ATLRetro

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

The one-and-only Catherine Mary Stewart, whose stellar career spans three decades (With so much more to come!), makes her way to Atlanta this Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15 for two killer The Springs Cinema & Taphouse Fright Nights events where she’ll deliver a badass retro-filled weekend! You won’t want to miss Thom Eberhardt’s NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984) screening Fri. the 14th, and Nick Castle’s THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984) screening on Sat. the 15th! Get your tail to The Springs this weekend for a frightening good time! We can’t wait to see what she has in store for us!

The Springs’ Fright Night Film series runs through Oct. 31st and their killer line-up can be found here!

ATLRetro caught up with Catherine to chat about her Fright Night double-feature events at The Springs, about playing badass female characters, and what inspired her to dive headfirst into the land of make-believe!

ATLRetro: When we heard The Springs was putting on a killer double-feature with NIGHT OF THE COMET and THE LAST STARFIGHTER in the same weekend that included a guest appearance by the one and only Catherine Mary Stewart, we were thrilled! Care to share a little about both events and what our readers can expect?

Catherine Mary Stewart: I am so excited to appear at these screenings. I will be there to meet and greet attendees before the screenings and I’ll also have photos to sign, take selfies and sign things that people bring in. After the screening there will be a Q&A for the audience to ask any questions they may have.

NIGHT OF THE COMET has been dubbed the greatest “California-Valley-Girls-With-Machineguns-Go-Shopping-After-The-END OF THE WORLD” movie of all time! Does this pretty much cover it? How would you describe the film and your role as Regina?

What I love about NIGHT OF THE COMET is that it crosses so many genres, from horror, to Sci-Fi, to tongue-in-cheek, adventure, and teen comedy. That was exactly Thom Eberhart’s intention when he wrote it and I think it makes it unique. The audience can identify with the characters, and it has stood the test of time!

The late 70s/early 80s brought us many strong, independent female characters, especially in the horror and sci-fi genres (ALIENS’ Ripley, HALLOWEEN’S Laurie Strode come to mind) including both of your characters in COMET and STARFIGHTER. Can you tell our readers what it was like to play such badass characters during this era, and what do you think it is about these particular genres that inspire such head-strong female roles?

Going into NIGHT OF THE COMET, being this strong, badass character, Regina was very attractive to me personally and as an actor. It was against type for many of the roles I had played leading up to it and was in fact more like who I really am. As an actor I want to play as many different kinds of characters as possible. That’s always been my goal. I didn’t think about the fact that Regina was kind of unusual in terms of female casting. What I do think contributes to the success of the movie and the character, in retrospect, is that Regina is accessible. She’s not a superhero or some kind of futuristic exceptional person, but just a regular teen thrown into an exceptional situation. It makes Regina relatable to kids of her age in the audience, and I’ve heard so often from fans, she gave them the confidence to believe in themselves. That they can be badass too.

I think any genre should have strong female roles. Historically, females have been portrayed as second to their male counterpart, dependent on them, or as the love interest. This is not reality. Women can take care of themselves and have control of their paths in life. We need to see more of that!!

Photo by Kevin Talley

With a slew of feature film and television credits to your name, can you tell us what your favorite film genre to work in is, and if you prefer to work in film or television?

As an actor I love to try every genre and every platform, including stage. They are all so different and present their own challenges. My goal is to be challenged with interesting characters and situations no matter what the format or genre.

How did you get hooked on acting and what are a few films that had an early impact on you?

I began my performing career as a dancer. The first movie I ended up acting in I initially auditioned as a dancer. I found the whole movie acting world fascinating and when I completed my first movie I thought I would see where it took me. If it didn’t work out I was happy to fall back on my first passion of dance. Well, it was a fascinating journey that took me on an incredible ride, and still does. I’ve enjoyed every second of it and I continue to explore all the possibilities including writing, producing, and directing. I’m excited by what the future brings! From a very young age I loved musicals such as MARY POPPINS and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Later on, I was blown away by JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, FAME, and THE TURNING POINT.

Care to share which actors would you say inspired you most? And what it was about them that made you want to hone your own craft?

