Fantastic Fest 2008

When most film series reach their fourth episode, one usually expects the creative crew to be on autopilot and give the audience the same-old, same-old; to not do anything new or challenging that would drive viewers away. In fact, only a complete nutter would make the fourth film in a series the bleakest and darkest of them all, because where could you go from there? Who would want to see a series that was so entertaining turn depressing all of a sudden? It may have seemed that the makers of CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES were painting themselves into a corner, but in truth, they were just working off an entire series that didn't do things by the book. After all, the previous APES films also ended memorably, with the destruction of the Earth and the death of the series most likable characters, so audiences had come to expect some tough twists and turns. What they got with CONQUEST was something different altogether - darker, more political and apocalyptic. Its themes of civil rights and social unrest spoke very much to the times, while its setting of a totalitarian future looks as bleak today as it did back in 1972, yet strangely more plausible. But it's also a solid entertainment, too, with an incredible action climax that features of the best work of J. Lee Thompson's career and Roddy McDowell's finest performance in the entire APES series. Naturally, we're expecting some of you to ask, "Why the F are you showing CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES at Fantastic Fest?" Two reasons: One, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the APES series, and to honor this, Fox Home Entertainment is releasing the entire series of Blu-Ray DVD this November; and two, included in this set is the original, uncut version of CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, with 9 additional minutes of footage removed so the film could obtain a PG rating. This version of the film hasn't been seen in over 35 years, and Fantastic Fest will be hosting the first public screening since its 1972 test screenings. And best of all, it's absolutely free, so whether you have a badge or not, you're all welcome to see the second best APES film as it hasn't been seen in decades in a glorious new HD master, courtesy of our friends at Fox Home Entertainment. There will also be some DVD giveaways courtesy of Fox and some previews for upcoming Fox DVD releases. Come witness the birth of the PLANET OF THE APES like you've never seen before - before anyone else does! (Matthew Kiernan) This film is sponsored by Fox Home Entertainment.

A young girl learns that when your mind and emotions have been pushed beyond their limits, you can count on your body in unexpected ways. Appearing as part of the skull-boiling SHORT FUSE program. CLICK HERE for details.

Brief Summary: Under the Christmas tree, unemployed loser François Margin mysteriously finds a jar of face cream that once applied, temporarily turns him into the most famous celebrity in France. WINNER: Best Feature, Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival WINNER: Best Foreign Feature, Oxford International Film Festival WINNER: Best Film, Beijing Film Festival Director Reynald Bertrand live in person! Full Description: As far as I'm concerned, a film like LA CREME is what film festivals are all about: Finding obscure gems that come from out of nowhere and suddenly become new favorites. Reynald Bertand's comedy has one of those premises that sound too simple and too pat - For Christmas, an unemployed family man gets a jar of facial cream that, when applied, makes people think he's incredibly famous - but this is a truly clever, multi-layered thing of beauty, a smart and hilarious farce that proves that all you need is the right idea and clarity of vision to make a terrific comedy. Some might think that a small French comedy might seem out of place at a genre festival like Fantastic Fest, but they couldn't be more wrong. LA CREME is about fantasy itself, about the power of illusion and the power that comes with it and how, once it's applied, takes on a life of its own. It's a very simple "What would you do?" premise, like having the ability to fly, and Bertand works it like a dream. The cream comes into the life of its lead character (played by Laurent Legeay) just when he's struggling to survive with his family on welfare while he's up for a much-needed sales job against the similarly desperate Nicolas Abraham, and with its great power comes not great responsibility but big trouble and tremendous consequences and Bertand's screenplay takes it into risky places directions that pay off wonderfully. Like a great genre film should, LA CREME is about more than what its premise implies - the ease in which people give in to power and celebrity - but also about how we all give in to illusion to make ourselves feel more important. This is not to say that LA CREME is a serious dissertation on this topic, because it's also one god damn funny movie, briskly paced (Bertand is one of France's top editors, here making his feature directorial debut) with barely a single wasted moment. He's helped immeasurably by a terrific cast; the wonderful Legeay makes for a perfect everyman, with top-notch support from Abraham, Marie-Anne Pauly as Leagay's wife, and an amusingly deadpan Rachid Moutsafy as a straight-laced cop who damn near steals the show. OK, I'm sure you guys get it that I really, really like this one, so expect to see me in at least one screening and if you like it, make sure to vote for it in this year's Next Wave competition, because it deserves to become a breakout hit. To me, LA CREME is this year's TIMECRIMES. (Matthew Kiernan) This film is sponsored by Room Service Vintage.

