February 19, 2013 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Where:  Houston House Apartments - 1617 Fannin Street #2903, Houston, Texas 77002 (the southeast corner of Fannin and Leeland). Ample parking is available directly across the street in the lot bounded by Main, Leeland, Fannin and Pease. I heard mention on the elevator this morning that it may have gone up to $4 at certain times. So, parking is $3 or $4 bucks (the machine accepts cash or credit card). The entrance to my building is directly across from the parking lot.

When: 6:30 pm, Tuesday, February 19, 2013

What: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

In this horrifying documentary about what you find when you look in other people's medicine cabinets.....just kidding.

This silent movie is the story of the evil hypnotist, Dr. Caligari, and his dastardly sideshow sidekick, Cesare. This movie is one of the earliest horror films, and is renowned for its impressionist sets and soundtrack. Also, it's one of the first films to use a frame story to set up the main story. You'll also get to see what is widely considered to be the first "twist ending" in film history and the first representation of altered mental states in film. Don't research the film too much beforehand or you'll ruin your own surprise!

Pizza will be provided, belching and snooping in my medicine cabinet (at your own risk) is encouraged.

Springer

Next Tuesday - need your input

Hey, Trillsters. I think next Tuesday is my turn. Please comment below to let me know if you have already seen any of the following :

1.  Lone Star (1996)
2.  Reefer Madness (1936)
3.  The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
4.  Dancer, Texas Pop. 81 (1998)

I am happy to host at my apartment this time. I live at 1617 Fannin (downtown). There is plenty of parking right across the street, but it will cost you $3 per car. I completely understand that it sort of sucks to have to pay for parking to come to Trill Movie Night. If someone else would rather host so parking will be free, just say the word. Of course, wherever the next TMN goes down, I'll provide the pizza.

Springer

February 5, 2013 // Searching for Sugar Man // Rory

Hey, y'all. I am picking the 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man for tomorrow's edition of Trill Movie Night. I keep hearing and reading positive things about it and it has been the most honored documentary so far during awards season. Here is a brief blurb from metacritic.com:

"Searching for Sugar Man tells the incredible true story of Rodriguez, the greatest '70s rock icon who never was. Discovered in a Detroit bar in the late '60s by two celebrated producers struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics, they recorded an album which they believed would secure his reputation as the greatest recording artist of his generation. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, he became a phenomenon. The film follows the story of two South African fans who set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation leads them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez."

Directed by Malik Bendjelloul
85 min

Ben and Caroline have graciously offered to host as I just moved into a new place and am still unpacking. We'll get started at the usual time - 6:30. Bring your appetite as pizza will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to follow a Movie Night tradition and get your burp on throughout the evening.

-rory

January 22, 2013 // Phantom Museums: The Short Films of the Quay Brothers // Bjorn

The delightfully creepy short films made by the delightfully creepy Quay Brothers are my pick for this upcoming installment of Trill Movie Night.

This might be my first time picking a movie without subtitles-- and that's only because there's no real dialogue! Instead, you have a largely "non-narrative experience, riveting the attention through hypnotic control of décor, music and movement".

These experimental animators have been making stop animation films since 1979 and are credited with helping to establish the puppet film as a serious adult art form. They were recently honored with a retrospective of their entire career as artists at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and I was lucky enough to see it when I was there (as Trill Movie Night's foremost expert on The Quay Brothers, I will be taking questions at the end of the night).

There are about 13 short films in this series-- DON'T WORRY, we won't be watching them all!. I am still in the process of picking which shorts to show to fit into our usual time frame and to showcase a range of their work. But rest assured, each film is guaranteed to be "fraught with unresolved dreamlike narratives and psychosexual tensions".

Excited yet??!! The meet me and the Quay Brothers' disturbing visions at Brittany and Austin's place this Tuesday, Jan 22 at 6:30

-bjorn

January 8, 2013 // Crank 2 // Ben

This movie starts with a guy falling out of a helicopter, dying and coming back to life. That's like the first 25 seconds, and it only gets more intense from there.

We're talking guns up butts, Godzilla puppet fights, porn-star protests and horse dicks. I consider it one of the best action movies made recently, and while you may not agree with my assessment of quality, you will not be able to contest my assessment of insanity. At the very least, we can all enjoy Jason Statham's rock-hard charm together.

We'll be showing this movie at House Garry (1741 Hawthorne) in the standard 6:30 time slot. Unfortunately, while House Garry will be full of pizza and friendship and kick-ass action, it is not full of good wi-fi waves, and consequently we're going to be watching this one in standard definition instead of HD. To complete the throwback atmosphere however, we'll also be showing at least one episode of the best drama of the early Millennium, Dawson's Creek, after the movie (you know you love it).

Leave a post in the comments to let me know if you'll be able to make it. I need to know how much pizza to order (and how much vomit I'll have to clean off the floor because of the pure, raw intensity of this film). See you suckers there, and keep those guns out of those butts until then.

bg

Snoop Bloggy Blogg // Showing Order

Hey everyone, come here and check out our new blog! Brittany (hey girl!) had the idea to start a blog so that we can coordinate who is showing what, where and when. I'll give you guys the login and password info so you can post straight to the blog and tell everybody what they're going to see (and maybe tell them a little bit about it too, or write some abstract poetry about your feelings, whatever...). Leave a comment on the showing/movie post to let everyone know if you can make it.

I'm not sure of the "real" order of movie night and I think it might even be lost and known only to our ancient ancestors when they had cave-painting night. Bravely, I've taken the liberty to make up a new order instead that I think roughly matches what we've done so far and where we left off. If you feel like you are to far back on the list (or too far forward), have yourselves a good cry and then let me know and we'll figure something out. The Order is:

• Ben
• Bjorn
• Rory
• Springer
• Austin
• Caroline
• Brittany

Urban Dictionary defines "trill" as "[a]n adjective used in hip-hop culture to describe someone who is considered to be well respected, coming from a combination of the words 'true' and 'real'." Movie Night is the truest and realest thing any of us will ever experience in our whole lives. As such, I felt the title was appropriate.

Keep it real,
c