Find the Madness Online and One Last Arrrrrrr!

We've shut things down here at the blog until next year's Midnight Madness Programme and MM Programmer Colin Geddes has been disassembled and sent to the shop for cleaning (you wouldn't believe what gets stuck in his cogs and gears), but things are going strong on the Midnight Madness Facebook page and on our new Midnight Madness Tumblr. So if you need a little dose of the Madness come by for a hit.

And, courtesy of Madnik Heather, click through for one last pirate "Arrr" available whenever you need it throughout the year!

Thanks to Colin, all the bloggers, all the filmmakers and volunteers, and most especially thanks to our audience for making the Madness happen!

The Madness, Sketched!

All Cheerleaders Die

Francis Foster made some very nice sketches of the 2013 Midnight Madness program at his Tumblr page, Sketchy Musings. Click through to see reviews of the films and more sketches every day.  

All Cheerleaders Die

The Green Inferno

The Station / Der Blutgletscher

Afflicted

Oculus

Almost Human

Rigor Mortis

R100

Why Don't You Play In Hell?

The Guardian Reports On The Madness!

Overcome by the Madness, audience member toy with the very globe!

The Guardian reports on Midnight Madness and gives our own MM Photographer, Ian Goring, a mention. Midnight Madness does make dreams come true!

When it first began 25 years ago, Midnight Madness was "a little bit more rough and tumble, and the audience was, like, drunk and stoned and rowdy", says Geddes. "But after a while, realising that what they were seeing was the crème de la crème of genre films, it built this kind of genre sophistication." 

The poster boy here is Eli Roth, whose groundbreaking horror Cabin Fever came out of nowhere in 2002 to earn not only audience devotion but some of the year's biggest sales. Writing in this month's Hollywood Reporter, Roth was effusive about how Midnight Madness changed his life. Other films to make their name at the Ryerson cinema include Ong-Bak, Hostel and The Raid. (Geddes: "I think I can accurately boast that I'm the first person to get 1,200 people into a cinema in North America to watch a film from Indonesia.") 

Fittingly for Tiff, Midnight Madness hasn't just been a springboard for directors. "There was one kid I would run into," Geddes recalls. "Shy, quiet kid. He always asked to take a picture of me and the director after the film. Then one year he sent me the pictures – and they were beautiful. He and his father drive in every day from Niagara Falls, an hour's drive away, see Midnight Madness and drive back. So I ended up getting him a media press badge – he's now my official paparazzi. He even took pointers from the other photographers, so now he knows how to get a star's attention: 'Over here, look over, to the right …'"

Read more here.

Behold the Vines of Midnight Madness!

Swamp Thing would like to show you his Vines.

Our Facebook Overlord has collected Vines from the Midnight Madness experience and posted them in one convenient location. Click through and see things you people wouldn't people--or, well, you very likely would.

Anyway, click through for all the six-second video action you can handle!

Midnight Madness Memories: MM Photographer Ian Goring's Midnight Madness Problem

We see a lot of Ian Goring's photographs on the MM Blog, but we don't hear much from him, what with all the photography he does. So this year Colin asked Ian to share some of his memories of Midnight Madness ~ The Editor.

My name is Ian and I have a Midnight Madness problem. 

First year attended : 2004 
First Midnight Madness film: Saw 
Hooked ever since... 

For me Midnight Madness not just about the films, or the big stars--it's always been about the experience it's about the atmosphere and the excitement that you just can't get anywhere else. I started attending the film festival back in 2004 when my brother was in film school and he had to attend a few screenings at the festival for one of his courses. My father and I decided to tag along. I saw a few other films at the festival during the day, but the one that really caught my attention was a film called Saw. I had heard some buzz going around about it and the idea of a Midnight screening sounded like fun. 

Seeing a line up around the block was a bit intimidating at first, but after getting our spot in line it was really cool to talk with other like-minded fans, hear about what films they had seen and what had brought them to the festival. They came from all walks of life, students, cashiers, doctors, dentists, lawyers.... some were long-time fans while others were attending the festival for the first time like me. Unfortunately for me, the film had sold out, so I had to stick it out in the rush line and hope there were some seats left over. I had been to a horror convention the month before and Lionsgate was just starting to promote Saw and I had been lucky enough to grab a few posters, stickers and t-shirts and so I brought them along with me in hopes of bartering my way up the line and improve my chances of getting in. 

