Monday, November 17th, 2025
Monday, November 17th, Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness slices back into femme fatale based revenge dominion with the resurrection of a beloved double feature of the ages in Ybor City at Hot Wax. Women reign supreme in this body horror match made in hell under an unforgettable feminist slant, challenging tradition in societal norms and gender relations with a cerebral scope adorned in bloodshed. 
Starting at 8PM, we find ourselves in Seattle with aspiring surgeon turned body modification black market extraordinaire Mary Mason, AKA, “Bloody Mary”, into a down-spiral of depravity and body horror that would surely make Cronenberg blush. Orchestrated by the lovely albeit deadly duo Jen & Sylvia Soska, AMERICAN MARY (2012) emerges as a tableau of female rage among sutures and stitches- drawing inspiration from the sisters’ past experiences with seedy characters in show business to sculpt their script, crafting a lead protagonist tailored specifically with famed scream queen Katharine Isabelle of Ginger Snaps notoriety in mind.
Mary Mason presents as both a unique and multi-faceted personality, with Isabelle bringing a complexity to the table with her performance, allowing audiences to simultaneously sympathize with her misfortunes as well as rooting for her revenge, all while acknowledging her descent into a morally gray region as she sinks deeper into this underground realm of delinquency and shady practices. The Soska Sisters employ the feminist angle on exposing the varied brands of misogyny riddled throughout the industry, successfully subverting gender roles, in addition to the characterization of Mary. Moreover, this picture observes the hypocrisy in the rejection of body modification with the rising normalization of cosmetic (and surgical) procedures- the chief difference between them being that the latter remains contrary to conformity while the former is endorsed, deeming the action more socially acceptable- although, at end of the day they are cut from the same cloth- manifesting as acts of self expression in effort to fit a standard versus deviation from the norm, all customization for comfortability in one’s skin. Complete with an examination of oversexualization and fetishism among women, including an added trans subtext, American Mary digs deep beneath the surface with its proactive themes. Despite its titular title, this work of art is not American, but rather, Canadian, likely extracting influence for the connotation America shares with corruption, clad in its questionable healthcare system, serving as possible fuel for the setting. Dripping in dramatic irony, this 2012 indie flick is not for the faint of heart. 
Then, at 10PM, we travel overseas to Japan where we follow recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama in his quest to find a new love via staging a false audition in order to interview a cast of eclectic women only to pick the perfect partner. But the darkness delves much deeper than meets the eye with Asami Yamazaki- allow me to introduce you to the film credited for creating the torture porn genre, as well as behaving as a catalyst for our aforementioned flick. Cue the controversial though prolific Takashi Miike, a renowned director with a penchant for the taboo, backing a catalogue of diverse films to his name, comes one of his most infamous efforts in AUDITION (1999).
Audition (1999) prevails among Miike’s finest masterpieces, honing an exercise in restraint, with the first two thirds of the film reading not dissimilar to a romantic comedy, saving all the chaos for the final act (wherein it receives its rightful reputation as relentless) is a testament to Miike’s unmatched discipline. Upon Audition’s release came many a mixed reception, with American audiences abhorring it, while Europeans commended the film for its feminist icon. However, Miike denied creating
Audition to forge a feminist message, but instead, to expose the sordid underbelly of Japan, exploiting gender roles to analyze fear anxieties men harbor if women were to retaliate against societal order and rebel from the status of submission. In fact, western feminism is not quite as popular in Japanese media, with abuse against women dominating as a common theme- in this way, Miike challenges the cultural norms that are typically left unspoken. Adapted from Ryū Muramaki’s 1997 novel by the same name, Miike ignited his own flare to the already morbid tinged material in his expert symbolism, enlisting model turned method actress Eihi Shiina as the object of our widower’s affection, churning out a skin crawling portrayal brandished into the brains of viewers for all eternity. This is one you won’t want to skip. 
If two women driven to madness by the hands of chauvinism hellbent on vengeance over tranquility sounds up your alley, this is the night for you.
FREE popcorn included with a mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar.
Remember to try our themed drinks for this week’s feminist body horror double feature.
(Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess).