THE ART OF ALTERNATIVE MOVIE POSTERS
Art that has morphed from worshiping movies loved by fans into a frenzied cottage industry of sorts highlighting renditions of classic movie posters and titles held with reverence by their creators.
Fan art has morphed into a frenzied cottage industry of sorts for fan made renditions of classic movie posters and titles held with a degree of reverence. Often found prominently ion the aisles of Comic Cons, galleries like New York’s Bottleneck Gallery or Los Angeles’ Hero Complex have brought the work of independent artists and their brand of movie worship to their walls, often inspiring frantic bids for limited runs.
Jaws by Alistair Little
With many modern movie posters being rather banal Photoshop assemblies that can be altered as their stars fame increases or fades, and even worse - made to fit into streaming service thumbnails, artists have filled thr void of true art not seen since the heyday of VHS, many times creating poster art far, far better than what the studio has rushed out. Many will creatively zero in on a singular thematic element, idea or scene, to center the design.
We’ve collected but a small taste below of some of our favorites including the likes of Vance Kelly Dave Perillo, Alistair Little, Andy Fairhurst, Agustin R Michel and Micael Espinha with more to come in the following weeks as we deep dive into this highly collectible genre of movie art.
John Wick by Adam Edwards
Jaws by Andy Fairhurst
Beetlejuice by Vance Kelly
The Dark Crystal by Vance Kelly
Sword In The Stone by Dave Perillo
Ghostbusters by Vance Kelly
Die Hard with A Vengeance by John Cordero
Interstellar by Karol Rogoz
Mad Max Fury Road by Vance Kelly
The Omen by Andy Fairhurst
Raiders of the Lost Ark by Alistair Little
Spider-man: Into The Spiderverse by Andy Fairhurst
Thor Ragnarok by Andy Fairhurst
Creature From The Black Lagoon by Vance Kelly
Videodrome by Agustin R Michel
Zardo by Micael Espinha.
THE AWESOME ART OF VENEGAR SYNDROME
From the depths of the era of the VHS era of the 80s, one company has taken their love of genre cinema to the heights of restoration and stunning limited edition cover art for their physical releases.
For those lucky enough to grow up in the era of the video store, especially during the VHS era of the 80s, one would be presented with aisles upon aisles of B movies, churned out to keep shelves stocked as video rental became a vastly profitable enterprise for relatively inexpensive genre movies.
More often than not (actually, far more often), the cover art was either infinitely more exciting (or dubiously misleading) than the actual content of the film inside. Many of these titles, be it action, martial arts, horror, sci-fi or exploitation, used elaborate hand painted cover art as a way of selling the title as worthy of the few dollars coughed up to rent. As the VHS era continued into the 90s and early 00s, as DVD became the dominate format, cover art became decidedly less inspired via rush-job Photoshop cover ‘art’, using scans of the actors faces, generic color schemes, a visual gag found on countless other movie covers (like the overused ‘blue and orange’ motif), was a product of studios needing to sell titles based on an attractive face or a former star slumming it in the direct to video market.
One entity that clearly reveled in that era of the 80s VHS cover is the restoration and distribution company VINEGAR SYNDROME. The company’s name was derived from the effect caused by deterioration of celluloid film reels over time that creates a distinctively strong vinegar odor as the physical elements break down. VS has restored over 500 movies from a variety of underground and cult movie genres, in a literal race against time to ensure the preservation of a type of film making in scarce supply, many amongst their catlog that haven’t been heard from or seen since their last foray on video store shelves.
Be it blood soaked teen slasher films or wandering ninjas or samurai in places like New York City, even beloved comedies like Drop Dead Fred, VS has caught the acclaim of institutions and preservation bodies such as NYC’s Museum of Modern Art and DC’s Library of Congress plus ongoing screenings, including on 35mm, at film houses like The Alamo Drafthouse. Indicative of this effort are the stunning, newly commissioned art from a variety of independent artists works that find their way to the limited edition Blu Ray releases, as well as the multitude of genre specific design applied to their DVD releases. We’ve dropped a few of our favorite examples of the limited Blu Ray releases below, but a deep dive into their vast catalog is well worth your time (and money if you want to beef up your physical movie collection). Dig in HERE.
FROM THE VIDEO STORE GRAVEYARD: 'RUNAWAY (1984)'
What’s worse; the lethal tip of a robot spider’s needle or the constant leer of Kiss member Gene Simmons? Only Tom Selleck’s Runaway dares answer…
What’s not to love about goofy, tech-noir thrillers from the 80s? Robotic home based assistants the size of filing cabinets, office cleaning droids armed with stun rays at some and a police force tasked with the deactivation malfunctioning bots in futuristic precincts fitted with microwave sized computer terminals. It’s all here and more in the 1984 thriller Runaway.
