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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 THE BLOGFIDENTIAL TELETYPE | Film News You Can Use, C-U<\/strong><\/p>\n What we\u2019re seeing on our beat this week<\/em> \u2026 Looks like it\u2019s time to spin on some unfinished business that is inspired by last week\u2019s Teletype<\/strong>, where we discussed both indie horror in our east central Illinois<\/strong> orbit as well as what we might now term \u201celevated film production\u201d as defined by the business being conducted recently out of Rantoul<\/strong>, in our next pair of blog-on-the-street sessions. Let\u2019s go with the horror first \u2026<\/p>\n The headline is past for the theatrical premiere of Horror Dadz Productions<\/strong>\u2019 latest found-footage tale, NIGHT TERROR<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, at the restored Lorraine Theatre<\/strong> in Hoopeston<\/strong>, but neither that project or its locally-based co-director, Joshua Brucker<\/strong>, are finished with the thrills. Just prior to the shows held on April 24-26<\/strong>, the Horror Dadz collective revealed that Terror Films<\/strong> had acquired the US distribution rights to NIGHT TERROR<\/strong>, which was made in the Watseka<\/strong> area with a cast primarily culled from the immediate region along with the core team, including fellow Horror Dad and co-director Hunter Nino<\/strong>, and Brucker is actively looking for auditions and locations for his next Iroquois County<\/strong> opus, NO WITNESSES<\/strong>, which is scheduled to be shot in late July and August. You can inquire about the film by writing to HorrorDadz [dot] Josh [at] gmail [dot] com<\/strong> and read more about NIGHT TERROR<\/strong> in this recent piece by Bloody Disgusting<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span> \u2026<\/p>\n A pair of talents and teams west of I-57 are also in the groove with their latest endeavors. HorrorFix Films<\/strong> of Springfield<\/strong> has been gearing up to make MANGLED: THE SHELBYVILLE TORTURE TAPES<\/strong><\/a><\/span> and has recently announced casting on Facebook<\/strong> for what apparently is a summer\/fall shoot; Ash Hamilton, Chanell Hamilton<\/strong>, and Stephen Taylor<\/strong> reunite for the scares following FINAL DAYS: TALES FROM THE END TIMES<\/strong>, which is in the Terror Films catalog as well, and the debut episode of an audio drama, Dislocated<\/span><\/strong>. Last month, Ash also taped an interview for the latest \u201csensations of being human\u201d documentary from Silver Compass Studios<\/strong> of Decatur<\/strong>, titled WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?<\/strong><\/a><\/span> Director Ben Harl<\/strong> has enlisted the Boo Crew Haunted House<\/strong> in Rochester<\/strong> as its thematic epicenter for exploring the concept of fear in all aspects of past and modern life; other early discussions have included Troy Taylor<\/strong> of the American Oddities Museum<\/strong> in Alton<\/strong> and Jackie Chin<\/strong> of ZPR Live Media<\/strong> in Ohio<\/strong>, with production expected to extend through the Halloween<\/strong> season. This piece follows the self-explanatory AFTERLIFE<\/strong> \u2026<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n Media outlets in the Jacksonville<\/strong> area have been priming the area communities for the imminent start of HOLLER<\/strong>, which we first mentioned last year and is set to begin shooting on Saturday, May 30<\/strong>, and continue through mid-June. The latest is this Muddy River TV<\/strong> appearance by directors and writers Devin Smock<\/strong> and Samuel Watkins<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, who are producing their debut indie feature under the Subterranean Sound & Vision<\/strong> handle and have been announcing a cast via Facebook including leads Rick Jensen<\/strong> and Teagan Ealey<\/strong><\/a><\/span> as well as Joe Rosing, David Sanchez, Mercedes DeSilva, Devon Lovell, Dave Krostal, Clayton Summers, Hanna Williams<\/strong>, and Chris Parker<\/strong>. In the spirit of an \u201cend of the world with zombies\u201d that forms the basis for HOLLER<\/strong>, a fundraiser will be held on Sunday, May 17<\/strong>, starting at 4 p.m.<\/strong> at the Illinois Theater<\/strong> in Jacksonville that will feature two of the defining titles in the subgenre, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH<\/strong> and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD<\/strong>, co-sponsored by Subterranean and Pizza Records<\/strong> \u2026<\/p>\n Finally, we invoke \u201cbooks\u201d at our own peril as one particular leatherbound scamp is making a return in the multimedia world of Chase & Shep<\/strong>, the stoner personae of local podcasters and musicians Chase Todd<\/strong> and Aaron Sheppard<\/strong>. Apart from Todd\u2019s involvement in the upcoming Camp Nostalgia Studios<\/strong> online show, THE SMALL AND TALL BOOK CLUB<\/strong>, the dudes and friends are currently filming their newest offbeat comic romp, CHASE & SHEP FUCK SHIT UP<\/strong>, and you can bet on \u201cEl Libro de Los Muertos\u201d being a catalyst of mayhem when the shit hits, beginning on October 3<\/strong>, for the fans and curious onlookers alike<\/a><\/span> \u2026 and that\u2019s what we can reveal for today. Always remember \u2013 this is not just movies, it\u2019s our lives.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History<\/strong><\/p>\n 30 Years Ago<\/strong> \u2026 Friday, May 10, 1996:<\/em> Warner Bros.<\/strong> releases the action film TWISTER<\/strong>, directed by Jan de Bont<\/strong> and starring Bill Paxton<\/strong> and Helen Hunt<\/strong>, which becomes the second highest grossing release of that year in the United States<\/strong> and Canada<\/strong> after INDEPENDENCE DAY<\/strong>. Many communities across the nation probably did not feel so enthusiastic about the movie because, less than a month before on the evening of Friday, April 19<\/strong>, an extremely volatile storm system produced dozens of tornadoes in the central Midwest and the South. More than 30 funnel clouds were reported in Illinois<\/strong> alone and two of the strongest, rated at the \u201cF3\u201d category, caused serious damage in southwest Urbana<\/strong> and nearly destroyed the small town of Ogden<\/strong>. Amazingly, the only person killed in those Champaign County<\/strong> incidents was a Missouri<\/strong> woman traveling on I-74<\/strong> near Ogden, according to a CNN<\/strong> report<\/a><\/span> at the time. A chronological chart of the unfolding weather disaster from that night can be found on Wikipedia<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span>, an illustrated analysis of why the storm behaved as it did can be reviewed in this report<\/a><\/span> filed by the UIUC Department of Atmospheric Sciences<\/strong>, a compilation of police and storm chaser video that depicts the tornadoes and aftermath can be viewed at The News-Gazette<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span>, and storm-by-storm information can be studied at The Tornado History Project<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, an on-line database of confirmed sightings in the United States that was designed and maintained by Joshua Lietz<\/strong> of Urbana. In the present, dearest readers should refresh themselves on tornado safety every spring by consulting the National Weather Service<\/strong><\/a><\/span> and other trusted agencies; those who take the “it’s only a movie” tack can look forward to the annual booking of TWISTER<\/strong> at the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in<\/strong> of nearby Hoopeston<\/strong>. [R] [Rev. 5\/8\/26]<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nChambana Film Society* presents Savoy Lumier\u00e8 2026* post-show feat. \u201cIdentities: Jewish American\u201d short film program (5\/8, 7 p.m.) Information<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n