After some schmoozing and most of my posters and shirts had been traded off, I had worked my way up to around 5th in line. I found out the people in front of us had volunteer vouchers which could be used as a ticket if rush seats become available. Another volunteer came by and gave us some extra vouchers as well which was pretty cool, but I still didn't have an actual ticket.

Time continued to tick away. At 30 minutes to midnight and I still had my fingers crossed. Then another film-goer came along with 2 tickets to sell. My dad and brother quickly scooped then up and headed off to join the ticket holders line. I waited, hoping I will still be able to get in and find them in the theatre. Then someone came along the line and said they had an extra ticket, I quickly grabbed my wallet and started to get some money out to buy it. They waved it off, "Don't worry about it, you can have it for free, it's late tonight and I just want to make sure someone gets to use it." 

This person had made my night. I finally had a ticket in hand! I thanked them a few times over, took the volunteer vouchers out of my pocket I had been given earlier and gave them to the other people behind me in line so they could use them and headed off to join the rest of the ticket holders. Line Karma comes around, so don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with the people around you, you never know who you might meet. 

After a short while we were let into the theatre and as the seats began to fill up, beach balls were inflated and floated across the seats while everyone waited for the film to start while the audience started to chant "Colin, Colin, Colin!" I couldn't believe it, what had I gotten myself into? Then Midnight Madness programmer Colin stepped on stage and the crowd erupted in applause. They were chomping at the bit for the film to start and started hooting and hollering while Colin got the crowd going (and don't forget the pirate "Arrrgghhh's" when the No piracy warning came up on screen which has since infected all other screenings throughout the festival). The film hadn't even started yet and I knew this was going to be something special. If the Ryerson had had seat belts, I would have buckled myself in. 

During the screening, the crowd was loving it, jumping at all the scares, laughing, yelling out "oohhh no, don't go in there." I had never seen a film with so much audience interaction. I don't want to spoil the ending, but the collective gasp that came at the film's climax was incredible. I still get goosebumps when I think about it and it reminds me of what an incredible night that was. After the first year I was hooked. I had never had a viewing experience like that and I wanted more. I started out just picking a few films I thought sounded interesting, but gradually saw more and more. When the festival started to offer the Midnight Madness package (one ticket to every MM screening) in 2006 I knew that was the one for me, and I never looked back. Every night was something new and exciting and often it's the lesser known films that can hold the biggest surprises. It's kind of like being one step ahead of the curve because you see the films before anyone else, but you also don't know whats around the next turn. 

There's a reason I drive up from Niagara every night to attend the festival, then drive home after the screening, getting home at 3:30-4am, then go work my day job in the morning, and then drive back to the city to do it all over again for 10 days straight and have been doing so for the last 7 years. Every night is something new and exciting and it's very addicting.

Over the years I've gotten to see a number of my childhood heroes like George Romero, Dario Argento, Rob Zombie, Stuart Gordon and Eduardo Sanchez, but it's also been great to see a lot of up and coming directors really make a name for them self like James Wan, Eli Roth, Alex Aja, Simon Barret, Adam Wingard and Gareth Evans. Seeing a red carpet where the star arrives being pulled in and old fashioned cart by women and donkeys (Borat), or real live sheep are dressed up in bow ties and tiaras for a film about killer sheep (Black Sheep) to a full fledged Zombie take over of the red carpet where the undead attack director George Romero (Diary of the Dead), or a 12 person human pyramid and a director doing cartwheels onto the stage (ABC's of Death)--they don't call it Midnight Madness for nothing.

One of the other great things about Midnight Madness is the unexpected. You never know what's going to happen and when it does you just have to roll with it and have fun. A few years back when Borat premiered the projector broke about 30 minutes into the film. While the TIFF staff scrambled to fix things they decided to start the Q/A early. What followed was one of the funniest Q/A sessions ever and is the stuff of Midnight Madness legend. Colin was understandably upset, fearing a torch-bearing MM crowd asking for refunds, but everyone in the audience was having a riot seeing Borat field questions from the audience in character for well over half an hour. While the projector wasn't fixed that night and the screening had to be rescheduled, I remember getting up afterwards and hearing fans saying that was better than seeing a film. 