Lushly mustachioed Tom Selleck, riding from the TV ratings juggernaut known as Magnum P.I, stars with Cynthia Rhodes and Kirstie Alley, while author Michael Crichton, the Director of the original Westworld and Jurassic Park scribe, takes Writing and Directorial duties into a future where mankind lives in a society of automation and robotic help that doesn't sound too far off 2018 actually.
Runaway is one of those wonderfully goofy movies that naively wondered how we'd interact with technology in such an 80s way, positing a police division devoted to cops heading out to construction sites, office buildings and even corn fields to disconnect malfunctioning robots (aka Runways), more often that not resulting in clearly amateurish techniques like diving on them or as targets for office furniture projectiles. Selleck as Sergeant Ramsey, clearly a superstar in the area of robot enforcement, is called in to defuse a homicidal robot home assistant (that has somehow learned to wield a revolver) leading him into the path of Luther, a former defense contractor who wants to profit from robots gone awry. The stakeout scene in itself is wonderfully hilarious as Selleck, in his pursuit of a baby in distress, dons a kevlar looking jersey designed to scramble the maniac robot’s tracking signals, but not before an over zealous TV camera man predictably puts duty before common sense to wander into the path of a hail of bullets.
Around about this time we get to meet Gene Simmons in his feature film debut. The Kiss frontman plays the evil Luther who just can't help leering at anything with a pulse, be it Selleck, his unfortunate former lover played by Kirstie Alley, or the audience in general. His moving mugshot evokes all the fires of hell via Simmons eyes, clearly doing his hardest to ooze pure villain. He succeeds quite amicably actually, coming across as a right asshat who doesn’t care who he’s shooting heat seeking bullets at (yup, he’s got a clip of those).
Aesthetically, the tech itself is deliciously retro. Office cleaning robots programmed to tase office workers who've decided to stay late, a vacuum cleaner like device seems to be advanced police detection unit, a compact harvesting machine that apparently a half dozen corn farmers can't control, and mechanical spiders armed with needles for injecting acid into their victims (naturally). Helping the Police tasked with malfunctioning robots (robots seem to go on the fritz on an almost hourly basis in this future), is a headquarters tricked out with aforementioned clunky computer screens and run by 80s favorite G.W Bailey (long suffering Lieutenant Harris from the Police Academy series).
Our climax peaks when Luther kidnaps Ramsey’s son, played by Joey Cramer (the kid from Flight of The Navigator), is held hostage atop a construction site, playing with Ramsey’s fear of heights, with added peril from those pesky acid laced mechanical spiders. Unfortunaltey Cramer didn’t get out of the child acting stint unscathed, ending up as a bank robber and serving jail time after his arrest in 2016. Things turned out a little better for his character as Ramsey stages a successful rescue and a grizzly end for Luther who, complete with glorious screams only a Kiss frontman could muster, takes the brunt of the clunky spiders that would come across as rather unthreatening if it weren’t for their leaping abilities.
Thankfully, Runways is a pure 80s treat, made consistently, unintentionally funny by way of taking itself and the tech seriously, but not being so cheap that it skimps on well constructed chases and set pieces. The spider nasties deliver a nice bout of menace as Selleck dangles from his underneath an elevator and Simmon’s pursuit of our hero by way of advanced bullets that lock onto a victims heat signature gives us plenty of zooming POV shots. Oh and we should give extra points for the filmmakers attempt at self-driving police cars, even if the front seat is taken up with a mannequin policeman and a bunch of hydraulics pushing the pedals.
From a time when the 80s were obsessed with robots as TV sidekicks, Runway is a goofy way to kill an hour and a half.
WEEKEND VIRTUAL CINEMA! NEON MARQUEE PRESENTS FRANKENHOOKER (1990) AND HOUSE OF WAX (1953) + THE FLY (1958)
Halloween is on the way so we’re diving into a cult fave and some Vincent Price greatness to mark the occasion!
Halloween is on the way so we’re diving into a cult fave and some Vincent Price greatness to mark the occasion!
First up on Friday Oct 22nd tune in at 9pm EST for FRANKENHOOKER (1990) where a New Jersey mad doctor (James Lorinz) rebuilds his girlfriend (Patty Mullen) with exploded body parts in a movie that infamously boasted a glowing recommendation from Bill Murray on it's poster! Shot on the grimy streets of pre-Bloomberg New York City it was awarded the B Movie of the Year by E! Entertainment News in 1990.
