Three Classic Films, Big Screen, One Week

Okay, the one week might be pushing it. It started last Friday and ended last night Thursday. Seven days is probably more accurate, but you know what, seven days is a week, so that's what I'm going with. My last post was about how a local single screen movie theater from from the late 1940s had been saved from closing. Woohoo. In celebration, they had a week-long festival of films from the 60s and 70s. Of the eight films, they showed, there were three that I really wanted to see and  I actually got to see two of them (the third was playing the same night as another film I'd already bought tickets for.

First up, was The Godfather at the Ken Cinema. Great film. It's one of those films that I always watch when it comes on TV though I never go out of my way to watch it on DVD, even though I'm sure we own it. I had never seen it on the big screen, and that was a huge treat.

Next up, was The Wizard of Oz at the Arclight, La Jolla. This is the film that I had already bought tickets for and caused me to miss the other film I want to see Sorcerer. Still, an okay trade-off. I had wanted to see both Sorcerer and The Wizard of Oz at the TCM Film Festival, but had ended up wanting  to something else more. Kind of weird that both films would be playing opposite each other one night only the same night, but that's the way things work sometimes. I had seen The Wizard of Oz in the theater back in the 80s, but getting to see again, in the theater, a fresh restoration, not in 3D, sweet.

Finally, back to The Ken for The Great Escape. What a great movie. I definitely had never seen this in the theater. I tend to not be real big on War movies, but The Great Escape is one of my favorite exceptions. Of course, now I want to see Stalag 17 in the theater. 

I can't remember the last time I saw three movies in the theater in a week. Okay, TCM Film Festival, but that doesn't really count. Anyway, huge props to the two organizations that made it happen.

Landmark Theaters – Thank you for keeping The Ken up and running. I'm hoping that the 60s/70s film festival was successful enough to make you want to do more things like that again. It would be great to see things like maybe a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock or Billy Wilder (you did notice Stalag 17 above) Hint! Or maybe something like Screwball Comedies or Universal Monster movies. If it helps, I really want to see, Take Me to the River and A Letter to Momo. I don't think I would have even known about these, had I not been lured there for The Godfather and The Great Escape.

Arclight Theaters – Your Arclight Presents series rocks. Godzilla: The Japanese Original earlier this year and of course The Wizard of Oz were great. Hoping to squeeze in Ghostbusters this weekend, and Princess Mononoke and M next month.

Keep it coming.