WELCOME to the Messageboard for the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Marathon!!
FULL LINEUP! Note Order: THE MATRIX in 35mm! ONE MILLION YEARS BC in 35mm! LAPSIS, READY PLAYER ONE in 70mm! DREDD, MAD MAX, PREDESTINATION, TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN (aka INVASION), UPGRADE, ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS, DEEP BLUE SEA in 35mm! and BLAST FROM THE PAST. Plus! A bonus surprise! And, of course, Duck Dodgers! More to come
SF MARATHON INFO LINKS
SF/49 Official Information Page Click here
Reactions to 2024's SF/49 lineup? POST here
>List of ALL Films that have played the Marathon. Click below
Click here for The History Of The Marathon/Festival

The Next Marathon will be held Presidents' Day Weekend 2024 at the Somerville Theater.
It will be preceded by the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival. For ticket info: www.Bostonsci-fi.com


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Marathon Memorabilia: Bunnyman Files (Read 214267 times)
Reply #180 - Mar 24th, 2013 at 5:20pm

David the Projectionist   Offline
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L.A. Connection wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 3:50pm:
(incidently, CLAW suffered a melting print on screen when it showed; so this year's 5TH ELEMENT incident definately wasn't a first).


     You just had to bring that up, didnt you?
     Well, youve finally given me the opening I need to point out that you should DEFINITELY spell DEFINITELY with an "I" instead of an "A", the way -- you know -- it's supposed to be spelled.  Been wanting to tell you that for years, buddy.
     And italicizing your error doesnt help!
     The English, she is hard: DEFIN
I
TELY
.
 

I have seen the future, and it is sucky digital....
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Reply #181 - Mar 24th, 2013 at 5:42pm

L.A. Connection   Offline
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Well, if you didn't take umbrage every time it's mentioned, it would definitely just pass by most folks without much notice - it was a parenthetical aside in a 600 word piece. I'm definitely sure that nobody has blamed anything other than the print itself for it.  Wink


David the Projectionist wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 5:20pm:
L.A. Connection wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 3:50pm:
(incidently, CLAW suffered a melting print on screen when it showed; so this year's 5TH ELEMENT incident definately wasn't a first).

L.A. Connection wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 3:50pm:
After a decade and a half of good years at the Coolidge the "divorce" happened and we needed a stop-gap. And, the Dedham Community Theater was a stop-gap that wasn't in any way a "Boston" location with difficult at best public transportation (ironic that the Marathon has still NEVER been in Boston proper!). Appreciate that the Marathon continued without missing a year, and the folks at the DCT were very kind and tried their best. But, it was a big come-down from the Coolidge. The DCT was very much a "Community Theater" that had been inelegantly chopped in half in such a manner that the sightlines were terrible and much of the angled seating (to face the center of an old theater stage) meant that if you were facing straight forward you had to turn your head to face the screen.

All that said, it was a pretty good line-up (in an alternate universe, I'd love to re-watch it at the Somerville or Coolidge!). THE MATRIX was rescued from the Black Hole, THE DISH worked as a real science little charmer, and ROBOT STORIES was a pretty good "premiere" and Director Greg Park was a good guest. The tech deficiencies of the Dedham did take away from the experience of ALIEN, 28 DAYS LATER and THE MATRIX, but, they were still good.

There may have been a bit too much B-Movie schlock content with MUTINY IN OUTER SPACE, HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL, AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN and THE GIANT CLAW. MUTINY was a 50s B&W flick released a good 5 years too late, ditto the Stooges and HAVE ROCKET, TRANSPARENT was a decent no budget noirish film by the man (Edgar Ulmer) who made perhaps the best no budget noir film (DETOUR) and GIANT CLAW will live in glorious infamy for bringing the line, "It's as big as a Battleship!!" to the 'thon. (incidently, CLAW suffered a melting print on screen when it showed; so this year's 5TH ELEMENT incident definately wasn't a first).

INCUBUS was a treat and I'm glad I helped locate it, though a vocal minority in Cinema 2? (the one on the left entering the theater) weren't so pleased with all the "Marco...Polo!" shout-outs.  Angry

SPACE PATROL was a pretty neat compilation of a 7 episode mid-60s German TV series. This feature film compilation apparently was never officially released in the U.S., so we are amongst the very few to have seen it - certainly on the big screen. An import DVD is out there. (http://www.amazon.com/Raumpatrouille-phantastischen-Abenteuer-Raumschiffes-Orion...) A German friend didn't remember it, but, her brother did - as their "Star Trek".

On a personal note, my cousin John earned a special Marathon medal of valour that year. John woke up with a horrendous fever, but made the trek from the north shore all the way down to Dedham because he had the tickets for my group!! He stayed briefly and went back home to bed. So, I was shocked in the wee hours to look over down the row and see John alert and watching GODZILLA VS. MEGAGURIUS! A good night of sleep and he came back down and watched the rest of the 'thon! Medal-worthy for sure. Unfortunately, another member of my group, Rob, ate a questionable sandwich and went down for the count. A difficult year all around.

I was not sad to hear we wouldn't be back in Dedham, with all due respect to the efforts of the folks there. I thank them for keeping the Marathon alive for better days that awaited us.


P.S. I will try and get the SF29 program to the Bunnyman this week.





     You just had to bring that up, didnt you?
     Well, youve finally given me the opening I need to point out that you should DEFINITELY spell DEFINITELY with an "I" instead of an "A", the way -- you know -- it's supposed to be spelled.  Been wanting to tell you that for years, buddy.
     And italicizing your error doesnt help!
     The English, she is hard: DEFIN
I
TELY
.

« Last Edit: Mar 24th, 2013 at 8:14pm by L.A. Connection »  
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Reply #182 - Mar 24th, 2013 at 5:43pm

Frank   Offline
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L.A. Connection wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 3:50pm:
On a personal note, my cousin John earned a special Marathon medal of valour that year. John woke up with a horrendous fever, but made the trek from the north shore all the way down to Dedham because he had the tickets for my group!! He stayed briefly and went back home to bed. So, I was shocked in the wee hours to look over down the row and see John alert and watching GODZILLA VS. MEGAGURIUS! A good night of sleep and he came back down and watched the rest of the 'thon! Medal-worthy for sure. Unfortunately, another member of my group, Rob, ate a questionable sandwich and went down for the count. A difficult year all around.

Well when he goes to a 36 hour marathon 8+ months pregnant and then goes to another marathon giving birth less than four weeks later I will consider him on equal footing with Fran until then phffft!
 

I bring you peace. It may be the peace of plenty and content or the peace of unburied death.
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Reply #183 - Mar 24th, 2013 at 5:48pm

L.A. Connection   Offline
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Frank deserves medals those years for sure! (and many more)


Frank wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 5:43pm:
L.A. Connection wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 3:50pm:
On a personal note, my cousin John earned a special Marathon medal of valour that year. John woke up with a horrendous fever, but made the trek from the north shore all the way down to Dedham because he had the tickets for my group!! He stayed briefly and went back home to bed. So, I was shocked in the wee hours to look over down the row and see John alert and watching GODZILLA VS. MEGAGURIUS! A good night of sleep and he came back down and watched the rest of the 'thon! Medal-worthy for sure. Unfortunately, another member of my group, Rob, ate a questionable sandwich and went down for the count. A difficult year all around.
L.A. Connection wrote on Mar 24th, 2013 at 3:50pm:
After a decade and a half of good years at the Coolidge the "divorce" happened and we needed a stop-gap. And, the Dedham Community Theater was a stop-gap that wasn't in any way a "Boston" location with difficult at best public transportation (ironic that the Marathon has still NEVER been in Boston proper!). Appreciate that the Marathon continued without missing a year, and the folks at the DCT were very kind and tried their best. But, it was a big come-down from the Coolidge. The DCT was very much a "Community Theater" that had been inelegantly chopped in half in such a manner that the sightlines were terrible and much of the angled seating (to face the center of an old theater stage) meant that if you were facing straight forward you had to turn your head to face the screen.

All that said, it was a pretty good line-up (in an alternate universe, I'd love to re-watch it at the Somerville or Coolidge!). THE MATRIX was rescued from the Black Hole, THE DISH worked as a real science little charmer, and ROBOT STORIES was a pretty good "premiere" and Director Greg Park was a good guest. The tech deficiencies of the Dedham did take away from the experience of ALIEN, 28 DAYS LATER and THE MATRIX, but, they were still good.

There may have been a bit too much B-Movie schlock content with MUTINY IN OUTER SPACE, HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL, AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN and THE GIANT CLAW. MUTINY was a 50s B&W flick released a good 5 years too late, ditto the Stooges and HAVE ROCKET, TRANSPARENT was a decent no budget noirish film by the man (Edgar Ulmer) who made perhaps the best no budget noir film (DETOUR) and GIANT CLAW will live in glorious infamy for bringing the line, "It's as big as a Battleship!!" to the 'thon. (incidently, CLAW suffered a melting print on screen when it showed; so this year's 5TH ELEMENT incident definately wasn't a first).

INCUBUS was a treat and I'm glad I helped locate it, though a vocal minority in Cinema 2? (the one on the left entering the theater) weren't so pleased with all the "Marco...Polo!" shout-outs.  Angry

SPACE PATROL was a pretty neat compilation of a 7 episode mid-60s German TV series. This feature film compilation apparently was never officially released in the U.S., so we are amongst the very few to have seen it - certainly on the big screen. An import DVD is out there. (http://www.amazon.com/Raumpatrouille-phantastischen-Abenteuer-Raumschiffes-Orion...) A German friend didn't remember it, but, her brother did - as their "Star Trek".

On a personal note, my cousin John earned a special Marathon medal of valour that year. John woke up with a horrendous fever, but made the trek from the north shore all the way down to Dedham because he had the tickets for my group!! He stayed briefly and went back home to bed. So, I was shocked in the wee hours to look over down the row and see John alert and watching GODZILLA VS. MEGAGURIUS! A good night of sleep and he came back down and watched the rest of the 'thon! Medal-worthy for sure. Unfortunately, another member of my group, Rob, ate a questionable sandwich and went down for the count. A difficult year all around.

I was not sad to hear we wouldn't be back in Dedham, with all due respect to the efforts of the folks there. I thank them for keeping the Marathon alive for better days that awaited us.


P.S. I will try and get the SF29 program to the Bunnyman this week.


Well when he goes to a 36 hour marathon 8+ months pregnant and then goes to another marathon giving birth less than four weeks later I will consider him on equal footing with Fran until then phffft!

 
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Reply #184 - Mar 24th, 2013 at 9:21pm

da_Bunnyman   Offline
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...............

The SF30 Flight Pack, pretty much complete (maybe a trivia quiz missing.) A pretty interesting lineup of films. Sky Captain featuring giant robots fighting a P-40 airplane on the streets of NYC is basically giving you everything the old serials promised. Superman, the best known alien visitor finally makes an appearance. Primer was a nice micro budget time travel film, don't know if I could watch it again but was nice to see a first time.  Body Snatchers, Time Machine and Earth VS Flying Saucers are always welcome. Charly was a little preachy but nice seeing a locally filmed movie.
What does it mean that I cannot remember The Forgotten?
 

I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
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Reply #185 - Mar 28th, 2013 at 1:56pm

L.A. Connection   Offline
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SF/30 was one of the very best marathons of the past decade. It was nice being back at the Somerville after 16 years to see the improvements. It seemed a bit smaller than my memories from the 80s, but, with its ample seating, balcony and large screen it was a welcome homecoming of sorts.

The mini-fest was just two movies: The eve before showing of TRAILER PARK with Chris Coppola was cool - and you got Free Burritos! Unfortunately, the SPACE BABY the same eve AFTER the marathon wasn't such a hot idea and very few apparently attended outside the Director's family and friends. It has still not received an official release from all accounts.

