Pre-h'ween in LA, Night 2

Great timing is not normally in my wheelhouse. Live and learn, maybe next time, and oh well it'll come out soon on DVD, are my watchwords.

So I was nerdily delighted when a rare "Trick 'R Treat" showing fell into my lap. The only night we didn't have plans happened to coincide with a one-night screening of this elusive internet sensation.

For whatever reason, the suits decided not to give this homage to h'ween a wide release or really any release at all and people like me were left wringing their werewolf gloves in agony.

Of course, today is the day that it's being released on dvd (yay!), but I figured, how great to see it on the big screen with several fellow-minded horror geeks?

Well before the 8 pm start time, a line began to form outside the Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax, a cool little indie place that reminded me exactly of the art house screens in Palo Alto, Berkeley and other college towns of my homeland. What I hadn't realized was the entire horror program the theater had planned for the whole month - a good mix of popular and obscure films and, and! a rare festival of Jose Mojica Marins, the Brazilian phreak who I've come to love, thanks to IFC. The fact that there are practically no horror festivals in SF this year made it hard to hide my jealousy.

To keep us occupied, a member of the staff strolled the line offering candy from a giant, splintering easter basket. Maybe it was the basket's shoddy workmanship, or the fact that this woman weighed about 90 pounds, but sadly, seconds after she began her rounds, she dropped the whole thing. I know it was cruel but there was something grimly hysterical about it. Sort of like Kevin on the Office with his big kettle of chili.

Anyhow, the event-ness was great, but not as great as the film. If you haven't seen it, get thee to a dvd. It's the first film I can think of that really nails every tenet of the holiday and in such an entertaining way. Brian Cox (the first Hannibal who also boasts two of my favorite things on his resume, Rushmore and Deadwood) was frickin amazing as was Sookie herself. Yes, Anna Paquin. Such incredible foresight of director Michael Dougherty, who there to do a Q and A, to put this now-horror icon in his first film.

The best part, though, was Sam. I won't say anymore than that - don't want to ruin the fun. But as Sugar said, he's the most darling evil figure ever.