Here at DAILY GRINDHOUSE, we worship at the altar of genre cinema’s past. And so should you. Here’s a look at all of the classic rep titles playing during CINEPOCALYPSE 2018.
All films are shown in DCP format unless otherwise noted.
SATURDAY, JUNE 23RD
5:00 PM: TALES FROM THE CRYPT: DEMON KNIGHT (US / 1995 / 92m)
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson
Screenplay: Ethan Reiff & Cyrus Voris
with Billy Zane, William Sadler, John Kassir
Director and 2018 Cinepocalypse Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Ernest R. Dickerson in person for a post-film Q&A!
For his third time in the director’s chair — after the celebrated JUICE (1992) and the cult classic SURVIVING THE GAME (1994) — Ernest Dickerson teamed up with Tales from the Crypt producers Richard Donner, Walter Hill, and Robert Zemeckis to bring the popular HBO series to the big screen. The result is a tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top comedy/horror mash-up about a demon who lays siege to a sleepy bed & breakfast. Plus, like the finest Tales from the Crypt episodes, this flick is stocked with lovable performers like Billy Zane, Dick Miller, Jada Pinkett Smith, CCH Pounder, Thomas Haden Church, and, of course, Cinepocalypse favorite William Sadler.
7:30 PM: JUDGMENT NIGHT (US / 1993 / 110m)
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Screenplay: Lewis Colick; Story: Lewis Colick & Jere Cunningham
with Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Denis Leary, Stephen Dorff, Jeremy Piven
Director Stephen Hopkins in attendance!
Already a veteran of rough, tough genre flicks after A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD (1985) and PREDATOR 2 (1990), director Stephen Hopkins went with JUDGMENT NIGHT (1993) for his third American feature, and created one of the most celebrated street cred bad-ass urban thrillers of our generation. Featuring a now legendary ensemble cast (Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jeremy Piven, Stephen Dorff) this pre-GPS “holy shit, we got off the wrong exit” nightmare scenario follows four friends as they get lost in Chicago (!!), witness a murder and then have to run for their lives when the villainous Denis Leary shows up. As one does.
SUNDAY, JUNE 24TH
2:15 PM: JUICE (US / 1992 / 95m)
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson
Screenplay: Gerard Brown; Story: Ernest R. Dickerson
with Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins, Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifah
Director and 2018 Cinepocalypse Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Ernest R. Dickerson in person for a post-film Q&A!
After years of working as a celebrated cinematographer on such iconic films as John Sayles’s THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET and Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING, Ernest Dickerson made his directorial debut with this story of four Harlem teens who plan a grocery store robbery to earn “the juice,” or respect. But their pursuit of power and happiness takes an unexpected and dangerous turn. This landmark work for fans of hip-hop culture features early screen appearances by Tupac Shakur, Omar Epps, and Samuel L. Jackson.
MONDAY, JUNE 25TH
7:00 PM: HOWARD THE DUCK (US / 1986 / 110m)
Written and Directed by Willard Huyck
Based on the Character by Steve Gerber
Produced by George Lucas
with Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Tim Robbins, Chip Zien
Screened in 70MM!
Is it a guilty pleasure, a trainwreck, or a misunderstood masterpiece? The world may never agree, but there’s one thing you can definitively say about George Lucas’ cinematic interpretation of the cult favorite Marvel comic book about a wise-quacking duck trapped in a world he never made: it sure isn’t boring. Whether you’re amazed at how weird this mega-budget adaptation turned out to be (made all the more bizarre via this rare 70mm screening), or you’re savoring the underappreciated comedic contributions from Lea Thompson and Tim Robbins, there’s no denying that HOWARD THE DUCK gives movie geeks and comic book nuts something to talk/argue about. Think of it as the origin story for the post-credits sequence from GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27TH
7:00 PM: BOUND (US / 1996 / 108m)
Written & Directed by Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski
with Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, Christopher Meloni
Director/Writer Lana Wachowski in attendance!
Three years before they delivered THE MATRIX (and redefined action movies forever), the Wachowski siblings offered up a sensual, razor-sharp film noir throwback as their debut feature. Bolstered by career-best performances from Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, and Joe Pantoliano, BOUND centers on two women scheming to rip off a dangerous gangster by stealing $2 million from his money launderer, whose unexpected reaction to being a scapegoat threatens to derail the plan. With a groundbreaking lesbian love story at its driving force, the filmmakers bring copious amounts of wit, style, brains, sexiness, and a refreshingly progressive attitude to this landmark crime drama.
Closing Night: THURSDAY, JUNE 28TH
8:30 PM: KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE (US / 1988 / 88m)
Written and Directed by The Chiodo Brothers
with Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Allen Nelson, John Vernon, Royal Dano
Showtime: Thu, June 28th – 8:00 PM
Screened in 35MM!
The Chiodo Brothers in attendance for a post-film Q&A!
30th Anniversary Celebration!
When you think of cult cinema in its purest, most deviant form, a handful of titles spring to mind, but few are as beautiful, nostalgic, bizarre, and iconic as the Chiodo Brothers 1988 clownsploitation feature debut, KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE. Simply put, this tale of a small town invaded by murderous aliens that just happen to look like clowns is high on many genre fans’ lists of their favorite films of all time. Using a twisted blend of ’50s-style monster movies, dark humor, and some truly creative, colorful ways to die, the film solidifies the idea that clowns should be feared and that ice cream trucks will always be the first line of defense against alien invasion. Do not miss your chance to see this legendary work with an audience! And make sure you check out the DAILY GRINDHOUSE interview with composer John Massari.
All films are in English.
Tags: Bound, Chiodo Brothers, Cinepocalypse, Cinepocalypse 2018, Ernest R. Dickerson, George Lucas, Howard The Duck, Judgment Night, Juice, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, Stephen Chiodo, Stephen Hopkins, Tales From The Crypt, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, Willard Huyck
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