I’ve had the honor of working with some of the most iconic actors of the 20th and 21st centuries. It’s always incredible watching them work and trying to absorb what they present. One of my absolute favorite actors is Maggie Smith. I am just blown away by her talent and how she still works well into her later years.

As female actor working in the film industry, what challenges have you personally faced that seem to be a common theme amongst women in the industry?

It’s a patriarchal business. Slowly but surely women of all cultures and color are having more influence on the productions. Women are more than 50% of the population and it’s high time we are represented in a realistic, inspiring manner and stories told from a female perspective. A perspective that is just as valid as a man’s and as interesting and entertaining to the whole audience. I look forward to the day when we are blind to a creator’s gender, culture, or color behind any form of entertainment.

In your opinion, what trends and directors are pushing the envelope now? Have any film recommendations for our readers?

I love movies that are character-driven. That changes me somehow. It may be in a small way or a broader way but when I come out of the theater and I have a different perspective on myself, people, different cultures, different times, the world. When I find myself thinking about what I’ve just seen and experienced, that is what I love most. I love the stickiness of those kind of films.

You’ve attended many horror/sci-fi/comic-cons and met so many of the creators behind the film classics. What one or two encounters stand out and surprised or delighted you the most?

I love seeing people I’ve worked with. Terry Kiser from WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S stands out. He’s a lovely man. I also saw an old friend of mine that I hadn’t seen for probably 35 years. Frank Welker is one of the most prominent voiceover actors on the planet. I love him dearly and I was so grateful to see him again. As a kid I LOVED the Monkees. I managed to get a photo with each and every one of them. The first was Davie Jones at my very first convention. I had such a crush on him when I was about 10 years old.

Who are your favorite female actors or directors (from the past or present), and what is it about them that draws you to their art?

Photo by Kevin Talley

I love Julie Taymor. She has such an interesting point of view. Her background in theatre, mime, and puppetry creates a fascinating perspective that you see in her work. I’m a big fan of Gilian Armstrong. Her movie MY BRILLIANT CAREER (1979) is one of my favorites on every level. Agnes Varda and Claire Denis are also very interesting creators. Actors I love include: Cecily Tyson; Maggie Smith; Isabelle Huppert; Cate Blanchett; Alicia Vikander; Michelle Williams; Marisa Tomei; Diane Lane.

Can you give us five things you’re into at the moment that our readers should be watching right now?

Right now I’m streaming old episodes of SEINFELD. Loving that. I’m on season 4. There is so much to choose from, but I just started THE MIDNIGHT CLUB and ALASKA DAILY. They look interesting. The last movie I saw was with Sigorney Weaver and Kevin Kline called THE GOOD HOUSE. I thought it was clever and their performances were terrific! I think the next one will be TÁR with Cate Blanchett. SMILE looks like it could give me a good scare, and I would like to see THE WOMAN KING, with Viola Davis.

Any advice for women actors and filmmakers out there trying to get their foot in the door?

Learn the craft first and foremost. Whether it’s filmmaking or acting, do the groundwork and build a solid foundation. There is so much information online these days. Mine that. And I would suggest creating your own content. With the technology we all have at our fingertips and online sites such as YouTube and TicTock there is no excuse not to. It’s great exposure and wonderful practice.

Photo by Kevin Talley

What do you like to do completely outside of the acting/film industry world? Any favorite hobbies, places you like to visit?

I do love to travel. I’ve travelled extensively my entire life. It gives you a sense of the world that you will never get staying put. The world is not what you see on the news. I also love photography, horseback riding, food, being outdoors, nature, and my friends and family.

And last but not least, care to share what you are currently working on? Anything coming out that we should keep our eyes peeled and ready for?

ASK ME TO DANCE is a movie that I did last year. It’s a lovely romantic comedy that is guaranteed to make you feel good at a time when everything seems to feel a little dark and suppressed as we navigate our way out of the pandemic. It was just released into theaters on Friday Oct. 7th. I have also been developing several projects from theater to TV and film. I love writing, producing and my focus is directing. I will share everything when they come to fruition!

