Another Hole in the Head

~ Lincoln Spector

The Bay Area hosts so many film festivals this time of year that it’s scary. It’s not only scary, but it’s also weird. And bizarre. And fantastic. We need another bloody film festival like we need a hole in the head!

So it’s appropriate that Indiefest’s Another Hole in the Head film festival is scary, weird, bizarre, and fantastic. Oh, and bloody. Dedicated to off-beat horror and violent cinema, AHitH runs from July 8th through the 22th at the Roxie, then from the 23rd to the 29th at the VIZ Cinema. (Hey, Indiefest folks, what’s the matter with the East Bay? Are we too scary for you?)

metropolisNow here’s something strange: They’re screening Metropolis a week after the SF Silent Film Festival screens it. But it won’t be the new, nearly-complete restoration with live accompaniment.  No, they’re showing the 1984 Redux version, recut, strangely colored, with subtitles instead of intertitles, and with a recorded rock soundtrack. This actually played in theaters 16 years ago. I saw this version long ago, but it was with live accompaniment by the Clubfoot Orchestra, so I’ve never actually heard it. Frankly, I never really wanted to.

31[1] Aside from Metropolis, there isn’t anything playing I’ve seen, or even heard of. But the more intriguing titles include Dr. S Battles the Sex Crazed Reefer Zombies, Nightmares in Red, White and Blue, Silent Night, Zombie Night, and Vampire Girl VS Frakenstein Girl (pictured here). Something a little different.

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Published by Lincoln Spector

Lincoln Spector writes about cinema, technology, and cinema technology. From 1986 through 2008, he wrote Gigglebytes, the first technology-oriented humor column. From 1977 through 2016, he wrote PC World's Answer Line column and blog.