A Camaraderie of Mutants: Joe Bob’s Jamboree
Joe Bob Briggs is known for hosting The Last Drive-In on Shudder and AMC+. From October 6th-8th, hundreds of his fans (known as mutants or the mutant family) descended upon the West Wind Drive-In Theater in Las Vegas. They all came together to experience the Third Annual World Drive-In Festival. This is my Jamboree story.
The City of Sin
Flying into Las Vegas from the midwest feels like entering into an entirely different dimension. Flashing lights and chimes from dozens of slot machines greet you as you step off of the plane. I’m not superstitious but I am a little stitious, so I plunk twenty dollars in the first machine I see and win five dollars.
After picking up our rental car and checking into our hotel, all plans of adventuring in the big city went out the window. We order room service and I scroll through the platform formerly known as Twitter. Watching everyone arrive for the Jamboree filled me with a mixture of excitement and dread.
Jamboree Jitters
I didn’t know what to wear. What if people didn’t like me? Will I overheat and pass out? My husband hands me a drink and tells me to stop spiraling. But according to my therapist, I’m the best at spiraling. After a few sips and even more deep breaths, I veer back towards excitement.
Waking up at 6:30 AM is not ideal while you’re in town for a movie festival that runs from 2 PM – 2 AM. Alas, my east coast circadian rhythm doesn’t give a shit about what is ideal. Though waking up early on Friday did give us a chance to gather our needed supplies from a local store called Wal-Mart.
Flying in meant we had to bear the additional expense of purchasing a cooler, folding chairs and an FM band radio. We also bought blankets and pillows to create a cozy viewing area in the back of our rental SUV. I knew we would want these items to have the best possible experience, but I also knew we would have no way of bringing most of the items home. For a trip that already cost us thousands in terms of the hotel, festival tickets + add ons, rental car and flights – it stung.
Ticket prices for the Jamboree itself are reasonable, especially if you purchase them early. However, it’s hard to ignore that many mutants were priced out of attending this year due to the location. My husband and I combined our birthday, anniversary, and Christmas gifts for our two-day experience. The ability to camp onsite helped to lower costs for many attendees, but camping on a blacktop without shade or showers is not my particular idea of fun.
They Paved Paradise, Put Up a Drive-In Lot
However, pulling into the West Wind Drive-In makes its location choice very apparent. Growing up, the drive-in theater I attended had one screen. The three screens at my college drive-in are dazzling. The West Wind has six screens. And we took over five of them. (The sixth screen was playing Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie with a double feature I was unable to determine. I can only imagine what those parents were thinking.)
With a combination of Jamboree volunteers and West Wind staff scanning tickets and directing parking, arrival was smooth and easy. We spotted filming for Charles Band’s Barbie & Kendra Crash Joe Bob’s Drive-In Jamboree immediately, and would continue to see them filming the rest of the weekend. I’m definitely looking forward to watching it when it comes out, and hopefully it has its world premier on The Last Drive-In.
Approaching a gathering of people in the camping area, I was nervous. Meeting people in real life that you’ve only previously known online is intimidating. For about half a second. When you’ve bonded with anyone over a love of movies, there’s never a shortage of conversation topics. There’s also apparently never a shortage of trinkets. I was given pins, stickers, and a friendship bracelet ala Taylor Swift spelling out the word “breasts.” I felt somewhat bad only being able to offer name tags in return, but it turns out those are valuable currency.
The Jamboree Line Experience
Waiting in line for our photo opportunity, we heard the sweet dulcet sounds of Mutant Karaoke. The entertainment was appreciated as Joe Bob and Darcy were roughly an hour late for photos. Thankfully the line formed under the shade of the concessions building, so the wait was not unbearable. Meeting Joe Bob and Darcy, although very briefly, was incredible. I’ve already framed the photo.
Our next wait-in-line experience was for the Welcome BBQ dinner. Unfortunately, this line was not shaded and I cursed myself for not buying an umbrella to bring. We went through the line and were given plates of food and sent on our way. The food was good, but I’m pretty confident in saying that it wasn’t worth the $50 per person price tag. The concession stand is reasonably priced and fast, so we could have fed ourselves dinner for $30 total without the long wait.
