Wouldn't it be nice to go out to see a movie and not have to part with any of your hard-earned money? Well, starting April 7th for a limited time you can have this pleasure every Thursday night. That's when the Weird World of Wormwood Film Festival begins. It will run for 10 weeks at 7:30 PM at Acme Records, located at 3962 Broadway in Rockford next to the now defunct Cafe Patou.
The festival is being brought to Rockford by both Acme Records and Wormwood Chronicles (www.wormwoodchronicles.com). Wormwood Chronicles is an e-zine (formerly print) devoted to covering the underground scene in Rockford. It is run by Dr. Abner Mality (a.k.a. Mike Korn). According to Mality "The first "Weird World of Wormwood Film Festival" took place in 2002 at the now defunct Divine Cup on Madison Street. Dr. Mality and his compatriots presented 8 weeks of free movies at the Divine Cup to a rousing response. The films included such incredible oddities as "The Godmonster of Indian Flats", "The Mighty Peking Man" and "Shock Corridor". As might be expected, the Divine Cup is no more but I have been looking for a new place to play host to Wormwood Movie Night."
Mality goes on to say, "Are you bored with the bland, unimaginative, derivative crap playing at the local ultramegamovieplex? Tired of mind numbing Disneyfied piffle like "The Pacifier" or "Robots"? Do the endless teenybopper slasher epics lull you to sleep instead of put you on the edge of your seat? Well, relief is at hand, bunky. There was once a great age of low budget and original film-making. This was the era of the drive-in, where a person with vision, drive and just a little money could make a movie. It was an era where rubber-suited monsters, greasy haired bikers and nubile rock and roll cuties ruled the screen. A time of individuality, of outrageous expression. A time when lack of talent was no obstacle to making a film."
According to Mality, "Each film will be shown at 7:30 P. M. and we will be showing a cartoon or Three Stooges short before the main feature. Just like in the classic days of old!…Each of these movies is a completely individual and notorious example of film-making at its most unrestrained. The Weird World of Wormwood is a total entertainment package that will hopefully usher deprived humanoids into a completely new world of film…Each film will also be introduced with penetrating and pithy comments from not only myself, but 'guest' commentators like Angus Lee from 96.7 The Eagle and Michael Whyte of the Blind Robins rock group. How can you beat this package?"
The films are April 7th - "Plan Nine From Outer Space" (this one has been dubbed by many as the worst film of all times, but is a fine example of Ed Wood's legendary genius/insanity), April 14th - "Spider Baby", April 21st - "Robot Monster", April 28th - "Candy", May 5th - "Fantastic Planet" (an animated French science fiction masterpiece), May 12th - "Maniac" (the 1934 film), May 19th - "Angels Hard As They Come", May 26th - "Dracula vs. Frankenstein", June 2nd - "Tombs of the Blind Dead" and June 9th - "Blood Freak". Show Dr. Mality and Wormwood Chronicles that you like this kind of entertainment by making it to at least one of these films - better yet, check out all of them. And show Acme Records owner Nate Johnson your appreciation by purchasing something while you are there. If the people of Rockford don't support these kinds of events, they won't happen. This is a great opportunity for a night of unusual cinematic fun, and for a price you can't beat. Do your self a favor and check it out.
