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Mise En Scène Michigan

Senate Theater

6424 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48210

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Mise En Scène Michigan :

A Retrospective of Michigan-Made Independent Film


Mise-en-scène Michigan is a celebration of our state's film history through an annual film retrospective. Kicking off in it's first year on October 12th and 13th at the historic Senate Theater, the film lineup will include five independent films made in Michigan, dating from the 1970's, 80's and 90's. In addition the event will feature Q&A's with guest filmmakers.


Come connect to Michigan's film past by hearing from independent pioneers who made it here! Guest filmmakers include Bill Dear (Harry and the Hendersons, Angels in the Outfield), Academy Award winner Sue Marx, Gary Jones (Mosquito, Spiders), George Barry, health permitting (Death Bed), and more.



Saturday, October 12

2pm - Michigan Short Films - featuring Q&A with Academy Award winner Sue Marx, John Prusak

5pm - Going Back - featuring Q&A with director Ron Teachworth

8pm - Evil Dead 2


Sunday, October 13

2pm - Deathbed: The Bed That Eats - featuring Q&A with director George Barry (health permitting)

5pm - Mosquito - featuring Q&A with director Gary Jones

8pm - Northville Cemetery Massacre - featuring Q&A with director Bill Dear


Tickets are $10 per screening. The Evil Dead 2 Screening is $5.


Saturday 10/12/19


2 PM:


A selection of short films from the Academy Award winning filmmaker’s three decade long career in Detroit.


About the Filmmaker

Sue Marx is an Academy Award winning producer, writer and director. She received her B.A. from Indiana University and her M.A. from Wayne State University. Early in her career, she taught high school, did social research, was a photojournalist and became the television producer of the long running, weekly prime time series, “Profiles in Black” for Channel 4 in Detroit. Sue Marx Films has produced a wide variety of award-winning films and videos. Marx, who has had a distinguished career in the Detroit area, is the guiding creative force who develops close connections between clients and their stories. She is a voting member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and serves on The Michigan Film Office Advisory Council.


Hefty’s (1983) Short Film


Set in a Detroit-area Coney Island, this short film tells the story of a wealth man’s attempt to break a local record for eating hot dogs. Starring Christopher Howe (Going Back) and Sam Raimi (It's Murder!).


About the Filmmaker

John Prusak is an educator and cinematographer with many award-winning credits to his name. These include cinematography and coproduction of the documentary Walk This Way. He served as cinematographer on Michael Moore’s first documentary Roger & Me. Prusak coproduced the documentary Silvio…a Story About Pizza and Art and also Legacy In Bronze, a documentary about bronze relief artist Sergio DiGuisti. His first narrative film Hefty’s features a pre-Hollywood Sam Raimi as a diner cook.


For over 20 years Prusak taught Media Production at the William D. Ford Tech Center in Westland and also spent 20 years as a part-time instructor of media at Wayne State University. John was the Michigan Film/Video Teacher of the Year in1992 and has been part of the non-profit Digital Arts Film & Television since its founding, teaching numerous workshops. Many of his former students from school and DAFT-sponsored workshops have gone on to illustrious careers. Prusak is a native Detroiter who still lives in the city of Detroit.


5 PM:


Going Back (1984)

1h 19min | Drama, Romance

Directed by Ron Teachworth (in attendance)

Starring Bruce Campbell


In the summer of 1964, two best friends Brice (Bruce Campbell) and Cleveland (Christopher Howe) leave their suburban Detroit neighborhood to spend the last weeks of summer up north before going to college. They befriend by a lonely farmer who offers them a place to stay. As the days pass, Cleveland helps out at the farm, discovering a father figure he never had, while Brice falls in love with a local girl. The unforgettable summer ends too soon, but the memories linger.


In his dramatic film debut Bruce Campbell, well-known for horror and comedy roles, shows a depth and sensitivity that complements his wry wit.


“A simple, nostalgic tale of youthful innocence and the inevitable bittersweet encroachment of maturity.”


-Peter Ross, THE DETROIT NEWS


“Going Back boasts some wonderful recreations of time and mood”


-Cal Burnett, THE METRO TIMES


About the Director


Ron Teachworth's work has been in producing visual art, film and television. He wrote and directed an independent feature film for Vestron Pictures, Going Back (1984), starring Bruce Campbell and Christopher Howe. The film toured ten film festivals and was released on DVD by Inferno Films in 2006.


