Cult Movies on the Big Screen with an Audience

[samurainoir]

Not sure if it's something in the air, but there seems to be a renaissance right now of really awesome cult movies being played in local indie theatres in my city. Much of it stuff from my childhood and teens. Horror and Monster movies are staples, but also series focusing on 80's cops and thrillers, Teen Movies, Cartoons, and more. Some have even added a "drinking game" component.

Kung Fu Fridays has been my favourite once-a-month treat. Mostly classic shaw brothers films... and many of them are the fun dubbed versions that played on TV on Saturday mornings when I was a kid. Again, something I hadn't experienced in ages given all the Shaw releases on home video I've enjoyed generally had subtitles.

I'm also rediscovering how much fun it is to watch old movies with an enthusiastic audience. Cheesy stuff I would otherwise find unbearable on my own at home by myself, are just a joy if you can chuckle at it with friends and strangers.

[Mikey]

Are there any classic movie theatre's in existence that hasn't been altered into multi-theatre's ?.

Today, every theatre I went to as a kid is either gone or has been turned into a multi theatre.

Kid's nowadays (and even many adults) have never seen a movie on a real "big screen".

Also miss the chairs in old theatre's ... Plenty of room and one of my local theatre's had seats that reclined --- wouldn't see that nowadays

The ornate decorations, the huge chandeliers, sitting in the balcony .... I think I miss the theatre experience itself more than I miss actually watching a movie in them.

[MysteryWho]

Are these in Toronto? Where are the Shaw movies playing? I would totally come in to town for that!

[palitoy]

http://www.theroyal.to/

I've done a couple of the Kung Fu Fridays and they are an absolute blast.

[samurainoir]

http://www.theroyal.to/

I've done a couple of the Kung Fu Fridays and they are an absolute blast.

The Royal has been AMAZING lately... the programmer for TIFF's midnight madness got his start programming Kung Fu Fridays at a local adult theatre close to twenty years ago (where it started in Toronto's last genuine adult movie theatre which FINALLY closed a couple of years ago). It's recently been brought back, and it's a joy.

They even had a special Kung Fu movie event with Donnie Yen in attendance a couple of weeks ago.

We're fortunately to have as many surviving indie single screen theatres as we do in Toronto.

There is an AMAZING one night program of monster movies in July (Called Kaijuly), but I think consensus is old guys like us can't stay up all night watching them all. I might try for Destroy All Monsters.

https://www.timeout.com/toronto/things-to-do/kaijuly-a-midnight-japanese-monster-movie-marathon

[cjefferys]

I'm loving what the Royal has been doing so far, I wish I lived closer so I could go more often. But I will be there for Kung Fu Friday tomorrow!

[WannabeMego]

BellaDonna of Sadness...WOW!!!

Technically speaking...I shouldn't have been watching that so young, but I would watch any Japanese Animation I could get me hands on back then...

That Movie was WAY TOO TRIPPY for me when I saw a Bootlegged VHS on a Small TV Screen...I couldn't ever imagine seeing this again, let alone on a BIG Screen...but...

Between this, Saturday Morning Cartoons with endless Cereal, and the Toy Show in the Theater showing King Kong...I think ALL of them are GREAT Ideas for reviving Theater Business...Would be AWESOME to see something like this play out in NYC.

Very Jealous

[4NDR01D]

I live in a tiny town here in Ontario. We have this really old theater here called the Regent. Coolest place around. We're talking $4 bags of popcorn and cans, yes cans, for $1.50 they did a million dollar make over on the place a few years back but the place is still kitsch as ****.
They do midnight "cult/classic" movies all summer. I only caught a Bruce Lee Enter The Dragon last year though. I'll have to remember this thread when they post thier schedule for this summer.

[cjefferys]

Hey Tom, do any of the old grindhouse theaters on 42nd street still exist in some form? The Lyric, the Victory, Rialto, anything? It would be awesome if someone restored one of them to their former (in)glory and showed stuff like they do at the Royal in Toronto. If I were a rich man, that's what I would do.

[Blue Meanie]

Hey Tom, do any of the old grindhouse theaters on 42nd street still exist in some form? The Lyric, the Victory, Rialto, anything? It would be awesome if someone restored one of them to their former (in)glory and showed stuff like they do at the Royal in Toronto. If I were a rich man, that's what I would do.

I think Guliani did away with them when he Disneyfied the whole 42nd Street and Times Square area. The gentrification of NYC is getting closer and closer to a reality these days unfortunately. Makes me almost miss walking through Herald Square with rats running in the opposite direction

[samurainoir]

BellaDonna of Sadness...WOW!!!

I was a bit bummed to have missed that screening. Especially since they dug out a print and seeing it on the big screen would have been extra triply.

[samurainoir]

I'm loving what the Royal has been doing so far, I wish I lived closer so I could go more often. But I will be there for Kung Fu Friday tomorrow!

Faster Pussycat Kill Kill in July. 8)

https://www.facebook.com/events/2021390378085639/

[samurainoir]

the biggest joy to me is that the Royal is in Toronto's Little Italy... which is much less Italian than it was in the old days, but off on a side street is an old school pizzeria. The only kind of slice they will sell you is a giant slice of Pepperoni. You can wash it down with a Brio if you want, and they have a tabletop video game (I think it's Ms. Pac Man). Their Veal Sandwhich is amazing too.

[MysteryWho]

Cool. It must be Colin Geddes. I remember going to a screening of the Master Killer/36 Chamber of the Shaolin he put on at the old porno theatre and Quentin Tarantino came, supposedly it was a rare print to find. I'd love to see more classic Shaw stuff on the big screen!

[palitoy]

Excited to see "Snake Deadly Act" tonight.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1058825650822462/

And wild horses can't keep me from Kamen Rider on the big screen!

https://www.facebook.com/events/235249003515871/

it is Colin BTW. If i can ever find it, I'm bringing him my 16mm print of an original Battle of the Planets episode.