Part Of the Fantastic Fest "Not Quite Hollywood" Ozsploitation Retrospective. Seriously, Australia seems like a cool place to live. Everybody seems pretty cool. There are beautiful beaches. Outlaw culture is honored and respected. There's one huge downside though, everything that walks, swims or crawls can kill you within 8 seconds. The ocean is full of Great White Sharks, the venomous snake population is tops in the world, there are all kinds of creatures that taxonomists have never been able to get close enough to to even slap a Latin name on. Most disturbingly, there are giant crocodiles the size of eighteen-wheelers roaming the marshlands. Or so the makers of DARK AGE would have you believe. Fortunately, the film is so boomingly well directed, acted and shot you'll be willing to believe just about anything. Not only is the giant crocodile at the center of this film hundreds of years old, he is venerated by the Aboriginal Australians as a sacred spirit. Enter the great Aussie actor John Jarratt (WOLF CREEK) as a ranger assigned to kill the croc after it ingests some poachers. Instead of killing the beast, he makes plans to capture and relocate it - but the whole plan is jeopardized by the most incredibly scuzzy outback reptile hunters imaginable. Their one-armed leader lost an arm to the crocodile and takes it all pretty personally. With David Gulpilil and Burnam Burnam as the Aborigines who join up with the ranger and his lady against the bad guys. Fantastic, highly recommended. (Lars) Special thanks to Antony I. Ginnane and Quentin Tarantino for making this screening possible. This film is sponsored by Foster’s.

Brief Summary: Costumed European metal superstars LORDI (dressed in their actual stage outfits!!!) play the monsters of the underworld in this Finnish horror splatterfest. Full Description: A young girl stricken with an autism-related disorder struggles for lucidity in an ill-equipped hospital somewhere in middle America. Her loving father is forced to simply look on helplessly until a string of equipment failures and a near-fire force his hand and he opts to simply take the girl out of care and return home. It’s a difficult but sensible decision – if the hospital cannot help her, which it clearly can’t, then she may as well be comfortable at home. But the father’s simple plan is interrupted when a power failure strikes the hospital trapping the pair in an elevator along with a collection of other hospital denizens. Once they’re free, it’s clear everything has changed. The hospital is … different somehow. Nothing works as it should and before long the small band begins to encounter wreckage, bodies and a collection of horrible creatures bent solely on destruction. Yes, kids, the Fear is Here in the form of DARK FLOORS, the motion picture conceived by and starring Finnish metal act Lordi, who play the villains of the piece in their outrageously theatrical monster gear. Directed by the band’s longtime music video director Pete Riski – one of Finland’s top commercial directors making his feature debut – DARK FLOORS is a surprisingly polished and serious piece of work, one that avoids playing the camp card delivering a tightly plotted, exceptionally well shot thrill ride that sets the rules of its world very early on, lets the audience know what to expect and then executes it beautifully. (Todd Brown) About Lordi: Legendary Metal band Lordi, AKA "The Monsters of Finland" was formed by Tomi Putaansuu (Mr. Lordi) in 1996. Previous to that, Putaansuu's claim to fame was that he was the founder of the official Finnish Kiss Fan Club. Taking a cue from his hard rockin' heroes, all of the members of Lordi perform in elaborate monster costumes and produce theatrical live performances. Already huge stars in Europe, Lordi won the prestigious 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, Finland's first victory. They are now setting their demonic sights to America, having already performed on the main stage of Ozzfest 2007. Later that year Lordi also toured with Type O Negative and Twin Method. Mr. Lordi conceived of the story for DARK FLOORS himself and allegedly has nine sequel concepts already up his latex-armored sleeve. (Tim League)