All photos courtesy of Catherine Mary Stewart and used with permission.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Austin-based experimental rock ensemble, the Invincible Czars will be creeping into Atlanta for the first time on Friday, Oct. 7 during The Springs Cinema & Taphouse’s Fright Nights film series. The Czars, touted as “one of the best silent film orchestras in the nation” by Alamo Drafthouse, guarantees a fangtastic time will be had by all as they horrify the masses with their haunting live score to the world’s first feature-length silent vampire movie, F. W. Murnau’s NOSFERATU (1922). Atlanta is one of many stops along the way on their 2-month Nosferatu Centennial Tour, which bleeds into 49 cities across the US and Canada by Halloween. Information on this exciting and deadly event can be found here!

The Springs’ Fright Night Film series runs through Oct. 31st and their killer line-up can be found here!

ATLRetro caught up with Josh Robins, founder of the ensemble, to chat about the tour, about what inspires the Czars’ wickedly weird tunes, and what it is about film scoring that makes him tingle! And while you’re taking a gander at our little Q&A, why not check out their killer Nosferatu Tour teaser trailer here!

ATLRetro: We’re super excited that Atlanta is one of the many stops on the NOSFERATU CENTENNIAL TOUR 2022, running through Oct. 31! What can our readers look forward to during the Fright Nights film series screening of NOSFERATU at The Springs Cinema & Taphouse on Oct. 7th?

Josh Robins: We like to get the audience involved and we like to joke around.  So, there will be some interaction and humor. They’ll also see the world’s first vampire film with our soundtrack performed live by 5 players on violin, keyboards, flute, bass clarinet, guitar, bass, piano, drums, and sound effects. We also have great pants.

Can you tell us a little about the tour? We see that there have been regular band line-up changes throughout the years. Which band members will be participating in the tour?

Yes, we’re more of a collective than a band with permanent players these days.  We’ll have Phil Davidson – violin, keys, glockenspiel; Skunk Manhattan – piano, bass guitar; Louis Landry – drums, sound effects; Josh Robins – guitar, bass guitar, sound effects; Zelda Younger – flute, bass clarinet, synth.

How did Invincible Czars come together? What inspired the band’s inception?

The original line-up is LOOOONG gone. I started the band in late 2002 to try to play some of the music I’d been creating on 4-track tapes in my bedroom. I wanted to combine rock and classical instruments. The first line up didn’t last long. In 2004, the first really cohesive line-up came together. By then we were much louder and heavier, and we’d dropped a lot of the Eastern Euro influence leaning more toward metal and prog rock.

What exactly is “Czar-ified classical music?

Classical music played the way we play it — usually with some humor, weirdness, and a lot of rock.

How long have you been playing music? What did you do before? Still have a day job?

Everyone in the band has played music since childhood. We’ve all had various day jobs over the years. Most of us teach. Some are just pro musicians. I take day jobs as needed and run the band. Sometimes I go for long stretches with no day job. Otherwise, I build decks, nanny, edit video, etc. etc. between tours.

We see the band began doing silent film tours back in 2012. Can you tell us what inspired the band to start accompanying silent films?

The Alamo Drafthouse began hosting silent films with live local bands in the late 90s. I was a fan of those shows but I thought I could do a better job than most of the bands who just seemed to play their usual rock music with the movies as a backdrop. Some were great and I thought the entire concept was something that people could get into even outside of Austin. I asked the Alamo if we could do one and they said yes. We started with AELITA, QUEEN OF MARS (1924) back in July 2006.

Care to share a little about your composition process?

Hard to nail down a single process. It usually starts with one person’s idea that gets bounced around and changed by everyone either in person or by sharing files. I like to plug in my guitar and record ten ideas quickly. That’s how I came up with several of the NOSFERATU themes—just by improvising based on how I felt about images from the film. We also tend to refine through workshopping or just performing.

Which silent film is your favorite to accompany? And why?

These days it’s NOSFERATU because we’ve put so much work into it!

Are there any films you’d like to compose scores for that you haven’t yet?

HAXAN (1922), THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED (1926), METROPOLIS (1927), FAUST (1926), SHERLOCK JR. (1924) and films made by modern day filmmakers who need music.

Which artists do you consider your influences? Have they changed over the years?

