Summer Movie Nights Are Back
The free Summer Movie Nights presented by The Park Theatre continues on July 9 with the showing of the 1973 classic "American Graffiti". Although this film may seem tame by today's movie picture standards, at the time "American Graffiti" was, and still is, rated PG-13 because of language and sexual content. This rating makes the movie a departure from the usual films shown by The Park Theatre. Trustee and Film Curator Mike King notes that the film is important because "it brought together a number of actors and director who have gone on to produce some of the most memorable films in the American Culture". King adds that "the movie is full of optimism and a naive charm that endears the characters to us". The showing is sponsored by The Park Theatre Board of Trustees.
"American Graffiti" stars the young Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Paul le Mat, Candy Clark, Charles Martin Smith, Mackenzie Phillips, Harrison Ford and is directed by George Lucas and in color. The story is George Lukas’s idealized dream of the past in the same way that his later Star Wars would be his idealized dream of the future. It is a loving, pop homage to growing up in the early 60s, prior to the Kennedy assassination and Vietnam involvement that politicized America’s youth and music. Here was an innocent time of cruising down Main Street looking for girls, hanging out at hamburger joints and promising eternal love to your date at senior prom. Recently selected by the American Film Institute as one of our 100 Greatest Films, it is blessed with a lush ‘50s soundtrack, featuring dozens of timeless favorites from that decade. A continuing treat for Theatre movie buffs will be Chapter 2 of "Daredevils of the Red Circle", running time 17 minutes, shown immediately following the feature presentation.
Among other new features of The Park Theatre's season this year is an earlier start-time. Movies will start at 7 pm at the Jaffrey Woman’s Club, one of the Theatre’s long-time partners. The one exception to this location and time is the annual Jaffrey Civic Center birthday party, Night of 1,000 Cupcakes, on July 16. As in the past, the Theatre will show a classic film at the end of the party. This year’s film for the Civic Center’s birthday is "Singin’ in the Rain", in color and starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. The films running through the Summer Movie Nights series are "Hopalong Rides Again", "Daredevils of the Red Circle", "Red River", "Field of Dreams" which follows the Annual Jaffrey-Rindge Rotary Baseball Game, "Bugs Bunny and Friends" and "Grease", the final film of the summer shown to coincide with the 20th Anniversary of the Annual Fireworks Festival on August 15.
Although the theater itself has been closed for thirty years and cannot yet be used, trustees are committed to continuing the Theatre’s seasons of movies and of plays and concerts in partnership with other performing artistic organizations. This is possible because of the support from the residents and visitors in the Monadnock Region who have shown continued support for the restoration of the Theatre. The Park Theatre’s 2009 season is the result of the collaboration of the Theatre with the Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce, the Jaffrey Women’s Club, The Jaffrey Civic Center and numerous performing artists throughout the region. These artists and arts organizations intend to mount their productions in the re-opened Park Theater. Upcoming Partner productions include the Small Pond Production of "The Dinner Party" on July 9 – 11; Monadnock Music’s Beethoven Trail begins in Sullivan at 7:30 pm and Unequaled Music is performed at the Jaffrey Center Meetinghouse on July 12 at 4 pm followed by an auction at the Inn at Jaffrey Center.
This year, for the first and only time, the Trustees, with the cooperation and assistance of Jaffrey Fire Chief David Chamberlain, are offering to the communities a one-time, one day only showing of movies inside the old theatre itself. This special event will be a part of the Theatre’s Annual Open House on Saturday, July 25 during Jaffrey’s Riverfest Celebration. The Theatre will show two Westerns – Hopalong Cassidy Rides Again and John Wayne’s Red River, along with several chapters of the vintage serial The Daredevils of The Red Circle. As always the movies are free and open to the public. Popcorn, candy and juice are available, along with special Theatre souvenirs. Board president Caroline Hollister says, "Trustees hope that this is the last tour of the old Theater."