Brief Summary: Exploring an abandoned sanatorium while ditching school, two high school burnouts discover a girl strapped to a gurney in a secluded chamber. Debut directors Gadi Harel and Marcel Sarmiento craft a new breed of teen angst drama set against a backdrop of humor black enough to make John Hughes retreat to a fetal state. Directors Gadi Harel and Marcel Sarmiento in person! Full Description: Many horror films feature teenage characters but these people are generally nothing more than corpses in waiting and might as well be replaced by showroom mannequins. This is a shame as teenagers face unique psychological and physiological disrputions that are ripe for tales of horror. Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel apparently understand this; their film DEADGIRL mines the recesses of the hormone-wracked adolescent mind to create one of the most original American horror films in recent memory. Shiloh Fernandez (RED) and Noah Segan (CABIN FEVER 2) portray high school stoners who ditch school in favor of drinking beer in an abandoned sanitarium. The pair make their way into the bowels of the building, and stumble across a vicious dog. The ensuing chase leads them to a barricaded door. Upon entering the adjoining room, they find an incapacitated woman wrapped in plastic and strapped to a table. As time passes, the teens make a series of questionable decisions that put them, their friends and the audience on the spot. Given the film's untenable content, which is best revealed by actually watching the film, many film makers might be prone to either pull back from the edge or deliver an incoherent string of set pieces. Deadgirl, however, attacks its subject matter with an unerring commitment. The precise direction and fluid, dream-like cinematography work in service of an excellent script by Trent Haaga. Instead of marching a set of two-dimensional ciphers through a rote hack and slash plot, Haaga provides fully developed characters that allows the cast of mostly young actors (Michael Bowen has a supporting part) to embrace their roles. The film's attention to characterization and story increases the viewer's emotional investment, thus sharpening the impact of the film's underlying prurience and weirdness. It is useful to note that DeadGirl is an independently produced feature that was digitally shot with HD cameras and a tapeless workflow system similar to that used by David Fincher on his film Zodiac. This might seem like a peripheral detail but it further reflects the type of novel thinking behind this film. DeadGirl's marriage of hard content and technical craftsmanship easily raises the bar for independent horror films, and demonstrates a path away from the genericism that plagues the genre as a whole. (Rodney Perkins) Directors Gadi Harel and Marcel Sarmiento and screenwriter Trent Haaga will be in attendance to present the film. Deadgirl just had it's world premiere at TIFF the week before Fantastic Fest, here's some of the reactions if you want to check 'em out.

Brief Summary: A demented gynecologist discovers a cure for all the world’s illnesses and uses it as leverage to become sole dictator of the earth. Jam-packed with monsters, kung fu, battling robots and deviant sexual practices, DR. INFIERNO doesn’t let budget get in the way of executing a mountain of crazy ideas. Full Description: I have yet to meet the talent behind DR. INFIERNO, but in my mind I'm imagining gleeful, spastic, lovable motormouths with attention deficit disorder and raw creative energy exploding out of every orifice. In short, our kind of folks. More unhinged crazy shit is crammed into the 84 minute runtime of DR. INFIERNO than most entire film festival dockets combined. My recommendation: stay focused. It's the eye-on-the-prize time for this one. MAJOR plot developments whiz by like lightening. Summarization is somewhat futile because of the myriad of related and unrelated story tendrils that pop up at every surreal turn. At the core of the story, however, is always the titular Dr. Infierno, a demented gynecologist who discovers a cure for all the world's illnesses and uses it as leverage to become sole dictator of the earth. Is the film coherent? Hell no! How could a gynecologist come up with a single serum that cures all the worlds' illnesses in the first place? Why a gynecologist? And how does this deranged madman also find the time to command robot armies? Does it have polish? Yes and no. This is NOT your typical half-assed camcorder-recorded excuse of a horror movie, something all-too-common in a world of cheap and easy tools for all. Director Paco Limon poured his heart and soul into every frame of this film, creating impressive mutantoid monsters, choreographing tight martial arts battles, crafting ample old-school gore and even producing impressive out-of-left-field CGI sci-fi sequences. It is raw, though. Shot in black and white, DR. INFIERNO has a gritty look and feel, and occasionally the limitations of the thin budget shine through. The sheer outrageous spirit of this film, however, allows you to look past the occasional blemish. Many have compared DR. INFIERNO to the early Peter Jackson films, and I dare say that Paco Limon and his gang are worthy successors. These guys are clearly big genre fans and with time and money could be producing some of the craziest films we've likely to ever see. Keep 'em coming, I want to see a lot more. (Tim League) Actor and associate producer Javier Albarrán will be in attendance.

