Anime at the Alamo
Alamo's amazing lineup of anime films for January through March. Usually, anime plays every Tuesday night at 9:45pm, but there will be some intrusions on that schedule due to Spike and Mike's from Jan 23- Feb 17 and the SXSW Film Festival from March 12-20. Other than between those dates, expect a different anime film every Tuesday!
AND - check out our new anime mascot ANIMO! http://www.drafthouse.shoppingcartsplus.com/catalog/item/816102/430628.htm
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA DOWNTOWN
409 COLORADO ST. AUSTIN, TX
MEMORIES
TUES, JAN 6, 9:45 PM
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. VARIOUS, PG-13
1996 113 MIN, SUBTITLED, VIDEO THE GENIUS OF KATSUHIRO OTOMO, KOUJI MORIMOTO and SATOSHI KON ALL IN ONE TANTALIZING PACKAGE!
Centuries into the future, an interstellar salvage crew of four receive an SOS from an abandoned space station. Crewmen Heinz and Miguel depart for a rescue mission and enter a world that time hath forgot: a world filled with the memories of a love-scorned opera diva. In modern day Japan, Nobuo is a bungling chemical researcher who mistook the pills on his boss's desk for flu medication. These pills turn out to be an experimental, government anti-warfare weapon that has unfortunate consequences when it reacts with Nobuo's DNA. Finally, in an alternate universe set in Cold War Russia, it's just another day in the life of an industrial city. What's strange is that instead of production, this city specializes in destruction. The brilliance of art is simplicity. The best art tells us something about ourselves, makes us think, and focuses our attention on the unconscious which nevertheless invades our daily lives. Katsuhiro Otomo, director/creator of AKIRA, takes us through three separate worlds of his creation. He only directs one of the three segments, and each has its own unique style, form, and concept, but his seasonings are evident throughout. It is not conventional in story form, in artistic style, or musical leanings, but it strikes a unique, emotional chord that convention cannot attain. Animated films like MEMORIES give reviewers the resolve to slog through countless hours of lesser shows; it's movies like MEMORIES that remind us that these pictures of paint and celluloid can become so much more in our mind's eye. -- The Anime Review
MY YOUTH IN ARCADIA
TUES, JAN 13, 9:45 PM
SUGGESTED DONATION: $6/$4.50
STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. TOMOHARU KATSUMATA, SUBTITLED
JAPAN 1982, 130 MIN., VIDEO
Renowned Manga author Matsumoto (Battle of the Planets, Interstella 5555) Leijis greatest creation, Captain Harlock, comes to the big screen in this magnificent film. When aliens conquer earth and enslave the human race, all hope for freedom is abandoned. Parallels to post-war Japan are ubiquitous the earth is a cold and barren place where humanity clings desperately to whatever scraps it can get, ruled by an uncaring and impermeable Empire. But Captain Harlock and his rebel space pirates lead a powerful resistance, adopting the fighting strategy of ancient marauders -- and determined to restore freedom to the planet. With their atomic-powered spaceship bearing the feared black flag, Harlock and his men deal in swift justice, not unlike the unconquerable heroes of the spaghetti westerns and samurai films to which My Youth In Arcadia pays frequent homage. Aesthetically, Harlock is one of Matsumotos most stunning achievements; with his feathered hair, eyepatch, facial scars and tight-fitted pirate tunic, he could be a Tiger Beat poster boy. My Youth in Arcadia is a brooding, introspective film that will stay with you long after leaving the theatre, and essential viewing for any self-confessed otaku.
-- Kier-La Janisse
STARBALLZ
TUES, JAN 20, 9:45 PM
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. VARIOUS, NC-17
2001, 75 MIN, VIDEO
George Lucas was FUMING mad about the release of Starballz. He took the producers to court and sent the legal goons out on a search and destroy mission. In true David vs. Goliath fashion, however, the Courts ruled AGAINST the Star Wars megalomaniac and the wonder that is Starballz is available to the public again. Starballz is a Hentai (naughty pervert anime) parody of the original Star Wars., following the adventures of Wank Solo (strangely similar in appearance to Dragonball's Goku) in his search for anything to get laid. When he receives a message for help from the horny princess (an extra-busty Sailormoon spoof) kept captive on the Ass Star, nothing can stop him. Other beloved characters have also taken on twisted new forms as well: R2D2 has morphed with Pikachu, Mickey Mouse with Darth Vader, and the army of stormtroopers have become a good bit more phallic. Before the screening, check out a barrage of other Star Wars oddities and parodies.