We tend to like metal, post-rock, punk, classical and prog. I love Mr. Bungle, NoMeansNo, Louis Armstrong, Neko Case, Tchaikovsky, Rev. Horton Heat. We all seem to like bands like Primus, Fantomas, Faith No More, etc. And of course, film composers like Bernard Herrman, Ennio Morricone, Wendy Carlos, and Danny Elfman.

It seems many musicians are influenced by particular musicians or a particular type of popular music (the art being the whole), but a film’s score tells a different kind of story, as accompaniments or pieces or carriers of the whole. Can you tell our readers what it is about film scores that influence you and the part they play in carrying a film?

Music can set a tone for a scene the same way dialog can and because it doesn’t necessarily clutter dialog, it can do so with or without actors talking. In real life, we feel various emotions but when you’re watching an actor (onscreen or in person) it may not be clear what the character is feeling. The music can help the audience understand how the character feels and that helps put their lines or actions in context.

Is there any particular film score that influenced you the most before you began composing your own?

It’s hard to pinpoint one. As a kid of I loved John Williams scores for STAR WARS, EMPIRE, and RETURN OF THE JEDI. I loved BEETLEJUICE and PEEWEE’S BIG ADVENTURE (both Danny Elfman) and started really paying attention to soundtracks when I was a tween back in the mid-80s.

What are your top five favorite film composers and the film scores they composed that moved you most?

Bernard Herrman (PSYCHO, NORTH BY NORTHWEST); John Williams (STAR WARS); Danny Elfman (PEEWEE’S BIG ADVENTURE); the various composers from Twlight Zone episodes from the 1960s; Henry Mancini (PETER GUNN)

What are your top five favorite RETRO films you’d recommend to our readers?

ROSEMARY’S BABY – still one of the best and surprisingly Satanic for the 60s; THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE; THE CAMERAMAN (Buster Keaton); ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Disney version); THE STING

Any other music you’d recommend to our readers?

Opposite Day – the best band in the galaxy!

What are you looking forward to most during the Fright Night Film series screening of NOSFERATU?

It’ll be our first time to play in Atlanta so I’m very excited to meet some new people and finally spend some time there!

And last but not least, what are the Invincible Czars currently working on? Anything coming out soon (after the tour of course)?

We’re finally releasing our Iron Maiden tribute “The Gospel of the Beast” this winter.  It’s been sitting unreleased for over a decade! In the spring of 2023, we’ll release a reimagined version of Modest Mussorgsky‘s “Pictures at an Exhibition” for which we combined forces with an Austin band, Bee vs. Moth! And we’ll also bring our soundtrack for DR. CALIGARI back to cities in the US and Canada in the fall of 2023.

All photos courtesy of the Invincible Czars and used with permission.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Photo by the Marietta Daily Journal

Brandt Gully, owner and operator of The Springs Cinema & Taphouse located in Sandy Springs, GA, delivers a haunting month of creepy cinema during their Fright Nights film series, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 21st through Halloween! Not only will you have a chance to experience a killer line-up of chilling crowd favorites (NOSFERATU anyone!?) on the big screen, but you’ll also get to experience these films in special ways, including live-accompaniment and a Q&A event with cult classic star, Catherine Mary Stewart! If you’re looking to add to your spooktacular Halloween schedule, you’ll definitely want to creep on over to The Springs, Sept. 21 – Oct. 31!

ATLRetro caught up with Brandt to chat about the Fright Nights film series, what it’s like to delve deep into the business of independent movie houses, and the importance of catering to the community, no matter what line of work you’re in. While you’re takin’ a gander at our little Q&A, why not take a peek at the fangtastic Fright Nights line-up, here!

ATLRetro: ‘Tis the season for monsters and spooky things and what better way to celebrate than to gather in a movie theatre, perched on the edge of our seats, scarfing down popcorn spooked out of our wits?! We can’t wait for The Springs’ Fright Nights Film series! Can you tell us a little about this film retrospective?

photo by Jarrod Cecil

Brandt Gully: Fright Nights is our new horror-focused series that features nine different classics through Halloween and then will continue on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. In this first ‘spooky season’ installment, we are trying a little bit of everything ranging from a 1920s silent film classic up through 80s and 90s favorites and even a couple of offerings for kids. We are even mixing in different types of movie experiences along with the screenings—a live music experience with The Invincible Czars performing their score alongside NOSFERATU (1922), a double-feature at our Springs Drive-In where we set up a 50-foot screen in our parking lot, and capped it all off with a Halloween night screening of BEETLEJUICE (1988) in our “interactive film style” concept that we call Movie Parties. We are throwing a lot of different things at our customers during this series to see what they like so that they can help guide us with future offerings. And lastly, our series will be hosted each week by our friend Sunny Midnight, who is well known in the local film and convention community for her love and work with horror and sci-fi films.

