Portland Movie Club

1. We'll meet at Lucky Lab at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table
2. Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece with us (NOTE: Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet, streaming links below).

"The Devil's Rain"

"The Devil’s Rain" is a 1975 supernatural horror film directed by Robert Fuest. The ensemble cast includes William Shatner, Tom Skerritt, Ernest Borgnine, Eddie Albert, Ida Lupino, and Keenan Wynn. John Travolta made his film debut in a minor role. The plot revolves around a curse affecting the Preston family due to their betrayal of the Satanic priest Jonathan Corbis in colonial New England. Corbis seeks a book containing the signatures of his cult members, which bind their souls to Satan. The film features Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, as a technical advisor and in a minor role. Although set in an unspecified part of the American Southwest, it was shot in Durango, Mexico. The story involves dark rituals, soul-binding contracts, and a battle of faith against the forces of evil.

"The Devil's Rain" is available to be streamed for free on the Roku Channel, Tubi, and AppleTV.

Resources:

• Letterboxd
• IMDB
• Does the Dog Die
• On Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!

1. Watch the movie on your own before we discuss, streaming links below.
2. Then, we'll all meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table.
3. Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece.

Movie Spotlight: Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades
" Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades " is the third film in the Japanese samurai series based on the popular manga by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. Set in feudal Japan, it follows Ogami Ittō, a former executioner for the Shogun, who becomes an assassin for hire after his wife is murdered and he is falsely accused of treason.
Accompanied by his young son Daigorō, Ogami travels the countryside pushing a wooden cart that conceals weapons, taking on dangerous missions while pursued by the shadow Yagyū clan and their spies.

The film, directed by Kenji Misumi and released in 1972, is renowned for its striking visuals, outrageous action sequences, and exploration of themes such as honor, revenge, and the relationship between father and son. In the third installment of the series, the father and son aid a young woman, stumble upon a crime scene involving lowlife mercenaries, and battle an entire army. Viewers are presented with an intense, wild, and action-packed Samurai classic that can be viewed independently from the other films in the series.

About Samurai Cinema
Samurai cinema, also known as chanbara, is a Japanese film genre that is roughly equivalent to Western swashbuckler films. It is a sub-category of jidaigeki, which equates to period drama. This genre is usually set during the Tokugawa era (1600–1868) and often focuses on the end of an entire way of life for the samurai. Many of the films deal with masterless rōnin, or samurai dealing with changes to their status resulting from a changing society.

Samurai films highly influenced Western cinema including films like A Fistful of Dollars, The Magnificent Seven, Six-String Samurai, Last Man Standing, and Star Wars. They were also a significant influence on Hong Kong Action Cinema and many visual elements appear in movies like Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, and Mad Max: Fury Road.
Tips:

1. Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet (Streaming Options). Just like a book club we don't watch the movie at our meetup, just discuss it. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you can.
2. I usually take a few notes while I watch to keep from forgetting the most interesting stuff. If you think of some interesting discussion topics while you watch, bring 'em with you!

Resources:

• Letterboxd Page
• Follow Jennifer on Letterboxd

Other films discussed
Coming to the Samurai Cinema group for the first time, but interested in movies previously watched & discussed? Here's the list:

• Yojimbo 1961
• Sanjuro 1962
• The Sword of Doom 1966
• Kill! 1968
• Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai 1999
• Lady Snowblood 1973
• Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance 1972
• Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx 1972

Details
Let's talk about movies! Join Movie Club Members David J and Special Co-Hosts Victoria and Jake for the next discussion in our cult film series with the 1966 film "Daisies," written and directed by Věra Chytilová, and considered an essential – if rarely seen - milestone in the Czechoslovak New Wave movement. (Links are to the Wikipedia entries.)

Quoting The Criterion Collection’s description of this unique film, it follows “two hedonistic young women … embarking on a gleefully debauched odyssey of gluttony, giddy destruction, and antipatriarchal resistance, in which nothing is safe from their nihilistic pursuit of pleasure. But what happens when the fun is over?”