If It’s Too Loud, You’re Too Old!
As John Brennan and the Bigfeet took the stage, my husband and I made our way back to our vehicle. We were blessed with a good spot that had a great view of the stage and one of the screens. A bad parking spot didn’t exclude anyone from a good view, as the first few rows of parking spots in front of the stage were cleared for chairs.
Future attendees should include some hearing protection in their packing lists, as the sound from the stage was very loud. Luckily, I always carry ear plugs with me so the sound was not an issue for me. John Brennan and the Bigfeet put on an energizing and entertaining show as a skunk must have wandered around the parking lot.
Charles Band then took the stage and announced they would be filming the final scene of their aforementioned movie during their allotted time. As someone who has never been a part of a film’s production, it was really cool to get such a behind the scenes look at the process. I won’t spoil the ending, but this is sure to be a very amusing film.
You’re Just a Filmmaker
The night truly began as Joe Bob took the stage to wild audience cheers and applause. He discussed the importance of filmmaking before showing his famous speech to “aspiring” filmmakers he made while hosting One Cut of the Dead (2017) in the second season of The Last Drive-In. The speech is incredibly inspiring and I recommend watching it if you haven’t already done so. It was the perfect lead-in to a celebration of truly independent filmmakers.
The film festival then kicked off with David Liban’s feature Publish or Perish. The film covers exactly what lengths a professor will go to receive tenure and is more dark comedy than outright horror. It does an excellent job of building tension and leaves the audience asking “Can he really get away with this?” up until the very end.
The second film of the night was Buddy Cooper’s Mutilator 2, the long awaited sequel to his 1985 film The Mutilator. Cast and crew were onsite at the Jamboree selling merch and interacting with fans, building the excitement before airing. The movie fully delivers with a bloody and funny meta-horror experience.
Keep Them Coming
Sean Haitz’s Cannibal Comedian rounded out the feature length films, with a movie about -you guessed it- a cannibal comedian juggling his roadside human meatball stand and his burgeoning career as a comedian. Two vehicles featured in the film were on location at the Jamboree along with the cast and crew, which I did not realize until they appeared on screen. The movie is laugh out loud funny and delivers when it comes time for the kills.
The night finished with eight short films, several of which are now available on YouTube:
- Above the Staircase written & directed by Dennis Sema
- Baby Fever directed by Hannah May Cumming and written by Hannah May Cumming & Alex Hartwig
- The Casting Couch directed by Matt Thiesen & Justin Lee and written by Milly Sanders
- That Damned Yellow Raincoat written & directed by Jason Huls
- Hideous Heart directed by Nicholas Camp & Don Thiel and written by Nicholas Camp
- Satanimation directed by Gregory Garrett Boone & Jason Hooper and written by Jason Hooper
- The Mages of Rage and the Desecration of the House of Mimicry directed by Jason Sheedy and written by Brett Brooks & Jason Sheedy
- We Forgot about the Zombies – written & directed by Chris McInroy
Well-Deserved Awards
All films shown as part of the film festival were introduced by Joe Bob with his signature drive-in totals and awarded a Drive-In Academy Award, also known as a Hubbie. The award is inscribed on a vintage Chevy hubcap and was given in-person on stage to those who were able to attend the Jamboree. I hope those involved in making these films felt the love the audience poured into them as we felt the love they poured into their craft.
After midnight, sound ordinances require a switch from stage sound to radio. My husband and I did our best to stick it out for as long as possible, but the soft droning of the radio and the softer pillows piled in our backseat told us it was time to head back to the hotel.
Deal Me in Again
Despite arriving at roughly the same as we did on Friday, our parking spot on Saturday was unfortunately at one of the screens facing away from the stage. Thankfully, we were able to set our chairs up near friends near the front of the stage. We wanted the best possible view for the live taping of The Last Drive-In and ended up being right in front of the central teleprompter. Someone moving our stuff was a concern, but as we checked in throughout the day it remained in the same spot.