- Tim
BLACKJACK: INFECTION
TUES, FEB 24, 9:45 PM
SUGGESTED DONATION: $6/$4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. OSAMU TEZUKA, SUBTITLED
JAPAN 2003, 95 MIN., VIDEO
From the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, creator of Metropolis and Astroboy. In a world where the grim reaper can strike at any time, a brilliant renegade surgeon known only as Black Jack operates outside the law. For the rich and dying, he performs miracles of a macabre medical nature. Unafraid of mysteries that verge on the paranormal, Black Jack is the one man with the power to cheat death...for a terrible price!
"Anime pick of the month"
- Wizard Magazine
ROBOT CARNIVAL
LIVE SCORE BY DJ NICK NACK!
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
TUES MARCH 2 9:45PM
$6/ $4.50 student/senior/afs
D. VARIOUS JAPAN 1978, 100 MIN., VIDEO
Before Animatrix, before there was Neo-Tokyo, there was Robot Carnival. Part grand experiment and part anime showcase it was conceived in 1987 as a chance to get some of the best anime directors to flex their anime muscles in short form. Robot Carnival is a collection of shorts with a mecha theme that offers something for almost every anime fan, even if you aren't a fan of giant robots and the traditional robot revenge epics (although there is some of each in the mix). The collection of 8 sequences is a joy to behold and spans the breadth of the mecha genre. It has an excellent twisted sense of humor in the form of Introduction (by Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame, poignant drama in the form of "Presence" (Yasuomi Umetsu director of "Gatchaman" and "Kite") and the languid line drawings of "Clouds" (Mao Lambdo), as well as by the book mech stories for both girls and boys ("Starlight Angel" Hiroyuki Kitazume who directed Moldiver, and Aura Battler Dunbine and was character designer for Megazone 23 and "Deprive" Hidetoshi Omori , the director of Urusei Yatsura [aka Lum] respectively). Rounding out the set is the humorous "A Tale of Two Robots" (by Hiroyuki Kitakubo director of "Rojin Z" and "Blood: the Last Vampire") a parody of Japanese war propaganda films and "Nightmare" (Takashi Nakamura Director of Catnapped and an animator on Nausicaa) which is a nod to Night on Bald Mountain from Disney's Fantasia. There is a reason why this anthology is still being shown in this day and age of "the next new best thing" anime, experience it for the first time or again for nostalgia's sake. (Tony Salvaggio)
NOTE: in the tradition of live musical film scores for silent films at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, DJ Nick Nack will be providing a live turntable score for this eye-candy feast -- his last score featured everything from Kraftwerk to Pink Floyd!
SUPER HAPPY FUN MONKEY BASH DX GAIDEN
TUES, MAR 9, 9:45 PM
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
JAPAN, 85 MIN, VIDEO D. VARIOUS
100% ALL NEW MATERIAL! NO REPEATS FROM LAST YEAR'S MONKEY BASH!
We've been longtime fans of bizarre Japanese advertising, television, and video. We have teamed up with local Japanese pop-culture enthusiast and archivist Tony Salvaggio to compile the definitive collection of Japanese oddities: strange, surreal animation, A-list American celebrities pimping themselves out for cheap Japanese products, cruel and inhumane game shows, bawdy situation comedies, unexpected nudity, extreme pro-wrestling, bizarre anti-flatulence products, nonsensical English phrases, supreme goofiness, and more, more, more! We've tempted your tastebuds in the past with Japanese preshow mixtapes before midnight features, but now, we are unleashing the full insanity of the rising sun with SUPER HAPPY FUN MONKEY BASH DX GAIDEN! If you choose to not attend this show, you will have no concept of how joyous and wonderful life can truly be. Anime at the Alamo! New Anime every Tuesday!
