Sci-Fi film series begins spring run tonight

The Churchill Arts Council’s spring film series, “Strange Women: Sci-Fi Classics” begins tonight at the Art Center.

Springing from one interpretation of the Mayan Apocalypse — that the world wasn’t really going to end, but rather would see a rise of the importance of women and the feminine — throughout the galaxy, the series will present four films whose main protagonists are women, from the far distant past to the future.

Drawing upon the then current special effects techniques of the 1950s and early 1960s the film are also unintentionally humorous.

Two films will be shown tonight in homage to what was once a standard programming technique in movie theatres, showing two movies for the price of one to attract more customers.

The classic B-film space operas that will screen tonight are “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” and “Queen of Outer Space.”

In “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman,” originally released in 1958, a neglected woman grows to gigantic proportions after being zapped by aliens and the titanic beauty is bent on extracting revenge on her cheating husband. The film was directed by Nathan Juran and stars Allison Hayes, William Hudson and Yvette Vickers.

“Queen of Outer Space,” also released in 1958, gives us the story of American astronauts who are drawn by mysterious forces to the planet Venus, which, of course, they find to be inhabited only by women. They are immediately imprisoned by the Venusians man hating queen and must escape to save the earth. The film was directed by Edward Bernds and stars Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eric Fleming and Dave Willock.

The films will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets for tonight’s screening are $7 for CAC members, $10 for nonmembers and will be available in the Center’s Art Bar beginning at 6 p.m. Ticket passes for all three night of films may also be purchased for $18 for members and $27 for non-members tonight only. Call 423-1440 for more information.

The series will continue with “One Million Years B.C.,” featuring Raquel Welch on March 29, and will conclude with a screening of “Barbarella,” starring Jane Fonda on April 5.