Saturday, January 30, 2010

40/40 Day 30 Report

There's something about David Lynch's work that I respond to. He manages to showcase beauty in even the darkest situations. Tonight, we closed our our 40 Years, 40 Movies series with two of my favorites: Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, both in High Definition.

A filmmaker like Lynch is well served by the higher resolution video as well as digital audio. Both films gave the SLC sound system a workout, and I think we did the films justice at the volume we were playing them. You can check with our neighbors to see if the agree.


Kudos to Naomi Watts and Sheryl Lee for tour de force performances in their respective films. I am a huge fan of both actresses, in large part due to their work in these two films. And I'm glad that we screened the films in the order that we did, as the night truly ended on a positive note with Laura Palmer's redemption.


I'll be back soon with a retrospective look at the entire series, but for now I just wanted to thank everyone who participated, both to the 28 of you who made it out to screenings, as well as those of you who followed along at home. I wish the distance between us didn't prelude so many of our friends and family from being able to participate.

On Deck: With the 40/40 behind us, we return to our Western Wednesdays with Sam Raimi's The Quick and the Dead!

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 30
Movies Watched: 40
Number of unique attendees: 28
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 201

Friday, January 29, 2010

40/40 Day 29 Report

Eyes Wide Shut is definitely another acquired taste.  It's strange, creepy and mysterious. It has an interesting color palette, is beautifully shot, and has a unique score that heightens the tension throughout the film. I also think there was a certain brilliance in casting - from the real husband and wife team of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, to his use of talented actor/directors Sydney Pollack and Todd Field. 

 

While not the kind of movie you can just throw in and watch at any time, Eyes Wide Shut is interesting to revisit from time to time. For such an intimate film, I think it plays very well on the big screen, and I'm glad to have programmed it for our penultimate film in the 40 Years, 40 Movies series.

On Deck: The closing night of the series brings us a double dose of David Lynch: Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 29
Movies Watched: 38
Number of unique attendees: 28
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 193

Thursday, January 28, 2010

40/40 Day 28 Report

I have a special fondness for The Crow. The screenplay was written by one of my favorite writers and a good friend, David J. Schow. Through a fortunate series of events, Vonna and I were able to attend the first public screening in Phoenix, as we were there for the World Horror Convention.

I still remember walking out of the 11:30pm screening blown away by the film, with a strong feeling that the film was going to connect with audiences, and that it would serve as a lasting reminder of what an amazing talent Brandon Lee was. It's a shame he left behind such a limited body of work, yet one could ask for a more powerful film for his last.

I think one of the reasons I enjoy the film so much is because it is not purely dark and depressing - there are some incredibly funny (at times blackly comic) bits throughout. Everyone had a great time revisiting it on the big screen tonight, and we couldn't have asked for a better audio/video presentation than the Japanese Blu Ray.
 
On Deck: My favorite film of 1999, and favorite Stanley Kubrick film: Eyes Wide Shut.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 28
Movies Watched: 37
Number of unique attendees: 28
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 190

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

40/40 Day 27 Report

Dawn of the Dead is considered by many to be the greatest zombie film of all time. While I remain partial to Night of the Living Dead when it comes to my all-time favorite, there's no denying the lasting impact Dawn had on the zombie sub-genre of horror films.



Contemporary viewers may find it quaint, and often nit-pick about the simplistic blueish zombie make-up or crayola red blood, but the real strength of the film (and what was so sorely lacking in the remake) is in its depth. People like to talk about the symbolism and Romero's take on consumerism, but frankly he crafts an entertaining film populated with a cast of characters who you care about. And while scholars like to dwell on its take on consumerism, it's not so heavy handed that you can ever lose sight of it being a great adventure.
 
On Deck: We follow up three days of zombies with a different take on returning from the grave, featuring Brandon Lee in The Crow.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 27
Movies Watched: 36
Number of unique attendees: 26
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 183

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

40/40 Day 26 Report

Lucio Fulci films are definitely an acquired taste, but great fun in you're a fan. Zombie is a perfect introduction to the man and his films, from its outrageous gore effects, driving Fabio Frizzi score, shark vs zombie scene - it's got it all.



The crowd tonight had a great time (even if one was expecting a 40s-era B&W zombie classic - oops! - he only averted his eyes during the famous eye-gouging scene...), and it was fun watching Fulci on the big screen for the first time.

On Deck: The dawn of the contemporary zombie film - the Cannes cut of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 26
Movies Watched: 35
Number of unique attendees: 26
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 179

Monday, January 25, 2010

40/40 Day 25 Report

It should come as no surprise that we'd get one of our best turnouts for Shaun of the Dead. We even had four first time attendees for the series!