Plays with a short retro NYC themed horror trailer pre-show!
Stream via Facebook Live at 9pm EST Fri 10/22 HERE
And on Sunday Oct 24th at 7pm EST, we’re taking it back to the 50s with a Vincent Price Double Feature of HOUSE OF WAX (1953) + THE FLY (1958)! The man with a face and voice synonymous with horror chills stars in both, with HOUSE OF WAX originally released in 3D, itself a remake of 1933’s MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM. After intermission, stick around for the kitschy terror of THE FLY. An absolute classic, it spawned sequels and remakes after it left it’s iconic mark on cinema history.
Stream via Facebook Live at 9pm EST Sun 10/24 HERE
WEEKEND VIRTUAL CINEMA: BODACIOUS TURTLE SPECIAL!
We’re diving head first into the sewers for a Friday night NINJA TURTLE SPECIAL! Party like your twelve years old all over again!
We’re diving head first into the sewers for a Friday night NINJA TURTLES SPECIAL!
Load up on pizza and soda (as any Turtle fan would) like school’s out, the weekend’s here and you’ve got no homework to distract you! For the evening’s entertainment, we’ll be presenting a Double Feature of ‘TURTLE TRACKS’, the original 1987 Pilot Episode of the animated series that kicked off the Turtles mainstream pop culture rise as part of a five part mythology origin story. Following that will be the beloved 1990 classic TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE MOVIE, still the original and the best of all the big screen outings!
On top of that it’s a lineup of Turtle clips, toy ads, music videos and much more before and between the features!
Stream via our Twitch Livestream at 8pm EST Fri April 4/16 HERE
TONIGHT'S VIRTUAL CINEMA SCREENING: CHOPPING MALL (1986)
It’s Pesky teens vs killer robots in the mall of the future in this cult horror sci-fi comedy favorite!
It’s Pesky teens vs killer robots in the mall of the future in this cult horror sci-fi comedy favorite! Screens with a retro trailer pre-show of upcoming screenings!
Stream via our Twitch Livestream at 7:30pm EST HERE
Fri March 19th 7:30pm (EST)
CHOPPING MALL (1986)
It's the mall of the future with three security robots turning maniacal, and on a killing spree against a group of teenage employees who stay behind at work for a late night party in one of the stores. But when the mall goes into lock-down, the robot security system malfunctions and all hell breaks loose! A film that couldn't be more 80s if it tried!
OUR MIDWEEK VIRTUAL CINEMA SCREENING: THE WARRIORS ORIGINAL CUT!
Head back to the bad old days of NYC in our mid week Virtual Cinema screening with the original theatrical cut of this legendary movie! With exclusive retro trailer pre-show reel.
Head back to the bad old days of NYC in our mid week Virtual Cinema screening! Screens with a special exclusive retro trailer pre-show reel of movies shot in the rougher period of NYC’s modern history.
Stream via our Twitch Livestream at 7:30pm EST HERE
Wed March 17th 7:30pm (EST)
Midweek Special!
THE WARRIORS - ORIGINAL 1979 THEATRICAL CUT
With Taxi Driver, Mean Streets and The French Connection, The Warriors is the epitome of the bad old days of New York on film. The original cut of the film fell out of print in 2001 (the last time the original version was made available for home or cinema viewing) and was re-edited in 2005 with a new intro and ridiculous comic book style scene transitions that outraged fans of the film, to coincide with the video game release. We are pleased to present the original legendary version of this iconic film!
A MIGHT MARVEL MISFIRE IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA THIS WEEK!
The direct-to-video catastrophe that is CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990) will make you luahg, cringe and thank the movie God’s that the MCU didn’t turn out like this!
Between Dolph Lundgren in The Punisher, Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four and this outing for Captain America, it’s kind of fortunate the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn’t head in this direction!
Stream via our Twitch Livestream at 7:30pm EST Friday 3/12 HERE
Fri March 12th 7:30pmn (EST)
CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990)
Looooong before Iron Man changed the face of cinema, Marvel just couldn't get their act together on the big screen (Blade was still 8 years away), and boy does it show in this laughably bad straight to video version of Marvel's mightiest patriot! Starring (and we're serious) the son of author J.D Salinger as Cap, the shield wielding hero comes across as bulked up wimp in what must be the heaviest and hottest rubber costume ever made. Laugh out loud, face palming fun! Screens with a treasure trove of retro Marvel trailers from the 70s and 80s plus some super oddball Marvel clips to set the ludicrous mood!
