Season seven of Bar Trash was called ENCORE!!!, a celebration of two sensational years of bar screenings at Genesis Cinema. ENCORE!!! (aka ‘More of the bloody same’) took inspiration from all six previous seasons and 77 editions of Bar Trash. A “Classics” strand featured six audience favourites back by popular demand, while “Also by…” delivered six new titles from much-loved directors. There was more from vintage VHS, a brand new mystery film that we only revealed on the night, and a birthday screening of one of my all-time favourite grindhouse films, BASKET CASE (1982).
ENCORE!!! opened with shot-on-video ‘trashterpiece’ BOARDINGHOUSE (1982), postponed from its sold out show in season 6 due to a power cut. But the season highlight was undoubtedly our celebration of our 90th scheduled show*, a recreation of William Castle’s spook-tacular moviehouse gimmick, EMERGO, for HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959).
You can read more detailed writeups about each of these events – including audience comments from our ‘trash or treasure’ polling cards – over on LETTERBOXD (@tokenhomo).
*Actually our 88th due to last-minute programming changes…
#078: BOARDINGHOUSE d. John Wintergate (1982 / USA / 88mins)
Genesis Cinema 08 MAY 2024 [full event info]
And at last, the curse of BOARDINGHOUSE was lifted… We had tried to show John Wintergate’s proto SOV horror film in Season 6 but that sold out screening was cancelled at the last minute thanks to a power cut (the alternative title for the film is ‘Housegeist’ after all…). Having finally checked in with another full house, I think it’s safe to say, you were either hypnotised by the film’s SOV lunacy, or you were left unsatisfied by BOARDINGHOUSE’s discordant fixtures and fittings… Of the 35 available audience review cards, 19 voted ‘treasure’ (“my kind of movie” / “utterly enjoyable nonsense”), 12 voted ‘trash’ (some leaning into the negative “more like bored-ing house” / some in shock and awe “100% worth it”), and 4 swung both ways. My improvised ‘Psychic Soap Challenge’ was probably one of my favourite bits of intermission nonsense in a long time…
#079: THE ALIEN FACTOR d. Don Dohler (1978 / USA / 80mins)
Genesis Cinema 15 MAY 2024 [full event info]
Don Dohler’s loving homage to classic 1950s creature features, THE ALIEN FACTOR, was filmed in Baltimore by a collection of hardcore sci-fi fans and filmmaking novices…. Full of elaborate costumes, stop-motion creatures, and spaceship miniatures, THE ALIEN FACTOR screens like a cosplay version of THE PREDATOR (2018), but has oodles of homemade charm that film lacks.
Bar Trash audiences first fell in love with THE ALIEN FACTOR’s wish-fulfilment aesthetic when it screened way back in Season 1. This time? Of the 25 available audience review cards, 23 people voted ‘treasure’ (“Brilliant film, loved the shock ending”), 1 voted ‘trash’ (“Aliens killing aliens! When will it end?!”), and 3 swung both ways (“Did they spend $4k on terrible wigs or is that just what hair looked like in the 70s?”). For many, THE ALIEN FACTOR was “a brilliant joy”, “the best”, “the cheapest film I’ve ever seen. But so beautiful!” and a film that is “ambitious, funny + gruesome” where “the monsters were all very sweet”.
#080: DAY OF THE ANIMALS d. William Girdler (1977 / USA / 98mins)
Genesis Cinema 22 MAY 2024 [full event info]
Eco-horror film DAY OF THE ANIMALS is William Girdler’s epic follow up to GRIZZLY (1976), last seen in Bar Trash Season 2, TRASH PLANET. About a group of badly-prepared hikers trying to evade the onslaught, DAY OF THE ANIMALS was made with a bigger budget, a larger cast, and even more angry animals… Of the 23 available audience review cards, 19 people voted ‘treasure’, 4 voted ‘trash’, and nobody swung both ways ;).
Comments focussed on the film’s accidental head-on collision with a contemporary viral “bear or man” memes on social media that have once again reinforced the terrifying prevalence and consequences of toxic, predatory and dangerous masculinity in women’s lives. In a literal battle between man (represented by a shirtless Leslie Nielsen gone “feral”) and bear (trained by Susan Backlinie and Monty Cox), the bear wins (“Bear did good!”), which was celebrated with a massive ‘whoop’ from our BAR TRASH audience (“This movie should be shown to all the bros who don’t get it why BEAR > MEN always!”).
