Watch the Skies: a cemetery screening

[innerSpaceman]

Hey kids:

Let's have one more Cemetery Screening before summer ends!


I know things change, and change is good. But we've had only one LoT cemetery screening this entire summer, and I'd hate to see the summer go by without at least one more.


So what could be more perfect than one of my very personal favorite movies playing under the stars next Saturday, August 30, but the Steven Spielberg masterpiece CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND??

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3096/ce3khw9.png


It's typical to consider horror movies the most appropriate genre for the cemetery. But while I feel we walk through a cemetery on the way to the screening, I never much feel like I'm in one when I watch the movie ... even though it's projected on a mausoleum wall.


But I always feel like I'm under the stars, even though I can see but a tenth of those visible at Swank Camp. How wonderful it will be to watch a movie who's tagline was Watch the Skies while under the night skies. Half the movie takes place outdoors at night, with UFOs hidden and not-so-hidden from view. What fun it will be to keep glancing upwards to maybe spy our own Unidentified Flying Objects or just to grok the immensity of the universe that must be home to so many other sentient species.



Yeah, maybe the cemetery screenings have passed their prime with us. But they still practically guarantee a delightful evening of Woodstockian music fest, surrey-on-down picnicing, friendly get-togetherhood, and cinema appreciation.


Please join me to celebrate the traditional end of summer on Labor Day weekend with a most appropriate Cemetery Screening Under the Stars of a film i adore (and obsess over) like no other.


Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Saturday August 30
Hollywood Forever Cemetery


Watch the Movie. And Watch the Skies.

[Kevy Baby]

Um, we have an Obama thread.Um, we have a Cemetery Screening thread.



















ETA: :)

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, I'm well aware of ... and making use of ... the precedent. :D

[Sohrshah]

I'd be interested- though I think it's pretty far to the north of OC, isn't it?

[BarTopDancer]

It is a trek. 45 minutes to an hour 15ish depending on traffic.

[Sohrshah]

It is a trek. 45 minutes to an hour 15ish depending on traffic.

Oh. That's more than my gas budget can take. Alas. :(

[Moonliner]

Watch the Movie. And Watch the Skies.

Back in my college days, I did a summer intern job at a major observatory.

One night, about 3:00am I took my rather hefty boombox up by the main dome and cranked up the Close Encounters theme...

G A F F C

Damn near got me fired but I never regretted it for a moment.... :D

[Kevy Baby]

We have other plans. But if we didn't, I would be concerned about the large crowds this film is sure to generate.

It would be a fun film to see there though!

[Not Afraid]

I'd rather see "Don't Look Now" again on Sunday.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

God, I LOVE Don't Look Now!

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Love to go, but will be out of town. Enjoy!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Our weekend is booked already. Alas, it's looking more and more like we will be entirely cemetaryless this season.

[innerSpaceman]

Hmmmm, picnic for one, then?

[BarTopDancer]

I have plans this weekend as well. Looks like I'll be cemetaryless this year too. And I even bought a new backpack chair in anticipation.

Bummer. :(

[innerSpaceman]

Well, in all candor, the screenings run all the way thru Indian Summer, which is appropriate for our weather. So there will still be a month's worth of opportunity.


But, yeah, I'm disappointed no one can make it.



I'm going ... so I remain hopeful of some company for a perfect outdoor movie at night.

[Kevy Baby]

Looks like I'll be cemetaryless this year too.Well, on one hand, that is a good thing!

[innerSpaceman]

HAHAHA! You all missed out! Sorry to gloat. Not anyone's fault if they don't love this FANTASTIC movie that is Spielberg's Masterpiece, but there's just no accounting for taste.

Fortunately, there are TONS of Big Fans ... and they all showed up at the Cemetery last night. It was seriously the best screening of Close Encounters since 1977.

It was also the first time I've seen the 1977 version projected for an audience since the intial run of that movie just about 30 years ago. So freaktastingly excellent.

For the second time in a week, a movie exhibitor touted their special sound system (they also did it at the El Cap on Thursday for Sleeping Beauty), and indeed a special sonic set-up was done for the cemetery screening of CE3K.

They announced that Close Encounters is the loudest movie ever made (by decibel measure), and the sound was the best the cemetery has ever had.

The UFOs all had this great thrum that had such presence, and the Mothership had an astounding bass rumbling that literally shook the ground. It was the same effect as in the original theatrical run, but was far more effective outdoors than inside a theater. So even though we could see only four or five stars, this effect which dominated the finale of the movie made it the unique outdoor experience I was hoping for.


The other great sensurround elements were LIVE HELICOPTERS during Two, count-'em, TWO helicopter shots in the film. Hahahaha, Hysterical.

Um, no helicopters overhead for the entirety of the movie, btw ... just during these two shots when there were helicopters chasing our heros up the slopes of Devil's Tower. Better cooperation from the outdoor universe could not have been asked for.


And I could not have asked for a better cemetery audience. I haven't experienced this level of crowd reaction to the film since it premiered in 1977. And the 1977 version of the film seen by a large audience for the first time in 30 years made for an amazing event.


I never managed to hook up with alphabassetgrrl. And I'm so sorry more of you weren't able to attend. It was my Favorite Cemetery Screening EVER.

[flippyshark]

I so would have been there. CE3K is high up there on my faves list.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Glad you had fun, and that it all worked out so nicely! :)

[innerSpaceman]

Thanks. Your honk must've helped!!

[alphabassettgrrl]

It was an amazing setting and an amazing crowd. I'm so glad we braved the traffic and the drive.

[lindyhop]

That's one of my all time favorite movies. The last time I saw it was when I used to attend Cal State Long Beach's Wide Screen Festivals. Somebody official was there discussing the special effects which were mostly bright lights and sound (high tech for the time). But what beautiful effects they were.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I actually found myself wanting to see the UFOs in regular light. :)

Definitely beautiful effects. I was reminded, watching it, how much I like the old style of moviemaking, before they could use CGI in place of a story. This film had longer individual cuts, larger sets, and it is gorgeously constructed. I liked it very much.

[innerSpaceman]

Yep, I had the same longing for "hand-made" films. The thing that got me the most was the cloud effects that had to be created physically so they could be photographed, in this case using paint and chemical reactions in tanks of water and saline. Absolutely beautiful, completely ingenious, dreadfully time-consuming.

Now they just press buttons.




I know it's more complex than that, but CGI = meh.