Fantastic Fest Daily Dispatch #7: Stingray Sam, Doghouse and Hipster Epidemics

Not many official films today, as the festival is winding down, at least for me.  I didn't manage to catch Yesterday as planned because a press screening started late. I can't say much about that, but I think I can say that if you like Vampire stories, you're in for a special treat for the Closing Night film.

I did manage to catch Stingray Sam after having had a nice chat over at the Highball with director/star Cory McAbee (shown at left). Chris Holland and I introduced him to the wonder that is Dublin Dr. Pepper, which the pharmacy next door stocks.  If you haven't had one, it's very good, and made with real cane sugar. Nice guy, and he looks like he should be a regular at the Highball. 

Anyway, Stingray Sam is a lot of fun, and people applauded throughout this episodic film. When I mentioned seeing the film to other festgoers, they got very excited; it seems the previous screening included the audience singing along.  I suspect the crowd I saw it with was a bit tired. Still it was fun, and with an energetic Q&A, it's a highlight of the fest, for sure.  At some point I should be posting excerpts from the Q&A.

I skipped the Avatar clips screening, which seems to be a good thing; everyone I talked to who saw it was less than enthusiastic about the film.  Instead, I saw Jake West's Doghouse, about a getaway weekend that goes very, very wrong.  I knew it was a twist on zombies, but I hadn't read up about it. Once I saw Danny Dyer (Severance) I made a mental note on survival; do not get on a tour or shuttle bus with Danny Dyer. Ever.  Solid horror comedy that plays on male fears, with individualized zombies. 

The downside is, I headed over to the Highball for the 3D Dance party. I was originally intending to make an all-nighter of it, but only stayed as long as it took the Night Owl bus to get there, but apparently it had been overrun by hipsters. he ratio was easily 6:1 if not much higher.  I know at least a dozen badgeholders who hightailed it out of there, either to see if they could get in to a midnight show, or to just go home. 

It just wasn't fun; it felt like the kind of nightclub that made me stop going out to clubs. The vibe was not at all I expected from the Highball.  I understand the drive to let the public in, but the parties are billed as Fantastic Fest parties, not public parties that badgeholders are invited to.  As a paying badgeholder, that rankles, and more than a little; I'd been at the Highball before the official start of the Sake party, and when I went up to ask about drink tickets, I was told they were "sold out" as I watched two non-badgeholders get some. 

It's frustrating, because I was really looking forward to doing more of the social side of the fest this year than I have in past years. I've already received an invite for an alternative social event tomorrow, and it won’t be at the Highball.

I doubt I'll be going to the Closing Night Party at this rate, as tickets are already on sale to the public.  With the difficulty regular badgeholders have had getting into their preferred screenings, I think there needs to be greater care in choosing who and how many outsiders are allowed into festival events like this. It doesn't help that B-Side has the party as starting at 11:55pm, but the start time for ticket purchasers is 10:00pm, so it will be overrun when badgeholders arrive. 

But I'll be getting a full night's sleep tonight, and have a few films to see tomorrow, before it's finally over for this year. 

Fantastic Fest runs through Thursday, October 1 at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar and the Paramount. Follow @fantasticfest and @slackerwood on Twitter for updates.