ATLRetro

By Philip Nutman
Contributing Writer

Silver Scream Spookshow Presents MAD MONSTER PARTY (1967); Dir: Jules Bass; Screenplay by Harvey Kurtzman, Arthur Rankin Jr., Len Korobkin and Forrest J. Ackerman (uncredited); Starring Boris Karloff, Phyllis Diller, Allen Swift, Gale Garnett, Ethel Ennis; Sat. Dec. 31;  kids matinee at 1 PM (kids under 12 free & adults $7) and adult show at 10 PM(all tickets $12); Plaza Theatre; Trailer here.

As much as I love all the Rankin/Bass Xmas specials, for my money, the best “Animagic” (stop-motion) show they ever made was the crazy, wonderful MAD MONSTER PARTY.

C’mon! Boris Karloff voicing Boris Von Frankenstein?  Phyllis Diller as the Monster’s Bride (she is smarter); a script by MAD magazine’s founder Harvey Kurtzman and creature designs by legendary fellow MAD cartoonist/illustrator, Jack Davis ­ what’s not to love?

There are classic monsters gla[gore] (bad pun intended) ­ The Creature from The Black Lagoon, Count Dracula…IT (actually KING KONG, but R/B couldn’t use the name “Kong” for legal reasons). Name ‘em ­ they’re here!

The Baron gathers his gruesome guests for a diabolical dinner in MAD MONSTER PARTY (1967). Courtesy of Lions Gate Pictures.

Songs to learn and love and sing! (The delightful soundtrack is available from Percepto Records; music by R/B stalwart Maury Laws/lyrics by Jules Bass.)

The film is available on DVD from Lions Gate (go to Amazon; there’s a special edition! And Blu-Ray!). BUT…don’t be a couch potato if you live anywhere near Atlanta ­ there’s nothing like seeing a superb print on the *Big Screen* at the Legendary Plaza Theatre!!! (And it’s a SILVER SCREAM SPOOKSHOW presentation brought to you by Professor Morte and his pal Shane Morton!)

YAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! (ATLRetro is happy to end 2011 on such a mad monster note of sheer fun and grimly fiendish frolics!)

By Jordan Barbeau
Contributing Writer

THE 1940s RADIO HOUR; Theatre in the Square; Dec. 17, 2011-Jan. 1, 2012; please note: all performances are at Southern Polytechnic State University – Joe Mack Wilson Student Center; tickets here.

Possibly more so than any other time period, the 1940s were an incredible example of beauty amongst chaos. As World War II raged on across the sea, Americans on the home front did their best to keep up the morale of the citizens through various mediums. One such medium, used to entertain, inform and advertise, was the radio.

THE 1940s RADIO HOUR, written by Walton Jones and directed by Susan Reid at Marietta’s Theatre in the Square, focuses on a New York radio station in December 1942. The play opens as a group of people (including singers, musicians, workers at the station, etc.) are frantically preparing for an hour-long radio show they are about to perform. When everything comes together, the ensuing hour, full of music and commercials alike, is a brilliant, faithful throwback to the time it is emulating.

To begin, a confession is in order: before attending the production, I was a bit skeptical of the content. A recreation of a 1940s radio hour did not seem like the most interesting plot for a play, but I will be the first to admit that this could not be farther from the truth. Produced by Theatre in the Square and running through Jan. 1, THE 1940s RADIO HOUR is not only an excellent musical, it is an excellent representation of the ‘40s.

Jeff Jackson in THE 1940s Radio Hour, now playing at Theatre in the Square. Photo credit: Seamus Bourne

The most important part of any musical is, of course, the music. THE 1940s RADIO HOUR boasts an impressive soundtrack that is very faithful to its source time, ranging from famous ‘40s songs such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” to holiday classics like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The performers were in top condition; everyone from Johnny Cantone (played by Maxim Gukham), the man with the velvety-smooth voice, to Ginger Brooks (played by Jessica Miesel), the comically high-pitched, wannabe pin-up girl, wowed in their own unique ways.

Authenticity can often suffer in productions based on different time periods, the time period itself taking a back seat to the performances. This was not the case with RADIO HOUR; before the play even began, looking at the stage as I walked into the auditorium, I felt as if I had stepped back in time. The set’s Christmas theme was overshadowed by the attention paid to recreating the 1940s, with everything from the furniture to the telephones looking authentic.

One of the most impressive aspects of the production was its cohesiveness. From the second it began to the second the lights went out at the end, the show did not stop; there was no changing of scenes, no intermission, nothing. The dynamic set contributed greatly to the show’s easy accessibility to audiences, as the lack of constant scene changes and set changes made the show extremely easy to follow and very enjoyable.