DOGGIE POO DVD RELEASE PARTY
plus: WAVE TWISTERS
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. VARIOUS, PG 2001, 110 MIN, VIDEO
Wave Twisters (WTM) is an eye-popping, hip-hop-meets-Hanna-Barbera, animated adventure synched skratch for skratch with DJ QBert's turntable masterpiece of the same name. Each track of QBert's original album was designed to provide the audio framework for another chapter in this sci-fi/kung-fu epic; every aspect of the story, music, sound effects, even dialogue has been accounted for and seamlessly integrated into QBert's original musical compositions. WTM gives visual expression to QBert's narrative while pioneering the concept of visual skratching; sampling from a wide variety of techniques (from traditional cell animation to 3D to live action to photo collage), WTM defines a unique visual style analogous to the supercharged cutting and skratching of a turntable DJ. WTM catapults the bar on the correspondence between sound and image, taking the Fantasia concept to the next, dizzying level. When the music says, "Jump!" the animation asks, "How high?" The hero of WTM is the Inner Space Dental Commander, a cross between Luke Skywalker, David Carradine, and the family dentist, who must fulfill his destiny by reviving the "Lost Arts" (i.e., the four pillars of hiphop culture: breaking and MC'ing, rapping, graffiti, and, most importantly, skratching). To do so, he and his posse (the mischievous medical droid, Rubbish, his lovely assistant and comrade-at-arms, Honey, and B-Boy Grandpa, the last surviving link to a bygone era when the Arts flourished) battle their way through an increasingly surreal collection of villains, pitfalls, and booby-traps. Among the villains are an elite corps of turntable warriors, played by key members of the Invisible Skratch Piklz: QBert, Yogafrog, and D-Styles plus DJ Flare. Their electrifying performances blaze a path of destruction which stands between the Dental Commander and his final showdown with Lord Ook, the evil mastermind behind the plot to suppress and control the Lost Arts throughout "inner space".
AFTER WAVE TWISTERS, check out the premiere of DOGGIE POO, the new Korean anime based on the best selling children's book Doggy Poo by author Jung-Saeng Kwon. In this tale, a seemingly worthless piece of a dog's excrement eventually discovers its self worth in a friendship developed with a small flower. Doggy Poo won the Best Pilot Prize at The Tokyo International Anime Fair 2003.
ANGEL'S EGG
With LIVE Musical Score!
PRICE YET TO BE DETERMINED
1982, JAPAN, 71 MIN, LD
D. MAMORU OSHII
The story is set in a strange world, a world of bones and shadows. The remnants of technology, of once great human civilization, even the remains of long vanished creatures decorate this stage. People exist here, but they seem as much ghosts or remnants as anything else. Clinging to memories of things long gone, to purposes they can't remember or to hopes they can't fully express. It's a weird, brooding and silent place, with just the faintest echo of madness to add spice. And on this stage comes a young girl, clad in brightly colored cloth but with an impossibly pale skin and cautious, downcast eyes. Under her dress she cradles a large egg which she seems to treasure above all else, perhaps hoping that it contains a future within it. While going about her business she runs into a young soldier, carrying his weapon, who seems to have mysteries of his own and finds they echo with hers. Mamoru Oshii has become a hot commodity as of late, with his noted work on such popular features as JIN-ROH, GHOST IN THE SHELL, and the PATLABOR movies. With his slow, methodical style that intrigues as it unfolds, Oshii has proven over and over again his ability to keep an audience involved despite pacing that would destroy other directors' films. Back in 1925, he premiered his most personal work, a 70-minute picture called ANGEL'S EGG that he both wrote and directed. It stretches to the very limit the capacities of his viewers, yet is an insightful look into the very core of the man who has pondered the meaning of existence in ways most filmmakers wouldn't dare to attempt. For those who like art films and find the concept of a serious, mentally provoking, controversial course in Christianity and existential thought fascinating, you must see this film. ANGEL'S EGG is a film worthy to stand beside the likes of Ingmar Bergman's THE SEVENTH SEAL in dealing with the concepts of death, life, and belief. It is truly a gorgeous film to be experienced rather than completely comprehended. -- The Anime Review
AND - check out our new anime mascot ANIMO! http://www.drafthouse.shoppingcartsplus.com/catalog/item/816102/430628.htm
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA DOWNTOWN
409 COLORADO ST. AUSTIN, TX
MEMORIES
TUES, JAN 6, 9:45 PM
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. VARIOUS, PG-13
1996 113 MIN, SUBTITLED, VIDEO THE GENIUS OF KATSUHIRO OTOMO, KOUJI MORIMOTO and SATOSHI KON ALL IN ONE TANTALIZING PACKAGE!