He followed up with a children's book, Two Stones, Beyond: A Collection of Metaphysical Short Stories and recently completed a commercial adult novel, The Annunciation published by Thomas Nelson & Vondervan. Mr. Teachworth has taught at the high school and college level, and writes for ArtHopper.org, under the name Ron Scott, where he writes reviews of art exhibitions in the Midwest. Mr. Teachworth was born in Detroit, and has a MA from Wayne State University. He studied film in London with Kenneth Adam, a past president of the BBC. He worked in public television for twenty years as a writer / director.


8 PM:


Evil Dead 2 (1987)

R | 1h 24min | Comedy, Horror

Directed by Sam Raimi

Writen by Sam Raimi, Scott Spiegel

Starring Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks


The lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack. Starring Bruce Campbell (Going Back) and Ted Raimi (Candyman).


Please note that Sam Raimi will not be in attendance of this screening.


About the Director

A native of Metro Detroit, Sam Raimi is a prolific director, producer and independent success story. He’s directed 15 feature films, including 2002’s Spider-Man, one of the most influential films of modern Hollywood. Raimi’s dedication to film and early collaborations with other Metro Detroiters serves as an inspiration of independent filmmakers everywhere.


Sunday 10/13/2019


2 PM:


Deathbed: The Bed That Eats (1977)

Not Rated | 1h 17min | Horror

Directed by George Barry (in attendance, health permitting)

Written by George Barry

Starring Demene Hall, William Russ, Julie Ritter


Please note that the Q&A after the screening is dependent on Mr. Barry’s health and may be canceled at any time.


Prepare yourselves… for the strangest bedtime story ever told! Inside a crumbling old mansion in Detroit lies a strange bed with demonic powers. This bed seeks the flesh, blood, and life essence of unwary travelers, like three pretty girls on vacation looking for a place to stay the night. Death Bed is a one-of-a kind experience: comic, horrific and dreamlike, that truly needs to be seen to be believed.


“Death Bed is a singular experience; and is one of the most surreal, creative, and imaginative films of the past 50 years.”


-Sins of Cinema


“Just when you thought you’d seen it all- along comes Death Bed.”


-Mondo Digital


About the Director

George Barry is a cult filmmakers and Detroit native.


5 PM:


Mosquito (1994)

R | 1h 32min | Horror, Sci-Fi

Directed by Gary Jones (in attendance)

Written by Tom Chaney, Steve Hodge

Starring Gunnar Hansen, Ron Asheton, Steve Dixon


Science-fiction becomes horrifyingly real for a park full of innocent campers, as a hideous horde of mutated mosquitos viciously attack without warning! A band of survivors flees the bloodthirsty swarm in a death-defying attempt to warn the world of the mosquito menace. Led by a brave young couple and a resourceful government agent, the group realizes their only hope is to take on the bloodthirsty bugs in an explosive final showdown! A chilling blend of sci-fi, humor and old-school horror, MOSQUITO is a tour de force of terror.


About the Director

Gary Jones is an award-winning director, screenwriter, producer and visual effects supervisor with over fifty motion pictures and thirty television episodes to his credit.


Recently, Jones wrote, produced and directed ESCAPE FROM DEATH BLOCK 13 a retro action adventure inspired by the 70’s action films from his youth. The film stars Robert Bronzi, Nicholas Turturro, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and Chris Hahn. Currently in post production, Jones is busy creating visual effects and editing the film. ESCAPE FROM DEATH BLOCK 13 is slated for a 2019 premiere.


In 1995, Jones made his directoral debut with the Sy Fy cult classic MOSQUITO starring Gunnar Hansen, the original "Leatherface" from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Ron Asheton, legendary guitarist from the punk rock band The Stooges.


In 2009, Jones was chosen by Sam Raimi and Sony Pictures to direct BOOGEYMAN 3, the third installment of their popular series. The supernatural horror film stars Erin Cahill, Jayne Wisener and Kate Maberly. After finishing post production on BOOGEYMAN 3, Jones switched genre's and directed BALLISTICA, the fast paced action-thriller starring Robert Davi, Martin Kove and Paul Logan. Jones also supervised the visual effects for BALLISTICA and created the films title sequence.


Working in television, Jones directed episodes of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS starring Lucy Lawless, HURCULES:THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS starring Kevin Sorbo, HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS starring Peter Scolari and SHEENA starring Gena Lee Nolin.


Jones returned to the creature feature genre in 2013 with the Sy Fy network premiere of AXE GIANT: THE WRATH OF PAUL BUNYAN. Jones co-wrote, produced and directed the film as well as supervising the creation of the over four hundred visual effects shots needed to bring Paul Bunyan to life. For his work on AXE GIANT, Jones was inducted into The International Indie Filmmakers Hall of Fame and recieved the award for outstanding directing of 2014.