Left to Right: Drew Arthur, Jessica Miesel and Anna Kimmell. Photo credit: Seamus Bourne.

While it may seem an odd topic to point out in a musical, my personal favorite parts of THE 1940s RADIO HOUR were the commercials that separated the songs being performed. The play did an impeccable job at recreating how commercials were done back in the ‘40s, such as how sound effects were made either by mouth or by various random items. These short breaks in the show not only provide some enjoyable comic relief (an advertisement for a laxative coming to mind), but also provided a very interesting, real look on the differences and similarities between commercials then and now.

THE 1940s RADIO HOUR is an incredible production that even non-theater fans will enjoy. It is simple to follow, the songs performed are authentic and enjoyable, the actors are likeable and charismatic, and the attention to detail paid to recreating a lost time is painstaking. THE 1940s RADIO HOUR is not only a fantastic Christmas play, it is a fantastic play in general and should not be passed up.

By Thomas Drake
Contributing Writer

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946); Dir: Frank Capra; Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers; Wed. Dec. 21 8 p.m. at Earl Strand Smith Theatre; traditional TV screening on Christmas Eve on NBC (Channel 11) at 8 p.m.; Trailer here.

Short: “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”

Medium: George Bailey is a man with big dreams and a big heart. As a youth he decides to set out for the big city and become an architect and explore the world. While he loves his family, he looks down with scorn on his small hometown, BedfordFalls. But on the day he is set to go out into the world, his father becomes ill. The problem is, George learns that the film’s villain, Mr. Potter (No Relation to Harry Potter of the Same Name), plans to take over the bank and remake the town in his dark image. George is forced to take up his father’s mantle and save the town, initially only for a little while, but as he puts roots and settles down, the years slog on. Until fate gives Potter a chance to destroy Bailey. Bailey is at the end of his rope and considers his life a total failure.

Heaven itself hears the prayers of the town and sends an incompetent angel in the form of Clarence to help out. Clarence gets the brilliant idea of showing George Bailey the world without him in it. Horrified, George repents of his wish for death and rushes back to the happy ending typical of Hollywood movies of the era.

George Bailey (James Stewart) at a low moment in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. His wife Mary (Donna Reed) and children try to trim the tree and enjoy Christmas. Copyright: Paramont Pictures, 1945.

Maximum Verbosity: This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s not every day that a movie can establish a new kind of story that is copied over and over again in many mediums. There might be a story that did this before IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, but this Frank Capra-directed holiday classic certainly turned the idea of showing someone what the world would be like them on its head if it did. I’ve seen more television episodes and cartoons that show how critical a piece someone makes in the lives of others roughly based on IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE than I can even remember. And I can remember a lot.

When the film originally came out, it didn’t really do so well. In fact, it might have been doomed to an ignoble death like so many otherwise excellent Hollywood films until someone discovered that it had ‘slipped through’ the copyright trap, and thus became exceedingly cheap for small television stations to run over and over again around Christmas. So it became an American favorite and a classic. Now the American Film Institute, on one of its many arbitrary lists, calls IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE one of the 100 best films ever made—and I’d agree with them on this one. Of course, that was not to last, as eventually the zaibatsus managed to loophole the loophole and now only NBC can show it (Dec. 24 at 8 p.m.).

In a rare holiday treat, the film itself, however, is going to be shown at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, an art-deco former movie palace in Marietta. With all of the trouble iconic Atlanta film venues have been going through recently such as the Plaza up for sale; with the zaibatsus getting rid of their 35mm film collections; and even books themselves slowly going the way of the Kindle, supporting such grand old institutions as the Earl Smith is more important than ever. An artistic experience isn’t just about the performance, it’s who and where it is being performed. [Ed. note: this screening is not in 35mm, but we still think it’s mighty special to see even a digital print at such a cool Retro venue, esp. if the kids have only seen it in TV.]

Bumbling angel Clarence (Henry Travers) startles George (Stewart) by showing up in a nightgown. Copyright Paramount Pictures 1945.

So why do I love this movie? Let me count the ways. Jimmy Stewart is the most awesome actor in all of Hollywood history, and given some of the people that have worked in film, that’s saying a lot. The man was humble and had a genuine all-American quality to him that I found fantastic. That combined with one of his [and Frank Capra’s] other great seminal works, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, to me sums up what it means to be an American. He is the true Everyman hero, the one who stands up for what is right when all others demand that you surrender to the wrong. Indeed, if every man would be as Jimmy Stewart, then the very foundations of evil would be shaken from the world forever. Not that that’s going to happen.

