Music Box Theatre to Play Wim Wenders’ 3-D Documentary ANSELM beginning February 2, 2024

What We're Watching: Wim Wenders’ 3-D Documentary 

ANSELM 

Shot in 6K Resolution

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar

Music Box Theatre & Janus Films present director Wim Wenders’ 3-D documentary ANSELM, beginning February 2, 2024!!! Shot at 6K resolution and in the 3D format. the film chronicles the art of German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefe. I'll be out January 30 for a press preview, so check back soon for my full review.  

“Much as he did with his 2011 documentary, PINA, Wenders uses three dimensions in almost sculptural fashion, allowing us to take in the weight and texture of a work, or a movement.” — New York Magazine

“As unique and thought-provoking as Kiefer’s own epic works.” — The Austin Chronicle

“As Kiefer’s monumental art decays, “Anselm” can endure as his memorial.” — The Washington Post

“The director has fashioned a mesmerizing engagement with Kiefer’s art, including just enough face time with the subject to elevate the work’s immersive, bleak majesty, rather than give it an aggrandizing spin.” — Los Angeles Times

About ANSELM:

In ANSELM, Wim Wenders creates a portrait of Anselm Kiefer, one of the most innovative and important painters and sculptors of our time. Shot in 3D and 6K resolution, the film presents a cinematic experience of the artist’s work which explores human existence and the cyclical nature of history, inspired by literature, poetry, philosophy, science, mythology and religion. For over two years, Wenders traced Kiefer’s path from his native Germany to his current home in France, connecting the stages of his life to the essential places of his career that spans more than five decades.

Pricing:

Ticket prices are $11 ($8 for Music Box members). For showtimes and information, click here.

Become a member: https://www.musicboxtheatre.com/membership/become-a-member

About Music Box Theatre:

Operating since 1929, the Music Box Theatre has been the premier venue in Chicago for independent and foreign films for more than three decades, playing host to over 200,000 patrons annually. It currently has the largest theater space operated full time in the city. The Music Box Theatre is independently owned and operated by the Southport Music Box Corporation. SMBC, through its Music Box Films division, also distributes foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD, and television markets throughout the United States; and through its Music Box Direct subsidiary, operates an online streaming service offering the best of foreign and independent films.

Regular events produced, presented and hosted at Music Box Theatre include the 70mm Film Festival; the annual 24-hour horror-movie marathon Music Box of Horrors; and Noir City: Chicago, co-presented by the Film Noir Foundation.

Follow the Music Box Theatre on Facebook (www.facebook.com/musicboxchicago/), Twitter (@musicboxtheatre), and Instagram (@musicboxchicago)

MUSIC BOX OF HORRORS: SCARED STUPID Schedule for 2023

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar

A Full Month of Movie Madness, Special Guests, and Other Surprises—Saturday, October 1 to Monday, October 31, 2022—opening with an overnight, five-film FINAL DESTINATION Marathon in 35mm!!!

Tickets for all MUSIC BOX OF HORRORS: SCARED STUPID events, presented by Shudder, are ON SALE NOW Here: https://musicboxtheatre.com/series-and-festivals/music-box-of-horrors-scared-stupid.

Music Box of Horrors 2022 24-Hour Movie Marathon, presented by Shudder includes screenings of BLADE, HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II, IDLE HANDS, and ERNEST SCARED STUPID. Passes and other announced titles in the marathon can be found here: https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/music-box-of-horrors-2022.

The Music Box of Horrors team has brought genre fans 143 feature films each October since 2020 (but who’s counting?). For its third supersized installment, the team is getting Scared Stupid! In honor of the bimbos, himbos, and thembos who are taking over pop culture in 2022, we’re bringing you 31 nights of horror films that range from the refined to the ridiculous. Kicking off with a FINAL DESTINATION marathon and ending with a 35mm screening of Rob Zombie’s HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, this year’s lineup features The Ninth Circle—a sidebar of transgressive underground films guaranteed to shake the most jaded horror fan—plus vampires, a Sex Demon, Yokai Monsters, succubi, slashers, zombies, killer cars, Lindsay Lohan, and more.

With mind-melting visuals and high body counts, this year’s lineup is perfectly in line with the Music Box’s eclectic taste in horror offerings and events—a combination of audience favorites and rarely screened titles, specialized intros, and of course, some surprises.

For tickets, information, and the full schedule, please click here: https://musicboxtheatre.com/series-and-festivals/music-box-of-horrors-scared-stupid.

Full Lineup for MUSIC BOX OF HORRORS: SCARED STUPID

FINAL DESTINATION Marathon: All 5 films on 35mm! (Saturday, October 1)

FINAL DESTINATION began as an X-Files spec script, before morphing into a feature film for New Line Cinema that starred some of the biggest young actors of the time, including Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, an up-and-coming Seann William Scott, and the legendary Tony Todd. And whether or not critics of the time agreed, the premise of an unseen, unstoppable force stalking and killing teenagers (and adults) in gruesome & inventive ways took hold with audiences. What better way to escape from the real life hellscape of modern-day existence than joining your fellow death-loving maniacs for a 5-film, 35mm marathon reminding you why you’re still deeply terrified of flights to Paris, logging trucks on the highway, pool drains, roller coasters, and tanning beds?

The 35mm print of Final Destination 3 courtesy of the Sundance Collection at the UCLA Film &Television Archive.

THE NINTH CIRCLE

Where does the obsessive horror viewer turn when everything begins to feel the same? When every story feels unoriginal, every kill uninspired, every beat predictable, and every denouement lifeless and uninspiring? The only answer lies in the deepest netherworld of Hell. When the mainstream and the alternative fail you, you must turn to the underground: The outsiders. The pariahs. Those willing to die for their art. The rejects of society who birth unholy, transcendent, aberrant abominations of pure, uncut creation, uninhibited by any puritanical or societal chains designed to create braindead consumers out of the human race.

With this in mind, we invite you to join us in The Ninth Circle of Hell, a four-film exploration of stunning trash, degenerate transgression, and innovation determined to challenge everything the powers that be want you to blindly worship. From borderline-arthouse 16mm masterpieces to backyard, family-made SOV films so inept they become sublime magnum opuses, this series is for those who need to be reminded that there’s always more to discover—and always another true weirdo out there to renew your faith in existence.

964 PINOCCHIO (Monday, October 10)

Dir. Shôjin Fukui, 1991, 97 min

964 PINOCCHIO is the story of an impotent sex slave thrown away onto the streets and a memory-wiped girl on a journey to understand where and why they came from, and how they can exist in the brutal hellscape they encounter at every turn. Directed by Shôjin Fukui (RUBBER’S LOVER), 964 PINOCCHIO is a challenging experience. But those willing to take the journey will find something singular and shockingly prescient. It’s a cyberpunk body-horror aggro-tone poem of a film, relentlessly raging against a world ready to objectify and ultimately throw away anyone deemed monetarily useless. Fueled by an unstoppable industrial soundtrack, astonishing cinematography, a seemingly endless onslaught of grunts, screams, and vomit, and horrifyingly committed central performances, the film is full of surprising beauty, visceral filth, and anger that never lets up.

FUCK THE DEVIL / FUCK THE DEVIL 2: RETURN OF THE FUCKER (Tuesday, October 25)

Dir. Michael Pollklesener, 1990/1991, 60 min (combined)

Co-presented by Lunchmeat & Strange Tapes

Preceded by a custom VHS mixtape from Strange Tapes

Exploding out of the German horror underground, FUCK THE DEVIL (1990) + FUCK THE DEVIL 2: RETURN OF THE FUCKER (1991) are cinematic equivalents of DIY comic books that were made by a teenage stoner while experimenting with bootleg acid. And there's nothing else like them. The films tell the story of The Fucker—a phantasmagorical death machine who materializes from haunted VHS tapes of EVIL DEAD 2 and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET to wreak havoc on unsuspecting parents, teens, and babies. Fueled by subversive violence, experimental techniques, and an unconditional love for the horror genre, these Casiocore-driven miracles teleport us into a dream-like panic state where Rambo posters, 8-bit sound barfs, and Nightmare Freddys rule our subconsciousness. AGFA + Bleeding Skull! are overjoyed to welcome The Fucker to US theaters & home video for the first time ever—complete with new 2022 director's cuts, the original cuts, and a fuck-ton of extras.

