It's no surprise we're massive fans of the horror movie/experience "summer camp" that is the Overlook Film Festival (and its earlier incarnation as the Stanley Film Fest). Last May the inaugural edition took place at the uber-creepy Timberline Lodge outside Portland, Oregon. This was a truly unforgettable experience for all but also included some challenges considering the Timberline is considerably smaller than the Stanley and doesn't have any nearby movie theaters.
Surprise! This morning brings the news that for the 2018 edition of the festival, Overlook will be switching it up and heading to the Big Easy. Not only is New Orleans one of the coolest cities to visit, it's also one of the creepiest. And with the new fest HQ of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, it looks like the haunted hotel fun will continue. This is from the hotel's website:
Stories of the rooms and corridors of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel being haunted are about as old as the hotel itself. Prior to the hotel's existence, the site was home to the historic Orleans Ballroom and Theater before being converted into a convent in the late 1800s. Ghosts who roam the halls and rooms of the Bourbon Orleans today lived during many different eras of this building's history. The Bourbon Orleans Hotel ranks as one of New Orleans' top haunted hotels. Chip Coffey, internationally acclaimed psychic and host of A&E's Psychic Kids, performed a reading at the historic Orleans ballroom as part of his Coffey Talk Tour and detected and communicated with several spirits, including a little boy and girl who experienced sudden deaths.
The immersive game has always been Overlook's marquee event and the French Quarter with all its spooky bars, catacombs, and wacky occult shops is the perfect setting for the game to play out. Add in crazy partying tourists and this year's game will surely be even more consuming than ever (if that's possible).
Oh and movies! Some of the best news is that the festival will host its screenings at the Regal Cinemas Cinebarre Canal Place 9, a jaunt across the French Quarter from HQ. This should lead to a much plusher cinema-going experience and also open up the wonderful world of Overlook to a lot more adoring fans.
Passes are available on the Overlook website now. We'll have plenty more details of the festival as they come our way.