The Chicago Cinema Society is proud to present an exclusive weekend of screenings of the newly-remastered DCP of Ron Howard’s 1980s Fantasy classic Willow March 2nd, 3rd and 4th! 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of this family favorite, and Lucasfilm is celebrating with a new Blu-ray release and limited engagement screenings of this newly remastered version of the film.
Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) is a simple Nelwyn farmer who finds himself in the middle of a struggle for the future of his world when he is chosen to protect the infant Elora Danan. Elora has a peculiar birthmark that, according to legend, is the mark of the one who will bring an end to the reign of the evil witch-queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). Willow joins forces with wandering rogue Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and the two head for Bavmorda’s castle, encountering magic, monsters, and Bavmorda’s beautiful but dangerous daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) along the way. Packed with action and groundbreaking special effects, Willow is presented in a new digital restoration from Lucasfilm created for the film’s 25th anniversary!
The Chicago Cinema Society is proud to present the CHICAGO PREMIERE of Vanishing Waves, the film that swept the Fantastic Fest 2012 awards, winning: Best Picture, Best Director (Kristina Buozyte), Best Screenplay (Bruno Samper, Kristina Buozyte) and Best Actress (Jurga Jutaite).
“A bold, visionary work of science fiction cinema that recalls the genre in its cerebral 1960s and ’70s golden age, just as it simultaneously forges new territory with its unique fusion of emotional melodrama and hallucinatory widescreen spectacle, Vanishing Waves is one of the most accomplished and distinctive European films in recent memory. The second solo feature from Lithuanian director Kristina Buozyte, following her acclaimed 2008 debut The Collectress, the 2012 production Vanishing Waves confirms Buozyte as a major young talent whose frequently breathtaking visual and technical gifts are thankfully also matched by her interest in complex characterizations, adventurous narratives, and challenging themes.
Her new film is a science fiction romance that is equally occupied by the erotic as well as the fantastic. Lukas (Marius Jampolskis) is assisting a scientific research team by functioning as a patient in a series of heavily monitored (and medicated) sensory deprivation experiments wherein he is attempting to make some form of contact with the subject, Aurora (Jurga Jutaite), a young woman who has been locked in a comatose state for some time. Doctors initially hope for just a vague reaffirmation of consciousness, but the experiment takes an unexpected twist when Lukas and Aurora actually develop a strong psychic link in their mutually altered forms of consciousness…and their link quickly evolves into a romantic, sexually charged relationship. As Lukas hides this data from his researchers, he and Aurora meet secretly and passionately in a series of surreal dreamscapes created by their collective minds, but their union is tragically doomed to collapse around them. Exploring the tantalizing possibilities of forming a true, all-encompassing bond with one’s lover, Vanishing Waves is hypnotic, erotic, wholly engrossing, and wildly thought-provoking cinema that transcends any perceived limitations of the science fiction genre, becoming one of the year’s most provocative films in the process.”
Critical response has been overwhelmingly positive during the film’s hit festival run:
“…an exquisite sci-fi head trip in the vein of Solaris and 2001: A Space Odyssey, one which takes pleasure in ideas and exploration rather than cheap thrills. As a bonus, it’s also sexier than either of those movies.” – Brian Clark, Twitch
“The first important science-fiction film of this decade…. Do what you can to not miss it.” – Charles Mudede, The Stranger
Grade: A-. “Both disturbingly surreal and hauntingly beautiful…” – Eric Kohn, Indiewire
Grade: A-. “…a powerful, moving, challenging, and brilliant exploration of love’s origins and power to endure.” – Matt Goldberg, Collider
Vanishing Waves has also won the “Silver Melies” at the Lund International Fantastic Film Festival, the “Jury Special Mention” at the 47th Karlovy Vary Film festival, the “Jury Award” at the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival, The “Jury Award” at the Palic International Film Festival and the “Emeric Pressburger Prize” at the 9th Jameson CineFest in Hungary.
Vanishing Waves will be playing Friday, March 30th at 10 p.m. and Monday, April 1st at 7:30 p.m. Stay tuned for more information on these screening dates coming soon, and check out the (somewhat NSFW) trailer below:
The Chicago Cinema Society is proud to present the CHICAGO PREMIERE of writer/director Rebecca Daly’s feature film debut The Other Side of Sleep! This haunting, understated drama features Antonia Campell Hughes in a quietly powerful lead performance.
“Arlene (Hughes) is a ghost in her own life. She lives in a small town in the midlands – surrounded by field after field, woodlands and laneways to disappear down and never come back. One morning she wakes in the woods beside the body of a young woman. Someone watches from the trees. The body is soon discovered and suspicion spreads through the community. Increasingly drawn to the girl’s family – her grieving sister and accused boyfriend, Arlene barricades herself in at night, afraid to sleep. Haunted by grief buried and delayed, Arlene’s sleeping and waking realities soon blur. And all this time someone is watching her.”
“Flirts with dreams and reality; under-stated yet powerfully etched.” – Fionnuala Halligan, Screen Daily
“A hazy sort of fever dream… a very promising debut for Daly.” – Todd Brown, Twitch
“Highly atmospheric… The Other Side of Sleep takes us to some very dark places indeed.” – Noel Megahey, The Digital Fix
The Other Side of Sleep will play at the Patio Friday, March 1st at 10 p.m. and Saturday, March 2nd at 3 p.m.
The Chicago Cinema Society is incredibly proud to be able to host two screenings of the incredibly underrated DRAGON (aka: Wu Xia) at The Patio Theater! This was easily one of our favorite new martial arts films of last year starring DONNIE YEN and, one of our absolute favs, JIMMY WANG YU giving an amazingly dark performance unlike you have ever seen from him. Check out what VARIETY had to say on DRAGON:
“The repressed return with a vengeance in “Wu xia,” a satisfyingly sinewy fusion of martial-arts actioner and brain-tickling noir from busy producer-director Peter Ho-sun Chan. Channeling David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” by way of 1917 China, this clever if over-amped thriller tackles themes of identity, honor and the latent killer instinct with a playful spirit that’s never at odds with its underlying seriousness. Pleasurable pairing of Donnie Yen’s stoic heroics and Takeshi Kaneshiro’s droll detection should woo local audiences”
The Chicago Cinema Society is super excited to announce that we will also be collaborating with the stunningly beautiful Patio Theater! We will elaborate more on our collaboration a lot more in the near future. We are happy to announce our first screening with the Patio Theater SOUND CITY which is directed by Dave Grohl.
Multitalented musician Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana fronts a mission to resurrect the rapidly vanishing human touch behind the creation of music. When Sound City, a fabled recording studio, opened in 1969, it boasted a one-of-a kind recording console. Tucked away behind train tracks and dilapidated warehouses in the sunburnt San Fernando Valley, Sound City became rock ’n’ roll hallowed ground where music’s megastars captured their magic on analog tape for three decades.
The advent of the digital age ultimately sounded the death knell of Sound City. Grohl cobbles together a troupe of iconic musicians and singers who once called the studio home. Stevie Nicks, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Rick Springfield, and Paul McCartney are just some of the legends who jam with Grohl and create a brand-new album on that revered soundboard. Fasten your seat belts. SOUND CITY, Grohl’s outstanding filmmaking debut, rocks the silver screen, not only unearthing music history but making it as well.
THE 36TH CHAMBER OF THE SHAOLIN (Dir. Liu Chia-Liang, 1978, subtitled)
THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (Dir. Chang Cheh, 1979, dubbed)
COLD STEEL (CHICAGO PREMIERE, Dir. David Wu, 2012, subtitled)
The Chicago Cinema Society is incredibly proud to be screening two classic Kung Fu features that we love dearly along with the Chicago premiere of a wonderful new feature by the great David Wu (editor of a number of Shaw Brothers and John Woo films). All three features will be screened at The Portage Theater on Saturday, February 23rd. Let us get to the specifics shall we?
