Thrillville (theater event)

Last updated
Thrillvillelogo.png

Thrillville is the name of a monthly theater event in Oakland, California dedicated to showcasing B-movies, cult movies, science fiction films, and exploitation films. [1] The event features a film (from one of those genres) combined with special guests and a live stage show, typically a musical or Burlesque act. Thrillville is hosted by Will "the Thrill" Viharo (son of B-movie actor Robert Viharo) [2] and his wife, Monica "Tiki Goddess" Cortes.

Contents

In addition to one-time showings, regular themed events include "Shatfest: A Tribute to William Shatner," "Elvis D-Day," "Zombie-Rama" and "Horror Host Palooza." In addition movie trailers, short films, and theater concession advertisements have been shown before feature presentations.

History

Beginning as a weekly Saturday night series in 1997 [3] at the Parkway Speakeasy Theater in Oakland, California. [4] In 1999 the series changed to Thursday evenings [3] [5] and has continued for eight years [2] under the name "Thrillville."

Live show

In addition to the main film, the event features special guests and a live stage show, typically a musical or Burlesque act.

Thrillville's guests over the years have included cult movie icon Ray Dennis Steckler, women from Russ Meyer films, Creature Features hosts Bob Wilkins and John Stanley, Yvonne "Batgirl" Craig, Gary Lockwood (from 2001: A Space Odyssey ).

Musical and entertainment acts have included various Neo Burlesque acts and live music from the Phenomenauts, Kitten on the Keys, Pollo Del Mar, Apocalypso Now and many more.

Touring Road Show

In addition to rotating between the two Speakeasy Theaters, Thrillville has occurred as a road show at locations that include:

Ocean's 11 Remake Protest

In December 2001, Thrillville protested the 2001 remake of the 1960 film Ocean's 11, calling the actors "impostors" [6] and stating that the remake was "an insult to the (Rat Pack's) legacy." This protest involved a group picketing outside Oakland's Jack London Cinemas and was featured by various nationwide news sources. [7] [8] [1]

Thrillville resurrects both famous and obscure cult films for big screen revival in a Grindhouse type atmosphere with an old fashioned Ghost show format. Each Thrillville features a theme centered around a Cult, Exploitation, or other B-movie. Some randomly chosen film samples:

Related Research Articles

<i>Night of the Living Dead</i> 1968 American horror film

Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, written by Romero and John Russo, and produced by Russell Streiner and Karl Hardman. It stars Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The story follows seven people who become trapped in a farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania, which is under assault by a group of undead ghouls. It is frequently identified as the first modern zombie film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exploitation film</span> Informal film genre

An exploitation film is a film that tries to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, or lurid content. Exploitation films are generally low-quality "B movies", though some set trends, attract critical attention, become historically important, and even gain a cult following.

Ray Dennis Steckler, also known by the pseudonym Cash Flagg, was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor best known as the low-budget auteur of such cult films as The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies. In addition to Cash Flagg, Steckler was also known by the pseudonyms Sven Christian, Henri-Pierre Duval, Pierre Duvall, Sven Hellstrom, Ricardo Malatoté, Harry Nixon, Michael J. Rogers, Michel J. Rogers, Wolfgang Schmidt, Cindy Lou Steckler, R.D. Steckler, Ray Steckler, and Cindy Lou Sutters —- this last his "porn name".

<i>The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies</i> 1964 film by Ray Dennis Steckler

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies is a 1964 American monster movie written and directed by Ray Dennis Steckler. Steckler also starred in the film, billed under the pseudonym "Cash Flagg". Upon release, the film received negative reviews and is regarded by some critics as being one of the worst movies ever made. The film was lampooned in a 1997 episode of the cult sci-fi TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grindhouse</span> Low-budget movie theater that shows mainly exploitation films

A grindhouse or action house is an American term for a theatre that mainly shows low-budget horror, splatter, and exploitation films for adults. According to historian David Church, this theater type was named after the "grind policy", a film-programming strategy dating back to the early 1920s which continuously showed films at cut-rate ticket prices that typically rose over the course of each day. This exhibition practice was markedly different from the era's more common practice of fewer shows per day and graduated pricing for different seating sections in large urban theatres, which were typically studio-owned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tura Satana</span> Japanese American actress (1938–2011)

Tura Satana was a Japanese American actress, vedette, and exotic dancer. From 13 film and television credits, some of her work includes the exploitation film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965), and the science fiction horror film The Astro-Zombies (1968).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midnight movie</span> Film genre

The term midnight movie is rooted in the practice that emerged in the 1950s of local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming, often with a host delivering ironic asides. As a cinematic phenomenon, the midnight screening of offbeat movies began in the early 1970s in a few urban centers, particularly in New York City with screenings of El Topo at the Elgin Theater, eventually spreading across the country. The screening of non-mainstream pictures at midnight was aimed at building a cult film audience, encouraging repeat viewing and social interaction in what was originally a countercultural setting.

<i>Night of the Comet</i> 1984 American science fiction horror comedy film directed by Thom Eberhardt

Night of the Comet is a 1984 American science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by Thom Eberhardt. It stars Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney as survivors of a comet that has turned most people into either dust or zombies. Night of the Comet grossed $14.4 million in the US on a $700,000 budget. It received positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and has since become a cult film, influencing the creation of Buffy Summers.

A horror host is a person who acts as the host or presenter of a program where horror films and low-budget B movies are shown on television or the Internet. Usually the host assumes a horror-themed persona, often a campy or humorous one. Generally there are breaks in the film where the host comments on various aspects of the movie. Many horror host shows also include skits involving the hosts themselves, sometimes with a sidekick or other supporting characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Wilkins</span> American television host

Bob Wilkins was a television personality.

<i>Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead</i> 2006 parody film by Lloyd Kaufman

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead is a 2006 black comedy musical horror film directed by Lloyd Kaufman and co-directed by Gabriel Friedman from a screenplay by Friedman and Daniel Bova. The film centers around the takeover of a New Jersey fried chicken fast food restaurant by possessed zombie chickens after it is built on top of a sacred Native American burial ground. The film was distributed and released on December 29, 2006, and in 2008 on DVD by Troma Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UC Theatre</span>

The UC Theatre is a music venue on University Avenue near Shattuck Avenue in Downtown Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States. From 1976 until 2001, it was a movie theater known for a revival house presentation of films. In 2013, The Berkeley Music Group was formed as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to renovate and operate the UC Theater as live music venue. It reopened its doors on April 7, 2016.

<i>Creature Features</i> Genre of TV format shows

Creature Features is a generic title for a genre of horror TV format shows broadcast on local American television stations throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The movies broadcast on these shows were generally classic and cult horror movies of the 1930s to 1950s, the horror and science-fiction films of the 1950s, British horror films of the 1960s, and the Japanese kaiju "giant monster" movies of the 1950s to 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zombie apocalypse</span> Subgenre of apocalyptic fiction

Zombie apocalypse is a genre of fiction in which society collapses due to overwhelming swarms of zombies. Typically only a few individuals or small bands of survivors are left living. In some versions, the reason the dead rise and attack humans is unknown, in others, a parasite or infection is the cause, framing events much like a plague. Some stories have every corpse rise, regardless of the cause of death, whereas others require exposure to the infection.

<i>I Eat Your Skin</i> 1971 American film

I Eat Your Skin is a 1971 American horror film written, produced and directed by Del Tenney. It stars William Joyce, Heather Hewitt and Walter Coy. The film was shot entirely in Florida in 1964 under the title Caribbean Adventure to disguise from potential investors the fact that it was a zombie film.

Thrillville is a video game developed by LucasArts.

<i>Watch Horror Films, Keep America Strong!</i> 2008 American film

Watch Horror Films, Keep America Strong! is a 2008 documentary about the popular television series Creature Features, which was produced in Oakland, California from 1971 to 1984.

<i>Cinema Insomnia</i> American TV series or program

Cinema Insomnia is an American television program presented by horror host Mr. Lobo. It began airing in 2001 on KXTV in Sacramento, California, and from 2003 to 2008 was nationally syndicated, airing on broadcast stations across the United States. Since 2015, the program has aired on OSI74, a web television service on Roku.

Will Viharo is an East Bay/Seattle-based author who has published nine novels. Seven of his novels are neo-noir works which blend elements of surrealism, gore, violent sex, and horror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mummy (undead)</span> Undead monster

Mummies are commonly featured in horror genres as undead creatures wrapped in bandages. Similar undead include skeletons and zombies.

References

  1. 1 2 [ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20070410/ai_n18995270 [ dead link ]
  3. 1 2 Harmanci, Reyhan (2004-11-12). "Oakland: Retrophile packs movie nights with quirky nostalgia". Sfgate.com. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  4. "Oakland: Retrophile packs movie nights with quirky nostalgia". 12 November 2004.
  5. [ dead link ]
  6. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,252871,00.html [ dead link ]
  7. "Las Vegas News | Breaking News & Headlines".
  8. "Salon.com People | the horror: Protesting Soderbergh's blasphemy". archive.salon.com. Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2022.