Movie Loft presents “Preacherman”

Movie Loft’s Filmed in the Carolinas series continues with a low-budget hicksploitation classic!

Movie Loft heads out to the sticks with a screening of the comedy Preacherman (1971)! Director Albert T. Viola serves up this Southern-fried slab about a faux preacher named Amos Huxley (Viola himself) who is primarily keen on rolls in the hay with the farmer’s daughter Mary Lou (Ilene Kristen). As the film’s tag line Warner, “Lock Up Your Women…Hide Your Money and Booze…Preacherman is Coming to Town!”

The North Carolina Filmography book sums it all up in one of the most perfect capsule reviews of all time: “Film shot in 16 days, it rained 9 of those days. The film grossed $6.5 million. Financed entirely with Carolina funds. Depicts a fake preacher (who) can’t stop preaching to the farmer’s daughter and a weirdo who hangs around the chicken coop.”

The picture was a huge release in North Carolina and played in at least five theaters locally over seven months and was “back by popular demand” in the years following.

Preacherman was filmed entirely in Union and Mecklenburg counties (along with the sequel Preacherman Meets Widderwoman).

Lots o’ greasy 70s Southern Rock records blastin’ and wieners grillin’ startin’ at 7 pm. Movie to roll around 8 pm! FREE! Donations appreciated. BYO or sample what’s on hand!