Since we had not purchased add-ons for Saturday, we had more free time to shop at the merch tables. Every vendor was super friendly and there was a good variety of items to choose from at multiple price points. All of the tables were also under shade which was greatly appreciated, despite Saturday being slightly cooler than Friday.
I also conquered a small piece of my nerves to introduce myself to Yuki Nakamura, who is behind production design on The Last Drive-In!
We also had more time to spend with fellow attendees on the second day. The mutant family is a diverse group of people who are all brought together by their love of Joe Bob and horror, but they also have something else in common. They’re cool as fuck. We met so many kind and funny and thoughtful people who welcomed us right into their spaces without hesitation. It made all my earlier fears and anxiety seem so silly.
Let’s Get it Started
Pre-show entertainment on Saturday included a very entertaining Mutant Rap Battle. The one and only Gringo Fantastico took the stage alongside a handful of other talented mutants as they gave it their all to win copies of Troma films. The contestants are all crowned winners and walk away with movies in hand.
John Brennan and the Bigfeet then took the Jamboree stage again, this time with a special surprise just for The Last Drive-In superfan Eric Butts. The band learned an original song written by Butts and brought him on stage to perform it with them. Dave Sheridan (known for his character Officer Doofy and in character as Blow Job Briggs) joined them and they put on a performance I will never forget. Seriously, who knew a song about Waffle House could be so damn catchy?
Viva Las Vegas
I will also never forget Joe Bob taking the stage to kick off the live-episode filming with a “mutated” rendition of Viva Las Vegas. Hearing his musical stylings is always an unexpected treat. I think he narrowly missed out on a career as a prolific lounge entertainer. With energy levels at all time high – we were officially part of a live studio audience.
I will be providing an in-depth review of this episode when it airs on Shudder next year, but I can say with absolute certainty that audiences are in for a treat. It is astounding to me how similar watching the taping felt to watching an episode at home. Joe Bob and Darcy are naturals on stage. Darcy has mentioned how anxious events like these make her, but you would never guess from watching her.
Roger and Julie Corman are the featured guests of the Jamboree, with both receiving their own Hubbie awards. Julie receiving separate honors for her contributions to film was a thoughtful gesture by Joe Bob in a night that could have easily been all about her husband.
Can You Say That on TV?
The interview takes place during the first showing of the night, Corman’s 1959 film A Bucket of Blood. It is an entertaining take-down of beatnik culture in black and white and felt like a perfect film to experience at a drive-in. The interview is full of fascinating stories, and the story-telling goes to 11 when Bruce Dern appears as a surprise guest.
The second film of the night is 1983’s Deathstalker. Joe Bob seems delighted to be showing this movie, and I have absolutely no idea why. It’s a sword and sorcery movie and whenever I try to describe it all that comes out is “It’s a movie about attempted rapes.” It was entertaining enough, although I was more entertained by audience reactions.
The night did not end when the live-taping ended, though. Once stage sound was cut and switched to FM, the drive-in played The Wild Angels (1966) about the Hell’s Angels. As well as The Trip (1967) about an LSD trip. Surprise guest Dern appears in both of these Corman films, making them a logical choice to finish the night. We seize the opportunity to sneak out during The Wild Angels.
Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on what accounts you read, we were not present for Sunday shenanigans at the Jamboree. Sleepaway Camp day featured a cast reunion and Chris Jericho alongside an all-night marathon of the full series of movies.
Jamboree Camaraderie
So, what do you call a gathering of hundreds of members of the Mutant Family? A group of crows is a murder. It’s tempting to borrow that name for a group of people who relish in watching on-screen death. However, after spending two days baking under the Las Vegas sun at the 3rd Annual World Drive-In Movie Festival (also known as Joe Bob’s Jamboree), I’d like to propose something entirely different: a camaraderie. I’ve seen first hand the solid foundation of trust and friendship, so no other word makes sense to me.
(One experience I did not have, due to sheer nerves, was meeting Joe Bob and Darcy outside of my purchased photo opportunity. This does not mean they were not available, as they spent countless hours meeting mutants and signing autographs free of charge. I know many people were absolutely thrilled at the chance to have a few moments of dedicated time with the hosts of the show that brought us all together.)
