Beyond Fest 2016: Excellent Lineup, Anniversary Screenings And Guests in L.A.

With all of the festival announcements in the last couple days how do you choose between them all? And with each announcement upping the ante Beyond Fest has thrown down the gauntlet with today's unveiling of the festival lineup, events and the guest list. Beyond Fest has thrown it down, hard. 

What events would I sell my children for a ticket? How about a 30th anniversary screening of Big Trouble in Little China with Kurt Russell in attendance and moderated by James Gunn? How about another opportunity our west to see RZA and his re-scoring of 32nd Chamber of Shaolin? How about Paul Schrader and the 40th anniversary screening of Taxi Driver? How about the screening of Beyond: The Composer's Cut with the composor Fabio Frizzi re-scoring the pic like with a seven piece orchestra? George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead, in 3-D?

Children sold. 

There is so much information to make your way through below. And if affording a pass just isn't in the books this year take a look at all the free screenings in the Shudder Theatre too. 

Los Angeles, CA - Thursday, September 8, 2016 - Beyond Fest, the highest attended genre film festival in the US, is excited to announce its full slate of 2016 programming featuring 27 events and 23 West Coast premieres of mind-bending movie madness. Presented by Shudder, Beyond Fest returns to Hollywood’s famed Egyptian Theatre for 12 days of movies, music and mayhem spanning Friday, September 30th - Tuesday, October 11th to generate funds for co-presenter, the nonprofit American Cinematheque.  

 

With a diverse slate that includes films from all corners of the globe Beyond Fest is proud to open with movie icon Paul Schrader presenting his new feature DOG EAT DOG and a special 40th anniversary screening of TAXI DRIVER. Other hotly-anticipated titles making their West Coast bows include the hyper-explosive coming-of-age cannibal drama RAW, Ana Lily Amipour’s much-anticipated follow up to her alt-cult debut, A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE, the stunning, sonic desert trip THE BAD BATCH, the terrifying adaptation of M.R Carey’s post-apocalyptic horror THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS, and the Mo Brothers’ outrageously hyper-violent action epic, HEADSHOT.

 

“We really wanted to focus on blending the iconic with the emerging this year” said Beyond Fest Co-Founder, Christian Parkes. “To champion brilliantly provocative films like Julia Ducourna’s RAW and Ana Lily Amipour’s THE BAD BATCH whilst celebrating established heroes like Paul Schrader and Kurt Russell is a primary reason for Beyond Fest’s existence.”

 

The most beloved genre films are highlighted with four event screenings over the course of this year’s festival. The legend himself Kurt Russell takes center stage with James Gunn moderating for a very special 30th anniversary screening of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA projected on glorious 35mm. The “ultimate trip” receives the ultimate treatment as Stanley Kubrick’s existential epic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY screens in 70mm with a 2001-scored Laserium cosmic laser concert and Q&A featuring the film’s two astronaut leads, Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood. The Tall Man returns with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot meticulous restoration of Don Coscarelli’s cult classic PHANTASM: REMASTERED. Coscarelli will be joined with members of the original cast before the West Coast premiere of the series’ final entry PHANTASM RAVAGER. In keeping with the restoration theme, producer Richard P. Rubenstein will be on hand to present the U.S. Premiere of DAWN OF THE DEAD 3-D. Romero’s cult nightmare has never looked better and will be the first laser 3-D feature projected at the famed Egyptian Theatre.

 

Once again, music features prominently with two seismic re scores taking center stage. Furiously blurring the lines between music, film and art, Beyond Fest welcomes a new disciple and an old friend with two seismic re scores. Director, producer, actor, Wu Tang Clan founder and the all-together mythic RZA enters the fray with a roundhouse kick for his epic takedown of a martial arts masterpiece. 18 months in the making, RZA: LIVE FROM THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN is a mammoth live re scoring of Lau Kar-leung’s Shaw Brothers classic featuring over 40+ tracks culled from RZA’s monumental catalog. Instrumental tracks, beats, samples and vocal tracks amplify the narrative and Gordon Liu’s revelatory performance.

 

Returning to Los Angeles is legendary composer Fabio Frizzi and his seven-piece orchestra to perform THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT. This bold, new take on Lucio Fulci’s gothic masterpiece features a live re score featuring a completely new composition and will play with all original dialog intact. THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT will be accompanied by an uncut 35mm screening of GATES OF HELL and a very special secret screening with surprise guests.

 

Celebrating LA filmmaking remains a priority for Beyond Fest with Ti West receiving this year’s ‘LA Spotlight’ for his transformative western, IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE. Beyond Fest alumni West will be joined by cast members Karen Gillan, Taissa Farmiga, Toby Huss, James Ransone, and the film’s four-legged star, Jumpy. LA also represents en masse with a midnight blast of animated anarchy as Chris Prynoski’s NERDLAND also gets its LA premiere. The first feature from Prynoski’s Titmouse Animation Studios is a wild descent into LA’s soul-destroying entertainment industry and will feature director Prynoski, writer Andrew Kevin Walker, actor Patton Oswalt, plus others in attendance.