In past years we've also been treated to magicians performing card tricks while we waited, comedian Bobcat Goldthwaite doing a stand-up act, ambulances having to come to revive people after a screening, and even swat team uniforms worn by the stars of The Raid being thrown into the crowd. 

I have also been very fortunate because a few years back I also started taking photos at the festival just to try and capture some of the Madness for fun and soon after found myself helping out with the Midnight Madness blog, which is a collection of MM diehards who love to keep fans up to date with whats happening at the festival, giving them the inside scoop on what to see along with sharing trailers, behind the scenes photos and interviews, red carpet coverage, full Q&A sessions, and all things MM every day before, during and after the festival. It's also a great place to connect with other fans and see content you won't see anywhere else (No other blog has featured a TIFF bingo card ;)). 

created by Sasha James

I've been very lucky to be part of the Midnight Madness family and it grows every year because every Midnight Madness attendee is an important part of it. Year after year programmer Colin Geddes seems to top the previous year, and the energy and excitement seems to grow. I see people in line I met years ago and love catching up with them, and also love talking to newcomers who have heard about MM and want to see what all the excitement is about, or better yet are coming out for the first time. Midnight Madness is more than just the films, it's about the experience and energy, from meeting new friends in line, to the pre-screening beach ball matches, to the craziness on the red carpet and on-stage, to the excitement of the crowd not knowing whats coming next. Midnight Madness is about the theatre-going experience and it has to be seen to be believed.

Midnight Madness is Over. Now What?!

The gods of genre cinema can be so kind during Midnight Madness, but as the chaos and bloodshed of the program wash over us, we often forget that their kindness lasts only 10 days.

Now that we've reached the end of Midnight Madness, how are we supposed to maintain our high? We can't just shut down until next year's TIFF rolls around.

Thankfully there are tonnes of great events and screenings in the coming months to keep us up at night (though in most cases, not as late as midnight).

The Revue Cinema will once again be hosting its annual all-night Shock & Awe event on Saturday, September 28th, featuring screenings of Mac & Me, Jess Franco's Jack the Ripper, and headlined by a 35mm screening of JCVD and Bolo Yeung in BLOODSPORT!!! All films at Shock & Awe are presented on 16 and 35mm film!

You've no doubt seen the spots for them before TIFF screenings, that TIFF Bell Lightbox is putting on a huge exhibition and screening series on the films of David Cronenberg, this Fall! They're also screening The Changeling and Ginger Snaps on Halloween, as well as putting on retrospectives of the Coen Brothers and Nicolas Winding Refn.

The Toronto After Dark Film Festival runs October 17th to 25th at their new home, the Scotiabank Theatre. I'm sure their line-up is going to be full of stuff to get excited about, but until they announce it, I'm most excited about the Scotiabank's Super-Pop machines. Another exciting thing about the festival moving to the Scotiabank (have I said Scotiabank enough yet?) is that your purchases of TAD tickets will earn you Scene points!

The Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival runs November 29th to December 1st, showcasing new Canadian horror films.

I'm sure there are a lot more too, so post yours or other people's events in the comments section.

The 2013 Blackberry People's Choice Midnight Madness Award Winner!

This year's Blackberry People's Choice Midnight Madness Winner is Why Don't You Play In Hell! Congratulations to director Sion Sono and the cast and crew from all of us at the Midnight Madness Programme Blog!

Here's Sion Sono's response on winning the Award:

「こんな賞が欲しかった。この映画は、こういう賞を求めてた。

この映画がジャンプして喜んでいる姿が目に浮かぶ。」

This is what we always wanted. Our film was looking for something like this award. I can clearly picture that the film is jumping around and expressing the happiness.

And this year's runner-ups were Oculus, directed by Mike Flanagan, and, Witching & Bitching, directed by Álex de la Iglesia. Congratulations to Mike Flanagan, Álex de la Iglesia and the cast and crew of both films!

Midnight Madness 2013 Playlist!

What are those rad tunes playing in the Ryerson every night, you might have asked yourself. "I sure wish I knew what the playlist was.

Well, here you go! The Official Midnight Madness Playlist.

