Special Screenings

Emily Hagins Screens 'The Retelling' in Austin

in

The RetellingAustin director Emily Hagins hosted a packed private screening of her second feature, The Retelling, on Sunday afternoon. The Retelling is a thriller that unfolds as a boy uncovers old family secrets when his family stays with his grandfather for the summer.

In a brief Q&A session after the screening, Hagins thanked everyone for their support and participation, and said she was submitting the film to festivals. She declined to mention which, in the event the film was rejected.

Hagins, 16, wrote and directed her first feature, the horror film Pathogen, at age 11. She received a Texas Filmmakers Production Fund grant for the film. Emily and her mom Megan were the subjects of a recent documentary, Zombie Girl, which premiered at Fantastic Fest and has also played Slamdance and San Diego Comic-Con.

When asked what her next film would be, Hagins said she's planning a comedy, and that the script has already been started.

Public screenings of The Retelling are not planned at this time.

'Bandslam' Rocks the Red Carpet in Austin

Bobby Bones at Bandslam Red Carpet Premiere

As a volunteer for South by Southwest (SXSW) Conferences and Festivals Special Venues Crew in the past, I've helped out at many film premieres and so have some experience at red-carpet events. However, last week was the first time I experienced the media side of the red carpet, at a local sneak preview of Bandslam, which was shot here in Austin in 2008.

I was a bit nervous before the event, so to boost my confidence I read Jette's blog entry on red-carpet lessons. I wanted to make sure I was able to cover both audio and video, so I was well equipped with cameras, digital voice recorder, camcorder, and even "The Poor Man's Steadicam" from my favorite tech geek, Johnny Chung Lee. With temperatures hitting the triple digits, I remembered Jette's advice and packed several bottles of water.

The Bandslam red carpet had a few extras not often seen at previews or even premieres. Because a large portion of the film was shot in Austin and featured a couple of Austin bands, a performance was set up in the courtyard at Galaxy Highland. Local bands Joker and The Daze performed outdoors as folks waited to be ushered in for the screening. In the film, the members of Joker played the backing band for one of the main characters, and The Daze were seen as themselves in the "Bandslam" battle of the bands competition. Check out a photo of Joker after the jump:

Quick Snaps: The Daze at 'Bandslam'

The Daze by Debbie Cerda

Bandslam premiered in Austin Tuesday evening, and moviegoers were treated to live performances by two local bands featured in the film's battle of the bands competition. We'll have more on this special screening soon, including an interview with members of The Daze and local radio personality Bobby Bones from 96.7 KISS FM, who also played a small role in Bandslam.

[Photo Credit: (L-R) On the Red Carpet with The Daze members Chris Ritchie, Aaron Lemke, Evan Butts by Debbie Cerda]

Lebowski Fest returns to Austin in October

in

Bowling, Costumes, Trivia, What-Have-You, by slight on FlickrIt is time for me to confess that I think all the men in The Big Lebowski are sexy. There's Jesus Quintana, with his tight-fitting coveralls and the tongue action before he throws his bowling ball, Steve Buscemi with his quirky expression, and of course the the Dude himself with his virile sperm. Although John Goodman's character Walter is a bit less desirable, I have had a secret crush on him since I first saw him in True Stories. Therefore I am always excited when The Big Lebowski screens in Austin, especially if it involves white russians and bowling.

Lebowski Fest has hit the road for a tour of 15 cities across America, with the final stop in Austin, Texas on October 9-10. The first night of the local fest will include a movie party with special guests and a screening of The Big Lebowski at Stubb's Amphitheatre. The second night features a bowling party at Highland Lanes that will include costumes, trivia and other contests.

More details from the Lebowski Fest website:

Alamo Simulcasting Michael Jackson Memorial Services

in

The Alamo love for Michael Jackson continues, with a special, free simulcast of the Michael Jackson memorial services on Tuesday (today) at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar. Admission is free, but you can reserve a seat by purchasing a $5 food and beverage voucher. Seating begins at 11 am, and the service begins at noon.

World Horror Convention Will Hit Austin in 2011

in

Joe R. Lansdale, by biokill on FlickrFor all of you horror fans who just can't get enough during Fantastic Fest:

The World Horror Society has named Austin, Texas as the location for the 2011 World Horror Convention (WHC). The international gathering of horror's brightest talents and their fans will take place from April 28 through May 1, 2011. Does it help that Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in the world?

