"Spectacular Science Fiction" Film Festival in Suffern, New York (1 Viewer)

[Jim Barg]

Wow. Sounds like a phenomenal slate of movies, coupled with a vintage movie palace (I love the Eastman House and Dryden Theatre, but I wish it was a bit more retro). Might be worth the six-hour drive...

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

UPDATE! - Just confirmed today is a personal appearance on-stage by actress LINDA HARRISON ("Nova") at the PLANET OF THE APES show. She will be there to introduce the film and do an audience Q & A following the feature. More celebrity appearances announcing soon...

Jack - Videotaping the appearance is part of the plan, assuming the talent agrees to it.

JonZ - Pictures will be permitted.

 

[Matthew_Def]

I'm so glad I go to college all of 5 minutes away from this theatre. I saw The Good The Bad and The Ugly there last year, it was absolutely fantastic.

Very psyched for this festival, especially because I'd love to see almost all of the films. You just keep putting more icing on with the appearances from celebrities.

I'm anticipating this more than any other film event this year.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Wowee. I will try to attend all films.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Makin' me jealous, Mike!

 

[MattGentry]

Count me in as one of those who will be purchasing a Full Festival Pass. The seven hour drive from my home will be well worth it...

 

[rich_d]

Hmm, I think I want to take the kids to the show on Sunday.

I went to the 3D show and can certainly say that the Lafayette Theatre is quite enjoyable and will have you some of you remember the old single (large room) movie houses of yesteryear.

There is an interesting newpaper article in the lobby talking about the theatre (back when). If memory serves Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush was playing.

Also, if they get the same organist that was at the 3D show - you are all in for a treat. He is terrific and so is the sound of the organ.

 

[Zen Butler]

Anyone getting the impression that our east-coast based membership is rubbing this one in our smiley faces? You lucky dogs.
Sounds like you have a great mini-HTF meet going.

 

[dpippel]

Awesome Peter! I attended your screening of King Kong at the Lafayette last year (it was amazing) and haven't been back since. This Festival is a perfect chance for me to rectify that situation. What a fantastic lineup of great Sci-Fi!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thanks, guys.


Which shows did you see? We had several wonderful organists that weekend - Bernie Anderson, John Baratta, and Jeff Barker - and will probably have the same lineup this time. Jeff is currently putting together a medley of obscure science fiction themes, including the songs from Robinson Crusoe on Mars, Riders to the Stars, When Worlds Collide, The Blob, and others, to play at one of the shows. He's also going to play the complete "Blue Danube Waltz" prior to 2001: A Space Odyssey. I'm sure Bernie and John are putting together similar programs for the shows they play.

Be sure to check the web page from time to time. I've put 4 slide shows up of some of the memorabilia we'll be displaying - the link is at the bottom of the main page.

 

[rich_d]

Pete,

The name Jeff Barker rings a bell. However, the schedule is easy to remember as I was there just one day. I missed Robot Monster but got there in time for Gun Fury (terrific) Down the Hatch (never saw that short before ... loved it). Plus, with a slapstick comedy with a guy called Mimmo (half the time it seemed like they were calling him Nemo) with a tiny fish coming through the porthole at him) it makes you wonder if someone from Pixar was influenced by the film ...

Then the nighttime feature of Creature from the Black Lagoon (a nice treat) and Dial M for Murder. Creature from the Black Lagoon seemed to draw a nice number of families to the theatre. It was fun to hear the kids laugh at an old horror film.

I had an hour to kill before Black Lagoon started and I know the organist played for a solid hour (without break) before the cartoons started. Terrific stuff and I know he got a well deserved standing ovation.

Btw, kicking myself for missing Thunderball. :frowning:

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Pete, I had read somewhere that THEM was supposed to be filmed in 3-D. Will you be playing the 3-D version?

Bob

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Now now, Bob, you know better than that. THEM was initially planned as a color and 3-D feature, but shortly before production, the budget was cut and the film was photographed in 2-dimension black & white, framed for 1.75 aspect ratio. As a matter of fact, later today I'll be posting - in the memorabilia section of the website - documentary evidence from Warner Bros. attesting to that information.

Pete

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Wow, you actually have official evidence of that from Warner Brothers? I would love to see it. It sure would be nice to put that rumor to rest.

Leave it to Pete and the management of the Lafayette Theater to get to the bottom of another popular urban legend!

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Pete, those are great radio spots on your site. I've collected for 30 years, and I've never heard those! How the heck do you find that kind of stuff?

Any chance we'll be seeing rare shorts and/or trailers at this spectacular event?

Bob

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Gee - I wonder where they came from, Bob? You probably mean it's the first time you've ever heard them on the internet, since you know darn well where they came from... . Between the stuff that Marc is putting on display and your collection of Abbott & Costello Go to Mars paper, we'll have the best science fiction movie paper display, ever.

Yes, there will be several shorts and trailers shown - we are finalizing the scheduling now. But I can reveal that we will have a "Trailerthon" consisting of about 30 minutes of rare trailers as a free bonus after the Saturday night showing of The Incredible Shrinking Man. What kind of rare trailers, you ask? How about IB Technicolor trailers to War of the Worlds, When Worlds Collide, and a bunch of other favorites. I don't want to reveal everything here, of course.

And Forbidden Planet is confirmed to be in PerspectaSound - the equipment is arriving this week and I'll be running he test next week to set it up!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

UPDATING:

Actress JOAN WELDON is confirmed to appear at the Saturday showing of THEM for Q & A after the film!

PerspectaSound installation and testing takes place tomorrow - will post an update on it afterwards.

Pete Apruzzese

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

UPDATE: PerspectaSound test a big success. The demo reels played back with virtually no problems (a small issue with an oxidized connector card, but that was quickly solved) and they sounded great - those who come for Forbidden Planet will be in for a real treat!

 

[dave wright]

Looking forward to my first trip up to the Lafayette!,and my first look at peters wonderful film series.

Dave from jersey(greenbook)

 

[Malcolm R]

Does this event generally sellout?