THE 36TH CHAMBER OF THE SHAOLIN (Dir. Liu Chia-Liang, 1978, subtitled)
A timeless kung fu classic! Widely considered to be one of the greatest kung fu films of all time and undoubtedly one of the most influential upon the genre. Before films like ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ and ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ showed critics that martial arts films deserve serious examination, the works of Chang Cheh and Liu Chia Liang were impressing arthouse audiences throughout the 70s. Importantly though, neither director rested solely on the reputation of one film; both are responsible for a numerous landmark productions. Liu Chia Liang’s ‘The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin’ is one such important cinematic classic and remains influential not just in Hong Kong film-making, but also globally.
During a time when Manchu forces are oppressing the people of China to an overwhelming degree, a few rebels attempt to stand up to their rulers. With this resistance appearing in small, disorganised pockets though, these moments of insurgence are quickly extinguished. Liu Yu Te (Liu Chia Hui) observes the actions of this vicious regime, but feels he cannot contribute to the patriotic attempts and therefore decides to continue his study unaffected. When his teacher incites the pupils of the school to make a stand against their oppressors, Liu suddenly feels the courage to play his part in the minimal underground movement. It’s not long before the Manchu officials of the town discover this and, with swift action, they kill Liu’s teacher and father. The naive young student is forced to flee town and after a severe beating at the hands of some patrolling fighters, seeks shelter at the Shaolin temple. Liu gradually recovers from his wounds and begins to notice the regimented kung fu training that the monks engage in. After initial reluctance from the Shaolin abbots, he is accepted as a new trainee and starts at the very first chamber of Shaolin. All are amazed at his rapid progress through the 35 chambers and soon after his fighting ability reaches an impressive level. Overcoming one final hurdle before his graduation from the Shaolin training system, Liu – now dubbed San Te by his fellow monks – asks for a 36th chamber to be created to develop fighters in their battles against the Manchus. This revolutionary proposal sees San Te ejected from Shaolin temple and he now travels to his home town to see what has happened since his exit. Now face-to-face with his old enemies, San Te decides to strike a blow for the innocent and organise his own rebels against the villainous masses.
http://youtu.be/WtLgcnIGI2I
THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (Dir. Chang Cheh, 1979, dubbed)
We here at the Chicago Cinema Society have great love for the 20+ “VENOM MOB” films. The Venom films contain to this very day the highest quality martial arts choreography to have ever been committed to film. The Venom actors were the main choreographers in all of their films, highly skilled Chinese weapon experts, excellent actors and excellent acrobats. The Five Venoms are:
We inserted links to their respective facebook pages that Chicago Cinema Society moderates for more info. THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM is one of the very few Venom films where all six Venom actors are present within a single film. Typically Wei Pai is absent from most of the Venom films only appearing in maybe 3-4 of the 20+ films. All other Venom films have at least 4 of the remaining Venoms if not all five. Check out the wonderful intro:
After he’s given the task of transporting a highly sought after cargo of gold to a famine struck area of China, Yang Yu Heng (Sun Chien) gathers together a powerful team to ensure that the mission is successful. Among the hired hands are laconic swordsman Li (Wei Pei) and his devoted girlfriend, wise-cracking axemen Yen and Feng, and the mellow drunken master Hai To (Kuo Chui). As the journey begins, the main threat to the gold becomes apparent in the shape of the the notorious Chi Sah bandit gang. Within this opposing band are formidable foes such as Brass Head, Silver Spear and the renowned Kid With The Golden Arm (Lo Meng). During the numerous encounters between the two sides, sizeable numbers of both sides are waylaid and the heroes in particular find themselves under severe threat. Nonetheless, Hai To continues to support his associates in his own inimitable way, downing large jars of wine as he does so. However, a new threat is rumoured in the shape of the mysterious Iron Feet who is also known to be interested in the cargo. The question on everyone’s lips, though, is who is Iron Feet? It’s left to Hai To to find the answer to this perplexing mystery.
COLD STEEL (CHICAGO PREMIERE, Dir. David Wu, 2012, 35mm, subtitled)
Bullets show no mercy! War has ravaged China and chaos has reigned in many parts. An elite group of snipers have been assembled to take out enemies and traitors. Mu (Peter Ho), a rather young and naïve hunter, has been drafted to be part of the 204th unit after heroically shooting down enemies during an ambush. Squad leader Zhang (Tony Leung) welcomes him into the brotherhood by assigning him his first official mission. His task is to join the team in taking out four enemy generals and a handful of Chinese traitors. Mu’s recklessness and soft heart begin to cloud his judgment, and even diminish his abilities – as the best snipers need to be emotionally detached. Meanwhile, General Masaya sends some of his best sharp-shooters to retaliate. Whose bullets will speak louder?
