Oh, that
Quentin Tarantino. It seems he returns to Austin as frequently as those undead ghouls in the Titty Twister return to life. The comparisons, of course, stop right there. You see, all his visits here are coupled with charitable activities -- fundraising events for pal
Richard Linklater's beloved
Austin Film Society. In case you haven't heard, the filmmaker will be back at the Dobie this weekend to host another
Tarantino Filmfest. He will present approximately 15 movies from his personal collection and introduce each and every one of them in his own inimitable fashion. The series begins tonight -- Thursday, Jan. 16 -- and continues through Sunday, the 18th. Here's the general lineup, which consists of a double feature and a midnighter on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, and a six-film, all-night marathon on Saturday. Although the specific titles that will be shown haven't been announced, the themes for the nights are as follows: Thursday, "Controlled Hysteria"; Friday, "Neglected Seventies Crime Films"; Saturday, All-Night Exploitation Film Marathon; and Sunday, "Wild Cards." Festival passes cost $75 and are only available for sale to Film Society members through 2pm today (Thursday) at the AFS office (322-0145). Whatever tickets remain after that time (and remember, ticket sales will be limited to a total of 180 seats) will be sold as single-night passes for the cost of $25 per night, and $40 for the all-night marathon on Saturday. All single-night tickets will be handled through the Dobie box office and can only be purchased in person on the day of the show. The Dobie box office will open at 2pm Thursday and Friday, and 12 noon Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, there are kiddie shows at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Passholders who want to attend these two screenings need to reserve seats through the Film Society. There's no additional cost, but they need to know whether or not to expect you. Single-admission tickets to the kiddie matinees are available for $10; kids under 13 will be admitted free. Film folks, rev your engines...
Does a thankless job like organizing the controlled mayhem of events such as the one described above sound like your poison of choice? Well, the Austin Film Society is considering candidates for the job of Managing Director of the organization. The part-time job (currently held by the ever-remarkable Elizabeth Peters) requires a degree in film and two years experience in nonprofit management. The deadline for application is January 30. For more detailed info, see the ad on page 41 of this issue...
Another deadline is the early registration date of Friday, January 16 for this year's SXSW Film Conference and Festival (March 13-22). Some of the films already secured for this year's event are Jonathan Demme's Robyn Hitchcock film Storefront Hitchcock, Richard Linklater's The Newton Boys, and The Big Lebowski by Joel and Ethan Coen. The early registration rate is $145 ($75 students), a considerable savings off the walk-up rate of $225 ($125 students). The same rates apply for the SXSW Interactive Festival (March 14-17). A Gold Pass, good for both festivals, is also available at the early registration rate of $250. Call 467-7979, e-mail sxsw@sxsw.com, or visit the website at http://www.sxsw.com for more info...
Anyone wondering about the reasons for organizer Paul Stekler's absence at Wednesday's Texas Documentary Tour screening, rest assured. He had a very good excuse. UT's RTF production head was off in New York accepting the prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award in Television and Radio Journalism for his series on American politics, Vote for Me: Politics in America. Congrats.
