Ken Russell...to appear at Aero Theatre! Devils & Altered States!

The first time I ever caught a screening of - "The Devils" - it was with a pal from Canada when we took a trek over to England and toured Paris and the South of France one sensual summer so many moons ago.

I vividly recall stepping out of the theatre into the picturesgue London Street around midnght, and remarking, how thoroughly disgusting I found the film to be.

But, I confess, over the years I have come to change my ideas about the Ken Russell masterpiece.

Russell will be forever remembered as a controversial and visionary artist with something of a third eye when it comes to making oddball dramas that have captivating images and themes, according to a Wikipedia biography.
Tomorrow evening - "The Devils" - will be on a double-bill with "Altered States" at the Aero Theatre as part of a tribute to the celebrated filmmaker.

Mr. Russell will be on hand to discuss his craft with the audience, so get there early, since I expect the special event will sell out quickly.

Aero Theatre
1328 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA

Tickets
$11.00

Curtain:
7:30 p.m.

Altered States

http:/www.julianayrs.com

Ozzy Osbourne....plays wicked joke on fans! "Scream" album promo...

 

Fans of Ozzy  Osbourne got quite a shock when they plunked themselves down on the lap of what they thought was a wax likeness of the legendary Rock 'n Roller at Madame Tussauds and it suddenly sprang to life!

The frightened museum guests jumped up in shock and scurried away to a safe haven to try to fathom the eerie phenomenon.

As it turns out, management removed the Ozzy  Osbourne wax dummy from its resting place, so that the Pop Icon could step into the display case and play a joke on fans as part of a promo for his new album "SCREAM".

If the aging Lothario was keen on rustling up blood-curling screams, he accomplished that feat in spades.

Rock on, Ozzy!

 http://www.thetattler.biz/

Rosemary's Baby...Nuart Midnight Screening. July 25th!

Rosemary's Baby will be screening tonight at the Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles (July 25th) at midnight.

I recall when the intense thriller first graced the screen.

The intense horror flick - starring Mia Farrow - caused quite a sensation.

Although the special effects no doubt pale to the offerings today - what with all the advances in technology over the years - Rosemary's Baby still ranks high as one of the top scariest films of all time.

The sensational feature was adapted from a novel by known Satanist Ira Levin.


The movie version produced at Paramount was directed by the celebrated (now somewhat infamous) Roman Polanski.

Levin was hired as a consultant on the high profile project.


Anton La Vey - founder of the Satanist Church - appeared briefly as the devil.

La Vey touted the film as,

"The best paid commercial for Satanism since the Inquisition."

When Ms. Farrow was asked to play the role, she was married to Frank Sinatra at the time.

During the course of the film - Mia's normally luscious locks of hair - were cropped quite short (a la "twiggy-style") to accommodate a storyline which caused one former flame to quip to the press,

"I always knew Frank would end up with a boy."



Concerned that Mia would be on location a lot, and out of romantic reach, Frank issued an ultimatum: pick me or the movie.

Ms. Farrow chose to continue filming; consequently, shortly thereafter she was served with divorce papers on the set one day just as she was about to shoot a dramatic scene.

Curiously, events surrounding the film, caused many to consider the real possibility that dark forces were at work behind-the-scenes.

On June 5 (1968) - ten days before Rosemary's Baby was released - Polanski and his wife Sharon Tate dined with Robert Kennedy in Malibu. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

A year later - on August 7th (1969) - Charles Manson disciples brutally murdered Sharon Tate and her unborn baby - along with four other people at the Director's in the Hollywood Hills in California.

Rosemary's Baby was shot at the legendary Dakota Apartment complex in Manhattan.

The Shining...Halloween screening, at the Forever Hollywood Cemetery!

Talk about a spooky event!

The "Forever Hollywood Cemetery" will be screening "The Shining" on Halloween evening, at 7 p.m.

To avid cinema buffs, the film was Stanley Kubrick's most notable, knock-out, Gothic horror, film masterpiece.

The film, starring Jack Nicholson, caused quite a sensation when it was first released, but still reverberates today...a spine-tingling supernatural thriller that makes the heart beat faster, and capable of hurling the mentally weak into near insanity.

As to why he chose to direct the film, Kubrick noted,

"I thought it was the most ingenious and exciting stories of the genre I had read. It seemed to strike an extraordinary balance between the psychological and the supernatural in such a way as to lead you to think that the supernatural would eventually be explained by the psychological."

"If you can be frightened by a ghost story, then you must accept the possibility that supernatural beings exist. If they do, then there is more than just oblivion waiting beyond the grave."

Guess you'll find out on Halloween eve!!!