CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
Film News: Clive Barker Triple Feature Haunts Portage Theater on July 13, 2012
CHICAGO – Fans of the inventively gruesome filmmaker and visual artist Clive Barker will be delighted by the eleventh installment of Terror in the Aisles. A rare Clive Barker Triple Feature will screen Friday, July 13, at the Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave, featuring two very special guests, and the restored version of a Barker classic.
The cinematic mayhem kicks off at 7:30pm with the midwest premiere of “Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut,” a 155-minute extended version of the 1990 horror fantasy. Based on Barker’s 1988 novella, “Cabal,” the film revolves around a group of mutant outcasts discovered by a haunted everyman (Craig Sheffer) and his bewildered girlfriend (Anne Bobby). The film is notable for its supporting performance by the acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg (“The Fly,” “A History of Violence”) and its atmospheric score by master composer Danny Elfman. The butchered cut of the film released to theaters wasn’t true to Barker’s original vision, and initially failed to connect with critics and audiences.
The restored version of Clive Barker’s 1990 cult classic Nightbreed will screen July 13 at the Portage Theater.
Photo credit: Warner Home Video
This restored version adds 45 minutes of footage that isn’t available on any home video release. Restoration director Russell Cherrington will be present at the screening to discuss his efforts to bring Barker’s ideal version of “Nightbreed” to Blu-ray and DVD. Bobby will also be at the screening and is scheduled to stick around for free autographs and pictures with fans. In addition to her starring role in “Nightbreed,” Bobby is also well known for her work in Oliver Stone’s “Born on the Fourth of July,” and Todd Solondz’s “Happiness.”
Barker’s 1987 feature debut, “Hellraiser,” will be screened at 10:30pm, followed by a midnight screening of Bernard Rose’s 1992 thriller, “Candyman.” Based on a story by Barker, this Chicago-set thriller stars Virginia Madsen (“Sideways”) and Tony Todd (currently slaughtering teens in the “Final Destination” series).
Doors open at 7pm at the Portage Theater and free parking is available at the Sears lot around the corner. Tickets are $12. Vintage trailers, dealer tables and a live charity auction for the HIV/AIDS agency, Vital Bridges, will be included at the event.
By MATT FAGERHOLM |