By “Cinema” Dave
http://cinemadave.livejournal.com
Even though Halloween winds down this evening, this weekend will keep the party going with Day of the Dead festivities, especially in Ft. Lauderdale. The 10thannual tons of fun Florida Day of the Dead Skeleton Processional in downtown Ft. Lauderdale begins at 6 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 2.This rowdy processional will snake through downtown Ft. Lauderdale with many touch points that will involve the 34th Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF).
FLIFF runs Nov. 1 to 17. Savor Cinema will kick things off Friday, Nov. 1 with a special movie, Scream, Queen, which is a documentary about featured guest Mark Patton. An avuncular fixture at horror movie conventions, this gay actor has served on Scream, Queen panels with certified Scream Queens like Linnea Quigley, P.J. Soles and Barbara Crampton. While there is safety at a horror convention, this new documentary will present Patton’s struggles in the motion picture industry after A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge was released in 1985. Freddy’s Revenge will screen after Scream, Queen.
This Saturday evening, Nov. 2, at Cinema Paradiso-Hollywood and Sunday evening, Nov. 3, at Savor Cinema, Gamble Rogers: Down at the Terminal Tavern will screen. A documentary about singer, songwriter and raconteur, this documentary will present the life and times of a unique artist. Special guests Bill and Melissa Shepard Sykes will be in attendance at a special party Sunday evening at Savor Cinema. The couple is expected to walk the red carpet this Friday evening, Nov. 1, at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science Gala Party.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m., local resident Chris Noel will be visiting the Retro Pool Party at the Conrad Ft. Lauderdale Beach, 6th Floor, Spinnaker Pool Deck. Cast in the movie, Noel will be the Special Guest at the screening of Girl Happy, starring Elvis Presley. Filmed in Ft. Lauderdale circa 1965, Noel was cast as an “Elvis Girl.” While visiting Vietnam on a promotional junket, Noel became an advocate for Vietnam Veterans and worked for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. As a guest of the motorcycle posse, Rolling Thunder, she rode her chopper to Washington D.C. for many Veteran’s Day ceremonies.
On Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3:30 p.m. at Savor Cinema, Australian actress Radha Mitchell will receive the FLIFF2019 Career Achievement Award. With appearances in films like Olympus has Fallen, Silent Hill and Man on Fire (co-starring Denzel Washington); Mitchell will attend the screening of her new movie, Celeste. Celeste is a family drama that was filmed in North Queensland, Australia.
On Saturday, Nov. 9, Justin Long will attend the Centerpiece Party at Savor Cinema. The actor, producer and podcaster will present his new film, Safe Spaces at 8:30 p.m., and will receive the FLIFF 2019 Career Achievement Award.
To close out the evening, Popcorn Frights will screen the Sam Raimi scary flick, Drag Me to Hell, co-starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long.
Over 100 FLIFF Catalogs have been given away at Deerfield Beach Percy White Library since last Saturday. While the catalogs are likely to be gone at the time of this column’s publication, pocket schedules will still likely to be available.
Keep the party going, but have a safe and Happy Halloween.
