Gregory Lamberson will add a special twist and a welcome scream to the 2010 Beloit International Film Festival when he returns to Beloit as the honorary chair of the fifth annual BIFF, Feb. 18-21, 2010. Creator of the horror cult classic Slime City, which marked its 20th anniversary at BIFF in 2008, Lamberson will be on hand for the world debut of the recently completed sequel, Slime City Massacre.
In a letter accepting the invitation to help promote the 2010 Festival, Lamberson noted that “I’d like to thank BIFF’s organizers for inviting me to share in this experience, and all of the volunteers who work so hard to make this event a success. It’s my pleasure to welcome filmmakers and attendees to the Fifth Annual Beloit International Film Festival, and a true honor to have been selected as this year’s honorary Chair.
“Film festivals offer a unique opportunity for people of all stripes to celebrate the universal medium of film, and to see many works of varying lengths, genres and tones from around the world in a friendly, communal environment. This may be your only chance to see many of these films and to engage the artists who created them.”
The filmmaker attended BIFF in 2008 where he conceived of the sequel and engaged other filmmakers in the project. He was struck by the “outpouring of support from the Beloit community and the appreciation it fostered among the visiting filmmakers. It was, quite honestly, the best festival I have attended.”
The original Slime City premiered in 1988 and has played as a midnight movie in New York City for decades. It has been released on VHS and DVD four times in the U.S. and licensed around the world. Whereas Slime City was strictly a low budget, “grindhouse” styled tale about demonic possession in an apartment building, Lamberson had loftier ambitions for its sequel.
“Slime City Massacre is a celebration of 1970s science fiction films, gooey 1980s horror films, and 1990s action films, held together by a sense of the world that could only exist in this decade. My goal was to make a fun film with a serious subtext and a lot of surprises.”
Lamberson will be on hand at the launch party and at all the major events to welcome film lovers. Joining him will be members of the cast and production team. Some of those anticipated to be on hand are newcomer Jennifer Bihl and horror author Kealan Patrick Burke, as well as cult actors Debbie Rochon (who has starred in over 170 feature films), Lee Perkins, and scream queen Brooke Lewis. The film also reunites Robert Sabin and Mary Bogle, stars of the original film, and features appearances by Roy Frumkes, who wrote and produced the cult classic Street Trash and Troma Entertainment founder Lloyd Kaufman
Beloit’s Robert Tomaro, who composed the score for the original Slime City and appears in the sequel, will be on hand to discuss his experiences.
“Greg Lamberson has a huge international following,” commented BIFF Executive Director Rod Beaudoin. “As honorary chair, he follows in some major international footsteps of previous honorary chairs including filmmaker and jewelry designer Robert Lee Morris and producer and director Steve McEveety. We know Greg will attract audiences and add excitement to the Festival.”
Prior to Slime City Massacre, Lamberson wrote and directed three cult horror films: Slime City, Undying Love, and Naked Fear; all three of them were re-released on DVD in 2009 as Greg Lamberson’s Slime City Grindhouse Collection. Lamberson is also the author of two award-winning novels, Johnny Gruesome and Personal Demons, and one instructional filmmaking book: Cheap Scares! Low Budget Horror Filmmakers Share Their Secrets.