#081: DEMONOID: MESSENGER OF DEATH d. Alfredo Zacarias (1981 / Mexico / 79mins)
Genesis Cinema 29 MAY 2024 [full event info]
Bar Trash first encountered Mexican director Alfredo Zacarias with his epic eco-disaster movie BEES (1978), part of Bar Trash season 5, TRASH PLANET 2. That’s the film where swarms of angry killer bees bring down planes, evolve the ability to speak, and storm the United Nations to demand shared ownership of planet Earth… We simply had to bring him back for an encore!
Of the 33 available audience review cards, 25 voted ‘treasure’ (“incredible” / “wow…”), 7 voted ‘trash’ (“wonderfully awful!” / “fell asleep mostly due to drinking”), and 1 swung both ways (“trash AND treasure!”). Maybe it’s our bar setting, maybe it’s ‘hump day’, or maybe we’ve just gathered a hot crowd, but BAR TRASH reviews often veer towards the thirsty, so it’s not surprising that the exploitation-to-the-max bolt-on opening sequence (shot by Jim Wynorski for the film’s North American release) went down so well: “Best film I’ve seen here so far. More films with gratuitous nudity please!”. I’ll see what we can do…
#082: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON: 70TH ANNIVERSARY d. Jack Arnold (1954 / USA / 79mins)
Genesis Cinema 05 JUNE 2024 [full event info]
Returning for a 70th anniversary screening, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON is an eco-horror pioneer that introduced the last of the Universal classic monsters. It was also the most popular film requested by BAR TRASH audiences for a repeat screening in our ENCORE!!! season having first appeared in TRASH PLANET 2. Of the 35 available audience review cards, 34 voted ’treasure’ (“Pure treasure!”), 1 swung both ways (“pure trashy treasure… f*cking loved it”), and no one voted ‘trash’. Which looks like a smash!!!
#083: BASKET CASE d. Frank Henenlotter (1982 / USA / 91mins)
Genesis Cinema 12 JUNE 2024 [full event info]
The trailer for BASKET CASE played from VHS back in season 6, and the crowd went wild… so it’s only right the full feature made its first appearance in Bar Paragon. This time, BASKET CASE was seen in all its gory glory from a stunning 4K digital restoration from the original film negatives, completed with the cooperation of writer/director, Frank Henenlotter. Of the 25 available review cards, 19 voted ‘treasure’ (“One of the greats!”) 2 voted ‘trash’ (“Delightfully trashy”), and 3 swung both ways or didn’t declare (“I shat enough bricks to build a house”).
#084: Mystery Film: THE DEAD NEXT DOOR d. J.R. Bookwalter (1989 / USA / 78mins)
Genesis Cinema 19 JUNE 2024 [full event info]
Bar Trash mystery films are always a nerve-racking time for me… Will the audience love, hate, or just not rise to the film once revealed? I needn’t have worried… Our sold out crowd packed Bar Paragon and gave JR Bookwalter’s Super 8 teenage zombie apocalypse, THE DEAD NEXT DOOR (1989), more love than it’s had in London for a long while.
Of the 39 available audience review cards… 31 voted ’treasure’ (“Great gory slapstick fun!” / “The most engrossing film I’ve seen in a long time” / “Epic”), 2 voted ‘trash’ (“Very charming trash” / “Loved it”), and 6 swung both ways (“Thank you for making my week!”), which looks like another total smash to me!
#085: MATILDA from VHS 📼 d. Daniel Mann (1978 / USA / 87mins)
Genesis Cinema 26 JUNE 2024 [full event info]
MATILDA first featured in BAR TRASH season 3, TRASH OR TREASURE?, a celebration of ‘The Worst Films of all Time” as listed in The Golden Turkey Awards (1980). Nominated for “The Worst Film You Never Saw”, MATILDA was pulled from distribution following disastrous test screenings in 1978 and has rarely been screened publicly since. This was one of my personal picks to bring it back for an encore, this time screening from a vintage, pre-certificate VHS tape from recently added to my private collection.
Of the 16 available review cards, 10 voted ‘treasure’ (“Amazing family film”), 3 voted ‘trash’ (“Of all the boxing films I’ve seen, this has to be the worst. Glad I saw it though.”), and 3 swung both ways (“The best kangaroo-family comedy-boxing movie ever!”), which looks like a win on points, if not quite a KO.
#086: THE EVIL DEAD from VHS 📼 d. Sam Raimi (1981 / USA / 85mins)
Genesis Cinema 03 JULY 2024 [full event info]
THE EVIL DEAD (1981) was our fastest ever selling show when it launched BAR TRASH Season 6, a celebration of 1980s video culture. We simply had to bring it back for an encore… Of the 24 available audience review cards, 20 voted ‘treasure’ (“Always a favourite”), 1 ‘trash’ (“Yes, but in a good way”), and 3 swung both ways (“So much squirting!”).
