Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre and the minds behind the Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival and Awesome Fest are coming together for an all out cinematic assault know as Cinepocalypse. Starting tomorrow night and running for the next seven days, the fest takes over the Music Box for a week of jam packed horror and genre screenings. The fest will be hosted by You’re Next and The Guest screenwriter Simon Barrett and will feature appearances by director Joe Carnahan who will be presenting select movies on 35mm, director Larry Cohen, and superstar Eric fucking Roberts. Here’s the skinny from their site:
The Music Box Theatre is proud to announce their full wave of programming and guests for the debut year of CINEPOCALYPSE (an evolution to the program design of Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Festival), which will take place November 2 – 9 at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. The Midwest’s largest gathering of genre films and fans, the festival’s organizers are proud to announce dozens of new features, shorts, and premieres, alongside their juries, repertory, and secret screenings.
Of the over 60 films selected, highlights include the World Premiere of PRIMAL RAGE; North American Premieres of RENDEL, SNOWFLAKE, and THE TERROR OF HALLOW’S EVE; and U.S. Premieres of BEYOND SKYLINE, LOWLIFE, DOWNRANGE, and MOTORRAD! Among the guests at this year’s festival are writer/director Larry Cohen, screenwriter/guest curator Joe Carnahan, actor Antonio Fargas, actor Eric Roberts, screenwriter/guest host Simon Barrett, actress Barbara Crampton, and Suspiria star Jessica Harper – with many more to be announced!
Cinepocalypse is made possible by sponsors IFC Midnight, Bloody Disgusting, The Onion’s A.V. Club, and Half Acre Beer Company.
These are the 5 films we can’t wait to check out:
SWEET VIRGINIA
Opening Night Film | Midwest Premiere | Audience Q&A with Director Jamie Dagg
A former rodeo champ with a dark past, Jon Bernthal (Netflix’s The Punisher), unknowingly starts a rapport with a young man, Christopher Abbott (It Comes at Night), who is stirring up a swell of disturbing, sociopathic violence that has suddenly gripped a small town. Rosemarie DeWitt (Mad Men) and Imogen Poots (Green Room) also star in this twisted, tense, modern-day, neo-noir masterpiece about an unpredictable predator.
A Ticket to this film provides access to after party in the Music Box Lounge. All ticket holders receive complimentary Half Acre Brewery and Crystal Head Vodka beverages, catered food. DJ Fuzzbox spinning in the Music Box Lounge all night long.
TRAGEDY GIRLS
Illinois Premiere | Director Tyler MacIntyre in Attendance
A twist on the slasher genre, the film follows two death-obsessed teenage girls who use their online show about real-life tragedies to send their small Midwestern town into a frenzy and secure their legacy as modern horror legends by kidnapping a serial killer and force him to be their mentor, resulting in a crime spree that becomes national news.
KING COHEN
Larry Cohen, Eric Roberts, Director Steve Mitchell & Producers in Attendance
Indie film legend Larry Cohen has directed cult classics like Black Caesar, It’s Alive, Q the Winged Serpent, and The Stuff. Hollywood screenwriter Larry Cohen delivered enjoyable “high concept” matinees like Best Seller, Phone Booth, and Cellular. And those are just the tip of the iceberg. Fans will savor every minute of this documentary as it covers Mr. Cohen’s highly impressive career — and newcomers will simply dig the classy old guy’s attitude.
Side note, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Cohen before, and he’s the real deal. If you’re a fan of indie horror, you won’t want to miss this one.
APPLECART
Midwest Premiere | Director Brad Burah & Actress Barbara Crampton in Attendance
A gaggle of powerhouse horror veterans, including Barbara Crampton (You’re Next), Brea Grant (Beyond the Gates), AJ Bowen (The Signal), Daniel Roebuck (At the Devil’s Door), and Chase Williamson (John Dies at the End), get together for what seems like a fairly standard “cabin in the woods” tale and then it gets weird… and weirder… and super gory, as a dear, caring mother loses her sanity. Let’s just leave it at that.
DEAD SHACK
Midwest Premiere
While staying at a run down cabin in the woods, three children must save their parents from the neighbor who intends to feed them to her undead family. Fully loaded with an axe-wielding drunk dada, homemade weapons, buckets of blood, and genuinely funny one-liners for days, this Canadian zombie fare keeps things moving, with plenty of jokes and scares that play off the dysfunctional family dynamic.
All of these and more will be screening at the festival. Be sure to take a look at the full lineup here. And purchase your tickets here.
Regular Screenings: $12 General Admission / $9 Music Box Theatre Member
Opening and Closing Night (Includes Access to After-Party): $18 GA / $15 MBT Member
SUSPIRIA 35mm Screening with Jessica Harper: $15 GA / $12 MBT Member
KING COHEN & Larry Cohen Award Presentation: $15 GA / $12 MBT Member
4-day All Access Pass: $150 GA / $125 MBT Member
(Admits 1 to all film screenings, events, and parties from November 2-5, 2017 of Cinepocalypse at the Music Box Theatre.)
Full Festival All Access Pass: $200 GA / $175 MBT Member
(Admits 1 to all film screenings, events, and parties from November 2-9, 2017 of Cinepocalypse at the Music Box Theatre.)
