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The Dead Invade Northeast Portland!

I love the Undead. Probably more then a sane and healthy person should. There isn’t any logical reason for my obsession with the shambling flesh. I like them when they are used for comedy, I like them when they are used for social commentary, and I like them when they are used the scare the beejebees out of me. In fact, the only time I don’t like them is when they run! Although I feel I should make a little admission: My first contact with the walking dead was actually with the dancing dead... That’s right punks; your friendly neighborhood Geek’s first real Zombie exposure was while watching Thriller. Not ashamed of it, in fact, watching the making of video was one of the moments that made me want to get into filmmaking. So, I went serious and hardcore my second time out, right? Nope, not really, my second Zombie film was Return of the Living Dead. Sadly, I didn’t see a serious Zombie flick until my early teens. I don’t regret my late in life exposure to the world of undead flicks, but I can only *wonder what would have happened if Portland’s newest film festival existed back in the day.

Zompire! The Undead Film Festival

Starting Friday, April 28 2006 at the Hollywood Theatre at 7pm, The Zompire Film Festival is Portland’s first festival dedicated to the walking dead. Founded by HP Lovecraft Film Festival founder, Andrew Migliore, the Zompire Film Festival will showcase many a cult favorite to those in attendance. Indeed, the film list reads like an Undead 101 primer:

Vampire Night

4/28/06 - 7:30pm: Fright Night - One the most underrated Vampire flicks of all time, or of the 1980s at the very least. Thankfully, just showing the first outing, as Fright Night II is truly horrendous.

4/28/06 - 9:30pm: Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter - Oh man, nothing gets this Geek excited like a Technicolor Hammer Horror film! With buxom Gypsy women, bumbling assistants, and vampiric swashbuckling a-go-go, you can’t lose!

4/28/06 - 11:00pm: Secret Screening - Founder Migliore is taking a cue from his other film festival and is surprising the late night faithful with a secret screening. While even I do not know the nature of said film, I do know it involves garlic hand grenades!

Zombie Night

4/29/06 - 7:30pm: Night of the Comet - This film actually got me in trouble once. See, when Haley’s Comet passed our skies however many years ago, a scientist visited our school. Not giving a tinkers cuss for the multiple demerits I earned, I kept asking if the comet would cause the dead to rise. The "scientist" said no, this film proves otherwise. Who you gonna’ believe, an egghead or a couple of valley girls?

4/29/09 - 9:30pm: Dead Alive - Heh. Peter Jackson, the master behind the Lord of the Rings and Meet the Feebles. Just read this list and you’ll understand: Skull Island, rat-monkey, zombies, and gore. Sit down, have some corn and enjoy.

4/29/06 - 11:20pm: Return of the Living Dead - The unofficial "sequel" to Night of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead has its tongue firmly in cheek. Although often credited to Romero, Return is the first film to really hammer home the concept that the shambling dead need brains to thrive... Why? "Cause it hurts to be dead"! Trust me, catch this one, it is a beauty.

In addition to the above films, the Zompire Film Festival will showcase shorts and trailers from local filmmaker Edward Martin and his movie making machine Guerilla Productions. Look for the short Con of the Dead and the trailer for the soon to be released feature Flesh of my Flesh. (With cameos by the original hairy scary guy, Clyde Lewis).

Tickets for the Zompire Film Festival can be purchased at the Hollywood Theatre. Friday evening passes cost $10, while a Saturday pass dips in at $12. Check out www.zompire.com for more details.

*Honestly, I’d probably be a bigger dork then I am now.