What a killer line-up! The movie selection for this series includes classics like NOSFERATU, ‘80s cult horror with NIGHT OF THE COMET, and 90s fright favorite, SCREAM. Can you tell us about some of the special events you have lined up with a few of the screenings, including a special appearance by Catherine Mary Stewart?

While we are super excited just to be screening these upcoming horror films, we really want to offer more to our true film lovers out there with interactive movie experiences. The first couple that we have planned are going to be a lot of fun. It’s hard to find a more classic horror film than NOSFERATU, which turned 100 years old this year. The Invincible Czars out of Austin, TX have been making and performing their own soundtracks or scores to classic silent films for years, and they’re touring the US over the next several weeks doing NOSFERATU at film festivals and arthouse and indie cinemas like ours. They’ll be live and on stage in front of our screen on Friday, October 7th, accompanying the film as they rock their score with a five-member ensemble using violin, flute, bass clarinet, electric guitar, bass, piano, organ, glockenspiel, music box, drums, percussion, samples and loops. It will be a fun experience to see this movie in a whole new way.

We are also excited that Catherine Mary Stewart will be visiting us on October 14th and 15th for our screenings of NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984) and THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984). Those are two iconic 80s films, and it will be a lot of fun to have her there to engage with her fans with photos and autographs as well as do some Q&A after the screenings.

Were there any films you wanted to include but couldn’t?

We originally had Felissa Rose scheduled for a live appearance for a screening of SLEEPAWAY CAMP (1983), but she ended up having a filming conflict and will plan on visiting us in January or February 2023.

Can you tell our readers what it takes to put on this type of film series and what makes Fright Nights different from others around the Atlanta area?

Doing a curated series or unique screenings is a lot of work, which is why most theaters don’t do it. Our industry has gotten a bit lazy in recent years and just tends to rely on whatever Hollywood spoon feeds us to pass along to the customers. We saw what can happen with that strategy over the past couple of years when film production was halted and new releases were delayed, so we are committed to doing the work and providing cinema lovers with product we like and believe they will as well. Our goal is to make this an ongoing series, where we have enough demand to offer a weekly horror screening. In this first ‘spooky season’ installment, we are trying a little bit of everything ranging from a 1920s silent film classic up through 80s and 90s favorites and even a couple of offerings for kids. We are even mixing in different types of movie experiences in this series with traditional screenings, a live music experience with The Invincible Czars performing their score alongside NOSFERATU, a double feature at our Springs Drive-In where we set up a 50’ screen in our parking lot, and capped off with a Halloween night screening of BEETLEJUICE in our interactive film style concept that we call Movie Parties. We are throwing a lot of different things at our customers during this series to see what they like so that they can help guide us with future offerings. Since the day we opened our theater 5 years ago, it’s always been important to me to specifically tailor the experience at The Springs to our community and customers, whether it’s the film programming, the kitchen menu, or the offerings at our bar. We think listening to our customers is key to our success, and this Fright Night series is no exception.

Like indie films, indie theatres are the hidden gems in cities across the country. What are the main differences when it comes to movie-going experiences, etc. compared to your larger corporate competitors?

I like to tell our Springs team that we need to show our customers that we are trying harder than our local competitors. We definitely are, but it’s important that the customers see the result of that extra effort. I can’t speak for everyone, but I would choose a local restaurant or bar all day vs. a national chain, as long as it’s done well. I don’t think cinemas should be any different. We went to great lengths when we renovated our place and how we operate it to make sure people know we are different than the others. Even with the design, I wanted a new customer to walk in the doors and immediately see that we aren’t a chain and that this place was built and run with them specifically in mind. Our bar is a great example of this. Plenty of movie theaters have a bar these days, but it’s usually an afterthought where some corporate office across the country decided that every one of its locations should feature the same 8 beverages to meet all customer needs. I couldn’t disagree more, and we spend a ton of time listening to customers and throwing options at them and now have 18 lines of craft beer, over 60 bourbons and 20+ wines. We started with something way smaller than that but continue to evolve to make sure we are providing an ideal experience for our customers.

