If you are not familiar with Peter Jackson, The Alamo Drafthouse Wants You To Take A Refresher...
Published at: Dec. 6, 2001, 7:47 a.m. CST by staff
This is for you central Texas readers out there... and folks traveling on in. The Alamo Drafthouse is booking the theater with Peter Jackson films for the rest of the year it seems!
Beginning tonight, Thursday December 6th, the midnight shows will reflect the career of Peter Jackson. Playing Thursday and Friday of this week will be THE FRIGHTENERS. Of all of Peter's films this is the only one that I don't completely love. However, having said that FRIGHTENERS is a blast, very much a funhouse of a film. I think primarily, my chief concern with that film was the wildly divergent tones... You'd have a crazy FBI man at one minute, and heartbreaking sorrow the next, followed quickly with slapstick. It'll be fun rewatching this film given that one of the three ghosts in the film was a writer on my Pilot as well as a couple of voices and a character. Ahhhhh, the wonderment of Jim Fyfe... all around super swell guy! If you bump into Jim in New York, ask him where's that crack he promised!
Then December 13th, while I'll be seeing FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING early that morning, I'll end my day at Midnight at the Alamo for a presentation of DEAD ALIVE (aka BRAIN DEAD). For me, this film is pure unadulterated bliss. I presented an amazing screening of this up in New York City earlier this year... and promptly fell in love the next morning with the N.Y. Kitten. Astonishing... I blame BRAIN DEAD. For film gore geeks, this is your DR ZHIVAGO. A romance that even the legacy of a dead Sumatran Rat Monkey can not disturb. It's midnight run BEGINS December 13th and runs to December 15th.
On Sunday, December 16th, however... There will be free presentation at 2pm of the 4 hour making of THE FRIGHTENERS featuring TONS of behind the scenes goodness. If you've never seen this on that fantastic LaserDisc THAT SHOULD BE A FRICKING DVD RIGHT NOW!!!!!!! Then you really must come on down for that!
Next on December 20th through December 22nd, come check out MEET THE FEEBLES at the Alamo Drafthouse! That's right... Go watch FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING at Alamo North, then hightail it over to Alamo Central for the screening of the greatest Puppet film of all time... MEET THE FEEBLES is simply one of the most heartwarming gobs of goo ever to grace the screen. The concept that the movie was ever made... That it could possibly exist on a silver screen for us to enjoy... Gloriously sick and twisted. The only UNDERGROUND COMIC styled film ever to see the screen. Feels like a Rober Crumb / S. Clay Wilson gang rape of the Muppets! If you have never seen this... I'm sorry... Ya just ain't cool.
From Thursday December 27th through Saturday December 29th at midnight at the Drafthouse is Peter's astonishing film... HEAVENLY CREATURES. This was the film that directly pointed and foreshadowed his ability to do what he has seemingly accomplished with FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. A movie of haunting beauty... It moves for the transcendent joy of being alive and young with your best friend free from school... celebrating your imaginations... and then the twisting of your reality... the illogical progression towards homicidal hell. It was nominated for Best Screenplay for both Peter Jackson and the astoundingly perfect Fran Walsh. The performances by Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet... breathtaking. The fact that Harry Lime co-stars in the film is also a joy.
The Final Month of 2001 at the Alamo Drafthouse belongs to Peter Jackson and all of you. If FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING is your introduction to Peter, explore what has come before as well. If you can't come to Austin to see this work on the Big Screen, then by all means Pick Up A Copy Of BAD TASTE!!! This new DVD is awesome, tons of behind the scenes of Peter's first film. When I was in New Zealand, Peter and I played with one of the original Bastard heads... tugging on the hydraulics, making that Bastard's eyebrows, lips and cheeks move. A completely homemade film.
I just hope to see ya at the Drafthouse this month with Peter's wonderful flicks! Psst! Tim just added a 12:01am showing of FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING at The Alamo Drafthouse North!!!! To get your tickets to see FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING while drinking beer and eating great food... Click here to get your tickets! The film is apparently being boomed in DTS there!
