Outside the Box [Office] and the American Genre Film Archive,
Under the Auspices of Bret Berg, AGFA's Head of Theatrical,
On the Occasion of his 46th Birthday, invite you and a guest to attend
 

An AGFA Movie Hooky Club Marathon!!!

A 4-feature marathon hand-selected
by AGFA legend Bret Berg

10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025

10a: The Driller Killer (1979, 96 min)
12p: The Peanut Butter Solution (1985, 93 min)
1:45p: Thrilling Bloody Sword (1981, 86 min)
3:30p: Museum of Home Video Presents
Commercial: The Movie (2024, 45 min)

The Ron Howard Screening Room, RZC 111
Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts
3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.
 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
(1 RSVP for the whole day, come anytime)
 

About The Driller Killer (1979)

“A post-punk variation on REPULSION.” — HYSTERIA LIVES!

Showing an even seedier side of 1970s New York than TAXI DRIVER, Abel Ferrara’s landmark art-horror debut provides a look back to when Manhattan was an unforgiving labyrinth, a city of sleaze-inciting panic and inspiring an era of filmmaking that has rarely been equalled. Starving artist Reno (played by director Abel Ferrara) lives in a squalid tenement and is plagued with nightmarish visions. Tenuously clinging to sanity, Reno loses it when a punk band moves in next door and he takes to the streets to vent his rage . . . with a power drill. DRILLER KILLER strikes a terrific balance between punk atmosphere and horror shocks -- and as a bonus, features some of the most repulsive on-screen pizza eating ever!

Directed by Abel Ferrara. Written by Nicholas St. John. Produced by Navaron Films.

Provided courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive. Running time: 96 minutes.

https://www.americangenrefilm.com/theatrical-film-catalog/the-driller-killer/

About The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)

“The real deal…like an Afterschool Special telling kids their hair will fall out, peers will make fun of them, and they’ll be whisked away to a demented underworld where Celine Dion sings and children beg for their lives.” -- Moviejawn.com

One of the most powerful and unique “childhood haunts” of the VHS era, full of mind-shattering concepts that still leave viewers in stunned disbelief. This singular experience first left its mark on an unsuspecting cable TV / video store generation that, for years, couldn’t shake its aura.

Pre-teen Michael’s parents are checked-out and little sis is eerily too adult. After Michael loses his hair from fright, two ghosts teach him a secret, disgusting hair-growth spell. But when Michael screws up the recipe, his hair starts growing...and growing...and growing. “Puberty panic” doesn’t begin to describe the total madness that is THE PEANUT BUTTER SOLUTION. Simply one of our faves.

Directed by Michael Rubbo. Written by Michael Rubbo, with the collaboration of Vojtech Jasný, Andrée Pelletier, and Louise Pelletier. Produced by Rock Demers and Nicole Robert.

Provided courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive. Running time: 93 minutes.

https://www.americangenrefilm.com/theatrical-film-catalog/the-peanut-butter-solution/

About Thrilling Bloody Sword (1981)

If He-Man and the Masters of the Universe dropped acid with the Shaw Brothers while knocking out a martial arts horror-fantasy movie, that movie would be THRILLING BLOODY SWORD. This head-spinning slice of Taiwanese psychotronic cinema builds a movie out of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, impossible fight scenes, and wild monsters that include a cyclops, a pterodactyl and Satan himself.

Directed by Hsin-Yi Chang. Written by Hsing Changand Jan-lung Cheng. Produced by Chang-Liang King and Ying-Hsiang Wang.

Provided courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive. Running time: 86 minutes.

About Museum of Home Video Presents Commercial: The Movie

"It’s some of the best commercials I’ve ever found in my found-footage travels." -- AGFA Legend Bret Berg

A tightly-edited blast of the wildest and most cinematic TV spots in existence. Hosted by Museum Of Home Video’s VJ Bret Berg, this festival of 100+ shimmering mini-movies from around the globe is guaranteed to itch your twitch, tickle your tunkle and make you want to BUY. Musical dance numbers, 1-900 numbers, Nielsen ratings numbers, oh my! Learn more at museumofhomevideo.com

Provided courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive. Running time: 45 minutes.

About Bret Berg, AGFA Theatrical Sales Director
& Museum of Home Video Creative Director

L.A. native Bret’s been a video store manager, a film distributor, a college radio DJ, a film programmer and a non-profit founder. As Creative Director of the Museum of Home Video, Bret shares his enthusiasm for finally watching anything he’s ripped over the past 20 years—while inviting fellow download culture obsessives to join the party.

The Museum of Home Video is 90 minutes of found footage for stoners, seekers, archivists and drinkers. The flagship show airs every Tuesday at 7:30pm PT. Read more about it here, here, or here!

https://www.museumofhomevideo.com/
https://www.americangenrefilm.com/
 

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

Check-In & Reservations

These screenings are free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making RSVPs through this website.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Parking

NO STUDENT, STAFF, FACULTY OR THEATER PARKING IS AVAILABLE AT THE ROBERT ZEMECKIS CENTER.

We recommend Parking in the USC Shrine Parking Structure, located 686 W 32nd St. Parking passes may be purchased at the gate. Metered street parking is also available along 32nd street.

The USC Robert Zemeckis Center is located at 3131 South Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90007, one block north of Parking Structure D, on the North side of the Shrine Auditorium. The RZC entrance is located at the rear of the building, behind the red fence on 32nd St.

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu