Special Screening

Alamo Village has started showing "digital packages" of Universal films on its spiffy 4K digital screens. This week, the theater has a restored version of the 1978 John Landis comedy Animal House, a great movie to watch with a crowd. Have you seen our photos of Tim Matheson and Bruce McGill reunited at last month's Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards?

The Highball is hosting a concert with MC Frontalot later this month, and in preparation, Alamo Drafthouse is showing the 2008 documentary about the musician, Nerdcore Rising. It's a fun look at the "nerdcore" genre of hip-hop. Read my review of the film from SXSW 2008 for more details. Hey, it's free.

I have to say that Forbidden Zone is the most bizarre-yet-entertaining film I have ever seen ... or at least it was the first truly strange cult movie I ever saw, and those things stick with you. The 1982 film was directed by Richard Elfman and the cast includes Susan Tyrrell, Herve Villechaize and Danny Elfman (as Satan). Here's an article I wrote the last time the movie played in Austin.

Actress/artist Susan Tyrrell will be at the screening. In addition, you can buy a slightly pricier ticket that also gets you into an afterparty and art show at The Highball, featuring Tyrrell's erotic paintings and music from The Octopus Project.

Watch the 2002 documentary Spellbound, about children preparing for the National Spelling Bee. You also can participate in a quick spelling bee yourself, and enjoy spelling-themed food specials (yeah, I wonder what those might be too). Proceeds from the event benefit the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas.

As the Austin Chronicle listing reads: "It's the height of irony for this film to be screening in the very same theatre whose shutdown it documents." Austin filmmaker Kyle Henry made the 1999 documentary University, Inc. about the Texas Union Film Program, which was shut down more than 10 years ago in a manner very similar to the way we're seeing the Cactus Cafe and Union Informal Classes being discontinued now. For more details, check out this interview with Henry from Kimberley Jones at the Austin Chronicle.

The screening is open to the public and admission is free. Interestingly enough, there is no listing for it on the Texas Union event calendar.

A 35mm print of George Miller's 1981 film The Road Warrior, aka Mad Max 2, is screening at Alamo Ritz. Return to the days when Mel Gibson was young and attractive and didn't say much.

A 35mm print of George Miller's 1981 film The Road Warrior, aka Mad Max 2, is screening at Alamo Ritz. Return to the days when Mel Gibson was young and attractive and didn't say much.

A 35mm print of George Miller's 1981 film The Road Warrior, aka Mad Max 2, is screening at Alamo Ritz. Return to the days when Mel Gibson was young and attractive and didn't say much.

Alamo has an encore screening of James Whale's 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein, the Cinema Club selection for March.

Austin filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner (Goliath) will screen some of their short films. Fiddlestixx, Foxy and the Weight of the World and Flotsam/Jetsam are mentioned. However, the Alamo description also notes "Additional surprises to be included!" And with the Zellners, that could mean anything. You've been warned.