1. Le Perv    4:16    Carpenter Brut    6    2013-01-08 8:22 PM    Carpenter Brut EP
2. L.A Venice Bitch 80's    4:12    Carpenter Brut    3    2013-01-08 8:22 PM    Carpenter Brut EP
3. Escape From Midwitch Valley    6:44    Carpenter Brut    1    2013-01-08 8:22 PM    Carpenter Brut EP
4. So Electric    6:43    Lifelike        2013-01-16 11:38 PM    Electro Mix
5. In Death It Ends - Rite    6:12    In Death It Ends    4    2013-02-19 2:21 PM    Forgotten Knowledge
6. In Death It Ends - Forgotten Knowledge    5:33    In Death It Ends    5    2013-02-19 2:21 PM    Forgotten Knowledge
7. In Death It Ends - Blind Faith    5:02    In Death It Ends    8    2013-02-19 2:21 PM    Forgotten Knowledge
8. In Death It Ends - We All Die    6:18    In Death It Ends    13    2013-02-19 2:21 PM    Forgotten Knowledge
9. Pulse of the Streets    4:23    Mega Drive    2    2013-01-31 5:26 PM    Futurescape
10. Terminal Overdrive    5:04    Mega Drive    3    2013-01-31 5:26 PM    Futurescape
11. Eclipse    6:30    Perturbator    3    2013-02-06 2:17 PM    I Am The Night
12. I Am The Night    6:19    Perturbator    4    2013-02-06 2:17 PM    I Am The Night
13. Technoir (Feat. Noir Deco)    4:45    Perturbator    7    2013-02-06 2:17 PM    I Am The Night
14.  02 Death Ray Eye    2:08    Brian Wiacek    2    2013-03-12 9:20 PM    Manborg OST
15. 06 Training For Battle    1:34    Brian Wiacek    6    2013-03-12 9:20 PM    Manborg OST
16.  Main Title    3:58    Fred Myrow, Malcolm Seagrave    1 of 17    2012-11-13 6:25 PM    Phantasm
17.  Fighting Spirit    5:37    Protector 101    2    2013-02-14 6:14 AM    Protector 101
18.  M.A.R.K. 13    3:31    Protector 101    3    2013-02-14 6:14 AM    Protector 101
19.  Vision    5:42    Protector 101    4    2013-02-14 6:14 AM    Protector 101
20.  Stalkers    4:55    Protector 101    8    2013-02-14 6:14 AM    Protector 101
21.  Dies Irae    5:29    Jonathan Snipes & William Hutson    14 of 14    2012-09-20 9:15 PM    Room 237 - Album DEMO
22.  Compulsive Cartography    4:28    Jonathan Snipes & William Hutson    2 of 14    2012-09-20 9:15 PM    Room 237 - Album DEMO
23.  Industrial Sector 3083    3:33    Bourgeoisie    1    2013-05-25 2:52 PM    Space Tapes And Vice
24.  The Crystal Brain    7:22    Bourgeoisie    4    2013-05-25 2:52 PM    Space Tapes And Vice
25.  Back Alley Showdown    6:30    Bourgeoisie    6    2013-05-25 2:52 PM    Space Tapes And Vice
26.  02 - Terror 404    4:13    Perturbator    2    2013-02-02 4:01 PM    TERROR 404
27.  10 - Shadow Force '84    6:03    Perturbator    10    2013-02-02 4:01 PM    TERROR 404
28.  Maniac    6:07    Mega Drive    6    2013-01-31 4:38 PM    VHS

WHY DON’T YOU PLAY IN HELL Screening Times:

Friday, Sept 13th, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Saturday, Sept 14th, 3:45 PM SCOTIABANK 1

WITCHING AND BITCHING Screening Times:

Saturday, Sept 14th, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Sunday, Sept 15th, 12:00 PM SCOTIABANK 14

Midnight Madness 25th Anniversary Shirts Are Back In Stock!

Missed out on your chance to get one of the limited edition Midnight Madness 25th Anniversary T-shirts? Guess what? They're back in stock!

The art was designed by the legendary Kagan McLeod of Infinite Kung-Fu fame!