TALES FROM THE QUADEAD ZONE (Friday, October 28)

Dir. Chester Novell Turner, 1987, 62 min

Presented by Massacre Video

TALES FROM THE QUADEAD ZONE is Chester N. Turner’s second and final dig into self-released SOV sludge. Following up the exhausting-yet-hilarious filth of BLACK DEVIL DOLL FROM HELL (1984), Turner and friends honed the skillz, cut the sex, and unwittingly churned out the greatest SOV trash film of all time. No exceptions. Logic, be it godly or mortal, has gone missing during QUADEAD’s 62 deranged minutes. Therefore, we must be prepared for anything. Don’t knock ‘em for the plastic Casiotone; take heed of the ceramic titty-mug. In the mind of Chester Turner, these things may be the substance of life. The original intent will baffle to no end, but one thing’s for sure: This is an experience that can never be replicated, repeated, or equaled. The theme song cinches it.

CORNSHUCKER (Sunday, October 30)

Dir. Brando Snider, 1997, 63 min

WORLD THEATRICAL PREMIERE! Presented by VHSHITFEST

The Cornshukker is a mythical creature who lives simply and peacefully with nature. But now he is besieged by urban sprawl, forcing him to deal with varmints and outlandishly odd townsfolk. As his food supply diminishes, The Cornshukker is confronted by the bigoted Old Man Thomas, and, in an act of desperation, The Cornshukker is forced to do the unthinkable. His existence is in peril, and the mysterious world he inhabits could be destroyed. The Cornshukker is a home-grown, 16mm-lensed love letter to regional, low-budget, surrealist, gonzo DIY filmmaking that is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. It will sear itself into your gray matter—whether you like it or not.

MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (Sunday, October 2)

Dir. Roger Corman, 1964, 90 min

35mm from the Academy Film Archive

Preceded by: “Bimbo’s Initiation” (Fleischer Studios, 1931) – 16mm – 7 min

Presented by Chicago Film Society

Between 1960 and 1965, Roger Corman, master of exploitation filmmaking and financing, made a string of eight films for low-budget powerhouse American International Pictures from unusual source material: the decidedly antiquarian (and public domain!) short stories of 19th-century writer Edgar Allan Poe. The seventh of these films, a comparatively more expensive production (only by Corman’s standards, mind you), is a medieval tale of a villainous prince and his castle guests attempting to outwit and outwait the mysterious “red death,” which ravages the countryside around them. They pass the time with sadomasochistic masquerade balls and satanic rituals (“let me speak to you about the anatomy of terror” is a party pick-up line for the ages), but even deals with the devil may not be enough when the plague without becomes the plague within. Vincent Price is truly at home as Prince Prospero, a genteel monster who enjoys commanding his party guests to bark like dogs and mansplaining Satanism to Francesca, a young God-fearing girl he’s kidnapped from the village, played by a wide-eyed 19-year-old Jane Asher. Restored by the Academy Film Archive and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (Monday, October 3)

Dir. Ana Lily Amirpuour, 2014, 101 min

Coming out of the gate with a singular sense of style and a knack for mixing and matching genres, Ana Lily Amirpour’s debut feature became an instant classic of vampire cinema when it first hit theaters in 2014. Commonly described as an “Iranian vampire Western,” this eerie, atmospheric film fights the patriarchy with a candor and a kickflip, telling the story of an unnamed avenger known only as The Girl (Sheila Vand) who skateboards through the tough streets of Bad City — an Iranian ghost town by way of inland California. In Bad City, it’s the men who are afraid to go out alone after dark, lest they are caught and drained for their sins against women by the vampiric Girl. Shot in poetic, striking anamorphic black-and-white and accompanied by an impeccably curated soundtrack with tunes from Radio Tehran, Federale, Kiosk, Farah, White Lies, and more, A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT is a movie for cinephiles, music lovers, angry women, skater bois, cat people, hopeless romantics, lonely hearts, and night owls.

DEADSTREAM (Tuesday, October 4)

Dir. Vanessa Winter, Joseph Winter, 2022, 87 min

Presented by Shudder

Much of the cast and crew of the new indie horror-comedy DEADSTREAM got their start as horror creatives working at haunted attractions. And their dedication to—not to mention talent for—creating a non-stop thrill ride designed to make audiences squeal (and giggle and jump and throw popcorn in the air) is evident in this absolute blast of a haunted-house movie. DEADSTREAM makes smart use of the found-footage format, using it to tell the story of perhaps the world’s most annoying YouTuber (a competitive prize, but he deserves it), who attempts to make up for an unnamed transgression by live-streaming his night in a haunted house. This guy likes to complain about “cancel culture,” but the thing that’s coming to get him tonight is so much worse. With impressive practical effects, a grim sense of humor, and killer timing, DEADSTREAM is best experienced with a crowd.

PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES / DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS (Wednesday, October 5)

Dir. John Gilling, 1966, 90 min; Dir. Terence Fisher, 1966, 90 min

Presented by Windy City Double Feature Picture Show podcast

The Windy City Double Feature Picture Show sets their time machine for January 14, 1966, recreating a classic Hammer double feature that opened at theaters across the Chicagoland area. Plague of the Zombies has been cited as one of the major influences on the modern zombie subgenre. Dracula: Prince Of Darkness is the third film in Hammer’s Dracula series, and features Christopher Lee returning as the titular vamp after missing out on The Brides Of Dracula in 1960. We’ll be screening this classic double feature as it played in 1966, featuring trailers for the other movies playing around town, local news clips, and offering commemorative zombie eyeballs and Dracula fangs for everyone in attendance—just like in the original ad! And don’t forget to listen to the Windy City Double Feature Picture Show podcast, in which hosts Adam Carston and Mike Vanderbilt deep dive into both films.

WNUF HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (Thursday, October 6)

Dir. Chris LaMartina, 2013, 82 min

Co-presented with Terror Vision; with special video introduction by the film's director, Chris LaMartina

Originally broadcast live on October 31, 1987, the WNUF Halloween Special is a stunning expose of terrifying supernatural activity that unfolded at the infamous Webber House, the site of ghastly murders. Local television personality Frank Stewart leads a group of paranormal investigators, including Catholic exorcist Father Joseph Matheson and the prolific husband-and-wife team Louis and Claire Berger. Together, the experts explore the darkest corners of the supposedly haunted Webber House, trying to prove the existence of the demonic entities within. Did they find the horrific truth or simply put superstitious rumors to rest?

HOUSE (Friday, October, 7)

Dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977, 88 min

House is at once the most unlikely and the most obvious of Halloween classics. On the one hand, the film was largely unknown outside of Japan until the 2010s, when the Criterion Collection launched it from a gray-market favorite to an official part of the company’s unofficial canon. On the other hand, it’s a film whose mischievous spirit is perfectly suited to the holiday—which may partially explain why it’s become so beloved so quickly. Either way, it’s a deliriously fun and delightfully surreal film with color and imagination to spare. That’s thanks to its visionary director, Nobuhiko Obayashi, who wrote the story—about a group of Japanese schoolgirls, a spinster witch, and a fluffy white cat—inspired by one of his young daughter’s nightmares. Perhaps best described by Criterion, which calls it “an episode of Scooby-Doo directed by Mario Bava,” this psychedelic freakout of a haunted house movie is unmissable, whether you’ve never seen it or you’ve seen it a hundred times.

GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH (Saturday, October 8)

Dir. Joe Dante, 1990, 106 min

Possibly the most anarchic film ever unleashed out of Hollywood, Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a chaotic, live-action Looney Tunes cartoon that could only come from the mind of auteur Joe Dante. Taking the piss out of his own original Gremlins and sequels in general, Gremlins 2’s wild tone showcases what art can happen when a studio—in this case, Warner Bros.—gives over complete control to a director with a vision. That’s not to discredit the script from Charlie Haas (Over The Edge, Matinee), which folds right into Dante’s influences of cartoons, monster movies, and an irreverent sense of humor. Chock full of easter eggs and cameos, from Christopher Lee carrying an Invasion Of The Body Snatchers pod to Leonard Maltin and the return of Dick Miller, Gremlins 2: The New Batch answers the question: What if someone made a live-action Mad Magazine parody of Gremlins?

SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM (Sunday, October 9)

Dir. Bob Kelljan, 1973, 96 min

Although not quite as sophisticated as its predecessor, Scream Blacula Scream is still one of the groovier horror movies of the blaxploitation era. William Marshall returns in the title role, once again infusing the tragic story of African prince-turned-vampire Prince Mamuwalde with what Roger Ebert called “a terrifying dignity.” It takes a powerful leading lady to go toe-to-toe with Marshall and his Shakespearean acting chops. And luckily for this movie, Pam Grier takes on the challenge with her usual confidence and grace. The story, about a voodoo priestess in Los Angeles (Grier) who stumbles into a romance with the seductive, immortal Mamuwalde, can be rather silly at times. And the film looks like the low-budget rush job that it was. But beyond the pleasure of watching Marshall and Grier interact on screen—worth the price of admission all on its own—Scream Blacula Scream is also a funky time capsule that’s full of Gothic atmosphere and good old-fashioned scenery chewing.