It’s every movie kid’s dream to own their own theatre. Is there a secret origin story on how you got hooked on movies, making you want to run your own movie house? And how were you able to make this dream come true?

I’ve been a movie lover my entire life and have so many memories from my local childhood cinema, whether it was the first movie I saw with my dad, or sneaking in to see my first rated R movie (which we don’t encourage!!!) or my first date at the movies (TOP GUN). With that being said, I can’t say that it was my dream to own and operate a place, but things have a way of working out. My entire career has been in the finance world, but in and around movies. I’ve been in thousands of theaters over my 25+ year career, but it wasn’t until 2017 that I decided to make a drastic career move and buy this place. It’s a random journey and story, but it primarily revolves around my family. My oldest of 3 daughters was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and spent most of the next 18 months in the children’s hospital fighting a terminal diagnosis. While at the hospital, I was surrounded by so many people that made my life better on a daily basis by doing their jobs with passion. That was a huge part of helping my daughter defy the odds and be a healthy young lady today, and I realized at that point that I needed to rethink my career and find something where I could get involved with the community. It’s too late to become a doctor or nurse like them and I’d be a terrible fireman or policeman, so I determined that the closest thing to what I knew was the movie business. While I won’t pretend to have the same impact as those that saved my daughter’s life, I do have the opportunity on a daily basis to be plugged into the community and help people escape the outside world for 2-3 hours and be entertained. We also do a lot of work with local schools, charities, and businesses, and it’s been a complete joy to play a small part in brightening up our community.

The Springs has been described as “fun” and “innovative.” Can you tell our readers why they should make their way to Sandy Springs to check you all out?

We will always try new things to see what gives our customers a great experience. You’ll be hard pressed to find a theater that has more diverse content; just this past month we showed films in 3 different languages, a silent film, screenings of locally made indie films, live sporting events on the big screen, retro movies at our parking lot drive-in, numerous indie studio selections, and of course the Hollywood blockbusters. If you pair that with the fact that we have a full kitchen menu, a bar with over 150 adult beverages to choose from, live music on our patio on weekends, and a host of private parties and events weekly, you’ll see that we have something for everyone.

I’m sure you watch an astounding number of films annually. What trends and directors are pushing the envelope now, in your opinion? A few film recommendations for our readers?

That’s a tough one, as I do get to see so many. I happen to love most genres, but I tend to get most excited about a lot of the indie releases that don’t get a ton of press. Certainly, the blockbusters pay most of the bills, but I always look forward to releases from some of the top indie distributors like A24 and Neon. They rarely miss in my opinion. This year’s upcoming films I’m most excited about would probably be Damian Chazelle’s BABYLON and Spielberg’s THE FABELMANS, as those guys never miss and both center around the film industry. As for overall trends with the industry, I know there is a lot of fatigue over so many comic book movies. I think some of that criticism is fair, as Hollywood does tend to milk concepts as long as they can. But I think Hollywood also does a good job of adapting based on what sells, and the success of TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022) sent a very loud message in my opinion. People of all ages absolutely loved that movie because it was well done, had Hollywood stars, had zero social or political agenda, and was simply a fun experience that can’t be replicated at home on a small TV or on a tablet. There are consistently great films with great performances being made, but I do think we need more fun and mindless films as well similar to what we grew up on.

Film and nostalgia go hand in hand, and we see that The Springs hosts many retro film series as well as drawing crowds during your retro drive-in screenings, which of course is right down our alley. What is it about the classics that keep folks coming back for more?

People sometimes just want to escape and have fun while watching a film. We don’t always have to explore complex issues or stories presented by filmmakers, as sometimes it’s enough to just laugh or scream or tear up. There are so many retro films that elicit those emotions, and people also enjoy reconnecting with these films where they may have great memories.

All photos courtesy of Brandt Gully and used with permission.