This “horrible film” continues to shock and surprise and is “so far and by far the most terrifying film seen at Bar Trash” with its plentiful blood and gore (“Shelly, contender for most dramatic Bar Trash death scene?” / “Did they compensate a lack of dialogue with an abundance of blood??” / “Put me off milk for the time being”). Does THE EVIL DEAD stand up after all these years? One card is worth repeating: “One of the best, if not the best, student films ever. Possibly not as scary as it once was, however still insanely inventive.” One things that does stand up well, is the VHS version of the film from my 41yo tape, despite the 49seconds of cuts (“Thanks for sharing your childhood tape with us. Was so gnarly dude.”).
#087: ZONE TROOPERS from VHS 📼 d. Danny Bilson (1985 / USA / 86mins)
Genesis Cinema 17 JULY 2024 [full event info]
ZONE TROOPERS (1985) returns to BAR TRASH having first appeared in Season 3. It comes from the legendary American B-movie studio, Empire Pictures, which was founded by Charles Band. Of the 29 available audience review cards, 18 voted ‘treasure’ (“There’s something sooo great about this film!”), 8 voted ‘trash’ (“A bit slow”), and 3 swung both ways (“What was the zone?”). Which is one of the most divided rooms we’ve had in a while.
One review card seems to sum up the positive: “Brilliant fun, strangely sensitive, & excellent aliens. LOVED IT!”. The main criticism of ZONE TROOPERS seems to be its slow-burn, leaving people feeling the film dragged – a little or a lot – in its early stages. You then either love the film’s signature ‘GIs + ETs vs The Nazis’ battle for the planet, or you don’t… The “David Bowie-esque aliens” were an attraction for many.
#088: HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL presented with EMERGO! d. William Castle (1959 / USA / 75mins)
Genesis Cinema 24 JULY 2024 [full event info]
Now, this was a lot of fun. We’d staged William Castle’s THE TINGLER with a full DIY re-creation of seat-buzzing system PERCEPTO! in season 3 (in a bar!). Our 90th Bar Trash show was a good excuse to have another go… HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) was originally exhibited with EMERGO, “an exciting new screen device” that made sure “the thrills fly right into the audience!”.
Our sold out show started with a special presentation of ONE MAN’S TRASH, a short documentary film made about BAR TRASH by students from Imperial College at our recent encore screening of CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. Featuring interviews with me, event manager James from Genesis Cinema, and several members of the gathered trash, this beautifully observed and edited film, captured the heart of what we do (and brought tears to more than a few eyes…).
As to HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, of the 37 available audience review cards, 37 people voted ‘treasure’ (“This was my favourite Bar Trash yet”), and… there were no other votes! Which makes HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL our smashiest smash-hit for some considerable time (ever?).
As well as EMERGO’s signature ‘floating skeleton’ during the finale of the film, we threw in a few shocks of our own to pimp the process. EMERGO was promoted as an effect where “the thrills fly right off the screen” and so we wanted to push the idea as far as we could take it (in a bar, with no budget, and limited time…). We used the bar (that runs alongside our seating area) as a foley FX stage, and dangled some additional hand-made props into the projector beam… With ‘all hands to the pumps’ support from the venue staff (thank you!), we went to town…
#089: NIGHTBEAST d. Don Dohler (1982 / USA / 81mins)
Genesis Cinema 31 JULY 2024 [full event info]
Continuing our love affair with Don Dohler’s amateur dramatics from THE ALIEN FACTOR, we simply had to show NIGHTBEAST. Several cast members return – with many playing the same characters – for his third movie, which is an action-packed sci-fi shoot-em-up, kinda… Of the 25 available audience review cards, 20 voted ‘treasure’ (“Sensational!”), 3 voted ‘trash’ (“Trash is a good thing, right?”), and 2 swung both ways.
There was a lot of love for the DIY practical magic in this one, with praise for John Ellis and Phil Cook’s stunning opening sequence (“very nice spaceship”), the gory makeup FX, and, of course, our creature of the disco light, the NIGHTBEAST himself (“AMAZING beast FX” / “I want to f*ck/meet the night beast”). Then of course, we must get to THAT sex scene, as two amateur actors (Tom Griffith and Karin Kardian) take off their work clothes and press their faces and body parts together… awkwardly and without one single ounce of eroticism. As a showcase for desire, NIGHTBEAST is lacking in chemistry: “Put me off heterosexual sex for life!!!”.