Let’s talk Clarence (Henry Travers). Clarence is a delightful fuck-up. When one thinks Angel, one traditionally thinks Cherubim and a Flaming Sword guarding the Garden of Eden, not a bumbling old guy in a hat who doesn’t even have his wings yet. Of course, don’t underestimate old Clarence, because the old guy can turn visible or invisible at will and rewrites the very laws of reality to weave out George Bailey. If that’s what an angel without wings does, you can imagine how many power-up’s you’d need to take on a fully developed one. But his bumbling incompetence is why I like him. I like the idea that God, or at least his minions, are well meaning but not all powerful. But maybe that’s just me. It’s easier to accept the world the way it is if you think that.
We suggest there might be some difference depending on each ones physiology, but in case it does not respond the expectations indicated by your https://www.montauk-monster.com/pharmacy/phentermine attending doctor, report him immediately.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE also is a great romance. Donna Reed is easy to lose in the crowd among all of the things that are going on in the film, but as a subplot, George Bailey’s courtship—both before and after they are married—is a true classic. She went on later to have her own highly successful sitcom, but seeing her in this is like all of those obscure ‘80s movies that have actors in them before they became truly famous. Like Kate Mulgrew in REMO WILLIAMS (1985).

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is a wonderful romance, too, between George (Stewart) and Mary (Reed). Copyright Paramount Pictures 1945.

But I think above all, the philosophy of the film is why I love so much. Life isn’t about wealth. You can’t take it with you, and while it can certainly help in some circumstances, you can’t eat it and it won’t love you. “Remember George, no man is a failure who has friends.” I guess somehow when I heard that, it translated in my mind as, “The true measure of the worth of a human’s life is in the quality and strength of the relations he keeps.” And I’ve lived my life that way ever since. People matter. Friends matter. Family matters. And this movie is the quintessential guide to that.

It might be hokey. It might even have a healthy dose of sappy cheddar compared to the realities of corruption, malfeasance and dereliction we have today. The world needs more George Baileys, because God knows we’ve sure as hell got enough Mr. Potters running around with their derivatives and their credit default swaps and their vast indifference to the suffering of humanity. Our world has come to more resemble the dark mirror of George’s life, where people don’t give a shit about each other. But this is the Holiday season, damn it, and whatever your affiliation (Kwanza, Hannikua, Christmas, Festivus, X-mas), they are all about love and being greater than yourself. (Well…maybe not X-mas which is largely about buying as much as you can and trompling your neighbor in the process.)

Celebrate Christmas by living a bit of it each day of your life. And the best way to do that, is to be like George Bailey. Merry Christmas.

By Tiffany Jewell
Contributing Writer

Splatter Cinema Presents THE SHINING (1980); Dir: Stanley Kubrick; Based on the novel by Stephen King; Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd; Tues. Dec. 13 9:30 PM and encore Sat. Dec. 17, 9:30 p.m.; Plaza Theatre; Trailer here.

THE SHINING (1980) may be one of the most loved, hated, debated, torn-to-pieces-and-built-right-back-up-again movies around. Love it or not, everyone seems to have something to say about it. Love Stephen King but think Stanley Kubrick murdered the novel? Do you think that King did a mediocre job and Kubrick brought it to life? Or are you one of those who thinks they’re both revolutionaries and are together responsible for making a true classic? No matter your position, everyone has one. That’s what makes this film so bloody brilliant.

I fell in love with this film because of how dynamic it is. It is one of the few films that has thorough character development; you are able to see them grow, shift, change and become devoured by something dark and over powering. The visual imagery is absolutely stunning. Every time I sit down to re-watch it and see them taking their first tour of the hotel, I think, “Oh, that’s the staircase Jack goes ballistic on, that’s the hallway where Danny finds room 237, those elevators are going to flood that room with blood, that freezer is good for a whole lot more than 36 chickens, those hedges aren’t as cute as they look…” and THAT is what qualifies a film to be iconic. That alone is what makes a memorable, note-worthy, beautifully filmed piece. THE SHINING also brings something to the table that everyone can fear. Whether it’s the supernatural, creepy children, people losing their minds and wanting to destroy those they once held dear, being severely afraid of isolation, claustrophobia, or your classic go-to slasher chase, it’s got it all, in one little two-and-half-hour long package.

Lisa and Louise Burns play enigmatic ghost twins in THE SHINING (1980). Photo credit; Warner Bros Pictures.

