Fantastic Fest 2007

You've made your travel reservations. You've laid out your socks and underwear, and even purchased a fresh toothbrush carrier so you can be 100% germ-free and make it all through the 8 days of the festival. But guess what? You probably aren't done packing yet. Unless, by chance, you've already backed your black and red satin cape, plenty of white make up, and blood, lots and lots of blood.

That's the kind of stash you're either going to need to bring with you or source for yourself here in Austin if you plan on making it all through way through the festival this year, because our closing night party now has a theme, and it's all VAMPIRE through and through.

We'll have a DJ spinning the best dance music for teenagers to slit their wrists to, bloodbags full of tasty concoctions to keep you alive all through the night, and plenty of plastic fangs for any mortals who sneak in and think they can fool us. But we'll also be having a costume contest, and crowning the new king and queen of Bontemps right here in Austin.

You can get a taste of what people looked like in our last Vampire Prom in this video from our beloved fallen local PBS Docubloggers. Check it out, and I'll be here ready, just waiting to suck your blood.

G4 and Fantastic Fest present
UWE BOLL'S TOTALLY AWESOME VIDEO GAMES!!!!

The computer was invented in 1936, but the '80s taught it how to PARTY. What was once just a tool for algorithms and manufacturing data suddenly became ground zero for barrel-jumping Italian plumbers, ghost-eating yellow circles and ostrich-riding jousters. Mankind was thrust into an Age of Digital Sorcery...without even having to get up from the couch. These games and characters soon became as important to us as food and family. As the '90s dawned, so did a new genre of cinema, ushered in by innovative masterpieces like MORTAL KOMBAT, SUPER MARIO BROS and (of course) Jean-Claude Van Damme's epic, globe-spanning STREET FIGHTER. But shockingly enough, several of the most beloved console classics remain unadapted to the movie medium.

Where is our long-awaited dramatic re-interpretation of DIG DUG? How long must we wait before Vin Diesel and Paul Walker will get behind the wheel for a big-screen version of FROGGER? It's high time that we, as a community of creators and lifelong Nintendo warriors, rise up to provide a hungry world with the two- sted, universe-shaking GALAGA adaptation that Hollywood has so foolishly failed to spawn. Filmmakers, grab your camera in one hand and your joystick in the other, assemble your fellow electro-enthusiasts and take aim at your target -- from PONG to GRAND THEFT AUTO -- for the absolute ultimate lmmaking frenzy competition: TOTALLY AWESOME VIDEO GAAAAAAMES!!!!

Finalists' Films will be judged by none other than our planet's supreme arcade-to-megaplex megamaster UWE BOLL! Game OVER!!!

Screenings of TOTALLY AWESOME VIDEO GAMES will happen during Fantastic Fest 2009, and registration is open right now over at G4TV.com/Fantastic. Head over there to check out the full rules and get your film uploaded before September 4!

One of the many great things about seeing a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse are the classic movie trailers that play in front of new features, often ingeniously placed (NUNS ON THE RUN in front of DOUBT was one of my recent faves), enhancing the movie going experience in a manner that no other theater can bring you. These trailers come from the Alamo's massive trailer archive, which we have been amassing for years, and we're now finally ready to share with the rest of the world. Working with our friends at Synapse Films, we've put over 40 of our finest trailers and special announcements onto one spectacular DVD: 42nd STREET FOREVER VOLUME 5: ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE EDITION!

Over a year in the making, this incredible trailerthon is just the tip of the iceberg of the many gems in our collection, and it includes some of our absolute favorites for a DVD event that will finally give you the experience of a night at the Drafthouse in the comfort of your own home. Like the other great Synapse 42nd STREET FOREVER titles, the ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE EDITION contains all trailers in their original aspect ratios (mastered in high definition), and features a new original documentary about the Drafthouse along with an audio commentary from Drafthouse founder Tim League and programmers Lars Nielsen and Zack Carlson! Here are just some of the classic trailers you'll find on this stellar DVD:

A LIFE OF NINJA
STING OF THE DRAGON MASTERS
THE BODYGUARD (CHIBA)
MAD MONKEY KUNG-FU
WONDER WOMEN
LUCKY SEVEN
THE SHARK HUNTER
BIRDS DO IT, BEES DO IT
LET S DO IT
CHATTERBOX
DANISH LOVE ACTS
GROUP MARRIAGE
VIOLATED
CAGED VIRGINS
MESSAGE FROM SPACE
THE TERRORNAUTS
MIND WARP
ZEBRA FORCE
BLAZING BATTLE
INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND TRAP
MACHINE GUN MCCAIN
STACEY
LIGHTNING BOLT
MISSION THUNDERBOLT
3 SUPERMEN IN THE WEST
PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW
PUTNEY SWOPE
REDNECK COUNTY
MOONRUNNERS
THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE
THE MAGIC CHRISTMAS TREE
PINOCCHIO'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
THE MAGIC OF THE KITE
THE SECRET OF MAGIC ISLAND
KARZAN: MASTER OF THE JUNGLE
THE NORSEMAN
SORCERESS
TERROR IN THE WAX MUSEUM
THE MANSON MASSACRE
THE DEVIL WITHIN HER
. . . and more!

To help celebrate this momentous release, Fantastic Fest will be hosting a special screening of every trailer in 35mm, with special guest Don May, Jr. of Synapse Films! This will be the only time these trailer will be shown in the same program, so don't miss this truly amazing event! (Screening date and times TBA)

42nd STREET FOREVER VOLUME 5: ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE EDITION will be available in stores on September 29, but it's available for pre-order now on Amazon and will also be available for purchase at Fantastic Fest. And with the holidays right around the corner, don't forget that this DVD also makes for a great Christmas gift!