Lock and load! Frequent John Woo collaborator David Wu returns with a vengeance and directs one of the most dynamic war films in years. Wu hits bulls-eye after bulls-eye with fast and furious gunfire action with a heavy dose of the kinetic energy from the best 80s Hong Kong action that will undoubtedly kick your adrenaline gland into overdrive. Based on the famous and popular online Chinese novel, Wu improves upon original material with more humor and excitement. Wu is one of the most influential action editors for 40 years starting with Chang Cheh and Lau Kar Leung at Shaw Brothers to Tsui Hark, Ronny Yu and of course John Woo (A BETTER TOMORROW, HARD BOILED) is back to assault action cinema. Newcomer actor Peter Ho (upcoming MONKEY KING) brings a breath of fresh air as a leading actor to look forward to in the future, he keeps his performance intense yet funny and charismatic. (King-Wei Chu, Fantasia International Film Festival)
http://youtu.be/hK6vzpAWqfc
Also we will screen a number of interesting, rare and out of control trailers from the Chicago Cinema Society Film Archive before each film. Again, this will be at:
Hope to see you all there for maybe your last chance to ever be able to see these films in the manner film was meant to be viewed: light passing through celluloid onto the silver screen. If you wish to see more rare 35mm prints, of which we have many lined up, please come out and support both us and the Portage Theater.
The Chicago Cinema Society, in partnership with our lovely friends at the Logan Theatre, will be presenting one of the most anticipated genre titles of 2013: THE ABCs OF DEATH! We will be screening ABCs for two weekends: March 8th-9th and 15th-16th.
Twenty-six directors. Twenty-six ways to die. The ABC’s OF DEATH is perhaps the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning fifteen countries and featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world’s leading talents in contemporary genre film. Inspired by children’s educational books, the motion picture is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters, each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free reign in choosing a word to create a story involving death.
Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational, THE ABC’s OF DEATH is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity. Drafthouse Films, Magnet Pictures and Timpson Films are proud to present this alphabetical arsenal of destruction orchestrated by what Fangoria calls “a stunning roll call of some of the most exciting names in horror across the world.”
The directors, along with previous projects, are:
Kaare Andrews (Dir of ALTITUDE. Also a comic book writer and artist)
Simon Barrett (Writer of YOU’RE NEXT, A HORRIBLE WAY TO DAY, V/H/S)
Angela Bettis (Dir of ROMAN. Actress in MAY, THE WOMAN, CARRIE (2002))
Adrián García Bogliano (Dir of PENUMBRA , COLD SWEAT)
Hélène Cattet (Dir of AMER)
Jason Eisener (Dir of HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN)
Ernesto Díaz Espinoza (Dir of MIRAGEMAN, MANDRILL)
Bruno Forzani (Dir of AMER)
Xavier Gens (Dir of HITMAN, FRONTIERE(S), THE DIVIDE)
Jorge Michel Grau (Dir of WE ARE WHAT WE ARE)
Lee Hardcastle (Winner of the 26th director competition for “T is for Toilet”)
Noburo Iguchi (Dir of THE MACHINE GIRL, ROBOGEISHA, KARATE ROBO ZABORGAR, ZOMBIE ASS)
Thomas Cappelen Malling (Dir of NORWEIGIAN NINJA)
Anders Morgenthaler (Dir of PRINCESS, THE APPLE & THE WORM)
Yoshihiro Nishimura (Dir of TOKYO GORE POLICE, MEATBALL MACHINE, HELLDRIVER)
Banjong Pisanthanakun (Dir of SHUTTER, ALONE, 4BIA)
Simon Rumley (Dir of RED, WHITE & BLUE; THE LIVING AND THE DEAD)
Marcel Sarmiento (Dir of DEADGIRL)
Jon Schnepp (Dir of METALOCALYPSE)
Srdjan Spasojevic (Dir of A SERBIAN FILM)
Timo Tjahjanto (Dir of MACABRE)
Andrew Traucki (Dir of THE REEF, BLACK WATER)
Nacho Vigalondo (Dir of TIMECRIMES, EXTRATERRESTRIAL)
Jake West (Dir of DOGHOUSE, RAZOR BLADE SMILE, EVIL ALIENS)
Ti West (Dir of HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, THE INNKEEPERS, V/H/S)
Ben Wheatley (Dir of KILL LIST, DOWN TERRACE)
Adam Wingard (Dir of YOU’RE NEXT, POP SKULL, A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE, V/H/S)
OCTOBER 25TH at the PORTAGE THEATER for only $5.00!