The main marathon had a nice lineup befitting the 30th anniversary (hint, hint for SF/40!) with classics such as PLANET OF THE APES, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, TIME MACHINE and GODZILLA (all the original versions, natch!) anchoring the lineup. SUPERMAN THE MOVIE made a welcome appearance along with THX-1138 and EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS. PRIMER was a mind-bendingly cool micro-indie and CHARLY made its belated Marathon debut. THE APPLE was a insanely over-the-top cheezball classic. THE FORGOTTEN has been, SKY CAPTAIN was nice visually but dramatically inert and the already in heavy cable rotation STARSHIP TROOPERS 2 was the reduntant "premiere".

Certainly, one of the better lineups of recent years.
 
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Reply #186 - Mar 29th, 2013 at 8:23pm

da_Bunnyman   Offline
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.....................

Another year, another home for the marathon. At SF31 for the first time since the days of The Welles (1986) we had 2 separate theaters running movies at different times. The West Newton Cinema was a cool place, despite being split up it still had a lot of old theater charm. I think I ended up in Cinema 2. Konga was a good old schlock fest with bad effects and some rather suspicious looking plants being grown by the scientist. Buckaroo Banzai is always fun since it has so many lines the fans can join in on. Two Vincent Price films at one thon? Tingler was really fun even without 'Percepto' Last Man On Earth was cool too even if Price looked more comfortable shopping for garlic than killing ghouls. Androis surprised me, it was much better than I thought, which explained how I'd not seen it yet. Kong is classic, but it does take a while to get going.
 

I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
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Reply #187 - Apr 2nd, 2013 at 11:31pm

da_Bunnyman   Offline
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...........................

The real program from SF29 (thanks to L.A. Connection for supplying  a copy of his,)
 

I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
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Reply #188 - Apr 5th, 2013 at 8:29pm

da_Bunnyman   Offline
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............

Okay, I'm not sure what year the MLO mini banner dates from. But here is the last of the memorabilia from our homeless years. After (3) years of wandering we had found a new home (sounds vaguely biblical don't it.)
The SF30 tag was intended to replace the yearly buttons. Didn't last and a replacement button was issued a year later (I think.) But then we had no more buttons for a few years.
 

I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
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Reply #189 - Apr 5th, 2013 at 11:27pm

L.A. Connection   Offline
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SF/31 was one of my personal low points as far as the Marathon was concerned. Four theaters in Four years. The Dedham was poor and the West Newton was just about as mediocre on a physical level - small screens, cramped seating, 1970s level sound, and another way out of Boston proper setting. The folks there were very kind. They really did their best, but, the low ceiling and the narrow bowling alley design made me feel like we were in a sardine can.

For the first time in my life, I really had doubts about continuing to fly across country to attend the Marathon. It was sad.  Cry

Fortunately, the "Ape" themed marathon itself wasn't half-bad on a programming level. 12 MONKEYS made its belated Marathon debut after me and several others  pushed for it for many years trying to save it from the marathon "black hole". I found the prints for THE CRAZIES and ANDROID, and  they seemed to go over pretty well. CRAZIES was a title that had been searched for since the Welles days!

KONGA, FIRE MAIDENS and THE TINGLER were all fun B movies, with THE TINGLER in particular being a perfect Marathon flick. I know it's a minority opinion, but, I think LAST MAN ON EARTH is perhaps the best version of the thrice told Matheson tale.

SERENITY seemed to thrill those who knew what the hell was going on in it; 8 LEGGED FREAKS was a decent time waster with an early performance by Scarlett Johannson; the original KING KONG was there as an antidote to the then current overloooooooooong remake; and BUCKAROO BANZAI was shown again (I'd like to see another 10 years or so hiatus on that title). The only real bummers were the not necessary so-so anime STEAMBOY and the wretched "Premiere" NAKED MONSTER which should have stayed the straight to VHS featurette it began as 20 years earlier.

