Blog Archives
Tea’s Weird Week: TWW podcast returns, I’M YOUR HOST is now available online for your Fall viewing pleasure
One project I’m proud of is I’m Your Host (2024), a documentary on Kenosha area horror hosts that I’m a producer on. Inspired by an article I wrote for Milwaukee Magazine, Alicia Krupsky directed, Christopher Kai House was a producer and Alicia and Stephen Vincent Anderson shot the footage, mostly on location in Kenosha. Local bands with some association with the horror scene filled the soundtrack.
The project began in 2021 and the following year we were awarded a Milwaukee Film Brico Forward Fund Award, which gave some budget for expenses and some free legal advice and other services. Sadly, the Brico Award no longer exists. There were some “work-in-progress” screenings in 2023 at the Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Film Festival and at UW-Parkside in Kenosha. The film officially premiered at the Milwaukee Film Festival in 2024 and went on to be screened at the Seoul International Short Films Festival, and was screened and won awards at Port of Fear Film Fest in Kenosha, New York Tri-State International Film Fest, and the Seoul International Short Films Festival.
Official blurb:
Vampires, witches, werewolves, and ghoulies – Kenosha has the highest population of horror hosts per capita, who produce their own homemade TV shows showing cult-followed horror films. This documentary explores their relationship as a community, their triumphs, and a tragic loss that bonds them together.
I’m glad to say that the film is now available to watch online. You can rent or buy I’m Your Host and bonus– it comes with a download of a sheet of horror host trading cards and the posters Alicia designed as a bonus: https://artforanti-villains.vhx.tv/
And all this is discussed on the newly rebooted Tea’s Weird Week podcast. Me and my co-host Heidi Erickson talk with Alicia about the project, plus weird news on radioactive shrimp, a barefoot LEGO running champ, Pazuzu, and more. Jenny Sanchez tells us about her trip to Wall Drug In our new “Long Days Travel” segment. It’s time to get weird! Audio engineering by FlatlineAudio138. Listen here: https://teasweirdweek.podbean.com/e/teas-weird-week-episode-001-im-your-host/
Please Clap Dept.: QWERTYFEST MKE is happening Oct. 3-5. We’re going to discuss it on next week’s TWW podcast. Meanwhile, see more here: www.qwertyfest.com
Tea’s Weird Week: I’M YOUR HOST will screen thrice at the Milwaukee Film Festival!
We’ve had to keep this news under our hats for weeks, so I’m thrilled to say that a documentary I’m producer on, I’m Your Host, hits a major milestone by being screened (3 times!) at the Milwaukee Film Festival. Alicia Krupsky is the film’s director, Christopher Kai House is a producer, and many other people helped make it happen. The film was inspired by an article I wrote for Milwaukee Magazine. We won a Brico Forward Fund to help make it happen. In October we staged a couple of “documentary in-progress” screenings at the Twisted Dreams Film Festival and in Kenosha at UW-Parkside.
This will be our official debut and is additionally exciting because after the festival, we’ll be able to submit the film to other fests around the world as well as being able to make it available via streaming platforms/ on DVD. But anyway, that’s getting ahead of ourselves. It’s a great honor to be part of the Milwaukee Film Fest– we’re part of both the Cream City Cinema and Cinema Hooligante line-ups at the fest (cause we’re local AND weird).
I’m Your Host screens:
Monday, April 15, 9pm: Times Cinema
Sunday, April 21, 8:30pm: Avalon Theater
Wednesday, April 24, 9:15pm: Downer Theatre
More MFF info: https://mkefilm.org/mff24
Please Clap Dept.: We are currently fundraising for QWERTYFEST MKE 2024. We got big things planned– the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, a whiskey tasting/ typewriter event, and so much more. Please help us make it happen, every bit helps us make our goal: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/qwertyfest-mke-2024/x/14628551
See Also: Here’s the Milwaukee Magazine article that started I’m Your Host rolling: https://www.milwaukeemag.com/a-look-inside-the-surprisingly-large-web-of-local-horror-hosts/
I also wrote on horror hosts for Atlas Obscura here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/elvira-svengoolie-local-horror-hosts-history
Wisconsin Horror Host Documentary “I’m Your Host” Work-in-Progress Premiere in Milwaukee October 20, Kenosha screening November 11
“Horror hosts” are people who dress up as a creepy kooky character of their own invention and create a show (network, cable access, or Internet) where they introduce and screen old B-horror movies. Some famous examples are Vampira, Elvira, and Svengoolie.
As cable access and the internet made creating horror host shows more accessible, shows shot in homemade sets in basements and spare rooms proliferated across the country.
I’m Your Host was inspired after Milwaukee journalist Tea Krulos began to notice an unusually high concentration of horror host shows in Kenosha, Wisconsin, including Dr. Destruction’s Crimson Theater (on air for over 20 years), his former collaborator Deadgar Winter’s Deadgar’s Dark Coffin Classics, Deadgar’s former co-hosts new show Hexen Arcane, and Nightmare Cinema starring Uncle Wolfman. Krulos wrote about this scene for the October 2021 issue of Milwaukee Magazine.
I’m Your Host follows the laughter and spooky fun as well as the difficult human moments of this unique group of people.
I’m Your Host is directed by Milwaukee artist and filmmaker Alicia Krupsky (BFA). Tea Krulos and Christopher Kai House are producers. The documentary has a work-in-progress premiere at the Twisted Dreams Film Festival on Friday, October 20 at 8:30pm at Times Cinema (5906 W. Vliet St.). Tickets: https://omniwebticketing6.com/theatre2/?schdate=2023-10-20
A free, horror host themed after party will take place at Bay View Bowl (2416 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) The party starts at 11pm on October 20.
A Kenosha screening at the UW-Parkside Student Center Cinema (930 Wood Rd, Kenosha) takes place Saturday, November 11 at 7:30pm. Tickets are just $5 and available here: https://milwaukeekrampusnacht.ticketbud.com/i-m-your-host-kenosha-screening
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/4386935464864864/
Here’s the trailer:
Contact:
Alicia Krupsky: aliciakrupskaya@gmail.com
Tea Krulos: teakrulos@gmail.com
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