10 Years of Junta Juleil– Tomorrow!

One last plug for an event ten years in the making: hosted by myself and co-founder Jillaine Gill, the night will pay tribute to ten years of Junta Juleil Productions and feature the RKP ensemble's dancers (Elizabeth Stewart, Michael Porsche, Danielle Marie Fusco, Robyn Nielsen, Brian Rubiano, & Eric Schmalenberger), a short play with Jillaine Gill and Amanda Peck, a celebrity roast of Junta Juleil with Kerryn Feehan, a prose reading by Joe Stipek, a poetry reading by yours truly, and a series of short and feature-film excerpts (dating back to the very beginning, with clips from never-screened fare like Mather Point, In Search of Wenders, and Schizophrenic Love Cinema).
This only happens once every ten years, so don't miss it!

Junta Juleil's 10 Year Anniversary from Sean Gill on Vimeo.

The details:
When: 8:00 p.m., Friday, January 17th, 2014

Where: The Wild Project in Manhattan (195 E. 3rd Street between Avenues A&B)
Run-Time: Approximately 90 minutes
How much: $15, and available here.

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10 Years of Junta Juleil This Friday!

This Friday, Junta Juleil Productions celebrates its Ten Year Anniverary!  In honor of the occasion, I'll be hosting a celebration at the Wild Project (195 E. 3rd St between Avenues A & B) in Manhattan on Friday, January 17th at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets will be $15 and are available here for pre-sale.  The evening will include screenings of short films, excerpts from features, live theatrical performances, crazed readings, a roast, and rare, never-before-seen material from the musty, dusty archives of Junta Juleil!


Junta Juleil's 10 Year Anniversary from Sean Gill on Vimeo.

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Coming in January 2014: 10 Years of Junta Juleil Productions

Most of my longtime readers will know that Junta Juleil's Culture Shock is not my only creative outlet. Though this blog celebrated its five-year anniversary this fall, my film and theater production company– Junta Juleil Productions– has been around for quite a bit longer, and this January it will be celebrating its ten-year anniversary.  In honor of the occasion, I'll be hosting a celebration at the Wild Project (195 E. 3rd St between Avenues A & B) in Manhattan on Friday, January 17th at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets will be $15 and are available here for pre-sale.  The evening will include screenings of short films, excerpts from features, live theatrical performances, crazed readings, and rare, never-before-seen material from the musty, dusty archives of Junta Juleil!

So if you're interested in seeing what I'm up to when I'm not writing about Charles Bronson, break-dancing, Van Dammage, or Carpy-mania (as a side note, the Poor Man's Carpy series ain't over yet!), then you should come out and see the show– or at least watch this 10 Year Anniversary video I've put together:

Junta Juleil's 10 Year Anniversary from Sean Gill on Vimeo.

Thanks to you all for your support through the years!

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Sean Gill acts in MAXIMUM STACHE: QUANTUM REDEEMER

I made a rare acting appearance in Ryan Garretson and Robyn Nielsen's latest film, MAXIMUM STACHE: QUANTUM REDEEMER, which appeared alongside my film THE EVERLASTING VINTAGE this past Sunday in Brooklyn at Flux Fest 2013, a festival dedicated to short films about time travel. For a limited time (through August 6th) you can watch MAXIMUM STACHE: QUANTUM REDEEMER here.

Sean Gill (pictured right) appears (alongside his sister, actress Jillaine Gill) as Chronopoulos, the inventor of time travel.

And if you enjoy it, be sure to check out Ryan Garretson's original film, MAXIMUM STACHE and his production company, The Ghostwood Development Project.

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LOVE FEST Update!

I wrote previously about my new film GIRLS BEFORE SWINE, which debuted this year at Love Fest, but now there is an official Love Fest site whereupon you can view some of the other films in their entirety as well as a new trailer for GIRLS BEFORE SWINE.  Indiewood/Hollywouldn't also gave us some coverage here.  Stay tuned!

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GIRLS BEFORE SWINE

I've finished a new film– a collaboration between myself and theater director Rachel Klein.  It's called GIRLS BEFORE SWINE and it stars Aimee DeLong, Jillaine Gill, Meghan Holland, Joe Stipek, Michael Porsche, David F. Slone, Esq.,  Brian Ferree, Scooter Pie, Megan O'Connor, and Robyn Nielsen.

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GROWING BOY at the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival

My film, GROWING BOY, is going to be screened on February 1st as a part of the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival.    The plot is described thusly:  "Haunted by recurring nightmares of his childhood home, a man begins to undergo unsettling changes." 

 It stars Joe Stipek and David F. Slone, Esq.  I wrote and directed and edited, etc.  Music by Jesse Carlson.  It was made with the helpful participation of Jillaine Gill, Rachel Klein, and Daisy Tainton.

It will be screened on the evening of February 1st at 8:00 p.m. at the DMAC (Duo Multicultural Arts Center) on 62 East 4th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues) in Manhattan.  Tickets are $10 in advance, and $15 at the door, and are available here.  After the screening, the audience will vote on the films and the highest ranked will proceed to the next stage of the festival.

I hope to see some of you there!

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Post-Hurricane Theater Round-up

For our New York City-based brethren:  there are a number of Halloween and seasonal-related performances from friends and colleagues that were delayed or extended because of the hurricane: 

Through November 18th:

•CONEY

From Blue Coyote Theater Group comes a vibrant, humanist, Altman-style tapestry of characters interwoven with their eponymous locale, Coney Island.  It is a place which has changed substantially even in the six short years since my first visit, a place which has endured an unfortunate thrashing from the corporate elements and more recently, Mother Nature.  It's a strong piece, carefully crafted, meticulously staged, and fervently acted. For cult film fans, there are shades of the carny subculture from FREAKS to NIGHTMARE ALLEY, and there's plenty of WARRIORS references in there, too. 

Directed by Gary Shrader, written by David Johnston, and starring Frank Anderson, Eboni Booth, Alex Carmine, John DiBenedetto, Andrea Gallo, Tracey Gilbert, (Junta Juleil's own!) Jillaine Gill, George C. Hosmer, Boo Killebrew, David Lapkin, PJ Sosko, Stephen Speights, and Amy Staats.

Final performances are Thursday, November 15th at 8:00 p.m.; Friday, November 16th at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 17th at 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday November 18th at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $25.00 and are available HERE.

On November 18th:

•BEDTIME STORIES OF BAKERY, BUTCHERY, AND BASTARDS

From the makers of MR. LONG SPINDLY FINGERS: STORIES OF MURDER AND MADNESS, comes an evening of spine-tingling tales from author Kristen Lee, whose work combines a genuine, spooky charm with an escapist's sense of nostalgia– your own morbid childhood, revisited!  It is described as "Dr. Seuss meets Edward Gorey meets a blender" and will be featuring readings by Peter Aguero, Brad Lawrence, Julia Young, and Rory Scholl.   It shall be presented at the Red Room, upstairs from the Kraine Theater (85 E 4th Street between Bowery and 2nd Avenue) at 9:30 p.m. on November 18th.  Tickets are $10 at the door.  There will be treats also!

On November 29th & 30th:

•DANCE MAYHEM: A GRINDHOUSE BALLET

From David F. Sloan, Esq. and the Love Show comes an action-packed homage to the gritty films that Hollywood didn't want you to see. Combining the ballet and jazz infused choreography of underground favorite Angela Harriell with the pop and lock b-boy style of street dancer Nobuya Nagahama, Dance Mayhem tells the tale of a louche nightclub, owned by a beautiful yet ruthless drug dealer who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and the man she pushes one step too far. Intrigue lurking at every turn. Sex! Murder! Horror! Not a ballet for quiet contemplation, this show will have you on the edge of your seat from the opening number to the curtain call.

Directed and choreographed by Angela Harriell.  Additional choreography by Nobuya Nagahama.  Featuring Dorian Cervantes, Duane Gosa, Angela Harriell, Atsunori Hayamizu, Miku Kawa, Rachael Ma, Takushi Minami, Nobuya Nagahama, Toshihiko Nakazawa, Tsubasa Ogawa, Julie Megan Smith.

It shall be presented Thursday, November 29 at 8:00 p.m. and Friday, November 30 at 8:00 p.m. at Theater 80 (80 St. Marks Place between 1st and 2nd Avenue).  Tickets are $20 in advance here, or $25 at the door.  