THIS WEEK IN OUR VIRTUAL CINEMA LIVESTREAM
Two cult movie sessions this week including SOUTHLAND TALES, a sprawling epic from the Director of Donnie Darko and 70s grindhouse mayhem with DEATH RACE 2000!
Two screenings this week in our ongoing Virtual Cinema dedicated to cult movie favorites! Both commence on their respective dates at 7:30PM via the link below. Each session features a trailer pre-show!
Stream via our Twitch Livestream at 7:30pm EST HERE
Wed March 3rd 7:30pmn (EST)
Midweek Special!
SOUTHLAND TALES (2007)
A sprawling epic, from the creator of Donnie Darko, set in an alternative pre-2008 election America that has become a fascist police state, following the nuking of Texas and outbreak of WW3. Savaged at Cannes and re edited for it's theatrical release, it became a cult film due to it's deeply involved world building and extremely unlikely ensemble cast including Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, Justin Timberlake. Miranda Richardson, Wallace Shawn, Jon Lovitz, Christopher Lambert and Kevin Smith. A film that was ahead of the game with an expanded world that unfolded via comics and short films, it is ripe for reassessment as an underappreciated movie. Music by Moby.x
Fri March 5th 7:30pm
DEATH RACE 2000 (1975)
In a dystopian future, a cross country automobile race requires contestants to run down innocent pedestrians to gain points that are tallied based on each kill's brutality! Starring David Carradine (the titular Bill of Tarantino's Kill Bill saga) and a very young Sylvester Stallone, the tone of the film is far more kitschy than it sounds. Fantastic vehicle design and an all over goofy feel make this a brilliant night of pure 70's entertainment!
NEON MARQUEE PRESENTS: 'ROBOT MONSTER (1953) + PLAN FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) ' LIVESTREAM (Fri 2/26)
Puny Earthlings! Do you dare traverse the depths of movie monsters and alien invaders? Tread carefully for it’s our Friday Night Cult Movie Double Feature LiveStream!
For our next Livestream join us for a Double Feature that’ll send you back in time to the 50s; complete with retro trailer pre-show and an old style intermission! It’s back to back B-Movie sci-fi with two of the worst (but incredibly hilarious) movies of the genre kicking off with ROBOT MONSTER (1953) featuring perhaps the goofiest ‘alien’ ever put on film (a gorilla suit with a papier-mâché space helmet) menacing the apparent last human on earth. Never mind the fact that some curious onlookers wander into frame, and that the entire film seems like it was shot over a weekend in a quarry in California. Dime store special effects feature throughout naturally!
After intermission, it’s the Citizen Kane of bad movies with Ed Wood’s legendary PLAN FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) in which a race of humanoid aliens (which are just humans actors) arrive on earth to concoct a plan to take over the world by raising the dead resulting in a movie that really doesn’t know what genre it wants to be. The film features some of the flimsiest sets you’ll likely see like a plane cockpit consisting of a plywood wall, curtain and two sticks for steering, and most notably, the final performance of horror royalty Bela Lugosi. The actor died midway through production and was replaced by a stand in who had to keep his face covered the entire time! The result is a baffling film that is undoubtedly full of passion from director Ed Wood
Stream via our Twitch Livestream on Friday Feb 26th at 7:30pm EST HERE
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL HALLOWEEN SPECIAL! CHOPPING MALL (1986) + SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE (1982)
It’s mall security gone berserk and the worst night ever for a sleep over with our Double Feature of CHOPPING MALL (1986) + SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE (1982). Make sure you catch the exclusive pre-show reel of 80s trailers and clips!
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, legendary cult action and Martial Arts, some ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! Plus some cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
TONIGHT’S DOUBLE FEATURE:
It’s mall security gone berserk and the worst night ever for a sleep over with our Double Feature of CHOPPING MALL (1986) + SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE (1982).
Our first feature takes places inside a state of the art mall fit with advanced security and patrolled by the kind of bulky robots only the 1980s dreamed up that turn rather nasty during (what else?) a lightning storm. A group of randy teens coincidentally decide to have a sleep over party inside the closed furniture store they work at. From there, it’s the kids vs the murderous robots in a night of mayhem! One must wonder however why a shopping mall needs such Pentagon level security in the first place…
After intermission, settle in for an 80s grind house slasher full of all the genre tropes you can handle, as an all girl slumber party is rudely interrupted by an escaped mental patient armed with a rather nasty drill who. Originally penned as feminist satire of the slasher genre by author / activist Rita Mae Brown, it was repurposed by the film’s producers to follow the standard model of such films. As a little bit of side trivia, the Director Amy Holden Jones was offered a job editing a little film called E.T for Steven Spielberg, which she had to turn down when financing for the film came through from legendary Producer Roger Corman. Interestingly enough, she went on to write Mystic Pizza and the family classic Beethoven
TRAILERS:
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our pre-show warm up will help you settle into the mood with a collection of retro grindhouse trailers and clips!
