Christmas Movie Screenings in December

I have some pretty exciting Christmas events coming up in the month of December. I've gone from hosting little backyard movie screenings in the summer, to indoor public ones this winter.
But first I have to tell you that on December 12th, I will be at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. West, Toronto) from 10 am to 5 pm, for the Toronto Small Press Fair. I'll be selling copies of my zine there, so drop by and pick up your copy of issue #2 if you haven't already!
Then the evening of December 12th, I'll be helping to host a Trash Palace Christmas screening with my favourite Christmas movie ever, K. Gordon Murray's Santa Claus!!
For the past few years, I've been watching this movie repeatedly every Christmas. I'm so excited to see it with an audience, especially the one at Trash Palace (it's the perfect place for it to be shown). We'll also be showing some Christmas shorts before and after the film as well. Tickets will be available at Eyesore Cinema.

Then on December 23rd, I will hosting a screening of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians at the Trinity in Sarnia, Ontario. This event may even be followed by a Christmas dance party. You'll have to wait for more details on that.

I may also be hosting another Christmas screening in my own area (the Niagara region), but it hasn't been finalized, so details on that one will come later as well.

At these events, I'll be selling this compilation I made of Christmas songs I found at Thrift Stores, "Merry Thriftmas! Vol. 1". Most of them are not your typical Christmas songs, but they're sure to put you in the Christmas spirit! I'm excited to make a new volume each Christmas. My new tradition started this year.

New SBIGM issue and a trip to the Saltair

I finally finished issue #2!! So many monstrous reviews, amazing articles from my contributors and a comic I just love drawn by my brother-in-law (he also did the covers).
If you were unable to make it to Canzine this weekend to get your copy, you can either contact me for an issue or head over to Eyesore Cinema (801 Queen St. W, Toronto) because they're selling it there as well.

I recently came back from Utah, so I thought I'd also use this update to share my pictures from the Great Saltair, the filming location of one of my favourite films, Carnival of Souls.

Blair driving to the Saltair.

We drove down the same roads that Mary Henry drove down in Carnival of Souls.

Approaching the Saltair.

"Can we go in there?"

Even though this is not the original Saltair from Carnival of Souls (it was burned to the ground in the 1970's and then rebuilt), it still holds so much eeriness. I completely understand why Herk Harvey wanted this location for his film.

Just like in Carnival of Souls, the Saltair was closed...but that didn't stop us!

We made it inside. The dance floor for the zombies.

We're hoping to use this space for a reunion screening of Carnival of Souls next year.

They have original pictures of the Saltair hanging in their gift shop.

I think this picture was taken probably a few years before Carnival of Souls was filmed because it has the amusement park equipment in it.

This picture is from 1914, and shows people dancing on the largest dance floor in all of America at the time. Yes! People actually danced here, just like the zombies!

The fire that burned the original Saltair down. :(

Someone made a model of the original!

I wish it still looked this way.

Looking over the balcony, just like Mary Henry.

Yes, Blair and I are major dorks and we actually reenacted some scenes from Carnival of Souls. haha!

The beach where the zombies chased down Mary Henry.

Where should my next trip to a filming location be???

a slight break

So, I realize I haven't update in a while. I still have been watching bad movies and my writing has been lacking, but I've been updating this blog instead. Even more personal, but still mostly movie related. I'll try to come back here soon.

Incredibly Strange Movie Night

I've decided to dedicate my summer to movies. By that I mean, I will be finishing the second issue of my fanzine, I will be setting up movie nights in backyards all summer long and attending as many nights at Trash Palace as I can.

The backyard movie idea came from a night I hosted a year ago. The Trollympic night, now made famous from the documentary, Best Worst Movie. I decided I wanted to spend every weekend this summer watching movies in backyards, so a friend and I purchased a movie screen from kijiji. Then I purchased an LCD projector. I'm calling these nights "Incredibly Strange Movie Night".

It's incredibly strange because of the movies I choose. Most are pretty rare, "so bad it's good", or just strange, yet still watchable and enjoyable. The experience is kinda strange I guess too. It's like a drive-in without the cars. But the experience is always fun! I love throwing parties, even if there is no reason. Half the fun for me is the set up. I've been finding amazing prizes to give away and baking goodies for the night.

So far, I've been starting the nights by showing things like ABC promos '64-74, 50's educational films, Scopitones or 80's cartoons. Then we have our main feature. We've watched Test Tube Babies and Troll 2. Unfortunately, Troll 2 was rained out, so we watched the movie inside.

I have so many movies I want to show this summer, so we better not have a wet one! If anyone is interested in attending, email: ismnniagara at gmail dot com

Here are some pictures from my 4th annual Troll 2 party:

Incredibly Strange Movie Nights in the works:

- William Castle night (with his gimmicks!)

- The Wizard (not so strange, but certainly funny!)

- Breakin' 2 Electric Boogaloo / Rappin'

The Best Best Movie is Best Worst Movie!

Oh my goodness! I don't even know what to say in regards to finally seeing Best Worst Movie. I thought I'd wait a couple days after seeing the film for the first time, to let myself digest what I saw. However, I'm still pretty speechless. And now that the Hot Docs screenings are done, I keep on running the movie through my mind, replaying my favourite scenes because I wish I could see it again...right now! This is definitely going to be one of those films I watch repeatedly. Just like Troll 2!!

The Toronto Star was the first to release the new trailer for Best Worst Movie on Friday (you can watch it here). I've caught my mom watching it by herself in the basement, which I find amusing because the past few years my parents have disapproved of my Troll 2 obsession. I think they're finally coming around.