From the first screening we held for Shaun of the Dead (before it's domestic release, and long before The Slaughtered Lamb was born), we recognized it as an instant classic. It instantly rose my personal top ten list comedies. Not since Young Frankenstein (screened two weeks ago) had a film so deftly and lovingly parodied its source material (Dawn of the Dead - to be screened on Wednesday). And in addition to succeeding as a comedy, it's one of the best non-Romero zombie films, period.

You won't find a better film to initiate someone who's otherwise not interested in zombie cinema.

On Deck: The zombies stick around, this time from Italy, with Lucio Fulci's Zombie 2.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 25
Movies Watched: 34
Number of unique attendees: 25
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 174

Saturday, January 23, 2010

40/40 Day 23 Report

The only thing more fun than watching a triple feature of Escape From New York, Big Trouble in Little China, and The Thing is watching the same three films with their hilarious John Carpenter/Kurt Russell commentary tracks. The only films missing were their first pairing, the Elvis TV biopic and Escape from LA.

Escape From New York remains a phenomenal dystopian action/adventure, Big Trouble in Little China is a martial arts action comedy years ahead of its time, and The Thing is one of the few remakes that manages to transcend the original.

Seeing them all on the big screen and in high definition was a treat, particularly in that our audience was a mix of people familiar with them and first-timers alike. Another great night in The Slaughtered Lamb.

On Deck: The zombies arrive to usher in the closing week of the 40 Years, 40 Movies series with Shaun of the Dead.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 23
Movies Watched: 33
Number of unique attendees: 21
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 165

Friday, January 22, 2010

40/40 Day 22 Report

We're always in for a good time when we watch The Lost Boys. It's arguably Joel Schumacher's best film (I counter that it's not his only good film, as I enjoyed his Phantom of the Opera) and still effective twenty-some odd years later.


The film looks and sounds fantastic on Blu Ray - even better than when we ran it off of satellite back in June of 2008.

We had a great turnout - I even dragged out my old pullover sweatshirt with "Santa Carla - Home of The Lost Boys" airbrushed on the back. Only one of two in existence!
 
On Deck: Our monthly movie party featuring the first three theatrical pairings of John Carpenter and Kurt Russell: Escape From New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 22
Movies Watched: 30
Number of unique attendees: 21
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 150

Thursday, January 21, 2010

40/40 Day 21 Report

A lot of folks have asked why Starman was selected as the film we would watch on my actual birthday. It wasn't so much a premeditated selection - it's just how the schedule developed. But that said, I would have no qualms putting the film in the spotlight. It's got many of John Carpenter's trademark elements, while being perhaps his most optimistic film.


Jeff Bridges turns in an amazing performance as an alien becoming comfortable in a new body, and Karen Allen is at the top of her form, allowing me to finally think of her as someone other than Marion Ravenwood. If you've got a helicopter fetish (as John Carpenter so clearly does), you'll really enjoy this one.

On Deck: We take a trip to Santa Carla to hang out with The Lost Boys.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 21
Movies Watched: 29
Number of unique attendees: 21
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 142

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

40/40 Day 20 Report


The Great Escape has always been my favorite WWII film. An all-star cast led by Steve McQueen and James Garner tell the true story of the planning and execution of an escape from a German POW camp. The film is lighthearted and humorous as well as gripping and suspenseful. I've seen it dozens of times over the years, and still feel that it moves briskly despite running nearly three hours.

There has been talk of a remake, which I hope never comes to fruition. You would be hard pressed to assemble a cast worthy of the original. In addition to McQueen and Garner, you've got Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Richard Attenborough, and David McCallum. A truly Great escape.

On Deck: John Carpenter's second of five appearances in the 40/40 series: Starman.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 20
Movies Watched: 28
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 137

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

40/40 Day 19 Report

Is he, or isn't he? I have my long-standing opinion, but viewers tonight offered alternate views on whether Martin is truly an 84 year old vampire, or just a confused teenager.

While not as powerful as Knightriders, nor as consistently effective as his original zombie trilogy, George Romero's Martin is still an excellent, original horror film. Among other things, it represents Tom Savini's ascent to a masterful special make-up effects artist. The film also contains a number of amazing black and white dream/memory sequences. John Amplas does a nice job in the title role, as does Lincoln Maazel as his deeply superstitious cousin Tata Cuda. As one of our guests mentioned tonight, it's surprising the film remains untapped for a contemporary remake.