MAIN ATTRACTION
Also available to stream via TUBI
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL 9: IMITATION TERMINATOR CHAOS DOUBLE FEATURE!
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and these two really want to be The Terminator! It’s a Double Bill of 1990’s CLASS OF 1999 + CYBORG COP (1993)
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, legendary cult action and Martial Arts, some ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! Plus some cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Kick off with a pre-show warm up of retro trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
TONIGHT’S DOUBLE: IMITATION TERMINATOR CHAOS!
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and when James Cameron’s Terminator hit cinemas in 1984 followed by the sequel in 1991, a slew of direct to video cybernetic nonsense found its way to rental stores, plot be damned! All one needed was an unstoppable cyborg at the helm and you have enough concept to pad out roughly 90 minutes. Perfect if you couldn’t score a copy of Cameron’s sci-fi thriller for your Saturday night rental.
First up for our double feature, is the preposterous, laughable and stupidly enjoyable 1990 effort CLASS OF 1999, sequel to 1982’s schlock classic CLASS OF 1984. Classrooms are full blown war zones apparently (why ARE these kids going to school?!) so to quell the problem, the Department of Education Defense (D.E.D, of course) sends in a trio of rip off Terminators including Jackie Brown’s Pam Grier to whip these delinquents back in line . It’s A+ for effort on this one that’s for sure….
After intermission, it’s the future of law enforcement where someone has to police these annoying out of control robotic predators! CYBORG COP (1993) is the kind of action flick you watch after a few drinks with your best movie friend. Starring low rent martial arts regular David Bradley (American Ninja 3 & 4) as a former DEA agent who needs to save his brother from a team of mercenaries and a rather nasty killer cyborg led by Jonathan Rhys Davies in an utter ‘for the paycheck’ role pre-Lord of The Rings days.
Buckle up, bring a healthy supply of your favorite liquor and enjoy some unstoppable robot action!
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our pre-show warm up will help you settle into the mood for our Double Feature of Terminators and Cyborg imitators, here's the pre-show reel of robotic humanoid themed trailers, clips and a fabulous Korean Robocop fried chicken commercial!
MAIN ATTRACTION!
** Also available to stream free in HD via TUBI
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL PART 8: PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) + ROBOT MONSTER (1953)
It’s the Citizen Kane of B Grade sci-fi Double Features in the form of Edward D. Wood Jr’s legendary PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE plus cinema’s dumbest alien costume in ROBOT MONSTER!
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, legendary cult action and Martial Arts, some ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems!
Start with a pre-show warm up of relevant-to-our-feature classic trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like a night out at the cinema in your living room!
TONIGHT’S DOUBLE FEATURE:
It’s the Citizen Kane of B Grade sci-fi Double Features in the form of Edward D. Wood Jr’s legendary PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE plus cinema’s dumbest alien costume in ROBOT MONSTER!
The legacy of Edward D. Wood Jr, aka Ed Wood is legend. Often crowned the worst Director of all time, Wood’s passion resides in every frame he shot, clearly walking his own path in the 1950s making ‘classics’ like GLEN OR GLENDA (in which Wood starred as a cross dresser), NIGHT OF THE GHOULS and BRIDE OF THE MONSTER featuring actor friends including Tor Johnson, Bela Lugosi (whom Wood admired) and Vampira. PLAN 9 is every idea thrown at the screen at once, concerning an remarkably human looking extra terrestrial planning world domination by resurrecting the dead. It was famously the final role of the horror titan Bela Lugosi who died during production (a stand in has to keep his face covered in all his scenes). Chock full of bargain bin visual effects, flimsy sets and stilted acting, PLAN 9 kick started the ‘so bad it’s good’ trend but remain utterly unintentionally hilarious, and full of passion from the Director.
