Exhumed Films Presents Slasher Movie Madness!

Friday, March 13, 2014 – Doors at 7:00, show starts at 7:30 pm – $20 general admission, $15 IHP members HACK-O-LANTERN (U.S. theatrical premiere!) 1988 / 35mm / Dir. Jag Mundhra / 87 min. Hey, you there! Do you love slasher movies? You do?! Then I bet you also love Heavy Metal music, right? Of course! And it would stand to reason, then, that you also love Satan, yes? Right on! Well, my friend, have we got the film for you: a Satanic/Heavy Metal/Slasher movie, set on Halloween night! HACK-O-LANTERN (aka HALLOWEEN NIGHT, DEATH MASK) is a timeless cautionary tale that contains an important lesson for children: shun your grandparents, because they are probably Satanists. Ubiquitous genre character actor Hy Pike (BLADE RUNNER, SLITHIS, VAMP, DOLEMITE) plays a demonic old man who lures his young grandson Tommy into the world of Satanic cultism. Years later, a grown up Tommy is about to be officially initiated into the family hobby when a mysterious figure in a devil mask begins slaughtering residents of the small suburban town. Who is responsible for the murders? Is it Tommy? Grandpa? Or is someone even more sinister behind the carnage? Although given a theatrical release overseas, HACK-O-LANTERN was only released direct-to-video in the United States. Exhumed Films is pleased to present the FIRST EVER U.S. theatrical screening of this forgotten gem. Featuring insane musical sequences, impressive gore set pieces, and gratuitous nudity, HACK-O-LANTERN is not to be missed. HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS 1988 / 35mm / Dir. Dwight H. Little / 88 min. The box office failure of HALLOWEEN III was attributed in large part to the fact that it eschewed the usual slasher film tropes in favor of a sci-fi/supernatural bent. The film’s poor reception seemed to doom the popular horror series, but in 1988 producer Moustapha Akkad successfully resurrected the dormant franchise--as well as its iconic boogeyman, Michael Myers. While continuing the story without original writer/director John Carpenter may have been ill-advised, HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS is a surprisingly effective and well regarded sequel that towers above most of the awful series entries and remakes that followed. Although seemingly burned to death at the end of HALLOWEEN II (after also having both eyeballs shot out, mind you), silent stalker Michael Myers miraculously returns to terrorize the hapless residents of Haddonfield, IL ten years after his original killing spree. This time, he has fixated on the young daughter of his former victim (and sister) Laurie Strode. It's up to Michael's long-suffering psychiatrist Dr. Loomis (sole returning cast member Donald Pleasance) to once again pursue his patient and prevent more bloodshed. DON’T GO IN THE WOODS 1981 / 35mm / Dir. James Bryan / 82 min. We will be honest with you: DON’T GO IN THE WOODS has a bit of a mixed reputation. By mixed, we mean that some people hate it, while other people really hate it. Indeed, DON’T GO IN THE WOODS is considered by some to be the worst slasher film ever made. And yet, the film definitely has its charms; in many ways, it serves as a spoof of the genre by eliminating all characterization/motivation and just concentrating on the splatterific kills. And make no mistake—this film does not skimp on the splatter! The plot is hardly original: a group of hikers out for a weekend of partying in the woods are stalked by a deranged, machete-wielding maniac. Will the local sheriff and his deputy be able to rescue the hikers before it’s too late? Will the audience be able to remain in the theater until the film actually ends? See DON’T GO IN THE WOODS and find out!