RiverRun scares up a pair of classic Halloween treats at Marketplace Cinemas

This Halloween season, the RiverRun International Film Festival’s ongoing “RiverRun Retro” screening series will present two classics at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem: Georges Franju’s 1959 chiller Eyes Without a Face (Les yeux sans visage) will be screened 8 p.m. on Oct. 14th, followed by the immortal King Kong (1933), celebrating its 90th anniversary, 8 pm Oct. 21st. Tickets for each presentation are $12 (general admission) and $6 (students with valid ID) and are available at https://riverrunfilm.com/.

“This time of year is, of course, the perfect time to bring a little fright to the movies,” said Rob Davis, RiverRun executive director. “These two films are the perfect ‘RiverRun Retro’ selections for October, and hope that our bravest film fans will come out and enjoy seeing them with us at Marketplace. We are very pleased to provide a rare opportunity for folks to see these horror classics on the big screen. Last year’s Halloween offerings were big hits with our audiences! Both films, Beetlejuice and Nosferatu, drew over 100 people.”

Not unlike Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom (1960), Franju’s Eyes Without a Face was widely misunderstood and even dismissed by critics upon its release. Pierre Brasseur stars as a brilliant (and rather mad) scientist who attempts to restore the facial beauty of his disfigured daughter (Edith Scob). To this end, he and his assistant (Alida Valli), kidnap and murder young women, grafting their features onto his daughter — with increasingly horrific results. Crassly retitled The Horror Chamber of Doctor Faustus, this dubbed, re-edited version played drive-in double bills throughout the 1960s, yet it influenced numerous filmmakers over the years — as well as Billy Idol’s hit 1984 song “Eyes Without a Face.” It was only years later that the uncut version was recognized as a classic of psychological terror. The film will be shown in French with English subtitles and will be introduced by film historian Renata Jackson.

“Eyes Without a Face endures as a classic because it still packs an emotional punch!” Jackson said. “As a horror/thriller, it plays with the ‘mad doctor’ motif in a compelling and cinematic way, through Franju’s creative choices in the look of the film, its sound design and score, and its hauntingly effective performances. “I’m always delighted when Rob Davis asks me to intro a film at a RiverRun screening! I’ve recently retired from teaching film history and aesthetics at the UNCSA School of Filmmaking, so this gives me the opportunity to continue to share with interested audiences my love of the cinema.”

“Eyes Without a Face is a film I’ve wanted to show on the big screen for a number of years as it is truly one of the least known and seen horror classics,” explained Davis. “Eyes Without a Face is a film that would go on to influence countless horror films in the future. This is truly a film that once seen, will never be forgotten.”

King Kong hardly needs an introduction. It is without question one of the most acclaimed, beloved fantasy films of all time. If Eyes Without a Face took time to be recognized as a classic, King Kong was instantly recognized as one. This peerless adventure, often imitated but never duplicated, follows an expedition to the mysterious Skull Island undertaken by adventurer/filmmaker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong). It is there that the mighty Kong, an enormous ape, is discovered, and ultimately transported back to New York City, where the creature’s tragic fate is ultimately sealed. This screening will be introduced by Woodrow “Woody” Hood, director of film and marketing studies at Wake Forest University.

“I think most everyone has seen King Kong on television as it has undeniably made its claim as one of the classic horror/monster films,” said Davis. “One of my favorite stories is how Fay Wray came to be Kong’s leading lady. Supposedly, producer/director Merian C. Cooper told her he had lined up Hollywood’s ‘darkest, tallest leading man’ to co-star with her. She was envisioning Cary Grant and instead ended up with Kong! Kong has truly been a significant influence in pop culture for the past 90 years.” (Indeed, Fay Wray is widely acclaimed as the first “scream queen” of the movies.)

“King Kong endures for many reasons,” explained Hood. “The original King Kong was released in 1933, and its stop-motion animation was groundbreaking for the time. Kong’s movements were surprisingly fluid and realistic, and the film’s special effects still hold up well today. Kong is a complex and sympathetic character. He is a powerful and majestic creature, but he is also vulnerable and misunderstood. We fear him. We love him. We mourn him in the end. A classic hero storyline. King Kong explores themes that are universal and timeless, such as love, loss, greed, and the power of nature. King Kong is a thrilling adventure film with plenty of action and suspense. From Kong’s battle with the T-Rex on Skull Island to his rampage through New York City, the film is packed with big creature action.

“It’s good to work with RiverRun again,” Hood added. “We are so lucky to have a well-respected film festival in town that has ventured outside of independent cinema to include classic movies in their ‘RiverRun Retro’ series.

“Teaming up with RiverRun to offer Halloween films is becoming one of my favorite special events,” said Zack Fox, Marketplace Cinemas general manager. “Last year’s Beetlejuice and Nosferatu had tremendous attendance. I am particularly excited about the original King Kong being shown on the big screen for its 90th anniversary — truly a core film that influenced so many generations of filmmakers. It’ll be a joy to share it on the big screen again.”

The festival will also be presenting a free screening of Raoul Peck’s award-winning feature documentary Silver Dollar Road at 4 p.m. Sunday at Marketplace Cinemas. To register for free tickets, visit https://riverrunfilm.com/silverdollarroad/.

The 26th annual RiverRun International Film Festival is scheduled for April 18-27, 2024. The official website is https://riverrunfilm.com/.

See Mark Burger’s reviews of current movies. © 2023, Mark Burger.