Today Beyond Fest announced its full slate of 2016 programming featuring a staggering 27 events and 23 West Coast premieres of mind-bending movie madness. The festival, Presented by Shudder, returns to Hollywood’s state-of-the-art Egyptian Theatre for 12 days of movies, music and mayhem spanning Friday, September 30th – Tuesday, October 11th to generate funds for co-presenter, the nonprofit American Cinematheque.
The roster of films is wildly diverse including films from all corners of the globe. Opening with movie icon Paul Schrader presenting his new feature DOG EAT DOG and a special 40th anniversary screening of TAXI DRIVER, Beyond Fest will feature other hotly-anticipated titles making their West Coast bows. Festival goers will not want to miss the hyper-explosive coming-of-age cannibal drama RAW, Ana Lily Amipour’s much-anticipated follow up to her alt-cult debut, A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE, the stunning, sonic desert trip THE BAD BATCH, the terrifying adaptation of M.R Carey’s post-apocalyptic horror THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS, and the Mo Brothers’ outrageously hyper-violent action epic, HEADSHOT.
“We really wanted to focus on blending the iconic with the emerging this year” said Beyond Fest Co-Founder, Christian Parkes. “To champion brilliantly provocative films like Julia Ducourna’s RAW and Ana Lily Amipour’s THE BAD BATCH whilst celebrating established heroes like Paul Schrader and Kurt Russell is a primary reason for Beyond Fest’s existence.”
Genre films are highlighted with four event screenings over the course of this year’s festival including some major fan favorites along with appearances from major icons in the industry. The legend himself Kurt Russell takes center stage with James Gunn moderating for a very special 30th anniversary screening of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA projected on glorious 35mm.
For the classier type Beyond Fest will screen the “ultimate trip”, Stanley Kubrick’s existential epic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY which receives the ultimate treatment, screening in 70mm with a 2001-scored Laserium cosmic laser concert and Q&A featuring the film’s two astronaut leads, Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood.
What we at HorrorBuzz are most excited about is the return of the Tall Man as J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot meticulous restoration of Don Coscarelli’s cult classic PHANTASM: REMASTERED is screened! Coscarelli will be joined with members of the original cast before the West Coast premiere of the series’ final entry PHANTASM RAVAGER. In keeping with the restoration theme, producer Richard P. Rubenstein will be on hand to present the U.S. Premiere of DAWN OF THE DEAD 3-D. Romero’s cult nightmare has never looked better and will be the first laser 3-D feature projected at the famed Egyptian Theatre.
Beyond Fest isn’t just about movies though. Once again, music features prominently with two seismic re scores taking center stage. Furiously blurring the lines between music, film and art, Beyond Fest welcomes a new disciple and an old friend with two seismic re scores. Director, producer, actor, Wu Tang Clan founder and the all-together mythic RZA enters the fray with a roundhouse kick for his epic takedown of a martial arts masterpiece. 18 months in the making, RZA: LIVE FROM THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN is a mammoth live re scoring of Lau Kar-leung’s Shaw Brothers classic featuring over 40+ tracks culled from RZA’s monumental catalog. Instrumental tracks, beats, samples and vocal tracks amplify the narrative and Gordon Liu’s revelatory performance.
Returning to Los Angeles is legendary composer Fabio Frizzi and his seven-piece orchestra to perform THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT. This bold, new take on Lucio Fulci’s gothic masterpiece features a live re score featuring a completely new composition and will play with all original dialog intact. THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT will be accompanied by an uncut 35mm screening of GATES OF HELL and a very special secret screening with surprise guests.
What is wonderful about Beyond Fest is their commitment to LA filmmaking. It remains a priority for Beyond Fest with Ti West receiving this year’s ‘LA Spotlight’ for his transformative western, IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE. Beyond Fest alumni West will be joined by cast members Karen Gillan, Taissa Farmiga, Toby Huss, James Ransone, and the film’s four-legged star, Jumpy. LA also represents en masse with a midnight blast of animated anarchy as Chris Prynoski’s NERDLAND also gets its LA premiere. The first feature from Prynoski’s Titmouse Animation Studios is a wild descent into LA’s soul-destroying entertainment industry and will feature director Prynoski, writer Andrew Kevin Walker, actor Patton Oswalt, plus others in attendance.
Sponsored by Shudder
Beyond Fest welcomes the return of genre streaming platform Shudder as its Presenting Sponsor, a partnership that provides 13 screenings (9 West Coast premieres) absolutely free to film fans. Every night, the 90-seat ‘Shudder Theatre’ will feature a brand new film selected from across the world including…
- Emile Hirsch’s super creepy THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE
- Japanese scare-fest SADAKO VS KAYAKO
- Morgan Spurlock’s stomach-churning doc RATS
- Revelatory Kubrick doc S IS FOR STANLEY
- Hands down craziest film of the year THE DWARVES MUST BE CRAZY
- Premiere screening of Arrow’s 4K restoration of Romero’s THE CRAZIES paired with MARTIN on 16mm
- American Genre Film Archive fundraiser featuring a 35mm monster mash up of NEON MANIACS and STREET TRASH.
