Screening: Grindhouse Girl Gang Night at Popcorn Reef Featuring SWITCHBLADE SISTERS and THE MUTHERS [3/20/24]

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Co-Presented by The Casual Company at The Tenth Avenue Arts Center Downtown

Doors at 6:00 PM (bring food in and eat at The Top of The Tenth Rooftop Lounge, details below)

Show at 7:00 PM

What exactly defines a “grindhouse film”? Sure, there’s the whole “copious amounts of sex, violence, and mayhem on the screen” thing. You could also argue that the independent spirit of exploitation cinema, which tends to allow for a greater capacity for freedom of expression, defines this type of film. Or maybe it’s just the “fuck you” attitude of maverick filmmaking that’s the secret behind a great grindhouse flick.

Why can’t it be all of those things? Here at Popcorn Reef, we believe that when all of those aforementioned qualities are blended together to perfection, the best grindhouse films can take you to a fantasy zone of surrealism, outrage, and imagination that no other type of cinema can. And this March at The Tenth Avenue Arts Center, we’ve picked two of the coolest, baddest, and just plain crazy grindhouse films of all time to showcase for you on the giant, immersive screen we've getting such great feedback on so far. Join us on March 20th for Grindhouse Girl Gang Night, featuring SWITCHBLADE SISTERS and THE MUTHERS!

In SWITCHBLADE SISTERS, Lace (Robbie Lee), the leader of girl gang The Dagger Debs, meets her match when new girl Maggie (Joanne Nail) moves into the neighborhood. Conflict turns to friendship as the girls end up in juvie together. Meanwhile, The Silver Daggers, the ladies’s male counterparts, have to contend with the arrival of a new gang, led by the villainous Crabs (Chase Newhart). But when the girls get back on the streets, a planned retaliation strike in tandem with The Silver Daggers backfires and all out war is declared.

Filled with sharp, clever dialogue, tongue-in-cheek humor, and more switchblades, Molotov cocktails, and machine guns than you can handle, this Shakespeare-influenced girl gang mash-up is a stone cold 1970s classic. Directed by exploitation icon Jack Hill (THE BIG DOLL HOUSE, COFFY), and famously so beloved by Quentin Tarantino that he released the film himself on DVD in the 90s, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS may be the ultimate grindhouse vibe movie.

But that’s not all…

Directed by a man who defined the term “maverick filmmaker,” Mr. Cirio Santiago (TNT JACKSON, FIRECRACKER, STRYKER), and shot on-the-cheap in the Philippines, THE MUTHERS is a pretty difficult film to define. If you’re ready for the ride, this is the story of two female pirates (Jeanne Bell and Rosanne Katon) who rob and loot on the China Seas, go undercover at a women's prison to break their friend out, then revolt and turn the sky black with the smoke from their machine guns. Filled with some of the most surreal high seas imagery you’ll ever see, loaded with kung fu action, and with a giant thematic middle finger to “the man” as the cherry on top, you’ll never forget the first time you saw THE MUTHERS. We can guarantee you that, or we’ll gladly give you a refund on the spot.

On March 20th, it's Grindhouse Girl Gang Night at Popcorn Reef! And before you ask, yes, eye patches are encouraged at the door, but leave the switchblades and the machine guns at home ;)

SWITCHBLADE SISTERS Trailer (NSFW):

THE MUTHERS Trailer (NSFW):

PLEASE NOTE:

-This show is at The Tenth Avenue Arts Center (930 10th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101)

-Doors will open at 6:00 PM, and we encourage you to bring your own food in before the show to eat at The Top Of The Tenth - The Tenth Avenue Arts Center's rooftop lounge with a panoramic view of downtown. Local eateries like Hodad's is a great option and is located within a block of the venue.

-Soft drinks, along with candy, chips, cookies, and crackers will be available for purchase during the show.

-We cannot allow you to bring alcohol into the venue, but smoking is allowed at The Top of the Tenth, both before and during the show if you want to step out.

-If you are visibly intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, we cannot allow you into the venue. Thanks for your understanding.

-There will be no delivery of tickets via shipping or email - we'll simply have your name on the list at the door (plus however many tickets you buy). Please bring your ID for verification purposes to check in. We can check in partial parties too, so if you're buying for multiple people and you're arriving at different times, don't worry about it.

-If you have any questions at all, please contact eddie@popcornreef.com