Don't let the male model (decapitated as is Midnight Madness tradition) fool you, the shirts come in lady sizes--or more precisely unisex sizes from XS to XXL.  You can get yours $30 (+ tax) at the TIFF Shop (at TIFF Bell Lightbox) and at the TIFF Shop pop up location at the Festival Box Office at Metro Centre. They are still in a limited edition, so hurry over!

For lady sizes, Imagine this dude as a lady in a sweet shirt.

Pics From The Premiere of ALMOST HUMAN!

Were you in attendance at Tuesday's premiere of Almost Human? If not, you missed out on one of the most unique, innovative voices to hit Midnight Madness in a while. Joe Begos, Graham Skipper, Vanessa Leigh, and of course Josh Ethier (along with about two dozen other members of the crew) were all at the Ryerson with a wild audience of alien-loving freaks! Ian Goring was there to capture all the probes, tractor beams, and egregious nudity we've all come to expect from a Midnight Madness feature.

It's Graham Skipper!

Well hello, Vanessa Leigh!

And good day to your sweet ALMOST HUMAN tattoo!

Good pals, Joe Begos, Colin Geddes, and Josh Ethier!

Believe it or not, this is only a small portion of the ALMOST HUMAN team.

Josh Ethier in a rare 'aw shucks' moment when it's pointed out that he is pantless for a good portion of this movie.

Even more of the ALMOST HUMAN team!

OH MY GOD THEY'RE MULTIPLYING!

Director Joe Begos looks like he's just seen an alien.

Just a regular crowd shot of the Ryerson aud...HEY WAIT A MINUTE

Colin Geddes brings up a special guest for the intro.

Joe Begos sure knows how to work a crowd!

Joe Begos talks about the wacky hijinks involved in filming people naked in February.

Vanessa Leigh shows off fresh ALMOST HUMAN ink!

Colin Geddes compares ink with Josh Ethier (Colin sports a full back piece of Takeshi Miike...I kid, I kid)

I'm pretty comfortable in saying that this is the most tattoo-centric Q&A in Midnight Madness history.

Josh Ethier chats about sound design!

Joe Begos

I'm not sure what was going on here, but it certainly had to be funny!

Aaaaand that's a wrap!

ALMOST HUMAN Screening Times:
Friday, Sept 13th, 2:30 PM SCOTIABANK 9

Retrospective: 25 Years of Japanese Films at Midnight Madness!

Wow, has it really been 25 years! A whole quarter century of Midnight Madness.  Add to this -- over 35 entries from Japan, or featuring major Japanese Talent.  Let me know what I've missed!

Let us jump into the scroll bar time machine and take a loving look back at all of the deranged, beautiful, hilarious, terrifying and outrageous entries we've seen from Japan!

1998

Programmer Noah Cowan rings in the first year of Midnight Madness, there were no films from Japan. This would soon change.

1989

This is an insanely great choice for a first Japanese movie!  I still haven't seen this one, but boy have I heard about it.

Found a rare above the waist shot of the multi-endowed demon!
Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Over-Fiend (1989)

1. Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Over-Fiend

Dir. Hideki Takayami

1990

 One of my favourite films ever, premieres at Midnight Madness.  A visually explosive master class of what can be accomplished with a camera and a guerrilla spirit!

Tetsuo fully transformed!
Tetsuo The Iron Man (1990)

2. Tetsuo The Iron Man

Dir. Shinya Tsukamoto

1991

Japanese films: none.  Things would more than balance out in the future!

1992

Doubled down; back in business.

3. Tetsuo II : Body Hammer

Dir. Shinya Tsukamoto

4. Tokyo Decadence

Dir. Ryu Murakami

1993

5. Wicked City 

Dir. Yoshiaki Kawajiri

1994

6. Tokarev

Dir. Junji Sakamoto

1995  

BIG year for Japanese films (including two international co-productions), with FIVE entries.

7. Screamers (USA/Canada/Japan)

Dir. Christian Duguay

8. Crying Freeman (USA/Canada/France/Japan)

Dir. Chrisophe Gans

Tokyo Fist left a giant pulsing hematoma on my heart... filled with love!
Tokyo Fist (1995)

9. Toyko Fist

Dir. Shinya Tsukamoto

10. Gamera: Guardian of the Universe

Dir. Shusuke Kaneko

11. Wizard of Darkness

Dir. Shimako Sato

1996

12. Organ 

Dir. Kei Fujiwara

13. Gamera 2: Assault of Legion

Dir. Shusuke Kaneko

1997

Of note:  Colin Geddes take the stage for the first time,  with Noah Cowan.