ROBOT MONSTER may well feature the crappiest looking alien every put on screen. Alien robot ‘Ro-Man’ (a gorilla costume topped with a diving helmet) has destroyed all of humanity with his Calcinator Death Ray, except for eight immune humans. Much of the film is general antagonism of the survivors by the brutish alien, including assault by Cosmic June Rays, which cause prehistoric reptiles to appear (stock footage from the movie 1 Million Years B.C.); and something called Psychotronic vibrations. ROBOT MONSTER is full of hilarious instances like people who have wandered into the background (the earth is meant to be void of life) and a the hand of an assistant holding a prop miniature rocket. We advise some alcohol to go with this film…
FEATURE PRESENTATION ORIGINAL TRAILERS:
Experience the original theatrical trailers for PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and ROBOT MONSTER!
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our pre-show warm up will help you settle into the mood with a collection of 1950s sci-fi trailers!
MAIN ATTRACTION
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL (PART 6): CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990) + FANTASTIC FOUR (1994)
It's a Double Feature of Mighty Marvel movie misfires for our online film festival! We're presenting the hilariously bad CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990) plus the notorious unreleased FANTASTIC FOUR (1994), plus a pre-show collection of retro Marvel clips and much more!
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, legendary cult action and Martial Arts, some ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! Plus some cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
TONIGHT’S DOUBLE FEATURE:
We’re diving into ‘not-quite-the-Marvel-cinematic-universe’ territory via two mighty Marvel misfires with CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990) + FANTASTIC FOUR (1994), the notorious Roger Corman produced version that never saw release, plus a reel of retro Marvel trailers and clips!
Prior to Marvel’s name being synonymous with quality cinema, there were a few attempts to bring their properties to the big screen. The 1990 production of CAPTAIN AMERICA was not only laughably bad, it had a bumpy ride to fruition as the rights jumped around to legendary cult movie production house Cannon. Although originally slated to hit screens for Cap’s 50th Anniversary, it didn’t debut until 1992 going direct to home video, with only a handful of international theatrical releases. One is left to endure a fairly wimpy titular character with a habit of hitching rides and then stranding the driver, and for us to wonder just how our hero can stand the temperature in that rubbery looking costume.
Our second feature is the legendary 1994 production of FANTASTIC FOUR. Unbeknownst to the cast, the film was made without the actual intention of being released, and was merely completed so that the Neue Constantin production company could maintain the potentially lucrative cinematic rights to the comic book property. Fan expectation was actually quite high, with trailers landing in cinemas. After being pulled from release schedules, it attracted a certain mystique, gaining cult status and even the subject of a well received documentary. It’s joyously low budget and lacking in production quality but there is a clear passion from the main cast for their roles. As it stands, this version of Marvel’s ‘First Family’ was the beginning of their bumpy cinematic ride, which we do hope culminates in a well deserved blockbuster reinvention by Marvel Studios!
TRAILERS:
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our pre-show warm up will help you settle into the mood with a collection of retro grindhouse trailers and clips!
MAIN ATTRACTION
Stream the fantastic documentary on this version of Fantastic Four on AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL (PART 5): CLASS OF 1984 (1982)
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves including exclusive pre-show reel! We’re going all in on the grindhouse with the schlock classic CLASS OF 1984 (1982) plus a reel of retro trailers and clips!
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, legendary cult action and Martial Arts, some ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! Plus some cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
TONIGHT’S FEATURE:
We’re going all in on the grindhouse with the schlock classic CLASS OF 1984 (1982) plus a reel of retro trailers and clips!
It’s the kids running the schools in the trashiest way possible! Like a nasty punk version of THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, we follow a new teacher (Perry King) at a troubled inner-city high school who ends up clashing with the delinquent leader of a punk posse that runs the school.
For it’s rather lewd content (including a rape scene), it received a banning in several countries. Censors in the UK, notoriously tough and resulting in the unofficial ‘video nasties’ sub-genre, kept it cut by almost five minutes until it finally saw an uncut release in 2005. An updated sci-fi theme lent itself to two sequels including the absurd CLASS OF 1999 (1990) that made the school district into a war zone and students up against cyborg teachers, followed by the imaginatively titled CLASS OF 1999 II: THE SUBSTITUTE (1994).
For the trivia minded, CLASS OF 1984 features a young pre-Family Ties Michael J Fox and Roddy McDowall, who starred as the ape Cornellius in PLANET OF THE APES.
Full of grit and grime and juvenile delinquency, plus a theme song by Alice Cooper, CLASS OF 1984 is all schlock and no class!
TRAILER:
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our pre-show warm up will help you settle into the mood with a collection of retro grindhouse trailers and clips!
Click play button above to start the show!
