Event PickWednesday Addams is cute and her mom Morticia is captivating, but when it comes to dark beauties of pop culture who never ceased to make our black heart weak at the sight of her, Vampira broke the macabre mold. She’s an L.A. icon, too. The Vampira Show officially debuted on local station KABC-TV in 1954, on which she’d present horror flicks each week, her signature scream, deathly dry humor, cauldrons and creative cocktailing, elevating each film’s B-movie entertainment value. The actress who played her, Maila Nurmi died in 2008 and has a monument at Hollywood Forever cemetery, because, of course she does.

On what would have been Nurmi’s 100th birthday, American Cinematheque offers exciting events to celebrate the iconic creep queen, who paved the way for the goth goddesses who came after her, such as Elvira-Mistress of the Dark. After an afternoon wreath-laying ceremony at Nurmi’s spot at Hollywood Forever, there will be a book signing by her niece Sandra Niemi, who authored her biography called Glamour Ghoul, at Los Feliz 3 theater followed by screenings.

Tim Burton’s Ed Wood  will be shown followed by a panel discussion featuring screenwriters Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander, Niemi, RH Greene (director of the film, Vampira & Me) and VE Neill (makeup artist on Ed Wood), moderated by comedian/podcaster Dana Gould, a self-proclaimed Ed Wood and Vampira superfan. After that, Wood’s classic Plan 9 From Outer Space plus rare Vampira footage will close out the bewitching birthday festivities.

Screenings, signing and panel, at Los Feliz 3, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. Los Feliz; Sun., Dec. 11. Separate tickets must be purchased per screening. More info at americancinematheque.com/series/vampiras-100th-birthday-celebration/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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