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A Blast from the Past: Sean Gill's CHEWIES 4

It occurs to me that there a number of films of mine that I've never shared here on the blog– one of them is CHEWIES 4: BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, a "long-lost" creature feature from 2008, inspired by terrible GREMLINS knock-offs like GHOULIES, MUNCHIES, HOBGOBLINS, and– who could forget– GHOULIES III: GHOULIES GO TO COLLEGE.  Unlike my more avant-garde, surrealist fare like THURSDAY NIGHT, this film is about summer, fun, friends, and bargain-basement no-budget filmmaking.  So, on it's 4th birthday: please responsibly enjoy CHEWIES 4, described as "Five teens and their dog face smarmy, unspeakable horror during a manor house getaway."

Chewies 4: Bringing Down the House from Sean Gill on Vimeo.

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This Sunday: BATSHIT CRAZY BLOWOUT!

This Sunday, in our continuing series as artists-in-residence at the Bowery Poetry Club, Junta Juleil and the Psycho Space Laboratory proudly present what may be the final show of the series (for a while, at least): BATSHIT CRAZY BLOWOUT!

Hosted by Jillaine Gill, featuring live performances by Kerryn Feehan, Lisa D., Jessie Richardson, Dave Marcus, Sean Gill, Katie Hayes, Don DiPaolo, Natalie Green, and a few films by Sean Gill, including a couple of surprises.

It's this Sunday, March 25th at 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 9) at the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery between Houston and Bleecker, take the F train to 2nd Ave, or the 6 to Bleecker). Doors around 9 pm, event starts at 9:30, 10 dollars cash at the door.

It's a live ride!

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GIANT OSCAR MESS: Best Monologue

Greeting and salutations! GIANT OSCAR MESS (best described HERE) was performed and projected last night at the Bowery Poetry Club, and it was fairly redunkulous, as I had hoped. Life imitated art, also, as Jillaine's performance as Sean Young found resolution in an actual headline from this morning. In any event, for those of you who couldn't make it, I decided to post the nominee videos that were projected last night, one at at time. This one's for BEST MONOLOGUE.

And the winner was....

...Gary Busey.

(To be continued)

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GIANT OSCAR MESS: And the nominees are...

Tonight at 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 9) at the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery between Houston and Bleecker, take the F train to 2nd Ave, or the 6 to Bleecker) will be GIANT OSCAR MESS!!! $10 at the door. Combining live performance, singers, dancers, comics, and hosted by Sean Young (Jillaine Gill) and Christian Slater (Sean Gill), the GIANT OSCAR MESS will deliver awards to the films that really deserve them–

And the nominees are...

BEST MONOLOGUE IN A MOTION PICTURE:
Lorenzo Lamas in SNAKE EATER
Gary Busey in SURVIVING THE GAME
Lorenzo Lamas in BODY ROCK

BEST FIGHT DANCE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Lorenzo Lamas and Day-Glo Skeletons in BODY ROCK
A Bunch of Italians and a Guy in an Owl Mask in STAGEFRIGHT
Rob Stone and the Purple Falcons in ACE HITS THE BIG TIME

BEST NON-DANCE DUEL IN A MOTION PICTURE
Jean-Claude Van Damme vs. Truck in HARD TARGET
Ninja vs. Office Worker in REVENGE OF THE NINJA
Lorenzo Lamas vs. Biker Karate Gang in SNAKE EATER
Man vs. Ghoulie in GHOULIES II
Michael Ironside vs. Subway train in HIGHLANDER 2: THE QUICKENING
Jean-Claude Van Damme vs. Snake in HARD TARGET

BEST SPAZZIFIED SOLO DANCE IN A MOTION PICTURE
James Remar in RENT-A-COP
Michael Moriarty in TROLL
Lorenzo Lamas in BODY ROCK
Mark Patton in NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY'S REVENGE
Connie McFarland in TROLL 2

BEST DANCE OF SEDUCTION IN A MOTION PICTURE
Ed Harris & Elizabeth Regan in CREEPSHOW
Kristy McNichol and Christopher Atkins in THE PIRATE MOVIE
Deborah Reed and David McConnell in TROLL 2
John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis in PERFECT
Construction Worker and the Female Sex in CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC

BEST PUPPET IN A MOTION PICTURE
Satan and Killer Starfish in ROCK N' ROLL NIGHTMARE
Mac in MAC AND ME
The Kids in THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS THE MOVIE
Freddy's Kids in NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS
Munchie in MUNCHIE

Hope to see you there!

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GIANT OSCAR MESS promo!

For those who are not interested in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE. Details HERE.

