Leatherface-To-Face—That’s right, horror legend Gunnar Hansen (star of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre--not to mention Mosquito, Campfire Tales, Hellblock 13 and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers) will be in Albuquerque this weekend working on the indie horror effort Gimme Skelter for Exhilarated Despair Productions. Hansen will be stopping by Burning Paradise Video (800 Central SW) on Friday, May 5, for a meet-and-greet with his fans from 6 to 8 p.m. He’ll be signing posters, DVDs and other memorabilia and will have plenty of horrifying TCM photographs for sale.

Stuff blows up: Don’t trouble yourself over why or how

Raise your right hand and repeat after me: “I swear if I go see Mission: Impossible III this weekend I will not engage my brain. I will not attempt to figure out the film’s convoluted plot. I will avert my gaze from the gaping plot holes. And I will restrict my comments to such casual observations as my, but the explosions look lovely this time of year.”

Two programs present the best live shorts and the best animated shorts of 2005

It was speculated that this year’s Academy Awards telecast foundered in low ratings because the nominated films generated the least amount of box office in years. A preponderance of indie films meant that almost as many people saw 2004’s Best Picture winner Million Dollar Baby as saw all five of 2005’s nominees (Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Crash, Good Night and Good Luck, Munich) combined. It’s OK, I understand. You had errands to run. You had cars to wash. You were planning on renting Capote as soon as it came out on video, anyway.

Hot goss from around the dial

“Battlestar Pre-Galactica”--The Sci-Fi Channel has announced plans to spin-off its successful “Battlestar Galactica” show. The new series will be called “Caprica” and will take place 50 years before the events depicted in the current show. “Caprica” (named after the human homeworld nuked up good by the Cylons) will focus on the creation of the first Cylon and the events that led up to the Cylon rebellion. Although characters have not been announced, Sci-Fi says the prequel will feature two families--the Adamas and the Graystones--and will be as much a family drama as a sci-fi tale. Given the topnotch writing on “Battlestar Galactica,” this should be a show to watch out for when it debuts sometime next year. Remi Aubuchon (“24”) is writing the pilot.

Week in Sloth

The Week in Sloth