A conversation with Peculiar Picture Show
Rigney (left) and Coleslaw (right) of Peculiar Picture Show.
Peculiar Picture Show brings the cult classic movie Let’s Scare Jessica to Death to the AS220 Black Box Theater on Wednesday, October 7th.
How did the idea for this film series come about?
Coleslaw: Well, pre-pandemic, I hosted a couple screenings in Boston when I lived there, and obviously that fell flat during 2020. So I wanted to restart it, especially in Providence, because I didn't really feel like there was much going on. There was awesome horror, like PVD Horror film screenings, but nothing that was like weird shit (laughs). That's what I love, what we both love, so I was like, let's try to do this. We found this place, AS220!
Rigney: We wanted to focus on films, but also have elements of drag, and a sense of community. Coleslaw is our sole drag performer for each event, and we bring in a different local creative or doer or maker to talk about what they do, and sell their wares. We're looking to put events together where people can come and not necessarily have to be in a loud bar setting to socialize and meet new people. It's a place for weirdos, queerdos, and nerds to come together and feel comfortable.
How do you choose the films?
Coleslaw: The selections have been all over the place really, genre wise, but they always are just really bizarre films. At first we weren't sure the direction we wanted to go in terms of, like, artsy fartiness or commercial Hollywood, but we've been trying different things, seeing what works. We're specifically curating these shows for things that aren't commonly found in streaming.
How do your programming selections relate to or intersect with queerness or the queer community?
Coleslaw: I feel like the element of camp is a common thread through all of the selections we've made that kind of ties it to queerness. I haven't really thought about it. I think what he meant by “queerdos and weirdos” is a community building thing. So, if you don't like going to the gay club, you don't like going to the bar, it's too hectic, it's too much going on, it's too loud, it's scary…come here, it's chill. If you want to be by yourself, you can sit over in the corner. If you want to talk and meet people, you can come and mingle. If you want to drink, you can go get a drink at the bar. If you don't want to drink, you don't have to…and that's not normal! Usually, it's like “DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!!!”
Rigney: It's not specifically a queer event. It's run by queer people, but I want it to be an all-inclusive event. I want everybody to know “Hey, they're showing cool movies, we can hang together.
Coleslaw: The reason it sometimes needs to be said like “queer” is because if you don't say that, as a queer person, you're kind of like “Is that for me?”, and not queer people it's kind of just like “You can go wherever!”
What’s happening in October?
Rigney: This is our extra spooky Halloween edition. Doors at seven, we'll be showing our “bonus feature” Tetsuo: The Iron Man while everybody shows up and mixes and mingles. We're gonna have two local creatives. Brandon Perras-Sanchez, he's going to have copies of his latest book Recessive Nature on hand, and Courtney Cournoyer with Pa’s Peculiar, she makes candles and soap, so that will all be available.
Coleslaw: I'll be doing a performance based off of my interpretation of the film uh at hand so you'll get my performance pre pre uh screening also you show you uh say facts about the filmmakers and that’s not a given in a screening.
Rigney: Every time we show I always like to give some facts on the films and the filmmakers, what their significance is. Then we show the main event which is going to be Let’s Scare Jessica to Death.
Coleslaw: I just watched Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, and it is campy and hilarious, and the sounds are so weird. Yeah, the sound design…
Rigney: So, did you love it?
Coleslaw: I did, it's a great one. We're also going to have jack-o'-lanterns and candy.
Rigney: Oh yeah.
Coleslaw: It's going to be festive.