Anyway, I went to the first screening on Friday night and was interviewed for the Circuit on Space Channel. I probably made quite the nerd of myself during this interview, but it's going on Space, so I'm sure I'll seem pretty normal. Look for it this week.

Finally seeing Best Worst Movie wasn't the only exciting thing at the screenings. I got to catch up with Michael Stephenson, George Hardy and Katie Graham, who aren't just people involved in Best Worst Movie, but friends I've made during it's filming. I also became friends with the producer, Brad Klopman, who's incredibly nice.

The second night I brought my "Trollympic" friends with me. Here we are posing with our Troll 2 t-shirts. The shirts Sonia and I are wearing were made by my talented brother-in-law, Nuno, and even made an appearance in the movie. They are probably the most unattractively fitted shirts we could wear, but we weren't there to look good. We were there to watch Best Worst Movie and display our love of Troll 2.

Little did I know, I'd be asked up on stage of the Bloor Cinema for the Q & A session after the film. Very flattering that I played such a role in Best Worst Movie! I stood in front of 500 + people (including film stars, Michael Cera and Edgar Wright). Very rad!!

Incase you're wondering what's in my hands in the two previous pictures above, I received a great birthday gift made by Nuno (did I already mention how talented he is?). It's a Mighty Mugg doll of ME! It's perfect that I'm wearing my Goblin shirt, not just because it shows my Troll 2 fandom, but I own three goblin shirts so the chances of running into me wearing one of them is more likely than anything else in my wardrobe.

With all the hype I've given Best Worst Movie, and the fact that I'm in it (which is completely surreal to see yourself on a big screen), it might be hard to take my word when I tell you this film is INCREDIBLE!! But just take my word for it, or read the reviews it's been getting, or better yet, see it for yourself when you get the chance.

On a very personal note, I feel like I'm one of the most fortunate Troll 2 fans to have experienced everything I did during the making of this film. Having Nilbog Storekeeper, Don Packard hit on me, stand on the doorstep of Margo Prey's house, perform the Holly Waits dance in front of Connie Young, stay in a house with the director and writer, Claudio Fragasso and Rossella Drudi. Gosh, that doesn't even skim the surface of my experiences. When I look back on it, it's insane and awesome. How many people hold such incredible personal experiences with their favourite film? I'm one very lucky Troll 2 fan!

Someone Spoiled the Nilbog Milk

Before I update with the newest Nilbog news, I think everyone should watch this clip of Daniel Johnston shopping for VHS. I've been a huge Daniel Johnston fan since the age of 13, but after watching this clip, my love for Danny J has been brought to a new level! I completely feel his excitement with his boxes of VHS "This is like the Price is Right. It's like taaa-daaa!"
Even if you're not a fan of his music, I'm sure you can still appreciate how cute his excitement is by shopping for VHS movies.

Daniel Johnston's shopping spree wasn't the only exciting thing happening at SXSW. Someone there spoiled the Nilbog milk and has posted new scenes from Best Worst Movie to the net...and I'm in them! So, here's some screen captures of my appearances (that I've seen so far) in the film.

Joe, Emily and Sonia having a race in plant pots at the Trollympic games (I cheer them on).

Troll 2 playing in the backyard. Backyard screenings are the best. I need to host some more this summer.

Aw, my friends and I watching Troll 2 in the backyard. Cracking up at it's hilarity of course.

Lovin' the Nilbog sap poured on my face. I forgot that there was a camera filming outside the Bloor Street Cinema, so I never expected for this to make it in the film.

But forget about ME!! MARGO PREY is in Best Worst Movie!! I was screaming with ultimate excitement when I finally saw her.
Okay, so here's where I saw these spoilers. But more importantly, here's where you can get your tickets to see Best Worst Movie when it makes it's Canadian premiere at Hot Docs.

Spring Screenings!

Such exciting screening news to report. I'm going to start with my birthday screening. Yep, you're all invited to my birthday party, which of course, is a bad movie screening. The awesome folks from Trash Palace are coming from Toronto to Niagara to host.

For those of you unfamiliar with Trash Palace, let me just tell you, it's the coolest place to go on a Friday night in Toronto. It's put on by some 16 mm collectors, with great movie taste. Most of their collection consists of strange, obscure and always fun and entertaining films (examples: the Swimmer, 13 Frightened Girls, Scream and Scream Again).

Anyway, here's the details for my birthday screening:

Movie: DEADLY EYES

Plus: CLASSROOM FILMS FROM HELL

Date: April 25th, 2009

Location: Niagara Arts Centre (the NAC)

254 Saint Paul Street

St. Catharines, Ontario

Time: Doors at 7:30 - Show starts at 8:30

Price: $5 at the door

I have yet to see Deadly Eyes, but I understand it involves weiner dogs dressed up as rats, infesting the city of Toronto. Plus, it was released in 1982 (the year I was born), so I think it's appropriate for my birthday. The classroom films from hell will be hilarious (I've seen most of them at Trash Palace). Getting to see an angry puppet fight will make my birthday the best ever!!

The excitement doesn't stop when my birthday's over. The following weekend Best Worst Movie (the Troll 2 documentary I can not stop talking about on here) is having it's Canadian premiere at Hot Docs, international documentary film festival, in Toronto. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here. I don't think I need to say anything more about Best Worst Movie. I'm sure once you all see it, you'll understand why I can't stop talking about it. I urge everyone to check it out (and not just because I may or may not make an appearance in the film)!!