BAM Spotlights Cult Horror Director

He may not be as well known as his contemporaries Wes Craven, George Romero or John Carpenter, but horror mavens know that one of the most distinctive auteurs in the genre was writer/director Dan O’Bannon. This often-overlooked horror honcho will be given the full shock treatment with Shock Value: Dan O’Bannon, which runs at the BAMcinématek in Brooklyn from July 11-19. The series is presented in conjunction with the publication of a new book on the influence of 1970s/1980s horror films, Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror by Jason Zinoman, a critic for The New York Times. Among the films to be screened are those which O’Bannon conceived the original story or wrote or co-wrote the screenplay, including John Carpenter’s DARK STAR (1974), Ridley Scott’s ALIEN (1979),  the Roy Scheider-starrer BLUE THUNDER (1983) and Tobe Hooper’s remake of the 1950s classic INVADERS FROM MARS (1986). The series will also screen his single directorial effort, THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, part of the zombie franchise first introduced by George Romero in 1968. For more information on the films and special event appearances, visit: www.bam.org.

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