XTRO HAS RETURNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Chicago Cinema Society has been searching the entire planet for a 35mm print of a film that has long thought to be lost on celluloid. We never ever gave up and finally found, literally on the other side of the planet earth, the only known 35mm print of XTRO! This is an amazingly imaginative and innovative masterpiece of horror, sci-fi and existentialist cinema. How does one even sum up the plot of XTRO? With one simple word . . . . . . . . GENIUS! The film focuses on a young boy who witnesses his father being abducted by a light from the sky. Three years later, that light returns and plants a seed in the ground. That seed grows into a horrible creature. That creature then impregnates a woman. That woman then gives birth to a fully-formed version of the father, just as we last saw him. And that’s just the set-up! This will be your only opportunity to see the masterpiece in 35mm which is making a very brief trip to this continent.
We will also be screening a very rare 35mm print of one of the best Heavy Metal horror films ever made: TRICK OR TREAT! Made in 1986 in the era of the PMRC’s “crusade” against heavy metal, TRICK OR TREAT is the beautiful story of Eddie Weinbauer (played by Skippy of the show Family Ties) a teenager enthralled with heavy metal sorcery. After Eddie’s rock star idol Sammi Curr dies in a hotel fire, he plays one of Sammi’s albums backwards and discovers a bizzare message. Even more surprising is that playing the album backwards invokes the rock star’s spirit to enact revenge. This film also has wonderful supporting roles by GENE SIMMONS and OZZY OSBOURNE which are not to be missed. This might be your only opportunity, especially in the age of digital, to ever see TRICK OR TREAT on 35mm as long as you live! Trick or Treat” print provided courtesy of our friends at the American Genre Film Archive (www.americangenrefilm.com)
DAY OF SCREENING DETAILS:
Tickets are $5.00 and are only available at the door so as to save on ticket service fees.
Here is the timeline for the event:
7:30pm: Doors open
8:00pm: XTRO
9:30pm: 10 minute intermission
9:45pm: TRICK OR TREAT
We cannot express enough how excited we are about this double feature!!! See you on October 25th!!!!
Any day now we will be making an announcement that we have been dying to make for months! The Chicago Cinema Society has found and will be screening an ultra rare 35mm print of one of the most incredible 80s horror/sci-fi films ever made! This print might possibly be the only surviving print of this film on the planet earth. Near Halloween, a life-changing cinematic experience like none other awaits you! Stay tuned for details!
THE SHIP OF MONSTERS: We are excited to announce that we will be screening a brand new DCP for THE SHIP OF MONSTERS as part of our upcoming event: The Morbido Crypt’s Guide to Mexican Fantasy and Horror Cinema on March 28th! Thanks to Fundación Televisa for their support!
We are super excited to be collaborating with our wonderful and marvelous friends over at Miskatonic Institute to bring to Chicago one of our favorite human beings, Abraham Castilo Flores, to Chicago for his amazing presentation: THE MORBIDO GUIDE TO MEXICAN HORROR! Be there!
FILMMAKERS! We are working with our friends over at The Windy City Horrorama to bring some amazing genre films to the third annual fest this April! Submit your films! We have seen some amazing submissions so far and looking forward to seeing what you got! https://filmfreeway.com/WindyCityHorrorama
Excellent coverage of day one of The Windy City Horrorama which featured some of our favorites of the fest: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2222446847839455&id=208637469220413
