On October 25, 881 people gathered at the Long Center in Austin, Texas to attempt to break the Guinness World record for the largest synchronized Thriller dance. The old record was 140 people. Consider that record to be… shattered.

The record was witnessed by Mayor Will Wynn and Austin City Council Member Sheryl Cole.

Thrill the World Austin was executed by Alamo Drafthouse, Rude Mechanicals, Flash Mob Austin and sponsored by Mosaic | 5619, Mexic-Arte Museum, Ballet Austin, 6th Street Austin, the Long Center and the Capital Area Food Bank.

Check out the encore performace of Austin’s Thrill the World Team in the Day of the Dead procession down Sixth Street on November 1st. Complete details on Thrill the World can be found on the official website, www.thrilltheworld.com

The new film from Margaret Brown (BE HERE TO LOVE ME) is out and we’ve got it at the Alamo South Lamar. It’s the best doc we’ve seen this year and we’ve seen some good ones. The critics obviously agree. It’s 100% on the Tomatometer. Buy your tickets now – HERE.

About ORDER OF MYTHS:

In 2007 Mobile, Alabama, Mardi Gras is celebrated… and complicated. Following a cast of characters, parades, and parties across an enduring color line, we see that beneath the surface of pageantry lies something else altogether.

As winter turns to spring, Mobile, Alabama, buzzes and flutters with the floats, parades, masquerade balls, and secret mystic societies of Mardi Gras. The oldest Mardi Gras celebration in America, this time-honored ritual has always been racially segregated. Filmmaker Margaret Brown, herself a daughter of Mobile, escorts us into the parallel hearts of the city’s two carnivals to explore the complex contours of this hallowed tradition and the elusive forces that keep it organized along color lines.

Taking a wonderfully restrained, observational approach that allows viewers to draw their own conclusions, Brown unveils the vibrant pageantry under way as ornate masks are donned, luminous gowns fitted, bejeweled trains painstakingly stitched, and the king and queen of each royal court trotted out at public appearances, parties, and coronations-within their distinct black and white realms, that is. Playfulness, reverence, and camaraderie suffuse the spectacles, generating genuine mirth and dignity in each community. Yet stories of a lynching as recent as 1981, and of the white Mardi Gras queen s slave-trading ancestors, as well as subtle interracial social codes, cast a shadow on the proud Mobile heritage the white residents invoke. Do the recent formation of a racially integrated secret society and the attendance by this past year’s black Mardi Gras monarchs at the white folks’ ball augur cracks in a mysteriously enduring social order?

Here’s the trailer:

And here’s director Margaret Brown at the Alamo last Monday, discussing the film:

We’re poised to set a new World Record for people dancing to Thriller at the Long Center this Saturday, and you’d better believe we’ll have tons of videos and photographic evidence.

But no matter how awesomely we edit the video of the final performance together, it still seems like a daunting task to try to make anything awesomer than this single-shot lip dub a bunch of French students released online this week:

To make something even near that level of amazing, we’re going to need your help. If you haven’t learned the Thriller dance yet, come out to the Alamo South Lamar this Friday night at around 7:30. We’ll be teaching the whole dance in the parking lot outside (dress warmly, but comfortably enough to move and shake), and after that lesson you’ll be all set to join us on the plaza in front of The Long Center Saturday morning.

Get more info on this entire attempt at ThrillTheWorldAustin.com!

We’ve got all sorts of Michael Jackson news to share with you today! As we’re moving closer and closer to this Saturday’s attempt to break the Guinness World Record for having the most people dance the Thriller at the same time, we’re gearing up with more dance workshops, parties, and special fun all around.

First of all, there’s the almost sold out Michael Jackson Sing-Along at the Ritz this Thursday night. This is currently scheduled to be the last MJ Sing-Along until next year, so if you want in on that, grab your tickets two minutes ago!

Even if you can’t get into that show, though, you’re still welcome to swing by the official after party, happening just down the street at the swank lounge over that corner that used to be Emo’s Lounge but is set to be a new Mexican restaurant or something. We’ll have a one hour Thriller dance lesson teaser session at that party, then turn the show over to Car Stereo (Wars), who’ll be debuting a brand new Thriller Remix that’ll have you doing freestyle dance until you pass out. That party gets started at around 11pm, and the dance lesson will go down at midnightish. One note – the after party is 21 and up only…

Then on Friday night, we’ve got our last serious dance workshops before the big day on Saturday. Starting at 6pm at the Off Center (2211 Hidalgo St), we’ll have the previously scheduled Thrill the World dance lesson.

But because the lesson at the Off Center on Tuesday night got a bit cramped, we’re throwing a second dance lesson on Friday night at the parking lot of our very own Alamo South Lamar. We’re gonna have a Rolling Roadshow rig set up out there so we use Ines’ brilliant dance lessons on DVD, with live help from some of us from Thrill the World Austin. Assemble at 7:30 PM at South Lamar, Dance Lessons begin at 8:00 PM.

You know her, you love her and yes, it’s true! Legendary actress (and recent author) Maureen McCormick will be at the Alamo Ritz this Wednesday at 9:45 PM!

There’s no denying that Marcia Brady is a true, near universally recognized icon. Her honey-blonde, All-American beauty has made her one of the most referenced totems of twentieth century disposable culture. But she’s not a real person. And Maureen McCormick, the actress who played her for five seasons is not Marcia Brady. She’s a talented singer and actress who has now written a book about the harrowing, joyful experience of having enacted such a familiar character. Advance word is that the book, HERE’S THE STORY: SURVIVING MARCIA BRADY AND FINDING MY TRUE VOICE is a terrific, page-turner filled with the inside dirt on a family so omnipresent on television over the past 35 years that they’ve been granted honorary reality status in American life. For one night only, Marcia Brady, excuse me – Maureen McCormick will join us to tell us a little bit about herself and introduce a program of some of her most famous moments. Books will be for sale at the event and Maureen will gladly sign. Maureen will also greet and sign at Book People earlier in the evening.

