You may hate him, but at least he has made some crazy horror movies and has good taste in classic horror. Eli Roth is one of my favorite Hollywood personalities (give a listen to this interview if you need to) that I wish would be involved in more films, whether directing or starring in cheesy roles (like Grindhouse). However, in the meantime, he's launching his own film festival, called The Greats of Roth, at LA's New Beverly Cinema. Just like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright before him (check out that film festival), it's now Roth's time to share some great classic cinema with all.
"Eli will be introducing select screenings, schedule permitting. Many of the films Eli has chosen are very hard to find and rarely shown on the big screen. We are delighted to have such a talented, enthusiastic director and film lover sharing some of the movies that inspired him with the New Beverly!" Here's the official line-up that runs from February 17th to March 1st:
Shows start at 7:30PM every night. Special afternoon matinée on Saturday and Sunday. Double feature begins immediately after. Commentary below was written by Eli Roth.
February 17th, 18th, 19th:
TORSO (1973) (a.k.a. CARNAL VIOLENCE) & PIECES (1982)
The Hacksaw/Chainsaw double bill! These films are next to impossible to find uncut on DVD in the U.S. and are rarely ever shown on the big screen. And they're both fucking awesome films that never cut away from the good stuff.
February 20th, 21st:
MOTHER'S DAY (1980) & CREEPSHOW (1982)
The film I showed at my Bar Mitzvah instead of having a dance because I wasn't friends with any girls. One of my all time favorite slasher films. PLUS: A special surprise short after Creepshow…
February 22nd, 23rd:
CARRIE (1976) & ZAPPED! (1982)
I shit you not. I have always wanted to see these films back to back. Sissy Spacek uses her telekinetic powers to get revenge on the kids at school, and Scott Baio uses it to take off Heather Thomas' clothes. See where the "Charles and Charge" magic of Baio and Aames all began. It's also the next film that Scatman Crothers made right after the Shining. You can feel the Kubrickian influence in every moment of his performance. If you've never seen this film, you've never seen an animated sequence of Scatman Crothers' wife chasing him in a Ben-Hur chariot, firing animated salamis. Fucking sublime.
February 24th, 25th, 26th:
THE APPLE (1980) & STUNT ROCK (1978)
There will be some sort of sing along, but not on Oscar night, because Diablo Cody would kill me if I did it without her. Probably on the 25th.
February 27th:
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) & CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (1980)
Original? Remake? Ripoff? Or brilliant use of a similar technique? You be the judge! I have not seen "Blair Witch" since it came out in the theater, and have always wanted to see it back to back with the film that created the "found footage" movie. How do either of them compare to "Cloverfield?" Fuck I can't wait to see…
February 28th:
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) & CANNIBAL FEROX (1981) (a.k.a. MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY)
Umberto Lenzi and Ruggero Deodato got into a cannibal movie pissing contest back in the day. Lenzi did the first cannibal scene in his film "Man from Deep River" in 1972, but then Deodato made "Last Cannibal World" in 1976 and stole Lenzi's thunder. Then Deodato outdid himself with "Cannibal Holocaust," which became a sensation all over the world. Lenzi was so irritated that he made "Eaten Alive" to try to out-do Deodato, but people said it wasn't as grueling and nasty as "Cannibal Holocaust." So then he made "Cannibal Ferox" to show he could make the nastiest cannibal film of all time. Did it work? Decide for yourself! Lenzi also cast a lot of the same actors that Deodato used, just to make it even more confusing. It worked! I can barely keep track of which film is which, but they're both awesome and have lots of graphic violence that got them banned in many countries.
February 29th, March 1st:
BACHELOR PARTY (1984) & CADDYSHACK (1980)
Oscar winning (or should have won) duo… Tom Hanks in his greatest performance ever… And yet ANOTHER movie Bill Murray should have gotten the Oscar for…
For more information, head to Eli Roth's MySpace blog or the New Beverly Cinema's official website - newbevcinema.com.
Damn how I wish I lived in LA! Eli says he'll try and get some special guests down each night as well. These kinds of film festivals and cinema exposés remind me why movies are so fucking awesome to watch together. I only wish I could live out this experience with Roth in person and catch all of these showings. I would seriously be at every last one. That's it, I'm packing up and moving to Los Angeles right now! Anyone want to come with me?
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