Video: WITCHING & BITCHING Complete World Premiere Post-Screening Q&A

The complete WITCHING & BITCHING Midnight Madness World Premiere Q&A.

Video: WITCHING & BITCHING World Premiere Interview with Alex de la Iglesia

Alex de la Iglesia talks to Robert A. Mitchell at the world premiere of his latest film, Witching & Bitching.

Video: Bobcat Goldthwait Tells Audience Turn Off Their Mother@#$ing Cellphones!

We have all been there -- in movie theater -- totally engrossed in a film when some schmuck pulls out his/her cellphone and that tiny rectangular object's bluish illumination dominates your focus and your eyes automatically darts over to this new light source and you miss a key plot point or a cool line of dialogue. No matter how many countless warnings Midnight Madness programmer Colin Geddes has issued from the stage, no matter how many cute little bumpers prior to a film starting to turn off cellphones the inevitable ALWAYS happens and some douche pulls out their cellphone. With social graces in public spaces getting totally out of hand, Colin enlisted a Midnight Madness alumni director Bobcat Goldthwait to give a little demonstration on how to turn off a phone.

R100: Hitoshi Matsumoto: A Man Who Sold His Soul To Comedy

Director and superstar comedian, Hitoshi Matsumoto is returning to Midnight Madness with his new film, R100.

But who is Matsumoto, you ask?

MM Programmer Colin Geddes made a video answering that very question before the premier of Dainipponjin / Big Man Japan at Midnight Madness 2007.


Matsumoto stars in, co-hosts and produces multiple variety shows on Japanese television as part of the comedy duo, Downtown, with his partner Masatoshi Hamada. In 1989, Downtown launched a popular variety show, Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!! followed by a mind-boggling number of shows. (Just look here). Downtown's Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji ran from 1991 to 1997 and popularized Downtown's sketches or "kontos."*  In 2010, Matsumoto started another sketch show, Matsumoto Hitoshi no Konto.  But as his own comedic sensibility changed and became more surreal, he began making films. As he told Indiewire in 2011:

I think that in Japan, because I'm really famous as a comedian, in a way it's a bit difficult when I make films. They're always seen in the background, on the side of my other activities. In other countries, I'm more appreciated as a film director, it's not just a background thing. So it's completely different.

Matsumoto's first two films, Dainipponjin / Big Man Japan (2007) and Symbol (2009), premiered at Midnight Madness. And Matsumoto will always be enshrined in my heart as the man who got MM Programmer Colin Geddes to wear pajamas and a luchadore mask on stage.

Learn more about Matsumoto in Professional : Style of Work: File 143, a documentary that follows Matsumoto over six months in 2010. It has some fascinating behind the scenes look at Matsumoto's process working with writers and other comedians and as he begins work on his third film, Saya Zamurai (2011). As the announcer states with great gravity, "What the camera captures behind the stage is the solitary fight of a man who sold his soul for comedy." Watch it, subtitled, here.

*This glossary of terms from Japanese comedy might be useful, too.

R100Screening Times:

Thursday, Sept 12th, 11:59 PM RYERSON

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

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

Eli Roth, Andrea Osvart & Ariel Levy On Making AFTERSHOCK.

One of the greatest aspects of the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival is the introduction of new and unknown talent to the world stage of cinema. Last night Chilean director of AFTERSHOCK Nicolás López was unleashed upon the world.

This year also marks the ten year anniversary of a film Cabin Fever and then unknown filmmaker Eli Roth. In talking with Robert A. Mitchell last night Eli had some pretty amazing things to say about the Midnight Madness section of the festival and the programmer Colin Geddes.





AFTERSHOCK
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 6:15 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 3
Sun., Sept. 16th, 3:30 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 9

Eli Roth & Nicolás López the World Premiere of AFTERSHOCK. Intro/Q&A Video.

Last night was the world premiere of AFTERSHOCK! All I can say is Wow! The introduction of the film has to be one of the longest and one of the craziest in the entire programmes history -- so much so that I gave it it's own separate video. Give Nicolás López a microphone and watch him go. Here is Robert A. Mitchell's videos for the world premiere of AFTERSHOCK at Midnight Madness.


The Introduction




The Post-Screening Q&A



AFTERSHOCK
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 6:15 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 3
Sun., Sept. 16th, 3:30 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 9

J.T. Petty & Clancy Brown Talk HELLBENDERS Video

One of the most unique and exciting storytellers in current American cinema returned to the Midnight Madness stage last night for the third time. J.T. Petty (S&Man, The Burrowers) with his latest film HELLBENDERS.

An uproarious exorcism comedy that really displays a great cast playing off each other, Clancy Brown, Dan Fogler, Clifton Collins Jr. to name a few. The film also really showcases the capabilities of 3D as an added visual tool beyond that of a gimmick. Armed with Holy Water, two microphones quickly duck-taped together to form a make-shift cross and a bottle of bourbon Robert A. Mitchell took to the red carpet and returned with this video....


HELLBENDERS
Tue., Sept. 11th, 7:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Sat., Sept. 15th, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK 2

JOHN DIES AT THE END: Poster Gallery!

 On its journey from digital horror novel to film adaptation, from SXSW and Sundance to reaching its perfect audience in closing out Midnight Madness, Don Coscarelli's John Dies At The End has accumulated a whack of poster art, including some weapons--The Bible Belter above and the Paintball and Propane Flamethrower below.

 (This individual kindly demonstrates the importance of wearing safety equipment)

The poster promoting the South By Southwest screening.

And here are two covers for David Wong's original novel. 

(via Creative Book Design)

(via City on Fire)

JOHN DIES AT THE END screening times:

Sat., Sept. 15, 11:59PM:  RYERSON  

Sun., Sept. 16, 5PM:  CINEPLEX YONGE AND DUNDAS

Bobcat Goldthwait's Impromptu Midnight Madness Set

MM Blogger Robert Mitchell recorded Bobcat Goldthwait's impromptu stand up set last night. Bobcat saved the night and entertained the audience while the technical difficulties with Smuggler were fixed.

Smuggler screening times:

Sun., Sept. 18th, 12:00PM, SCOTIABANK THEATRE 4