KILLER PARTY (Tuesday, October 11)

Dir. William Fruet, 1986, 91 min

Often unfairly lumped in with the glut of third-wave slashers that overtook multiplexes in the ‘80s, Killer Party is an overlooked supernatural possession gem—and arguably the better of the two slasher pictures set on April Fool’s Day released in 1986. Penned by Barney Cohen (Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter) and directed by Canadian cult favorite William Fruet (The House By The Lake, Funeral Home, Spasms, Blue Monkey), Killer Party features an abundance of tricks—including a memorable opening sequence that will keep audiences on their toes—and treats galore, including appearances by ‘80s character actor favorites Elaine Wilkes, Ralph Seymour, and Paul Bartel. That’s not to mention a killer costume for the villain: an old diving suit, complete with trident.

SICK (Wednesday, October 12)

Co-presented with the Chicago International Film Festival After Dark

Dir. John Hyams, 2022, 83 min

In the early days of the pandemic, college students Parker and Miri head out to quarantine in style at a remote lake house in the forest. With their masks off, the young women can finally breathe easier—until a mysterious man shows up outside their door. Co-written by Kevin Williamson (Scream) and Katelyn Crabb and directed by John Hyams (Alone), Sick is a classic bare-knuckled slasher thrill-ride with a timely sardonic edge. At a time when any stranger invading your space—let alone one wielding a knife—might shred one’s nerves, Sick feels next-level, filled to the brim with excruciating moments of suspense and horror while giving the word “asymptomatic” a whole new level of dread.

JENNIFER’S BODY (Thursday, October 13)

Dir. Karyn Kusama, 2009, 102 min

Presented by Rated Q and Ramona Slick

Now that we can all agree that the people of 2009 really fucked up by not appreciating Jennifer’s Body as the masterpiece of teen-girl horror that it is, it’s time to have some fun with bisexual succubus Jennifer (Megan Fox), her mousy BFF Needy (Amanda Seyfried), and those wallet-chain douchebags in Cold Shoulder. Rated Q and Ramona Slick return to the Music Box for a screening of Karyn Kusama’s cult-classic horror flick with a side of drag performance, for a queer, campy Halloween celebration with bite. Don’t worry—they only kill boys.

RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD PART II (Friday, October 14)

Dir. Ken Wiederhorn, 1988, 89 min

Presented by Halloweenies: A Horror Franchise Podcast

If you grew up a horror-movie kid, you know how cool it is to have a comic book-loving youngster as the lead. It’s just more relatable for those years before you’re a sex crazed teenager or a disbeliving adult. Return Of The Living Dead II sits alongside The Gate and Monster Squad as perfect “intro to horror pictures” for pre-teens with an irreverent, winking sense of humor, plenty of over the top gore, and a hard rockin’ soundtrack thanks to music supervisor David Chackler. The film also features genre favorites Dana Ashbrook, Mitch Pileggi, and The Ackermonster himself, Forrest J. Ackerman. Even Thom Matthews and James Karen from the original Return Of The LIving Dead are back for the ride, giving it their comedic all. Before the film, Chicago’s very own horror hounds, Bloody Disgusting Network's the Halloweenies, will be recording a live podcast about the movie in the Music Box Lounge.

WES CRAVEN’S NEW NIGHTMARE (Saturday, October. 15)

Dir. Wes Craven, 1994, 112 min

“Every kid knows about Freddy. He’s like Santa Claus.” With that line—delivered by Heather Langenkamp—Wes Craven put a pin in the complicated legacy of his creation, Freddy Krueger. From his beginnings as a vicious child murderer in 1984’s A Nightmare On Elm Street, Freddy evolved into a pop-culture phenomenon that saw his face emblazoned on bubble gum and talking dolls. The character would be christened the “Henny Youngman of horror” by critics and fans alike, thanks to the one-liners delivered by Robert Englund throughout the series’ run. Ten years after the release of the original horror classic, Craven returned to write and direct New Nightmare, Craven’s own attempt—to paraphrase him in the film—put the genie back in the bottle and bring Freddy back to his dark origins…by bringing him into the real world. This meta-commentary on horror pictures (and fans) would set the stage for Scream in 1996. And despite its more intellectual stretches, New Nightmare still features memorable kills, a few one-liners from Englund as Freddy, and cameos galore that will have Music Box Of Horrors audiences cheering.This is a midnight screening, so whatever you do, don’t fall asleep!

CEMETERY MAN (a.k.a. DELLAMORTE DELLAMORTE) (Sunday, October 16)

Dir. Michele Soavi, 1994, 105 min., 35mm

Underseen and fiercely loved, Cemetery Man is the definition of a cult classic. Directed by Argento protégé Michele Soavi (Stage Fright, The Church), Cemetery Man is a unique mix of styles, blending the go-for-broke surrealism of Italian horror with pitch-black comedy and a swooning (necro-)romantic streak. Star Rupert Everett bridges these disparate moods as Francisco Dellamorte, a cemetery attendant facing the ultimate Gen-X nightmare: A demanding, dead-end job. The corpses at Francisco’s work just won’t stay dead, you see, an annoyance that’s frankly beyond Francisco’s pay grade. An encounter with a beautiful widow briefly changes his attitude, until those darned zombies ruin that for him, too. Or have they?

35mm collection print courtesy of the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

THE CAR (Monday, October 17)

Dir. Elliott Silverstein, 1977, 98 min

The success of Jaws inspired countless ripoffs featuring wild animals, ranging from rattlesnakes to alligators to grizzly bears terrorizing hapless victims. However one of the more inspired Jaws-ploitation entries doesn’t feature an animal at all, but rather a souped up 1971 Lincoln Continental Mark II. 1977’s The Car is a two-for-one Spielberg riff, taking inspiration not only from the director’s 1975 blockbuster but also his 1971 made-for-TV favorite Duel. The titular menace was designed by Hollywood car customizer George Barris, who was also responsible for both the Munster Koach and DRAG-U-LA from The Munsters. And the film got the Satanic seal of approval from Church Of Satan leader Anton La Vey, who was given a “technical advisor credit” on the picture.

I KNOW WHO KILLED ME (Tuesday, October 18)

Dir. Chris Sivertson, 2007, 106 min

I Know Who Killed Me is an overlooked American giallo that earns the title in several ways. First, this movie doesn’t make a lick of sense. Second, it’s sleazier than a truck-stop strip club. And third, if you’re a fan of Argento-style pools of bright, pure primary colors: get stoked. This campy, grimy, outrageous serial-killer thriller is mostly remembered for the tabloid drama and relentless paparazzi that surrounded star Lindsay Lohan during the movie’s filming. That lends an eerie real-life resonance to the film’s Twin Peaks-esque storyline, about an all-American high school student who, after being attacked by a serial killer, wakes up from a coma convinced that she’s actually a hard-living exotic dancer named Dakota Moss. If the parallels between that arc and Lohan’s career intrigue you, then get in, losers—we’re re-evaluating the ‘00s canon.

DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (Wednesday, October 19)

Dir. Harry Kümel, 1971, 97 min

A dreamy hothouse of pansexual lust that’ll set your blood pumping and your head spinning, Daughters of Darkness queers the vampire paradigm with elegance and more than a little existential angst. The story takes place at an nearly abandoned Belgian seaside resort in winter, where the exquisitely languid Countess Bathóry (Delphine Seyrig) spends her days asleep and her nights lying around luxurious hotel suites in fabulous outfits alongside her doe-eyed “secretary”/lover Ilona (Andrea Rau). Then a newly married English couple arrives at the resort for their honeymoon, sending Ilona and the Countess’s quiet lives into chaos. Sexy, stylish, and sophisticated, with rich color cinematography and devastatingly fabulous costumes, Daughters of Darkness is a crown jewel of ‘70s Euro-horror—an era obsessed with films about lesbian vampires and the straight men they cuckold.

HUESERA (Thursday, October 20)

Co-presented with the Chicago International Film Festival After Dark.

Dir. Michelle Garza Cevera, 2022, 93 min

After years of trying to conceive, Valeria and her husband Raúl are overjoyed to learn that they are finally about to become parents. But Valeria's elation soon turns to dread, as terrifying visions lead her to believe she has been cursed by a sinister entity, “La Huesera.” As her picture-perfect life begins to splinter around her, her desperate search for answers takes her back to her rebellious past and her dabblings with the occult—embracing the dark magic that threatens to consume her might be the only way to rid herself of this spirit and safeguard her family's future. With her profoundly chilling yet intimate supernatural tale, director Michelle Garza Cevera provocatively deploys folklore and witchcraft to explore the anxieties of early motherhood.

ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS (Friday, October 21)

Co-presented with the Chicago International Film Festival After Dark

Dir. Alex Phillips, 2022, 72 min

An unforgettable, highly disturbing psychedelic odyssey, All Jacked Up and Full of Worms is packed with cringe-inducing images that linger long after the credits roll. Desperate for a child, Benny, a disturbed recluse, goes to sex worker Henrietta hoping she’ll be able to help. Although she cannot give him exactly what he wants, she does offer up a small tin canister full of hallucinogenic earthworms. Good enough. Along with an adrift hotel maintenance man, Roscoe, the three soon embark on a journey down the rabbit hole of consciousness and perception. Once again training his camera on a pack of intriguing societal outcasts, director and Festival alum Alex Phillips (Who’s a Good Boy?) imbues his work with a visionary microbudget surreality. 72 min.

Music Box of Horrors 2022 (Saturday, October 22, Noon - Sunday, October 23, Noon)

Presented by Shudder

That chill creeping up your spine can only mean one thing: The return of THE MUSIC BOX OF HORRORS! Join us for 24 hours of movie madness, featuring the spookiest scares, creepiest creature features, and rare cult oddities. Plus, special guests, giveaways, vendors, and much more. Featuring such modern classics as IDLE HANDS, ERNEST SCARED STUPID, BLADE, and HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2. Keep your eyes peeled for more announcements on this page: https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/music-box-of-horrors-2022

YOKAI MONSTERS: SPOOK WARFARE (Sunday, October 23)

Dir. Yoshiyuki Koroda, 1968, 90 min

The Yokai Monsters series combines the stop-motion playfulness of a Sid and Marty Krofft production with the intriguing world of yokai, traditional Japanese spirits whose incarnations range from the whimsical (a one-eyed umbrella yokai that bounces around on its curved handle) to the terrifying (the gashadokuro, a gigantic skeleton 15 times the size of an average human that rips the heads off of unwary travelers and drinks their blood). In general, the Yokai Monsters movies lean towards the former, with a childlike sense of wonder and delightful stop-motion and puppetry effects. But they do have their spine-tingling moments. In Spook Warfare, all the ghosts, monsters, and yokai in Japan are called into battle when an ancient Mesopotamian vampire demon is unleashed, possessing a samurai warlord and putting all of feudal Japan—human and supernatural alike—in danger.

NOSFERATU (Monday, October 24)

Dir. F.W. Murnau, 1922, 81 min

Featuring a live score by the Invincible Czars

The vampire movie upon which all other vampire movies are built, F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu has set imaginations aflame and inspired writers, filmmakers, artists, and musicians for a century. This silent masterpiece still has the power to send a chill down viewers’ spines, and Texas sextet The Invincible Czars will bring the fright to the Music Box with a live score designed to enhance the chilling atmosphere and nightmarish power of this Halloween-season classic. The Invincible Czars make cinematic, experimental “rock” for music nerds, horror fans, film lovers, followers of science fiction and fact, comics, cartoons & humor and anyone with a complicated relationship with heavy metal and classical music.

SEX DEMON (Wednesday, October 26)

Dir. J.C. Cricket, 1975, 60 min

Preceded by a Gay XXX Trailer Reel

All hell breaks loose when John’s last-minute anniversary gift inadvertently causes his younger lover Jim to become possessed by a Sex Demon in J.C. Cricket’s all-male horror film. Openly inspired by both The Exorcist and its Blaxploitation cousin, Abby, Sex Demon is a ferocious mix of the erotic and the grotesque that’s primed and ready to shock audiences again after being lost for the past forty years. In the words of Gay Scene critic Bruce King, “the squeamish may not want to watch, but if you do, you won’t forget it!”

MALIGNANT (Thursday, October 27)

Dir. James Wan, 2021, 111 min

Upon its release in September 2021, Malignant entered into the zeitgeist quickly, mainly due to its simultaneous release to theaters and streaming. In short, everyone was watching it, and everyone had an opinion about it. Audiences and critics responded mostly positively to director James Wan’s Italian horror-tinged picture, thanks to its camp sensibility and a memorable monster, combined with the director's own slick, modern video-game-inspired aesthetic. A film that owes a great deal to midnight movie favorites Basket Case and The Manitou, Malignant has a weird and wild energy that is best enjoyed with a packed audience of psychotronic horror hounds. And if you missed that first time around, this is your chance to see it on the big screen.

AATMA (Saturday, October 29)

Dir. Deepak Ramsay, 2006, 107 min

Bollywood Night! Presented by Mondo Macabro

India-based genre specialists Deepak, Tulsi, and Gangu Ramsay (Purana Mandir) team up for this visually inventive tale of demonic possession and supernatural revenge. Neha is a young doctor preparing to celebrate his wedding anniversary when a mysterious stranger warns him that an upcoming autopsy will be the catalyst for a terrifying sequence of events. The following day, he is deeply disturbed to see the stranger’s corpse awaiting dissection in the hospital morgue. But this shocking development is only the beginning of Neha’s horror. One of the last horror films from the legendary Ramsay family (Mahakaal), Aatma scratches every itch Bollywood horror fans can imagine, from terrifying eye close-ups, never-ending screams, and dubious gender politics to stunning color gels, ridiculously catchy dance numbers, and vengeful spirits taking form in delectably practical and digital mashup makeup effects. Don’t miss the ultra-rare chance to see an unfairly overlooked late-stage Bollywood horror extravaganza from the family that put the genre on the map.

HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES (Monday, October 31)

Dir. Rob Zombie, 2003, 88 min

Love him or hate him, Rob Zombie came out of the gate with his gritty, self-consciously tasteless take on the horror genre fully formed. House of 1000 Corpses was Zombie’s first feature film as a director, and it establishes many of his pet themes: Murder clowns, true crime, homicidal backwoods families, Spirit Halloween aesthetics, and the camera ogling Zombie’s future wife Sheri Moon are all essential elements of this cult classic splatter flick. Even more mean-spirited than contemporaries like House of Wax and Platinum Dunes’ Texas Chainsaw remake, House of 1000 Corpses will take you back to the last time violent nationalism and ultra-low-rise jeans were on the rise in American culture.

SPONSOR

About SHUDDER:

AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. To experience Shudder commitment-free for 7 days, visit www.shudder.com.

Pricing & Scheduling:

All films except FINAL DESTINATION Marathon and 24-hour Marathon - $11 General Admission / $8 MBT Members

FINAL DESTINATION Marathon - $20 General Admission / $15 MBT Members

New 10-film pass - $66.60 General Admission / $55.50 MBT Members (redeemable for all films, except 24-hour marathon)

Advanced 24-hour Marathon (beginning October 22, Noon) - $30 General Admission / $25 MBT Members

Day Of 24-hour Marathon - $35 General Admission / $30 Music Box Members

Become a member: https://www.musicboxtheatre.com/membership/become-a-member

About The Music Box of Horrors:

Recent editions of Music Box of Horrors have included Guillermo Del Toro introducing his legendary horror/action work BLADE 2; filmmaker William Crain, with his wildly inventive DR. BLACK, MR. HYDE; POSSESSOR, with writer/director Brandon Cronenberg Q&A; director Karyn Kusama presenting her film JENNIFER’S BODY; director Jill Gevargizian, presenting her groundbreaking film THE STYLIST; director John Hancock, presenting his landmark film LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH; director William Lustig, presenting MANIAC; actor Ethan Embry, presenting the Chicago premiere of THE DEVIL’S CANDY; Gary Sherman and John McNaughton, presenting DEATH LINE; director Jim Muro, presenting STREET TRASH; actor Kevin J. O’Connor with LORD OF ILLUSIONS; and writer Don Mancini for the Chicago-shot CHILD’S PLAY.

About Music Box Theatre:

Operating since 1929, the Music Box Theatre has been the premier venue in Chicago for independent and foreign films for more than three decades, playing host to over 200,000 patrons annually. It currently has the largest theater space operated full time in the city. The Music Box Theatre is independently owned and operated by the Southport Music Box Corporation. SMBC, through its Music Box Films division, also distributes foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD, and television markets throughout the United States; and through its Music Box Direct subsidiary, operates an online streaming service offering the best of foreign and independent films.

Regular events produced, presented and hosted at Music Box Theatre include the 70mm Film Festival; the genre film festival Cinepocalypse; the annual 24-hour horror-movie marathon Music Box of Horrors; and Noir City: Chicago, co-presented by the Film Noir Foundation.

