Talking With The Dead: 15 Questions with Matt Pennachi

Posted on 12 May, 2007 by Dedman13

This is an interview I conducted with a good friend of mine that is the program director at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, NC in Feb. of 2005.  This man may be doing more for the horror industry in the south than anyone else I know.  I have learned plenty from Matt about the theatrical side of things, and I hope you enjoy!

1.  What sparked your interest in film growing up, in particular the horror genre? 

As a kid I always loved going to the movies.  I just loved the whole ritual of it all, the big screen experience.  Half the time it really didn't matter to me what the show was, just the opportunity to go was a real thrill to me.  When I was younger I lived in Alaska, and at the time I lived there my hometown only sported one 2 screen cinema.  Most of the films they showed had already been in general release in the "lower 48" for several months by the time they migrated up to us.  As a result, all of the shows at that cinema (The Goldstream Twin, as it was called) were double features.  Man I loved that!  Two films for the price of one, 4 hours at the movies?  It was great!  A few years later a second theatre was built and that one was big time- 4 screens!  Interestingly enough, even though this was so many years ago I vividly remember films like "Re-Animator" and "Day of the Dead" playing up there.  At the time I was way too young to see pictures like that at the theatre, but just seeing the posters in the lobby, or reading the reviews in the Sunday paper and seeing the little ad mats of the poster had me utterly fascinated.  I mean, what could possibly be in those films that warranted them being released with no rating at all, and a warning on the poster?  I was kind of hypnotized by all of that...

Another thing that really fostered my love of films was the advent of HBO.  The TV reception was kind of crappy up in Alaska, so mom got HBO so my brother and I would have something to watch.  Now back in those days we weren't allowed to watch just anything we wanted to (mom was cool, but she was also protective when she needed to go into "mom mode").  However, I did get the opportunity as a young child to see films like "Creepshow", "The Changeling", "The Shining", "Firestarter", "Alien" and a variety of other genre fare thanks to cable.  In fact, sometimes just seeing the trailers for the horror films on HBO would scare me, but at the same time it would also fascinate me as well.  So I made it a goal to see all of the horror, sci-fi and oddball films I could when I had the chance, and to mentally bookmark the ones mom wouldn't let me watch so I could seek them out when I got older!  I watched plenty of other genres too, as I just love movies in general.  But at a young age going to the theatre and watching HBO certainly sparked an interest in me that exists to this very day.

2.  Was there any particular thing that got Retro and The Nevermore Film Festival started at the Carolina Theater?

 Long before I was actually an employee of the Carolina Theatre, I was a volunteer and the Retrofantasma Film Series was my baby.  It was 1998, and I was living in Greensboro, NC at the time and watching lots of films in my free time.  Around this time I was really heavily interested in horror and cult films, particularly Eurotrash films.  This was before DVD, and often times you'd have to go through a great deal of effort (not to mention expense) just to get bootleg VHS tapes of films you wanted to see, such as the works of Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, Jean Rollin, etc, etc.  As cool as it was just to be able to see those films, I was really curious to know what it would be like to see them on the big screen, on 35mm film as was the original presentation intent of all films.  At the same time I was really lamenting the lack of "midnight movies" at local cinemas.  When I was in high school there were several theatres in the Durham/Chapel Hill area that would do late night screenings of older films, and often times my older brother Wayne and I would go out to these things together.  He wasn't a hardcore genre fan per se, but he was a cool older brother who happened to have a car, so when I was 14 and 15 this was perfect.  We could trek out to see midnight films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Pink Floyd The Wall or Heavy Metal (a personal fave for both of us).  I suppose the proliferation of home video kind of killed the need for theatres to do midnight movies, but I always loved the experience.  I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be great if someone would bring back old horror and cult films to the big screen as special shows on Friday and Saturday nights?  I wonder if there would be an audience for that".   I decided if that was something I really wanted to see happen, then I would have to probably do it myself and hope that others would support it.  So, since I lived in Greensboro I started calling local theatres in the area, and sure enough, they all turned me down stone cold FLAT.