Centuries into the future, an interstellar salvage crew of four receive an SOS from an abandoned space station. Crewmen Heinz and Miguel depart for a rescue mission and enter a world that time hath forgot: a world filled with the memories of a love-scorned opera diva. In modern day Japan, Nobuo is a bungling chemical researcher who mistook the pills on his boss's desk for flu medication. These pills turn out to be an experimental, government anti-warfare weapon that has unfortunate consequences when it reacts with Nobuo's DNA. Finally, in an alternate universe set in Cold War Russia, it's just another day in the life of an industrial city. What's strange is that instead of production, this city specializes in destruction. The brilliance of art is simplicity. The best art tells us something about ourselves, makes us think, and focuses our attention on the unconscious which nevertheless invades our daily lives. Katsuhiro Otomo, director/creator of AKIRA, takes us through three separate worlds of his creation. He only directs one of the three segments, and each has its own unique style, form, and concept, but his seasonings are evident throughout. It is not conventional in story form, in artistic style, or musical leanings, but it strikes a unique, emotional chord that convention cannot attain. Animated films like MEMORIES give reviewers the resolve to slog through countless hours of lesser shows; it's movies like MEMORIES that remind us that these pictures of paint and celluloid can become so much more in our mind's eye. -- The Anime Review
MY YOUTH IN ARCADIA
TUES, JAN 13, 9:45 PM
SUGGESTED DONATION: $6/$4.50
STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. TOMOHARU KATSUMATA, SUBTITLED
JAPAN 1982, 130 MIN., VIDEO
Renowned Manga author Matsumoto (Battle of the Planets, Interstella 5555) Leijis greatest creation, Captain Harlock, comes to the big screen in this magnificent film. When aliens conquer earth and enslave the human race, all hope for freedom is abandoned. Parallels to post-war Japan are ubiquitous the earth is a cold and barren place where humanity clings desperately to whatever scraps it can get, ruled by an uncaring and impermeable Empire. But Captain Harlock and his rebel space pirates lead a powerful resistance, adopting the fighting strategy of ancient marauders -- and determined to restore freedom to the planet. With their atomic-powered spaceship bearing the feared black flag, Harlock and his men deal in swift justice, not unlike the unconquerable heroes of the spaghetti westerns and samurai films to which My Youth In Arcadia pays frequent homage. Aesthetically, Harlock is one of Matsumotos most stunning achievements; with his feathered hair, eyepatch, facial scars and tight-fitted pirate tunic, he could be a Tiger Beat poster boy. My Youth in Arcadia is a brooding, introspective film that will stay with you long after leaving the theatre, and essential viewing for any self-confessed otaku.
-- Kier-La Janisse
STARBALLZ
TUES, JAN 20, 9:45 PM
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. VARIOUS, NC-17
2001, 75 MIN, VIDEO
George Lucas was FUMING mad about the release of Starballz. He took the producers to court and sent the legal goons out on a search and destroy mission. In true David vs. Goliath fashion, however, the Courts ruled AGAINST the Star Wars megalomaniac and the wonder that is Starballz is available to the public again. Starballz is a Hentai (naughty pervert anime) parody of the original Star Wars., following the adventures of Wank Solo (strangely similar in appearance to Dragonball's Goku) in his search for anything to get laid. When he receives a message for help from the horny princess (an extra-busty Sailormoon spoof) kept captive on the Ass Star, nothing can stop him. Other beloved characters have also taken on twisted new forms as well: R2D2 has morphed with Pikachu, Mickey Mouse with Darth Vader, and the army of stormtroopers have become a good bit more phallic. Before the screening, check out a barrage of other Star Wars oddities and parodies.
