Raised from the Grave

The Exhumed Films 24-Hour Horror-Thon

by Shaun Brady

As every horror fan knows, any successful idea merits a sequel. So it should come as no surprise that last year's Exhumed Films 24-Hour Horror-Thon has, one year later, spawned the inevitable Part 2. Exhumed added a bigger-and-better gimmick: Straddling the switchover to daylight-saving time, the noon-to-noon event will this year be a 25-hour marathon.

"Coming into our first-ever show back in October 1997, we thought it would be a one-off double-feature and we'd hopefully not lose too much of our own money," says Joseph A. Gervasi, one-fourth Exhumed. "Eleven years on and we're still amazed that we could put on a 24-hour horror marathon in Philadelphia and sell out a rather sizable venue."

The first 24-hour Horror-Thon was a celebration of Exhumed Films' 10th anniversary. The foursome — Gervasi, Daniel Fraga, Jesse Nelson and Harry Guerro — met through the Harwan Theatre in Mt. Ephraim, N.J., which later became Exhumed's first home.

Their first show, a double-feature of Lucio Fulci zombie films, was a Halloween celebration. Success inspired more, and the group hosted monthly screenings at various homes. They've been headquartered at I-House since 2005. The theater's recent renovations should make this year's marathon less tortuous — the tents that turned last year's event into a virtual campground won't be allowed this time.

The lineup of films is kept absolutely secret (as they were last year). Gervasi promises they learned one lesson: "Never show Dracula vs. Frankenstein in the wee small hours."

That Al Adamson atrocity was a spirit-killer at 5 a.m., especially following the stomach-churningly faded print of Teenage Mother. "It's still a mix of top-shelf, well-known fan favorites along with the most obscure of cult gems," Gervasi says of this year's offerings. "The trailers and short films selection is especially strong this year, which makes leaving the theater to pee even harder. We're recommending people utilize a 'Stadium Buddy' or adult diapers and not leave their seats for 25 punishing hours."

(s_brady@citypaper.net)

Sat.-Sun., Nov. 1-2, noon-noon (doors 11 a.m. Sat.), $20, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 866-468-7619, exhumedfilms.org