{"id":3997,"date":"2015-09-22T14:00:22","date_gmt":"2015-09-22T19:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/?p=3997"},"modified":"2015-09-22T12:29:21","modified_gmt":"2015-09-22T17:29:21","slug":"fantastic-fest-2015-preview-day-six","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/2015\/09\/22\/fantastic-fest-2015-preview-day-six\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantastic Fest 2015 Preview Day Six"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Art<\/a>

Art by Chris Bilheimer<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s that time again for my sojourn to Fantastic Fest<\/a>, the annual Alamo Drafthouse week long love letter to horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. This year\u2019s festival runs from Sept 24-October 1, here in Austin at the South Lamar location.<\/p>\n

As in year\u2019s past, I begin my coverage with a multi-part\/day preview.<\/p>\n

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Fantastic Fest Preview Day Six<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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The\u00a0Similars<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/h2>\n

In October of 1968, something unbelievable happened to a group of people stuck in a small bus station five hours outside Mexico City. The first person we meet is Martin. Martin may be stuck in a rut, but at least it’s a calm, familiar rut. He’s waiting out his last days until retirement from his job as the clerk at the bus station. Ulises has bigger problems. His wife is giving birth in a hospital in Mexico City and he’s stuck at Martin’s station. The buses are delayed because of the weather and the old pay phone can’t seem to hold a connection. Ulises dejectedly takes a seat and finally notices the elderly woman nodding off in the back corner of the station. But then the very pregnant Irene blows in like a storm. She manages to use the phone to call a taxi. But when she goes to the bathroom, she discovers another person in the station, an odd young lady named Rosa working as a bathroom attendant. Our last three people arrive soon after in a taxi. There’s the young medical student, a concerned mother and her sick son. With all the players present and accounted for, the game is set.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Director Isaac Ezban returns to Fantastic Fest with his second feature, following last year’s THE INCIDENT. Ezban has deftly avoided the sophomore slump with this well crafted tale of mystery. Driven by an over-the-top score and keen practical effects, the film feels like a pulp novel come to life. Combining equal parts telenovela and lost Twilight Zone episodes, THE SIMILARS is an intriguing, tongue-in-cheek puzzle. (Luke Mullen)<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=M9tktR7OuqM<\/p>\n

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Remake, Remix, Rip-Off<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

Proving that you don\u2019t need to go all the way down under to discover celluloid madness, REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF presents the story of Yesilcam, home of the Turkish film industry, which has created more than 7000 films in its hundred year history.<\/p>\n

Operating under a very loose copyright law, Turkish producers and directors remade hundreds (if not thousands) of European, American and Indian movies using nothing but limited resources and a lot of heart. If they couldn\u2019t recreate it, they\u2019d steal whatever they needed directly, adapting stories to fit the tastes of local audiences.<\/p>\n

With turnarounds as fast as three days and nary a thought for safety, directors threw stuntmen off rooftops, created epic fights, and made low-budget versions of superheroes out of duct tape, bailing wire and pantyhose. All was acceptable as long as the shot was in the can.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF is the most comprehensive documentary ever made on a madcap time within this madcap industry. Featuring interviews with major Turkish stars, directors, stuntmen and more, the stories have to be seen to be believed. imagine HEART OF DARKNESS turned up to 1000 and you\u2019re nowhere even close to the experience of seeing the films and the story of what happened behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

Meet the sedan-driving Turkish Spiderman, who, over the Atlantic, became the most evil villain you\u2019ve ever met, with a penchant for putting ladies\u2019 faces into motorboat blades. Experience the epic being that is Cuneyt Arkin, star of over 700 Turkish genre movies whose take on STAR WARS still remains the most enigmatically insane piece of filmmaking ever. Find out exactly how Captain America ended up teaming up with the most famous luchador from South America. And more. Much, much more.<\/p>\n

Sit back, relax and lose yourself in the insanity. Once the curtain comes down, you\u2019ll never look at cinema the same way again. (Evrim Ersoy)<\/p>\n