14. Fudoh: The New Generation

Dir. Takashi Miike

1998

No Japanese films this year, but Colin Geddes is appointed the sole maestro of midnight.  The future of Japan films at TIFF is BIG.

1999

Literally his first solo programmed Japanese film is a giant monster movie!

15. Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris

Dir. Shusuke Kaneko

2000

What's the matter... Chicken? Sorry. Matrix style Chicken fight tho!
City of Lost Souls (2000)

16. City of Lost Souls

Dir. Takashi Miike

17. Wild Zero

Dir. Tetsuro Takeuchi

2001

This blogger's first actual midnight madness, at the uptown. Changed my life forever!

The ICON of horror started here!
Ichi The Killer (2001)

18. Ichi the Killer 

Dir. Takashi Miike

19. Clip Cult(Music Video Compilation)

Dir. Hiroyuki Nokomo (among other non-Japanese directors)

20. Electric Dragon 80,000V

Directed as Sogo Ishii (since changed his name)

21. Versus

Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
* there is talk now, FINALLY of a sequel to this wonderful action packed film, re-teaming director Kitamura with Versus leading man Tak Sakaguchi, for a fifth time)

2002

22. Alive 

Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura 

2003 A very creepy year!  Ju-On would have a lasting effect on the GHOST genre.  Gozo would have a lasting effect on the way I think about milk.

23. Ju-On: The Grudge

Dir. Takashi Shimizu

24. Gozu 

Dir. Takashi Miike

2004

25. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Dir. Mamoru Oshii

26. Zebraman

Dir. Takashi Miike

2005

A truly bizarre... kids movie!
The Great Yokai War (2005)

27. The Great Yokai War 

Dir. Takashi Miike

2006

28. Trapped Ashes (USA Japan Canada)

Friday the 13th (1980) Director Sean Cunningham's segment "Jibaku" was shot in Japan, featured many Japanese actors, and followed Japanese mythology.

2007 

29. Vexille

Dir. Fumihiko Sori

30. Sukiyaki Western Django

Dir. Takashi Miike

Matchan comes in all shapes and sizes!
Dainipponjin aka Big Man Japan (2007)

31. Dainipponjin

Dir. Hitoshi Matsumoto (Matchan)

2008

32. Detroit Metal City

Dir. Toshio Lee

2009

Matchan's sophomore visit to MM, Colin kept the Pyjamas!
Symbol (2009)

33. Symbol

Dir. Hitoshi Matsumoto

2010 - special mention... no films of Japanese origin, however:

34. Bunraku - USA -- wait, what?
Dir. Guy Moshe

Note: Featured Japanese music and acting sensation GACKT in his first Hollywood role.  It would be crazy not to mention this! And he even made it over for the screening, much to the delight of his legion of adoring fans!

2011

35. Smuggler

Dir. Katsuhito Ishii

2012 - None.  Wait -- though, what's this? Japanese director, and Midnight Madness Alumni Ryuhei Kitamura's second Hollywood feature film joins the line up!

36. No One Lives (USA)

Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura

2013 - YES! The exciting part about this, is it hasn't happened yet! This is an actual timeline moment you can still jump off of and enjoy in reality!

Oh Matchan, what do you have in store for us this year?
R100 (2013)

37. R100

Dir.: Hitoshi Matsumoto

Best way to finish your film: Yakuza investors. Just scary when they come for their "cut".
Why Don't You Play in Hell (2013)

38. Why Don't You Play in Hell

Dir. Sono Sion

So there you have it!  The future looks good - and the future is now!  Be sure to catch both R100 and Why Don't You Play in Hell!

R100 Screening Times:

Thursday, Sept 12th, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Friday, Sept 13th, 11:30 AM SCOTIABANK 9

Saturday, Sept 14th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 10

WHY DON’T YOU PLAY IN HELL Screening Times:

Friday, Sept 13th, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Saturday, Sept 14th, 3:45 PM SCOTIABANK 1