THE ICS FILES
#1-February 1999
ICS-tra! ICS-tra! Read all about
it! ICS ALIVE!
On Sunday, January 24th, a new movie club was
born! It's called the Imaginative Cinema Society (ICS). Congratulations
to everyone who participated in its birth! We had a very productive meeting.
We chiseled out a new constitution (which is being sent with this) and
sweated out the new name. Good work ladies and gentlemen!
ICS MARKS THE SPOT
Well, after general agreement that Sunday afternoons
were terrific for meeting times we have our next three meeting scheduled
for Saturday afternoons. Sorry folks. The library was totally booked for
every Sunday in February, March and April. From May to October they're
closed Sundays. So we got one of the last available Sundays until the end
of the year for our January meeting. I'm going to give you the next three
meeting times. They're 1:00 to 4:30. Please mark them on your calendars!
FEBRUARY 20TH
MARCH 27TH
APRIL 24
All meetings are scheduled for the third floor
Wheeler Auditorium at the Enoch Pratt Central Library. If you need directions
either refer to my earlier letter or call the library
(or visit them on line--they have directions
there). I did not schedule any further ahead in hopes that our minions
will have found another place by May. If you'd like me to keep scheduling
at the Pratt, let me know at our coming confab.
THE AGONY AND THE ICSTACY
Mea culpa! Mea culpa! I failed to get the word
out of the last meeting to some former HFFS'ers who'd expressed an interest
that I'd misunderstood. Whoops! Sorry about that. We have an open club.
We actively encourage participation from everyone. Sorry for the faux paux.
Please encourage as many people as possible to join us. God knows in our
present facility we soitanly have the space! And it would be nice to see
our old friends.
RATED ICS
I've arranged to have a TV and VCR at the next
meeting. We need someone to bring some tapes along for viewing (or we agree
to stare at a blank screen for two hours--which would be an improvement
on some of the stuff we've seen at times!). Interested parties please contact
me and I'll attempt to coordinate.
I've thought of some titles that we might watch.
How about The Man from Planet ICS or ICS, the Man with the ICS-Ray Eyes,
or ICS Conquered the World. Maybe The P-ICS-ture of Dorian Gray or Voy-ICS
to the Bottom of the Sea. The list is endless.
ICS-itis
Brian Smith and Cindy Collins were home feeling
fluey during our grand debut meeting. We were the poorer for their absence.
We hope that they're over the creeping crud and that they're able to join
us for our coming meetings.
FAN-ICS
There's been a few changes behind the scenes
with the coming "Monster Rally." As many of you know Gary and Sue have
become sole sponsors for the show. Their current guest roster includes
Christopher Lee, Ray Harryhausen, Harlan Ellison, Michael Ripper (MidMar
will be bringing out his biography at the show), Jane Adams, Elena Verdugo,
Anne Francis, Colleen Gray, Ed Kemmer, Rex Reason, Yvette Vickers, Veronica
Carlson, Ingrid Pitt, Yutte Stensgaard, Ron Chaney, Carla Lemmle, Val Lewton
jr., Victoria Price (Vincent's lil' girl), Forrest Ackerman, Zacherly and
Corlandt Hall (curator of the Witches Dungeon). Oy! What a lineup! Gary
and Sue are looking for volunteers. Let them or one of the department heads
know if you're available.
COMING EL-ICS-TIONS
We have decided that every member is eligible
for election but the ballot will reflect those members who have expressed
an interest in serving on the Board (see the enclosed constitution under
"Process of Elections: Character of Elections"). Please let me know either
prior to the next meeting or at the next meeting if you're interested in
serving on the Board. I'd like to have elections at our February meeting.
THERE'S NO BUSIN-ICS LIKE SHOW BUSIN-ICS
Just 2 quick items for TV fans. Those of you
interested in checking out the "Babylon 5" sequel, "Crusade," on TNT
next June have been thrown a curve. Show creator Joe Stracynski and the
suits at TNT have fallen out of love, according to Ain't-It-Cool-News.
I'd heard rumors that TNT was looking for something less cerebral and more
buxom babes and flashing ray guns. Stracynski and Warner's are said to
be talking with the Sci-Fi Channel. Might not be a bad time to drop the
kids at the Sci-Fi Channel a line and let them know what you think.
Also I've heard that Fox may cancel their Friday
night show, "Brimstone." I contacted the muckety-mucks at Fox and they
said that the show is "not officially [emphasis added] canceled" but production
has "slowed down" (which means they haven't ordered any further episodes
beyond what's in the can). If you have even a vague interest in this show
watch it during the February Sweeps (new episodes will continue to air).
They'll make their final decision in March.
ICS-CETERA
Roving reporter Dave Hend-ICS-on (aka "Hendo,
the Magnificent") has let us know of a coming con on our old stomping grounds.
VULKON will be held at the Towson Sheraton March 5-7. It will feature a
large dealer's room, Marina Sirtis ("Star Trek: TNG), Dirk Benedict ("Battlestar
Galactica") and someone from "Babylon 5" (Hendo wasn't very clear on that--he
calls "B5" "the worst science fiction show on TV"--this from a guy who
thinks "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" and "Time Tunnel" were written
by Shakespeare!).
All-around-good-doodle Tom-ICS Burke tells us
of a science-f-ICS-tion classic playing in Frederick. On Tuesday March
9th at 7:30 The Day the Earth Stood Still will be screened at the Weinberg
Center. This is the restored Tivoli theater--a 1926 motion picture palace
restored in 1978. Tom describes it as having "velvet rocking chairs, crystal
chandeliers, satin brocade wall panels, mosaic tile floors, marble columns
and a 1926 Wurlitzer organ." Cool, huh? Orchestra seats s-ICS bucks, balcony
is five. They'll show the 1926 "Ben Hur" on April 6th and the pre-eminent
movie musical, "Singin' in the Rain" on May 11th.
EDITORIAL APOL-ICS-GY
Sorry for the ICS-essive PUN-ishment. Hope it
didn't leave you too ICS-hausted!