Slideshow: Machete Maidens Unleashed Party
The Boston Undergrond Film Festival at Think Tank on March 25, 2011
TOB's BUFF picks: Part 3
The Beast Pageant
The Dead Inside
Sunday, Mar. 27, 6:30pm; Thursday, Mar. 31, 7:30pm
Probably an ill-advised idea, but possibly a train wreck worth watching, this film picks up where Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s iconic musical episode left off. A guy’s wife is gradually turning into some sort of evil creature, and the entire cast reacts to this unspeakable horror by breaking into song every five minutes. That’s right: it’s a horror musical. Scary!
The Beast Pageant
Sunday, Mar. 27, 7pm; Thursday, Mar. 31, 7:15pm
Think Eraserhead meets 1984, with sets constructed by a fifth-grade art class. A young guy works at a factory that manufactures fish, and at home he is dominated by a huge machine made of junk electronic parts. Eventually a singing cowboy bursts out of his stomach and they escape to the countryside where he dances with beasts. Weirdly joyful, the film flaunts its ridiculously low budget. And the original acoustic music is a delight.
Phase 7
Sunday, Mar. 27, 9pm; Thursday, Mar. 31, 9:45pm
Phase 7 is a quality paranoid-government flick from Argentina. A pregnant woman and her husband find themselves trapped in their apartment when a flu epidemic breaks out. Turns out their increasingly crazy neighbors are at least as big a problem as the disease itself. Well-filmed and acted, it’s sort of like what Blindness might have been if it hadn’t sucked.
TOB's BUFF picks: Part 2
Chop
Saturday, Mar. 26, 9:15pm; Tuesday, Mar. 29, 7:30pm
In this Saw-like revenge thriller, our protagonist has wronged some guy in the past. Now the nutcase is chopping apart his life and his limbs, one by one. Played mostly for really dark laughs, we learn more and more about the not-so-innocent victim as the film unfolds and he starts to confess his sins. Though there’s lots of carnage, the focus is on characters and story.
Profane
Saturday, Mar. 26, 11:55pm; Tuesday, Mar. 29, 9:45pm
This is the sort of offbeat concept film that the BUFF excels at finding. It’s a fake documentary about a Muslim dominatrix who is searching for a demon to possess her. Not just a weird gimmick film, Profane is a deeply felt journey into psychosexual horror by filmmaker Usama Alshaibi.
Atomic Brain Invasion
Sunday, Mar. 27, 4:15pm
Elvis Presley fights off an army of alien space creatures. If that hasn’t already sold you on this film, then nothing will. It’s a kitchen-sink parody of every aspect of Cold War-era culture. A green blob lands on earth, turns people into brain creatures and The King and a popshop full of greasers dispatch them with spirited cries of, “No way, daddy-o!”
Satan Hates You!
Sunday, Mar. 27, 4:30pm; Thursday, Mar. 31, 9:30pm
Taking sarcasm way too far, this flick demonstrates how Satan has caused the deviant behaviors of an alcoholic serial killer and a drug-addled sexaholic who will snort or screw anything that comes near her. As the audience, we cheer on televangelists and other agents of Christ trying to save these poor wayward souls. We also will be rooting for greater amounts of sex and violence.
Trailers for BUFF 2011
In celebration of our lucky thirteenth year, BUFF commissioned three awesome festival trailers.
This gem comes to us from festival favorite, Robot Hand Films, an amazing Telly Award-winning underground film team founded by Brian Lonano, Kevin Lonano, Gary Powell, Jeff Jenkins and Erin L. Horsey. The Bacchus costume designer, Melissa Harrison, created a larger-than-life bunny suit based on the Bacchus Award statue by Casey Riley.
This one comes to us from another festival favorite, the inimitable Jim Ether of perisarc.com. Ether is an animator and filmmaker currently based in Ohio. His feature “Onward to Calgary” was featured in the 2008 festival.
Our third trailer comes to us from Greg Hanson of Greth Productions, a production company focused on bold, inventive, bizarre, fantastic, thought-provoking and silly filmmaking. We’ll be showing their nunsploitation short, “Thy Kill Be Done,” with a fantastic documentary called “Machete Maidens Unleashed!”
