Editorials
[31 Days of Halloween] Day Three: ‘Witching and Bitching’
Thursdays are Witches Night Out all October for Bloody Disgusting’s 31 Days of Halloween!
On day three, we’re venturing into underseen territory with Alex de la Iglesia’s over the top horror comedy, originally titled Las brujas de Zugarramurdi. Of course, Witching and Bitching is one hell of an alternate title. If you’ve ever caught de la Iglesia’s other genre films Day of the Beast, The Last Circus, or The Bar, then you’re already aware of the writer/director’s unique brand of humor. And how mean-spirited or gross it can be. This entry is lighthearted with screwball comedy, but it isn’t afraid to get icky or spooky when it needs to. Since our Witches Night Out are only going to get darker and more Satanic as we inch toward Halloween, we figured we’d begin by showing off the funnier side of witchcraft.
Synopsis: A gang of robbers on the run from the police seek refuge in a secluded town in the middle of nowhere. It just so happens to be a town that belongs to witches, and they intend to use the robbers in a ritual that will bring about a witch apocalypse. Can these robbers save the world, let alone themselves?
Key Players: Look for de la Iglesia regulars Mario Casas and Carolina Bang to appear in central roles. Dagon and Shrew’s Nest actress Macarena Gomez plays one of the robber’s ex-wife, Silvia. Above all, look for genre staple Javier Botet as Luismi, a battered and gruesome victim of the witches. It’s a rare and humorous speaking role for the horror actor, just fresh off of REC and before any of the American horror movies we’d come to recognize him from.
Why It’s on the List: Spanish filmmaker Alex de la Iglesia’s genre films are unlike any other. His blend of humor, cynical social commentary, gross out gags, violence, and horror are so distinctly his. But Witching and Bitching is the one that ventures furthest into pure horror territory (more like splatstick). The subgenre of witches in horror tends to present such varied flavors and takes, and this underseen entry only supports that. It’s also precisely because this movie doesn’t come up in conversation much that it made for a great pick.
The Best Scare: Scare is a strong word; more like skin-crawling creep out scene. When Silvia finds the bar that her ex had previously passed through, she asks to use the bathroom. Big mistake. Not only is it as grimy as your worst gas station bathroom nightmares, but there’s something sinister and gruesome lurking below…
Where You Can Watch: Witching and Bitching is available to stream on IFC Films Unlimited.
Have you seen this horror comedy? Are you a fan of Alex de la Iglesia?
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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