Comments on: Talkin’ About the Midnight Ramble at Facets

By: Brian Elza

Brian Elza — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:17:08 +0000

Suzi, thank you for your punchy article and thanks to everyone else for your comments. EXORCIST III is a wonderful idea for a midnight movie, but there might be some logistical problems–mainly, a theater full of people too afraid to walk, drive, or transit home at 3AM. “Is that headless statue of Christ going to replace all of my organs with rosaries!?!? Oh, nevermind, just a normal headless statue of Christ.”

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:58:33 +0000

This is wonderful idea that Facets has made a reality. I wish this was happening in Atlanta. How I would love to see CEMETERY MAN again on the big screen. A truly unique, one-of-a-kind horror fantasy, mixing poetry, black humor and the grotesque in equal measures. THE ENTITY, which you wrote about a while ago, is truly disturbing but also superior exploitation cinema. And HAXAN with a thrash metal live score sounds like fun though I’m also fond of the version with William Burroughs’ acerbic mid-western drawl on the commentary.

By: Lisa Wright

Lisa Wright — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:41:19 +0000

Offering knowledgeable commentary before and Q and A discussion after the Night School films for $5 is a total STEAL and I applaud you and Facets for doing it. I loved Night of the Hunter, but after seeing it on the big screen, hearing your words and the comments of others, really made it twice as enjoyable as there was so much more to it that I simply couldn’t have gotten on my own. Yay for Facets realizing all the talent they have at their fingertips and letting them run with what they have to offer. The Facets Night School is a gem and as soon as word really gets out, you’ll have standing room only crowds, midnight or not! PS Please squeeze me in when I show up, okay?!

By: thewaterfox

thewaterfox — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:39:48 +0000

well done suzidoll. i agree, it is too bad that we don’t live in Chicago. Your up front and personal descriptions just make the film going community a little closer.. and in these challenging times its nice to feel that there is a place for you even if it is after midnight. one night i had a “class” for all my students… and had a fairly famous film critic whose name I will protect, select four movies to watch all night long. he came and introduced them and made it through the beginning of the third,
movies all night” was a big hit with the students who had never seen- the producers, one eyed jacks, etc….. way to go.

By: John

John — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:14:10 +0000

I couldn’t agree with you more, Susan. I think a huge weakness in the modern movie (besides Hollywood’s insistence of quantity over quality) is that they usually tell you everything you need to know instead of showing you what you need to see so you can figure the rest out. Most viewers today are so used to this style, that understanding what older movies are saying and doing is too tough to figure out. After your excellent presentation before “Night of the Hunter” I was more aware of what to look for in the film. I also appreciated the style of the Charles Laughton and noticed all of the dichotomies he used. The Q&A afterwards is also a good way to “debrief” and pick up on a few things that other people noticed. I certainly learned more and had a better time in 3 hours at Facets than I would have in a month of Fridays for Hollywood opening nights. Facets is putting quality over quantity, and I look forward to more this summer.

By: cinemal

cinemal — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:41:37 +0000

I attended a couple of these midnight showings, and had a great time at them. There’s something about the midnight screening which make people more receptive to the original and creative efforts of the film world (maybe it’s how the late hour puts you literally closer to the “dream state” that films have often been compared to). And I thought the non-standard viewing hour and introductory lecture were really effective at inducing interesting new ways to viewing the films, such that films I already considered classics like “Street Trash” and “Night of the Hunter” became even more enjoyable (and the post-film discussions raised even more novel points on the movies shown). Finally, the hijinks were inspired – my first viewing was for “Street Trash”, and the live-action splatterpunk nicely revved the audience up for hilarious, messy insanity the movie was about to present.

I’m looking forward to the next batch of midnight movies, and I can’t recommend enough “Cemetery Man” (which I consider “early Peter Jackson gets surreal”) and “The Story Of Ricky-O” (you kind of have to retire using the term “over the top” once you’ve seen it). As for the upcoming Halloween session, I’d suggest Brad Anderson’s “Session 9″, the vastly underrated “Exorcist III”, Jack Sholder’s “The Hidden” (Best. Alien. Ever.), and you *have* to fit in some David Lynch in there, somewhere!

Nicely done, Suzi and the rest of the Facets Crew -

By: Eric P

Eric P — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:13:27 +0000

Seance on a Wet Afternoon is probably my favorite horror movie ever, and I get the feeling that it isn’t as well known as it should be. But then we all get that way about our favorites.

Unfortunately age has caught up to me and I can’t really make it to midnight showings, something that puts me at a bit of a disadvantage to enjoy many showings of cult classics here in NYC, but I feel would make me doubly regret not being able to see some of the Facets lectures.

By: Medusa

Medusa — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:11:39 +0000

I tell you what I like best — your very affordable $5 ticket price! IMHO, I think no movie, anytime, should cost more than that. It is tragic that people throw hard-earned big bucks away on tickets for crap — as you noted — and expect so little. You guys are doing it right! Congrats!

Don’t be surprised if there’s a rush of new Chicago residents after they read about your terrific film offerings!

What fun!