The reason I hold this film to be a classic is because of how absolutely timeless it is. It’s still frightening. It is still able to get people to buy into the psychological terror both King & Kubrick were trying to achieve. As a writer, director, producer, actor or otherwise, your job is to create something your audience is able to find themselves lost in. If you succeed, that’s outstanding and you have a whole lot to be proud of. If you succeed, and people are able to feel the same way 21 years later, you’re a genius and you deserve your work to be forever considered a classic.

If you really want the end-all argument for why I cannot understand anyone disliking this film, it is what Jack Nicholson did for his character. From the second I see him on screen, my spine crawls. He is immensely creepy. No one could have done what Nicholson did for Jack Torrance. I personally believe that his was the performance of a lifetime—that he made this movie what it is, and that without his sarcastic remarks, shoddy glances, teeth-gritting grins, the constant tension he holds in his jaw, that brink of insanity look he holds ever constantly in his eyes—without his casting, this film would not be what it is.

Blood floods the Stanley Hotel in THE SHINING (1980). Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

THE SHINING is, without question, one of the most memorable films to grace the horror genre. This film is saturated with scenes that most people are able to describe in detail, as well as quotes that are used in novels, poetry, television, apparel slogans and advertisements. Even those who don’t particularly care for the film will tell you that you have to see it at least once. If you agree, I hope to see you Tues., Dec. 13 or Sat. Dec. 17 at The Plaza Theatre for Splatter Cinema presents THE SHINING, and if you disagree, I hope to see you there anyway. Perhaps we can have a lively debate. For the Tuesday screening, arrive at around 9 p.m. for a live reenactment and grab a seat early to indulge in a few retro trailers before the 9:30 showing of the rare 35 mm reel of THE SHINING. That’s amazing.

By Slim Chance (James Kelly)
Contributing Blogger

Jon Byrd celebrates the release of DOWN AT THE WELL OF WISHES at Kavarna in Oakhurst on Saturday Dec. 10. Slim Chance & the Convicts play at 8PM. $6. Facebook Event Link.

Chasing your dreams can be a long, arduous, and often frustrating journey, which usually ends in regret and disillusionment. But perseverance, and commitment, and dedication can often fuel that desire into fruition. Last month, as I sat in Nashville’s hallowed Station Inn, surrounded by a few old acquaintances and a room full of strangers, I watched my dear friend Jon Byrd take the stage to a rousing reception as he celebrated the release of his second solo album DOWN AT THE WELL OF WISHES. It was a project two years in the making, and the payoff was evident in the maturity of the songs, the catch of the hooks, and the look of sheer pleasure on the faces of all in attendance. But truthfully, this dream was hatched many years ago, and I got to see it take shape.  From his early days playing guitar in local Southern “alternative” bands like the Primitons and the Windbreakers, Jon searched far and wide for his musical footprint, and he ultimately found it in country music.

In the late ‘80s, I lived right behind Jon and his girlfriend (at the time) in Little Five Points, and there is no doubt the sounds of Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard blasting from my stereo made their way up to their windows. Compound that with the rowdy, scattered and musically schizophrenic practice sessions of my own band, Slim Chance & the Convicts, it was inevitable that curiosity took over, and we became friends and collaborators. Jon eventually joined the Convicts full time, and through our shared fascination and mutual exploration of the roots of country music he developed a unique and crafty lead guitar style, steeped in traditional twang, but with a twist here and there.

Jon Byrd plays at Red Beet Records in East Nashville. Photo Credit: Stacy Huckeba

Jon always listened to the nuances, and picked up a few tricks while creating his own. And the man can sing. His run with the Convicts resulted in three well-received albums, more incredible shows than we can remember, and a stellar reputation. Stints with other Atlanta acts like Greta Lee and The Ratchet Set proved that Jon was a consummate picker, and his newfound love of real country music was his foundation for all these years. But in Atlanta, it’s really easy to be a big fish in the little pond of the Redneck Underground, and Jon had other plans. He relocated to Nashville, where all of a sudden he found himself on the fringes of a very polarized world, quite different from what he was used to in Atlanta.

The musical pilgrimage to Nashville is a well-worn tale; some make it, most don’t. Those shooting for “the big time” often go home empty-handed, but those who hold their ground often find their niche. Jon struggled for several years in the talent overloaded town, playing pick-up gigs when he could get them, sitting in when he had the chance, and ingratiating himself into the very tight and somewhat insular social scene on “other side of Nashville.” Making friends and connections, he worked hard, and in the 10 years he has been in Music City, he gradually nurtured and shaped a deeply respected place within the alt. country music scene, mostly centered in East Nashville.