On Deck: We break out of Stalag Luft III in John Sturges' The Great Escape. Please note the early (7:30) start time.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 19
Movies Watched: 27
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 133

Monday, January 18, 2010

40/40 Day 18 Report

As I mentioned previously, This is Spinal Tap would have been in the 40/40 lineup had we not just celebrated it's 25th anniversary last summer. In it's place, we scheduled two musical comedies from director Christopher Guest.

While Waiting for Guffman manages to take a rather pedestrian concept (the story of a small town production celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary) and turns it into a hilarious documentary, A Mighty Wind showcases the songwriting talents of Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, along with Eugene Levy, who in another life may have been a missing member of Tap. As funny as the movie is, the songs are both catchy and funny, and as with all of Guest's films of this type - are not so much mocking as reverential parodies.

It was another fun night in The Slaughtered Lamb.

On Deck: George A. Romero's modern day take on the vampire tale, Martin.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 18
Movies Watched: 26
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 130

Sunday, January 17, 2010

40/40 Day 16 Report

What did we learn tonight? That there's never one last score, after which you can successfully retire to a remote island to live happily ever after with the love of your life.



In Carlito's Way, Al Pacino gives his finest performance of the latter half of his career, and one  not overshadowed by his screaming his lines. Brilliantly directed by Brian DePalma, with a riveting final act that deftly goes from a nightclub to a subway train and ultimately Grand Central Station without giving the viewer a chance to stop and catch their breath. Almost everything in the film works for me, including a variety of 70s disco tunes that I (much to Vonna's chagrin) still refer to as the soundtrack to Carlito's Way.



With Heat, Michael Mann reinvents a story told previously for television (as L.A. Takedown - readily available in the UK but conspicuously absent on home video domestically). Of course the budget of film allowed him to populate it with marquee stars (aside from Pacino and DeNiro, you get Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Piven, Dennis Haysbert and an even younger Natalie Portman) and improve the production values significantly. I would guess the downtown L.A. shootout budget exceeded that of the TV movie (the ammunition budget may have even exceeded that!). Even with Pacino's acting in overdrive, the long awaited onscreen pairing of two of cinemas heavyweights was worth the wait.
 
On Deck: Dare I say what might possibly be the funniest night of the lineup: Christopher Guest's Waiting for Guffman and A Mighty Wind.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 16
Movies Watched: 24
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 122

Friday, January 15, 2010

40/40 Day 15 Report

I was going to say it was a relatively quiet night in The Slaughtered Lamb, but despite our lowest attendance of the series so far, the laughter inside was pretty much non-stop from start to finish.


 
Robert DeNiro, Charles Grodin, John Ashton, Yaphett Kotto, and Dennis Farina are all excellent in the classic from Martin Brest, of Beverly Hills Cop fame. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favor and get it on your netflix queue or borrow it from us. You won't regret it. Like so many of the films we're watching in this series, there are a lot of great lines worth quoting to be found within.
 
On Deck: A double-header of contemporary crime classics, Carlito's Way and Heat. Prepare yourself, as this one will get loud.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 15
Movies Watched: 22
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 117

Thursday, January 14, 2010

40/40 Day 14 Report



I took advantage of tonight's screening to pull out the Caroline Munro DVD we produced a few years back, as I wanted to run her comments on The Golden Voyage of Sinbad before we watched the feature. While not the best of the Sinbad films (that would be 7th Voyage), Caroline will always be the best Sinbad-girl (not to mention the most beautiful Bond-girl).

While not Sinbad's greatest adventure, it's still a fun ride with some of Ray Harryhausen's coolest creatures, including a Cyclopean Centaur and the six-armed statue of Kali. I know Vonna would like to see all the Sinbad films on the big screen, perhaps we'll run it again when they rest arrive on Blu Ray.

On Deck: We're up for another night of laughter with the unlikely pairing of Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin in Midnight Run.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 14
Movies Watched: 21
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 115

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

40/40 Day 13 Report



Breaking Away is a hilarious, uplifting, coming of age film that still holds up more than 30 years after it was released. Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Jackie Earle Haley and scene-stealer Daniel Stern are four local kids lacking direction in life after high school. It was certainly deserving of it's best picture nomination and Academy Award for best original screenplay.

In a first for the 40/40 series, more than half of our guests had never seen the film. If there's one thing I love more than enjoying an old classic with friends, it's introducing them to a personal favorite they've never seen before.

