For a site based on Long Island, NY it's always a pleasure to cover hometown horror events! REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA made it's Long Island debut in Huntington April 25^th, courtesy of the newest shadow cast, the Zydrate Enthusiast Network (ZEN) and Cinema Arts Center. The screening and performance was the kickoff event to the CAC's annual Summer Camp movie series, a run of horror and action double-features every Saturday night at 11:30 starting May 2^nd.

 

We first caught REPO during the winter road tour which saw director Darren Lynn Bousman along with co-writer and star Terrance Zdunich take the movie from city to city, with Q&A and contests hosted by horror celebrity Spooky Dan. We were surprised to see a sell-out crowd come from across the NY/NJ/PA area, braving 8 degree wind blasts to see the movie. I'm not sure why, then, I was so surprised to enter the Cinema Arts Center parking lot and see a line stretching out the doorway. Maybe because takes a lot to get Long Islanders motivated to do anything much less show up at a 11:30 on a Saturday night to see a horror rock musical! Yet there it was—a sell-out crowd, with fans again coming from across state lines. The CAC had to stage the event in their largest auditorium—I believe a first for a Summer Camp series screening.

The ZEN cast really shined in their first performance. Given they only had a few short weeks to prepare they really had the movie down, and the costuming was fantastic. Repo Man's (shadowed by Brendan Murphy) costume was pitch perfect, and their Graverobber (Jim Prego) was uncanny. Not a bad performer among the cast! This first show was advertised as a one-night event. However, at the end of the show as director Jordana Dlugacz was thanking the crowd one of the Cinema Arts Center programmers surprised with confirmation that they would indeed be welcome back during the Summer Camp festival. The last Icons of Fright heard the cast was close to finding a permanent home for a monthly performance, and we'll certainly update you when they have a location and date set.

UPDATES 5/4/09:

The ZEN Shadowcast will return to the Cinema Arts Center on June 26th. A time has yet to be determined.

Summer Camp Cinema has also informed us that while the screenings are hosted by the Cinema Arts Center, the series is wholly owned and operated by Reel Entertainment Inc. Also Summer Camp has had previous sell-out screenings: GRINDHOUSE featuring an appearance by Zoe Bell, and their annual Pay-to-Get-Out Horror Marathon. (Confirmed films for the marathon this August are SUSPIRIA in a 35mm UK print, KING KONG vs. GODZILLA, and SPIDER BABY. They'd better get ready for another sell out crowd!)

-Mike Cucinotta, Photos by Holly Nikodem

For more info on ZEN Shadow Cast visit their MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/repolongislandshadowcast

CAC Summer Camp Series: http://www.summercampcinema.com

More Great Pictures From The Show. Click on any to see full-size: