Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "films"

Blood and Thrills and Chills, Oh My! - The Sacramento Horror Scene Through A Friend Of The Genre

2012-01-31T23:17:47Z

Blood and Thrills and Chills, Oh My! - The Sacramento Horror Scene Through A Friend Of The Genre

Adhorroration [ad-horror-ey-shun] – noun

1.A fervent and devoted love of horror.
2.The act of paying honor and homage to horror.
3.The only term to describe my personal love for horror, thanks to the Sacramento
Horror scene.

I've loved horror since I was a teenager (unless you count that peek at “Nightmare On Elm Street” that I was privy to as a child). Sure, I was enthralled with “Ghostbusters” when I was little, and even the nightmares couldn't dissuade me from watching it again. I wasn't allowed to watch scary movies as a kid, so I was actually a late bloomer when it comes to one of my greatest passions. My mom would buy me gifts here and there to tell me that even though she wasn't a fan, she knew horror made me happy. A Chucky doll here, a matchbox of a Camp Crystal Lake SUV with a small figure of Jason straddling it with a machete, ready to strike there... my mom's little way of telling me she didn't understand but she cared. Years went by and I would collect what I could on VHS and in toy form (I own a small treasure trove of Todd McFarlane's “Movie Maniacs” series), but I never went beyond that point. There really was nothing at the time I could move on to.

Fast forward to 2001. I moved from the east coast to Sacramento, and brought my horror memorabilia with me. My husband at the time wasn't a fan either, and I didn't have any friends, much less horror buddies I could geek out with over the genre. I kept to myself, watched my scary movies, played my scary video games, and wished for something more. The closest I ever got to taking action on my love of the genre was knowing Bruce Campbell was going to be in Sacramento signing his book “If Chins Could Kill” and attempting to go (I have yet to meet him). Little did I know, there was a world of horror awaiting me in the very city I had just begun to call home.

A former friend of mine discovered my passion for horror when she met me, and insisted on taking me to Trash Film Orgy. Affectionately known as TFO, Trash Film Orgy has existed since 2001, coincidentally the same year I had moved here. I still remember my first time... showing up with her and a small group to the beautiful Crest Theater and seeing all the people clad in black or in costumes themed on the presentation inside. It made me smile, and I didn't feel so shy. It was July 1st, 2006, and my first film was “Versus”. It was my first time in such a beautiful venue, and one that had so many unique things going on. I had never been somewhere where you could yell at the screen, see skits and horror hosts, and truly be yourself. I bought the movie I saw that night, both because I loved it and I wanted a tangible memory to commemorate my first time. I attended two Trash Til Dawn events there, as well as a few other shows before life took a front seat and my attendance a back seat. My horror happiness hit a low for a few years while things around me spiraled. My son and my horror were the only things keeping me happy, and with my horror being limited to books, movies and games, I felt a void.

Fast forward again through some incredibly tough times and a complete 180 degree turn in direction, and my love has not changed. Horror has sustained me, and anyone I can share it with I will, despite the strange looks that come with my telling someone how great it is. My boyfriend is not a fan of the genre either, but he encourages my passions and knows horror is a big part of me. Even though I was going alone and was genuinely afraid to do so, I mustered the courage to attend my very first Sacramento Horror Film Festival in 2009. My motivation? I originally discovered SHFF at The Colonial Theater through the fact that they were showing “Repo! The Genetic Opera” for the very first time, and I was hoping to meet Terrance Zdunich, Darren Smith, Alisa Burket and Andreja Punkris. What I found when I got there was nothing short of a miracle. I know it sounds corny, but hear me out. The fans were dressed in costumes, or just their own unique styles. The marquee was beautiful, and it made me feel like I was in another world. There was a garland draped over the box office, made of bloodstain-printed plastic surgeon's tools.

Inside and seated, I admired the old-fashioned look of The Colonial, and wondered what kind of things would go on when the lights went out. I was in the very middle of all of those seats with a poor camera, but I was determined to capture memories of my first Sac Horror Film Fest attendance. The movie came on the screen, and the thunder that erupted shook my core. It was everything. The electricity of the fans, the booming sound emitting from the speakers, the cheers, and the callbacks. There was even a flash mob that came on stage (later developing into the Sacramento Sweets shadow cast) during one of the movie scenes. Once I experienced SHFF, I couldn't get enough. It wasn't just “R!TGO” that I fell in love with, despite the fact I met all of the guests and got pictures with Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich. I could see that the fun I had, and the feelings I experienced were due to the festival itself. I thought of the people that made something like this possible, and wondered how long I had been missing out. After the show, one of the people from the flash mob appearance on stage came up to me and greeted me warmly, then hugged me. I had no idea who he was at the time, but he made me feel like I belonged there. He and I are good friends to this day, and I attribute my comfort on that first night to him.

My passion for the genre grew, as did my compulsion to support the people that made these outlets possible. I attended the next two Sac Horror Film Festivals, spending as much time as I could in the darkened Colonial Theater, most of the attendance being from open to close each day. I attended every showing of Repo!, earning the title “Superfan”. One of my proudest things to show off is my tattoo with the original Sacramento Sweets (formerly Amber's Sweets) art as I spread the word. It's not just a logo inked, it's a symbol of one of the biggest changes in my life. I have befriended the Sacramento Sweets and Tim Meunier, as well as multiple hosts that have come to guide the shows and festivals down their twisted paths. I've spoken to and spread the word about these independent artists and filmmakers. I pass out fliers to the public with ghoulish glee, explaining that Halloween is not the only time horror can have its tributes.

Now, I must speak seriously. I cannot speak for TFO because I have not attended in a long time due to life conflicting. I can say, as a fan of Sacramento Horror Film Fest, and as a friend of those who run it... I'm truly disturbed to see the decrease in numbers of attendance to shows. Many people probably think that horror is still something more of a niche, but they are so very wrong. The passion I see every now and then for horror needs to be concentrated, and used to help support those who make it possible for Sacramento to be one of the best places in horror entertainment. Events like Sacramento Horror Film Fest show over a 100 independent films every year, and that means so much exposure for independent filmmakers and artists. Each year there are booths set up for artists, authors, vendors and the like to try and get the work out there for the public to see.
SHFF's motto is “Love Horror”, and I suggest attendance to the festival to anyone that even remotely mentions they like horror. One thing is always recognized, no matter the attendance numbers, and it is the idea that we are a family. No one looks at you as though you are an outcast because you cheer over cinematic and stage bloodshed. We can laugh at a killer's one-liners, splatter ourselves with fake blood, dress like Jack the Ripper, and drive a hearse without being made to feel as though we are mentally unfit to be amongst the public.

Independent entertainment is important in Sacramento, and horror is something that is treated with a loving and macabre hand here. We are strong, united, and want to extend the joys of the genre to those that have yet to experience it. There are so many people out there that, like me in my early Sacramento years, don't even know about the fun they could be having. We all have our opinions about the genre, and one person's favorite thing might be loathed another person's standards. It doesn't mean we don't count. If you love any form of the genre, you need to seek out the entertainment Sacramento has to offer. Come as you are, you costumed and painted wonders, and join the family. Come as you will, those who look so innocent your friends would never believe the grotesque makes you giggle. We come in all shapes and sizes, and horror in Sacramento does too.

I am a friend of the genre, and I want to see it thrive. Bring your friends, talk it up, and help Sacramento's horror scene stay alive. Attend the shows, crowd the theaters, and revel in the sensation that comes with being an accepted strangeling. I do, and I've never been happier. It doesn't have to be Halloween to celebrate the weird, scary, thrilling, chilling, and bloody world of horror in Sacramento. Horror is music, movies, stage plays, art, and so much more. Give horror a chance.

Www.Sacramentohorrorfilmfestival.com

www.trashfilmorgy.com

Disclosure: I am a friend of Sacramento Horror Film Festival Head Tim Meunier, and acquaintances with some of the people that participate in Trash Film Orgy and Sacramento Horror Film Festival. I am also friends with some of the independent artists involved.

International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival hits Sacramento

2011-10-14T22:37:56Z

The Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival kicked off Thursday evening, celebrating its 20th anniversary of great indie LGBT films and their filmmakers at the Crest Theatre.

The festival is a non-profit organization, dedicated to showing independent LGBT films in [in or from?] Northern California. The festival continues through Saturday, with each evening concentrating on different subjects. Thursday evening focuses on male relationships, Friday on female relationships, and Saturday showcases a series of short films.

Each year brings opportunities to show more films, give more money to nonprofit LGBT organizations and provide grants to filmmakers.

Each evening, films begin at 7:30 p.m. The Crest is located at 1013 K St. Tickets are on sale at the Crest, The Beat and tickets.com.

Worldwide debut of Disney Fine Art’s Pixar Collection

2011-05-10T05:03:12Z

Calling all Disney lovers! Stage Nine’s “The Vault” and the California State Railroad Museum are hosting the worldwide debut of The Pixar Collection at the museum Sunday. The collection will include artwork inspired by the first 11 films created by Pixar Animation Studios.

Stage Nine, located at 102 K St., is an entertainment store that carries unique collectibles and pop culture memorabilia.

Stage Nine owner Troy Carlson said that he is honored to have the collection’s debut in Sacramento.

“I definitely expect collectors, and there are people traveling from Los Angeles and San Francisco.”

Carlson said that they voiced their interest in hosting the event in Sacramento.

Stage Nine gallery associate Logan Mauro said that Stage Nine was chosen to host the debut because Stage Nine is the closest Disney gallery to the Pixar Studios in Emeryville and “one of the top five Disney galleries in the nation.”

“We have a history of doing large events for the Disney Fine Arts,” Mauro said.

Carlson also said that the California State Railroad Museum was chosen to feature the artwork because he collaborated with the museum in the past. He said he thought it was a great facility and that Walt Disney loves railroading.

“They could hold the amount of people expected to attend,” Mauro said. “(They have) hosted releases in the past.”

The films used for the artwork include “Toy Story”; “A Bug’s Life”; “Toy Story 2”; “Monster’s, Inc.”; “Finding Nemo”; “The Incredibles”; “Cars”; “Ratatouille”; “Wall-E”; “Up” and “Toy Story 3.”

Carlson said that 12 different artists are in the collection, with 11 artists each representing one film and the 12th artist commemorating all of the films.

The 11 artists include Mike Kungl, Rodel Gonzalez, Trevor Carlton, Tim Rogerson, James Coleman, Bill Morrison, Lorelay Bove, Noah, John Rowe, Harrison Ellenshaw and Jody Daily. Click here for Stage Nine’s artist biographies.

Daniel Arriaga created 11 individual paintings and combined them into one composition.

The “Finding Nemo” inspired painting called Come Out and Play, by James Coleman, features Nemo’s underwater world through bright, playful colors.

Harrison Ellenshaw’s A Promise Fulfilled depicts the famous house carried by balloons in “Up.” The painting delivers a new kind of emotion for the film’s memorable scene at Paradise Falls.

“It’s a really interesting collection of different artists and disciplines,” Carlson said. “Each artist has unique qualities.”

Carlson said that the originals will be available for purchase as well as petite, deluxe and premium sizes. He also said that commemorative lithographs of the Pixar storyline will be for sale.

“Each artist paints in a different medium,” Carlson said. “There is a wide variety of different talents.”

Folsom Disney collector Bob Mutchler said that he has been collecting Disney artwork for 30 years and has at least 60 pieces.

“This event is as huge to Sacramento, I think, as a championship athletic game,” Mutchler said. “What this event is doing is very positive to the image of Sacramento.”

The California State Railroad Museum is located at 111 I St.

The event is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mauro said that after the event, Stage Nine will have some of the artwork on display.

Attendees must purchase admission to the museum. If you buy two admissions, the amount of those will go toward the purchase of Stage Nine’s Pixar artwork during the event.

The cost of admission is $9 for adults, $4 for ages 6-17 and free for ages 5 and under.

With the price of admission, attendees can see the artwork, meet several of the artists and have purchased artwork signed.

The Next American Dream - Second Screening

2010-09-30T22:39:53Z

If you missed the last screening of The Next American Dream, you'll have another chance to see the film this weekend. This documentary and dialogue-driver about revitalizing America's urban cores will be showing for free in front of the MARRS building on Saturday evening.

When: Saturday Oct. 2, 6:30-8. Screening will begin at 7pm

Where: In front of MARRS, 1050 20th Street

Cost: Free

Sacramento stands poised for a 21st century transformation. Come and join the discussion about shaping our city's future!

Cinema Insomnia brings horror, comedy to the Guild Saturday

2010-08-12T02:28:43Z

Movies on a Big Screen will host the first live broadcast taping of “Cinema Insomnia” Saturday.

Fans can watch the “1960’s mess” horror film that is “The Undertaker and His Pals” at the Guild Theater, located at 2828 35th St in Sacramento, as horror host Mr. Lobo — a television personality and actor— provides comic relief in between segments.

Movies on the Big Screen is an ongoing film festival, said Robert McKeown who helped start it in September 2006. They show films every week at the historic Guild in various genres including cult classics, documentaries and independent films. Cinema Insomnia is a television series that shows horror films. This is the first time MOBS is teaming up with Cinema Insomnia, although McKeown said it may not be the last.

The concept of a horror movie host is a throwback to the days of creature features, Mr. Lobo said. Late-night horror movies on television would have hosts to keep the audience entertained. Cinema Insomnia will similarly provide a mix of horror and comic relief to give those in the audience a chance to catch their breath.

“I think comedy and horror fit together really nicely because there’s that tension, and then the release of that tension,” Mr. Lobo said. “Not everybody is really a fan of horror movies, so in a weird way, a horror host kind of makes a horror movie more powerful for the general public because you kind of have a way out.”

Mr. Lobo has done TV shows in the past and hosted live shows, although this is the first time he has done both simultaneously. His co-host, Miss Mittens — a houseplant — will help Mr. Lobo guide the audience through the movie.

“She needs to retire soon; she’s been through a lot,” Mr. Lobo said. “That happens when you see a lot of bad movies. It’s hard on the leaves.”

Audience members can expect an array of entertainment throughout the show, including games with the crowd, prizes and even a cooking segment.

“We’ll have barf bags, because this movie has some graphic violence that might unsettle the tummy,” Mr. Lobo said. “In the past we’ve had a hearse parked out front and nurses taking your blood pressure.”

The show will be syndicated nationwide in 30 locations and air at midnight Saturday. To stay true to Cinema Insomnia’s name, fans can also watch the show at any hour of the day or night at cinemainsomnia.com.

Mr. Lobo said this type of late night films are different than other movies.

“The way you appreciate them at 2:30 in the morning is different,” Mr.Lobo said.

Although this Cinema Insomnia will begin at 7 p.m., Mr. Lobo said he will help people stay up.

McKeown began MOBS in September 2006 and has had Mr. Lobo host live shows for them before. He said he expects this show to sell out.

Tickets to Cinema Insomnia, are $7 per person, and can be purchased at moviesonabigscreen.com or at the door on the day of the performance, Aug. 14. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Robert McKeown, Photo 3 by Anthony Bento.

Trash Film Orgy Festival Starts Saturday

2010-07-08T03:15:08Z

The start of the 10th annual Trash Film Orgy film festival adds to this month's Second Saturday events.

The festival will have a showing every Saturday at midnight, starting July 10. It runs through Aug. 14 with a special showing on Halloween.

"It's a midnight movie festival," TFO Producer Christy Savage said. "A lot of people think it's the most terrible movies out there, but we're about the best exploitation horror movies."

Saturday's inaugural film, "Evil Dead 2," will be preceded by a Zombie Walk beginning at Sub-Q at 7 p.m. Participants of all ages dressed as zombies will roam Second Saturday, stop at Pyramid Alehouse for happy hour and watch zombie band Children of the Grave perform at Sub-Q.

TFO's website states the festival includes 35mm exploitation and cult cinema, live bloody stage shows, audience participation, games and prizes. And it is an "annual sleaze fest bringing you the trashiest, goriest and most bizarre movies ever made."

"Besides just showing the movies, we have a lot of interaction and audience participation," Savage said. "It's definitely different than other film festivals."

TFO features different films every year.

"We have five regular midnight films, and on our closing night we have Trash Till Dawn with three movies at the same price," Savage said.

Films scheduled this year include "Galaxy of Terror," "Crybaby," "Nightmare" and "Enter the Dragon."

TFO Director Darin Wood guessed the festival has a core fan base of 200 people who are open to most films shown. He said the audience varies beyond that, depending on how mainstream a film is.

"It really gives people a place to go and express that slightly wilder side of themselves. There's not too many places you can dress up in your fetish gear and have a good time," Savage laughed. "We get a good mix of people, geeks that never leave the couch, beautiful sexy ladies, and they can all comingle. If you like fun, you'll like the TFO."

Movie attendees must be 18 or older. Tickets are $9.50. Attendees dressed as zombies or other "cool-costumed cats" for any showing get in for $8.50.

Sub-Q is located at 1715 I St. Crest Theatre is located at 1013 K St. (916) 442-7378. For a schedule of TFO's showings, visit their website.

Photos:

1) A 2010 TFO poster.

2) A zombie version of "West Side Story" called "Dead Side Story" at a previous TFO showing.

3) Participants in a previous Zombie Walk.

Photos courtesy of Christy Savage.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Local student filmmakers tackle variety of issues

2010-05-18T02:17:24Z

With family and friends in attendance, 40 aspiring high school filmmakers debuted their documentary shorts at the second annual Documentary Foundation Film Festival Sunday. The Sacramento student filmmakers covered a multitude of issues including racism in high school, legalization of marijuana, pink-slipped teachers and prisoner work programs in Folsom Prison.

The program is taught by Sacramento native documentary filmmakers Keith Ochwat and Christopher Rufo and sponsored by KVIE. The duo created the Documentary Foundation student program as a means to inspire future generations of documentary filmmakers.

"There are so many issues that affect peoples' lives," Ochwat said. He spoke of the importance for the students participating to think critically about social issues. "It's (also) about the journalism (and) the storytelling," he said.

With nine documentaries on the program, the event kicked off with a look at the Sacramento Zoo's lovable red pandas. The short film highlighted the environment the pandas live in at the zoo and their current state of endangerment. The film elicited many "aww"s at the sight of the pandas.

There were less fuzzy feelings during "Nestle Waters," about the debate over a Nestle Corporation Plant coming to Sacramento. The film covered both sides, interviewing both Nestle management about plans to use the American River and an opposing resident concerned about environmental protection.

Two films struck close to home for the students, spotlighting the racism felt and witnessed on high school campuses. "Racism in High Schools" had a clear and powerful message, never disconnect with who you are. The second film, "He Said, She Said" gives insight to the rules of attraction from high school students' perspectives.

"K-9 Angels" showed the benefits of pet therapy for one young patient at the Shriner's Hospital, while "CA in Smoke" touched on the debate over legalizing marijuana, incorporating what appeared to be actual footage of high school students using the drug. Later in the evening, "Folsom Prison" debuted, shadowing one prisoner in a carpentry work program. This was the first time in history Folsom Prison has allowed minors to film inside.

Winning the impromptu Audience Award for sparking the most laughter, "The Last Battle" followed a group of participants during Carmichael's Amtguard games. The game's role-players dress in medieval garb, arming themselves with padded weaponry and duked it out for ultimate Amtguard supremacy. The audience was hysteric over one new young participant, whose goal was to take down the elder, most feared member. Neither side would admit defeat, let alone acknowledge their counterparts' skill level, much to the delight of the crowd.

But it was the last film in the lineup that proved most powerful, winning the Best Picture Award. "Sorry to Inform You" gave a student's view of the current situation involving California teachers and pink slips. Following one beloved teacher from Natomas High School, whose 31-year career had never landed her a pink slip before, the film gave an inside look, showing the effects on the teacher, her students, and the school's principal. Ironically, the same teacher had won the Teacher of the Year Award three days prior to being laid off.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teacher Nancy Kidd was in attendance for the film and accompanied the students on stage for their award. Afterward, many students took pictures with Kidd, giving hugs and offering final condolences.

"This is why I'm a teacher, this is what makes it (worth it)," Kidd said. "'I just wish all the students continued success. With a little hard work (they) will get there."

Each student in the program wins a framed plaque, and groups that won awards for Best Picture, Cinematography, Editing and Producing received prizes such as gift cards to Best Buy and Dimple Records, weekend passes to the French Film Festival, and annual subscriptions to Filmmaker Magazine.

The Documentary Foundation will offer a third session coming this fall, dates to be announced, as well as a special summer workshop that will pair returning documentary student filmmakers with local nonprofit organizations.

The goal of the workshop is to "teach (the students) how to apply their skills," said Ochwat, "(enhancing) career skills and taking it to the next level."

The program is offered to all Sacramento area high school students. To sign up, or for more information, visit documentaryfoundation.org. Classes for the workshop are held once a week, on Saturdays, during the 10-week program.

Photos courtesy of Keith Ochwat of the Documentary Foundation

Wild & Scenic Film Fest Screened Thursday

2010-02-02T04:55:11Z

Local environmental and conservation organizations are bringing the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival On Tour to Sacramento for the first time Thursday.

