http://fabcare.com/railways/ Attention, New Yorkers! The Anthology Film Archives in NYC is presenting a series devoted to UFOs, called “Watch the Skies: Ufology on Screen,” programmed by Tyler Maxin and John Dieringer. It runs from November 4 to 15; you can see the schedule here.
George Kuchar’s 2010 video Secrets of the Shadow World will be shown on November 13 and 15. Like many of George’s later works, it’s a rambling video diary celebrating the many people he knows. John is featured prominently, with many interviews, and highlights from a trip they took together to Mt. Shasta in California. Also on the bill is George’s short video about Jacques Vallee, The Tower of the Astro-Cyclops.
John met George and his twin brother Mike back in the ’60s, at the Metropolitan Motion Picture Club, a society for amateur film-makers. John was then making comic and experimental films, often with his friend Ed Lord. The Kuchars were making goofy, zero-budget epics parodying the Hollywood blockbusters they loved. The rest of the members were producing home movies and travelogues, and were not always receptive to the Keel and Kuchar output.
George’s exuberant style is not to everyone’s taste. But here, as a historical footnote, is his 1965 underground classic Corruption of the Damned. John is not credited, but you can see him in the séance scene that starts at 17:10. He’s the one in the suit, sitting next to Mike.
I’ll be at the November 13 screening, to make a few opening remarks about both John and George. My remarks will be brief, since this is one of George’s longer works, clocking in at 135 minutes.
POSTSCRIPT: The talk went well. There was a good crowd, who seemed to enjoy John’s inimitable wit and wisdom. For me, it was the first time since 2020 that I’d gone to NYC, ridden the subway, eaten in a restaurant, talked to a live audience, or seen a film in a theater. What a day!