Abraham, Siegfried, Brian, Paul & Billy Bob. It's enough to make you scream. (April 2002) Billy Bob Thornton will be appearing in concert with his rock group at the Melkweg in Amsterdam on Wednesday evening, April 10th. A rare chance in the Netherlands to see the man displaying some of his other talents. The "18th Festival of the Fantastic Film" begins, as announced in last month's TGH BUZZ, on the 10th of April and runs until the 17th at five different locations around the Leidseplein in Amsterdam (De Balie - Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 10, Pathé City 1&2 - Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 15-19, Melkweg Cinema - Lijnbaansgracht 234 A, and Paradiso - Weteringschans 6-8). One change, however, which should be noted is the location originally listed for the Friday "Night of Terror" on April 13th in Amsterdam, which has now been switched to City 1 Cinema instead of the Cinerama Bellevue. (nota bene- The Groningen -i.e. way up north in Holland- version of the "Night of Terror" takes place on the 14th.) This year is the fifth occasion (during the past eighteen years) that this CineFantastique event is extended from its usual weekend format and will last a full eight days this time around. Lots of thrills and chills for those who want to cry out bug-eyed at whatever may they may discover happening onscreen (or off, for that matter). Chase your entrails down to the box office of Pathé City 1, which began selling tickets on March 30th at 12:00 (daytime, not the witching hour) for the special "Night of Terror". Regular tickets (one-offs, ten-trips, or passports) for all other screenings are available starting on April 4th at Theatre de Balie box office on the Leidseplein or at the location of each event. (Paradiso "Rocket Cinema" - screening Spielberg's "Duel" VS to live music by the Dutch group Coparck - tickets available from March 20th. Confused? Go to the Filmevents website and sort it out.) A "Focus on Asia" will include a number of rarely screened films from Japan and North Korea. There is also a Brian Yuzna retrospective for all you "Necronomicon" fans and Yuzna himself will be on location to re-animate you by introducing two of his latest productions. A series of free talk-shows, including a variety of notables such as the Yuz and Paul Verhoeven, will take place each day in the Balie. Opening film for this year's Festival is Pitof's "Vidocq" starring Gerard Depardieu as the 1830's Parisian sleuth who takes on the notorious Alchemist. Further info about everything available at www.filmevents.nl. "In the Jaws of Fate" ("In de Greep van Het Noodlot"), a Fritz Lang retrospective which began in March, will continue screening the master's works throughout the month of April at the Netherlands Filmmuseum in Amsterdam. The films are split into six categories, and there is ample time to choose among them >>> 1- Death at Work, 2- Master criminals, 3- Dreams that money can buy, 4- Looking at women, 5- Law and disorder, and 6- Americana. Included under these categories are, of course, the unforgettable "Metropolis" and "M" as well as such beauties as "Die Nibelungen" (1 & II), "Scarlet Street", "Liliom", "The Big Heat", "Clash by Night" and the Mabuse films. For further information regarding scheduling check www.filmmuseum.nl. Prime Minister Wim Kok will officially reopen the Tuschinski Cinema for an audience of specially invited celebrities on Monday April 8th. This magnificent art deco theatre, dating from 1921, has been restored during the past fifteen months to its old glory while taking the extra demands of a contemporary cinema into consideration. Open to the general public on April 11th, this building (which has been registered on the monument list since 1971) remains "a must see" for all tourists as well as being a magnificent venue to view films. Now known as the Pathé Tuschinski, one wonders what Abraham would say. Installations, video, soundscapes, objects and drawings from a variety of Dutch artists are still being presented at De Brakke Grond in Amsterdam under the titles of "Where II" (especially centered around video manifestations and installations) and "Where III" which are respectively from March 22nd through April 14th and April 19th through May 12th. Official opening for "Where III" will take place on Friday, Apr. 19th at 18:00. (P.S. - Exhibition closed for the Queen's birthday, April 30th) "Where" will U B? "Dokumentar", the Norwegian Documentary Film Festival runs from April 25th through 28th in Volda on the west coast of Norway. Intended as an opportunity for new and unestablished moviemakers and enthusiasts as well as serving the local community. A melting pot for exchanging ideas, the Festival includes professional and student productions, international documentaries, and animated movies. Further information to be found at www.dokfilm.com. © 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett