I literally had chills while watching All About Evil, no I really did. This cold I’ve gotten seems to have gotten worse and dug in just in time for the After Dark Film Festival. To say how much I enjoyed the film, despite feeling terrible, would be an under statement. In the end I was so glad I forced myself out last night.
This was how determined to see this first feature film by Joshua Grannell, aka Peaches Christ, a local San Francisco midnight horror, cult movie host.
Fay Slift showed up to host the pre-screening costume contest. Another first for me as I had yet to see this now infamous local queen and entertainer. And as a former make up artist, I did love both Fay's and Peaches make up. The prom queen was staffer at Toronto After Dark Film Festival deservingly won.
I new from this beginning that this was going to be a good low-budget (amazingly well done for the resources) camp black humour horror movie. I sensed it from amazing and very clever artwork produced for the opening credits and featured during the film as posters for the movie theatre owner whose fallen into horror moving making madness. With a reference to Jonestown, one can see Joshua’s influences of John Waters and many others, yet all the while cleverly making it his own.
“I wanted to the actors to push their acting, but not so much they are winking at you.” (I’m paraphrasing from memory_
Secondly, there is the cast. Three is no doubt Peaches Christ is a force to be wreckin with such as Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) Mink Stole, the little cutie Thomas Dekker, from "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles", as well as a few appearances from Peaches Christ herself, along with a few other queens.
This film is packed full of precious little moments that I just not give away and spoil these gems.
Peaches Christ, cast & crew have been touring throughout the US with quite a production bringing out characters for the screenings. This sounds like something that should not be missed, and we need here in Toronto
Since the Bloor Cinema is eerily like The Victoria Theatre, home to Deborah (the mad directrice featuring her shorts such as “The Maiming of the Shrew & The Diaries of Anne Frankenstein are brilliant titles), I think we should take up the cause to get “All About Evil” show to come to the Bloor Cinema.
The queer community is the perfect place to start this populist movement. As I keep hearing at the festival, it is the fans that make movies come to life. We now have the power in the day of Facebook, Twitter and other social networking avenues to put pressure on theatres and distributors to release films.
A screening of All About Evil with the traveling “Stage Show” as Joshua puts it, would be as much fun, or more than the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I already know which character I’d dress up as.
I’m writing a piece on The After Dark Festival, so I’m being judicious with every post, as I’m saving bits and pieces to keep fresh for the article. I’ll let you know when that comes out.
These images here include Joshua with Fay Slift (not dressed as Peaches for the night) helping out with the costume contest.