"Texas has a long history of strange fiction, serving as home to such luminaries as Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, and Joe R. Lansdale," says Convention Co-Chair Nate Southard in a press release posted to his website. "Bringing the World Horror Convention to Austin is a natural. It's a vibrant city with a taste for the eccentric and a love of the arts. Further, its central, southern location makes it convenient for travelers throughout the US, and visitors from abroad will have no trouble reaching us either."

WHC 2011 has confirmed author Sarah Langan as its first guest of honor. Ms. Langan's latest novel Audrey's Door will be released in late 2009 and has already been optioned by The Weinstein Company for film.

Two other guests of honor have been announced this week: authors Brian Keene and Joe R. Lansdale (pictured at right). You might recall that Bubba Ho-tep, filmed in Texas, was based on one of Lansdale's short stories.

Upcoming Movie Events at Paramount

in

The State and the Paramount

You probably already know about the Paramount's Summer Film Series. Maybe you rushed over there to catch Breakfast at Tiffany's (bleah) or The Awful Truth (woo-hoo). However, you might not be aware -- I wasn't -- that the Paramount also has planned special events around some of the movies they're showing.

For example, Singin' in the Rain and An American in Paris are double-billed at the theater this weekend. Between the two screenings on Saturday, the Paramount will host live "vaudeville-style performances" from Schave and Reilly.

And next Friday, June 26, the theater is hosting a The Big Lebowski-themed downtown scavenger hunt before showing the movie as a double-feature with Fargo. You can buy a ticket through the Paramount website that gets you into the scavenger hunt and both movies, as well as a free soda and popcorn.

Unfortunately, the Paramount website doesn't seem to have a separate section where all the film-related special events are listed. The event info is included with the descriptions for the appropriate films on the website ... or you can sift through the printed/PDF full calendar. To make it easier to find out about these little extras, we'll post an update at the end of this month that lists the special events for July, such as an egg-eating contest before Cool Hand Luke.

[Photo credit: "The State and the Paramount" by Jette Kernion]

Splash Party Movie Nights at Deep Eddy Start This Weekend

in

Deep Eddy by Portal and Friends on FlickrOn Saturday, the Splash Party Movie Nights return to Deep Eddy Pool, just in time to cool off from the triple-digit temps predicted for this week.

The series runs every Saturday excluding Independence Day through the first weekend in August, starting at dusk. You can chill in the spring-fed pool, picnic on the lawn, and buy snacks from the refreshment stand.

The lineup includes six family-friendly movies:

  • The Tale of Despereaux: June 20
  • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (the only PG-13 film): June 27
  • Madagascar 2: July 11
  • Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3-D: July 18
  • Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: July 25
  • Kung Fu Panda: August 1

You might note that some of these same titles are playing at other kid-friendly summer film series around town, and Willy Wonka is also featured at a special rooftop screening at Whole Foods on Friday. So you have options when it comes to venues. In this heat, having the water to cool off in while getting your film geek on seems like a good option.

The movie nights are covered under the regular pool entrance fee, which varies from $1-3 and does not include parking fees. Call 472-8546 for more information.

[Photo credit: "Deep Eddy" by Portal and Friends. Found on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.]

'Night of the Creeps' Night

Night of the Creeps at Alamo Ritz

Austin's horror fans were either at Alamo Ritz Saturday night, or lamenting how quickly the tickets sold out for a special screening of Night of the Creeps, celebrating its pending release on DVD on October 19. If you weren't there, you missed a great screening, worth even having to wade through crowds of motorcycle enthusiasts and hundreds of bikes revving loudly all night long.

Old-time Alamogoers would've easily noticed a welcome difference from the old location; no external sound bleed at all. Walking to the Alamo, I was nearly deafened by the sound on the streets. Even some of the motorcycle attendees themselves were covering their ears as they walked down Sixth Street. In the bigger theater at the Alamo Ritz, it was a different world.

'The Sheik' Leads New HRC Series

in

Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, by rherring on FlickrThanks to the Harry Ransom Center, we'll have even more free summer movies to choose from in Austin. The Orientalist Silents Film Series is part of an HRC exhibit called "The Persian Sensation: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam in the West" that will run through August 2. The exhibit is also free -- and is open right before the screenings in case you want some context and culture.

The Orientalists Silents series begins this Thursday at 7 pm with the notorious Rudolph Valentino film The Sheik from 1921. The HRC theater isn't large, so get there early if you want a seat.

The film series will continue on June 25 with The Thief of Bagdad, the 1924 version that stars Douglas Fairbanks. And on July 23, you can see the 1926 German silent The Adventures of Prince Achmed, one of the first animated feature films, based on the Arabian Nights stories.

Syndicate content