Toronto After Dark Series 2007

Hopefully everyone has been keeping up with the reviews of the great films that I’ve managed to see at the TAD Film Fest. I’ve finished up with the 2006 year and I wish I had been there to see some of those movies. I’m not surprised that I enjoyed them so much as I’m never let down by the week long bash that is TAD.

I thought before diving into the reviews that I’d share some of the great fun I had at the 2007 festival. I had always wanted to check out TIFF but it’s really expensive, there’s lots of flicks that, while they may be good, just don’t interest me that much and it’s crowded. Very crowded. I’m not a big fan of huge crowds of people.

I honestly cannot remember how I heard about TAD but I know that I jumped all over the chance to check it out and it will be something that I never forget. It ran from Oct. 19th to the 25th. My birthday ran from Oct. 18th to the 21st. What a great combination for a horror fan like me. The first night I got to check out Mulberry Street which is a flick I’ve seen a few more times since then. It follows a group of people living in an apartment building as the city around them descends into chaos when people start turning into zombie rat people. I can’t wait to watch this one again! Afterwards we were treated to a great opening night party at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto.

TAD Afterparty 2007

It was quite the entertaining experience as they played some great music and had a series of the weirdest, old school trailers playing behind the dj. I still remember this one that had a legless ninja teaming up with an armless ninja on a mission to kick ass. I have no idea what movie it was or what they were talking about (since there was no sound for the trailers) but it was hilarious to see.

The next night was probably the biggest party I have ever been to. Thankfully it was for my birthday so I got to get completely drunk for free. I only went to see one flick that day and it was Aachi and Ssipak. This is one wacked out animated flick set in the future. There’s a need for a new fuel source and that source is human feces. Anyone making a large enough ‘deposit’ is provided with drug laced popsicles as a reward. When Aachi and Ssipak steal a supply of popsicles they find themselves hunted by government cyborgs and mutant popsicle addicts. Wacky stuff indeed!

Horror flicks and balloons!

After the flick it was off to party in true Hagi style. I have never before and never again been that intoxicated as evidenced by the photo on the right. Never give the horror fan that’s jacked up on booze a bunch of balloons. Easily a night I’ll never forget.

After trying to recuperate from the previous evenings shenanigans, I hauled my butt down to Toronto for the Zombie Walk which took place before a zombie double feature at the film fest. I guess we destroyed everyone’s livers the night before as I could only get a few of my friends to show up for the zombie walk. Now there is something you’ve got to see to believe. Hundreds of zombies shambling down the streets towards the Bloor Cinema to catch a zombie movie.

There were little kids, big kids, old kids, dead kids! Since we were running late (not unusual for our group of friends) we ended up being at the end of a long line of very polite and law abiding zombies. The carnage that was left behind was hilarious. It was not a good day to park your car on the side of the road. There were bloody handprints on cars, store windows, sides of buildings and street signs. I kinda wish I could have seen the looks on some of the peoples faces as they came across all the fake blood everywhere.

Once we hit the theater we grabbed a bite to eat. I still haven’t lived down the next moment in history. We head to the nearest restaurant that isn’t already overflowing with zombies and waltz in. I notice the waitress is quite attractive so I approach her and say in my most sultry zombie voice, “Do you serve brains here?” The waitress looks at me like I am the most stupid person who has ever crossed her path, pauses for what seems like forever and says “No.” She hands us our menus and my friend busts a gut laughing. Every once and awhile I’ll hear him say “Do you serve brains here?” and then start laughing. At least I can laugh about it! Check out some of the great fun from that day.

That's me enjoying some flesh!

 

Dave and Momo join in the zombie fun.

Paris Hilton never looked better.

Automaton Transfusion was the flick we caught that day and it’s taken me quite a long time to find that one so I could review it here for you guys. I can barely remember anything about it so it’ll be fun to check it out again. Also playing that night was Poultrygeist, which I didn’t get to see that night sadly. I do have a copy now though so I can sit and enjoy it.

The following nights start getting blurry as I spent night after night checking out a flick and then grabbing a few beers across the street at the pub with my friend Peter. Directors, actors, writers and film fest organizers were usually there to mingle with everyone and it was a great time. I got to see plenty of great movies that I’ll be sharing here over this next week.

There was always plenty going on inside and out of the theater. I just wish I was able to remember or could purchase some of the short films that played throughout the festival. Before each movie screening there would be a short that played. Some of them were very well done and I have yet to find any of them anywhere. I guess that’s the benefit of actually going to the fest. You get to see some great local indie stuff.

So it was easily one of the best film-going experiences I have ever had and some memories that will live forever. It’s cool to be able to share some of the fun with everyone here and I hope that you’ll find some great movies to watch through the coming reviews.

Under the marquee – Will