Chiller Weekend
Back from the Chiller Show and, as hoped, had a supercool combination of fanboy and independent filmmaker bliss. First off... the booty (bear in mind, I slipped a little on my usually rock solid, iron clad, self imposed ethical guidelines of purchasing pirated merchandise. Check my earlier posting here for how my thought process works in regards to bootleg flicks).
HEARTS OF DARKNESS - Unavailable on DVD, I bought a boot of one of the greatest documentaries I've ever seen on one of the best movies ever made. I have a VHS screening copy somehere up in the attic, but I was able to pick this up for $10. It saved me a trip up those creepy stairs.
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 2 out of 10. If/when a legit DVD of this becomes available, I WILL buy it.
JLA: UNAIRED CBS PILOT - Never released/aired. This is an unbelievably horrible pilot for a show that was thankfully never picked up. JLA, of course, stands for the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, the superhero team that includes GREEN LANTERN, THE FLASH, THE ATOM, THE MARTIAN MANHUNTER and others. This is a serious piece of crap. An unwatchable, poorly written/produced show that is deservedly reviled by the fans to whom it was aimed, and who (like me) have continued to seek it out in the convention circuit. I had to buy a copy (for $10) because the quality of the print was slightly better than those of the 3 or 4 tapes/discs I had previously bought of this terrible, terrible pilot.
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 2 out of 10. Everybody involved with this show has been paid for their services. The master is sitting on a shelf in some CBS vault, never to see the light of day. If I want to show my son how cool J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter could look in real life, I damn well won't let CBS tell me I can't.
FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN - A Czech production from 1961 that's unavailable on home video. I've always wanted to see this film, which utilizes miniatures, animations, model work, live action, and lots of other really cool production cheats to bring the Baron to life.
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 2 out of 10. Tell me who the rights owner is and I'll send them a check.
BEHIND THE MASK: The Rise of Leslie Vernon - Supposed to be a great little meta-horror flick on the making of a serial killer. I don't have a leg to stand on with the morality of this purchase. Even though I promise to purchase a legit copy of the DVD and/or pay for a ticket to a theatrical showing, it's still a:
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 10 out of 10.
MASTER OF HORROR SEASON 2 - A multidisc set of all 13 episodes of the uneven Showtime series' second season. I'd only seen one of these episodes previously (Dario Argento's PELTS... splatterific, by the way), but was really interested in checking out what the "masters" were up to this year. I don't have Showtime, but they, of course, will release DVDs of this series, so...
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 10 out of 10.
DAYWATCH - Sequel to NIGHTWATCH, an excellent Russian film released last year (and one I'm guilty of having illegally purchased last Chiller, and went on to ignore the legit release months later. One of the glaring examples of hypocrisy in my above mentioned "ethical" manifesto. I still plan on buying the NIGHTWATCH DVD, though. Seriously, I do. Very soon).
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 10 out of 10.
My other purchases included the excellent-looking Unearthed Films release of Frank Henenlotter's FRANKENHOOKER, Synapse films' 42nd STREET FOREVER trailer compilation and Brett Piper's SHOCK-O-RAMA. All legit purchases of officially released flicks.
I also WAS handed, without asking I'll have you know, a DVD screener of FRANK MILLER'S 300. I couldn't act ungracious and not accept it, so I did put my hand out and took it from the guy. No money exchanged hands, and he only gave it to me because I had purchased a good sized pile of swag from his table and he wanted to show his appreciation of my patronage.
People are asking me to make them copies of the DVD, though...
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - unknown.
************************************************************************************
As far as the weekend regarding independent filmmaking, I met several people who were both intereting just to rap with, and interesting as far as career/Glowing Screen/MAGDALENA'S BRAIN stuff went.
Most fun was had at the SYNAPSE FILMS table, where I hung out with the company's principals, Dona May, Jr and Jerry Chandler. Both were gracious guys with much in the way of advice as far as MAGDALENA'S BRAIN's distribution goes. I've had some questions in terms of the quarterly reports we've been recieving and the potential of foreign distribution, and it seems as if there's some Synaptic Synergy possible.
Also met at the Synapse table was Vincent Pereira, writer/director of the film A BETTER PLACE, and all around super guy. I've "known" Vincent through the boards over at the Mobius Home Video Forum for a couple of years now, but this was our first face to face meeting. Vincent's the type of guy whom you want to continue a relationship/dialogue with long after you first meet him. I hope I do; he's a filmmaker with a good heart and a boatload of talent.
Buddy Scott Kittredge met us down there on Saturday afternoon and was responsible for a couple of other interesting contacts/networking opportunities. First was MFX Studios, a Pennsylvania based comapny who was very forthcoming with advice regarding development of the effects needed for a the upcoming (but still unannounced) production of ATTACK OF THE SPACE CHICKENS.