Christmas time is here! It’s time to listen to the same five songs until your ears bleed, spend time with people you’d fake your own death to avoid the rest of the year and stuff yourself with way too much food. And, it’s time for my favorite holiday tradition, watching horrible Christmas movies to tell you all exactly how god-awful they are. Let’s start with Mercy Christmas, a film about a family with a unique set of holiday traditions. And, a unique holiday menu.
The story
Our main character is named Michael Briskett. He’s a lonely man working a dull job with an abusive boss. But he’s doing his best to have a good Christmas. He even throws a party for everyone at his work.
No one shows up, though, except for the boss’s beautify assistant, Cindy. Together they have some drinks, and eventually, she invites him to her family’s Christmas celebration.
Personally, if a woman that beautiful had asked me out, I’d assume she thought I had money. But poor Michael is so swept up in being included that he jumps on the chance.
When he arrives at the family home of the Robillards, he finds two nasty surprises waiting. The first is that Cindy’s brother is Andy, his horrible boss. The second is that the family intends to eat him and three other people throughout Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
After that is, Michael finishes up a work project for Andy. Because it’s not bad enough that he will be eaten, he also has to work over Christmas.
What worked
There are two kinds of bad Christmas movies. The ones that are actually bad, like Gingerdead Man, and the ones that are bad in all the wonderfully right ways that make them a real holiday treat. Mercy Christmas was one of the latter.
First, no one is taking a single second of this seriously. The writers sure didn’t, when they wrote a scene in which Michael and Eddie are tied together by Christmas tree lights to battle the Robillards. The actors didn’t. Half the time you can see them holding back a mighty laugh with all of their might. The stunt coordinators, the costume department, and the effects team were all doing their very best to make this movie as hilarious as possible. Because at every moment, every detail was selected to be funny and festive rather than serious. Cindy wearing a cross to church service. The pineapple on the roast leg. Grandma insisting that they do stockings at her specific time, as though they haven’t got three strangers tied up in the basement. All of this was funny as hell, exactly as it was supposed to be.
Every single person involved with Mercy Christmas was having a fantastic time. As I mentioned, the whole cast felt like they were about to start laughing. There is so much joy in their faces, even when it’s not exactly a joyful scene. But it’s the attention to comical detail that makes it clear that this movie was a labor of love for everybody.
Finally, I adore that the Robillard family acts exactly how we all picture people behaving at a big family Christmas. At least, if the family has money. Everyone’s arguing over food, talking about how they miss their mom, and fussing at each other. But everyone is also doing their little part to make Christmas great for their family after suffering the loss of their beloved mom.
If they weren’t eating people, this could have been a Hallmark Christmas movie.
What didn’t work
All of that being said, there was one thing that bothered me about this movie.
Over and over, we come back to the fact that Mrs. Robillard died. It’s brought up often enough that I thought for sure that it was going to be a bigger plot point. But it isn’t. That just seems to be window dressing for the family.
This felt like failed misdirection. When misdirection is done well, we don’t care about it anymore after the sleight of hand is accomplished. But there is no sleight of hand here. There is no misdirection. We’re just left wondering why the hell the mother was brought up so often if nothing was going to come of it.
All in all, Mercy Christmas was a fun, bloody movie with some incredibly satisfying moments. And while I don’t know if it’ll make it on my list every year, I can see myself coming back for seconds.
(4 / 5)
To a lot of fans, this is the film that killed the franchise. It says a lot that the next installment is yet another retcon. Halloween VI: The Curse of Michael Myers attempts to explain Michael’s unrelenting evil, which lead to mixed opinions from longtime fans. There are two cuts of the film, theatrical vs producer’s. For a lot of people, the latter is the only one worth mentioning. Aiming to be as accurate as possible, I will be talking about the producer’s cut. Let’s begin!
Plot
We start Halloween VI with a six-year time jump from part five. Jamie is now barefoot and recently pregnant, running away from Michael as he wants her baby. While she manages to hide the little one away, Michael finally gets his hunger satiated by killing her. The moment is one of the most brutal ways in the franchise up until that point. Rest in peace, Jamie, you held your ground for as long as you could, the sequels were just too relentless.
