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About Me: Tim League graduated from Rice University in 1992 with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Art/Art History. After a two-year stint at Shell Oil in Bakersfield, California, Tim turned his back on the engineering profession and opened up his first movie theater. An unmitigated financial disaster, the Tejon theater closed in 1995, and he and his wife Karrie loaded a truck with 200 seats, a projector, screen and speakers and headed to Austin to Start the Alamo Drafthouse, where he remains as CEO today. League also co-founded Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the United States and has recently started a Drafthouse branded distribution label which released the critically acclaimed Jihadi-comedy FOUR LIONS in 2010. When asked about his early qualifications for opening a movie theater in the first place, "none, other than really liking movies, which I guess is the most important part."
Programming Genius: Difficult to say. Robosaurus in the parking lot of South Lamar, Camp Hack n' Slash, our horror summer camp, the Zaireeka screening with quadrophonic video and audio, the mandatory smoking show of BREATHLESS, the very first DELIVERANCE screening (also first Rolling Roadshow). These days, the event I anticipate the most is Fantastic Fest.
Favorite Movies: Old Guard Faves: THE GENERAL, CITY LIGHTS, ON THE WATERFRONT, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, THE GODFATHER PART 2, TOUCH OF EVIL; New Faves: ADAM’S APPLES, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, EX-DRUMMER, BLACK SWAN, THE HOST, SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, PAN’S LABYRINTH; Exploitation Films: ANGUISH, ABAR 1ST BLACK SUPERMAN, TOYS ARE NOT FOR CHILDREN, PENITENTIARY, VICE SQUAD
Favorite Beer: Just like movies, I can't really pick just one. Indulgent one-off: Sam Adam's Utopias, Favorite local 512 Barrel-aged Pecan Porter, Old reliables: Anchor Christmas, Arrogant Bastard. Favorite Breweries: Dogfish Head and Brewdog.
Badass Character: Can't just do one. In no particular order (and all dudes, sorry): Bama (Dean Martin) in SOME CAME RUNNING. Not sure if he was acting at all, but I sure wanted to hang out and play cards with him. Freebie in FREEBIE AND THE BEAN - I like James Caan in just about everything, but he's a particularly demented and charming badass in this one. Tiger (Rock Hudson) in PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW. He's got his sociopathic personality quirks, but he's a real smoothie with the ladies and kept a cool head under pressure. Snakey (Les Tremayne) in SNAKES. Nobody fucks with his Wednesday.
Line to Live By: "A repo man spends his life getting into tense situations." - Bud (Harry Dean Stanton). Even though I sometimes don't handle tension well, I can't deny that I like tense situations.
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About Me: Henri Mazza has served as the head of the creative department for the Alamo Drafthouse since 2003, back when the now legendary theater chain was still a one screen cinema located in the warehouse district of downtown Austin. Working directly under founder Tim League, Henri oversaw the growth of the brand image as they opened 10 locations around Texas and grew the empire to include the Rolling Roadshow, Badass Digest, Mondo Tees, Fantastic Fest and Drafthouse Films. He created many of the signature events the theater has become known for, including the interactive Action Pack screenings of Sing-Alongs and Quote-Alongs, but his biggest claim to fame came in the summer of 2011 when the "Angry Texter Voicemail" PSA he put together quickly received nearly 5 million views online and was featured in major media outlets from The View to Anderson Cooper.
Programming Genius: The single greatest programming event we've ever done is always the one we're putting together next. We learn from each event we put together, and we constantly try to top ourselves. Eventually that will surely lead to my tragic death, but it'll probably be an awesome way to go out, so I'm cool with it.
Favorite Movies: THE JERK, BAD BOYS 2, INVISIBLE CHILD
Favorite Beers: Sierra Nevada's 30th Anniversary Reserve. That shit was awesome.
Badass Character: The Dread Pirate Roberts (but not necessarily Westley)
Line to Live By: "Station!" (BILL & TED’S BOGUS JOURNEY)
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About Me: The restaurant business has been with me for some time, from my first restaurant job at a pizza place in high school, the numerous serving and bartending jobs that put me through two college degrees (Business and Philosophy, University of Texas) and before Alamo as President and partner in a local restaurant chain. The different high volume restaurant responsibilities and multi-unit management experience prepared me about as well as anything can for this crazy thing called Alamo!
Starting as the opening GM of the Alamo Lake Creek location and later the COO, I’ve followed the mad genius energy of founder Tim League through the openings of multiple Alamo locations while also handling the operational side and start up of Fantastic Fest and the Highball. The best (ongoing) challenge for me at the Alamo has been to look all those crazy programmers in the eye knowing whatever they might dream up, my team gets to figure out how to actually make it work! From 24 hour marathons, film festivals, flame thrower food preparation or simply serving 800 people in an hour, there’s no idea too far out and nothing we’re afraid of.