Follow the Music Box Theatre on Facebook (www.facebook.com/musicboxchicago/), Twitter (@musicboxtheatre), and Instagram (@musicboxchicago)

MOVIES ON OUR RADAR: RICHARD JEWELL IN THEATERS DECEMBER 13TH

What We're Watching:

RICHARD JEWELL

Release Date: December 13, 2019 (Wide)

Directed By: Clint Eastwood

Written By: Billy Ray

This Wednesday, I'll be catching an advance press screening of Richard Jewell. The movie opens to the public this Friday, December 13th. Check back with ChiILLiveShows.com soon for my full review.

Based on the Article: ‘American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell” by Marie Brenner

Based Upon the Book: ‘The Suspect” by Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen

Cast: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates

Run Time: 130 min

Rating: R for language including some sexual references and brief bloody images

Directed by Clint Eastwood and based on true events, “Richard Jewell” is a story of what happens when what is reported as fact obscures the truth.



“There is a bomb in Centennial Park. You have thirty minutes.” The world is first introduced to Richard Jewell as the security guard who reports finding the device at the 1996 Atlanta bombing—his report making him a hero whose swift actions save countless lives. But within days, the law enforcement wannabe becomes the FBI’s number one suspect, vilified by press and public alike, his life ripped apart. Reaching out to independent, anti-establishment attorney Watson Bryant, Jewell staunchly professes his innocence. But Bryant finds he is out of his depth as he fights the combined powers of the FBI, GBI and APD to clear his client’s name, while keeping Richard from trusting the very people trying to destroy him.

The film stars Oscar winners Sam Rockwell (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”) as Watson Bryant and Kathy Bates (“Misery,” TV’s “American Horror Story”) as Richard’s mom, Bobi; Jon Hamm (“Baby Driver”) as the lead FBI investigator; Olivia Wilde (“Life Itself”) as Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Kathy Scruggs; and Paul Walter Hauser (“I, Tonya”) stars as Richard Jewell.

Oscar winner Eastwood directed from a screenplay by Oscar nominee Billy Ray (“Captain Phillips”), based on the Vanity Fair article “American Nightmare—The Ballad of Richard Jewell” by Marie Brenner. Eastwood also produced under his Malpaso banner, alongside Tim Moore, Jessica Meier, Kevin Misher, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson and Jonah Hill.

Eastwood’s creative team includes director of photography Yves Bélanger and production designer Kevin Ishioka, along with longtime costume designer Deborah Hopper and Oscarwinning editor Joel Cox (“Unforgiven”), who have worked with Eastwood throughout the years on numerous projects. The music is by Arturo Sandoval, who scored 2018’s “The Mule.”

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Malpaso Production, an Appian Way/Misher Films/75 Year Plan Production, “Richard Jewell.” The film will be in theaters on December 13, 2019 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Official Site:      www.RichardJewellMovie.com
Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/RichardJewellFilm
Twitter:             https://twitter.com/RJewellFilm
Instagram:        https://www.instagram.com/richardjewellfilm/
Hashtag:           #RichardJewell

WEEKEND PICKS: The Chicago Independent Film (+TV) Festival April 28th-29th

What We're Watching: Indie Films & TV Shows On Our Radar

The Chicago Independent Film (+TV) Festival runs April 28th-29th and showcases an impressive lineup of narrative and documentary films in competition. The line-up includes 38 projects (2 narrative features, 7 documentary features, and 5 television pilots, and 24 short films) representing 8 countries. The festival screens stories that appeal to a wide range of audiences focusing on diverse voices and excellent storytelling. The full schedule can be found here.

CIFF also offers filmmakers first look deals with two distribution companies as well as a panel on distribution with Cowlamp Films, local filmmaker Brent Kado and Questar Entertainment. Beer provided by Lagunitas Brewing Company.

The weekend is co-sponsored by Loyola University's Film and Digital Media Department.

"Festival" Documentary Following Fans at Chicago Music Festivals Gets Distribution

What We're Watching:

Festival A Documentary 

The film was shot, crewed and produced solely by Chicagoans.

Festival, a documentary following five fans as they prepare, attend, and reflect on their music festival experience, is now available on Amazon Prime, YouTube Red, Vimeo On Demand  & iTunes. The film can be streamed online and on all major streaming devices including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and several XBox and Playstation consoles.

The documentary examines these individuals’ personal experiences and motivations against the backdrop of the festival industry’s much-discussed evolution from the late-60s to today.   
“It aims to be an honest and detailed look at why our generation attends massive events, what is sacrificed, what is gained, and why it matters,” says the film’s director and executive producer Michael Raspatello. “This is a collection of stories from real individuals, a snapshot of what happens when 100,000 people descend on a festival weekend.

Alongside footage of the FESTIVAL’s protagonists — a group of men and women whose ages range from 20 to 40 — the documentary promises a never-before-seen performance from Benny Benassi and in-depth interview with Bonnaroo and Outside Lands co-founder Rick Farman.  Somewhat inspired by the time-capsule appeal of cult-classic Heavy Metal Parking Lot (1986), FESTIVAL entwines historic footage of unnamed fans at Newport Folk, Monterrey Pop, Isle of Wight, and Woodstock ’99 throughout.

Festival simultaneously debuted last summer at both Bonnaroo and the Rhode Island International Film Festival, later appearing as an “Official Selection” at Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco and Hip Hop Film Festival in NYC.  

“Music festival culture hasn’t been in the film and television limelight much, our film provides a look into that world, without over-sensationalizing it,” notes Brent Kado the film's assistant director and co-producer. 




Check it out:

• Trailer: https://www.cowlampfilms.com/festival-a-documentary
• Link to Amazon Prime Video Listing: https://www.amazon.com/v/cowlampfilms
• Link to YouTube Red Listing: https://www.youtube.com/c/CowLampFilms
• Link to Vimeo Listing: https://vimeo.com/cowlampfilms
For details on FESTIVAL go to www.festivalthefilm.com

FEST ALERT: Chicago Comedy Film Fest This Weekend

It's a big weekend for indy film in Chicago. Come in from the cold and enjoy a few laughs with these highlights of the Chicago Comedy Film Festival.

The Manny (29 Min) (USA) Pilot Saturday 12pm The New 400 Theater

Starring: Monty Franklin, Buddy Lewis, Pippa Black, Rob Schneider. A laissez faire Aussie surfer finds himself answering to Malibu's most desperate housewife after marrying her for a green card during a drunken night out.

For fans of Miranda, Outsourced


Something Out of Nothing (51 min) (Chicago) Saturday 1pm The New 400 Theater



Starring: Young talent at Chicago Public Schools, Deonna Griffin (The Second City Outreach Program) and Susan Messing (Messing with a Friend)

Art is as incredibly important aspect of society. However, not everyone has access to art programs or the means to express themselves through art. This film takes a look at an afterschool program that provides kids an opportunity to explore their talents in improv – and pays them a stipend upon completion.

For fans of Hoop Dreams and Waiting for Superman.


For the Love of George (89 Min) Saturday 8:30pm The New 400 Theater




Starring: Nadia Jordan , Rosanna Arquette, Rex Lee, Kristen Johnston

After moving to Los Angeles to get away from a cheating husband, Poppy attempts to have an encounter with George Clooney, the man of her dreams. After many failed attempts to meet him, she realizes that it isn't a new location or a handsome man she needs to make her happy, it's herself.
For fans of George Clooney, Serendipity, and Bridget Jones's Diary.

Love in Moreno Valley (80 Min) (United States) Saturday 3:30 pm The New 400 Theater


Starring: John Ennis.

James Watson is a high schooler who struggles with his self-image and budding sexuality in a Christian school that doesn't make things any easier for him. As he attempts find humor in his life and pursue his passions, he's constantly met with doubt and the hand of authority putting him down.

For fans of Super Bad and angsty teen movies where boys struggle to get girls.

Room for Rent (89 Min) (Canada) Friday 7pm The New 400 Theater



Starring: Bret Gelman, Mark Little, Stephanie Weir, and Carla Gallo.

After blowing through three and a half million dollars won in the lottery, a dead-ended Mitch devises a plan to rent a room from his parent's house to afford living expenses after his father takes an early retirement. hings start off great, but the new roommate proves to be weirder and weirder, landing Mitch in situations that spiral out of his control. In the end, Mitch has to confront more than just a bad living situation.

