Matinee

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Matinee ★★½ 1992 (PG)

“MANT: Half-man, Half-ant, All Terror!” screams from the movie marquee after Lawrence Woolsey, promoter extraordinare, and Ruth Corday, his leading lady, roll into Key West circa 1962. Meanwhile, teen Gene Loomis listens to his health teacher push the benefits of red meat and his girlfriend question life, while worrying about his dad, stationed in Cuba. Builds sly parallels between real life and movie horror by juxtaposing Woolsey (modeled after B-movie king William Castle) hyping his schlock, shown in “Atomo-Vision,” against JFK solemnly announcing the Russian's approach. Fun, nostalgic look at days gone by—and the matinees that died with them. 98m/C VHS, DVD . John Goodman, Cathy Moriarty, Omri Katz, Lisa Jakub, Lucinda Jenney, James Villemaire, Robert Picardo, Dick Miller, John Sayles, Charles S. Haas, Mark McCracken, Simon Fenton, Kellie Martin, Jesse Lee, Jesse White, David Clennon, Luke Halpin, Robert Cornthwaite, Kevin McCarthy, William Schallert; D: Joe Dante; W: Charles S. Haas, Jerico Stone; C: John Hora; M: Jerry Goldsmith.

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