More Terror at The Senator Theatre!

Zombies and vampires and politicians, OH MY!

This weekend is the FANEX Horror weekend at The Senator. Here's the schedule:

-------------FRIDAY, MAY 1st-------------
Alien Factor
(1978 - Family Friendly)

Friday, May 1st - 7:00pm

"Alien Factor" was one of the first independent horror film done in Baltimore.
A spaceship carrying dangerous aliens crashes into the woods and mayhem ensues. A good alien arrives to save the day. The film stars locals including Dick Dyszel, Don Leifert and George Stover. The film has just been chosen to receive the Mystery Science Theatre treatment.

Two Front Teeth
(2006)
Friday, May 1st - 9:00pm

"Two Front Teeth" was written and directed by Baltimore's Jamie Nash, who pays a warped homage to everything from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" to "Gremlins" to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

It's the night before Christmas and Gabe Snow, a tabloid writer haunted by the Ghosts of Christmas past, is investigating a Yule Tide conspiracy. Gabe knows that Flight 1225 was brought down one foggy Christmas Eve, by a flying creature with a "glowing nose". Now, a blood-sucking Vampire - Santa Claus - has put Gabe on his list and unleashed the demonic fury of the North Pole. An army of zombie elves, who have no interest in Toys or pointy hats or dentistry, are about to turn Gabe's white Christmas blood red. Will Gabe find the true meaning of Christmas? Can he stake a heart that's two sizes too small? What will he find under his tree?

Dario Argento's
Suspiria

(R - 98min)
Friday & Saturday (5/1 - 5/2) - 10:30pm

A newcomer to a fancy ballet academy gradually comes to realize that the staff of the school are actually a coven of witches bent on chaos and destruction.

-------------SATURDAY, MAY 2nd -------------
The Invisible Ghost
(1941 - Family Friendly)

Saturday, May 2nd - 10:30am

Stars Bela Lugosi in one of his best poverty row productions.

Theatrical Premiere
FANEX Files: Samuel Z. Arkoff

(2008 - Family Friendly)
Saturday, May 2nd - 11:45am

Is the first in a series of documentaries from Midnight Marquee. For 19 years the FANEX classic film conventions were held in Baltimore. MidMar in conjunction with Longthrow Productions is taking those rare guest interviews and doing a series on the history of horror films. Samuel Z. Arkoff looks at the impact of Arkoff and AIP Studios.

Basket Case

(1982)
Saturday, May 2nd - 1:00pm

"Basket Case" is the tale of two brothers and the jealousy that occurs when one gets a girlfriend. Oh yea, one of the brothers was an amputated undeveloped Siamese twin the other carries around in a basket. Ultra low-budget camp fun.

World Premiere
FANEX Files: Hammer Films
(2009 - Family Friendly)

Saturday, May 2nd - 3:00pm

Continuing the FANEX series, this installment focuses on Hammer Films and includes interviews with Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt, Veronica Carlson, Val Guest, Freddie Francis, Jimmy Sangster, James Bernard, Yutte Stensgaard, Caroline Munroe and more.

Horror of Dracula
(1958)
Saturday, May 2nd - 5:00pm

Please Note: "The Horror of Dracula" will be presented with a rare original I.B. Technicolor [dye-transfer] 35mm print.

Starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing is considered by many to be one of the best of the Dracula films. Lee is memorizing as the seductive Count and Cushing, as always, commands the screen as Van Helsing. Tame by today's standards, at the time the film was considered excessively violent and received the X rating in Britain.

Theatrical Premiere
Terror in the Pharaoh's Tomb

(2007 - Family Friendly)
Saturday, May 2nd - 7:00pm

"Terror in the Pharaoh's Tomb" is Midnight Marquee's homage to 1930s horror films. Filmed in B&W, local actors share scenes with Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Peter Lorre, Lionel Atwill, George Zucco and even Barbara Stanwyck. An archeologist is missing and his fiesty fiancee travels to London, Scotland and Egypt before meeting a mummy and the evil queen that controls him.

Grave Mistakes
(2008)
Saturday, May 2nd - 9:00pm

"Grave Mistakes" is a return to the horror anthology by local writer/director Chris LaMartina, who tells four stories filled with vampires, and zombies and ghouls, oh my. LaMartina's other films include Book of Lore and Dead Teenagers.

Dario Argento's
Suspiria

Friday & Saturday (5/1 - 5/2) - 10:30pm
A newcomer to a fancy ballet academy gradually comes to realize that the staff of the school are actually a coven of witches bent on chaos and destruction.