Other films Jones has directed for SY FY include, GHOULS starring Kristen Renton, William Atherton, James DeBello, SPIDERS starring Lana Parilla, Mark Phalin, CROCODILE 2 starring Marting Kove, Heidi Lenhart, James Parks, LIGHTNING STRIKES starring Kevin Sorbo, Annabel Wright, David Schofield, XENOPHOBIA starring Ron Silver, C. Thomas Howell, Giancarlo Esposito and PLANET RAPTOR starring Steven Bauer, Vanessa Angel, Ted Raimi.


As a producer, Jones's credits include the new western adventure WARPATH starring Tom Mathews and Sasha Higgins. Jones also directed the second unit on WARPATH and created the films visual effects. His ther producing credits include, the action film DEATH KISS starring Robert Bronzi, Daniel Baldwin, Richard Tyson, a sci fi thriller MOONTRAP TARGET EARTH, the supernatural horror film THE DEAD MATTER and the grind-house horror favorite ROBERT KURTZMANS: THE RAGE.


Jones's second unit director, Jones’s work can be seen in such iconic films and television series XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, the zombie western UNDEAD OR ALIVE, the thriller LIVING HELL and the SY FY original films ALIEN APOCALYPSE and MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRIAN starring Bruce Campbell.


As a visual effects artist and graphic designer, Jones's creative work has enhanced many films for The Hallmark Channel, Lifetime Channel, IonTV and the SY FY network. Jones starting his career creating special effects, props and make-up effects for such films as, ARMY OF DARKNESS, EVIL DEAD 2, HARD TARGET, SPAWN, DUSK TILL DAWN, ALIEN APOCALYPSE and the sci fi film MOONTRAP, which recieved the "best special effects" award from the Huston Film Festvial. Working outside of film production, Jones's artwork and graphics can be found on countless movie posters, websites, haunted attarction promotions and billboards.


From Los Angeles, California to Hydrabad, India, Jones has directed films and television episodes all over the world. With his extensive background in all aspects of production, from conception to completion, Jones continues to bring his unique vision to screens large and small.


8 PM


Northville Cemetery Massacre (1976)

R | 1h 23min | Crime, Action, Drama

Directed by William Dear (in attendance), Thomas Van Dyke

Written by William Dear, Thomas Van Dyke

Starring David Hyry, J. Craig Collicut, Carson Jackson


In the early 1970’s, a group of hippie bikers are framed by the police for a heinous crime and are then targeted for destruction by a corrupt cop and a vengeful father. A final showdown is set in the local cemetery of Northville, Michigan.


Mis En Scene Michigan will be premiering a new transfer of Northville Cemetery Massacre, from the original 35mm print that was rated X by the MPAA in 1976. This version has never played theatrically.


About the Director

William Dear has directed over 25 motion pictures. He has won numerous awards and has been nominated three times by the Director’s Guild of America. Born in Toronto and growing up in Dearborn, Michigan. Dear bought his first 8mm camera and began making films when he was 12-years-old. Moving to Carmel, California in 1978, he directed and co-wrote “Michael Nesmith in Elephant Parts,” The classic Music Video won the first-ever Grammy Award for Video of the Year followed by Dear directing “TimeRider”. Shortly after directing Steven Spielberg’s “Mummy Daddy,” Dear pitched “Harry and the Hendersons” to Spielberg and shooting began in 1986 starring John Lithgow. “Harry” was released in 1987 and went on to win an Oscar for Rick Baker’s creation of “Harry” the friendly Bigfoot. Dear also co-wrote “The Rocketeer” for Walt Disney Productions, directed the TV series Dinosaurs and directed Disney’s “Angels in the Outfield,” with Danny Glover, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Christopher Lloyd, and Warner Bros. “If Looks Could Kill” and “Wild America.” Recently, Dear directed “The Perfect Game” a true story based on the Little League Champions that made history. When not pursuing his love of filmmaking, Dear shares his time between writing, painting and just kickin’ back on the ranch.


Presented by the Michigan Film and Digital Media Office.


Policies

Refund Policy:

No refunds or returns.

Cancellation Policy:

An event can only be canceled by the venue and/or event organizer. If the venue or event organizer cancels an event, you will be refunded within 4 business days of the event date for your purchase.

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Directions
Senate Theater
6424 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48210
313-894-0850