Favorite Beer: Well, remembering of course that almost any beer is better than no beer, it’s a relative question based on what you have to choose from. Generally speaking I like a beer that I have not tried before (there are SO many beers out there!). I like something seasonal and local whenever possible, except around the holidays (the best time for seasonal beer!), when I tend to go back to two of my favorites – Anchor Christmas and Real Ale Coffee Porter!
Favorite Movies: Like beer, there are too many to choose from and I tend to want to say something I’ve not yet seen. But man, oh man, I will watch JAWS every time it comes on! I also distinctly remember seeing three movies all within a few weeks of each other – BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, AMERICAN BEAUTY and FIGHT CLUB. I recall thinking what a powerhouse trio that was and feeling a little sad that the next movie I would watch might not hold to up to the one, two, three punch I’d just experienced.
Badass Character: hmmm….as a kid I thought Bart, the sheriff from BLAZING SADDLES, was the coolest damn badass I had ever seen - super smooth. And it’s worth noting that his poignant portrayal as the leader of a small, ragtag group of guerillas banding together to wage war against a corrupt industrial hegemony taught me the little guy really can win against all odds.
Line to Live By: From ISHTAR, “It takes a lot of nerve to have nothing at your age, don't you understand that? Most guys'd be ashamed, but you've got the guts to just say 'to hell with it'. You say that you'd rather have nothing than settle for less, understand?”
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About Me: Lars Nilsen is more excited, obsessive and knowledgeable about underappreciated movies than any other Nordic man. He's a programmer for Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest, including Weird Wednesday, the world's single greatest weekly 35mm exploitation film series. He has so many movie reference books that the shelves bend like upside-down wooden rainbows. He collects out-of-print VHS tapes and music by non-caucasians. He almost beat up a guy for locking a dog in a hot car with the windows up. Don't do that.
Programming Genius: I'd be disingenuous if I didn't say Weird Wednesday, presenting 35mm prints of exploitation classics in all their faded, scratchy glory, every Wednesday at midnight.
Favorite Movies: Off the top of my head: TOUCH OF EVIL, THE NUDE VAMPIRE, THE LONG GOODBYE, TWENTIETH CENTURY, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS, POSSESSION, FORT APACHE, VELVET HUSTLER, DETOUR, VENUS IN FURS, CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT, BURN!, PAYDAY, CHARLEY VARRICK, NINOTCHKA, THE STUNT MAN, BRANDED TO KILL, CONFESSIONS OF A POLICE CAPTAIN, THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, many, many, many more.
Favorite Beer: Real Ale Coffee Porter
Badass Character: Warren Oates as Bennie in BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA
Line to Live By: "I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them long winter evenings." - Philip Marlowe in THE BIG SLEEP
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About Me: Zack Carlson is a programmer for the Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest. He also programs Terror Tuesdays, a weekly series of cult horror films from the 70s and 80s with glorious 35mm prints. He wrote a book called DESTROY ALL MOVIES!!! THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO PUNKS ON FILM. It features reviews of every film that punks appear in, even when they just walk by in the background chewing on a rat. He doesn't eat vegetables. He's never had a beer or a cup of coffee in his life and it's too late to start now so don't worry about it.
Programming Genius: 3-way tie: Weird Al introducing his masterpiece UHF for 2400 screaming fans, GOOD BURGER with all-you-can-eat Good Burgers, and the TROLL II Nilbog Invasion, where we took over a small Utah town and made it agonizingly ridiculous for three full days.
Favorite Movie: Penelope Spheeris' 1984 punk masterpiece SUBURBIA, not to be confused with the '90s one starring Parker Posey. Eeyikes.
Favorite Beer: Root. But not Barq's...that shit is nasty.
Favorite Character: Animalistic new wave maniac King Vidiot from '80s arcade comedy JOYSTICKS. The human embodiment of No Rules.
Line to Live By: "Life is Hell. There is only one God, and that's Man." - Timothy Carey from THE WORLD'S GREATEST SINNER
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About Me: As a programmer for the Alamo Drafthouse, Sarah is happily responsible for all "lady" screenings, including Girlie Night and Afternoon Tea. She graduated from Rice University in 2001 and got a Masters from UT Austin in 2008, but most of her professional expertise stems from watching the same ten movies over and over again. (And no, she's not tired of them.) Sarah is also crazycakes for young adult literature, an obsession that led to her creation of Forever Young Adult, a site for YA fans who are a little less Y and a bit more A. In her free time, Sarah enjoys fancy cocktails, dance parties and watching YouTube videos of different animals being friends.