A loving eulogy to man's best friend. This animated comedy features a canine skeleton and some goofy yet sincerely tearful memories. Appearing as part of the ANIMATED SHORTS program. CLICK HERE for details.

Brief Summary: Seven sexy young Brits are hanging out on a "borrowed" yacht for a day of drugs, debauchery, and ultimately donkey punching. It's the last activity causes everything to unravel. After the screening, follow us to Ladybird Lake for the potentially inappropriate Donkey Punch Boat Party. Full Description: "The Vilest Movie ever made" - Amanda Platell, UK Daily Mail A "donkey punch," like a “dirty Sanchez,” is one of those sexual acts that most people will never, ever do, nor even actually want to do, but still the kind of thing that makes for good conversation over a couple of beers at a frat party: "Oh, you haven't heard of a donkey punch before? Well check it out, dude - that's when you're doing a chick doggie style, and then right before you're going to blow your load you punch her really hard in the back of the neck. She spasms in surprise, clenches around your dick, and you come harder than you've ever come in your life!" Then all the guys at the table high five, and the girls call the guys senseless pricks. So it's hard to imagine a donkey punch ending well, even in the most perfect of scenarios. But in Olly Blackburn's debut feature, the consequences of one harmless little donkey punch quickly spiral out of control and everything ends very, very badly. Seven sexy young British people are hanging out on a "borrowed" yacht for a day of drugs, debauchery, and ultimately donkey punching. After a particularly jarring donkey punch in a group sex orgy, the girls on the boat realize that maybe they can't trust the guys they just met in a nightclub after all. The guys, meanwhile, conspire to try to avoid any post-punching legal repercussions. From there, the entire film is a pitch perfect example of the, "Oh shit! Hmm, maybe this will fix this situation. Fuck! Now we're even more fucked! Maybe this? Damn it! We're fucked!" subgenre of thriller, right up there with SHALLOW GRAVE and VERY BAD THINGS (but with more gore than either of those). (Henri Mazza) Donkey Punch Boat Party: Following the Saturday night screening of Donkey Punch, join us on Lady Bird Lake for the HIPSTERS OVERBOARD: The Donkey Punch Boat Party. We want everyone to go completely "overboard" in their very finest hipster outfits. So, if you're already part of Austin's Red River set, you know what I'm talking about. For those of you who are Alamo Drafthouse fans and don't hang out at Beauty Bar every night or own a pair of those unbearably skinny jeans, here's your chance to have a go at it. American Apparel Deep V necks go without saying. Dunks (Google it) are a must. But why stop with the outfit? Accessorize it, people! Add on some chains. Wear sunglasses at night (but make sure they're Supers). Add a silk scarf, and wear it loose around your neck. Don't wash your hair for two days, and grow a beard. Then go buy a moped (not a scooter), and ride that to the party. Go overboard in your enthusiasm, get it? Yeah. Now you've got the spirit. Director Oliver Blackburn will be live in person to introduce the film and answer questions following the screening. This screening and party are sponsored by Envy Magazine, coming to Austin this fall!.