“Director Věra Chytilová, with the close collaboration of cinematographer Jaroslav Kučera, unleashes an optical storm of fluctuating film stocks, kaleidoscopic montages, cartoonish stop-motion cutouts, and surreal costumes designed by Ester Krumbachová, who also cowrote the script. The result is Daisies, the most defiant provocation of the Czechoslovak New Wave, an exuberant call to rebellion aimed squarely at those who uphold authoritarian oppression in any form.”

Current streaming sources are reported to include The Criterion Channel, Max, Max Amazon, and it is possible to buy "Daisies" on Apple TV as download or rent it on Apple TV online. Additionally, the Criterion Collection has made the film available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Here's how it works:

1. Watch the movies on your own before we discuss. Just like a book club we don't watch the movie at our meetup, we gather to have a great time discussing it – and connecting with and meeting new and familiar film fans.
2. We'll all meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4PM (map). Typically, there will be a sign at our table.
3. Grab some food and drinks and we'll have fun discussing this masterpiece.

About Cult Films
Sometimes good, always interesting, and only somewhat definable - this very special genre of film can be known for its dedicated fanbases, high-camp, kitsch, transgression, counterculture attitude, polarized reception, and obscurity.

While Cult Films defy mainstream criticism, they are amazing candidates for analysis and interpretation, viewed through a lens that emphasizes their unique perspective regardless of financial success or failure. They are each one of a kind.

There are many sub-genres of Cult Films including Midnight Movies, Z Movies, and overlooked arthouse cinema. Many cult films exist at the borderline between art and exploitation.

Some of Portland Movie Club Organizer Nick’s favorites are The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Big Lebowski, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Birdemic, and Office Space. There's a great writeup of the genre on Wikipedia.

Tips:

1. Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you can
2. I usually take a few notes while I watch to keep from forgetting the most interesting stuff. If you think of some interesting discussion topics while you watch, bring 'em with you!

Previous films viewed by “Cult Film” Meet-up members for group discussion have included “Jennifer’s Body,” “The Human Tornado,” “Videodrome,” “Eraserhead,” “Switchblade Sisters,” “The Love Witch,” “Plan 9 From Outer Space,” “Ed Wood,” “The Brood” and “Phantom of The Paradise.”

1. We'll meet at Dot's Cafe at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table
2. Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece with us (NOTE: Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet, streaming links below).

Movie Spotlight:
"Abrakadabra" (2018) is a Spanish horror mystery thriller directed by Luciano and Nicolás Onetti. The story follows Lorenzo Manzini, a magician who finds himself the target of a sadistic serial killer. The plot is set in motion when Lorenzo's father, The Great Dante, dies during a risky magic trick. Thirty-five years later, Lorenzo is performing at a prestigious theater when a series of murders begin to occur, and he becomes the prime suspect.

The film is a homage to the giallo genre of the early 70s, featuring a mix of horror, mystery, and thriller elements. It's known for its visually striking style and dark, comedic moments.

Tips:

1. Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet (Streaming Options). Just like a book club we don't watch the movie at our meetup, just discuss it. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you can
2. I usually take a few notes while I watch to keep from forgetting the most interesting stuff. If you think of some interesting discussion topics while you watch, bring 'em with you!
3. We'll decide on our next giallo movie to watch! Come with suggestions.

Are you not that familiar with the giallo genre? Read the Wikipedia entry to learn more. Is there a giallo you'd like to propose the group watch and discuss next? Here's a comprehensive list of Italian giallos along with films influenced by the genre. Maybe there's a film you've heard about but needed an excuse to see--come join us for discussion & make a suggestion!

Coming to the group for the first time, but interested in movies previously watched & discussed? Here's a list of all previous giallos watched and discussed by the group (with group rating)!

On Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!