TOB's BUFF picks: Part 1
For well over ten years now, the Boston Underground Film Festival has been carving out a niche in the world of independent cinema with the force of a blood-spattered machete. The work shown at this event tends to focus on the macabre and bizarre and usually has its fair share of violence, gore, absurdity and nudity—often all at the same time. Not what you’d call family friendly, unless you belong to The Addams Family. Still, it’s refreshing to know you won’t be subjected to the melodramatic coming-of-age dramas or hip urban teenage love stories that are the staple of more “serious” festivals. At the BUFF, it’s the more inscrutable and shocking the better. Plus the quality of the films is usually pretty impressive. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect.
Hobo with a Shotgun
Thursday, Mar. 24, 7pm
This is what you would call a high-concept film—everything you need to know is right there in the title. Though they left out one important point: the titular homicidal hobo is played by none other than Rutger Hauer (of Blade Runner fame). Expect excessive bloodletting, maniacal ravings and an over-the-top, scenery-devouring performance from everybody’s favorite replicant.
Machete Maidens Unleashed
Friday, Mar. 25, 7:30pm; Monday, Mar. 28, 7:45pm
There was short period of time in the 1970s when the Philippines became a Wild West-style frontier for shock horror filmmakers. This documentary explores the anything-goes environment that drew directors in with dollar signs in their eyes, mixing clips of topless women, ghouls sucking blood and gratuitous explosions with interviews from the actors and directors involved.
A Horrible Way to Die
Saturday, Mar. 26, 7:15pm; Monday, Mar. 28, 9:45pm
Director Adam Wingard channels Soderbergh with this powerful, well-crafted tale of a charismatic serial killer and the travails of his alcoholic ex-girlfriend. There’s moody cinematography, constant camera movement and an engaging story that flips back in forth in time, keeping you off-balance and guessing until the final stab-you-in-the-gut surprise ending.
Where to drink in Kendall Square
Nothing follows up quality cinema like some cocktails and conversation. Luckily Kendall Square has plenty fine drinking establishments to help you out.
Flat Top Johnny’s
With the most pool tables per capita that you’ll find in Cambridge, Flat Top Johnny’s is the perfect spot to unwind with a billiard cue and an absurdly large bottle of Miller High Life. What the joint lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in scope, with 12 pool tables, a front patio, and a large bar. Come by on Wednesday after 9pm for free pool, or anytime on Sunday for half price. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge (617-494-9565, flattopjohnnys.com)
Cambridge Brewing Company
Boston is a pretty serious beer town—and Cambridge has never been one to be outdone. Thus, the Cambridge Brewing Company approaches the task of drawing beer geeks to its bar with panache, brewing classic styles such as the Regatta Golden, as well as bolder cask-conditioned brews and seasonals like the Arquebus Barleywine. Grab a seat on the nifty patio and try out a sampling session. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge (617-494-1994, cambrew.com)
Think Tank
Situated underneath the Friendly Toast, Think Tank is part Asian fusion restaurant, part nightspot. During the day or evening, come by for cultural mash-up munchables like the Seoul burger (with Korean marinade, a farm-fresh egg and black sesame bun). But Think Tank is best visited at night. DJs like Paul Foley and El Amado spin on the weekends and singer-songwriters play on Tuesdays. Cocktails like the South Side Sling (gin with elderflower, lychee and lime) and the Sake Martini (ozeki, ginger and mint) help to get you in the mood for booty-shaking. 1A Kendall Square, Cambridge (617-500-3031, thinktankcambridge.com)
Tommy Doyle’s
Every square in the Boston area needs a little Irish in it, and Kendall is no exception. Tommy Doyle’s original location (it’s since expanded to Harvard Square and Hyannis) is frequented by MIT students and businessfolk alike. The bar/restaurant boasts a roomy patio, live music or DJs six nights a week and fairly decent pub grub. It’s also the place where police Sergeant James Crowley was grabbing a pint when he took the famous “Beer Summit” phone call from President Obama. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge (617-225-0888, tommydoyles.com)
Where to eat in Kendall Square
Though some of the more slice-and-dice movies in the BUFF lineup may cause you to awesomely lose your lunch, you should still have something to eat. Here's where to go.
BeanTowne Coffeehouse and Café
BeanTowne is a welcome addition to offset the neighborhood bars and upscale dining of Kendall Square. The atmosphere is laid back and artsy (there's even lots of art on the wall), the coffee is solid and the sandwiches are varied and tasty. And the Wi-Fi is free. Late lunchers be warned: don't come around asking for sandwiches after 3pm—BeanTowne's kitchen calls it quits pretty early. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge (617-621-7900, beantownecambridge.com)
The Blue Room
The Blue Room is best known for its expansive and fairly-priced wine list and an eclectic brunch buffet—just know that you will be waiting for a table on a Sunday morning if you don't call ahead. A casual atmosphere and coveted outdoor seating make the space a great midday hangout for worker bees from the many neighboring office parks. The menu combines far-flung influences and interesting ingredients such as game and offal into its regularly changing repertoire. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge (617-494-9034, theblueroom.net)
Emma’s Pizza
This little pizza joint slings straight-up awesome thin-crust pies. Try one of their suggested pizzas, or come up with your own flavor combo from their list of tasty toppings like garlicky green olives, thyme-roasted mushrooms and Canadian bacon. There's also a selection of craft beer and wine on offer to wash it all down. 40 Hampshire St, Cambridge (617-864-8534, emmaspizza.com)
Friendly Toast
The Kendall Square outpost of this quirky Portsmouth, NH–based diner is quickly becoming a local favorite for its mouth-watering, overflowing portions. Breakfast is served until closing, and the hearty brunch is a big draw on weekends—go on the early side to avoid a long wait. You can sit in the kitschy dining room, or belly up to the bar for a better view of the deliciously bizarre décor, which has a sort of mid-century macabre vibe. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge (617-621-1200, thefriendlytoast.net)
Hungry Mother
This spot manages to combine a commitment to eating local with the best of finding inspiration from far away—specifically from the base of the Mississsippi River Delta. The concise menu bursts with Southern tastes and flavors, from shrimp escabeche to cornmeal catfish with dirty rice. Serving their late night menu until 12:30am (with last call for drinks at 12:45am), Hungry Mother is a great post-show pit stop. 233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave, Cambridge (617-499-0900, hungrymothercambridge.com)
Meet Bacchus
Bacchus the Bunny
We’ll start off this post by explaining that, rather than giving cash or trade value prizes for awards, BUFF doles out a trophy that vibrates when held, in the shape of a demonic black bunny with red eyes.
The Bacchus Award was incorporated into BUFF in the festival’s second year. It has since become the official mascot of the festival, a focal point in poster and logo design, and the inspiration behind the festival’s red and black color scheme.
“And the bunny goes to…” is the much-anticipated phrase at the award ceremony that closes the festival.
Up until 2008, Bacchus was more of an amorphous, slender, bunny-like totem with beady red eyes. We won't show you what he looked like in his awkward years (he gets embarrassed). Let's just say that he had a lot of heart but was in desperate need of a makeover—hey, we’ve all had some embarrassing transitional phases.
Starting in 2008, BUFF was fortunate enough to find a talented local designer to revamp Bacchus's look. Casey A. Riley, sculptor extraordinaire, joined our crew and created a mega-fanged, cigar-smoking, diapered bunny for us to hand out to our winning filmmakers. He blew us away with the new design, giving Bacchus a demonic yet playful look.
This version of Bacchus stands on top of a sewer-capped pedestal, which cleverly conceals a giant vibrator that is literally stuck up Bacchus's backside. The vibrator, in all its functional glory, can be turned on and off; thus, when the filmmaker receives the prize, he or she is greeted with a vibrating creature.
In 2010, Riley unveiled a new version Bacchus clad in a pink bunny suit, flipping the bird, and clutching a liquor bottle. A gold-suited version was created as the Lifetime Underground Achievement Award, the first of which was awarded to the legendary Mink Stole in 2010.
We'll be handing out several of these Bacchus statuettes during our Closing Night Awards Ceremony, hosted by J. Cannibal, on Sunday, March 27th, at Tommy Doyle's in Kendall Square.
