Back in 1993, a high school student attended an all night marathon of horror films at the now-defunct Drexel North. The program included The Shining, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Exorcist – films the lad had never seen before, let alone on a big screen with a likeminded crowd. Young Joe Neff was hooked.
“Ah, the life altering Horror Marathon,” he remembers.
That epic slate of flicks had been pulled together by cinefile Bruce Bartoo, who’d programmed similar feats of cinematic endurance in Boston. A longtime projectionist and the mind behind the Drexel’s yearly SciFi marathon, Bartoo founded the 24-hour bombardment of scary flicks and obscure trailers in 1988. His run in with Neff – who had to work around his high school marching band responsibilities – would prove fruitful in years to come, when a partnership blossomed.
Nowadays the two work together to program Shock Around the Clock, a nomadic marathon that’s landed in nearly every theater in Columbus at one point or another. It lived its first six years at the Drexel North, came back to life after a three year absence at the Drexel’s Grandview location before moving for several years to Studio 35, then back to the Drexel Grandview, which became the Grandview Theatre, which hosted the fright fest for the last four years.
Regardless of its ever-changing address, the movie marathon continues to grab an audience. Says Neff, “We had our best attendance last year in ten years, so we have some momentum going.”
Bartoo agrees, but points out that he would defer to Neff if he had to. “He’s the historian,” he says.
“I have a great mind for minutia,” Neff admits.
“I can tell you details about Sixties pop songs,” clarifies Bartoo. “But he’s got all this stuff.”
“Together we’re unstoppable,” Neff decides.
Though attendance soared last year, the film festival finds itself in another location this weekend.
Returning to its Drexel roots, Shock Around the Clock 2013 creeps its way into the Drexel’s Bexley location (2254 E. Main St) at noon this Saturday (10/26) and ends its reign of terror at (or around) noon the following day.
Why another move? Because the new venue offered the best of both cinematic worlds: state of the art digital presentation and 35 mm projection.
“Having the DCP option, and their willingness to bring back 35 made it the best place for us,” says Bartoo.
The two projection options open up programming possibilities. The marathon has always boasted Bartoo’s eclectic collection of film trailers, including audience favorite Werewolves on Wheels, which are in 35mm. This is also the most likely format for many of the more obscure horror gems the two are interested in sharing with the crowd.
Newer and more mainstream titles, however, are available in DCP.
“When the Drexel was willing to bring the film projector back, that was a big deal for us,” says Neff. “I was pretty adamant from the beginning I didn’t want to do if it was just DCP. Most of the DCP stuff has been very mainstream, and that was our biggest fear in going without 35.”
Drexel theater director Kevin Rouch is excited to host the marathon and realistic about what it will take.
“It’s a lot of planning to make sure that we can run both systems at once – both the 35 and digital,” he says. “For us it’s a manpower issue. We want to make sure we’re adequately staffed for the whole thing.”
What will you be able to peruse via these formats? This year’s program hits everything from classics such as The Wolf Man and The Exorcist to current fare including Rob Zombie’s Lords of Salem and the laugh riot The Cabin in the Woods. Expect some obscure titles (Q: The Winged Serpent), throwback fun (Fright Night, Candyman), and a few questionable decisions (Trick or Treat, The Night of a Thousand Cats).
Both programmers are most excited to share Dario Argenta’s Suspiria.
“It’s just such a theatrical experience,” says Neff. “If you go looking for every piece of gore, you’re missing the point.”
Bartoo agrees. “It’s the style, the editing, the sets.”
Neff continues, “It’s become kind of a modern classic, and it’ll be the first time a decent amount of the audience has seen it in a theater.”
Both consider a lot of elements before landing on a lineup for each year’s marathon.
Says Neff, “You always try to think what people want to see, what will work best with the crowd, what will piss off the crowd.”
“What they’ll buy tickets to see,” adds Bartoo.
“But we’re not being totally cynical and throwing things out we don’t even like,” Neff adds. “Anytime you program something like this, you’re going to have your personality imbued in it somewhere.”
This weekend, you too can witness the wonder twin powers of Bruce Bartoo and Joe Neff. Tickets are $37 in advance, $40 at the door. Purchase tickets at the Drexel Theatre, Laughing Ogre Comics (4258 N. High St.) or online at www.scifimarathon.com/Horror/.
A full slate of movie reviews is available on my website www.maddwolf.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @maddwolf and like me on Facebook at facebook.com/MaddWolfColumbus.