale and provides a Special Order service if you are looking for something special that is not carried in their regular stock. Operating hours are 11am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 10pm on Sundays. The phone # is (416) 955-1599. A web site is under construction but be sure to check out the store's blog at: http://eyesorecinema.blogspot.com/ for more details, release schedules and upcoming sponsored events.

Nov 14, 18 &1 9 - CINEMATHEQUE ONTARIO presents THE EXILES

2008-11-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

CINEMATHEQUE ONTARIO presents
THE TORONTO PREMIERE OF THE NEW 35MM RESTORED PRINT of
THE EXILES
Friday, November 14 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 18 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 19 8:45 p.m.

This year’s Killer of Sheep, Kent Mackenzie’s astonishing 1960 debut feature The Exiles receives its long overdue release. The film is a lacerating portrait of the isolation and hardship endured by the Native American community living in the once-prominent Bunker Hill area of Los Angeles. Click here for more information at the Cinematheque Ontario website.

“An arresting accomplishment.” –Time Magazine

“The Exiles is both a work of integrity and a proof of dedication.” –Pauline Kael

“This 50-year-old film about a Los Angeles neighbourhood on the skids and its barely tethered dwellers stands as the freshest movie in theaters.” – Jim Ridley, The Village Voice

And for more abundant praise, please see: http://www.exilesfilm.com/

All screenings take place at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Jackman Hall (317 Dundas Street West). This screening is rated PG. For more information, visit the Official website, www.cinemathequeontario.ca the year-round Box Office at Manulife Centre (55 Bloor Street West, main floor, north entrance), or call 416-968-FILM�

Nov. 20 - Creeps vs Cowboys in J.T. Petty's THE BURROWERS

2008-11-06T19:18:00.000-08:00

If you missed your chance to see this at Midnight Madness 2008, now is your second chance! - Colin

Rue Morgue Magazine presents
J.T. Petty’s THE BURROWERS
Director J.T. Petty in attendance

Thursday November 20 @ 9:30pm exclusively at The Bloor Cinema
506 Bloor Street West – Toronto, Canada

A true original, THE BURROWERS mixes The Searchers and Tremors with the politics and tone of a Romero movie as it follows a posse looking for a missing pioneer family. Along the way, the gunmen encounter corrupt military men, hostile natives and some horrifying things lurking in the dirt. A gorgeously-shot western with gory creature effects – don’t miss this rare opportunity to see THE BURROWERS on the big screen with writer-director J.T. Petty on hand for a Q&A.

One Night Only! Ghastly Prizes! Classic Trailers! 35mm!

Plus! Evangelical Satanic Faith Healing with Pastor Morgan Wilkes and Victor Marshall of Cloven Path Ministries!

“Everything you could possibly want out of a horror/western hybrid: a funny, compelling script; great cinematography and a creepy, fantastic score; awesome acting.” - Exclaim!

RUE MORGUE Presents CineMacabre every third Thursday of the month at The Bloor Cinema. Check local listings or www.rue-morgue.com.

Sponsored by: Maple Pictures / Vagrancy Films / Eye Weekly / Rue Morgue Radio