Golgotha - But I thought I hated silent films! Wrong!

Golgotha @ The 2008 Dead Channels Film Festival in S.F., Roxie Theater

Directed by Karla Jean Davis

This film is sexy. This film is funny. This film is so authentic that several times while watching the alluringly sensual black and white images... I kept thinking. "But this looks *exactly* like an old school silent film. What's the deal here? Where is the angle? Well, part of it? I hope I am not ruining it here for you, but, at times... they actually do speak. Yes, they do. There is one more thing you need to consider when you are watching this film. Karla Jean Davis. First time film maker? Bull shit! No, this is true. I watched that film thinking, "OK, she is way, way too young. She couldn't have made this film. Not possible. It would take a life time to gather the life experience, the skills, the background... You get what I'm saying here?

Here's what they say in the program guide:

"An homage to German Expressionist silent films, Golgotha is the memoir of an evil sorceress's life at the top...alone. She was once the most powerful sorceress of all time; but age has reduced the once-feared sorceress to a sick, old woman on her deathbed. In a rare moment of candor (and humility), she confesses her life story to a goblin named Minion, the last of her loyal footservants. The story's end might be more than she bargained for.

Karla Jean Davis's feature film debut is a reverse fairytale on a particularly expressionistic stage. Don't miss this hand-crafted epic labor of love."

Fair enough. Based on that I figured it was worth a viewing. 2pm on a Saturday? Not the easiest time slot in a festival to pack the house, but a decent showing and there are a few things I'd like to lob out there if you are considering coming out for the second and final Wednesday, October 8th screening @ 6pm at the Roxie.

First of all let me be perfectly clear on this issue. I generally don't like silent films. At all. I am also not a fan of Docs. Once, years ago, while watching a screener of a Doc I was lured in. It's called Fisher Poets. I am not interested in fishing or poetry. The combination? Trust me, this was not a film I thought I would like. At all. Turns out? It's amazing. I was drawn in. Bingo! This is what we are talking about here. What is good film? It's not necessarily what you *think* you like. Get out there. Mix it up. Expose yourself to art and see what happens. Sometimes you find a gem you would not have picked up at the video store. Golgotha? I never would have picked it up. Having seen it? This is not a film to miss. Yes, there are many things that you can do on Wednesday at 6pm. Interested in seeing hauntingly beautiful film, film that has the potential to inspire? Film that also made me laugh? Ah, you can't beat this one! This is a film so strange and so incredibly beautiful that you will walk out of the theater on clouds. It's incredible. Get out there and see this film while you have the chance! The general public? They are thoughtless and crass. Yes, they are and they are far too busy with things like "Survivor" or sports on T.V. You will not likely see Golgotha at the multi-plex. Nope. I am guessing this film will not go huge on HBO. However, you have a kick ass chance of a lifetime to get out and see this incredibly beautiful film on the big screen. Is that important? Hell, yes! This film is amazing and I'd scrap those Wednesday night plans and wander on over to the Roxie theater in the Mission district of S.F.



- Mike Skurko

Plague Town - Creepy Evil Children? This one will scare you senseless!!

Plague Town @ The 2008 Dead Channels Film Festival in S.F. @ The Roxie Theater

So, yesterday I got out and made it down to the Roxie Theater and took in my first film in the 2008 Dead Channels Film Festival in S.F. "Plague Town." The U.S. Premiere! I did not read much about the film and from the program guide had only this to go on:

"Plague Town is a truly frightening old-school horror movie about the Monohan family, who are (for the most part) likeable, smart normals who get much more than they bargained for when they get lost in the rural countryside in Ireland. Luckily, they stumble across an old village hidden deep in the woods, so they have a place to rest for the night. Unbeknownst to the modern urbanites the villagers follow a different set of much older rules."