Although Durham was about an hour from where I was living at the time, I had fond memories of the Carolina Theatre.  I had gone to high school in the general area, and when the Carolina re-opened in 1994 I saw many cool films there.  Since every other theatre in a 50 mile radius had turned down my idea (despite the fact that I had told them I was willing to track down the prints, promote the shows and help out with the expense) I figured it couldn't hurt to try the Carolina.  Well, low and behold, if just so happens that the person I spoke to there was Jim Carl.  Jim was then, and is now to this day, the Director of Programming at the Carolina.  But the cool thing is, he is also a big genre fan and was very supportive and gung ho about the idea of a regular horror/cult film series.  He made a deal with me- if I did a lot of the leg work for the shows, he would offer me internal support from the facility.  We did our first show on November 13th, 1998, a screening of "Friday the 13th Part 2".  It was a stripped down version of what we do now, but it attracted about 85 people.  The interest was there, and Retro just continued to grow and grow.  Eventually Jim asked me if I would be willing to volunteer to help him with an annual, weekend long horror film festival, and I was really excited about the idea.  Thus the first Nevermore Film Festival was born in 2000, an offshoot of the regular series we were already doing.

3.  What brought you to the Carolina Theater, and how have you helped to shape the current direction it is heading in?

I think it was a combination of things brought me to the Carolina, but primarily I think my volunteer work and enthusiasm with Retrofantasma was probably the main thing.  I started volunteering with the series in 1998, and they hired me full time in 2001.  I am lucky to work with people like Jim Carl, who is not only extraordinarily knowledgeable about film and a terrific programmer of film festivals, but a good friend as well.  I have learned a great deal from him.  He is great at putting things together, and we work tremendously well as a team.  There are other co-workers at the Carolina that I feel truly blessed to be associated with as well, and I think collectively there's a core group of 4-5 people who really believe in Retro and Nevermore and have shaped those programs into what they are today.   It really is a team effort.  We all get to throw ideas around, and I think we've been lucky to try a lot of different things and see those things succeed.  And ultimately the fans have responded tremendously, and that is really what shapes the direction of programs such as these.  Without the fans, there is no reason for programs such as these to exist.  To think that we've been doing this for all of these years in a relatively small town such as Durham, NC, it really is a pretty humbling thought.  I'm terribly proud of everyone associated with both Retro and Nevermore, both internally and externally.   

4.  What are the trends and changes that you have noticed in the genre since you started doing Retro and The Nevermore Film Festival?

 Well, one thing I've noticed is just how much genre product is coming from Asia these days.  Once upon a time America and Europe could be counted on for several high quality genre films in any given year, but that doesn't seem to be the case as much these days.  However, countries such as Japan, Korea and Hong Kong are producing genre films at a pretty high rate and for the most part at a pretty high caliber as well.  Another trend I've noticed is how filmmakers seem to be going in more for CGI effects rather than the old fashioned foam and latex work, and that is something I'm really not fond of.  There is a certain tangible quality to the "old school" effects that is simply missing from the computer generated work.  It almost feels as if those effects have no soul, no spirit.  I'm not really sure how else to describe it.  Also, studios seem hell bent on getting their films into theatres with a PG-13 rating as often as possible, with the concept of "we'll maximize our profit potential by releasing the 'R' or 'unrated' cut when the film hits DVD".  This is something I abhor.  As great as DVD and the home video market are for exposing fans to a lot of films they might not otherwise have the chance to see, in a lot of ways it has also damaged the true cinematic experience of the genre as well.

5.  Having been to the theater and seeing the films there, I can tell that you have a large amount of pride doing what you do.  What do you hope people take away with them after visiting The Carolina Theater?