-------------SUNDAY, MAY 3rd -------------
Please stay tuned to www.senator.com or
www.midmar.com for added Sunday attractions TBA.

A Gary Ugarek Film
Deadlands 2: Trapped
(2008 - NR - 85min)

Sunday, May 3rd - 5:00pm

When the US gov't tests a highly secret nerve gas on the residents of Hagerstown, MD the side effects bring down a world of horrors for 6 strangers trapped inside a movie theatre.

WARNING! Snarky commentary: Hmmmm...politicians rain down horror on people trapped inside a movie theatre in Maryland...familiar plot.

World Premiere
Corpus Kristi

(2008)
Sunday, May 3rd - 7:00pm

"Corpus Kristi" is described as a black comedy - Arsenic and Old Lace as redone by the Coen Brothers. The film was written by local C. Patrick Storck and directed by Shawn Jones. Stars include John Stonebraker, Mike Storck, Zeb Drinkwater, Gabby Demczuk and Tiffanny James.

World Premiere
The Good Sisters

(2009)
Sunday, May 3rd - 9:00pm

"The Good Sisters" is the new film from the Chainsaw Sally gang, written and directed by Jimmy O. Debbie Rochon and April Monique Burril are witchy sisters whose way of life is in danger from a mysteroius neighbor. The sisters will have to draw on all their power as they engage in a battle of good vs. evil. But the question is, are they really the good sisters?

Plus a special sneak peak of "The Chainsaw Sally Show".

At The Senator This Week: Classic Films, A Wedding, and a Movie Memorabilia Sale!

The Senator Theatre is BACK IN ACTION! Woohooo! I'm thrilled to report that the beautiful art deco theatre with the kick a** technical presentation and ground-shaking sound system is going to be opening its doors to the public once more, starting TONIGHT and then this weekend!

A Wedding

Tonight, the public is invited to a wedding at The Senator! From the Baltimore Sun:

Artist Dan Keplinger, subject of the Oscar-winning 1999 documentary King Gimp, will be married Wednesday at the Senator Theatre in a ceremony he and his wife-to-be hope raises awareness of the fight to preserve the 70-year-old North Baltimore landmark.

Keplinger, a Towson native whose struggles with cerebral palsy and triumphs as a painter were chronicled by filmmakers Susan Hannah Hadary and William Whiteford, will marry Dena Huggler, a former nanny who has lived in Baltimore for 20 years. The ceremony is set for 6 p.m., and the public is invited."We wanted to have media attention to help save the Senator," says Huggler, 38. "It is a special place for Danny because his film, King Gimp, premiered there and a [sidewalk block] was made to honor this time."

In addition to the nuptials, Keplinger, 36, will auction one of his paintings. Proceeds will go toward maintaining operations at the Senator.

Classic Films

Then, this weekend, movies return to The Senator with two classic films presented with rare original I.B. Technicolor 35mm prints.

The weekend of classic movies gets started with Bob Fosse's 1972 Cabaret, starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, and Marisa Berenson. I'm very excited about seeing this one on the big screen at The Senator. Cabaret is a fantastic musical with sinister undertones as dancers and theatre people try to make sure that the show will go on, even while the world around them in Weimar Republic Berlin is being corrupted by the evil forces of Nazism.

Cabaret plays at 2:00, 4:30, and 7:00 on Friday and Saturday and 2:00 and 4:30 on Sunday. Admission is $5 (cash only)

The late shows this weekend bring classic horror to the screen with Terence Fisher's 1958 Horror of Dracula, starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. I haven't seen this one, so it'll be a new experience.

Horror of Dracula plays at 9:30 PM on Friday and Saturday and 7:00 PM on Sunday. Admission is $5 (cash only)

Movie Memorabilia Sale

From The Senator's email today:

We're opening up The Senator's back rooms!

Don't miss your chance to own a piece of Senator Theatre history

Starting this Friday, April 3rd @ 1pm, a wide variety of Senator Theatre memorabilia, including: film posters, banners, t-shirts, standees, film reels, press books, vintage projection equipment, marquee letters, large marquee signs from past premieres and more,will fill our lobby spaces for your perusal and purchase.

Thousands of these items will be placed on sale in the next few weeks, lobby space permitting.

All sales final ~ cash or check only

Folks, they're not kidding about thousands of items. The good people at The Senator let me into these fabled storehouses of treasure they have and showed me the rooms and rooms of posters and other items. I can only say --- WOW! If you're a movie buff, you won't want to miss this.