For fans of Step Brothers.
Bernard and Huey (90 Min) (United States) Friday 8pm The New 400 Theater



With a screenplay by legendary Oscar®- and Pulitzer-winning author and cartoonist Jules Feiffer (Mike Nichols’ “Carnal Knowledge,” Robert Altman’s “Popeye”), “Bernard and Huey” is a comedy about two old friends who reconnect after 30 years apart. The film features Feiffer's recurring characters Bernard and Huey, who first surfaced in the Village Voice in 1957 and made frequent appearances over the years in Voice and Playboy cartoons, a play, and a novel. Middle-age men behaving badly, former nebbish Bernard (Oscar®-winning screenwriter and actor Jim Rash of “Community”) and lothario Huey (David Koechner of “Anchorman”) still view women from the immature perspective of their undergrad selves (played in flashback by Jay Renshaw and Jake O’Connor). Those retrograde attitudes lead to complicated relationships with the women in their lives, who include Zelda (Mae Whitman of “Parenthood”) and Mona (Nancy Travis). “Bernard and Huey” is directed by award-winning filmmaker and Slamdance Film Festival co-founder Dan Mirvish, a Washington U. grad and SLIFF alum (his debut film “Omaha” and 2012’s “Between Us”).

Passes and tickets are now onsale at www.chicagocomedyfilmfestival.com

FEST ALERT: CIMMfest Is Back This Thursday Through Sunday November 9-12th

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we live for rock/punk/metal and love film, so it's no wonder we've been covering CIMMfest from the start! Now entering year 9, we'll be back again, shooting stills, and reviewing shows. Got your tickets? You can do a full on festival pass good for everything, like we have, or catch individual showings, and a few hybrid passes in between.



Thankfully, everyone's taste in tunes is different, and CIMMfest has something for everyone, happening simultaneously, all over town. Click HERE to check out the full lineup. Then check back with ChiILLiveShows.com early and often, on line and social media, for our top picks, recaps, and more.

 

Highlights Opening Night: 

Friday: 

 

Saturday:

 Sunday:

Click Image And Get Yours: 

Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMFest) No. 9 Announces Full Film Lineup

The Annual Four-Day Festival Runs November 9-12 Throughout Chicago

Penelope Spheeris 2017 BAADASSSSS Award for Lifetime Achievement Honoree and Film Retrospective, Celebrating Daptone Records and Remembering Chicago’s Classic Neo Era

The Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest) announces its full movie and music lineup for the ninth edition, running November 9-12, 2017, centered at the Davis Theater and running across multiple  venues throughout Chicago, including Martyrs’, Old Town School of Folk, GMan Tavern, Subterranean and others. Individual tickets for most events start at $10; 4-day festival passes start at $79. Festival passes and a la carte tickets are available at CIMMfest.org.

This year’s multimedia festival features more than 40 events including two world premieres, 4 U.S. premieres, 5 Chicago premieres and 8 Midwest premieres; musical acts representing a wide variety of genres; and CIMMcon, CIMMfest’s dynamic professional and creative industry conference.

On Thursday Nov. 9, CIMMfest and CHIRP Radio present opening night with the Midwest Premiere of Living on Soul, a heartfelt hybrid documentary/concert film which wraps the story of soul-music powerhouse Daptone Records around electric Apollo Theater performances by label stalwarts like Antibalas, Budos Band, and the late Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones. The screening at Martyrs' will be followed by the official opening night afterparty, featuring a  live performance by Chicago soul diva Lili K, paying tribute to Sharon Jones, and DJing by Daptone co-founder Neal Sugarman.

Actress and podcaster Aisha Tyler makes her feature directorial debut with Axis, also screening on opening night at 7 p.m. at the Davis Theater. With an original score by Silversun Pickups, Axis stars Irish actor Emmett Hughes as a reformed Hollywood bad boy who finds his life unravelling in a series of phone calls as he drives across LA.

The weekend’s Penelope Spheeris’ retrospective begins with the first two installments of her Decline of the Western Civilization trilogy, playing back to back at 7:15 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., respectively, at the Davis Theater. 

Rounding off opening night is the story of John Lydon’s arguably more influential second band, told largely by Mr. Rotten himself, in the documentary The Public Image Is Rotten. Director Tabbert Fiiller joins PiL drummer-turned-Chicago music maven Martin Atkins for a post-screening conversation, at the Davis Theater. 

Full Schedule:

Films with strong Chicago ties include 2350 Last Call: The Neo Story, The Chicago Mixtape, It Never Ends, Karl Wirsum, Red Line Lounge, Bill's Records, Do U Want It?, Electric Heart, Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together, Psychogenic Fugue, Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution and Horn From the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story, the first comprehensive screen portrait of one of Chicago blues' greatest native sons and CIMMfest No. 9’s closing film (Davis Theater, Sunday, November 12, at 7:30 p.m.). Join director John Anderson (Born in Chicago, Sam Lay in Bluesland) and producer Sandra Warren for a post-film Q&A. 

Closeup: Tank and the Bangas, a short doc about one of New Orleans’s most acclaimed new bands, will be screened in tandem with NOLA?, in which Big Easy artists, writers, and scene mainstays talk about the city’s musical past and post-Katrina present. A Q&A with Closeup director Charlie Steiner will follow the films, which screen at 2:40 p.m. on Sunday, November 12.

MOVIES AND MUSIC

This year’s films accompanied with Live Music Performances include:

Living on Soul 

Thursday, November 9

See Opening Night listing above.

Hello Hello Hello : Lee Ranaldo : Electric Trim

Friday, November 10

An intimate portrait of a bold musical mind at work as the Sonic Youth guitar genius collaborates with novelist Jonathan Lethem, fellow axe innovator Nels Cline, and other creative fellow travelers to produce his new album Electric Trim. Q&A with filmmaker Fred Riedel to follow screening at the Davis Theater. Prior to the screening, Lee Ranaldo will perform at Subterranean on November 5.

Six Strings of Separation / Dark Star Originals

Saturday, November 11

Six Strings of Separation documents how luthier Tom Lieber, who began his career apprenticing with Jerry Garcia’s guitar maker, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead with a custom line of axes modeled on Jerry’s classic “Wolf” and “Tiger” guitars. Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Originals, featuring John Kadlecik, Mike Maraat, Kevin Rosen, Ahmer Nizam, and special guest John Kattke, will perform after the screening at Martyrs.

Tom Rush: No Regrets

Sunday, November 12

Folk troubadour Tom Rush takes residence at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk on CIMMfest’s closing day and evening with a screening of the documentary Tom Rush: No Regrets at 2 p.m, featuring a Q&A with the iconic singer, and an intimate live performance at 7 p.m., both in Old Town’s Szold Hall.

2350 Last Call: The Neo Story

Sunday, November 12

A recollection of the iconic Lincoln Park club that was a haven for goths, punks, and adventurous misfits for more than three decades before closing in 2015. There will be a Q&A with filmmaker Eric Richter, and longtime Neo DJs Suzanne Shelton, Jeff Moyer, and Scary Lady Sarah will spin after the screening at Gman Tavern on closing night.

The Third Root 

Sunday, November 12

Co-presented with the Chicago Latino Film Festival

Mexican guitarist Camilo Nu goes adventuring in search of his musical roots, crossing the Atlantic to find the Andalusian, Arab, and African antecedents of son jarocho, the traditional folk style of his native Veracruz. Camilo Nu will give a short acoustic performance after the 7 p.m. screening at the Davis Theater.

The Last Hot Lick / Cowboy Drifter

Saturday, November 11

Americana takes center stage at the Davis Theater with these back-to-back narrative films, beginning at 3:10 p.m.. The Last Hot Lick features Jaime Leopold, the charter bassist for psychedelic jug band Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, playing a fictionalized version of himself in this sweet, sad drama about an aging troubadour on a never-ending tour. Post-screening Q&A with Mahalia Cohen, producer Deborah Cohen, Jaime Leopold, and Jennifer Smieja, followed by a live performance by Leopold and Smieja at the Davis Theater.

Cowboy Drifter is the tale of a boozing, brawling rogue who gets more than he bargained for when he heads west in search of his old man, a failed country singer who abandoned his family decades ago. The killer soundtrack features the Revivalists, the White Buffalo, John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, and co-star Aubrey Peeples, formerly Layla Grant of TV’s Nashville. Post-screening Q&A with Peeples, writer/star Chuck Carrington, director Michael Lange, and producer/music supervisor Jonathan McHugh. 

Later that evening, Jaime Leopold and his band, the Short Stories, will perform at the Grafton Pub, followed by an intimate set by Aubrey Peeples.

A full list of CIMMfest’s movie and music events, in addition to the CIMMcon roster, can be found  at CIMMfest.org.  