What I really want to do is to see people happy as a result of our work.  I know it may sound corny, but I'm totally and completely serious when I say that.  I want people to walk away from our shows thinking that not only did they have an absolute blast, but they had a completely unique experience in our venue that they will want to tell their friends about and keep coming to over and over again.  If someone walks out after a Retro or Nevermore show thinking "That was awesome!  I saw something I could have probably never seen anywhere else, and I saw it in a beautiful, vintage movie palace that made every effort to give me every penny of my money's worth!" then I would feel satisfied and know that what we're doing is wonderful and worthwhile.  What we are selling is fun.  We want people to have a good time, and I think for the most part they really do.

6.  Being on the inside like you are, what can you tell everyone about the difference in seeing a film in the theater and watching it at home?

 Some films were just meant to be big screen experiences, and many genre films definitely fall into this category.   People in general are social creatures, and if you can put a film with high entertainment value on a giant screen with a nice, enthusiastic crowd, there is simply no way to duplicate that experience at home.  I don't care how great the latest special edition DVD of the movie is, or how macked out your sound system is, or how huge your TV set is.  There are certain experiences which are simply not re-creatable in the home market.  I guarantee that you could take a mint, flawless DVD of say, a Fulci film, and put it up against a 35mm print of the same film that has seen its better days, and the 35mm print will win every time.  The great thing about a series like Retro is it also allows us the opportunity to make converts out of people.  What do I mean by that?  Well, there are many titles that are fairly dull or boring, and perhaps you may dislike it a great deal when you watched it at home by yourself.  However, when you see it on a big screen, and are able to interact with the film because they audience enthusiasm is so infectious; it turns a bad experience into a great one.  And sometimes that can ever change a person's overall attitude towards the genre as well!  I've had several people tell me that they weren't really horror fans, but they LOVE coming to our shows, and they really understand why people do love the genre when they see the films in an environment such as ours.  They finally "get it".  That's a great feeling.

7.  Do you feel like the political climate today really skews what directors and companies put out as opposed to what they really want to show?

 Wow, that's a tough one.  I think the easy answer is to just blurt out "yes", but truth be told, I'm not 100% sure.  I think in some instances that could definitely be the case, because obviously the people holding the purse strings behind these productions are mainly concerned with the bottom line.  For example, I feel confident that if George Romero has the opportunity to, "Land of the Dead" would probably be released as an NC-17 or unrated film.  But since they need to make sure the film is financially successful at the box office, it will be released with an 'R' theatrically and uncut when it hits DVD.  But on the other hand "Freddy vs. Jason" was released with an 'R' rating a couple of years ago, and that film featured many over the top gore effects that would have gotten a "Freddy" or "Jason" film from the 80's an 'X' rating with no question!  I think that filmmakers are pretty much shooting everything they want to, but we're not seeing this footage theatrically.  It is almost as if the industry is telling us that it is only safe for us to see this footage in the privacy of our own home, on a screen of limited size.  It is a shame because I would love to see more genre films released with an NC-17 or unrated if the script warrants that, but for financial reasons I don't think we'll see a return to that era on any large scale anytime soon.  As much as the home video market has helped genre fans, in certain ways it definitely has hurt as well.

8.  What genre films do you think people should experience in theaters as opposed to at home?
 
The easy answer is "everything possible", because this genre truly does play wonderfully on the big screen.  But some that immediately pop to mind are "Suspiria", "Deep Red", John Carpenter's "The Thing", "Last House on the Left".....films that are high in artistic value (many, many Eurotrash titles fall into this category, as they often emphasize style over substance) or films that are raw, in your face experiences often benefit from the big screen experience.  There are far too many titles to list, which is the main reason the Retrofantasma Film Series exists in the first place.

9.  Do you feel like 35mm and 16mm film is becoming a dying art due to the advances of digital filming?

I hope not, because I think that shooting on film gives the finished product a level of depth, warmth, color and in many cases, competence that are often missing from some of the shot on video productions.  Not that shot on video productions can't be good....I've seen several that were excellent.  But I do think that working with film does give the finished product a much different feel, and one that I personally generally prefer.  Also, I think it is important to note that just because digital is "easier to work with" does not mean that any hack can make a feature with it.  I've seen so many "films" that were utter garbage because clearly the person in charge of the production had no idea what they were doing in terms of lighting, sound, directing, or any of the basics involved in making a good film.  Alas for some these people it wouldn't matter if they were shooting IMAX, it would probably still suck!  I think digital will be the way of the future for low budget filmmaking, and I'm just praying that we don't see the bar lowered signifgantly because the public will simply choose to be more accepting of shoddy workmanship, simply using the excuse "well, it was shot on video".

