The A.V. Club’s New Cult Canon series comes back with a jingle this holiday season with a series of holiday film screenings around the country—all brought to life by our friends at Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
A.V. Club film editor Scott Tobias has been covering The New Cult Canon—cult films released from 1995 onward—for the last few years, turning his explorations into one of the most popular features on the site. The A.V. Club has even done some special screenings of cult movies around the country—including many with special guests. With some help from the folks at Mike’s Hard Lemonade, we’re taking the show on the road to celebrate the 2012 holiday season.
We’ll be screening either Bad Santa or the original Black Christmas (1974) in 12 cities around the country between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Each screening will come with an introduction from an A.V. Club staffer, and several will feature special guests. The details are below, as well as Scott’s notes about each film. All events are open to guests 21 and older, and the cost of admission includes samples of Mike’s Hard Lemonade beverages, including Mike’s new, limited-edition holiday flavor, Hard Chocolate Cherry. We've got a spiffy microsite with all the dates and details and links, too. Right here.
Bad Santa: After spending a full century churning out heart-warming, inspirational Christmas stories, Hollywood finally gave misanthropes a glorious hunk of coal in Terry Zwigoff’s dark comedy Bad Santa. As a thieving, womanizing, gin-soaked mall Santa, Billy Bob Thornton delivers the surliness and profanity that’s as much a part the holiday season as carols and good cheer.
Black Christmas (1974): Halloween gets all the credit for kick-starting the ‘80s slasher movement, but Bob Clark’s ho-ho-horrifying 1974 cult classic Black Christmas was the true source, specifically of the first-person “killer-cam” that came into fashion. Clark’s moody chiller about a psycho stalking a sorority house over Christmas break has other highlights, too, including Margot Kidder as a chain-smoking, transcendently bitchy sister.
CHICAGO: Lincoln Hall, Wednesday November 28, 8pm. Bad Santa hosted by Scott Tobias, plus a post-show Q&A with director Terry Zwigoff!
SEATTLE: Central Cinema, Thursday November 29, 8pm. Bad Santa hosted by Nathan Rabin, plus a post-show Q&A with director Terry Zwigoff!
BROOKLYN: Nitehawk, Tuesday December 4, 7 & 9pm. Bad Santa hosted by Keith Phipps.
AUSTIN, TX: Alamo At The Ritz, Wednesday December 5, 7pm. Black Christmas hosted by Scott Tobias, plus a post-show Q&A with actress Margot Kidder!
ARLINGTON, VA: Arlington Cinema Drafthouse, Thursday December 6, 6:30pm . Bad Santa hosted by Keith Phipps.
DENVER: Denver Film Center, Friday December 7, 10pm. Black Christmas hosted by Jason Heller, plus a post-show Q&A with actress Margot Kidder!
MILWAUKEE: Turner Hall, Tuesday December 11, 8pm (7pm doors). Bad Santa hosted by Nathan Rabin.
ATLANTA: Midtown Art Cinema, Wednesday, December 12, 7:30pm. Bad Santa hosted by Nathan Rabin.
PORTLAND: Laurelhurst Theater, Thursday December 13, 930pm. Bad Santa hosted by Scott Tobias, plus a post-show Q&A with director Terry Zwigoff!
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL: Amsterdam, Friday December 14, 8pm (7pm doors). Bad Santa hosted by Nathan Rabin.
BOSTON: Somerville Theater, Tuesday December 18, 8pm. Bad Santa hosted by Keith Phipps.
SAN FRANCISCO: The Roxie, Wednesday December 19, 730pm. Black Christmas hosted by Scott Tobias, plus a post-show Q&A with actress Margot Kidder!