- Tim
BLACKJACK: INFECTION
TUES, FEB 24, 9:45 PM
SUGGESTED DONATION: $6/$4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. OSAMU TEZUKA, SUBTITLED
JAPAN 2003, 95 MIN., VIDEO
From the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, creator of Metropolis and Astroboy. In a world where the grim reaper can strike at any time, a brilliant renegade surgeon known only as Black Jack operates outside the law. For the rich and dying, he performs miracles of a macabre medical nature. Unafraid of mysteries that verge on the paranormal, Black Jack is the one man with the power to cheat death...for a terrible price!
"Anime pick of the month"
- Wizard Magazine
ROBOT CARNIVAL
LIVE SCORE BY DJ NICK NACK!
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
TUES MARCH 2 9:45PM
$6/ $4.50 student/senior/afs
D. VARIOUS JAPAN 1978, 100 MIN., VIDEO
Before Animatrix, before there was Neo-Tokyo, there was Robot Carnival. Part grand experiment and part anime showcase it was conceived in 1987 as a chance to get some of the best anime directors to flex their anime muscles in short form. Robot Carnival is a collection of shorts with a mecha theme that offers something for almost every anime fan, even if you aren't a fan of giant robots and the traditional robot revenge epics (although there is some of each in the mix). The collection of 8 sequences is a joy to behold and spans the breadth of the mecha genre. It has an excellent twisted sense of humor in the form of Introduction (by Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame, poignant drama in the form of "Presence" (Yasuomi Umetsu director of "Gatchaman" and "Kite") and the languid line drawings of "Clouds" (Mao Lambdo), as well as by the book mech stories for both girls and boys ("Starlight Angel" Hiroyuki Kitazume who directed Moldiver, and Aura Battler Dunbine and was character designer for Megazone 23 and "Deprive" Hidetoshi Omori , the director of Urusei Yatsura [aka Lum] respectively). Rounding out the set is the humorous "A Tale of Two Robots" (by Hiroyuki Kitakubo director of "Rojin Z" and "Blood: the Last Vampire") a parody of Japanese war propaganda films and "Nightmare" (Takashi Nakamura Director of Catnapped and an animator on Nausicaa) which is a nod to Night on Bald Mountain from Disney's Fantasia. There is a reason why this anthology is still being shown in this day and age of "the next new best thing" anime, experience it for the first time or again for nostalgia's sake. (Tony Salvaggio)
NOTE: in the tradition of live musical film scores for silent films at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, DJ Nick Nack will be providing a live turntable score for this eye-candy feast -- his last score featured everything from Kraftwerk to Pink Floyd!
SUPER HAPPY FUN MONKEY BASH DX GAIDEN
TUES, MAR 9, 9:45 PM
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
JAPAN, 85 MIN, VIDEO D. VARIOUS
100% ALL NEW MATERIAL! NO REPEATS FROM LAST YEAR'S MONKEY BASH!
We've been longtime fans of bizarre Japanese advertising, television, and video. We have teamed up with local Japanese pop-culture enthusiast and archivist Tony Salvaggio to compile the definitive collection of Japanese oddities: strange, surreal animation, A-list American celebrities pimping themselves out for cheap Japanese products, cruel and inhumane game shows, bawdy situation comedies, unexpected nudity, extreme pro-wrestling, bizarre anti-flatulence products, nonsensical English phrases, supreme goofiness, and more, more, more! We've tempted your tastebuds in the past with Japanese preshow mixtapes before midnight features, but now, we are unleashing the full insanity of the rising sun with SUPER HAPPY FUN MONKEY BASH DX GAIDEN! If you choose to not attend this show, you will have no concept of how joyous and wonderful life can truly be. Anime at the Alamo! New Anime every Tuesday!