Jon released his first solo album BYRD’S AUTO PARTS in 2007, and immediately people who were not already familiar with his work took notice. Joined by a crew of musicians pretty much in the same place he was professionally, the record was done on a shoestring budget, and with a lot of help from his friends. It was good enough and respected enough to motivate a second release, which again became a pure labor of love. Juggling a full-time job, frequent gigs and basic survival, Jon somehow pulled his support group together one more time, and with a fancier studio, the production expertise of the popular R.S. Field (Billy Joe Shaver, Webb Wilder, Allison Moorer, etc.), and a lot of favors from his talented friends, DOWN AT THE WELL OF WISHES has finally arrived.

Jon Byrd. Photo Credit: Michael Pittman.

Is this country music? Well, yes and no. It’s not what radio programmers call “country music” today, but it is the kind of country music you hear when you listen to a Dan Penn record, or a Willie Nelson album. It is music from the heart and soul, full of songs about real things that matter to everyone. The dark imagery of the opener, “In A Chest Of Skin And Bone,” co-written with Jon’s Nashville drinking buddy Butch Primm (an amazing songwriter as well), sets the tone for a journey through emotional valleys and caverns. The poignant and beautiful melody and harmonies on “When It Starts To Rain” enhance the rich metaphorical lyrics, and drive the message of solitary pain over missed opportunities straight into the listener’s mind. Each of the nine tracks is a defining moment, whether a reflection on Jon’s roots in “Alabama Asphalt,” or a sweet eulogy for for a favorite watering hole in “A Fond Farewell”.

Recorded at Ocean Way Studio, Jon’s friends are all over the place. Former Los Straitjackets drummer Jimmy Lester handles most of the percussion, the keyboards are courtesy of Georgia native Adam Wright, whose lovely and incredibly talented wife Shannon Wright also adds harmony vocals. The pedal steel is shared by Newnan boy Alex McCollough (who also mastered the record) and the incredible Pat Severs, who works with Bill Anderson and the Everly Brothers. Ed Atkins of the Derailers adds some bass, along with Duane Blevins. And when Jon isn’t playing lead guitar, that is handled well by Milan Miller.

So who will hear this great record? With no big publicity machine behind it, that relies on word of mouth, website reviews and indie radio DJs to create a groundswell. Jon just returned from a successful solo European tour, and is a participant on a Grammy®-nominated album, I LOVE…TOM T. HALL’S SONGS OF FOX HOLLOW . Those are sure to increase his exposure. But regardless of the challenge of commercial success, Jon has accomplished many of the goals he set out to achieve when he left Atlanta, and we are all very proud of his amazing work. Sometimes wishes come true, and Jon Byrd deserves it.

When Really Big Santa dropped a personal invitation to  ATLRetro readers or all ages.  He’s making a list and checking it twice, and if you really want that vintage Red Ryder, we’d recommend you not be naughty and miss SANTA’S SUPER SATURDAY SHOW this Sat. Dec. 3 at the Plaza Theatre. Here’s an exact transcript from the big guy at the North Pole…

Ho Ho Howdy!

There’s a new tradition in Atlanta Christmas events, and it’s happening at the historic Plaza Theatre on Ponce de Leon! Really Big Santa and his fine friends from Blast Off Burlesque are throwing Santa’s Super Saturday Show on Saturday, December 3rd. There is a Kiddie’s Matinee at 1pm and a “Grown-ups” show at 10 that night!

There will be vintage Christmas shorts, commercials and cartoons before the show starts! Then a live holiday show performed on The Plaza stage, with some of your favorite Christmas tunes performed by some of your favorite performers in a way never before seen! It’s a chance to sing and dance with Santa Claus in person!

After the show, it’s movie time! Stick around because there’s a screening of the [1964] B-Movie Christmas Classic, SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS!

Tickets for the 1pm show are just $5. The 10pm tickets are $10. For each new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots you bring you’ll get $2 off one ticket! There will be pictures with Santa in his big chair  before the show! $10 gets you a 5×7 print and a high resolution digital copy sent to your email!

A portion of the proceeds goes to help support The Plaza Theatre, and your toy donations go to help our brave Men and Women of the United States Marine Corps in their drive to provide gifts for families in need. If there’s one thing you can do for Santa this Holiday season it’s this: Help local businesses by supporting your neighborhood merchants and help those in your community that are less fortunate!

