The Second Annual Sci-Fi Spectacular in Chicago

Saturday, May 10^th was the second annual Sci-Fi Movie Marathon at The Music Box Theater in Chicago. Faithful readers of mine know that my brave nephew and I attended this festival last year and have attended the last two horror marathons in October. The one major difference is that this festival runs 12 hours where the Horror fest (titled The Music Box Massacre) runs 24 hours.

As has been the case with the previous three festivals we have attended, this year's marathon was solidly put together by our host Rusty Nails who spends his time working the crowd in between movies with raffles, prize giveaways and trivia. He also handles Q&A sessions with any celebrity guests (this year was B-movie actress Mary Woronov, co-star of Death Race 2000). It can also now be noted that my nephew and I are officially regulars as Rusty now recognizes us with each passing festival.

Much like last year's Sci-Fi fest this year's got off to a late start of about 20 minutes with no explanation given. Unlike last year's, which continued to fall behind after each movie, this year's made the time up through the course of the day. While last year we didn't emerge from the Music Box until 5am, this year we were out at 2:30.

As has always been the case Rusty made sure there were vendors set up in the lobby selling shirts, DVD's, buttons, pins, posters and books covering the horror and Sci-Fi genres. There was also a raffle to benefit starving children in Africa with some impressive prizes included an autographed copy of horror author Clive Barker's latest book and autographed memorabilia from underground film director John Waters.

This year, as with last year's Sci-Fi fest, the Music Box did not offer food other then the standard concession fare to its audience, many of whom were there 15 hours. The theater was less stringent about outside food and the sight of patrons bringing in restaurant containers or bags from the grocery store were routine. Interestingly the theatre does bring in pizza for the horror fest. One small addition worth mentioning is that the Music Box now offers real butter and not the imitation butter most movie chains offer for their popcorn. I, for one, rarely eat buttered popcorn but my nephew requested it and soon we were wolfing down a large bag rather quickly. The taste difference is amazing.

One other thing I liked this year was the coming attraction and intermission trailers shown to the crowd before each movie. Several times the audience was delighted to see the classic snack bar commercial with the catchy but not so original lyrics:

Let's all go to the lobby,
Let's all go to the lobby.
Let's all go to the lobby and have ourselves a snack.

We were also treated a few times to a stern warning from a man in a suit with glasses leaning against his desk. He was warning kids in the audience to stay quiet and let everyone enjoy the show otherwise they would be asked to leave and refused attendance to that very theater in the future.

Refreshingly all of the coming attractions were not sci-fi/horror related as we got to see vintage previews including The Marx Brothers in Animal Crackers, Cary Grant in Arsenic and Old Lace and a 1950's re-release of the Disney classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Kudos to Rusty or whomever put those together allowing us to see vintage trailers of all kinds. Of course the sci-fi/horror genres were covered with previews from such films as Mad Max, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Android, Ghosts of Mars, It! (with Roddy McDowall) and several others.

Other then a DJ playing classic Sci-Fi movie music before the start of the first film there was no sign of any heavy metal or rock bands in the theater that have always drove me outside where I can still hear them clearly. Wisely the time in between movies (usually 15-20 minutes) was better spent.

The crowd, which grew larger as the day went on, settled in for a full day and night of sci-fi films and we were not disappointed.

The first film on the program was 1933's Island of Lost Souls starring Charles Laughton as a mad doctor who turns people into animals for experimentation. The film is based on H.G. Wells' novel The Island of Dr. Moreau which has since been filmed two more times, once in 1977 with Burt Lancaster and then in 1997 with Marlon Brando. This version is far and away the best of the three with Laughton giving a creepy performance in his first starring role in an American movie and Bela Lugosi almost unrecognizable as one of Moreau's man-creatures.

Next up was Earth Vs The Flying Saucers from 1956 and this is a classically bad movie from the era that created so many bad sci-fi and horror films. This film tells the story of scientists watching helplessly as aliens start invading Earth. The special effects were created by the master, Ray Harryhausen, but here Ray is out of sorts. The visuals are cheap most likely due to the low budget. Hugh Marlowe, who probably made a good living starring in these 1950's B movies, plays the hero here and while he gives a competent enough performance he is surrounded mostly by stiffs reading bad dialogue.

The festival really got moving then with the classic original Invasion of the Body Snatchers starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter in the terrifying tale of aliens taking over humans resulting in bland, lifeless people whose emotions have vanished. How do they get you? When you fall asleep. It is long rumored this film was a metaphor for the Russian red scare from that era and it's hard to argue when you consider the fears Americans had of Communism taking over. The film has been remade three times now. The first (and best) starred Donald Sutherland from 1978. Independent director Abel Ferrara made a decent version in the 90's but last year's The Invasion with Nicole Kidman was poorly executed. This is the definitive version and was great to see on the big screen.

The next film was Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, considered by many to be the best film of the series with the original cast. Having seen it on the big screen when it was first released in 1982 the film offered nothing really new other then pure enjoyment.

Next up, and the highlight of the festival for many, was Roger Corman's classic 1975 thriller Death Race 2000 starring David Carradine and a very young pre-Rocky Sylvester Stallone. The film tells the now familiar story of a road race from one coast to the other where killing humans results in points. The more points you have the better chance of winning. The film has comic highlights to take away from the gore and gratuitous nudity Corman films are so famous for. The audience ate the film up and enjoyed co-star Mary Woronov's Q&A session after the film. She delighted the crowd with stories ranging from her days of hanging out in the Andy Warhol factory to dancing on stage with the Velvet Underground to working in B movies.

After last year's showing of the original Mad Max it seemed only logical to bring the highly successful, more popular sequel, The Road Warrior with Mel Gibson in his continued role as a defender of evil on the roads of Australia. Here he has to help defend a commune of hiding people who have gasoline, a most cherished item in the area. The film contains terrific stunt work and the chase scenes are well directed making the film hold up very well after all these years. Does this mean next year we can look forward to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome?

The festival came to an end with the enormously popular in its day sci-fi thriller Robocop starring Peter Weller as a cop gunned down and brought back to life via machines and becomes the most invincible law enforcement officer out there. When the film was first released in 1987 I saw it and hated it as I didn't realize it was supposed to be less a serious police story and almost a parody of the genre. Having seen it again I must confess that no matter what light I see it in, the film just doesn't do it for me.

But in the room filled with fellow movie lovers you are too busy enjoying the experience to really hate a movie too much. Some are better then others but the fun is sharing them with fellow moviegoers there for the same reason as you.

As I look at my watch I see it is only 5 months before the Music Box Massacre 4 this October. I had better get some sleep.