Because the Newton had two screens and no interlock as was done at the Dedham, Ed & I split the duties on scheduling the two houses (with much co-operation I might add, as we had to accommodate the projectionists).

When the decision was made to go back to the Somerville, I was happy and prayed that it would be a "permanent" move. Those prayers have been answered!

I only felt a bit sorry the next year when I heard from some of the West Newton folks. They really had hoped we'd be back for several more years. They DID do their best, and for that, we should ALL thank them.


da_Bunnyman wrote on Mar 29th, 2013 at 8:23pm:
[img][img][img][img][img][img][img]

Another year, another home for the marathon. At SF31 for the first time since the days of The Welles (1986) we had 2 separate theaters running movies at different times. The West Newton Cinema was a cool place, despite being split up it still had a lot of old theater charm. I think I ended up in Cinema 2. Konga was a good old schlock fest with bad effects and some rather suspicious looking plants being grown by the scientist. Buckaroo Banzai is always fun since it has so many lines the fans can join in on. Two Vincent Price films at one thon? Tingler was really fun even without 'Percepto' Last Man On Earth was cool too even if Price looked more comfortable shopping for garlic than killing ghouls. Androis surprised me, it was much better than I thought, which explained how I'd not seen it yet. Kong is classic, but it does take a while to get going. 

 
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Reply #190 - Apr 6th, 2013 at 12:02am

da_Bunnyman   Offline
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I was just glad (and a little surprised) to find out both houses are still open and going strong. Neighborhood theaters really only survive these days if they're run by managers who take an extra effort to book and promote their houses.
 

I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
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Reply #191 - Apr 6th, 2013 at 12:27pm

L.A. Connection   Offline
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da_Bunnyman wrote on Apr 6th, 2013 at 12:02am:
I was just glad (and a little surprised) to find out both houses are still open and going strong. Neighborhood theaters really only survive these days if they're run by managers who take an extra effort to book and promote their houses.


They do have some nice programming if folks are willing to venture out there and tolerate its 1976-era 2nd run theater quality: http://www.westnewtoncinema.com/index-2.html

But, take a look at some of the reviews on Yelp!

Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked

Sure, there are a lot of folks enamored by the movies they show and the "quaintness" of the place, but, some of the negs indicate that little if anything has been done to the place since the Marathon left (other than letting it go):

http://www.yelp.com/biz/west-newton-cinema-newton


 
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Reply #192 - Apr 6th, 2013 at 3:39pm

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I am glad the LA Connection made it back... it woldn't be the same without you there!
 
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Reply #193 - Apr 10th, 2013 at 10:19pm

L.A. Connection   Offline
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albatross wrote on Apr 6th, 2013 at 3:39pm:
I am glad the LA Connection made it back... it woldn't be the same without you there!


Thanks. But, it wasn't just the Marathon, but, my own "L.A. Connection" group of relatives and friends, but, ALL of my Marathon bretheren that kept me in the Marathon world!

It truly feels like "going home" every February when our big Marathon family convenes for those 25 or so hours.

...
 
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Reply #194 - Apr 11th, 2013 at 6:33pm

da_Bunnyman   Offline
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L.A. Connection wrote on Apr 10th, 2013 at 10:19pm:
albatross wrote on Apr 6th, 2013 at 3:39pm:
I am glad the LA Connection made it back... it woldn't be the same without you there!


Thanks. But, it wasn't just the Marathon, but, my own "L.A. Connection" group of relatives and friends, but, ALL of my Marathon bretheren that kept me in the Marathon world!

It truly feels like "going home" every February when our big Marathon family convenes for those 25 or so hours.




Couldn't agree with you more.
For long time attendees there is a great sense of family (I still get greeted with 'welcome home' by another regular.)
I remember a few years back saying , forgive me, as I greeted Major Tom with a hug. His response "It's okay, families hug."
Hey I'm overly sentimental about the marathon, plus I'm sure he's forgiven me for getting him to do a joke about him making another 'major announcement' before he came on stage.
 

I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
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