The always-mega Overlook Film Festival has added a bunch of exciting new screenings, panels and more to an already stacked lineup, with a very special guest joining the celebrations in New Orleans in the form of The Cryptkeeper himself.
Presented by Shudder, the Opening Night Second Line Parade will be kicked off with a Tales from the Crypt panel featuring the voice of the Keeper himself, John Kassir, along with a special friend or two, to recount the show's legacy.
New screenings added to this year's Overlook include the Kevin Bacon-directed Family Movie, which stars Bacon and his IRL kin including Kyra Sedgwick, Sosie Bacon and Travis Bacon in a moving ode to both slasher flicks and family. Bacon (Kevin) and Sedgwick will be introducing the comedy-horror in person.
Also added to the lineup is Museum of Home Video Presents: The Dr. Loomis Tapes, which will see weekly found-footage livestream Museum of Home Video present an IRL version of his show, including a riotous tribute to Halloween star Donald Pleasance in “The Dr. Loomis Tapes”, described as MOHV’s revolutionary new remix of the classic HALLOWEEN slasher franchise, told solely through the eyes of Pleasance’s unstable (and possibly wasted) psychiatric savior. Sounds incredible.
The screams keep going during Overlook Lagniappe at both Canal Place and Uptown Prytania locations, with a series of repeat screenings and retro titles that pass holders can check out for free. The lineup includes Ryan Coogler's Oscar-winning Sinners on 70mm, moody teen cult classic Donnie Darko, the misunderstood Exorcist II: The Heretic, and more.
Previously announced titles at this year's Overlook include *deep breath* Curry Barker’s Obsession, a centerpiece screening of NEON’s Leviticus, a closing night screening of Hokum, Genki Kawamura's Exit 8, gorefest Faces of Death, Jorma Taccone’s Over Your Dead Body, Boorman and the Devil, The Restoration at Grayson Manor, Buffet Infinity, Capturing Bigfoot, CRAMPS! A Period Piece, Chili Finger, Drag, Saccharine, The Holy Boy, Goody Goody, and genre legend Larry Fessenden’s latest film, Trauma, or Monsters All, accompanied by repertory screenings of Blackout, Depraved, and Habit. And that is not even the half of it.
All of this wraps up with the festival’s signature closing night party, this year themed after the Théâtre des Vampires. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire — published exactly 50 years ago to the day of the party — the closing night extravaganza will “celebrate the endless oblivion of eternal night with an evening that recreates the city's ethereal relationship with vampires in all their forms.”
The Overlook Film Festival runs from April 9-12 in New Orleans. To check out the full lineup and purchase tickets, you can head over to the festival’s website.
