Click to GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU BITCH
Here’s the thing: I love minimalist screenprint posters, infographics, supercuts and all the other ways film lovers these days find to pay tribute to their favorite films, just as much as the next guy. From where I sit though, all of it pales in comparison to the work of Old Murder House Theater, and the live-action plays they put on to recreate/spoof/honor the films that have inspired them throughout their lives. This rotating cast of amazingly creatives dudes and ladies have been putting on shows for years that have completely changed the way audiences see everything from The Lion King to Die Hard. I’ve covered their work before, interviewed head honcho Sam Eidson, and in fact CHUD was the first to reveal the film they last tackled as a live performance: Robocop. Now, I’m happy to say they’ve got a new target: James Cameron’s Aliens.
And this time they’re kicking IMAX, 3D and all the other gimmicks right in the ass and going for the real gold: Aliens… On Ice!
While the group was recognized by the Alamo Drafthouse and made part of SXSW festivities earlier this year with Back To The Future Live!, they’re not resting on their laurels and have decided to step up the scale of the operation, going so far as to take over an ice-skating rink and put on a full Aliens extravaganza.
FYI: I’m not fully sure any of these guys can skate.
Now, if you live in or around Texas, you’re one of the lucky ones that can actually make it out for Aliens On Ice! live as it will be held at the Chapparal Ice in Austin. The two shows are both being held at 11 o’clock on Friday, November 18th and Saturday, November 19th. Tickets are a mere $10.
You can get tickets right here, and get more information at the Facebook page.
Not able to make it out for the actual performance? Don’t sweat it. These performances have always been well-documented, and in the case of Aliens On Ice the crew has integrated some documentary filmmakers into the process to an unprecedented degree. I’m really crossing my fingers that an excellent feature-length doc comes out of this process, but at the very least we’ll get a cool look at the play and how it was made.
That said, there’s no way the experience of seeing one of these things is ever done justice by a recording, so if you have any chance to make it out, you should. We live in an age where people experience their entire lives through screens and cellphones, even when they’ve paid money to go to a special live performance. What the hell is the point of going to a rock concert or a comedy show, just so you can shove a camera in the direction of the stage to try and capture something that should be ephemeral? We’ve destroyed opportunities for spontaneity and off-the-cuff, no-regrets occurrences at these kind of shows, simply because no one can ever feel comfortable that they won’t be intensely documented.
Behind The Scenes shot of the early work on Mama Alien. Soon this will likely to be a duct-tape-and-cardboard masterwork far more frightening than anythign CGI could match.
Fortunately, I can personally attest to the fact that none of these guys give a shit what’s documented and what’s not, so you’re guaranteed a unique, unfiltered experience. So seriously, support guys that are getting off their ass and putting everything they have into such a creative way of honoring film. Ultimately it will mean a whole lot more than hovering over a “purchase” button for a clever Star Wars poster that will sell out immediately anyway. Go experience something ephemeral and immediate, something you may not be able to hang on your wall, but will sure as hell give you a story…
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