Save Our Sandhill Cranes and the Environmental Council of Sacramento have chosen 11 films for the three-hour festival being held at the Crest Theatre — a sampling of the annual film fest held last month in Nevada City.

Moviegoers will watch adventure films about a team kayaking in Papua New Guinea, Oregon tree climbers in search of the biggest Sitka spruces and surfing in Wyoming. Other films document life in the Anza Borrego desert, the rising acidity of the ocean and Kenya's environmental and social justice movement.

With more than 125 films and documentaries to consider, the Sacramento film committee tried to choose flicks that would resonate locally, said Matthew Baker, habitat director for ECOS and a committee member.

"I think we have a really good lineup of films," he said. "A lot of them are kind of inspiring calls to action for people to get involved locally."

The South Yuba River Citizens League launched its environmental film festival in 2003 as a fundraising project to protect the Yuba Watershed. The festival got its name in recognition of the group's success getting 39 miles of the river designated as "wild & scenic." That festival has grown to three days with dozens of films and 80 speakers. The league now offers a smaller film tour package to groups around the country.

The Sacramento event will raise funds for ECOS' regional conservation plan, the California Heartlands Project. The project is working to build a network of protected open space on working farms and ranches in order to protect biological diversity and the region's agricultural heritage and to give local residents more places to go for recreation and to learn about nature.

The project would help protect habitat for sandhill cranes, Swainson's hawks and the inhabitants of seasonal wetlands known as vernal pools, among other creatures, Baker said.

Sandhill cranes are elegant, long-necked gray birds with red feather caps and wingspans of six to eight feet. They are found in North America, Siberia and Cuba. The birds are popular among birders and nature photographers, including those who travel to locate prized species. The birds' appearance here for winter migration has been gaining more widespread attention in recent years.

The California Heartlands Project is getting involved in upcoming discussions on Elk Grove's proposed expansion of its city limits. The city, whose limits contain 8,000 acres "lying fallow," are trying to add another roughly 10,000 additional acres within city limits and thus expand into the southeast corner of Sacramento County, Baker said.

That area is overflow winter habitat for sandhill cranes, especially when Cosumnes River Preserve floods. Sandhill cranes that don't find suitable habitat will fly off and most likely never return after nesting in other areas, he said.

The California Heartlands Project is also seeking to preserve the last high-density vernal pool areas in east Sacramento county.

"Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that are unique to California's Central Valley," he said. "Because of geologic conditions of having a hardpan soil, over the winter during rainy seasons, the pools collect. Throughout spring, you get the real blooming of life that happens there."

Two areas of ranch land — one along Jackson Highway and the other east of Rancho Cordova — support vernal pools with many endemic species, including fairy and tadpole shrimp. These areas are also under speculation for more urban growth, Baker said.

Organizers hope the film fest attracts enough people to fill one of the Crest's small theaters, which seats about 200. Tickets are being sold in advance for $10. ECOS is also offering a special one-year membership and film fest ticket special of $25. ECOS membership usually costs $35.

"I think we're going to fill the place," Baker said. "We're hoping if we can fill a small theater, we'll go for the big theater next time."

The Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival On Tour will run from 6-9p.m. Thursday at the Crest, 1013 K St. For more information, call 442-5189.

A week of "El Santo" films at La Raza Galeria Posada

2009-10-26T07:12:08Z

Rodolfo Huerta, lucha libre wrestler and one of Mexico's most beloved film icons, is known as El Santo, or "The Saint." What's surprising though, is that the masked wrestler-cum-actor lived up to his exalted moniker on and off the screen.

El Santo "saved" the Mexican film industry as it was on its deathbed, creating films that drew patrons back to the big screens, said Fred Dobb, film curator at La Raza Galeria Posada. When El Santo died in 1984 at the age of 66, thousands watched as the famous actor/wrestler was buried in his signature silver mask.

For one week, starting Monday, La Raza Galeria Posada will show an El Santo film every night. The free series is sponsored by the Consulate General of Mexico.

El Santo was a poor child and sacrificed to get into wrestling, Dobb said. After his career took off, he was turned into a comic book hero, then became a film superstar.

Dobb described the familiar plot of El Santo's 50-plus films: The good guy, El Santo would fight a number of enemies, which included monsters, vampires, werewolves, martians, evil geniuses and Nazis.

"These films are unique in that they combine genres (such as) sci-fi, horror, action, adventure and wrestling," Dobb added. "His first film was in the early '50s, during the end of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema."

"Lucha libre is next to soccer and before bullfighting (in significance) in the cultural psyche of Mexico," said Michael Collett, the gallery's education manager and photographer. "It has elements of prime-time soap operas and WWF."

Although entry, popcorn, beer and wine are free, donations are welcome. Films begin at 7 p.m. at La Raza Galeria Posada, 1022 22nd St. On Thursday, Dobb will speak about El Santo's life and legacy.

The films are:

Monday: Anónimo Mortal (Anonymous Mortal), not subtitled

Tuesday: Santo y Blue Demon en la Atlántida (Santo and Blue Demon in Atlantis), subtitled

Wednesday: Santo vs. Las Lobas (Good vs. The Wolf), subtitled

Thursday: Santo en el Museo de Cera (Ghost in the Wax Museum), subtitled

Friday: Santo y Blue Demon vs. Los Monstruos (Santo and Blue Demon vs. The Monsters), not subtitled

If that's not enough lucha libre films, on Halloween the gallery will show Revolucha, a 2007 documentary about a lucha libre match in Detroit. It stars El Hijo del Santo, the only one of El Santo's 11 children who became a professional wrestler. Costumes are suggested.

Sacramento Horror Film Festival Offers Four Days of Fright

2009-10-21T19:18:09Z

As Halloween looms over us like a full moon on a blustery autumn eve, we find ourselves in the mood to curl up in front of our favorite slasher film for a healthy dose of murder and mayhem.

But if you dare to leave the comforts of home and celebrate the seasonal bloodlust with likeminded souls, the Sacramento Horror Film Festival is here to provide the scares. Now in its third year, the four-day event will be sure to fill your every dark desire.

“The city of Sacramento didn't have anything resembling a horror film festival," said Tim Meunier, founder and festival director. "And with my past experience I decided it was time to give the city what I felt it needed. I grew tired of going out of city and state to visit sub par horror film festivals and give them my tourist dollars. I felt I could provide a better experience back in my home town."

Meunier founded the festival in 2007. It was an immediate success, drawing horror icons such as Tony Moran (the unmasked face of Michael Myers in “Halloween”) and Tony Todd (the title role in “Candyman”) to sign autographs, take pictures and participate in Q & A sessions.

This year will feature WWE wrestler Chris Jericho, who stars in “Albino Farm,” on Friday, Oct. 23. The creators of “Repo! The Genetic Opera” will attend Saturday’s marathon. On Sunday, Oct.ober 25, William Lustig will be in attendance to voice his commentary on his slasher film “Maniac."

The event has not only attracted celebrities, but filmmakers from all over the world.

“We are an international film festival,” Meunier said. “We screen films that originated from Brazil, France, Japan, all the way back home coast to coast. We are screening more than 50 independent films and out of those 50, 13 are local."

