Beyond Fest x Music Box Theatre Unleash ‘Beyond Chicago’; 30 Electrifying Films Including ‘Obsession,’ ‘Faces of Death’, and ‘The Furious’! • Living-Dead
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Beyond Fest x Music Box Theatre Unleash ‘Beyond Chicago’; 30 Electrifying Films Including ‘Obsession,’ ‘Faces of Death’, and ‘The Furious’!
Beyond Fest, the biggest genre festival in the U.S., and Chicago’s world-renowned Music Box Theatre have combined forces to create […]
Beyond Fest, the biggest genre festival in the U.S., and Chicago’s world-renowned Music Box Theatre have combined forces to create Beyond Chicago: four days of all-killer-no-filler cinematic chaos and carnage.
From April 2–5, Beyond Chicago will explode 30 features across the Music Box Theatre’s historic screens from every corner of the globe. Presented by MUBI, this inaugural program further drives Beyond Fest’s commitment to the theatrical experience and its perennial championing of outsider visions, cult icons, and bold, new cinema voices.
Opening and Closing Night honors are bestowed upon two of contemporary cinema’s boldest voices: Opening Night brings Curry Barker’s instant shock horror classic Obsession whilst Closing Night honors are bestowed upon Daniel Goldhaber with the World Premiere of his audacious reinvention of the seminal Video Nasty shock doc, Faces of Death on stomach-churning 35mm.
Two of Beyond Fest’s favorite alumni make their welcome in-person returns with a ferocious pair of double-trouble-fists-of-fury. The great Bob Odenkirk joins us for the Centerpiece Screening of Ben Wheatley’s latest blast of action fire frenzy, Normal, on glorious 35mm. Complementing Normal, Odenkirk will also host his thematically-inspired pick, Joseph Sargent’s , also on 35mm. Rap legend brings his slick and soulful slice of contemporary exploitation, , to the big screen. In addition, the human wuxia-encyclopedia will present a very special 35mm screening of the Shaw Brothers classic, .
The very best of contemporary genre filmmaking is on display courtesy of a bevy of frights and delights that include fresh from its SXSW debut, Jorma Taccone brings his blisteringly violent and brilliantly funny, Over Your Dead Body, Mark Jenkin’s magnificently haunting tale of time and terror, Rose of Nevada, starring George MacKay and Callum Turner and in what is a guaranteed lights-out, barn burner of a screening, stunt icon Kenji Tanigaki brings his instantly infamous epic-fight-fest, The Furious to Chicago.
High-profile repertory screenings include the much-anticipated World Premiere of the 4K Restoration of Speed Racer courtesy of Warner Bros., with director Lilly Wachowski in attendance. Other eye-popping, must-see restorations include Terror Vision/Culture Shock’s meticulous rejuvenation of the batshit insane, Small Kill, the rare and incredible Sheila and the Brainstem in 4K from Severin Films, Factory25’s glorious remaster of the batshit brilliant Blood Brothers from Mike Diana and a special late-night screening of Flesh for Frankenstein in eye-popping 3D in honour of the much-missed Udo Kier.
Following her legendary appearance at Beyond Fest last year, cinema icon and superhero Meiko Kaji, makes her triumphant return to the U.S. for her first-ever Chicago appearance to discuss her incredible four-decade career. Kaji will attend three incredibly rare and magically special screenings of Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 on 35mm, Lady Snowblood 2K Restoration, and the brand new 2K Restoration of Silver Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler.
Two documentaries take pride of place as director Tom Stern brings his deliriously wild Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt, and is joined by noise rock legends Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary. The fevered filmmaking process of master director John Boorman is brilliantly explored in the ultimate double feature comprised of Boorman and the Devil and a very special screening of the rarely seen Exorcist II: The Heretic.
Surrounding these big theater screenings is a jaw-dropping 15-feature program of global, genre cinema and cult discoveries that are all FREE courtesy of our lead presenting sponsor MUBI. Crossing borders, defying convention, and exploding sensibilities, this special selection includes the MidWest Premiere of Sidharta Tata’s blistering action assault, Ikatan Darah, produced by Iko Uwais, the World Premiere of Gene Gallerano and William Pisciotta’s brilliant American creature feature, The Yeti, Algeria’s brilliantly bone-chilling horror, Roqia from director Yanis Koussim, SXSW’s mind melding sci-fi shocker, Imposters from director Caleb Phillips, Ben Wheatley’s unhinged lo-fi sci-fi epic Bulk, and Jessica Vogt’s heartbreaking independent sci-fi Phase, Grégory Morin’s riotous midnighter Flush, Avalon Fast’s thrilling coming-of-age witchcraft story Camp, the sumptuous and enthralling 16mm nightmare Cruel Hands from director Al Kalyk, as well as two dedicated short blocks highlighting the best of home-grown talent as well as international newcomers.
