Los Angeles, CA – Thursday, September 7, 2017 – Beyond Fest, the highest-attended genre film festival in the US, is excited to announce its full slate of 2017 programming featuring 32 events and 23 West Coast premieres of cinematic excess. Co-presented by Shudder, Beyond Fest returns to Hollywood’s famed Egyptian Theatre for 12 days of movies, music and mayhem spanning Friday, September 29th – Tuesday, October 10th to generate funds for the nonprofit 501c3 American Cinematheque.
With a diverse slate that includes films from all corners of the globe Beyond Fest is proud to open with BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 with director S.Craig Zahler returning with Vince Vaughn and Udo Kier in person, while closing night honors are bestowed upon Yorgos Lanthimos’ ferociously-twisted follow-up to THE LOBSTER, THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER. Other hotly-anticipated titles making their debuts include the World Premiere of Justin MacGregor’s BEST F(R)IENDS with Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero reunited and in person, Joe Lynch’s blissfully violent MAYHEM, and, courtesy of Amazon Prime Video, a very special theatrical premiere of JEAN-CLAUDE VAN JOHNSON with the Muscles from Brussels himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme, in person with the show’s cast and creators.
“While the two worst manbaby haircuts on the planet prepared for nuclear destruction, we prepped cinematic armageddon,” said Beyond Fest Co-Founder, Christian Parkes. “We’re immigrants and we saw DR. STRANGELOVE – we know how this ends – but at least we get to watch some great films with our heroes and friends and go out with a real bang.”
The most beloved genre films are highlighted with a series of special event screenings throughout the festival. Arnold Schwarzenegger takes center stage for an explosive 30th anniversary one-two punch of PREDATOR and THE RUNNING MAN. The Master, Dario Argento, will be in attendance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of SUSPIRIA with screenings of Synapse Film’s 4K restoration AND the recently unearthed 35mm print. ‘Car Chases, Collisions & Conversation: An Evening with Edgar Wright and Walter Hill’ covers four decades of filmmaking and the interrelated nature of the pulsating smash BABY DRIVER and the seminal THE DRIVER in one epic night. Musical maestro, Paul Williams, will share stories from behind the mask of PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE. Mick Garris and Masters of Horror preside over a reverential tribute to two of the greats – George A. Romero and Tobe Hooper – with a double bill featuring the West Coast premiere of MOMA and FIlm Foundation’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 4K digital restoration and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. And the theatrical premiere of NAPOLEON DYNAMITE BOOTLEG EDITION pairs a totally gonzo WTF double bill with HOWARD THE DUCK on 70mm with Lea Thompson in person.
Beyond Fest welcomes the return of genre streaming platform Shudder as its co-presenting sponsor, a partnership that provides 14 screenings (11 West Coast premieres) absolutely free to film fans. Every night, the 90-seat ‘Shudder Theatre’ will feature a brand new film selected from across the world including Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s triumphant return BEFORE WE VANISH, home invasion thrill ride BETTER WATCH OUT, the critically acclaimed Canadian zombie shocker LES AFFAMES (THE HUNGRY), Marc Meyers’ searing portrait of a serial-killer-in-the-making, MY FRIEND DAHMER, Alexandre O. Phillippe’s revelatory PSYCHO shower scene doc 78/52, and Ted Geoghegan’s sophomore scalper, MOHAWK.
For Cinematic Void’s sidebar they have enlisted the help of like minds as they venture further into the unknown with a series of special screenings. Author and academic Kier La Janisse will be present for Jean Rollin’s THE GRAPES OF DEATH and the release of the book, Lost Girls: The Phantasmagorical Cinema of Jean Rollin which she is publishing. Friday Night Frights are co-presenting the west coast premiere of the 4K restoration of the thoroughly bugnuts RAWHEAD REX and the Death Waltz Records record release of HELLRAISER on 35mm. And filmmakers Amy Holden Jones and Deborah Brock will be present for a double bill of anniversary screenings of their films SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE and SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II.
Tickets go on sale starting noon on Friday, September 8th on Fandango. See below for the full lineup of Beyond Fest 2017.
EGYPTIAN THEATRE
BABY DRIVER
- Director: Edgar Wright
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 102 min.
- Year: 2017
- GUESTS: Edgar Wright & Walter Hill in Person
BAD BLACK (free screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Isaac Nawibana
- Country: Uganda
- Runtime: 60 minutes / Year: 2016
BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM
- Directors: Bruce Timm, Eric Radomski
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 76 min.
- Year: 1993
- GUESTS: Andrea Romano plus voice actors TBA in Person
BEST F(R)IENDS
- World Premiere
- Director: Justin MacGregor
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 95 min.
- Year: 2017
- GUESTS: Tommy Wiseau, Greg Sestero and Justin Macgregor in Person
BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: S. Craig Zahler
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 132 min.
- Year: 2017
- GUESTS: S. Craig Zahler, Vince Vaughn and Udo Kier in Person
DOUBLE IMPACT
- Director: Sheldon Lettich
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 110 min.
- Year: 1991 / 35mm
- GUEST: Jean-Claude Van Damme and Sheldon Lettich in Person
THE DRIVER
- Director: Walter Hill
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 90 min.