The movie then cuts to a whole different scene going on. We have a new family living in the Myers house and their youngest child is hearing voices telling him to kill his loved ones. Tommy Lloyd is watching the family, played by none other than Paul Rudd in his first-ever theatrical role. Tommy still carries trauma from the events all those years ago when Laurie Strode was babysitting him. So when he finds Jamie’s baby, his part in the story becomes even more essential.
Dr Loomis also stars in what was Donald Pleasance’s final role before his passing. He and Tommy try to stop Michael once and for all before the cycle can repeat itself. As it turns out, Michael is a victim of a druid cult which makes him want to kill his family members every Halloween. Thorn, the cult in question, thinks they can control Michael and make him do their bidding. This results in catastrophe and Michael goes berzerk and kills all the cult members. Once again, it’s one of the most gruesome montages for the franchise up until that point.
Tommy and Kara are left to face Michael on their own which they manage to do with some corrosive liquid and good luck. However, nothing stays dead in this franchise as it’s soon revealed Michael somehow escaped and this time Dr Loomis might not be so lucky…
Overall thoughts
I would say for me personally Halloween VI definitely ranks somewhere near the bottom. The whole point of Michael is that there is no rhyme or reason to his killings and this film tries to go against that. I am glad the mistake was rectified by the upcoming installment. There were still some good things about it, such as Paul Rudd’s acting that reveals some raw talent as far as I’m concerned, as well as some direction choices and musical score. However, I also think it absolutely deserves all the criticism that it gets.
(2.5 / 5)
We’ve reached the final episode of American Horror Stories, season three. After the ups and downs of the season, I didn’t know what to expect. I felt that we were due a big finish, Killer Queens. But I feared we were in for a big letdown.
As it turns out, The Thing Under The Bed was neither.
The story
We begin our story with a little girl named Mary, who is scared of something under her bed. She sneaks out of her room, only to be caught by her father and sent back to sleep. And of course, there is something horrible waiting for her under her bed.
This scene cuts away to a woman named Jillian. She has strange dreams, including one about Mary. But her husband, Mark, doesn’t want to hear about it. He’s only interested in a little lovemaking because he wants a baby. Jillian doesn’t, which makes total sense because she’s already married to one. But her irritation with her childish husband goes away when he goes away. And by goes away, I mean he’s sloppily devoured by something vicious under their bed.
What worked
In short, this episode just worked. The acting was professional and believable. The cinematography and lighting work were wonderful, adding spooky effects and startling moments without impairing visibility.
Best of all, the story was solid. There were no plotholes to be found. Our main character, Jillian, was relatable and sympathetic.
This was maybe my favorite part of the story. I thought Jillian was a remarkably sympathetic character. She was dealt a hand she never asked for, having her husband slaughtered in their bedroom. I don’t think she missed him, so much as she was afraid of the legal ramifications of being caught with literal blood on her hands.
Then, when it would have been safest for her to just lay low and save up for a good defense attorney, she instead goes into unlikely hero mode. She does her best to save people, putting herself in legal and physical danger. It’s hard not to root for her.
It’s also a little hard not to root for the antagonist, too. I don’t want to ruin the twist for you, so I’m going to tread lightly here. But it’s great when you have an antagonist who might be off their rocker, but also maybe has a point.
What didn’t work
I can only really think of one complaint with this episode. And that is how frequently one character says the word Chickadee. And if you’ve seen the episode, you know what I am talking about.
I get it, he has a pet name for his daughter. It’s adorable. It’s meant to convey that the two of them have a healthy loving relationship and I get it. We all get it. Blind monks get it. But the fact remains that no parent on Earth calls their kid by their pet name every single time they speak an individual sentence to them. It was just too damn much.
All in all, this was a good episode. It was a classic story, turned on its head, told by professionals from start to finish. And I hope that if there is another season, we see more stories like this one. But after the efforts put into this season at large, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the last we see of American Horror Stories.
(4 / 5)
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