Inaugural Bike-in Theatre event to screen ‘The Milpitas Monster’

Iowa City’s PATV Channel 18 (206 Lafayette St.) will be clearing out its parking lot tonight for its first Bike-in Theatre — an event that encourages area bicyclists to ride in to their lot for the B-horror and stay for the popcorn, taco truck and camaraderie.

This first event features 1970s campy classic The Milpitas Monster, from director Robert L. Burrell. The film, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is a cautionary tale about the horrors of pollution. The titular monster is described in the trailer as, “Fifty tons of living trash on a rampage!” Local Milpitas, CA residents, including high school students and the town’s mayor, were commandeered into the shooting of the film, playing roles as themselves. A director’s cut of the film was released in 2014.