Meunier’s said his preparations for the festival are grueling, beginning with a call for entries and the subsequent reviewing of the films for about 10 months.

“I do a survey among fans and peers and decide on which film to attempt to acquire for our 'retro' screening,” Meunier said. “Once we have some ideas, I contact the actors and directors of that film and attempt to book an appearance at the festival for them to do a live commentary of the film."

When asked which of the films he has seen are his favorite, Meunier refused to play favorites.

“Being asked that is like being asked which child is your favorite," Meunier said. “They all are special. I had to review hundreds of films over the past year to select the 50 best of the best and so I really enjoy all the films we screen."

Meunier realizes that even the most rabid horror fan may not be able to sit through the festival’s proposed gauntlet.

“The live commentary is a very popular program at our festival,” Meunier said. “We then begin contacting local bands that fit within our horror demographic as well as potential other forms of live entertainment to help break the monotony of film viewing for the patrons at the festival."

Average audience turnout for last year’s three-day event was 2,100 people, but Meunier expects more this year given the extra day to make room for even more films.

There’s no rest for the wicked, and Meunier lives the adage to make sure he can put together the best string of scares he can.

“Our third annual event hasn't even gone underway yet and I'm already planning exciting things for our fourth annual event,” Meunier said. “I'm always thinking ahead. It’s a challenge, so at minimum it's a year's worth of dedication."

The festival runs Oct. 22-25 at the Historic Colonial Theatre. Tickets are available at R5 Records and at the theatre's box office during the festival. Four-day all-events passes are $50, but individual day tickets are available as well.

Screen on the Green begins Saturday

2009-07-31T05:03:20Z

Babe the sheep-herding pig and his talking farm friends will revisit the big screen Saturday night at East Portal Park in East Sacramento.

The '90s classic Babe is the first film to be featured at Sacramento's fifth Screen on the Green free movie series, held in different local neighborhood parks for four consecutive Saturdays in August.

Founded by City Councilman Steve Cohn, Screen on the Green has grown immensely in attendance each year since it first began five years ago, said District Director Sue Brown. Although anyone is welcome to attend, the films are geared toward families. Last year's films included Charlotte's Web, Hairspray, Ratatouille and The Goonies.

Screen on the Green is simply "good, fun, free family entertainment," Brown said.

All screenings begin at sundown and are free and open to the public.

Families and friends are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and snacks.

East Portal Park is located at 1120 Rodeo Way, at 51st and M Streets. Babe is a G-rated film.

Other screenings scheduled in August include:

Aug. 8 – Grant Park at 205 21st St. – Bee Movie

Aug. 15 – Babcock Park at 2400 Cormorant Way – Beauty and the Beast

Aug. 22 – Glen Hall Park at Sandburg and Carlson Drives – The Parent Trap (1961 version)

For more information click on this link.

Image provided by Screen on the Green.

Merlove tells Sacramentans to drink more wine

2009-07-20T07:05:56Z

Pop culture has power - enough power to affect the wine industry.

In 2004, the feature film Sideways came out, and according to Sonoma filmmaker Rudolf N. McClain, merlot sales in the United States dropped.

Of those well-studied in wine statistics, McClain is among them, having just completed his first documentary on merlot in 2008. The dramatic effects of Sideways boil down to one pivotal scene, he explained at the Sacramento premiere screening of Merlove Saturday night.

It’s the scene where protagonist Miles Raymond, the oenologist in the film, says, “I’m not drinking any f***ing merlot.”

That one statement statistically curbed the sales of merlot, and pinot sales went up by 30 percent, McClain said. Seeing the results of the film as a resident of the wine country prompted him to play the devil’s advocate and make Merlove.

Attendees gathered around the bar to sample featured Route 3 and Black Hole merlots at the premiere, hosted by Revolution Wines urban winery and the Sacramento Institute of Fun. Sacramentan Carl Thomas arrived at Revolution Wines with Diane Smith from Calaveras County. A pinot fan himself, Thomas said he was nonetheless intrigued by the idea of Merlove as an objection to Sideways.

“There’s an awful lot of straitjacket [attitudes] about wine tasting and what wine should taste like,” Thomas said.

Merlove is everything but pretentious. McClain's quirky, low-budget documentary brings the world of wine back down to earth with modest discussions about winemaking and the industry between reputable merlot makers from Napa, the central coast, Washington and France.

“I think it’s a well-needed reaction to the movie Sideways,” said Kevin Fort, a former viticulture student of UC Davis.

As a friend once said, “The wine image is super-polished,” immediately associated with “windmills, fields of mustard and a sunset,” McClain explained.

It is the pompous mentality often found in the wine industry that McClain addresses in Merlove. McClain specifically noticed its intimidating effect on Americans who “don’t know about wine and they’re afraid to ask, [but] if [they] can fake it, it’s OK.”

He said it is also this mentality that led uninformed Americans to embrace a fictitious wine aficionado’s opinion in the film Sideways as superior wine knowledge.

Gina Genshlea, co-owner of Revolution Wines, remembers the impact of the film. Specifically, she remembers how it affected one of the winery’s business partners, a grower in Ukiah.

“His merlot was his favorite wine. After the movie Sideways, nobody was buying his merlot,” Genshlea said.

Rather than let them rot, the grower gave Genshlea two tons of his merlot grapes.

McClain wasn’t the only one compelled to respond to Sideways’ influence.

“The reason I made Black Hole is because of Sideways. Everyone is hating on merlot right now … [but it is] a serious wine that should be taken seriously,” said Chris Minnick, Black Hole winemaker and chief fun officer at Institute of Fun.

If the audience is to draw any conclusions from Merlove, the winemakers in the film urge people to broaden their wine horizons and try different wines, and lots of them – different varietals from different wineries — before passing judgments on any grape.

“I guess I should buy more wines,” said Sacramentan Mike Cutigni after the film.

10-minute action in 10 days

2009-07-11T06:57:22Z

The race is on as local filmmakers scramble to produce a 10-minute film in less than 10 days.

This year marks the sixth annual 10 x 10 filmmaker's challenge, and the theme is 'milestones and markers.'

Local filmmakers, actors and film crew members form teams annually to compete in the challenge, using the year's specified theme and an assigned prop to create a 10-minute-long film in 10 days. The films will be presented in a three-hour gap during the closing weekend of the 10th Sacramento Film and Music festival at the Crest Theatre on August 1. Submissions will be judged by a jury for overall production quality.

Participants showed up Thursday evening at the Crest Theatre to find out this year's theme and receive an assigned team prop from Tony Sheppard and Nathan Schemel, co-directors of the Sacramento Film and Music Festival. This year's 19 teams now have until July 19 to produce a complete short film.

Sheppard, who has been involved in the SMF festival for the past seven years, came up with the 10 x 10 concept six years ago as another way to encourage involvement of local filmmakers. Instead of challenging local filmmakers to a 10-hour constraint as he had seen done in other cities, Sheppard came up with the 10-minute film creation in 10 days.

"It was still very fast from a filmmaking perspective because it was absolutely frenetic," Sheppard said. "People ended up with two weekends to work on a film, and most people involved are people who have other jobs and other things that they're doing."

