Virginia Creepers: The Horror Host Tradition of the Old Dominion
(Sean Kotz & Chris Valluzo, 2009, 120 min.)
with directors Sean Kotz & Chris Valluzzo, Bill Bowman (The Bowman Body), Mark Bartholomew (Dr. Gruesome) & Matt Pak (Skeeter), Craig T. Adams (Uncle Felonious and other characters on Dr. Madblood), Rick Clark (The Keeper), John Dimes (Dr. Sarcofiguy) and Jerry Moore (Karlos Borloff)

1:00 pm
The Byrd Theatre
Admission $5

For more than 50 years the hosted horror late-night movie was a Friday or Saturday tradition in every Virginia television market. The feature was inevitably a B-movie, the cornier the better, but not nearly as corny as the hosts themselves! This doc takes you back to the days of local, live television with photos, interviews, sound bites, and clips thought to be lost forever – lively and funny, a walk down memory lane of nightmarish proportions. See Bowman play his ukulele and hum the theme song once again – fun for kids of all ages! DVD signing and panel discussion the directors and horror shows hosts after – meet the Bowman Body in person! Introduced by John Porter.

The Hidden Fortress
(Akira Kurosawa, 1958, 126 min., b&w, in Japanese w/subtitles)
Restored 35 mm print!
4:00 pm
The Byrd Theatre
Admission $5

In commemoration of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s birthday centennial, we’re proud to present The Hidden Fortress, the inspiration behind George Lucas’ Star Wars and one of his most popular and accessible films. Quick synopsis: In the 16th century, a cynical samurai (Mifune) is hired to escort disguised princess (Chiaki) and two clownish sidekicks (think Chewbacca and R2D2!) through the enemy’s kingdom. An avowed fan of American action directors John Ford and Howard Hawks, Kurosawa shows their influence here with this charming blend of suspense, action and comedy. George Lucas says, “Kurosawa’s ability to transform a vision into a powerful work of art is unparalleled.” Francis Ford Coppola called Kurosawa “One of the greatest directors ever to work in the cinema.” A treat for all ages!

Benjamin Smoke
(Jem Cohen, 2000, 70 min.) with director Jem Cohen
6:30 pm
VCU Grace Street Theatre
Admission $5

This profile of Atlanta-based rocker Benjamin Smoke (who died in 1999 at age 39), falls somewhere on the fringe of Werner Herzog’s documentary subjects and Harmony Korine’s Gummo, for both gravitate to the outsider – often in extremis – as subject. Robert Dickerson is the charismatic Benjamin Smoke, a sometimes drag queen whose love of Patti Smith records and a desire to become an artist and rocker led to a bubble of fame in Georgia and underground circles. Smoke’s story is heroic and inspirational, and director Cohen captures his subject with compassion and respect.

The Lady from Shanghai
(Orson Welles, 1948, 87 mins.) on 35mm!
With guest critic Peter Schilling
8:30 pm
VCU Grace Street Theatre
Admission $5

Like the best films noir, The Lady from Shanghai, is the sordid tale of double-cross and murder. But in the hands of Orson Welles, the movie is also an examination of his doomed marriage to Rita Hayworth. Welles plays Michael O'Hara, a not-too-bright Irish seaman, who falls for Hayworth's Elsa Bannister, and sails the seas with the femme fatale and her loathsome husband (Everett Sloane). Despite being cut almost in half by the studio, and with a plot so complex even Welles couldn't figure it out, Lady remains a classic thriller whose climactic shoot-out in a hall of mirrors is one of the iconic scenes in film history. Introduction by guest film critic Peter Schilling.