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Our movie and media Calendar appears every Friday\/Saturday on <\/em>C-U Blogfidential<\/span><\/strong> and caters to the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!<\/strong><\/p>\n 4\/2: Pamela Powell (cohost and reviewer, \u201cReel Talk with Chuck and Pam,\u201d Champaign-Chicago, IL\/Racine, WI) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n This Report<\/strong> had been shaping up to be yet another all-horror film bonanza but, given the topic of our Almanac<\/strong> reprint that you\u2019ll see below, we\u2019re going to concentrate on timely Decatur<\/strong> news that, tra la<\/em>, all happens to be about producers taking their next steps with horror-themed projects. To start, actor Bishop Stevens<\/strong> has been busking about Facebook<\/strong> to crew up for his return to the Soy Capital later this month to finish the filming of his Derrick Todd Lee<\/strong> biopic, THE BATON ROUGE SERIAL KILLER<\/strong>. Location work is set to resume Sunday, April 21<\/strong>, and last for 10 days with a weekend break, per his comments, so those interested in helping should reach out to him via his personal account<\/a><\/span> or the official page of the film<\/a><\/span>, while those who want to learn more details and see a proof-of-concept trailer can visit this Indiegogo<\/strong> campaign<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n Speaking of, the 39-minute (!) proof-of-concept for Acrostar Productions<\/strong>\u2019 NIGHT OF THE DEAD SORORITY BABES<\/strong>, shot at the beginning of 2024 in a Vrbo<\/strong>-owned lake house in Decatur, has been posted on YouTube<\/strong><\/a><\/span> and their own Indiegogo fundraiser is set to close at the end of this Sunday, April 7<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Producer Ann Myrna<\/strong> and co-director S. J. Herman<\/strong> will be returning to downstate Illinois<\/strong> in a week\u2019s time to commence work on the real deal, to be directed by lead actress Angel Nichole Bradford<\/strong> as she did for the SORORITY BABES<\/strong> short, and are looking for female day players on Wednesday, April 17<\/strong>, to appear in this \u201ccampy horror\u201d exercise; write AcrostarProductionsVP [at] gmail [dot] com<\/strong> for specifics on the roles or other questions regarding their production needs.<\/p>\n To end, even though one hopes this is finally<\/em> the beginning, a cryptic picture of the pumpkin-headed co-star<\/a><\/span> of the long-in-coming fantasy-horror flick TRICK AND TREATS<\/strong> from Heroic Age Studios<\/strong> in Mt. Zion<\/strong> appeared earlier this week on Facebook with the equally cryptic caption, \u201cAre you ready?\u201d Considering the meat and potatoes (and copious mayhem, we\u2019ll presume) of the picture were filmed at the Heroic Age soundstage and in the Decatur area way back in 2018, there must be plenty of pent-up anticipation for it; written and directed by Eric Hector<\/strong>, TRICK<\/strong> was made by all these folks<\/a><\/span> who\u2019ve been patiently awaiting word on its fate. Intended to be the flagship title of a brand called Frightful 5000 Films<\/strong>, TREAT<\/strong> features appearances by Malcolm McDowell<\/strong> and Gary Busey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History<\/strong><\/p>\n 25 Years Ago<\/strong> \u2026 Monday, April 5, 1999:<\/em> An invitation-only audience fills the Avon Theater<\/span><\/strong><\/a> in downtown Decatur, Illinois<\/strong>, for its first movie presentation in several years, the biographical epic ELIZABETH<\/strong> starring Cate Blanchett<\/strong>, to complete a lively week of pomp and circumstance, as reported in the Herald & Review<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a>. Gregarious businessman Skip Huston<\/strong>, who has been involved recently in both the \u201cFlashback<\/strong>\u201d fundraising efforts at the nearby Lincoln Square Theatre<\/strong> and the popular \u201cHaunted Decatur<\/strong>\u201d seasonal tours, is working with partners to develop the refurbished space into a venue that can handle live events, such as the Christian and blues-rock music concerts that led up to tonight\u2019s show, and screenings of repertory and art films. Among Huston\u2019s staff is his wife Susan Blake<\/strong>, daughter Melissa Huston<\/strong>, and projectionist Chris Barnett<\/strong>, while his allies on the programming side include Troy Taylor<\/strong>, a writer and publisher of crime and paranormal histories, and Gary Strong<\/strong>, the local puppeteer<\/a><\/span> whose self-made marionette \u201cSpunky the Squirrel<\/strong>\u201d is set to star in an Avon \u201ckids club.\u201d Upcoming weekend shows will feature the science-fiction classic FORBIDDEN PLANET<\/strong> and current movies making the rounds such as A SIMPLE PLAN, GODS AND MONSTERS<\/strong>, and WAKING NED DEVINE<\/strong>. {R}<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n @ University YMCA, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area<\/strong><\/p>\n @ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL<\/strong> @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> @ Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong>
\n4\/10: Kristen Johns (videographer, \u201cChampaign Underground\u201d YouTube channel, Champaign-Urbana, IL)<\/p>\n
\n\u201cFriday Forum\u201d feat. Prof. Jay Rosenstein about Native American sports mascots and IN WHOSE HONOR?* (4\/5, 12 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nEPIC TALES (animation), FAMILY STAR (in Telugu with English sub), THE FIRST OMEN, MONKEY MAN, SOMEONE LIKE YOU, VIVA LA VIDA (in Mandarin with English sub), WICKED LITTLE LETTERS, DUNE: PART TWO, GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, KUNG FU PANDA 4 (animation), TILLU SQUARE (in Telugu with English Sub) (4\/5 on), AMC \u201cScreen Unseen\u201d (mystery movie) (4\/8, 7 p.m., sold out), BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN (in Hindi with English sub) (4\/10, 1\/15, 3:45, & 7:15 p.m.), MAIDAAN (in Hindi with English sub) (4\/15 p.m.), CIVIL WAR, STING (4\/11 on)<\/p>\n
\nTHE FIRST OMEN, MONKEY MAN, SOMEONE LIKE YOU, ARTHUR THE KING, DUNE: PART TWO, GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, IMAGINARY, IMMACULATE, KUNG FU PANDA 4 (animation) (4\/5 on), GONE WITH THE WIND 85th anniversary (4\/7, 1 & 7 p.m.; 4\/8, 4\/10, 7 p.m.), THE GODFATHER (4\/7, 3 & 7 p.m.; 4\/10, 7 p.m.), SUGA | Agust D Tour \u2013 \u201cD-Day the Movie\u201d (concert film) (4\/10, 7 p.m., IMAX), CIVIL WAR (4\/11 on)<\/p>\n
\nIllini Union Board presents \u201cSpring 2024 Weekend Films\u201d feat. FERRARI, Pine Lounge, 1st floor (4\/5-4\/6, 7 p.m.; free w\/i-card)<\/p>\n