Sheppard said the competition attracts a diverse crowd in terms of expertise and experience. A challenge in more ways than one, participants not only have to work under pressure in groups of varying expertise to fulfill the assigned theme, but they must also creatively incorporate their group's assigned prop somewhere in the film.

The assigned props are "things that seemed wild and wacky while shopping at the dollar store," Sheppard said.

This year's props include a dinosaur soap set, front bumper from a wrecked car and inflatable pool animals. Sheppard said filmmakers are awarded for best use of their team's prop. "We're not impressed if the camera pans across the room and it's lying on a table."

Local filmmaker Joaquin Murrieta and local actor Galen Howard, who are working collaboratively on a team this year, will begin shooting their film in Midtown this weekend.

This is Howard's third year participating in the challenge; he said that the time constraint of the competition pushes him to focus as an actor. "People's energy is different knowing you only have so much time to spend," Howard said.

Murrieta worked on not one, but two films as director of photography in 2007 over a weekend within a 20-hour period, where he said the challenge included staying awake and on his feet.

"It was pretty crazy," he said. "It's like a dare, it kind of burns creativity."

For information on the Sacramento Film and Music Festival and the screening of the 19 films, visit this link.

Image provided by the Sacramento International Film and Music Festival.

Hawa Arsala contributed to this article.

Rock poster artists in American Artifact at Crest

2009-06-23T06:55:12Z

Paul Imagine is about as DIY as they come in Sacramento. A self-taught screenprinter and longtime rock poster artist, Imagine can often be seen at Peets Coffee on J Street sketching poster ideas, each sketch taking anywhere from three to eight hours to draw. His posters and flyers that he distributes on foot around town can take up to 16 hours for him to produce between drawing, screening and printing, and selling his work pays for little beyond what it takes to produce it.

Imagine’s labor of love will gain recognition in Tuesday night's screening of American Artifact, a documentary tracing what it refers to as America's 21st century "rock poster art movement" from the '60s to the present.

The film is directed and produced by Merle Becker, who runs Freakfilms Inc. out of New York City. Becker, self-described as an “obsessive music fan,” began working on American Artifact in 2005, traveling across the country and interviewing over 30 rock poster artists from different eras, including Imagine.

"It is my hope that this film causes people to see this 'lowbrow' art in a different way: as beautiful pieces of art that are also valid statements about the cultural changes that America has seen through the years," Becker said.

Consisting of intricate lines shaping teeth-baring creatures, flames, skulls and heeled-ladies, Imagine’s posters are easy to recognize in local stores.

“I just draw crazy things," he said. "Like I always say, a skull will fit with every punk rock band pretty much.”

Born into a military family in France, Imagine's family moved between Okinawa and Georgia before finally settling down in Fair Oaks when Paul was in fifth grade. Paul's introduction to art began early on as he saw his mother painting regularly.

"I've drawn for as long as I could remember," Imagine said. "I drew as a kid. I drew all through high school instead of taking notes and studying."

After his “metalhead” phase in high school, Imagine got caught up in the punk rock scene and noticed, “Holy crap, everyone’s doing everything themselves!”

Around the age of 18 he began going to punk rock shows and developed a deep appreciation for the creativity of the underground DIY movement happening around him.

"Growing up in the '80s I always loved the flyers on the telephone poles and all the punk rock show flyers, which were all just photocopied," Imagine said.

Imagine began making local concert flyers of his own using his drawings in the mid-'90s. A naturally “handy” kind of guy, uninspired by the idea of a traditional career, he worked jobs building office furniture and later in construction to make ends meet.

Imagine eventually decided that he wanted to silkscreen his drawings onto T-shirts and walked into a local screenprint shop, asking, "What do I need to print on shirts?" Experimenting with the materials he bought, Imagine taught himself how to screenprint and created a screenprinting space in his basement.

Shortly thereafter, Imagine attended the Rock Poster Revival in San Francisco, where he met rock poster artists such as Chris Shaw, Chuck Sperry, Ron Donovan and Lee Conklin.

Inspired to make rock art posters himself, he revisited the screenprint supply store in Sacramento and asked, "What do I need to print on paper?"

Imagine remembered making his first silkscreened poster for a show with the Supersuckers, Ding Dang and Angora Machine Gun around 1999 or 2000.

He participated in the first of the FLATSTOCK concert poster series in San Francisco in 2002, coordinated nationally by artists and supporters on the increasingly popular gigposters.com.

“I think we had 60 artists and it was crazy," he said. "All the different poster artists were kind of amazed that there’s that many people doing the same thing at the same time. Now there’s FLATSTOCKs all over the world.”

Among favorites Imagine has made rock art posters for the likes of new wave band DEVO and '80s hardcore band the Freeze.

Imagine continues to show his posters at the FLATSTOCKs at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas and in Seattle every year. Each August, Imagine organizes and hosts Rock Art Revulsion in Sacramento, featuring work of various rock poster artists as well as his own. Imagine also participated at a showing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

His art is shown in the 2004 book Art of Modern Rock by Paul Grushkin and Dennis King, featuring the work of over 300 rock poster artists, and Grushkin’s book Rockin’ Down the Highway, a homage to cars and rock 'n' roll.

Imagine and his wife Eve were at the world premiere of American Artifact Saturday in San Francisco. They will also be present at the Sacramento screening of American Artifact at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Crest Theatre. A Q&A session with the film's director and the poster artists will follow the film.

“I hope it sells out," Imagine said. "Hopefully Sacramento comes and represents."

The film is also scheduled to show in New York, Denver, Detroit and Milwaukee.

For more information on the film, screenings and the rock poster artists, visit this link.

Photo credit: Image 6 courtesy of Freakfilms Inc., all other photos by Jenn Walker.

Fifth annual Japanese film festival tells story of war heroes

2009-05-17T22:48:21Z

Despite a smaller turnout than last year, the fifth annual Japanese Movies at the Crest Film Festival had a great turnout this weekend at the two-day event.

The festivities were kicked off with a showing of Love and Honor on Friday evening. The winner of three Japanese Academy Awards in 2007, the film pleased the audience with a drama about two samurais that go head-to-head.

Saturday's lineup opened with a black-and-white docu-drama filmed in 1951, Go for Broke!, which stars actual Nisei (second generation Japanese-American) soldiers from World War II.

At intermission, Nisei war veteran James Iso took the stage to give commentary about both the movie and his own experiences during the war.

"Our numbers are diminishing monthly, yearly--but our memories stay strong," said Iso.

The impressive film shows the rarely-told story of the Japanese-American soldiers that made up the 442nd Regimental Combat unit. While they initially had skepticism from their American counterparts, the Nisei became the true heroes of a five-day battle in France after saving the lives of 211 men of the Texas National Guard. The Congressional Medal of Honor was given to 21 of the men from the unit and they received the most Purple Hearts in U.S. military history.

Iso said that the film, which included difficult-to-swallow scenes where the Japanese soldiers were called racist names by the American soldiers, was very reflective of what he himself had gone through. Iso also stressed that the soldiers of the infantry should continue to be commended and remembered always for their heroism.

"We've had among our Nisei outstanding heroes and we don't want to forget our fallen soldiers," Iso continued.