Yours Truly,

Santa Claus
——
Coming to you Directly
From the North Pole
Top O’ The World at True Magnetic North

Pop-surrealist/guest curator of CUTE AND CREEPY Carrie Ann Baade posed in costume besides Jessica Joslin's OTIS, bone and metal assemblage.

By S. J. Chambers
Guest Contributing Blogger

Something unprecedented happened in Tallahassee, FL, last October 14. Over 2,000 people, masked and unmasked alike, showed up at the Florida State University’s Museum of Fine Art for the opening of CUTE AND CREEPY, which runs through Nov. 20. Guest curated by FSU painting professor and pop surrealist extraordinaire Carrie Ann Baade, CUTE AND CREEPY is one of the first exhibits to look at the new surreal, grotesque and macabre dark art that is beginning to permeate popular art, and is exhibiting 25 of the most cutting edge artists working today like Kris Kuksi, Elizabeth McGrath, Jessica Joslin, Kate Clark, Kathie Olivas and Chris Mars. In addition to being the first exhibit to collect all the facets of the bizarre and strange under one museum roof, Baade explores what a “Weird” aesthetic really is, its cultural significance, and why now, as she writes in the catalog’s introduction, “is the time to revel in the macabre.”

Can you find the Diva-in-Sheep's clothing posing next to Kate Clark's mixed media sculptures?

And revel Tallahasseans did. On opening night, Professor Baade treated gallery-goers to not only art, but a dark carnival-like atmosphere where the weird, the cute and the creepy came to life and swarmed the space. There were acrobats, Goths, Steampunks and unclassifiable fabulous costumes, one of which was what I can only describe as a Were-sheep Diva. Even Professor Baade got into the spirit with a beautiful Steampunk/Surrealist vintage costume.

The FSU Fine Arts museum has never seen a crowd like this before. In fact the 2,000 attendees were four times the amount of any prior opening. At one point in the night, people were shuffling from one room to the next, gridlocked as though they were in line for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. But this was a show that people want to return to, and throughout the gallery, people began making rendezvous to return for more quiet contemplation.

Gallery-go-ers contemplate the cute and/or creepy aspects of one of Kathie Olivas's "Misery Children."

I, for one, am not surprised at the success of this rare and intriguing exhibit. It is in line with a prominent and emerging trend in the arts. In 2010, Tim Burton’s retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art became its third most-attended show in its history (Matisse and Picasso hold rankings first and second). Then, earlier this year, the Boston Athenaeum presented a very thought-provoking exhibit on the work and genius of Edward Gorey. What better way to bookmark the year than with Florida State University’s Museum of Fine Arts fall exhibit: CUTE AND CREEPY.

S. J. Chambers is a writer and native Tallahasseean. She is co-author of THE STEAMPUNK BIBLE (Abrams Image), which was just featured on CBS SUNDAY MORNING, and the editor of THE STEAMPUNK BIBLE, VOLUME 2.0. She can be found espousing ephemeral musings on her Twitter. Meet her on Sat. Nov. 12 at The Mechanical Masquerade Presents: A Paranormal Fantasy. 

All Photos by S.J. Chambers.

By Dean Treadway
Contributing Blogger

“My love, my eidolon, my substance of dreams, my Dark Lord. Tension maker, Faery dweller, Protean visaged. You are part of the edifice of a painting more gigantic than any other, maker of dreams more vast than any painter ever dreamed. Guide of my brush, companion of my learning, child of my knife, builder of my painter’s life. I have returned to you. I see you again in your austerity, your splendor, your animal grace, your pain. I see you as Michelangelo heroic, as Leonardo grotesque. I see you and only you, my Dark Lord, my Prince of the Night, my Master of my hand and eye. And I am home. My blood-dabbled canvases. My rough linen. My dream images of the crowded man. I am home and secure.”

—Jimimi Fowlkes, August 19, 1979

Years after her death, a prolific painter named Jimimi Fowlkes is having her first show. Being that the entire exhibition is devoted to paintings of actor Sir Christopher Lee, best known for playing Dracula on film, the world premiere opening party/fundraiser (this Saturday, October 29 at the Blue Tower Gallery at the West End’s Metropolitan Arts Complex) surely qualifies as Atlanta’s most unique Retro-Halloween festivity.  It’s not often that one can say they’ve never seen anything like one thing or another. But we can certainly say such about Jimimi’s works. This show will be a one-of-a-kind event.

