Some people just don't know what they're missing.
Do they really think life is just work, get drunk, watch tv, repeat? Mind numbing tedium day in, day out? Thank God it isn't. When monotony and mediocrity take their toll, there are places to go and things to see for those who care to look.
Such a place is XO Underground on Route 6 in Morris, Illinois. It's a store, lounge, and haven for those who don't frequent the bar scene or potato the couch. The eclectic have a refuge there and enjoy events like Tuesday Movie Nights, where anything from This Is Spinal Tap to Night of the Lepus are shown.
On the weekend of May 19-20, XO Underground held Tuesday Movie Night on a grander scale when it played host to The Chicago Indy Horror Film Festival. Independent productions from around the world were featured on a huge screen in the main viewing area as well as the regular tv screens in the lounge. A more perfect setting couldn't be found, nor a better opportunity to shake up the small town routine.
The events started off each day to a full house energized by Chicago bands, The Gravetones and The Boneyard Brawlers. Both appropriately loud, but The Gravetones were more visually catching, with lead singer Scary Larry's poet shirt and dark glasses creating the image of a Goth Roy Orbison.
But as soon as the bands stopped and the big screen was set up, the crowds filed out to wherever they went, leaving the happy few to enjoy the fruits of independent creativity presided over by the festival's hostess. Chicago horror fans are well acquainted with horror hosting legend Svengoolie, but few know about his female counterpart, Svengirlie. Which is a shame, since she's quick with the puns, is quite attractive, and has great taste in socks (black with red and orange flames).
Among the short films were: "Monster Movie Insurance," a cute commercial about what to do in case of unexpected visits from Frankenstein or Freddy Krueger. "Keeper of the Myth," a 'campy' (according to Svengirlie) film about an encounter with a forest legend. "Schattenkind" was an effectively spooky tale about another trip to the woods. "And Now A Word From Our Sponsors" wasn't really a horror film, but a satirical look at advertising's prevalence and what a guy has to go through to get a box of condoms. "The Visage" was a creepy tale about a man that agrees to watch over a corpse, but suffered from a confusing ending.
The feature length offerings were: "Séance," an engrossing tale about a haunted apartment building that featured Adrian Paul ('Highlander: The Series'�) as a creepy janitor. 'Holla If You Hear'� was billed as a rapper slasher movie, but mainly consisted of people sitting around cussing one another out. 'Open House'� got things back on track with the story of a man that tries to use the monster in his closet to solve his marital problems. 'Slayer'� followed the operations of a team of modern day monster hunters. And 'Metamorphosis'� featured impressive location shooting in Europe and Christopher Lambert, who made a good vampire.
Yes, XO Underground is off the beaten path in a traditionalist community, but that's what makes it special. And it's good to know there are places to go when the routine becomes too- well, routine. Happy are the few that care to look.

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