Highlights of confirmed films and musical acts at CIMMfest No. 9 are below:

 ________

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9

OPENING NIGHT

Axis (USA) MIDWEST PREMIERE

Thursday, November 9, 7 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Aisha Tyler 

83 minutes

With an original score by Silversun Pickups, Criminal Minds and Archer co-star Aisha Tyler's directorial debut is a taut drama about a Hollywood bad boy who finds his life unravelling in a series of phone calls as he drives across LA. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization (USA) 

Thursday, November 9, 7:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

100 minutes

A preeminent artifact of American punk and one of the most influential music docs ever made, Spheeris's first feature unflinchingly captures the scene that emerged from Hollywood’s subterranean art culture of the late 1970s and the furor it spawned. Featuring concert footage and memorable interviews with punk pioneers Black Flag, X, the Circle Jerks, Catholic Discipline, Fear, and the sweet, sad, brilliant wreck that was Darby Crash and the Germs. 

Forty-Five: The Search for Soul (USA) 

Thursday, November 9, 7:30 p.m. (with Living on Soul)

Martyrs, 3855 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Anthony Ladesich

11 minutes

Johnny Starke is a DJ on a mission: to dig in every dusty thrift-shop record crate he can find until he unearths the great lost soul dance single. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (USA) 

Thursday, November 9, 9:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

93 minutes

Spheeris's follow-up to her stunning documentary on Los Angeles punk depicts LA's metal scene from 1986 to 1988, when hair bands ruled the Sunset Strip. While tracking the fortunes of would-be glam gods like Odin, Seduce, and London, Decline II features interviews with actual hard-rock gods like Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler, Lemmy, and Paul Stanley and notoriously captures the era's aura of excess, misogyny, and sleaze.

The Public Image Is Rotten (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Thursday, November 9, 9:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Tabbert Fiiller 

104 minutes

When the Sex Pistols imploded in early 1978 after a disastrous gig at Winterland in 

San Francisco, their controversial and misunderstood frontman ditched his Rotten 

nom de punk for his birth name and formed Public Image Ltd. John Lydon chronicles 

his own journey from sickly kid in a London council flat to international music 

legend, leading the postpunk cult band that was arguably more influential than his 

notorious first group. Post screening Q&A with director Tabbert Fiiller & former PiL drummer Martin Atkins.

Living On Soul (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Lili K plays Sharon Jones / Neal Sugarman DJ Set

Thursday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

96 minutes

In December 2014, Daptone Records celebrated its 20th anniversary with a three-night revue at the Apollo Theater, the first multi-night residency at the historic Harlem hall since James Brown did it in the ’70s. Anchored by galvanizing performances by Antibalas, Budos Band, Como Mamas, and the dearly departed Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones, this concert film/documentary blend tells the Daptone story in words and music and captures the family dynamic driving this funk/soul powerhouse. Lili K plays Sharon Jones / Neal Sugarman DJ Set to follow. 

________

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10

The Chicago Mixtape (USA) 

Friday, November 10, 6 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Paola Piers-Torres

27 minutes

Opening CIMMcon Friday evening, this short documentary spotlights the teen poets of Louder Than a Bomb, fusing hip hop performance and social activism in the footsteps of mentors like Rhymefest and Chance the Rapper. Q&A with Kevin Coval and others after the screening. CIMMcon opening reception to follow. 

It Never Ends (France)  

Friday, November 10, 6:10 p.m.

Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave

Directed by Thomas Carillon

32 minutes

Drummer Avreeayl Ra, an acolyte of Sun Ra and an anchor of Chicago's free-jazz scene for decades, takes a tour of the city places that shaped his life and music in this short documentary. Q&A with Thomas Carillon and Avreeayl Ra to follow. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization Part III (USA) 

Friday, November 10, 7:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

86 minutes

Largely unseen for nearly two decades after its brief release, the third installment of Spheeris's Decline trilogy chronicles homeless teenage "gutter punks" living on the streets of Los Angeles and explores her relationship with one such kid, called Eyeball. While retaining the LA music frame of its predecessors, Decline III is as much about a generation deeply alienated from mainstream society, and Spheeris’s own journey toward becoming a foster parent to her once-blighted subjects. Introduction by Penelope Spheeris. 

Dudes (USA) 

Friday, November 10, 9:40 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Penelope Spheeris 

90 minutes

Introduced by Penelope Spheeris. 

Hello Hello Hello : Lee Ranaldo : Electric Trim (USA)  MIDWEST PREMIERE

Friday, November 10, 7:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Fred Riedel

76 minutes

An intimate portrait of a bold musical mind at work as the Sonic Youth guitar genius collaborates with novelist Jonathan Lethem, fellow axe innovator Nels Cline, and other creative fellow travelers to produce his new album Electric Trim. Q&A with filmmaker Fred Riedel to follow screening. 

Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution (Germany) MIDWEST PREMIERE

Friday, November 10, 9:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Yony Leyser

83 minutes

John Waters, Kathleen Hanna, and Peaches features in this kinetic fanzine of a doc tracing how a pair of Toronto underground filmmakers created a musical and cultural movement that opened up punk to radical queers. Q&A to follow with director Yony Leyser.

The Nth Power / Ghost Note / MonoNeon

Friday, November 10 at 9 p.m.

Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

________

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11

How They Got Over (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 11:30 a.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Robert Clem

86 minutes

A long-overdue look at journey of young black men who found a way out of poverty through spiritual music in the first half of the 20th century. Tastefully mixing vintage clips, archival images, and interviews with members of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Soul Stirrers, the Dixie Hummingbirds, and other groups, this is the quintessential history of gospel music’s legendary quartets and their enduring influence on rock, soul, and R&B.

Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 12 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Zack Taylor, Georg Petzold

92 minutes

A deep dive into the rise, fall, and future – yes, we said future – of “music’s worst format” (the filmmakers’ words, not ours): the clunky, crap-sounding, revolutionary cassette, the first technology that made your tunes portable and shareable. Cassette limns the pre-digital joy of mix-making and the way cheap tapes gave early indie rockers and rappers a crucial path to market, but it transcends sprocket nostalgia in its portrait of the now-elderly Dutch engineer who invented the goddamned things.

Geordie Jazz Man (UK) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 1:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Abi Lewis

50 minutes

Keith Crombie was the cranky, contrarian spirit of Newcastle jazz, presiding for decades over the English city’s premier dive — Jazz Café, a home away from home for anyone from Eric Burdon and Wynton Marsalis to generations of young Geordie misfits. This atmospheric portrait recounts his early adventures in the music business (and, just maybe, the mob) and celebrates a life dedicated to keeping the blue note beat alive. Post screening Q&A with director Abi Lewis.

Red Line Lounge (USA) 

Saturday, November 11, 1:30 p.m. (with Geordie Jazz Man)

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Jens Ericson

9 minutes

A portrait of Chicago drummer Dave Russell, a former Son Seals and Jimmy Johnson sideman who’s fallen on hard times. Now homeless, he keeps the music alive with the Red Line Lounge Band, providing daily entertainment for Chicago commuters.

Scream for Me Sarajevo (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 2 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Tarik Hodzic

94 minutes

In a city besieged by shelling and sniper fire, it seemed a fantastical rumor: Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson was coming to Sarajevo play. An unlikely and inspiring story of people who risked their lives to perform for people who risked their lives just to live them.

The Icarus Line Must Die (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 3:10 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Michael Grodner

82 minutes

Fifteen years ago, the Icarus Line was rocketing to the top of the LA underground with a hot debut album and a major-label deal. Now frontman Joe Cardamone is 36 and broke, and the record companies won’t touch his new stuff. Plus, he’s getting death threats by text. Cardamone wrote the script and plays a thinly veiled version of himself in this No Wave-style noir about navigating the modern music biz, co-starring Ariel Pink and Keith Morris. Post screening Q&A with director Michael Grodner.

The Last Hot Lick (USA) WORLD PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 3:10 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave 

Directed by Mahalia Cohen

86 minutes

Jaime Leopold, the charter bassist for psychedelic jug band Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, plays a fictionalized version of himself in this sweet, sad drama about an aging troubadour on a never-ending tour. Post-screening Q&A with Mahalia Cohen, producer Deborah Cohen, Jaime Leopold, and Jennifer Smieja, followed by a live performance by Leopold and Smieja.

We Sold Our Souls For Rock ‘N Roll (USA) 

Saturday, November 11, 4:00 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave 

Directed by Penelope Spheeris

90 minutes

This nooks-and-crannies exploration of Ozzfest played a handful of film fests upon release and his been virtually unseen since. Spheeris captures everything, from the observations of fans, groupies, tour-bus drivers, and pyrotechnicians to Ozzy’s backstage oxygen treatments, Slipknot visiting the Lincoln Memorial in full regalia, and performances by Black Sabbath, Primus, System of a Down, and many more. A rare treat for devotees of metal and backstage tour docs. Introduction and post-screening Q&A with Penelope Spheeris.