Tickets are available HERE!

The new montage for upcoming specialty shows is up and running at our theaters now, but if you haven’t made it in yet, or just want to relive the excitement you felt when the lights first went dim in the theater this weekend, you can check it all out right here:

October Alamo Montage from Henri Mazza on Vimeo.

The song on that one is called 11h30 by the group Danger. You can find it on iTunes pretty simply if you’re looking for it, and I’ve gotta give thanks to James Pound for pointing me in the direction of that one in the first place. Thanks, James!

Also, if you hate that song, you can blame James. But you shouldn’t, cause it’s awesome.

All humility aside, the Alamo Drafthouse has once again been crowned Best Movie Theater in Austin by the Austin Chronicle ‘Best Of’ Reader’s Poll! Thank you, Readers of the Austin Chronicle! The Alamo also tied for ‘Best Cheap Date’ with the pizza purveyors at Home Slice. Congratulations Home Slice- it’s on.

Also taking home (1/3 of a) gold is our Allies in comedy- Master Pancake Theatre- who tied with Coldtowne and Esther’s Follie’s for ‘Best Comedy/Improve Troupe‘. No offense to those other two whatever-their-names-are, Pancake reigns supreme in the Alamo Employee’s Poll.

Thank you, Austin. We look forward to many more years of bringing you the best film, food, dates and comedy.

In the midst of all the Fantastic Fest ‘08 insanity, a very rare and exciting event quietly slipped in and packed the Alamo Ritz with adoring fans. We were lucky enough to present a cast screening of the mighty Walter Hill rock n’ roll action epic STREETS OF FIRE with stars Michael Pare and Deborah Van Valkenburgh LIVE! As if that wasn’t enough, they also took the stage along with director Albert Pyun and the other creators of the semi-official SOF sequel ROAD TO HELL, which had its world premiere theatrical screening!

To top it all off, this epic event was presided over by legendary Alamo programmer/Music Monday creator (and STREETS OF FIRE fan # 1) Kier-la Janisse, who’s since moved away from our nation, but was definitely back in fine form to bring the stars of her favorite movie to the stage.

It was an incredible and unexpectedly heart-warming event, and those of you who weren’t there can still feel the magic via THIS SET OF PICTURES from Austin photomaster David Hill!

Earlier this week Mayor Will Wynn led a troup of Austin Dancers in a spirited performance of the THRILLER DANCE. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is part of the Thrill the World Austin movement. 2008 marks the 25th Anniversary of Thriller, and to celebrate, we’ll be trying to break the world’s record of the largest synchronized Thriller dance on October 25 and returning for an encore performance during the November 1st Day of the Dead procession on November 1st.

Find out all the details, learn the dance, find out about upcoming training sessions and become part of the movement at thrilltheworldaustin.com

Nike Sportswear and Fantastic Fest present:
COME PLAY WITH US
A celebration of THE SHINING at the Timberline lodge, October 31, 2008
www.shiningparty.com

In 1980, Stanley Kubrick came to the Timberline Lodge to film one of the all-time great horror classics, THE SHINING. In the film, Jack Nicholson slowly loses his grasp on reality and loses himself in a hallucination of a 1920s era ball. Twenty-Eight years later, Nike Sportswear and Fantastic Fest have joined forces to recreate the very same ball at the very same lodge.

Two ticket options are available for this special night:

VIP Overnight Package:
Dinner at the Lodge
3 Cocktails per person
Live music and shows throughout the evening
Limited Edition silk-screened Event Poster
A one-night stay at the historic Timberline Lodge
In-room screening of the film
VIP gift package
Continental breakfast the morning after the party

This VIP Overnight Package is designed for couples who want to stay the night. Ticket price is $100 per person ($200 per room). Note: the regular Timberline room rate is $220/night for just the room. As there are only 50 rooms available for overnight stay, we are offering a “the Gold Room ticket,” a discounted admission to the party for guests not staying the night.

The Gold Room Ticket:
Dinner at the Lodge
3 Cocktails per person
Live music and shows throughout the evening
Limited Edition Silkscreened Event Poster
Round trip bus service to and from the party

Only 200 Gold Room tickets are available for $25 per person.

Attire:
Formal attire is mandatory, 20’s era formal attire is preferred. We will have special gifts for the best period attire of the night.

Schedule:
5:00 PM Boarding begins for Gold Room Ticket-holders in Portland (location TBA)
5:30 PM Gold Room Ticket-holder buses depart
7:00 PM Dinner begins at Timberline Lodge
9:00 PM Music, cocktails and entertainment begin
11:50 PM Return bus boarding begins for Gold Room Ticket holders

At the stroke of midnight, all VIP Overnight guests are required to return to their rooms and turn on their TVs for a very special screening of THE SHINING. All VIP guests will be watching THE SHINING simultaneously, but in the privacy of their own rooms.

Note: VIP guests will need to provide their own transportation to the lodge. VIP Overnight guest check-in begins at 6:00 PM on October 31 and check-out is at 11:00 AM on November 1.

Tickets for this event go on sale on Friday, October 10 at 2:00 PM PST at www.shiningparty.com, where you can find additional details and updates about the event. As tickets are extremely limited, we anticipate this show to sell out quickly.