July 9, 2019

It's Movies At Dog Farm VIII ('Cause I'm Keeping Track Of This Shit Now)

     Yep, Movies At Dog Farm VIII is on the horizon.  Per my resolution in the previously posted Movies At Dog Farm timeline, I'm going to start making a point of recording the dates and titles here to better keep track of the event's history. 

Real spiders are real creepy.  I can already guarantee that the inevitable remake of Arachnophobia (1990) - which will almost certainly be chock full of the finest CGI spiders a bloated budget can buy - won't be a patch on the ass of the original.  Keep in mind that we'll be watching this outdoors, surrounded by literally millions of the little beasties.  What's that you feel crawling up your leg? 

Arachnophobia screens on Friday, August 9th.


Real Haitian zombies, conjured and controlled by voodoo, in the first and last American feature film actually shot on location in Haiti.  The late, great director Wes Craven literally almost died filming The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988).  This one absolutely oozes atmosphere.  You will squirm, and your nightmares will be haunted.  Being buried alive is a primal fear, and Craven expertly exploits that fear like the master he was.

The Serpent and the Rainbow screens on Friday, August 9th.

And now for something completely different... Trey Parker and Matt Stone (South Park) apply their irreverent brand of comedy to the most awe-inspiring big budget puppet show you'll ever see with Team America: World Police (2004).  The only thing not funny about this movie is that its satire is just as relevant now as it was in 2004.  I don't care what anybody says - these guys are geniuses.

Team American: World Police screens Saturday, August 10th.

I swear the political subtext present in Saturday's movies was unintentional.  Thrill to the experience of French director Alexander Aja (High Tension) telling you just exactly what he thinks is wrong with America in his superior remake of  The Hills Have Eyes (2006).  You can count all the horror remakes that surpass the originals on one hand and have fingers left over.  This is one of them.

The Hills Have Eyes screens Saturday, August 10th.

It's relatively new, it was distributed by Troma, and it would have been right at home playing a Times Square grindhouse in the early eighties.  I'm expecting walkouts.  Those that steel their resolves and stick it out will be treated to a truly singular viewing experience.

Undisclosed "Midnight Movie" (2011) screens Saturday, August 10th.

           Friday, 8/9/19      Arachnophobia (1999)                                             
                                              The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

     Saturday, 8/10/19     Team America: World Police (2004)
                                              The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
                                              Undisclosed "Midnight Movie" (2011)

     The title of that mysterious "Midnight Movie" will be added in after the event.  I don't want to take the chance that someone might Google the title beforehand, thereby preparing themselves for the trauma.  It may well become the first outright bomb ever screened at Phil's.  You heard it here first.


     EDIT, Post Event:  For anyone that didn't get it, the Undisclosed "Midnight Movie" was Father's Day from film-making collective Astron 6.   It was not an outright bomb.  For point of information, we ended up not watching The Hills Have Eyes (2006).  Scheduling difficulties.  Consequently, The Hills Have Eyes (2006) will likely turn up again at a future event.  All movies (with the possible exception of Father's Day for some) were well received.  If I had to call it, I'd say The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) was the best received of this bunch.  Most of the audience hadn't seen it before, and it's just a great fucking movie.  Onward to Pre'Ween!


2 comments:

  1. Brandon,

    Movies at Dog Farm turning eight? Congratulations! Once again you have amassed a series of movies that made me stop and say, I want to see that. Once again, distance prevents me from joining in a collective movie experience under the stars. One day I will be on hand with popcorn and 3-D glasses.

    When I was in my younger days and _The Serpent and the Rainbow_ debuted, I lived in South Florida. The neighboring Haitian community added to the depth of fear with the film. Also, the "Based on a True Story" card had us all reeling about the fear of a modern day Poe living burial. That movie still sends a shiver or two up my spine. And who doesn't like Bill Pullman?

    And _Team America: World Police_ could not be any more appropriate at this time.

    After the event, could you please do a recap so I may find out the secret film?

    Wishing you an outstanding 8th MADF!

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's so good to hear from you, Carl! As is often the case, I initially had an entirely different slate of movies planned, and then impetuously tossed them all and slapped together this slate in about an hour. I'll ultimately edit in the title of the mystery movie after the event, but I might just shoot you a private message to reveal the title early. It's going to be an all or nothing affair. Viewers will either love it - if they allow themselves to get in the right twisted mind set - or hate it. One additional clue for anyone else who may read the comments: the movie was produced for less than $10,000.

    I bought The Serpent and the Rainbow ages ago to use at an event, and I just never seemed to have an appropriate berth. Seems like the dog days of August will be pretty apropos, and I feel like I need to follow up the PG-13 family oriented horror of Arachnophobia with something a little harder edged to balance the bill. I have a biography of Wes Craven filled with anecdotes of the movie's production, and it's nearly as engrossing as the movie itself. I think it'll be a strong entry.

    Ironically, I've never really understood the reverence paid to Craven's The Hills Have Eyes,and I felt obliged to opt for the remake because I genuinely believe it's a much stronger movie. I suspect I'm in the minority on that, but I'm almost positive that no one except perhaps Phil will have seen the original to make the comparison. How weird is it that the remake occurred to me almost immediately after slotting Team America? They actually strike me as thematically similar. I'm thinking in particular of the scene with the mutant monologue that takes place in the bombed out testing site. Stopped the movie cold for me the first time I saw it, but it's now one of my favorite scenes. Of course, The Hills Have Eyes also seemed an apt choice for a balmy August evening.

    Check your old Yahoo InfoZombie email account for the title of the mystery movie...

    ReplyDelete

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