Mrs. Fowlkes was a quiet, enigmatic presence in Atlanta’s Morningside community, where she lived for decades with her scientist husband Roy. It’s quite likely that most of her neighbors never realized there was a dedicated and talented artist living in their community, because Jimimi (called Mim for short) rarely talked about her work, and even more rarely showed any of it to anyone. She began painting portraits in 1970, first of herself and her sister. Then she tapped into her love of history by composing views of Victorian parliamentarians, and then of Russian icons like Ivan the Terrible and Rasputin. She went on to portray such diverse figures as Thurgood Marshall and Joan of Arc. But in 1978, she launched into a realm that would capture her passion, along with her hungering hands and eyes, nearly exclusively for the next few years.

In the face of the actor Christopher Lee, Mim found a set of features that truly possessed her. In the copious diary entries she penned alongside her paintings, she confessed her fascination with what she came to call her “Enigma”:

“I am resigned to spending this year learning the trade, painting the Enigma until I can do it blindfolded. How I love him! What beauty illuminates the face. Such joy to be permitted to spend my days in contemplating that face.

—J.F., June 6^th, 1978

This goes beyond mere fandom; Fowlkes enjoyed seeing Lee in movies, but only so she could study his every move, his very structure. Ultimately, Jimimi Fowlkes painted Sir Christopher’s likeness some 250 times, always in acrylic paint (sometimes mixed with her own blood) and most often on modestly-sized canvases. She at first used promotional stills from his many DRACULA films, filmed by Britain’s Hammer Studios, as her models. But after a while, she was able to paint him in any way she imagined. She’d use brushes for a smoother texture to the works, then discovered working with a knife enabled her to build portraits with a surplus of tactile energy. There’s one painting of Lee as Rasputin (a role he played in 1965’s RASPUTIN, THE MAD MONK), and another of the actor as Lord Sommerdale from Robin Hardy’s 1973 film THE WICKER MAN. And there are some portraits that look like straight-up promo shots of the actor. But most are of Lee as Dracula—sometimes disintegrating as sunlight hits his face, sometimes regal and posed, and often with multiple images of the face superimposed impossibly atop one another. To see 175 of these paintings hanging side by side on theBlueTower’s gallery walls is…well, creepily astonishing.

Chalk this phantasm of a show up to Mrs. Fowlkes, yes. But credit must be given also to Giselle Malluche, Mim’s neighbor who was bequeathed the artist’s entire output (over 500 works) after helping Mim through her last years of life. Malluche is now in the process of starting up her own long-dreamed-of charity organization, called Change to Humanity, and she’s hoping Mim’s paintings will act as a springboard for good acts to benefit Atlanta (and the world’s) underprivileged youth. The show she’s curated for October 29—complete with bands, DJs, food, drink and costume contests—has a $35 admittance fee (after 11 pm, the price goes down to $10), and it’s all going to the kids. There’s also a printed collection of the paintings in the works, complete with Jimimi’s diary entries (full disclosure: edited by me); this project, titled MY ENIGMA, should be completed sometime in 2012. Until then, this Halloween show will be your foremost opportunity to see this beyond-unique collection. Don’t miss it.

The Blue Tower Gallery is located at 675 Metropolitan Parkway, in the Metropolitan Arts Complex. The October 29 show also features music by Spaceseed and the Cold Ones, lights by Area 51 and a night of horror films in the Panorama Ray Theater. The cover is $35 ($10 after 11 p.m.), with all proceeds going to Change to Humanity. 

Dean Treadway is a longtime Atlanta film analyst and film festival programmer with more than 25 years of published works. His popular film blog is called filmicability with Dean Treadway.  He is also a correspondent for Movie Geeks United, the Internet’s #1 movie-related podcast.

By Philip Nutman
Contributing Blogger

Silver Scream Spookshow Presents THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963); Dir: Roger Corman; Screenplay by Charles Beaumont; Starring Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr., Debra Paget; Sat. Oct. 15;  kids matinee at 1 PM (kids under 12 free & adults $7) and adult show at 10 PM(all tickets $12); Plaza Theatre; Trailer here.

Vincent Price is back to haunt The Plaza in THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963) another H.P. Lovecraft adaptation, and Halloween’s on its way! Cthulhu bless The Silver Scream Spookshow! Yes, yet another chance to see classic AIP/Roger Corman cinematic madness on the big screen in 35mm this Sat. Oct. 15! More Professor Morte and his madcap gang of monsters and monster babes! Oh, and some old Spookshow family members may return, too. Yowza!