From April 2 to April 5, the Music Box Theatre becomes a home for cinema that is fearless, transgressive, excessive, confrontational, and most importantly, best experienced together. Beyond Chicago is coming to eat you.
For more information, visit beyondfest.com and musicboxtheatre.com. Tickets are on sale to members on March 5th and general public on March 6th. Free tickets for Screen 2 will be available to Music Box members on Wednesday 1st April and general public on Thursday 2nd April.
MUSIC BOX THEATRE Screen 1
BUTTHOLE SURFERS: THE HOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUTT MidWest Premiere Director: Tom J. Stern Country: United States Runtime: 106 minutes Year: 2025 Guests: Tom J. Stern, Paul Leary, Gibby Haynes
OBSESSION MidWest Premiere Director: Curry Barker Country: United States Runtime: 108 minutes Distributor: Focus Features Year: 2025 Guests: N/A
ROSE OF NEVADA MidWest Premiere Director: Mark Jenkin Country: United Kingdom Runtime: 114 minutes Distributor: 1-2 Special Year: 2025
THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE Special Screening – 35mm Director: Joseph Sargent Country: United States Runtime: 104 minutes Distributor: Park Circus Year: 1974 Guests: Bob Odenkirk
NORMAL MidWest Premiere – 35mm Screening Director: Ben Wheatley Country: United States / Canada Runtime: 90 minutes Distributor: Magnolia Pictures Year: 2025 Guests: Bob Odenkirk
SPEED RACER World Premiere – 4K Restoration Director: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski Country: United States Runtime: 135 minutes Distributor: Warner Bros. Year: 2008 Guests: Lilly Wachowski
THE KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM Special Screening – 35mm Print Director: Chang Cheh Country: Hong Kong Runtime: 86 minutes Distributor: Celestial Pictures Year: 1979 Guests: RZA
LADY SNOWBLOOD Special Screening – 2K Restoration Director: Toshiya Fujita Country: Japan Runtime: 97 minutes Distributor: Janus Films Year: 1973 Guests: Meiko Kaji
THE FURIOUS MidWest Premiere Director: Kenji Tanigaki Country: Hong Kong, China Runtime: 113 minutes Distributor: Lionsgate Year: 2025
ONE SPOON OF CHOCOLATE MidWest Premiere Director: RZA Country: United States Runtime: 112 minutes Distributor: Variance Films Year: 2025 Guests: RZA
FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN Special Screening – 3D Presentation Director: Paul Morrissey Country: Italy / France / United States Runtime: 95 minutes Distributor: AGFA Year: 1973
BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL MidWest Premiere Director: David Kittredge Country: United States Runtime: 112 minutes Year: 2025 Guests: David Kittredge
EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC Special Screening – 35mm Print Director: John Boorman Country: United States Runtime: 117 minutes Distributor: Warner Bros. Year: 1977 Guests: N/A
OVER YOUR DEAD BODY MidWest Premiere Director: Jorma Taccone Country: United States Runtime: 105 mins Distributor: Independent Film Company Year: 2026 Guests: Jorma Taccone
FACES OF DEATH World Premiere – 35mm Print Director: Daniel Goldhaber Country: United States Runtime: 98 minutes Distributor: Independent Film Company & Shudder Year: 2026 Guests: Daniel Goldhaber, Isa Mazzei
Screen 2
CAMP MidWest Premiere Director: Avalon Fast Country: Canada Runtime:111 minutes Distributor: Dark Sky Films Guests: N/A
THE YETI World Premiere Director: William Pisciotta, Gene Gallerano Country: United States Runtime: 93 minutes Distributor: Well Go USA Year: 2026 Guests: N/A
FLUSH MidWest Premiere Director: Grégory Morin Country: France Runtime: 70 minutes Distributor: Dark Sky Films Year: 2025
BLOOD BROTHERS + other delights World Premiere – Remaster Director: Mike Diana Country: USA Runtime: 83 min Distributor: Factory 25 Year: 1987 – 1990
BULK MidWest Premiere Director: Ben Wheatley Country: United Kingdom Runtime: 95 minutes Year: 2025
IMPOSTERS MidWest Premiere Director: Caleb Phillips Country: United States Runtime: 102 mins Distributor: TBA Year: 2026 Guests: Caleb Phillips
SMALL KILL World Premiere of 4K Restoration Director: Gary Burghoff, Rob Fresco Country: United States Runtime: 86 minutes Distributor: Terror Vision / Culture Shock Year: 1992 Guests: Brad Henderson
SHEILA AND THE BRAINSTEM World Premiere – 4K Restoration Director: Matt McDowell, Russell Bates Country: USA Runtime: 79 minutes Distributor: Severin Films Year: 1989 Guests: N/A