Above is a poster I've created for the following event at the Alamo Drafthouse in Littleton, Colorado taking place on December 12, 2015. Everyone who buys a ticket to the show will receive a print of my poster for free!
From the Alamo Drafthouse: Littleton website, text by Walter Chaw:
(https://drafthouse.com/denver/show/equinox-double-feature-with-dennis-muren)
THE EQUINOX … A JOURNEY INTO THE SUPERNATURAL is a $6500 marvel. An early project from ILM wizard Dennis Muren, it’s a key influence on THE EVIL DEAD, and conjures images that prefigure later Muren magic like the bat-winged beast in DRAGONSLAYER and RETURN OF THE JEDI’s Rancor Pit sequence. Moreover, Muren’s “little monster movie that could” exemplifies how skill, persistence, and a genuine love for genre can sometimes generate a legendary product.
Citing Willis O’Brien’s KING KONG, Don Siegel's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, and classic genre 'zine FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND as chief inspirations, the teenage Muren shot his no-budget creature feature with a team of young effects artists, then sold it to Hollywood producer Jack H. Harris (THE BLOB, DARK STAR). The enterprising Harris re-cut the film (carefully keeping Muren & Co.’s imaginative monsters), added a villain, shortened the title to EQUINOX, and released it nationwide. The space between the two versions tells a fascinating story of ingenuity and passion, and the breathless leap from backyard filmmaking to commercial distribution in the grindhouse era.
In association with The Criterion Collection, we’re proud to present both versions of this landmark film with nine-time Oscar-winner Dennis Muren in attendance. We'll also screen PONDWING, writer-director Brock DeShane's short ode to one memorable shot in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Dennis and Brock, who collaborated on Criterion’s restoration of EQUINOX, will participate in a Q&A and hang out for a signing during intermission. Join us as we talk EQUINOX, the art of visual effects, and the ongoing STAR WARS saga with one of the guys who was there from the very beginning.