Programming Genius: 3-way tie: In December of 2008, Sarah decided to screen her favorite Christmas movie, LOVE ACTUALLY, for Girlie Night. The other programmers were skeptical (because they're boys). It is now an Alamo holiday tradition, with multiple sold out screenings. Told you so, boys!
Favorite Movie: YOU'VE GOT MAIL.
Favorite Beer: Champagne! Especially in can form.
Favorite Character: Cher in CLUELESS. Duh!
Line to Live By: "So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around?" - Kathleen Kelly in YOU'VE GOT MAIL
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About Me: After working at video stores and attending the University of Texas to study film production, Greg MacLennan used to write for several (now-defunct )websites and work on bad TV shows. He is currently a video editor and film programmer at the Alamo Drafthouse, where he programs Cinema Cocktails, Bangarang!, and Tough Guy Cinema. Greg's ideal woman is a baked good and he is originally from Canada...but you shouldn't hold that against him.
Programming Genius: Managing to talk the Drafthouse into letting me show a bunch of Jean-Claude Van Damme movies in a row for VAN DAMMAGE.
Favorite Movie: BRAZIL, LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, THE APARTMENT, DELICATESSEN, THE FOUNTAIN, SOME LIKE IT HOT, BLADE RUNNER, COMMANDO, LIONHEART, PUNCH DRUNK LOVE, TIME BANDITS, and MONTY PYTHON
Favorite Beer: Austin Beerworks: Sputnik. Or a beer that is made out of Scotch.
Favorite Character: Leon from THE PROFESSIONAL. He loves milk, his best friend is a plant, and he loves watching Gene Kelly musicals.
Line to Live By: "Well...nobody's perfect!" – Osgood Fielding III in SOME LIKE IT HOT
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About Me: Sam Prime is a film programmer for the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and also oversees the operations of the American Genre Film Archive's extensive collection of more than 3,000 35mm prints. He was previously the Director of Melnitz Movies at UCLA, programming the latest in independent, foreign, and unreleased films. His all-time favorite Sonny Chiba movie, WOLFGUY: ENRAGED LYCANTHROPE (1975), features Chiba as a werewolf detective tracking down a murderous, invisible ghost-tiger. His eternal quest is to track down a 35mm print of this rare film.
Programming Genius: Back at UCLA, I dreamed up and organized a 25th anniversary reunion screening of ROBOCOP (1987). Every living member of the cast and crew was in attendance, including Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ed Neumeier, Michael Miner, Phil Tippett, and Paul Verhoeven -- who flew in all the way from the Netherlands to attend. It took a year to plan everything, but it was worth every late night spent responding to e-mails until 5am.
Favorite Movie: YEAR OF THE DRAGON, FAT CITY, DEAD PIGEON ON BEETHOVEN STREET, DIONYSUS IN '69, FACES, SANS SOLEIL, THE KNACK... AND HOW TO GET IT, EMMA MAE, SOME CALL IT LOVING, BLADE RUNNER, F FOR FAKE, ARTISTS AND MODELS, THE KEEP, CRAZY THUNDER ROAD, FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN, CATCH MY SOUL, SLEEPWALK, AMSTERDAMNED and, you know, more.
Favorite Beer: I'm not exactly a teetotaler, but ask anyone and they'll tell you the following in an old timey voice: "Boy, that Sam Prime sure likes himself a Roy Rogers when he can get it!" A Roy Rogers is a delicious cocktail mix of cola and grenadine, garnished with a single maraschino cherry (or sometimes multiple, if your waitress is especially keen on you).
Favorite Character: Vincent Price as Dr. Goldfoot in DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE (1965) and DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE GIRL BOMBS (1966) is hard to beat. A friend even designed a t-shirt especially for me that reads as follows: "I would go gay for Vincent Price, if he weren't dead."
Line to Live By: "How can anybody care too much?" - Stanley White (Mickey Rourke) in Michael Cimino's YEAR OF THE DRAGON (1985)
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About Me: Joseph A. Ziemba is an art director and programmer for the Alamo Drafthouse. He's the creator of BLEEDINGSKULL.COM and co-author of BLEEDING SKULL! A 1980s TRASH-HORROR ODYSSEY (Headpress, 2013), both of which chronicle ultra-obscure horror movies that can never be recommended to anyone in good conscience. He's spent many years working as a graphic designer and even longer writing music and touring as a member of various bands. He is not a fan of Corey Feldman's work after LICENSE TO DRIVE. He was born and raised in the greater Chicagoland area. Joe really loves ice cream.
Programming Genius: Terror Tuesday and Weird Wednesday change my life on a weekly basis.
Favorite Movie: My favorite movie doesn't exist, but it falls somewhere between Francois Truffaut's 400 BLOWS, Doris Wishman's A NIGHT TO DISMEMBER, and everything ever filmed by Laurel & Hardy.