#090: GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA: 50TH ANNIVERSARY d. Jun Fukuda (1974 / Japan / 84mins)
Genesis Cinema 07 AUGUST 2024 [full event info]
BAR TRASH first encountered GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA in our fourth sensational season, MONSTER MAYHEM! A childhood favourite for many Godzilla fans, the film played to a sold out crowd in our second venue, Rule Zero (RIP). We were delighted to bring it to Genesis Cinema for an encore in celebration of Godzilla’s 70 years stomping the planet, and the film’s own 50th Anniversary. Of the 35 available audience review cards, 31 voted ‘treasure’ (“Wow, what a film! Truly a masterpiece!”), 2 voted ‘trash’ (“Not enough Godzilla – Hamlet without the prince”), 1 swung both ways, and 1 was, erm, undecided… which looks like a total stomp!
#091: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2 from VHS 📼 with Gemma Gore d. Tobe Hooper (1986 / USA / 101mins)
Genesis Cinema 14 AUGUST 2024 [full event info]
After our sensational VHS Collecting Day and SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE double-bill, the incredible tapehead Gemma Gore returns to BAR TRASH with another vintage VHS tape from her personal collection, Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2. Of the 17 available cards, 12 people voted ‘treasure’ (“Bet the chili tasted mint!”), 4 swung both ways (“Confused but happy”), and 1 was undecided. No ‘trash’ votes were registered. Gemma’s 1996 Anchor Bay US gatefold VHS played brilliantly, justifying its ‘digitally remastered collector’s edition’ ballyhoo (although quite how this works on an analogue tape I still don’t fully understand… I’m sure someone out there can tell me!).
#092: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: 4K RESTORATION d. George A. Romero (1968 / USA / 96mins)
Genesis Cinema 21 AUGUST 2024 [full event info]
We were meant to be wrapping our seventh season of BAR TRASH with one of the most influential horror films of all time, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968). However, a change to our schedules granted finale status to ATTACK OF THE BAST CREATURES one week later. Still, this was a special treat, screening the 4K restoration of George A. Romero’s masterpiece that both restored the film to its original nightmarish quality and finally secured copyright protection for this much-abused title.
Of the 14 available review cards (we ran late, again…!), everyone voted ‘treasure’… but was it ever in any doubt?! A total smash and nothing less than this savage masterpiece deserves…For anyone who had seen NIGHT OF THE LIVING before, the 4K restoration offered an extraordinary level of clarity in a film that has lurked for decades in the shadows of shoddy rips, scans and bootlegs: “Really good seeing it in new detail.”
#093: ATTACK OF THE BEAST CREATURES d. Mike Stanley (1985 / USA / 80mins)
Genesis Cinema 28 AUGUST 2024 [full event info]
We got there!!! Season 7 of BAR TRASH — ENCORE!!! — wrapped with a delayed screening of ATTACK OF THE BEAST CREATURES (1985).
… The reviews are in… Of the 25 available audience review cards, 20 voted ‘treasure’ (“Weirdly exciting”), 4 voted ‘trash’ (“The beast creatures remind me of my cat when she’s hungry”), and 1 remains undecided. This “infinitely charming” DIY, lo-fi horror show assembles a team of distinctly am-dram actors on a remote island (actually Stamford, Connecticut…) to be harassed by an endless hoard of puppet-sized monsters: “It’s amazing what you can make with $20”. But most importantly, it was “Definitely worth the wait!”.
#094: CREATURE DOUBLE FEATURE: REVENGE OF THE CREATURE d. Jack Arnold (1955 / USA / 82mins) + THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US d. John Sherwood (1956 / USA / 78mins)
Genesis Cinema 07 SEPTEMBER 2024 [full event info]
A victory lap!? As a special treat for everyone’s support for all seasons of Bar Trash, and suitably enough for an ENCORE!!! season, we came back for one final show, a rare public screening of the CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON sequels.
It was a joy to introduce these wayward and too often overlooked films: one that mirrors the original – REVENGE OF THE CREATURE (1955) – and one that dares to be (too?) different – THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US (1956). As it was the end of the season, I’d run out of time and audience review cards, but the general consensus was clear: whatever was done to the Gill-Man, there remains a huge amount of love for him in our room.
Thanks again for all your amazing support throughout this and every season. Season 7 played to well over 1,000 people, which isn’t bad for a lil’ old bar show… And thank you to the entire crew at Genesis, your support and enthusiasm for our own wayward creature keeps the whole thing going. See you at the next one…? THx