- Year: 1978 / 35mm
- GUESTS: Edgar Wright & Walter Hill in Person
HELLRAISER
- Co-presented with Death Waltz Records + Friday Night Frights
- Director: Clive Barker
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 94 min.
- Year: 1987 / 35mm
ICHI THE KILLER – Digital Restoration
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Takashi Miike
- Country: Japan
- Runtime: 129 min.
- Year: 2001
HOWARD THE DUCK – 70mm
- Director: Willard Huyck
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 110 min.
- Year: 1986
- GUESTS: Lea Thompson in Person
JEAN-CLAUDE VAN JOHNSON – Episodes 1 & 2
- Presented by Amazon
- World Premiere
- Director: Peter Atencio
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 60 min.
- Year: 2016
- GUESTS: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Peter Atencio, Dave Callaham, Kat Foster, Moises Arias.
THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
- Country: UK, Ireland
- Runtime: 109 min.
- Year: 2017
MAYHEM
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Joe Lynch
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 86 min.
- Year: 2017
- GUESTS: Joe Lynch and cast in person
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE – THE BOOTLEGGED EDITION
- Theatrical Premiere
- Director: Jared Hess
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 96 min.
- Year: 2004
- GUESTS: Cast and crew in person
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD – 4K Restoration
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: George A. Romero
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 96 min.
- Year: 1968
- GUESTS: Mick Garris & Masters of Horror in Person
OPERA (aka TERROR AT THE OPERA)
- Director: Dario Argento
- Country: Italy
- Runtime: 100 min.
- Year: 1987
- GUESTS: Dario Argento in Person
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE
- Co presented with Creature Features
- Director: Brian De Palma
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 92 min.
- Year: 1974
- GUESTS: Paul Williams in Person
PREDATOR
- Director: John McTiernan
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 107 min.
- Year: 1987 / 35mm
- GUESTS: Arnold Schwarzenegger in Person
RAWHEAD REX 4K Restoration
- Co presented with Cinematic Void and Friday Night Frights
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: George Pavlou
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 89 min.
- Year: 1986
THE ROOM
- Director: Tommy Wiseau
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 99 min.
- Year: 2003
- GUESTS: Tommy Wiseau, Greg Sestero and Guests in Person
THE RUNNING MAN
- Director: Paul Michael Glaser
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 101 min.
- Year: 1987 / 35mm
- GUESTS: Arnold Schwarzenegger in Person
SUSPIRIA – 4K Restoration
- LA Premiere
- Director: Dario Argento
- Country: Italy
- Runtime: 100 min.
- Year: 1977
- GUESTS: Dario Argento, Udo Kier, Barbara Magnolfi in Person
SUSPIRIA – 35mm Italian Cut
- LA Premiere
- Director: Dario Argento
- Country: Italy
- Runtime: 98 min.
- Year: 1977
- GUESTS: Dario Argento and Barbara Magnolfi in Person
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
- Director: Tobe Hooper
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 83 min.
- Year: 1974
- 35mm
- GUESTS: Mick Garris & Masters of Horror in Person
SHUDDER THEATRE
78/52 (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Alexandre O. Philippe
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 91 min.
- Year: 2017
BEFORE WE VANISH (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
- Country: Japan
- Runtime: 129 min.
- Year: 2017
BETTER WATCH OUT (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Chris Peckover
- Country: Australia, USA
- Runtime: 85 min.
- Year: 2016
COLD HELL (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky
- Country: Austria
- Runtime: 92 min.
- Year: 2017
THE GRAPES OF DEATH AKA Les Raisins de La Mort (Free Screening)
- Director: Jean Rollin
- Country: France
- Runtime: 90 min.
- Year: 1978
HAUNTERS: THE ART OF THE SCARE (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Jon Schnitzer
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 88 min.
- Year: 2017
JAILBREAK (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Jimmy Henderson
- Country: Cambodia
- Runtime: 92 min.
- Year: 2017
LES AFFAMES (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Robin Aubert
- Country: Canada
- Runtime: 100 min.
- Year: 2017
MOHAWK (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Ted Geoghegan
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 91 min.
- Year: 2017
MY FRIEND DAHMER (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Marc Meyers
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 107 min.
- Year: 2017
REVENGE (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Coralie Fargeat
- Country: France
- Runtime: 108 min
- Year: 2017
SEQUENCE BREAK (Free Screening)
- West Coast Premiere
- Director: Graham Skipper
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 108 min
- Year: 2017
- GUESTS: Graham Skipper, Cast and Crew in Person
THE SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE (Free Screening)
- Co-presented by Etheria and Cinematic Void
- Director: Amy Holden Jones
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 77 min.
- Year: 1982
- GUESTS: Amy Holden Jones in Person
- Double Feature with SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II
THE SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II
- Co-presented by Etheria and Cinematic Void
- Director: Deborah Brock
- Country: USA
- Runtime: 77 min.
- Year: 1987
- GUESTS: Deborah Brock in Person
- Double Feature with SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE
Attend Beyond Fest:
Tickets for Beyond Fest 2017 are will be made available for purchase through Fandango and the American Cinematheque on Friday, September 8th at noon PST.
For the latest developments, visit the Beyond Fest official site www.beyondfest.com and follow us on Facebook & Twitter.
