Singing Drug Addicts, Vampire Girls, and Frankenstein Girls at The Grand Illusion

The Grand Illusion sent out a Facebook post recently, with a humble but heartfelt plea for funds attached.  The venerable movie house (the oldest continually-running film theater in town) faces the very real possibility of closing its doors outright if they don't receive a serious cash infusion but quick, and that'd be a big loss to this allegedly movie-centric city.

The GI makes it a point to (almost) always screen films in glorious 35mm; the scruffy red interior and intimate auditorium possess a distinctive, funky warmth; and they program much more adventurous, expansive, and out-there fare than your average revival house. (Head over here to throw them a few bucks, for pete's sake.)

This weekend's lineup reflects the theater's customary range. Johanna, an Hungarian import, is a surreal 2005 musical (!) about a bus crash victim who miraculously recovers from her injuries and begins curing the ill and injured in her recovery hospital. It screens tonight through July 15.

Meantime, the Illusion maintains their giddily magical late-night programming with showings of Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl tonight and tomorrow night at 11 p.m. Allegedly a cross between Twilight and Let the Right One In, VGVFG sprang from the same fevered minds behind one of the SunBreak's SIFF faves, RoboGeisha. And if it's one one-hundredth as insane as the latter, we're talking must-see territory (WARNING: The above trailer's a bit NSFW).