Favorite Beer: Red Stripe.
Favorite Character: Bigfoot, as depicted in NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1980).
Line to Live By: "You can trust me insipidly!" - Oliver Hardy, OUR RELATIONS (1936)
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About Me: Jason Donoho has been working in the food and beverage industry since he was 12 years old. He grew up in the Caribbean and South America, traveling extensively on his family’s sailboat. Starting as a dishwasher after school, he eventually worked his way to up executive chef. Before joining the Drafthouse family, he cooked in San Juan, New York, San Francisco, Alaska, and Austin and created menus as Executive Chef of FINO and Asti. He is absolutely obsessed with cookbooks, restaurant menus, eating out and coffee.
Favorite Movies: In no particular order: Wayne’s World, Abre Los Ojos, Point Break, Big Night and everything Bond.
Favorite Drink: Gin & Soda with extra limes, or anything at Midnight Cowboy.
Favorite Character: Tony Shalhoub as Primo in BIG NIGHT.
Favorite Movie Quote: "Give people what they want, then later you can give them what you want." -Pascal in BIG NIGHT
Line to Live By: "The kitchen, the restaurant's a lifestyle. I think you really have to buy into that whole lifestyle. You can't have the mentality of a cook only at work. It's really important to be setting examples all the way back. If you're a cook in this kitchen, your drawer at home, your sock drawer, should be perfectly organized, because when you come to work everything else is perfectly organized." –Thomas Keller
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About Me: Trish started her service industry career at the age of 15 at a Houston General Cinema Theater in the neighborhood she grew up in. A year later she decided to expand her food service horizons by taking a job at an old Houston institution Antones Import Company, this is where her real love affair with food began. Working in this environment surrounded with co workers from all over the world the obsession with food from different cuisines quickly became a way of life. She soon after this packed up her budding cookbook collection and headed back to what she considered her real home town and place of birth, Austin, Texas. She landed a job as a delivery driver and assistant to Chef Rebecca Rather of The Bread Alone Bakery, which literally gave her back door access to the fine dining kitchens around town. From there she worked for several years at The 34th Street Café, and ultimately at Mars Restaurant and Bar. It was at Mars where she really began to hone her skills in fine dining cuisine. Under the tutelage of Chef John Bullington she worked her way up from line cook to Pastry and eventually a Sous Chef position. After several years at Mars she decided to follow John Bullington over to The Alamo Drafthouse as an Assistant Kitchen Manager at the opening of the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar. From there she accepted the Head Chef position at The Village Location, The Ritz location and later The Highball. She is now super excited to accept the position of Austin Market Chef and aims to keep the Special Programming food and film events as much a part of what makes the Alamo such a special place to both see movies at and work at. With a passion for the local farms, community events and the Austin food scene in general, she feels that the job is ripe with opportunity for both her and the Alamo Drafthouse.
Favorite Food and Film Event, so far: Julia And Julia, the five course French feast sold out three nights in a row and required a meager 70 lbs of clarified butter.
Favorite Movies: The Shining, Harold and Maude, God of Cookery.
Favorite Beer: 512 Pecan Porter- It is a great addition to a mole.
Favorite Character: Zoe Bell in Deathproof.
Favorite Movie Quote: “You guys want some cookies?”- Corky Romano
Line to Live By: "Food prepared with hate turns to poison in the mouth" -My friend Sam Sanford on angry line cooks.
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About Me: For seventeen years, Bill has poured drinks in venues from the Jersey Shore to London to New York to Austin, winning numerous awards and cocktail competitions along the way, and consulting on bars in Austin and Schulenburg, Texas While in New York, he helped to open L-Ray in the West Village with Chef Aaron Sanchez (Isla, Paladar and Mixx) and consulting chef Jimmy Bradley (The Red Cat, The Harrison). He was on the opening staff at FINO, where According to the Austin American Statesman, he "planted the sacred seeds" of the modern cocktail in Austin, before creating the nationally recognized bar program at Haddingtons. He graduated from Drew University with a degree in political science and writing, briefly toiled on political campaigns, and then returned to Sarah Lawrence College to earn an MFA in fiction writing. When his novel,Snapshots (still available for a film option if anyone is interested), was published in 2001, he thought his bar tending days were finished, but it turns out slinging drinks supports a writing habit, and the drinks gradually became his career.
Favorite Movie: Heathers, Bob Roberts, The Piano.
Favorite Drink: A nice Irish whiskey, and a pint of Guinness.
Favorite Character: Harvey Keitel as The Lieutenant in the original Bad Lieutenant--would you mess with him?
Line to Live By: "Screws fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place." - John Bender in THE BREAKFAST CLUB