As the audience spilled into the foyer after the film, many could be heard discussing stories told within their own families, and it was an echoed sentiment that many Japanese-American war veterans did not discuss this battle often.

"Mr. Iso has the valid concern that the full story of the Nisei's tremendous contribution in WWII will be lost. So many of his friends and colleagues are no longer alive," said Barbara Kado, a member of the Japanese United Methodist Church (SJUMC) and a main coordinator for the event.

The Japanese Movies at the Crest has an overall goal of cultural outreach, and funds raised from ticket sales will go toward the SJUMC's adult literacy program and the South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership Food Closet.

"It’s a great way for everyone to experience Japanese culture--new and old generations," said Miguel Cruz, who attended the second day of the festival.

Go for Broke! was followed by three other feature films throughout the day, including a PBS World War II documentary, Most Honorable Son; an award-winning anime, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time; and English-subtitled 2007 Cannes Film Festival award-winner A Stranger of Mine.

Contributing to the event's success was the financial support received from various community organizations, including Ravel Rasmussen Properties, Folsom's Gekkeikan Sake, Inc., Capital Public Radio, and East Lawn Cemetaries. Individual donations were also made by various community members and businesses.

Local businesses from around the area donated favors that were handed out to ticket holders including pens from Tops Pen Co. and SpareTheAir.com, recyclable shopping bags from Oto's market, dog tags from CalVet and items from Kotobuki Trading.

For more information about upcoming events put on the SJUMC, visit sacjumc.com.

Dinosaurs Alive in Sacramento's IMAX theater (in 3D!)

2009-04-22T07:26:18Z

Dinosaurs Alive 3D (IMAX)

Written and directed by David Clark and Bayley Silleck

Sacramento Press was fortunate enough to preview Dinosaurs Alive 3D in the Esquire IMAX theater. Narrated by Michael Douglas, this movie journeys from the breathtaking Gobi Desert in Mongolia all the way to the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.

Through archival footage, the film tells the history of American paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews, an Indiana Jones-style adventurer who traveled to the Gobi Desert and discovered a large repository of dinosaur fossils. It then follows a team of modern-day paleontologists and their graduate students from the American Museum of Natural History in New York as they retrace Andrews' path.

Although younger audience members may find this film exciting, and it may give them the inspiration to become scientists, archeologists or fossil hunters, the older crowd might see through the contrived narrative of the film.

The part of the film shot in Mongolia is done in a very nationalistic, glamorous and melodramatic fashion with grad students and paleontologists carrying their American flags through the desert. Though its purpose is supposed to be to educate, the paleontologists speak in scripted dialogue that is supposed to appear spur of the moment, but it is clearly prewritten.

Andrews (as shown in black and white archival video footage), who stole dinosaur fossils from another country is an underappreciated hero, says the narrator, because he inspired Americans to research dinosaurs.

Clearly Andrews was simply heroic for being the first to venture into remote areas of the world in motorized vehicles, and discovering some of the worlds oldest dinosaur fossils. Yet it still remains that in some people's opinion he (as was normal in his day for explorers, scientists, and tomb raiders) stole another country's natural history, and this film glances over this.

In other words, the film seems to perpetuate the idea that Mongolia's desolate Gobi Desert, seldom explored since Ghengis Khan, is hiding important findings needing to be hand plucked for our own museums.

If you can get past this film's "Great Game" mentality (where Central Asian land, artifacts and fossils are merely up for grabs) the visuals alone are what makes the movie worth the time.

There was exciting and unique computer generated imagery (CGI) illuminating in realistic detail how dinosaurs interacted with their environment. Also, the modern shots of the desert landscape both in New Mexico and Mongolia are among the most beautiful 3D IMAX footage ever shot.

Dinosaurs Alive 3D also illuminates some common Hollywood misconceptions of dinosaurs - like the fact that velociraptors are usually portrayed as scaled in Hollywood films, but they were actually feathered dinosaurs.

Overall, it would be a great film for teenagers and children under 12 interested in seeing gigantic dinosaurs or learning about how cool paleontologists' work is.

Dinosaurs Alive 3D makes its Sacramento premier at the Esquire IMAX theater, located at 1211 K Street on April 24.

The 2nd Annual Sacramento All Sketch Comedy Festival

2009-02-20T09:21:18Z

This week, the second annual Sacramento All Sketch Comedy Festival rolls, and roles, into town (see what I did there?). It’s the brainchild (or something less intellectual and less offspringy) of two of Sactown’s most creative and twisted (in a good way, none of that M. Night Shyamalan crap) minds: Sid Heberger and Keith Lowell Jensen. As well as founding the Festival, Sid and Keith are the founders of the local comedy troupe I Can’t Believe It’s Not Comedy (apparently they like to found). Sid is also the manager of the beautiful and historic (and heroic champion of K Street’s economy) Crest Theatre and Keith is a local comedian, filmmaker (Why Lie I Need a Drink), author (The Atheist Survival Guide; A humorous guide to getting by in a God fearing world), and the resident atheist on the Co-Exist? Comedy Tour. (Note: He’s not especially religious).

I recently threw some questions at Keith (KLJ), via email, in a manner intended to probe, arouse, and generally stimulate his interest, while still avoiding the necessity to leave my recliner or actually meet in person. Here’s the probing, arousing, and generally stimulating outcome:

How and why did you decide to start a comedy festival and what were you drinking/smoking/injecting at the time?
KLJ: Performing with I Can't Believe It's Not Comedy in the Seattle Sketchfest, The Marsh Comedy Festival in SF, the SF Sketchfest etc. was so much fun and it felt like something that our town should have. Sid was probably drinking heavily when I convinced her that she wanted to co-produce this. The only thing I smoke is cigars, not that I'm trying to drop hints to anyone looking to score points with me in hopes of getting booked next year or anything (Davidoffs are nice).

Why focus on just sketches - why not stand up and impressionist pastels?
KLJ: For me it's just that I love sketch and wanted it to have its own festival here, not to be diluted at all. We may do a stand up festival separately but I think that sketch is its own thing and worthy of its own festival. I like to think of sketch as the impressionist pastels of comedy.

It should be mentioned that we have the area’s best comedians emcee the shows: Tapan Trivedi, Chaz Hawkins, Ellis Rodriguez, Jack Taylor, and more.

This year's lineup includes acts from Sacramento and Auburn, but also LA, San Francisco, Bellingham, New York, and Tokyo: Are comedians unaware of the global financial crisis?
KLJ: Comedians are just used to being poor. It's business as usual for us. The performers coming to town will sleep in guest rooms and living rooms of generous volunteers and they'll not likely be dining at Sacramento's more upscale restaurants (unless said restaurants want to offer to feed them for free). The further an act is travelling the greater the chance that they'll be hitting as many venues as possible along the way to make it affordable.

As long as you've brought up the economy, let me point out that we got more sponsors this year because we knew we'd want to charge less for tickets during this, um, recession, yeah that's what it is.

