Special Screenings

It is 1984 in Los Angeles, and a young punk named Otto Maddox (Emilio Estevez) is outraged to learn his dopey, doper parents have given his entire life savings away to a televangelist. Desperate for cash, Otto signs on with the Helping Hand Acceptance Corporation as a repo man. He is mentored by Bud (Harry Dean Stanton), a boundlessly cynical husk of a man (“Look at 'em: ordinary fuckin' people. I hate 'em”). Together, they explore LA's mean streets, encountering rambling street prophets, CIA agents and creatures from outer space, as Otto learns the shocking truth about shrimp, John Wayne and tree-shaped air fresheners. While almost everybody is familiar with such “cult hits” as The Rocky Horror Picture Showand This is Spinal Tap (seriously, your grandma could probably quote the “This one goes to 11” scene), Repo Man is mostly beloved by a very specific demographic of bitter, pasty, couch-dwelling ne'er-do-wells, the guys who stay up late watching Adult Swim because they know there's no fucking point getting up early to try and find a job anyway. Either this movie absolutely speaks to you, or you hate it, you hate the people who made it and you hate anybody who could possibly like it. This is a (surprisingly) rare chance to see this tweaked classic on the big screen, and free refreshments provided by Z-Pizza will be served at 6:30 p.m. So, you gonna go . . . or do I gotta go to your house and shove your dog's head down the toilet? UC Irvine Humanities Instruction Building, Room 100, Campus N W. Peltason drs., Irvine, (949) 824-5493. Thurs., Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Also Showing:


2001: A Space Odyssey. Personally, I think Kubrick's version of the year 2001 looks like a nicer place to live in than the real 2001 was. Whenever you felt like it, you could hop on a Pan Am flight to the moon, enjoy some Howard Johnson's Salisbury steak out of a tube and make a quick call home on the walk-in TV phone. Maybe it's a little sterile, but damn, it looks cool. Imagine: 2001 with no Paris Hilton! No reality shows! No 9/11! Sure, there'd be those freaky, zero-G toilets to deal with, but you'd get the hang of it. Wouldn't it be worth learning to pee in zero Gs to live a life without George W.? Bay Theatre, 340 Main St., Seal Beach, (562) 431-9988. Sun., 6 p.m.; Mon., 8 p.m.; Wed., 8 p.m. $6-$8.

Another Gay Movie. The press release invites you to join “the entire OC LGBT community and our friends” for the Orange County premiere of this gay-themed teen-movie spoof at Regal's Edwards University Town Center Theater . . . although, frankly, even if you were stacking people like cordwood, I have my doubts you could fit the entire OC LGBT community (and their friends!) in that one theater. And it says here the cast and crew will be attending, too! Maybe they can just squeeze in between the bi's and the trannies. The press release notes, “Based on the expected number of guests, this will be sold-out,” so you're encouraged to arrive no later than 6:45 p.m. in order to join the dense pile of humanity packed within the strained and groaning walls of this theater. Edwards University Town Center Theater, 4245 Campus Dr., Irvine, (949) 854-8818. Fri., 7:45 p.m. $7-$9.50.

Casablanca. A pretty good script, skilled direction, gorgeous photography and flawless casting come together to create a masterpiece far greater than the sum of its parts. The film's dark look was highly influential on the film-noir thrillers that came along a few years later, and its story has since “influenced” dozens of movies, everything from Woody Allen's Play It Again, Sam (A line Bogie never actually said, by the way) to that infamous Pamela Anderson bomb, Barb Wire. Discussion will be hosted by local film authority Dr. Arthur Taussig. Orange Coast College, Fine Arts Building, Room 116, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, (714) 432-5599. Fri., 6:30 p.m. $5-$6.

La Dolce Vita. Federico Fellini's surreal classic about a journalist (Marcello Mastroianni) living the wild life in '60s Rome. Free refreshments provided by Z-Pizza served at 6:30 p.m. UCI Humanities Instruction Building, Room 100, Campus N W. Peltason drs., Irvine, (949) 824-5493. Thurs., Aug. 10, 6:30 p.m. Free.

Peace Parks. Documentary filmmaker Thomas Grimm appears at this screening of his film about efforts to secure large conservation areas in South Africa and the DMX in Korea. It screens with The Man Who Planted Trees, a hypnotic animated short about a man who takes it upon himself to replant an entire valley. It's the latest show in the Water and Earth: Ocean Cinema series. Aquarium of the Pacific, Honda Theater, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, (562) 590-3100. Fri., 8 p.m. $10-$12.

Mousehunt. Nathan Lane, Lee Evans and a cute little fake rodent star in this 1997 non-hit about two brothers desperate to rid their home of a very persistent mouse so they can get rich selling the place. It's screening on the beach, so be sure to dress warm and bring some comfortable chairs. Newport Dunes Resort, 1131 Back Bay Dr., Newport Dunes, (949) 729-DUNE. Fri., dusk. Free; parking, $10.

Rising Son, The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi.Premiere screening of this documentary about . . . well, that title pretty much writes the blurb for me, doesn't it? Hosoi and the rest of the Quiksilver skate team appear for a skating demo. Quiksilver Inc., 15202 Graham St., Huntington Beach, (714) 889-2200. Thurs., Aug. 17, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Shaun of the Dead. Hit U.K. zombie comedy about two slackers so caught up in their numbing daily routine they scarcely notice an uprising of the undead. It's some funny stuff, but be warned that this is, after all, a movie about zombies and it features some grim, gory and sometimes rather tragic happenings along with the laughs. Edwards Rancho Santa Margarita, 30632 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 888-3340. Tues., 9 p.m. $6; Edwards South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 540-1970. Wed., 9 p.m. $6.

Sky High. What hath The Incredibleswrought? Lots of shameless rip-offs, mostly. First you had this basically harmless, 2005 superhero family comedy starring Kurt Russell, and now this month you got that new superhero family comedy starring Tim Allen. Apparently playing a superhero dad is the new gimmick for stars to revive their careers. What's next, Steve Martin in Super by the Dozen? This is an outdoor, evening, beachside screening, so unless your family is gifted with superheroic constitutions, be sure to dress warm and bring chairs. Newport Dunes Resort, 1131 Back Bay Dr., Newport Dunes, (949) 729-DUNE. Sat., dusk. Free; parking, $10.

Union Pacific. Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea star in Cecil B. DeMille's 1939 epic adventure about Western expansion. Look for a young Anthony Quinn! Short subjects, cartoons and other goodies are also on the bill. Long Beach School for Adults Auditorium, 3701 E. Willow St. Long Beach, (562) 997-8000, ext. 7198. Fri., 7 p.m. $1 materials fee.

Mail your press releases (and a videotape, if available) to Special Screenings,OC Weekly, 1666 N. Main St., Ste. 500, Santa Ana, CA 92701-7417. Or send e-mail to

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. All materials must be received at least two weeks before the screening.

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