If you missed out on the big premiere of the locally shot slasher flick Gimme Skelter last month, you’ve been given a reprieve. The film will have two more screenings this weekend, one in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe. The film will show at the Guild Cinema (3405 Central NE) on Friday, Sept. 14, at 10:30 p.m. The film hits the road to Santa Fe on Saturday, Sept. 15, debuting at the Santa Fe Film Center (1616 St. Michael’s Drive). That screening gets underway at 7:45 p.m. If you haven’t seen it, you should. If you have seen it, you should see it again. The film recently won the Best Soundtrack award at the Fright Night Film Fest in Louisville, Ky. (Big thanks to local bands Black Maria and The Dirty Novels.) If your curiosity is piqued, there’s a superb review of the film up at EyeCraveDVD.com (check it out at axel.eyecravedvd.com/?p=46).
Shoot ’Em Up
Last week, I was digging through movie news items on one of my favorite websites, the Australia-based darkhorizons.com. Hard to believe, but I clicked on info for three new movies and all three of them were scheduled to shoot right here in New Mexico. Makeup-man-turned-director Robert Kurtzman ( Wishmaster ) is directing the low-budget action film To Live and Die for MGM Pictures. The story of a cop hunting down an FBI assassin responsible for his wife’s death stars Sean Patrick Flannery ( Powder ), Joe Pantoliano ( Memento ) and Amanda Wyss ( A Nightmare on Elm Street ) and is shooting right now in Albuquerque. Guillermo Arriaga (writer of Babel, 21 Grams and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada ) will be directing his newest project, The Burning Plain in and around Las Cruces this winter. The film is an ensemble drama about a group of loosely connected characters and centers around a Mexican border town. Charlize Theron is slated to headline the cast. This is Theron’s third visit to New Mexico after North Country and The Valley of Elah. Also shooting locally is Hamlet 2, a comedy about a high school teacher who tries to save his cash-strapped drama program by writing a sequel to Shakespeare’s classic play. Andy Fleming ( The Craft, Nancy Drew ) will direct, Steve Coogan ( Night at the Museum ) and Catherine Keener ( Being John Malkovich ) will star starting in September. These films are, of course, in addition to the eight films currently shooting in the Land of Enchantment. Be careful what you wish for, New Mexico, you might just get it!