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Next Sunday: GIANT OSCAR MESS at the Bowery Poetry Club

As part of my ongoing series as an artist-in-residence at the Bowery Poetry Club:

Next Sunday, February 26th at 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 9) at the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery between Houston and Bleecker, take the F train to 2nd Ave, or the 6 to Bleecker) will be Junta Juleil's retort to the Academy Awards– the GIANT OSCAR MESS. Combining live performance, singers, dancers, comics, and hosted by Sean Young (Jillaine Gill) and Christian Slater (Sean Gill), the GIANT OSCAR MESS will deliver awards to the films that really deserve them (and screen a variety of short, mind-blowing clips therein); films like PERFECT, TROLL 2, THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS MOVIE, BODY ROCK, MUNCHIE, THE PIRATE MOVIE, ROCK N' ROLL NIGHTMARE, RENT-A-COP, MAC AND ME, TEEN WITCH, ACE HITS THE BIG TIME, DEATH WISH 3, SALSA, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2, and many, many more. $10 at the door.

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MUSTACHE PARTY (2010, Sean Gill)

I've been uploading some of my older films to the internet– I thought that some of you might get a kick out of MUSTACHE PARTY, a sort of avant-garde doom-laden tract best described as "Four mustachioed individuals await the impending apocalypse as a skeleton pummels a kettle drum and a hairy, Stygian Beast gradually awakens. It stars Jillaine Gill, Joe Stipek, Rachel Klein, and yours truly, who wrote and directed and all of that. It debuted at the 2011 Lower East Side Film Festival. Enjoy!

Mustache Party from Sean Gill on Vimeo.

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Final Performances of MARIA MACABRE and DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER tonight!

The final performance of THE TRAGEDY OF MARIA MACABRE will take place tonight at 5:00 p.m. and the final DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER at 7:00 p.m. CLOCKMAKER will be followed by a special film screening featuring THURSDAY NIGHT, MUSTACHE PARTY, MAKIN' A MARTINI, and other favorites. Both shows are playing at the Wild Project in Manhattan at 195 E. 3rd Street between Avenues A & B. Tickets are available via Smarttix. Thank you to everyone who came out- it was a wonderful run!

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DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER a Time Out New York pick

DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER is a "Good Odds" pick on Page 97 in this week's issue of Time Out New York, and they describe it as "a dystopian metatheatrical fantasia." This weekend marks the end of CLOCKMAKER's run, so see it now that you have the chance!

Info on the show:
It's a sweeping narrative which shepherds us from Dust Bowl occultism to a low-rent 80's magic show to troubling mystical visions of a dystopian future. Written & directed by Sean Gill and starring Jillaine Gill. It will run through this October at The Wild Project (195 E. 3rd St. between Avenues A & B) from October 17-30 with 7:00 p.m. shows on Sundays and Mondays, and 9:30 p.m. shows on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are available via Smarttix at smarttix.com ((212) 868-4444).

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The Huffington Post's Bess Rowen on DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER

As part of a larger piece on the art of storytelling, Bess Rowen touches upon DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER in this article from the Huffington Post. An excerpt:

"As Gill brings us into her world of mysterious vials and a masked character known as 'the clockmaker,' her words are what make the pictures clear and crisp. I see what she describes, my brain making the leap from aural to visual as I listen and watch her speak. conveying. ...There is something primitively human in listening and watching as a story unfolds, and if you are lucky enough to be in the presence of someone who is truly talented in this regard, allow yourself to imaginatively engage and enjoy the experience."

Read the whole story HERE. See the show– info HERE. (Only three more performances.)

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Bonus Film Screening at tonight's showing of DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER!

Last night, after DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER's 7:00 p.m. performance, I decided to oversee an impromptu screening of several of my short films. Tonight, we'll be doing it again, so if you'd like to see (for no additional charge) a few of my films including THURSDAY NIGHT, MUSTACHE PARTY, and SLEEPY-TIME TIME 4: CRUISIN' FOR A SNOOZIN', check out DREAMS OF THE CLOCKMAKER tonight at the Wild Project!

Info on the show:
It's a sweeping narrative which shepherds us from Dust Bowl occultism to a low-rent 80's magic show to troubling mystical visions of a dystopian future. Written & directed by Sean Gill and starring Jillaine Gill. It will run through this October at The Wild Project (195 E. 3rd St. between Avenues A & B) from October 17-30 with 7:00 p.m. shows on Sundays and Mondays, and 9:30 p.m. shows on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are available via Smarttix at smarttix.com ((212) 868-4444).

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