If that wasn’t enough, virtual reality engulfs Beyond Fest for the first time with Dark Corner Studios showcasing three of their most terrifying experiences. Led by wunder-director Guy Shelmerdine, guests will be able to watch his breakout VR horror smash CATATONIC, in addition to his new film MULE and Justin Denton’s BURLAP. The Egyptian Theatre will be housing Dark Corner in the hidden reaches of its 90 year old architecture.
See below for the full lineup of newly announced film titles for Beyond Fest 2015.
BEYOND FEST 2016 PROGRAM
EGYPTIAN THEATRE
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY on 70mm
United States, 1968
70mm, 161 min
Director – Stanley Kubrick
wi. actors Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood in person and Laserium laser concert before screening
THE BAD BATCH
Co-presented with Vice & Etheria
United States, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 115 min
Director – Ana Lily Amapour
wi. director / writer Ana Lily Amipour in person
THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT (wi. CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD)
Italy, 1981
West Coast Premiere, 89 min
Director – Lucio Fulci
wi. live re score by Fabio Frizzi + seven piece orchestra and special secret screening before performance
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA – 30th Anniversary Screening on 35mm
United States, 1986
35mm, 99 min
Director – John Carpenter
wi. actor Kurt Russell, moderated by James Gunn in person
CALL OF HEROES (wi. HEADSHOT)
Hong Kong / China, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 120 min
Director – Benny Chan
CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (wi. THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT)
United States, 1983
35mm, 93 min
Director – Lucio Fulci
DOG EAT DOG (wi. TAXI DRIVER)
United States, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 93 min
Director – Paul Schrader
wi. Paul Schrader in person
THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS
United States / United Kingdom, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 111 min
Director – Colm McCarthy
GEORGE A. ROMERO’S DAWN OF THE DEAD 3-D
United States / South Korea, 1978 / 2016
West Coast Premiere, 127 min, Unrated, U.S. Theatrical Cut
Director – George A. Romero
wi. producer Richard P. Rubenstein in person
HEADSHOT (wi. CALL OF HEROES)
Indonesia, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 117 min
Directors – The Mo Brothers: Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto
HOLY MOUNTAIN on 35mm
Mexico / United States, 1973
35mm, 115 min
Director – Alexandro Jodorowsky
IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE
United States, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 104 min
Director – Ti West
wi. director Ti West and actors Karen Gillan, Taissa Farmiga, Toby Huss, and James Ransone in person
NERDLAND
United States, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 85 min
Director – Chris Prynoski
wi. Director Chris Prynoski, writer Andrew Kevin Walker, actor Patton and cast in person
PHANTASM: REMASTERED (wi. PHANTASM RAVAGER)
4K Restoration
United States, 1979 / 2016
LA Premiere, 96 min
Director – Don Coscarelli
wi. director Don Coscarelli and cast in person
PHANTASM RAVAGER (wi. PHANTASM: REMASTERED)
United States, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 87 min
Director – David Hartman
wi. director David Hartman and producer Don Coscarelli in person
RAW
Co-presented with Etheria
France, 2016
West Coast Premiere, 95 min
Director – Julia Ducournau
RZA: LIVE FROM THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
Hong Kong / United States, 1979 / 2016
West Coast Premiere, 119 min
Director – Lau Ker-leung
features live re score by RZA
TAXI DRIVER 40th Anniversary Screening (wi. DOG EAT DOG)
United States, 1976
114 min
Director – Martin Scorsese
wi. Paul Schrader in person
THE WOLF MAN
United States, 1941
71 min
Director – George Waggner
wi. Ron Chaney in person
SHUDDER THEATRE
THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE (Free Screening)
United Kingdom, 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – André Øvredal
BEYOND THE WALLS (Free Screening)
France 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – Hervé Hadmar
THE CRAZIES – 4K Restoration (Free Screening)
United States 1973
US Premiere
Director – George Romero
DOWN UNDER (Free Screening)
Australia 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – Abraham Forysthe
wi. director Abraham Forsythe in person
THE DWARVES MUST BE CRAZY (Free Screening)
Thailand 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – Bhin Banloerit
MARTIN (Free Screening)
16mm, United States 1977
Director – George Romero
MONSTER (Free Screening)
United States 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – Bryan Bertino
NEON MANIACS (Free screening)
35mm, United States 1986
Director – Joseph Mangine
RATS (Free screening)
United States 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – Morgan Spurlock
S IS FOR STANLEY (Free Screening)
Italy 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – Alex Infascelli
wi. director Alex Infascelli in person
SADAKO VS KAYAKO (Free Screening)
Japan 2016
West Coast Premiere
Director – Kôji Shiraishi
STREET TRASH (free screening)
35mm, United States 1985
Director – J. Michael Muro
THE VOID (Free Screening)
Canada 2016
West Coast Premiere
Directors – Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski
Tickets for Beyond Fest 2016 are will be made available for purchase through Fandango and the American Cinematheque on September 8th.
For the latest developments, visit the Beyond Fest official site www.beyondfest.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
