OK kids, get all huddled around the campfire and I'll tell you a story. This story is about the greatness, it's about fighting for what you believe in, it's about really bad horror movies. And I mean BAD, I'm not talking about the ones done by the 'corporate media' (well usually) I'm talking about movies made by small production companies that make you say, 'you mean it isn't illegal to make a movie this bad?' Horrible acting, vile script and mind numbingly stupid special effects. Yes, this is what the Chucky Lou AV club brought to us in the Kansas City, KS area for years. The cheese fest usually started about 11pm, but of course there were the shorts shown in the lobby while you waited, stupid 8mm films usually shown in grade school with subjects like telephone use (and that one I remember seeing in kindergarten) dental hygiene and any other ridiculous subject they could get their hands on. Then the theater doors would open and we would all find our seats. Sometimes they would have skits, music or other odd things. Then the shorts would start, anything from the promos for old horror flics to old and unbelievably ridiculous x rated films (naked people getting in on in a roller coaster anyone?). They would usually show two films with a brief intermission in between. What I miss the most is the annual Anti-Christ-Mas special. One year Satan himself showed up to give a brief interview, one year his son the Anti-Christ was asked about the end of the world he was plotting, a couple of years everyone in the audience got presents. I got myself an empty 7-up can from 1969 that celebrated the centennial of Kansas and two video tapes, one on the start of World War II and the other was a tape of Monty Python shows someone had taped off of Comedy Central. Those were good and happy times, unfortunately all things must come to an end. I don't know if it was because they were having problems with their venue or maybe they just decided it was time to stop. Either way, they will be missed. Every once in a while I think I would like to try to take up where they left off, but alas, I don't know where I can find such stinking gems, the necessary video equipment, the bizarre cohorts to share in the work and a willing theater to show them in. Who knows though, one day, one glorious day, it may start all over again.
monk_mcsleaze:
The Fox Theater in Topeka(right next to White Lakes Mall) has been closed and for lease for years. And It's smack in the middle of my work/home route so I could help out when not at work. Just putting that out there.