Not much to go on here. Is it "truly frightening?" Yes, it is. Within the first ten minutes I had the shivers and found myself casually glancing around the theater to be sure no faces were about to leap out at me. I'm not kidding. This film is really creepy. There are a couple of things you should prepare yourself for with "Plague Town." The first I've already mentioned. It has many shocking appearances of terribly sinister, death dealing mutant children. They pop out of the dark and will scare the living daylights out of you while they giggle and slice into their prey. Beyond that visceral, gut level fear and an adrenal pumping 'fight or flight' response that this one continually triggers? It is so incredibly gruesome. You will see some hard core gore here that will trigger more that a double fistful of wincing from everyone in the theater. There are scenes in this film that, had I not been in a theater, would have punished me to the point where my only recourse would be to stand and pace. The last time this happened to me? "Audition" by Takashi Miike. In fact, there is one scene in particular that pays a lovely homage to one of those scenes in "Audition..." Well, let's just say that when you see this film you will know exactly what I'm talking about. It is so incredibly horrible and so perfectly executed...

"Plague Town" delivers the goods! If you are OK with having the living shit scared out of you. If you really don't mind the terrifying shivers and a film that will most certainly give you nightmares? You promise not to lose your lunch? I am not kidding. There is real hard core gore here and it is hauntingly realistic. "Plague Town" is terrifying and it is punishing. Happing ending? Looking for a happy ending? Hmmmm... Well, don't say I didn't warn you. This film? Do not miss this film at Dead Channels Film Festival!! It plays one more time on Saturday, October 4th at 8pm.

The Director, David Gregory will be at the theater. I recommend you stick around for the Q&A and/or buy him a couple of pints after the screening... Which reminds me. At the Q&A last Friday someone asked about inspiration for the concept, "where did this come from?"

"A general fear of children. There aren't that many films about creepy children..."

Well, now here's one that's raised the bar to impossible heights and will ensure my nightmares will likely include the faces of demonic imps flashing out of dark and terrible places... Thanks to David Gregory and "Plague Town," I'm going to be sleeping with the night light on for the next couple of months!

Let the maddness begin! Plague Town - Today at 4pm

2008 Dead Channels Film Festival in S.F. @ The Roxie Theater

What are you doing this afternoon? No plans? Get over to the Mission district in S.F. and check this one out. It starts at 4pm. I haven't seen it, but *if* it's as good as it sounds you can rest assured I'll be writing about it. Sounds like one that's right up the proverbial alley. Dead Channels is a festival in rare form. A perfect time in space. You want to be a part of this. This is it! Get out of the apartment and boogie on over to the Roxie! Now! (well, in a few hours) and see what kind of maniacs are milling around the theater, eating a falafel, smoking, chatting and getting fired up for the festival. You should be there. Trust me on this...

Dead Channels Film Festival S.F. Vortex Party - October 2nd, 2008

Well, it's that time of year and having won the coveted Best of The Bay award last year the warped genius of Bruce Fletcher is back to dish up more Horror, Sci-Fi, Splatter, Extreme Shock Japanese film and much more. You have something better to do? I find that very difficult to believe. Yes, I do. This is a fine chance to hang out in the fog, mill around the Roxie cinema on 16th at Valencia and take in some of the very best picks possible. You like horror films? Oh, you will like this...

So, last night at the Vortex - SoMa, S.F.. The Vortex Room is quite possibly the last of a breed of underground clubs. It's film focus and uber chic crowd of the sexy and the hip have been known to party until the wee hours of the morn. Me? I am tired and wretched so I was only there in the start of the night and can only confim that there were beautiful women and dashing young men. There were cocktails and some spiraling visuals projected on the walls that reminded me of an era gone by. A poster for 'The Weird World of LSD' caught my eye and reminded me, that yes, this year's theme? Well, it certainly gives credence to the tag line of a festival that promises to "BLOW YOUR MIND!" I've seen some of the Bruce picks for this year's festival and can assure you it will most certainly blow your mind. The films begin today, October 3d and will run until October 10th.

Never been to a film festival? Oh, goodness. You are in for a rare treat. Not only will you get a chance to see many films that are hard if not impossible to access, but you get to party with the band! What could be better? Got a question? Wonder what they were thinking? There will be a good cluster of delegates - film makers, actors and their troops. You can pipe up in the Q&A or hang out with them and drink beers after the film at the Delerium on 16th and Albion. What were they thinking? Really? Why this film? How many buckets of blood in the face and who made the space craft? From what? They used what?! This is a good time. You should be there too.