10.  Who are your top 3 horror genre directors and why?

I simply cannot limit this to three, because there are so many filmmakers out there whose work I admire and respect tremendously.  But some who immediately pop to mind who made a major impact on me personally were Sam Raimi, Dario Argento, Peter Jackson and John Carpenter.  Truthfully though, if I sat here and just mulled on it the list would probably be several pages long.  There have just been so many great artists who have worked in this genre.

11.  What are your top 3 horror genre films and why?

Again, I simply cannot limit this to just three!  Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria, The Wicker Man, Deep Red, The Thing, Hills Have Eyes....where do I even begin?  Arghh!  I guarantee if you asked me the question next week, or tomorrow, or even later today my list would probably be completely different!  There are so many reasons why I love this genre, and so many different things which make a horror picture great.   And that is what makes this series great, a chance to see all of these films, revisit them and remember why I loved them in the first place and love them today.

12.  Are there any big plans for future Nevermore Film Festivals beyond the screening of films?

We're always trying to make things bigger and better, and give people more bang for their buck.  At one time we didn't have vintage trailers before screenings, and now we do as many of those as we can as often as possible.  In recent Nevermore events we've had filmmakers and cast and crew present for certain screenings, and added more vendors as well.  Ultimately we have done all of the things that the fans and the public have allowed us to do, and the more that they want and support, the more we will try to bring them.

13.  Other than horror, could you name some of your other favorite films and directors?

I could, but you'd probably need a spare day and a half for me to go on and on about this.  I truly love film- always have and always will.  Some filmmakers I love for their ability to tell stories, and others I love for their style.  Some I love just for their pure, unabashed audaciousness!  Kubrick, Jack Hill, certain Scorsese pictures, Eastwood, Kurasowa, Walter Hill.....jeez, this question is simply too hard and I almost always try to shy away from questions of this nature.  There are so many films and filmmakers I admire and respect that I try to never make lists.  I suppose the one film that has influenced me the most, and to this day I point to as one of the greatest cinematic experiences of my life, was seeing Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" on 35mm.  To me, films like that are the reasons people make films which demand to be seen on the big screen.  And when I later found out that Stanley admired and respected Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", I respected him even more!

14.  Is there any horror film out there that you would not show due to content or rating? 

Not really, but there are certain films which we definitely think twice about and have not gotten around to showing as of this date.  There are so many films that we've yet to show that we actually have the luxury of being able to pick and choose films which are not only great fun, but will also have the widest appeal.  We may eventually show something like "Cannibal Holocaust", but if we did we would make sure to show it as a late night screening, and make sure that people were appropriately warned of what to expect beforehand so they could make an informed decision as to whether they wanted to experience that or not.  Still, we have taken risks in the past and are willing to continue to do so in the future.  But the primary name of the game with us is fun, and we want to make sure everyone does have a good time at our events.  Therefore we try to appropriately "frame" each film, and package it with films of similar theme and what not.  But don't worry; we certainly have no intentions of ever going soft on anyone.  Our fans deserve the very best, and that's what we're here to deliver.

15.  What would you like to say to those that say that movie theaters will be overtaken by the home theater market?

Well, just because everyone else chooses to do it wrong is no excuse for you not to do it right!  I'm being somewhat facetious, as I do think things like DVD and home video are wonderful tools to expose people to films they might not otherwise see.  But whenever you have a chance to see a film you're truly interested in or care about on a big screen, you should definitely make the effort to do so.  More often than not you won't be sorry, and in the best instances you'll walk away with an experience you'll remember and treasure always.