Cowboy Drifter (USA)  CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 5:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Michael Lange

103 minutes

A soulful Americana soundtrack featuring the Revivalists, the White Buffalo, and Keb’ Mo’ accents this brooding, dark-humored drama about an aging rogue looking to shake the legacy of his dissolute country-singer dad. Q&A to follow with writer/star Chuck Carrington, co-star Aubrey Peeples, director Michael Lange and producer/music supervisor Jonathan McHugh.

Gregory Porter: Don't Forget Your Music (UK/USA)  MIDWEST PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 7:50 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Alfred George Bailey

85 minutes

A personal, visually striking chronicle of the soft-spoken, sartorially splendid singer's rise from Bakersfield to Brooklyn to late-blooming global fame as one of the most distinctive voices in jazz.

Six Strings of Separation (USA) 

Saturday, November 11, 8 p.m.

Martyrs, 3855 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Robert Liano

26 minutes

Acclaimed luthier Tom Lieber, who began his career apprenticing with Jerry Garcia’s guitar maker, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead with a custom line of axes modeled on Jerry’s classic “Wolf” and “Tiger” guitars. Performance by Dead tribute band Dark Star Originals to follow.

Covadonga (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 10 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Sean Hartofilis

70 minutes

Martin Ravin lives alone in a secluded lake house, mourning his murdered wife and consoling himself with Irish airs. One night he spies a trysting young couple commandeering his canoe for a moonlight ride; when only the boy returns, Martin takes matters into his own hands. Is he seeking justice? Vengeance? A way to keep his past at bay? A brisk, surprising thriller marked by dark humor and beautifully sinister musical interludes. Post- screening Q&A with Director/writer/actor Sean Hartofilis.

Electric Heart (USA) NORTH AMERICA PREMIERE

Saturday, November 11, 9:45 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Benjamin Mattingly

75 minutes

The first EDM-powered "silent" narrative film uses a wall-to-wall soundtrack (featuring Dash Berlin, Armin van Buuren, and many more) rather than spoken dialogue to steer a story about two Portland buds on a very trippy road trip to a big Vegas music festival. Post-screening Q&A with director Benjamin Mattingly, actors Amick Vicciello and Johnna, producer Scott Little.

Live Performance by Matt Muse

Saturday, November 11 at 5:00 PM

Gideon Welles, 4500 North Lincoln Avenue

NEWVICES / Various Blonde / Mesha Arant

Saturday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Oromo Cafe, 4703 North Lincoln Avenue

Dark Star Originals / Six Strings of Separation

Saturday, November 11 at 8 p.m.

Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

Lera Lynn

Saturday, November 11 at 8 p.m.

Old Town School, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

________

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12

Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together (USA) 

Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.

Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Stevenson J. Palfi

76 minutes

Made for public television, this effusive documentary gathered three generations of New Orleans piano legends — blues and boogie man Tuts Washington; his protégé, R&B pioneer Professor Longhair; and the great songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint, a Longhair disciple — for an historic keyboard summit. A film as rich in flavor as New Orleans's musical culture itself that will have you grooving and bouncing in your seats.

June Falling Down (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Rebecca Weaver

115 minutes

A young artist eking out an aimless existence in San Francisco tries to sort out a battery of conflicting emotions upon returning to her small Wisconsin hometown, a year after her father’s death, for her best friend’s wedding. Weaver, who also wrote, edited, and stars as June, makes an assured feature debut in this sharply observed seriocomic character study; her husband, Wisconsin singer-songwriter Chris Irwin, composed the rootsy score. Post screening Q&A with director/writer/actor Rebecca Weaver, producer/composer Chris Irwin.

Covers (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Malcolm M. Mays

96 minutes

Writer/director Mays, currently co-starring in Snowfall, and rapper/actor Tristan “Mack” Wilds (of The Wire and Adele’s “Hello” video) are X and Nisha, childhood friends from South Central who turn a game of crooning smooth R&B versions of rock and pop classics into a series of viral tracks. A canny mix of urban drama, romance, bromance, and cautionary tale on the perils of returning to the ’hood.

Tom Rush: No Regrets (USA) 

Sunday, November 12, 2 p.m.

Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Rob Stegman, Todd Kwait

85 minutes

The New England troubadour credited with launching the singer-songwriter movement and introducing audiences to the work of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne tells the story of his musical life. Tom Rush will take part in a Q&A after the screening and before his Nov. 12 live performance at the Old Town School.

It Must Make Peace (Canada/Mali) US PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 2:15 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Paul R. Chandler

82 minutes

Oxfam America and CIMMfest present a journey deep into the music and dance traditions that have framed life in Mali for generations but are under threat from poverty and war. A panel on Oxfam's work in Mali will follow the film, including a Q&A with Bob Ferguson and Jackie Nelson of Oxfam America.

NOLA? (Spain) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 2:40 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Fermin Muguruza

65 minutes

A people’s history of New Orleans culture wrapped in a making-the-album doc as Basque rocker and filmmaker Muguruza – known in Spain for his radical politics and multiculti musical blending – records in NOLA with local luminaries ranging from Preservation Hall to zydeco great Sunpie Barnes to bounce queen Katey Red. Between sessions, Big Easy artists, writers, and scene mainstays talk about the city’s musical past and post-Katrina present. Post screening Q&A with director William Miller.

David Bowie: The Last Five Years  (UK) 

Sunday, November 12, 4:30 p.m.

Comfort Station, 2579 N Milwaukee Ave

Directed by Francis Whately

90 minutes

Screening for free at Comfort Station, this BBC music doc goes behind the scenes at the making of Bowie's The Next Day and Blackstar albums, offering an intimate look at the final phase of one of the defining creative lives of our time.

Straight Into a Storm (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 4:45 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by William Miller

106 minutes

Let’s all go to the bar! Deer Tick’s 10th-anniversary gig on New Year’s Eve 2015 provides the spine for this time-shifting, beer-soaked chronicle of the indie rockers’ evolution into one of America's premier cult bands. Q&A to follow with filmmaker William Miller.

Do U Want It? (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 5 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Sam Radutzky, Josh Freund

96 minutes

Papa Grows Funk was the quintessential Crescent City groove band, a supergroup of local players who drew fans from around the world for their renowned Monday-night residency at the Maple Leaf Bar. Percolating with electric performances, this doc wraps the tale of the band and its breakup into a larger story about New Orleans music, crystallizing the tension between the ease of being a working musician in a city that supports homegrown talent like no other and the frustration that can come with wanting more than that.

The Third Root (Mexico) CHICAGO PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 7 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by Reed Rickert and Camilo Nu

68 minutes

Mexican guitarist Camilo Nu goes adventuring in search of his musical roots, crossing the Atlantic to find the Andalusian, Arab, and African antecedents of son jarocho, the traditional folk style of his native Veracruz. Followed by a performance by Camilo Nu.

2350 Last Call: The Neo Story (USA) WORLD PREMIERE

Sunday, November 12, 7 p.m.

GMan Tavern, 3740 North Clark Street

Directed by Eric Richter

46 minutes

Opened in 1979 as Chicago's first alternative dance club, Neo reigned for 36 years as a sanctuary for misfits, weirdos, and outcasts and ground zero for an explosion of fashion and music trends. Richter's labor-of-love documentary debut is a true testimonial of a club that not only outlasted its competitors but never lost its attitude, or its reputation as a place where people celebrated their individuality and danced their asses off. Q&A with Director Eric Richter, Neo DJs Suzanne Shelton, Jeff Moyer, and Scary Lady Sarah, Metro/Gman Tavern owner Joe Shanahan. Presented with CHIRP Radio.

Horn From The Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story (USA) 

Sunday, November 12, 7:30 p.m.

Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave

Directed by John Anderson

96 minutes

Live Performance by Rich Jones and Fess Grandiose

Sunday, November 12 at 5:00 PM

Gideon Welles, 4500 North Lincoln Avenue

Individual advance tickets range between $6-$12 for festival screenings and events. Stay tuned for more information on cimmfest.org and by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL MOVIES AND MUSIC FESTIVAL (CIMMfest)

The Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMMfest) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to bringing together filmmakers, musicians, artists, industry leaders and audiences from diverse cultures around the world. In addition to producing year-round film screenings, concerts, and professional development programming, the organization produces one of Chicago’s most highly anticipated and largest cultural events of the year: CIMMfest. The four-day, 100-plus multimedia event features film premieres, live concerts and a dynamic professional and entrepreneurial industry conference. CIMMfest serves a growing, diverse community of artists, industry and fans, in order to reveal the transformative power of music to foster creativity and communication,educate, enlighten, and entertain.