In the basement of a university medical school, Dr. Jessup floats naked in total darkness. The most terrifying experiment in the history of science is out of control…and the subject is himself.
It’s Ken Russell Season (wink wink) around here, as we’re palying a late night one-off of Altered States, one of the wildest studio films ever made.
A research scientist (The late, great William Hurt) explores the boundaries and frontiers of human consciousness. Using sensory deprivation and hallucinogenic mixtures from Native American shamans, he explores these altered states of cognizance and finds that memory, time, and reality itself are states of mind.
Altered States is a head-on collision between prestige science fiction, body horror, psychedelia, and New Age philosophy, making it a perfect late night cinematic experience!
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You can’t run from what’s already inside you.
Local indie horror gem The Dead Place is coming to The Frida Cinema! And stick around after the screening for an in-person Q&A with director Michael Pickle and stars Teon Kelley and Aaron Lyons!
Troubled high school senior Isaac is plagued by visions of the dead. This causes friction in his family and makes him an outcast at school. His only friend Katharine is obsessed with the paranormal and tries desperately to help him, but a ‘New Kid’ (played by Horror icon Daid Howard Thorton) pushes him to give in to the demon trying to burrow its way inside him. As he is consumed by the evil feeding off the dead souls that haunt him, Katharine is the only one that stands between Isaac and his darker impulses. To satisfy the bloodlust of the demon that dwells within him.
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“It’s just you and me now, sport…”
The Frida Cinema is proud to present the brand new 40th anniversary 4K restoration of Michael Mann’s masterful thriller Manhunter, officially titled Manhunter: The Final Cut.
Before The Silence of the Lambs, there was Manhunter. Based on author Thomas Harris’ original Hannibal Lecter novel, 1981’s Red Dragon, Manhunter stars William Petersen as retired criminal profiler (William Petersen). Traumatized by a violent encounter with serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (as it’s spelled in the movie, and as played chillingly by Brian Cox), Graham reluctantly returns to the FBI to help track down a serial killer of families – and consults Dr. Lecktor for advice. The third feature written and directed by Michael Mann is a gripping adaptation of Harris’ best-selling thriller, and benefits from the filmmaker’s typically striking visuals and a top-notch supporting cast, including Tom Noonan as the hunted killer, and three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen as his blind love interest.
The inspiration for our Unsung 80’s Soundtracks series, Manhunter’s soundtrack may be one of the best examples of Michael Mann’s use of music as an essential part of his films’ visual and emotional language. Rather than relying on a traditional orchestral score, Mann assembled a soundtrack of contemporary artists, including The Reds, Shriekback, The Prime Movers, and Iron Butterfly to establish and maintain the film’s mood and atmosphere. Standouts include The Prime Movers’ “Strong as I Am,” written specifically for the film; Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” which turns the psychedelic-rock classic into something genuinely menacing; and Shriekback’s “This Big Hush,” whose hypnotic rhythm gives one of the film’s quieter moments a dreamlike sense of dread.
This new 4K Final Cut, overseen by Mann, enhances the film’s depth, visual clarity, and sound, offering audiences the ultimate immersive version.
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You may be done with the DVD, but it’s not done with you.
Director Joseph Scrimshaw will be in the house for a Q&A as we present a very special Saturday night screening of his new film Dead Media!
The story of a troubled young woman, her lonely Gen X uncle, a haunted DVD, and a movie night that won’t die.
“Dead Media is an exciting homage to great horror, cult classics, and the bygone era of DVD bonus features.” -Twin Cities Geek
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For our final screening in our Broadway Thursdays: Segerstrom Center at The Frida series, we’re dying to bring you the wickedly funny cult classic Death Becomes Her!
Longtime rivals Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp will stop at nothing to outshine one another, until a mysterious potion promises youth and beauty forever. But immortality comes with a few unexpected side effects, and their decades-long feud quickly descends into increasingly outrageous acts of revenge, all while their bewildered plastic surgeon Ernest Menville is caught in the middle.
Years ahead of its time, Death Becomes Her blends razor-sharp satire with groundbreaking visual effects and gloriously camp performances from Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, and Isabella Rossellini. It’s the kind of deliciously over-the-top crowd-pleaser that only gets better with age.
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From the Amazon’s forbidden depths comes…Creature from the Black Lagoon!
Cinematic Void is invading The Frida Cinema again to present one of the crown jewels of Universal’s monster canon that introduced audiences to the unforgettable Gill-man!
When scientists exploring the Amazon River stumble on a “missing link” connecting humans and fish, they plan to capture it for later study. But the Creature has plans of his own, and has set his sights on the lead scientist’s beautiful fiancée, Kay.
Combining atmospheric underwater photography and unforgettable creature effects, the film remains a marvel of 1950s genre filmmaking. More than seventy years later, the Gill-man still stands among cinema’s most iconic monsters, re-surfacing from the depths every so often to captivate new generation of moviegoers.
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Our second Volunteer of the Month pick for July comes via Avalon, who has chosen chosen the hallucinatory body-horror classic Videodrome from visionary filmmaker and certified sicko David Cronenberg.
As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon “Videodrome,” a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.
Videodrome remains one of Cronenberg’s most provocative and unsettling works. Filled with unforgettable practical effects and audacious ideas, the film predicts a world consumed by screens while asking who controls the images we consume.
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Welcome to the witching hour.
We’re teaming with our spooky friend Kialey Hail (aka Ghoul Host) for a special 30th anniversary screening of the ultimate teen occult classic, The Craft!
When new student Sarah arrives at a Catholic high school in Los Angeles, she falls in with a trio of outsider girls who practice witchcraft. As their powers grow, so do their ambitions, allowing them to finally take control of their lives. But what begins as empowerment soon spirals into consequences none of them can escape.
A fun mix of Thriller and coming-of-age Drama, The Craft remains a defining artifact of ’90s alternative culture and a certified Frida Cinema classic. Powered by unforgettable performances from Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Robin Tunney, and Rachel True, this endlessly quotable cult favorite still casts a spell three decades later.
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She’s evil…and not just high school evil.
We’ve added an encore screening of Diablo Cody and Karyn Kusama’s iconic 2009 cult classic Jennifer’s Body!
Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader takes evil to a whole new level after she’s possessed by a sinister demon. Now it’s up to her best friend to stop Jennifer’s reign of terror before it’s too late.
Cody’s signature dialogue, the emo-era soundtrack, and terrific darkly comedic performances from a stacked cast including Amanda Seyfriend, Megan Fox, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, Kyle Gallner, and many more, make Jennifer’s Body the perfect 2000s era time capsule to present for Pride Month this year! Come see it on the big screen with a hot crowd!
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Play It By Fear is continuing their June Gloom programming as they present a Sunday Scaries screening of the black-and-white version of Frank Darabont and Stephen King’s The Mist!
After a violent storm, a dense cloud of mist envelops a small Maine town, trapping David Drayton and his five-year-old son in a local grocery store with other local residents. They soon discover that the mist conceals deadly horrors that threaten their lives, and worse, their sanity.
What can we say about The Mist that won’t spoil one of cinema’s best endings ever? It combines pulpy monster-movie thrills with a savage critique of fear-driven groupthink, and also features a career-defining turn from Marcia Gay Harden as the terrifyingly self-righteous Mrs. Carmody. Come see the version that Darabont always wanted audiences to see, as the black-and-white version proves superior for many fans!
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