On Deck:  We're halfway through the 40/40 series, and celebrate with the lovely Caroline Munro in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 13
Movies Watched: 20
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 111

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

40/40 Day 12 Report

Clive Barker's Hellraiser remains one of my favorite horror films of the 80s. It was a breath of fresh air in a decade that was all but bogged down in routine and often indistinguishable slasher films. It went on to spawn 7 sequels, of which the only watchable ones are due to the presence of Ashley Laurence (for the record those would be Hellbound and Hellseeker), but even those pale in comparison to the original.



The combination of Barker's original story, fascinating characters in the Cenobites, great gooey special effects, a brilliant score by Christopher Young and a handful of random weirdness (skeletal dragon-thing, anyone?) come together to form an effective horror film that holds up more than 20 years after its release.

On Deck: Time for a classic coming of age tale with Breaking Away.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 12
Movies Watched: 19
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 105

Monday, January 11, 2010

40/40 Day 11 Report

While I knew it would happen one night this week,  I'm pleased to report that  tonight, as we begin only the second week of our 40 Years 40 Movies series, we've already broken the 100 mark for total attendance! 
 
But then I can't be too surprised that several folks made the trip out to see Mel Brooks' finest, Young Frankenstein. It was particularly nice to see on the big screen, considering that just under half of our Wednesday nights at The Slaughtered Lamb last year were spent revisiting the Universal and other horror classics from 1929-1946. It truly hammered home what a love letter this was that Gene Wilder envisioned, and that Mel Brooks helped make a reality.


 
For my money, the best bits of the film come courtesy of the late, great, Marty Feldman. So much so that I couldn't end the night without playing just a few of the outtakes where he had the rest of the cast breaking up on take after take. There will never be another quite like him...
 
On Deck: Tomorrow night we tear your soul apart with Clive Barker's Hellraiser!

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 11
Movies Watched: 18
Number of unique attendees: 18
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 101

Saturday, January 9, 2010

40/40 Day 9 Report

Okay, we cheated. Well, not really. We had a request to swap the order of the films tonight and start with Out of Sight first.

Clooney is great in the film, as is Jennifer Lopez, if you can believe that. I'm motivated now to watch the short lived spin-off TV series Karen Sisco, with Carla Gugino in the Lopez role and Robert Forster taking over for Dennis Farina as her father.


 
And speaking of Robert Forster, it was a nice reminder how deserving he was of the Oscar nomination received for the film. I'm always happy to see him turn up in the occasional film or TV show, and yet somewhat disappointed his career didn't get the boost I felt it deserved as a result of the film. I still think he would have been perfect as Robert Neville in a faithful adaptation of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend. I do wish there were a high-definition remaster of Jackie Brown available for viewing, as the special edition DVD wasn't on par with the majority of the other films we've been screening thus far. All in good time, I'm sure...
 
On Deck: Things get Abby-normal on Monday with Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein!

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 9
Movies Watched: 17
Number of unique attendees: 15
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 93

Friday, January 8, 2010

40/40 Day 8 Report

We started off the evening with the classic Hitchcock trailer to Psycho, since it merely teases and doesn't give too much away, and ended with a brief glimpse of the ending to the unnecessary shot-for-shot remake of a few years back.

I enjoy the opportunity to watch a film like Psycho with folks who have never seen it before, or who only have recollections of the shower scene. It still holds up 50 years after it's release, and is among Hitchcock's finest. And while there's a lot about the film that I've always loved, I think with each viewing I become more and more fond of Vera Miles' performance.

On Deck: Get ready for a double-dose of Elmore Leonard, featuring Out of Sight and Quentin Tarantino's best film, Jackie Brown.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 8
Movies Watched: 15
Number of unique attendees: 15
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 83

Thursday, January 7, 2010

40/40 Day 7 Report

Wow. Just got back from a trip through the stargate, and am ready to dream of monoliths.
 


I think a full appreciation of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey is dependent on familiarity with the Arthur C. Clarke novel, as the film and book were developed in parallel through a collaboration between the two men. Which is not to say the film is not successful on its visual merits alone; I think it's an amazing cinematic experience. But I do think it's fair to say that the viewer is not given all (dare I say enough) pieces of the puzzle to fully understand the implications of the story being told.
 
Like many a David Lynch film, if you're willing to throw caution to the wind and enjoy the ride, there's much on display to appreciate. If you're uncomfortable when everything isn't spelled out or explained for you, best skip this one and catch the next M. Night Shamalyan flick.
 