 

Beyond Fest welcomes the return of genre streaming platform Shudder as its Presenting Sponsor, a partnership that provides 13 screenings (9 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

 

Emile Hirsch’s super creepy THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE, Japanese scare-fest SADAKO VS KAYAKO, Morgan Spurlock’s stomach-churning doc RATS, the revelatory Kubrick doc S IS FOR STANLEY, the hands down craziest film of the year THE DWARVES MUST BE CRAZY and two Cinematic Void double bills featuring a premiere screening of Arrow’s 4K restoration of Romero’s THE CRAZIES paired with MARTIN on 16mm and an American Genre Film Archive fundraiser featuring a 35mm monster mash up of NEON MANIACS and STREET TRASH.

 

If that wasn’t enough, virtual reality engulfs Beyond Fest for the first time with Dark Corner Studios showcasing three of their most terrifying experiences. Led by wunder-director Guy Shelmerdine, guests will be able to watch his breakout VR horror smash CATATONIC, in addition to his new film MULE and Justin Denton’s BURLAP. The Egyptian Theatre will be housing Dark Corner in the hidden reaches of its 90 year old architecture.

 

See below for the full lineup of newly announced film titles for Beyond Fest 2015.

 

BEYOND FEST 2016 PROGRAM

 

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

 

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY on 70mm

United States, 1968

70mm, 161 min

Director - Stanley Kubrick

wi. actors Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood in person and Laserium laser concert before screening

 

THE BAD BATCH

Co-presented with Vice & Etheria

United States, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 115 min

Director - Ana Lily Amapour

wi. director / writer Ana Lily Amipour in person

 

THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT (wi. CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD)

Italy, 1981

West Coast Premiere, 89 min

Director - Lucio Fulci

wi. live re score by Fabio Frizzi + seven piece orchestra and special secret screening before performance

 

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA - 30th Anniversary Screening on 35mm

United States, 1986

35mm, 99 min

Director - John Carpenter

wi. actor Kurt Russell, moderated by James Gunn in person

 

CALL OF HEROES (wi. HEADSHOT)

Hong Kong / China, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 120 min

Director - Benny Chan

 

CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (wi. THE BEYOND: COMPOSER’S CUT)

United States, 1983

35mm, 93 min

Director - Lucio Fulci

 

DOG EAT DOG (wi. TAXI DRIVER)

United States, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 93 min

Director - Paul Schrader

wi. Paul Schrader in person

 

THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS

United States / United Kingdom, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 111 min

Director - Colm McCarthy

 

GEORGE A. ROMERO’S DAWN OF THE DEAD 3-D

United States / South Korea, 1978 / 2016

West Coast Premiere, 127 min, Unrated, U.S. Theatrical Cut

Director - George A. Romero

wi. producer Richard P. Rubenstein in person

 

HEADSHOT (wi. CALL OF HEROES)

Indonesia, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 117 min

Directors - The Mo Brothers: Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto

 

HOLY MOUNTAIN on 35mm

Mexico / United States, 1973

35mm, 115 min

Director - Alexandro Jodorowsky

 

IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE

United States, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 104 min

Director - Ti West

wi. director Ti West and actors Karen Gillan, Taissa Farmiga, Toby Huss, and James Ransone in person

 

NERDLAND

United States, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 85 min

Director - Chris Prynoski

wi. Director Chris Prynoski, writer Andrew Kevin Walker, actor Patton and cast in person

 

PHANTASM: REMASTERED (wi. PHANTASM RAVAGER)

4K Restoration

United States, 1979 / 2016

LA Premiere, 96 min

Director - Don Coscarelli

wi. director Don Coscarelli and cast in person

 

PHANTASM RAVAGER (wi. PHANTASM: REMASTERED)

United States, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 87 min

Director - David Hartman

wi. director David Hartman and producer Don Coscarelli in person

 

RAW

Co-presented with Etheria

France, 2016

West Coast Premiere, 95 min

Director - Julia Ducournau

 

RZA: LIVE FROM THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN

Hong Kong / United States, 1979 / 2016

West Coast Premiere, 119 min

Director - Lau Ker-leung

features live re score by RZA

 

TAXI DRIVER 40th Anniversary Screening (wi. DOG EAT DOG)

United States, 1976

114 min

Director - Martin Scorsese

wi. Paul Schrader in person

 

THE WOLF MAN

United States, 1941

71 min

Director - George Waggner

wi. Ron Chaney in person

 

 

SHUDDER THEATRE

 

THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE (Free Screening)

United Kingdom, 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - André Øvredal

 

BEYOND THE WALLS (Free Screening)

France 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - Hervé Hadmar

 

THE CRAZIES - 4K Restoration (Free Screening)

United States 1973

US Premiere

Director - George Romero

 

DOWN UNDER (Free Screening)

Australia 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - Abraham Forysthe

wi. director Abraham Forsythe in person

 

THE DWARVES MUST BE CRAZY (Free Screening)

Thailand 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - Bhin Banloerit

 

MARTIN (Free Screening)

16mm, United States 1977

Director - George Romero

 

MONSTER (Free Screening)

United States 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - Bryan Bertino

 

NEON MANIACS (Free screening)

35mm, United States 1986

Director - Joseph Mangine

 

RATS (Free screening)

United States 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - Morgan Spurlock

 

S IS FOR STANLEY (Free Screening)

Italy 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - Alex Infascelli

wi. director Alex Infascelli in person

 

SADAKO VS KAYAKO (Free Screening)

Japan 2016

West Coast Premiere

Director - Kôji Shiraishi

 

STREET TRASH (free screening)

35mm, United States 1985

Director - J. Michael Muro

 

THE VOID (Free Screening)

Canada 2016

West Coast Premiere

Directors - Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski