You There! WIN ONE OF OUR GRAND PRIZE PACKAGES at the end of this article! What you’ll get: a SIGNED Forbidden Zone (remastered! in color!) DVD, a SIGNED Forbidden Zone poster and tickets to the screening of your choice this weekend at the Egyptian. Contest ends end of day Thursday (7/16).

HEADS UP AND SHRUNKEN
Richard Elfman’s Modern Vampires & Shrunken Heads @ Egyptian Theatre Fri Jul 17
Richard Elfman’s Forbidden Zone @ Egyptian Theatre Sat Jul 18

As previously mentioned, three contemporary classic Richard Elfman films will be screened by American Cinematheque at the Egyptian this weekend: Modern Vampires (”Uncut and fucking scandalous!” in the director’s own words) and Shrunken Heads Friday; Forbidden Zone on Saturday. Q&A and special guests both nights. We speak today with director Richard Elfman about the film Modern Vampires.

Richard, thanks for joining us. First off: Why the name change from Revenant to Modern Vampires? (I like both titles.)

I like both titles too. People didn’t know what “Revenant” meant. Shrunken Heads was originally “The Call of Mr. Sumatra.” Distributors changed that name.

Without giving too much away, you tackle a host of social issues in this film, which might ultimately be seen as an updated take on the classic vampire story. You’ve got abusive trailer park stepfathers, interspecies gang rape, crack-smoking vampire hunters, racist vampires, fascist-paranoid van helsingisms, and bisexual and lesbien acceptance among vampires to name but a few. With all of these issues packed into the film, what was the most important point you hoped to address in the film?

»continue reading Richard Elfman on Modern Vampires and This Weekend’s American Cinematheque Retrospective: The Losanjealous Q&A

HEADS UP
Richard Elfman’s Modern Vampires & Shrunken Heads @ Egyptian Theatre Fri Jul 17
Richard Elfman’s Forbidden Zone @ Egyptian Theatre Sat Jul 18

Elfman will bring all three classics to American Cinematheque at the Egyptian this month. Modern Vampires (”Uncut and fucking scandalous!” in the director’s own words) and Shrunken Heads Friday; Forbidden Zone (we talked about this one last year) on Saturday.

Don’t miss either night! Friday he’ll be there in person with Matthew Bright, Casper Van Dien and more; Saturday he’ll return with more guests. We’ll be talking to Richard about a couple of his films this week; stick around, but do purchase your tickets soon. (Fandango: Friday | Saturday)