MAIN ATTRACTION
Also available to stream via AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL (PART 4): Double Feature Saturday! THE 14 AMAZONS (1972) + THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (1978))
We’re going back to back with a martial arts Double Feature extravaganza of THE 14 AMAZONS (1972) + THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (1978).
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, legendary cult action and Martial Arts, some ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! Plus some cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
It’s DOUBLE FEATURE SATURDAY of cult grindhouse and martial arts classics! So settle in for this double dose of ass kicking for the fourth installment of the NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL with two absolutely brilliant entries from the legendary Shaw Brothers back catalogue.
TONIGHT’S DOUBLE FEATURE:
We’re going back to back with a martial arts Double Feature extravaganza of THE 14 AMAZONS (1972) + THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (1978).
The Shaw Brothers studio produced some of the most iconic and influence martial arts cinema ever committed to celluloid, the most notable fan being Quentin Tarantino who adapted many themes and tropes for his KILL BILL movies, so much so that the Shaw Brothers logo appears ahead of the film’s titles.
The Shaw Brothers story is a true cinematic legacy, after brothers Run Run and Runme Shaw assumed control of their company, modeling the business and output on the Hollywood studio system and contracting its stars across multiple films. Most notably, the Shaw films were dominated by female actors during the 1950s and 1960s which filtered into the expanded more into martial arts output. The ‘Venom Mob’ which debuted in the 1978 feature THE FIVE DEADLY VEMOMS (Aka The Five Venoms) became extremely popular, starring in multiple entries and expanding out to a collective of fifteen actors appearing regularly.
Actor Gordon Liu, with his enigmatic appearance and grace, became a legend in the now famous THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, regarded as one of the greatest Kung-Fu films of all time, subsequently became a major influence on rapper / musician RZA, who modeled The Wu Tang Clan concept on the film.
Presented here are two unbelievably entertaining entries in the Shaw Brothers legacy. THE 14 AMAZONS is a sprawling action epic featuring a "who's who" cast of the golden age of Shaw Brothers swordplay adventures, that was not only a major box office hit (ranking 4th for 1972), but also a top prize winner.
Following the first feature, stick around for THE FIVE DEADLY VENOMS, the legendary adventure featuring the final student of a dying martial arts master is instructed to locate the previous five students and defeat any evil ones among them.
Both features are non stop Martial Arts perfection!
TRAILERS:
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our pre-show warm up reel dives into the world of the Shaw Brothers legacy with classic trailers featuring Gordon Liu and fight scene clips, plus a goofy take on the genre from Wayne’s World 2.
MAIN ATTRACTION
Also available to rent on Google Play / YouTube / iTunes
Also available to stream via NETFLIX
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL (PART 3): LASER MISSION (1989)
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves including exclusive pre-show reel! Tonight’s feature; Brandon Lee in LASER MISSION (1991).
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and some truly unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! All those cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
Welcome back for tonight’s screening. Allow us to tear your ticket and show you to your seat for the third installment of the NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL with an obscure entry in the late great Brandon Lee’s filmography.
TONIGHT’S FEATURE:
LASER MISSION (1989) is the second film starring Brandon Lee, and although it’s all kinds of cheese, there’s a ridiculous air of fun to it. It almost feels in poor taste to have a laugh at Lee’s expense, but he’s acting the hell out of this one, placed among multiple characters who aren’t too sure which accent they want to use.
The odd thing is that Laser Mission doesn’t feature much in the way of lasers, but thankfully contains the most 80s power ballad title track this side of a David Hasselhoff feature film. Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine co-stars, with aforementioned dubious accent, but the work for the paycheck factor is high.
After a diamond heist at a gallery (shot on a set that looks about as convincing as a 1980s telethon) by way of excessive green gas, Lee’s Michael Gold (of course) breezes into Cuba on a mission and through customs via a cocky attitude, before being tranquilized by a trio of low rent villains. Waking up in a prison, he learns he is now waiting execution by guillotine (naturally) for being an American Spy. Lee busts out, and exudes some of the most energetic use of a firearm seen on film, before embarking on his ‘laser mission’, whatever that is.
From there it’s a vast assortment of over acting, token blonde action film female role, inept car chases, various levels of peril, more overacting, a lack of lasers and plenty of Lee’s charm. It may be ‘Direct to Video’ but it’s a hearty recipe for bad movie comfort food
TRAILER:
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our warm up pre-show is a tribute to Brandon Lee and his father Bruce with some kick ass trailers, clips and that legendary Nunchaku fight scene from Enter The Dragon.
MAIN ATTRACTION
Also available to stream free on Amazon Prime.
