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Eric Webb

@byericwebb

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I watch movies and then I write about them.

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a month ago

“Nickelodeon” holds a special place in 15-year-old Hudson Purma’s heart. Oh, not the cable channel behind "SpongeBob SquarePants." The 1976 Peter Bogdanovich comedy, natch. Four years ago, his dad took him to see the film at AFS Cinema.

That’s how he got hooked on the classics.

“I told my dad, ‘We need to go see more of these,’” he remembers.

Hudson’s family became regulars at the Paramount Summer Classic Film Series, catching a couple dozen movies that year. Watching the pre-show introductions from Stephen Jannise, programmer for the historic downtown theater, blew Hudson’s mind. Every old movie had a story behind it. They were works of art.

Just one problem for a budding cinephile.

“I couldn’t talk about these films with my friends, because no one had seen them,” he says.

So, Hudson started Flick Clique (@flickcliques), a teen-oriented classic film series creating a new generation of fans for yesteryear’s greats, from Akira Kurosawa to Barbara Stanwyck. Screenings happen on the first Monday of every month at Sekrit Theater in Southeast Austin.

Their next show, George Romero’s 1968 horror gem "Night of the Living Dead," plays Sept. 7. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; the movie starts at sunset. Tickets are $5 per person and $10 per family at the door.

Flick Clique mostly shows pre-1970 films, which Hudson programs himself. So far, he’s curated series themed around Alfred Hitchcock, Shakespearean adaptations, coming-of-age stories, and more. It involves a lot of research and catch-up viewing. He’s 15, remember.

"Night of the Living Dead" closes out a run of monster movies, preceded by "Godzilla" and "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." (Zombies, atomic lizards, and classic Universal monsters—a little something for every boy and ghoul.) Next up: films featuring iconic scores.

A clique needs more than one member. Shows draw anywhere from 20 to 60 people. They’re not just for teens; film lovers of all ages are invited.

Tap the link in our bio to read more from Eric Webb (@byericwebb).⁠

Photo: @limpatricia97 How a 15-year-old film buff helps Austin teens discover old Hollywood by @byericwebb

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a month ago

sandy eggo 🌴 taken in San Diego, California by @byericwebb

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2 months ago

hooston lite 🌃 taken in Houston, Texas by @byericwebb

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2 months ago

hothouse tomatoes (mid-summer roll) taken in Austin, Texas by @byericwebb

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3 months ago

On a typical night beneath Highland Lounge’s mirror ball, sweaty bodies writhe to Ariana Grande songs and drag queens collect crumpled dollars. Every couple of months, though, the gay nightclub in downtown Austin undergoes an outrageous transformation.

The dance floor turns into a wrestling ring. Grinding clubbers cede the room to musclebound warriors grappling in skintight outfits. The drag queens … never mind, still there.

Welcome to Uncanny Attractions (@uncannyatx): a raucous, high-concept evening of pro wrestling, drag and burlesque that makes “WWE Raw” look square by comparison.

“What drag gives people is an experience, and I think that’s what wrestling gives — an experience,” says Devin Carter, a wrestler who frequently appears on the Uncanny roster. “It makes you feel something. It takes you away from reality.”

And in a fraught time for LGBTQ rights in Texas, Uncanny’s smackdowns serve up camp with a side of catharsis. Their next event, “Cirque du So Gay,” takes over Highland on Aug. 15.

Uncanny shows are inclusive to all yet unmistakably queer. On a Saturday night in April, Austin drag artist Maxine LaQueene worked the ropes in a show-opening lip sync number. She jumped and landed into a split that sounded like a grappler taking a dive. At one point, her wig took flight, too.

“When I say ‘support local drag,’ this is what I’m [expletive] talking about,” LaQueene said, wayward blonde tresses in hand.

Then, the smackdowns began. Even for pro wrestling, the evening’s combatants showed a flair for the flamboyant. One wrestler entered the ring to lesbian pop anthem “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” her face immaculately contoured with colorful makeup. In the main event, the “Unchampionship” title-holder shared a passionate kiss with his manager (and husband) before defending the belt from a bearded dynamo in fishnet tights.

The costumes. The drama. All that skin. At Uncanny Attractions, the jump from Ric Flair to RuPaul looks pretty short.

Tap the link in our bio to read more from Eric Webb (@byericwebb) for KUT’s Art Beat.
Video: Lorianne Willett (@lorianne.jpg) taken in Austin, Texas by @byericwebb

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4 months ago

doing dude stuff™️ by @byericwebb

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4 months ago

@austinchronicle Best of Austin poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 18! vote.austinchronicle.com / link in bio 🦅 by @byericwebb

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5 months ago

Double nominated in @austinchronicle’s Best of Austin reader poll this year!! For ✍️ best columnist and 🍿 best film critic. I’m very stoked and happy and think it would be rad as hell to win for my lil Turning Out newsletter.

Go to vote.austinchronicle.com or the link in my bio. Voting ends May 18 at midnight. I love you! I love my hometown! I love writing! I love posting a video containing only the sound of flipping newspaper pages. 🧡 taken in Austin, Texas by @byericwebb

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5 months ago

A lot of things happened the week I turned 37. Like forcing people to watch my favorite Todd Haynes movie. And infiltrating the Getty wire because I interviewed Noah Kahan, who is very nice and generous with his thoughts and wished me happy birthday onstage. Other things, too! Dozens, even. But I have pictures of these things. 😌 by @byericwebb

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7 months ago

a photo essay of things that I baked in 2025 that were moderately photogenic 🍰 by @byericwebb

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9 months ago

bye, year 🐦‍🔥 by @byericwebb

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10 months ago