Well, after four years I finally officially consider myself a Virginian after buying some of the bloodiest soil in the US. And I have to say it is nice to see that Virginia, in cooperation with the Library of Congress Packard Campus, has been planning their cultural events accordingly. That’s right, on October 39th Mario Bava’s masterpiece Black Sunday (1960) will be shown in all its 35 mm glory as the first leg of a double bill up with another b-movie masterpiece, the one and only Wicker Man (1973). Now that is a double-feature baby! And right right here in humble Culpepper, Virginia, no less—just an hour West of Freddy in the middle of nowhere there lives one of America’s greatest cultural resources in the event of a nuclear attack on Washington DC. Culpepper is the home of The Packard Campus Theater, which is one of the many Library of Congress’s Cold War cultural bomb shelters—this one’s for film and it has one of the sickest collections of old celluloid in the world! How awesome is that?! I love the whole idea, going to a old gold bomb shelter to see two classic b horror movies on Halloween eve (a night better know as “bad boys’ night” in my Long Island hamlet). So, I’m not official more than a week, and already Virginia is opening up to me, it truly is a state for Bava lovers now!
Below is the bit from the schedule, and major props got to the great Elizabeth Rabin for the heads up. Thanks, you make me feel right at home!
Friday, October 30 (7:30 pm.)
DOUBLE FEATURE:
BLACK SUNDAY (AIP, 1960)A Bavarian princess, burned at the stake with her lover for being a witch, comes to life after three hundred years to enact the curse of revenge on her remaining family members. Italian with English subtitles.
Directed by Mario Bava.
With Barbara Steele and John Richardson.
THE WICKER MAN (British Lion, 1973)
A police sergeant is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. Stranger still, however, are the rituals that take place there.
Directed by Robin Hardy.
With Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland.
35mm, color, 88 minutes. Copyright collection print.
I can’t begin to tell you how fired up I am to see these two masterpieces in 35 mm. I love you Virginny!
I’ll be thinking about all of you when I enjoy the macabre madness!