There's a semi-mysterious act on the bill, apparently: What can you tell us about Aardvark Fancy, kittens, and Scott Baio?
KLJ: I can tell you that they submitted an audio tape. Not a CD or an mp3 but a tape. It was funny so we booked them. They asked if we could find someone else to write and perform their material, which left me feeling even more secure that we'd done the right thing in booking them. We scheduled them with The Cody Rivers Show, an amazing troupe who has visited and amazed Sacramento previously so the audience members can feel more relaxed about the risk of going to see a troupe we know almost nothing about. My secret hope is that it turns out Andy Kauman, Elvis and John F Kennedy are the three members of Aardvark Fancy but we'll see.

The Keith and Kate Show is a repeat act and Doctor Doctor examines therapy: Should Keith and Kate have their heads examined and what did you promise them to get them back?
KLJ: Keith and Kate, staring Jason and Kate, agreed to come back when I told them we got Ten West and The Cody Rivers Show. They are huge fans of both. Basically, they're performing to keep from having to buy tickets to the show. I'm really excited to bring them back. Their show is fantastic and has mesmerized me all three times I've seen it.

What might the audience expect from the midnight show and which minority (or majority) group is most likely to be offended?
KLJ: Ha ha. I don't even know what to expect. The midnight show is fun. The comedians and the audience mix. You never know who will work together on stage. Some of our stand up buddies will show up and do a set, and some of them might even try sketch. It's more of a party than a show.
If anyone is offended I just hope they find a funny way to express said offense and we'll find 'em some stage time.

Are there any other tips, comments, or blatant lies you would like to share with the readers of the Sacramento Press?
KLJ: Steve Martin stole all of his material from me when I was but a toddler visiting Disneyland with my parents, wearing my sharp white suit with matching arrow through the head.

I would just like to encourage everyone to help us make this a huge event here like the sketch fests are in SF, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, etc. If a Dixieland Jazz festival can turn this city on its head why not Sketch Comedy next? I also hope that audience members will take advantage of the All Sketch pass to see all the shows for less and to get a free t-shirt.

The Sacramento All Sketch Comedy Festival runs Thursday, February 26th – Saturday, February 28th. All shows are at the 24th Street Theater (2791 24th Street, a few blocks South of Broadway) except for the Saturday midnight show which will be at The Comedy Spot (1716 Broadway). The full schedule, ticket information, and performers’ biographies can be found online at AllSketch.com.

Jewish Film Festival

2009-02-09T06:57:52Z

Sacramento's premier venue for film festivals did it again, as more than a thousand people showed up at The Crest Theatre to attend the two-day Jewish Film Festival. The 12th annual Spring festival held unique, humorous and powerful films from around the world that focus on the Jewish experience.

This year's festival, Saturday Feb. 7 and Sunday Feb. 8, was once again run by festival cofounders Margi Park-Landau, volunteer coordinator and Sid Heberger, Crest Theater manager.

The Sacramento Friends of the Jewish Film Festival, a 60-member group, supported the festival, helped to "bring things that we might not be able to have just on ticket sales alone," Heberger said.

Saturday night at 7 p.m. attendees watched the film The Secrets, a story of two young women who encounter a mysterious woman who forces them to question their lifelong-held beliefs. It was followed by a 7-minute short film entitled A Trip To Prague.

At 10 p.m. a handful of "Not So Kosher" comedy shorts were screened to a younger audience, which stayed until the festival's late end. The shorts included Circumcise Me, the story of American-born Yisrael Campbell, who converted to Judaism three times before becoming one of Israel's premier comedians, Let My People Grow, Getting There is Half the Fun and Jewno.

Sunday's program was longer, featuring the three full-length films Praying With Lior, Love and Dance and Blessed is the Match, followed by the Academy Award-nominated short film Toyland.

Festival co-founder Park-Landau said that she and Heberger collaborated to choose the films, which are meant to target a diverse variety of people. "We try to have a little romance, history, shmaltz. We have exit surveys to help us with feedback."

"The festival," she added, "is a partnership between a faith-based nonprofit coordinating with a non-faith-based for-profit business. People who attend care about film and art in general. The festival attendees attend while "disregarding race, religious fervor, income and gender."

Park-Landau estimated that 1,500 people come to the festival every year. Next year the festival will be held at the Crest on Feb. 6 and 7, 2010.

Film group discusses business

2009-01-19T23:39:12Z

Many people are surprised when they hear that California doesn’t have a film commission that offers incentives to film production companies to film in the state. 44 states do, as do many countries, but California, well...we have HOLLYWOOD!

But film production companies are leaving the state to shoot in much lower-cost locales, many of which are cheaper because the local governments offer tax breaks and other incentives to lure production to their jurisdictions. California, argues state Assemblyman Paul Kerkorian (D - Burbank), needs to institute such incentives.

The members of the Capital Film Arts Alliance agree, which is why the 750-strong Sacramento area filmmakers organization has invited Kerkorian to speak to its first meeting of the new year, tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 20) at the Art Institute of Sacramento, 2850 Gateway Oaks Drive. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.

Kerkorian will speak on the importance of establishing incentives such as those that are luring production out of California. That loss of revenues costs the state tens of millions of dollars, argues Laurie Pederson, a local film producer who is hosting Kerkorian’s visit.

“44 other states subsidize film production,” she says. “I can spent $10 million in California, or I can do a $10 million film for $6 million two states away. It makes a difference in whether you can cast Mary Lee Jones or Charlize Theron in your film.”

In general, production costs are roughly the same everywhere, says Pederson, because it’s dictated by the number of people and number of production days. Hotel and other costs vary some, but that’s not what makes the difference.

But, she says, “If you give incentives, you reduce the costs to the producer. There are creative ways to do it. Most of the incentives are a tax incentive or rebate, or a politically-authorized or -funded savings. It ranges from 25-45 percent, it’s huge. Canada will hand you 50 percent, and guarantee that their people have a large role in the production.”

In California, local film commissions court producers, and some communities do pretty well, San Francisco being the obvious case. But that’s because if you want a film set in San Francisco, you’ve got to go to San Francisco. Sacramento is a different matter, a harder sell. And Sacramento doesn’t have a film commission. We get films done here, occasionally, but not often. And it’s costing us.

“For every dollar spent, you will see a return of $3-6 to that community,” says Pederson. “Food, recreation, lodging, transportation - there are a huge number of expenses that stay in a community. Most political people see this in terms of brick and mortar: If we bring in this big box store, we’re going to get this much in taxes or whatever.

“Films are different,” she says. “It’s like pitching green energy, because it’s new and it’s hard to understand. So they don’t fight for it. So for us, it’s an education process that has to begin somewhere. If we don’t start it and keep at it, it’s not going to happen.”

Pederson cites the Sacramento area’s most successful film producers as an example.

“Redwood Palms Pictures is based in the El Dorado Hills-Folsom area,” she says, “And they’ve got multi-million film productions. But they film everything out of state, because their business is not being pursued here. The Redwood Palms guys would love to stay here and put their money back in the community, but they have to go out of state to stretch their budgets.”

And, it might be added, they DID get Charlize Theron, for their 2008 film, “Battle in Seattle.”

“So we’re working to just continue to draw attention this, to beat that drum,” says Pederson. “We’re building this film community so that when all the storms converge, the timing will be perfect, and we’ll have the organization and process together.”