midnites for maniacs

Asking someone to “go with you” to Prom was (is) one of the most horrifying memories from High Skool. Many just skipped the whole embarrassing event altogether. So here’s your chance to ask that certain someone to Prom. (And I wanna hear about how creative your propositions were!)

F 7:30p: Pretty In Pink - 1986, 96 mins
Directed by Howard Deutch, Written by John Hughes
Containing: Molly Ringwald, John Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, James Spader, Andrew “Dice” Clay, Kristy Swanson, Gina Gershon & Harry Dean Stanton.

We kick our Prom Night off with that ancient 80’s battle: The Yuppies vs. The New Wavers. As the kooky Duckman does his best to win the heart of fellow off-beat, post-punker Andie, the “major appliance” Blaine attempts to prove that there’s more to yuppie-love than hawt cars & blonde bimbos. With the red-headed charm of Ringwald, the dramatic romanticism of Cryer, and the soft-spoken words of McCarthy (not to mention the sleeze-drenched scenes of Spader-man), nothing captures late-80s High Skool Hollywood better than this. And beware, there’s gonna be some ‘80s Teen-trailers that will be as much fun as the feature!

9:45p: Carrie - Directed by Brian DePalma 1976, 98 mins
Containing: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, William Katt, Nancy Allen, John Travolta, P.J. Soles;
Combining female empowerment, witch mythology, young adult novels & some good ol’ fashioned T&A, Stephen King’s first novel makes for the perfect big screen, blood-drenched, fright-fest. Carrie White’s (Spacek) good-natured innocence is put to the ultimate test by the most deliciously mean-spirited teenagers you ever did see. Even with the help of her Gym teacher & “The Greatest American Hero” (Katt), Carrie’s nightly battles with her over-bearing mother (Laurie) & the random cruelty from principals & neighborhood boys punctuates just how hellish High Skool truly is.
Come on out and support poor “Creepy Carrie” from all the meanies in the world!

11:59p (midnite): Prom Night - Directed by Paul Lynch 1980, 90 mins
Containing Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Casey Stevens, Anne Marie-Martin

We round out the night with this Canadian knockoff of John Carpenter’s Halloween, which packs quite a punch with it's ominous camera angles, brutal deaths and bitchin’ soundtrack. As the teens are hunted down by an axe-wielding maniac for a childhood crime they all committed, Jamie Lee Curtis will be awarded (by me) the Prom Queen crown for being totally sexy and for her show-stopping Disco dancing routine. Here’s your chance to see a true Stalker classic before the official remake disgraces theatres later this year. Plus, there’s gonna be some killer trailers from obscure Stalker films before the film!

MiDNiTES FOR MANiACS programming & notes by Jesse Hawthorne Ficks
Advance Tix for $10 available at www.ticketweb.com or at the Castro Theatre box office. Please contact Jesse at www.midnitesformaniacs.com or email him at freekyfridays@gmail.com