THE HAUNTED PALACE was promoted as another Corman-Price-Edgar Allan Poe film, but while the title comes from a line in a Poe poem, it’s actually a very loose adaptation of Lovecraft’s THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD, one of his more famous novellas. If you’ve never read it, you should. But more importantly, you should make a date for seeing the film at The Plaza this weekend because it’s the fifth anniversary of the Spookshow, it’s a terrific print of the movie, and Professor Morte is promising a magical event (literally).

“THE HAUNTED PALACE has become a favorite movie here at Morte Manor,” the Professor cackled to ATLRetro from his crypt in his secret batcave. “I watch this movie once a week, and I listen to the soundtrack [composed by Ronald Stein], which is amazing, all the time.” Before laying back down in his coffin, Atlanta’s favorite master of the macabre whispered in ATLRetro’s ear that there will be some stunning legerdemain this weekend (that means magic tricks, as in sleight-of-hand, as in smoke and mirrors, gang), including a certain supernatural experience which, if we understood Morte’s whisper correctly, has never happened live on stage before…

Now, back to the movie. THE HAUNTED PALACE is one of the best Lovecraft adaptations to make it onto celluloid. Not only does it star Saint Vincent Price, it also features everyone’s favorite Wolfman, Lon Chaney, Jr., and hot babe, Debra Paget, from THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and who smooched with Elvis in LOVE ME TENDER (both 1956). The excellent script was written by the late, great Charles Beaumont, one of the finest short story writers of his generation, who penned over two dozen classic episodes of Rod Serling’s THE TWILIGHT ZONE TV show (He also wrote the screenplay for the Zsa Zsa Gabor turkey, QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE [1958], but, hey, no one’s perfect).

So, there’s only one place to be this Saturday: The Plaza Theatre! And as Professor Morte says, “be prepared to be scared!”

ATLRetro terrifying trivia:

• THE HAUNTED PALACE was Debra Paget’s last movie before she retired after marrying a Chinese millionaire and later became a devout Christian.
• Charles Beaumont is the subject of a terrific documentary by Jason V. Brock, CHARLES BEAUMONT: THE SHORT LIFE OF TWILIGHT ZONE’S MAGIC MAN (2010).
• Beaumont’s birth name was Charles Leroy Nutt.

By Philip Nutman
Contributing Blogger

Splatter Cinema Presents EVIL DEAD 2 (1987); Dir: Sam Raimi; Screenplay by Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegal; Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks; Tues. Oct. 11; 9:30 PM; Plaza Theatre; Trailer here.

Sam Raimi’s EVIL DEAD 2 (1987) is your basic guy-and-girl-go-to-a-cabin-in-the-woods-to-have-nookie-but- the-evil-dead-show-up-and-ruin-things story. That’s it, really. Otherwise, what really can or needs to be said? That it’s a gorehound classic? That it’s basically a remake of Raimi’s 1981 debut THE EVIL DEAD – but goofy? That once again it stars Bruce “The Chin” Campbell as Ashley “Ash” J. Williams – the role he’s become must identified with? Yes, all of the above, and some more.

As much as THE EVIL DEAD is considered a “cult classic,” its remake-come-sequel seems to be the most popular of the “Deadite trilogy” (GSU’s Cinefest is also screening the third Ash/DEAD flick, ARMY OF DARKNESS on Thurs. Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m., by the way). The movie is fun – and gory and sick in a demented Three Stooges “splat-stick” style. But you already know all of  that because I don’t know anyone who hasn’t seen it (and I know waaay too many people…).

Have you seen it on the big screen, though? If not, then get down to The Plaza Theatre this Tuesday for a rare one-off screening in the main cinema.

Bruce Campbell faces a dead thing in EVIL DEAD 2. Image copyright Anchor Bay Entertainment.

THE EVIL DEAD was a triumph of micro-budget, visceral intensity that managed to get the movie banned on video in the UK during the “video nasties” fake mass hysteria promoted by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the mid 1980s. (Create a witch hunt if you want to distract the voting sheep from the fact you are raping the country – kinda like Shrub & Cheney & co did with Iraq…but that’s another horror story.) Co-written by Raimi and childhood pal, Scott Spiegel (the man who launched Quentin Tarantino’s career),  EVIL DEAD 2 is a genuine splat-stick classic. Between Raimi’s nutzoid direction, Campbell’s lunatic performance, Mark Shostrom’s tasty make-up FX…and a flying eyeball, EVIL DEAD 2 is one of the most fun, demented horror flicks of the 1980s.

Thanks, as always, to the Splatter Cinema gang for bringing us the best 35mm of gore to the best movie theater in Atlanta…the one, the only The Plaza! Watch out for that eyeball!