Arts: Page 309

The Horror Picture Show

Film

Something wicked this way comes, again, and just in time for Halloween: A witch’s brew of spooky, campy, gory and/or otherwise terrifying short films made lickety-split by aspiring auteurs right here in Eugene. Upwards of 35 teams have signed up for Eugene Film Society’s 72-Hour Horror Film Competition, which should make for a fun night of fright when Bijou Art Cinemas on 13th holds its “Audience Award” screenings of the top entrants at 8 and 10:30 pm, Oct. 31.  Continue reading →

Dubble Dragon

Music
White Mystery

At this point it’s a local tradition: “We play a costume party in Eugene every year,” says Miss Alex White of the Chicago-based rock ‘n’ roll brother-sister duo White Mystery. “White Mystery loves the people of Eugene, its punk-rock spirit and great food.” White Mystery also loves Halloween: “Halloween,” White jokes, “means White Mystery Airheads, group costumes and my half birthday.” Continue reading →

A Rockin’ Riot

Music
She’s Not Dead

From Ella Fitzgerald to Sleater-Kinney to Beyonce, women have been rocking the music world for as long as their XY counterparts. Too often the accomplishments of female musicians are overlooked, but in November, they take over Eugene once again for the Grrrlz Rock festival — a month-long concert series celebrating and showcasing Eugene’s rising female artists. For the full lineup visit wkly.ws/1u2, but be sure to check out these five kickass acts: The Elena Leona Project Continue reading →

Stealing the Show

Music
Caravan of Thieves

If you like artists whose genre is tough to peg, then Caravan of Thieves should be right up your alley. Not only does the band combine elements of gypsy jazz, swing and folk music, but they also add a bit of Vaudevillian theatricality to their live shows. A Caravan of Thieves concert is sure to be something you have never seen before — even if you have seen them before. Continue reading →

The Powerful Play Goes On

Theater
Jonathan Thompson and Liv Burns in OCT’s I and You

As perhaps Eugene’s foremost purveyor of new theatrical works, artistic director Craig Willis at Oregon Contemporary Theatre (OCT) is a tireless advocate of the hidden gem, the offbeat barnburner, the unfamiliar fandango. For Willis, the hunt is always on. He spends many a weekend traveling hither and yon along the coast — to Portland, to Seattle — attending table reads and walk-throughs of new plays, all in dogged pursuit of something fresh and lively for audiences here in town. Continue reading →

Behold Old Yeller

Comedy

America’s favorite hot-tempered comedian and social critic Lewis Black returns to Eugene Oct. 30 and he’s madder than ever, in a clever, “LMFAO” sort of way. EW caught up with Black to yell about everything from voter suppression and being a socialist to Oregon’s efforts to legalize recreational marijuana and the downfalls of the 21st century. Under Black’s flame, no topic, politician or village idiot walks away unscathed. To read the full interview, visit eugeneweekly.com.   Continue reading →

She’s A Maniac!

Catching up with the star of Flashdance: The Musical, coming to the Hult

Dance
Karli Dinardo as Alex Owens photo by Denise Truscello

The 1983 film Flashdance shook up American culture. Racy and sweet, the movie defined fashion at the time, introduced what seemed like very new, edgy street dance, and taught a generation of young women how to take their bras off underneath their sweatshirts.  Based on the phenomenally successful film, Flashdance: The Musical adapts to the stage the story of Alex Owens, a welder by day and bar dancer by night, who has big dreams of one day becoming a professional ballet dancer.  Continue reading →

Citizens United

Film

Let us now praise the British ensemble cast, for it is a thing of beauty and magic. The current example of this cinematic alchemy is on display in Pride, in which the likes of Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton share the screen with a whole handful of fresh young faces. Nighy stands tall and reserved; Staunton is a loving force of nature, the polar opposite of her best-known role as Harry Potter’s Dolores Umbridge. But if this movie has a star, it’s the American-born Ben Schnetzer, who plays activist Mark Ashton with a compelling mix of charisma and anger. Continue reading →