Gore meets creativity at Las Vegas horror film, art fest

By Sarah Feldberg (contact)

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 | 3:37 p.m.

“This Christmas, the trees have had enough.”

So reads the tag line for “Treevenge," the 16-minute Canadian short film about, yes, bloodthirsty Christmas trees. They’ve suffered in tinsel-covered humiliation for long enough, haven’t they?

“Treevenge” is one of eight award-winning short films being screened Thursday in Downtown Las Vegas at the Griffin as part of The Blacklist Art & Film Festival, which describes itself as “champions of gore and advocates of fearless creativity.” What award could “Treevenge’s” Christmas story from the firs’ point of view possibly have won? An honorable mention at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival doesn’t sound too bad.

Blacklist’s other films span the range of terror from a 21-minute mental asylum inspection to the under two-minute “Il Bruto," described succinctly as “footage found near the Uele River, Africa.” The festival is far from the only place to get scared in front of the big screen this Halloween.

Las Vegas is playing host to three events showcasing movies this week and offering local audiences a chance to see films that wouldn’t usually make it to Valley theaters. Starting Oct. 30, Fangoria horror magazine’s Trinity of Terrors Halloween weekend will kick off at the Palms Casino Resort, bringing with it a lineup of screenings, signings, panel discussions and concerts. Blood and gore celebrities like Malcolm McDowell (“A Clockwork Orange”) will be on hand, as will director George A. Romero (“Dawn of the Dead”) and apostle of filth John Waters, who will perform his one-man show, “This Filthy World - Filthier and More Horrible,” at 2 p.m. on Halloween.

Discussions with special effects professionals and a Q&A with actor Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead” series) round out the festival, which will also deliver 17 horror flicks to the Palms’ Brenden Theatres through Nov. 1.

And yet another traveling film festival is rolling into town this weekend, this one showing indie films in a variety of genres that won’t necessarily leave you cringing at shadows. Range Life Entertainment has been touring the country this fall, stopping in St. Louis, Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco on its way to Las Vegas and the Freakin’ Frog where they’ll trade popcorn for craft beer and screen two films nightly on Oct. 28 and 29. Screenings including dark comedy “Assassination of a High School President” starring Mischa Barton and “Box Elder," about a group of four best friends ignoring the real world and its demands as they coast through the last years of college and the future looms.

Click here for more information about the Blacklist, Trinity of Terrors and Range Life festivals.