An all new, pulse-pounding, high octane film series from the founders of the Retrofantasma Film Series!
Cinema Overdrive is an all new, monthly film series dedicated to bringing you the very best in cult, exploitation and gonzo action cinema. Specializing in the audacious, the ludicrous and the flat out ridiculous, each Cinema Overdrive screening will bring you some of the rarest and most entertaining trailers and features you’ll ever see. Many of the offerings in this series you may have never seen, or perhaps have never even heard of! But fret not as a good time is guaranteed for all. And since we aim to recreate a true, authentic grindhouse experience from long bygone era, all offerings will be on 100% genuine, honest to God 35mm film!
The brainchild of local film archivists Matt Pennachi and Adam Hulin, Cinema Overdrive features a line-up of films that crosses multiple genres and eras. However, all are bound by the same spirit of pure enjoyment and insanity. When we founded the Retrofantasma Film Series back in 1998 our goal was to have the opportunity to show a few of our favorite horror films on the big screen. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that series would still be going strong 11 years later, but it is and we’re incredibly proud of that. Yet despite the longevity and success of that series, we have always felt that there was another subculture of films that was being sorely overlooked. Having the opportunity to put together a series of this nature was something that we’ve wanted to do for years, but never had the opportunity to do until now. Fortunately for film fans of the Triangle, Colony Theater general manager Denver Hill shares our enthusiasm for this project and has paved the way for its inception. The bastard offspring of the already established COOL CLASSICS repertory film series has been born!
CINEMA OVERDRIVE shows will take place on the second Wednesday of each month at the Colony Theatre in Raleigh, NC. All screenings will begin at 8:00pm and all tickets are just $5.00 per person. When the lights go down and the film hits the screen, be prepared for 2 hours of mind blowing celluloid entertainment! Not every screening will be the same, but all will be unique!
The great thing about doing a series of this nature is that anything is possible, so be prepared for the element of surprise each and every month. Without further ado, here is what we have in store for you for the inaugural season of CINEMA OVERDRIVE:
Wednesday, August 12th 8:00pm
DEATH RACE 2000 (1975)
-What better way to kick off our brand new film series than with a 35mm screening of the film voted the #1 drive-in movie of all time? In honor of the late David Carradine we’re very pleased to bring you this full throttle, road rage classic! Also starring Sylvester Stallone and Mary Woronov with deft direction from Paul Bartel, the only thing that comes faster than the destruction in this film is the laughs! Oh, and did we mention that our print comes complete with Swedish subtitles as well? Who says we’re not here to educate as well as entertain?
Wednesday, September 9th 8:00pm
??????????
-No, the reason that there is no title listed here is not because we don’t know what we’re showing yet. In fact, we know exactly what we’re showing on this evening, and the truth of the matter is that this film is SO DAMN AWESOME that we’re choosing to speak about it in hushed breath until the day of reckoning arrives! Trust us, if you can only make it out to the movies one time this year, you’ll want to be at the Colony Theater for this show! As the date draws nearer we will release more information and clues about this show, but if the suspense is just too much for you to bear be sure to attend one of the screenings of “The Big Lebowski” on June 17th or 18th for a special sneak peek at this show. Not only will the trailer be run in front of those “Lebowski” screenings, but the poster for this film will be hanging in the lobby as well. Come see the film that The Bride and her daughter watch together before bedtime…..
Wednesday, October 14th 8:00pm
PIECES (1982)
-OK, we admit it- we never get tired of seeing this ultra gory classic with an audience! Why is that? Well, if you have to ask that question then you’ve clearly never seen this film with an audience and you need to rectify that immediately. This film is absolutely hilarious! I kid you not, this is one of the most insane, over the top, ridiculous, ludicrous and flat out hysterical things ever committed to film. It’s a thing of beauty and a work of art! Forget going trick or treating this year for Halloween- the sweet stuff is right here at this show. If you think I’m lying ask anyone who has seen this film theatrically what it plays like. If you’ve never seen it then you owe it to yourself to attend this show. If you have seen it, you know that it is imperative to be at this show. It’s just too good to be missed!
Wednesday, November 11th 8:00pm
VICE SQUAD (1982)
-We promised that part of this series would feature gritty, gonzo action flicks, and this one is one of the very best. From the moment you hear the title song “Neon Slime” being sung over the opening credits (by star Wings Hauser, no less!), this film steps on the gas and doesn’t let up until the very end. It’s gritty and grimy, but believe it or not also very well shot, well directed and well performed. Featuring B-movie superstar Wings Hauser (in the role that made him a star), Season Hubley (the ex-Mrs. Kurt Russell) and Fred Berry (Rerun from “What’s Happening!”), this film is awesome on so many levels and makes “Angel” look like “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm”! Oh, and did we mention that Nina Blackwood, one of the original 4 VJs on MTV is also in this one? Of course we’re serious! And so is this film……
Wednesday, December 9th 8:00pm
LADY TERMINATOR (1988)
-Here it is, our Christmas gift to the good people of the Raleigh/Durham area. When’s the last time you saw an Indonesian action flick, dubbed into English, that spends approx. 80 minutes of its 82 minute running time ripping off the careers of both James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger at every turn possible? Well, this film does all of that and still features a character named Snake! (you know, to cover all of the bases of American action cinema). If anyone had actually seen this back in 1988 during its brief US theatrical run, lawsuits would have ensued for sure! Fortunately for all of us no one did, and thus there have been no court ordered injunctions preventing us from showing this shameless rip-off of a film! We have helped arrange screenings of this thing in various cities all over North America, and the audience reaction has always been huge with this one! We’re really excited to bring it home in time for the holidays and we know you’ll have a blast with this one. Sincerely!