(more to come)...
HEARTS OF DARKNESS - Unavailable on DVD, I bought a boot of one of the greatest documentaries I've ever seen on one of the best movies ever made. I have a VHS screening copy somehere up in the attic, but I was able to pick this up for $10. It saved me a trip up those creepy stairs.
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 2 out of 10. If/when a legit DVD of this becomes available, I WILL buy it.
JLA: UNAIRED CBS PILOT - Never released/aired. This is an unbelievably horrible pilot for a show that was thankfully never picked up. JLA, of course, stands for the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, the superhero team that includes GREEN LANTERN, THE FLASH, THE ATOM, THE MARTIAN MANHUNTER and others. This is a serious piece of crap. An unwatchable, poorly written/produced show that is deservedly reviled by the fans to whom it was aimed, and who (like me) have continued to seek it out in the convention circuit. I had to buy a copy (for $10) because the quality of the print was slightly better than those of the 3 or 4 tapes/discs I had previously bought of this terrible, terrible pilot.
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 2 out of 10. Everybody involved with this show has been paid for their services. The master is sitting on a shelf in some CBS vault, never to see the light of day. If I want to show my son how cool J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter could look in real life, I damn well won't let CBS tell me I can't.
FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN - A Czech production from 1961 that's unavailable on home video. I've always wanted to see this film, which utilizes miniatures, animations, model work, live action, and lots of other really cool production cheats to bring the Baron to life.
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 2 out of 10. Tell me who the rights owner is and I'll send them a check.
BEHIND THE MASK: The Rise of Leslie Vernon - Supposed to be a great little meta-horror flick on the making of a serial killer. I don't have a leg to stand on with the morality of this purchase. Even though I promise to purchase a legit copy of the DVD and/or pay for a ticket to a theatrical showing, it's still a:
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 10 out of 10.
MASTER OF HORROR SEASON 2 - A multidisc set of all 13 episodes of the uneven Showtime series' second season. I'd only seen one of these episodes previously (Dario Argento's PELTS... splatterific, by the way), but was really interested in checking out what the "masters" were up to this year. I don't have Showtime, but they, of course, will release DVDs of this series, so...
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 10 out of 10.
DAYWATCH - Sequel to NIGHTWATCH, an excellent Russian film released last year (and one I'm guilty of having illegally purchased last Chiller, and went on to ignore the legit release months later. One of the glaring examples of hypocrisy in my above mentioned "ethical" manifesto. I still plan on buying the NIGHTWATCH DVD, though. Seriously, I do. Very soon).
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - 10 out of 10.
My other purchases included the excellent-looking Unearthed Films release of Frank Henenlotter's FRANKENHOOKER, Synapse films' 42nd STREET FOREVER trailer compilation and Brett Piper's SHOCK-O-RAMA. All legit purchases of officially released flicks.
I also WAS handed, without asking I'll have you know, a DVD screener of FRANK MILLER'S 300. I couldn't act ungracious and not accept it, so I did put my hand out and took it from the guy. No money exchanged hands, and he only gave it to me because I had purchased a good sized pile of swag from his table and he wanted to show his appreciation of my patronage.
People are asking me to make them copies of the DVD, though...
ETHICAL CODE VIOLATION - unknown.
************************************************************************************
As far as the weekend regarding independent filmmaking, I met several people who were both intereting just to rap with, and interesting as far as career/Glowing Screen/MAGDALENA'S BRAIN stuff went.
Most fun was had at the SYNAPSE FILMS table, where I hung out with the company's principals, Dona May, Jr and Jerry Chandler. Both were gracious guys with much in the way of advice as far as MAGDALENA'S BRAIN's distribution goes. I've had some questions in terms of the quarterly reports we've been recieving and the potential of foreign distribution, and it seems as if there's some Synaptic Synergy possible.
Also met at the Synapse table was Vincent Pereira, writer/director of the film A BETTER PLACE, and all around super guy. I've "known" Vincent through the boards over at the Mobius Home Video Forum for a couple of years now, but this was our first face to face meeting. Vincent's the type of guy whom you want to continue a relationship/dialogue with long after you first meet him. I hope I do; he's a filmmaker with a good heart and a boatload of talent.
Buddy Scott Kittredge met us down there on Saturday afternoon and was responsible for a couple of other interesting contacts/networking opportunities. First was MFX Studios, a Pennsylvania based comapny who was very forthcoming with advice regarding development of the effects needed for a the upcoming (but still unannounced) production of ATTACK OF THE SPACE CHICKENS.
(more to come)...
posted by Marty at 5:36 PM
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