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL (PART 2): KILLING AMERICAN STYLE (1990)
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves including exclusive pre-show reel! Tonight’s feature; KILLING AMERICAN STYLE (1991).
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and some truly unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! All those cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
Welcome back for tonight’s screening. Allow us to tear your ticket and show you to your seat for the second installment of the NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL with a baffling action classic (?) from the Director of the cinematic train wreck Samurai Cop…
TONIGHT’S FEATURE:
KILLING AMERICAN STYLE (1990) is the fifth feature from Director Amir Shevan, who may be the reincarnation of Ed Wood, and the man responsible for what may be the Citizen Kane of bad cinema; Samurai Cop.
Starring walking jaw line and bad cinema legend Robert Zdar, this super sized helping of macho sees the seething mass Tony Stone (Zdar) and sexual sadist John Lynch (keeping his real name for some reason) execute what may be the most clueless daylight robbery ever committed to film. After a prison break and a shoot out, our two criminal buddies, plus cohorts go on the run, commandeering a palatial residence, oddly shot on two completely different and unrelated locations taking hostages inside with tough guy hero type John Morgan stepping up to save the day.
Chock full of dialogue that assaults the ears and acting ability that should be banned in all 50 states, one is left to wonder what the legendary Jim Brown is doing in this film surrounded by pure cinematic incompetence. Rest assured dear film lovers, KILLING AMERICAN STYLE is a bad movie delight, made with such passion and sincerity that you’ll be laughing as much as you face palm.
TRAILER:
PRE-SHOW REEL
A little warm up of epic Amir Shervan related trailers and clips before we dive in to the feature presentation…
MAIN ATTRACTION
Also available to stream on Amazon Prime.
NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL (PART 1): DOUBLE DRAGON (1994)
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves including exclusive pre-show reel! Tonight’s feature; DOUBLE DRAGON (1994).
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and some truly unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! All those cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
So, may we tear your ticket and show you to your seat for the first installment of the NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL with a true clunker that confirms there video game movies are almost impossible to be made well!
TONIGHT’S FEATURE:
DOUBLE DRAGON (1994), starring Scott Wolf (yup, from Part of Five) Scott Wolf, Mark Dacascos, and Robert Patrick trying to ride that wave of fame from Terminator 2. Based on the successful video game that blitzed arcades and Nintendo consoles in the 80s, it attempts to pad out the simplistic rescue adventure video game theme into a preposterous caper of two half-brothers fending off a slimy gang leader seeking their twin amulets that somehow grants absolute power.
Co-starring Alyssa Milano, probably in it for the paycheck, it’s a thick as bricks misfire that wants to be comedy, wants to be kung-fu but ends up being the type of film that needs to be converted into drinking game. Loaded with all the terrible dialogue and complete tone deafness that comes with Hollywood tackling Eastern culture in the 80s and 90s. Buckle up film fans, dim the lights and enjoy!
PRE-SHOW REEL
MAIN ATTRACTION
Also available to stream on Amazon Prime.
NEON REVIEW: CHOPPING MALL (1986)
Quintessential 80s slasher film teens lock themselves inside a high tech mall overnight patrolled by killer robots. What could go wrong?
'CHOPPING MALL' (1986) is tonight's viewing pleasure and a 'Vestron Video' classic with golden dialogue such as "I guess I'm just not used to being trapped in a mall in the middle of the night being chased by killer robots". Now fully restored on Blu Ray as part of a series of infamous Vestron horror greats (children of the 80s will appreciate that company), once again you can get locked in the most banal looking mall in America with eight horny teenage mall employees who have decided to chill in the bedding store overnight.
Problem is that it's patrolled by three lethal force security robots that look like giant weaponized Nintendo ROB robots. Never mind that it doesn't make sense that you'd actually use bulky death machines to keep an eye out for overnight break ins, just rejoice in teenagers played by actors in their late 20s attempting to dispatch them with vast amounts of military grade weapons and ammunition easily acquired at a sporting store, plus an exploding head or two. Keep an eye out for Dick Miller who got the rough end of a snow plow in Gremlins, who also gets an unfortunate run in with the Mall's pesky security team. And we do enjoy seeing Kelli Maroney kicking ass hot of the heels of (well, two years after) the equally trashy Night of The Comet (1984). Rest assured there is plenty of prerequisite gratuitous 80s slasher film boobs, butts and pecks from both sexes. Enjoy!
Directed by Jim Wynorski. Starring Kelli Maroney, Tony O'Dell and Russell Todd.