Scary movies fill the screen at Roxy’s Silver Scream fest

Fans of horror, sci-fi, monsters, classic cinema will have their hands full deciding how to approach the Third Annual Silver Scream Film and Comic Festival in Santa Rosa this weekend.|

If You Go

What: Third Annual Silver Scream Film and Comic Festival

When: 5-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Second Floor of Roxy Stadium 14, Santa Rosa

Tickets: $25-$299, weekend/single passes, gold/silver/bronze packages, VIP add-ons

Information:silverscreamfest.com

Fans of horror, sci-fi, monsters, classic cinema - and even wine - will have their hands full deciding how to approach the Third Annual Silver Scream Film and Comic Festival at Roxy Stadium 14 this weekend. Most importantly, they’ll be able to welcome it back home.

After a trip to Dallas last year, production manager for the event and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine since 2015, Jorge Luis Marrero, felt it was a big deal to highlight Santa Rosa again, and help unite a community in need after October’s wildfires.

“That shows we’re rebuilding,” said Marrero in a phone interview, “bringing everyone back together again. This is our home, and we need to bring it back to life.”

Being in another state is one thing but having to live up to the distinct quality of the first year’s impact is another. When 2016 kicked off with Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund, and many other famous guests from the 80s era, it became a challenge well met.

Neil Pearlmutter, vice president of Santa Rosa Entertainment Group for 26 years, is looking forward Saturday’s “Heroines of Horror” panel, featuring Barbara Crampton, Kelli Maroney and Suzanne Snyder, who’s replacing Dee Wallace’s recent cancellation.

“They’re all women I admire and have watched for a very long time,” said Pearlmutter, “because they were in the 80s where I spent most of my formative years watching movies.”

Time to cross all the T’s and dot every I before Friday night’s 5 p.m. ribbon cutting, which will feature live special effects makeup demos from YouTube’s Ellinor Rosander and “Face Off” cast member Walter Welsh, performing as mainstays throughout the entire weekend.

Roxy’s second-floor lobby is where the fest takes place, with an opening feature “Living Among Us” actors and director doing a Q-and-A after. Likewise, for “My Uncle John Is a Zombie!” screenwriter John A. Russo, and several classics, indies and short film blocks.

“People can go out,” said Pearlmutter, “not that we want them to leave necessarily since there’s so much going on, but everyone needs their vitamin D shot.”

A good idea for Saturday, which is 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and filled with Q-and-As/signings for Crampton, Maroney, Russo and Ricou Browning, of “Creature from the Black Lagoon” who’s celebrating his 88th birthday at Third Street Aleworks opening night.

Another classic screening is the 4K Criterion restoration for “Night of the Living Dead” where Russo will also be doing a Q-and-A after. The evening will conclude with an off-site VIP charity dinner at the Flaming Spa and Resort, with comedian Phil Johnson.

“It’s been amazing,” said Marrero. “Everyone’s coming together, being very helpful. A lot of the sponsors we had from year one came back full force.”

A large portion of the proceeds from this add-on will go to Sonoma County Fire Relief and benefit the ChokeOut Cancer foundation. Pearlmutter is applying to serve wine in the upstairs snack bar to attract out-of-area guests and contribute to these causes.

Sunday’s 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature director Q-and-A’s with Bill Lustig and Jackie Kong, after their films “Maniac” (1980) and “Blood Diner” respectively. Lastly, TV hosts for “Creature Features,” “Creepy KOFY Movie Time” and the closing awards ceremony.

“While some may look down on it,” said Pearlmutter, “it’s a real genre lots of people love: Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, these were big stars and still recognizable names.”

Creators will get to celebrate their work as 20 different scripts and short film submissions are voted between. Indie features “Monster Kids,” “Killing Diaz,” “Derelicts,” “The Child Remains” and “Butterfly Kisses” will be competing as well.

Interacting with the filmmakers and meeting people in this beloved industry is the unsung appreciation of this event. Hearing great stories, tips and seeing newcomers to these genres counters the perception of everyone in Hollywood being disconnected.

“Year one we had John Landis, Rick Baker and David Naughton,” said Marrero. “They were like three little kids at a candy store, having a grand old time.”

Other special screenings include the “Superman” 40th anniversary, “The Green Slime” and “Night of the Comet,” shown multiple times. For the schedule of each feature/short film, guest appearances and any other various activities, visit silverscreamfest.com.

Pearlmutter helps put on the Cult Film Series at the Roxy, which is where everything started, along with friend and publisher of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Phil Kim. Blending a passion for underrated film and comic book genres, they saw an opportunity.

After several years, Kim and Pearlmutter said, “you have the magazine, I have this thing I’ve started: it seems like we can combine them. That was the birth of Silver Scream Fest.”

If You Go

What: Third Annual Silver Scream Film and Comic Festival

When: 5-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Second Floor of Roxy Stadium 14, Santa Rosa

Tickets: $25-$299, weekend/single passes, gold/silver/bronze packages, VIP add-ons

Information:silverscreamfest.com

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