DOGGIE POO DVD RELEASE PARTY
plus: WAVE TWISTERS
$6; $4.50 STUDENT/SENIOR/AFS
D. VARIOUS, PG 2001, 110 MIN, VIDEO
Wave Twisters (WTM) is an eye-popping, hip-hop-meets-Hanna-Barbera, animated adventure synched skratch for skratch with DJ QBert's turntable masterpiece of the same name. Each track of QBert's original album was designed to provide the audio framework for another chapter in this sci-fi/kung-fu epic; every aspect of the story, music, sound effects, even dialogue has been accounted for and seamlessly integrated into QBert's original musical compositions. WTM gives visual expression to QBert's narrative while pioneering the concept of visual skratching; sampling from a wide variety of techniques (from traditional cell animation to 3D to live action to photo collage), WTM defines a unique visual style analogous to the supercharged cutting and skratching of a turntable DJ. WTM catapults the bar on the correspondence between sound and image, taking the Fantasia concept to the next, dizzying level. When the music says, "Jump!" the animation asks, "How high?" The hero of WTM is the Inner Space Dental Commander, a cross between Luke Skywalker, David Carradine, and the family dentist, who must fulfill his destiny by reviving the "Lost Arts" (i.e., the four pillars of hiphop culture: breaking and MC'ing, rapping, graffiti, and, most importantly, skratching). To do so, he and his posse (the mischievous medical droid, Rubbish, his lovely assistant and comrade-at-arms, Honey, and B-Boy Grandpa, the last surviving link to a bygone era when the Arts flourished) battle their way through an increasingly surreal collection of villains, pitfalls, and booby-traps. Among the villains are an elite corps of turntable warriors, played by key members of the Invisible Skratch Piklz: QBert, Yogafrog, and D-Styles plus DJ Flare. Their electrifying performances blaze a path of destruction which stands between the Dental Commander and his final showdown with Lord Ook, the evil mastermind behind the plot to suppress and control the Lost Arts throughout "inner space".
AFTER WAVE TWISTERS, check out the premiere of DOGGIE POO, the new Korean anime based on the best selling children's book Doggy Poo by author Jung-Saeng Kwon. In this tale, a seemingly worthless piece of a dog's excrement eventually discovers its self worth in a friendship developed with a small flower. Doggy Poo won the Best Pilot Prize at The Tokyo International Anime Fair 2003.
ANGEL'S EGG
With LIVE Musical Score!
PRICE YET TO BE DETERMINED
1982, JAPAN, 71 MIN, LD
D. MAMORU OSHII
The story is set in a strange world, a world of bones and shadows. The remnants of technology, of once great human civilization, even the remains of long vanished creatures decorate this stage. People exist here, but they seem as much ghosts or remnants as anything else. Clinging to memories of things long gone, to purposes they can't remember or to hopes they can't fully express. It's a weird, brooding and silent place, with just the faintest echo of madness to add spice. And on this stage comes a young girl, clad in brightly colored cloth but with an impossibly pale skin and cautious, downcast eyes. Under her dress she cradles a large egg which she seems to treasure above all else, perhaps hoping that it contains a future within it. While going about her business she runs into a young soldier, carrying his weapon, who seems to have mysteries of his own and finds they echo with hers. Mamoru Oshii has become a hot commodity as of late, with his noted work on such popular features as JIN-ROH, GHOST IN THE SHELL, and the PATLABOR movies. With his slow, methodical style that intrigues as it unfolds, Oshii has proven over and over again his ability to keep an audience involved despite pacing that would destroy other directors' films. Back in 1925, he premiered his most personal work, a 70-minute picture called ANGEL'S EGG that he both wrote and directed. It stretches to the very limit the capacities of his viewers, yet is an insightful look into the very core of the man who has pondered the meaning of existence in ways most filmmakers wouldn't dare to attempt. For those who like art films and find the concept of a serious, mentally provoking, controversial course in Christianity and existential thought fascinating, you must see this film. ANGEL'S EGG is a film worthy to stand beside the likes of Ingmar Bergman's THE SEVENTH SEAL in dealing with the concepts of death, life, and belief. It is truly a gorgeous film to be experienced rather than completely comprehended. -- The Anime Review
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