On Deck: We check in to the Bates Motel for a one night stay to enjoy Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 7
Movies Watched: 14
Number of unique attendees: 14
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 77

P.S. Yes, I've finally got my days synced up. I was originally counting movie nights, but the 30 days includes our Sunday days off, so I figured I should be counting those too.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

40/40 Day 5 Report

What can I say. The 40 Years, 40 Movies series is like a hand picked box of chocolates - every one is a favorite!

I've seen John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 dozens of times, and I find it just as entertaining today as I did the first time I saw it. When I watch it, I'll admit I'm more inclined to see the traces of Night of the Living Dead than Rio Bravo, but those are obviously there, too. 
 

 
Darwin Joston, Austin Stoker, Laurie Zimmer (above) and Tony Burton lead a great cast, playing off each other perfectly. Stoker and Burton are more likely to be familiar to film fans, and it's a shame Joston and Zimmer didn't have more opportunities to shine after this. They share great chemistry in this film. 
 
I think it's Carpenter's first great film (of many), and on some days, it's a contender for my favorite if his. One other note - folks who enjoy mocking John Carpenter's film scores will find little to enjoy here, but for those of us who appreciate his work love it.
 
On Deck: We take a trip back in time, all the way to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 6
Movies Watched: 13
Number of unique attendees: 13
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 73

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

40/40 Day 4 Report

It's an exciting thing to revisit a classic film like An American Werewolf in London on the big screen. Hands down my favorite John Landis film (followed closely by The Blues Brothers), it's a great mix of horror and humor. Griffin Dunne is particularly great as the rotting corpse of Jack Goodman.



It shouldn't have taken us this long to get this programmed, but on the bright side, it made for another great night in The Slaughtered Lamb!

On Deck: 40 Years, 40 Movies continues with John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13.

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 4
Movies Watched: 12
Number of unique attendees: 13
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 69

Monday, January 4, 2010

40/40 Day 3 Report

Laughter filled The Slaughtered Lamb tonight as we screened the oldest film and first comedy in the series, the Marx Brothers classic A Night at the Opera. With so many classic set pieces spread across a number of excellent films, it's hard to pick just one to try and represent them all, but between the reading of the contract, the packed stateroom, and re-arranged hotel room sequences, I decided to go with this one as it remains a personal favorite.
 
After watching it on the big screen, I'm further convinced that a Marx Brothers marathon should make it into our Wednesday night lineups one of these days. I might even be able to convince the regulars, if we zip through the non-Chico and non-Harpo musical numbers...
 
On Deck: After two years running, The Slaughtered Lamb Cinema finally premieres our namesake in An American Werewolf in London, as the 40 Years, 40 Movies series continues!

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 3
Movies Watched: 11
Number of unique attendees: 13
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 65

Saturday, January 2, 2010

40/40 Day 2 Report

After a good night's rest we launched into the Adventures of Indiana Jones at noon today. There was general agreement that starting with Temple of Doom was a good idea, and we treated folks to the 1947 sequence of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles that starred Harrison Ford between The Last Crusade and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We had another great turnout throughout the day made up of a mix of survivors from yesterday's Star Wars event as well as folks making their first stop in the Slaughtered Lamb in 2010.

Raiders of the Lost Ark has been my all-time favorite film since 1981, and whenever you put Harrison Ford in the fedora you know you're in for a good time.

Vonna catered another amazing menu (which will be missed on the weeknights) including chicken enchiladas for lunch and beef barley soup for dinner, and Michael even brought some Eggplant Parmesan for everyone to enjoy.

On Deck: We're closed Sunday, and will return on Monday with The Marx Brothers in A Night at the Opera, as the 40 Years, 40 Movies series continues!

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 2
Movies Watched: 10
Number of unique attendees: 13
Total Attendance (cumulative number of attendees for all movies): 60

40/40 Day 1 Report

We survived Day 1.

Three brave souls made it all the way from the opening crawl of The Phantom Menace at 9am to the end credits of Return of the Jedi, some 15 hours later - one of whom who had never seen ANY of the Star Wars films before (Impressive - MOST impressive, Bill!).

We also had a couple of other folks who caught a number of the screenings throughout the day. Mom had never seen the prequel trilogy, and managed to experience all three of those back-to-back.

I always dreamed of having a home theater that would allow me to experience my favorite films in as close to a public theater presentation as possible, and watching a Star Destroyer fill a 104" wide screen is about as close as one could reasonably expect. What makes it even better is experiencing it with friends.

All in all, the day was a grand success, and exactly what I was hoping for out of the 40/40 series. And this is only the beginning.

On deck: The Adventures of Indiana Jones!

40 Years/40 Movies Series Tally:
Days Completed: 1
Movies Watched: 6
Number of unique attendees: 6