Mark your calendars, cinephiles. 35mm film will be alive in all its glory on March 5 — or 3.5. A collaborative initiative from Alamo Drafthouse and Kodak, the first-ever “Reel Film Day” will champion the beauty of cinema’s richest and most enduring format with celebratory screenings at Alamo Drafthouse and independent theaters across the U.S.
“There is nothing like experiencing actual 35mm projected film,” said Steve Bellamy President of Kodak Motion Picture and Entertainment. “I don’t care if it is the greatest 8K projector in the world, 35mm is a radically different thing and there is simply no comparison. Projected film is watching light blast through dozens of layers of color dye clouds and emulsion, 24 times per second. A film projectionist is a master craftsman and seeing his or her work is akin to performance art. While the world has largely migrated to the utility of video projectors, there is a massive growth in consumers who understand the experience of film projection. This is why theatres projecting film are coming back so strongly and doing so well!”
As a true celebration of the wide-ranging scope of cinema, Reel Film Day programming will be deeply eclectic, featuring classics including Powell and Pressburger’s THE RED SHOES and Orson Welles’ A TOUCH OF EVIL rubbing reels with cult favorites like BUCKAROO BANZAI and Quentin Tarantino’s INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. At press time over 25 screenings are taking place, and it is expected that ultimately hundreds of theaters across the country will join in. No matter the location, the unifying factor is that all films will be presented large and lustrous from 35mm film.
“Less than 5% of our film history exists in a high-definition digital format,” says Alamo Drafthouse CEO and Founder Tim League. “If you really love film, then join us to recognize, celebrate and support film screenings in independent theaters everywhere. This scrappy group of fellow cinephiles is truly preserving film history. Support your local theater, support 35mm (and 70mm) film on 3/5, the first annual Reel Film Day."
For those looking for a marquee-level display of their devotion to 35mm film exhibition, acclaimed art boutique Mondo has created an exclusive line of T-shirts and enamel pins to mark the day. Merchandise will be on sale starting 3.5 at mondotees.com/collections/reel-film-day.
The KODAK Reel Film App, a free smartphone tool for moviegoers, will provide quick access to information about movies being projected on real film, show times, images, summaries and theater locations.
Finally, to fully realize the day’s efforts to keep 35mm alive, $3.50 from tickets to all of the 35mm screenings at Alamo Drafthouse locations and select partner venues, as well as a portion of the proceeds from Mondo’s sales, will be donated to the prestigious Film Foundation to help fund an upcoming important film preservation effort.
Participating Alamo Drafthouse Locations & Programming:
Austin Lakeline – INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Austin Lamar – TOUCH OF EVIL
Austin Ritz – SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
Brooklyn – FROWNLAND
Dallas Cedars – INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Kansas City – KILL BILL Double Feature
Littleton – THE RED SHOES (1948)
Lubbock – HEAT
Mason Park – 35mm Roulette
Omaha – BUCKAROO BONZAI
Richardson – MATINEE (1993)
San Francisco – KING LEAR (1987)
Yonkers – MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN
Partner Venues & Programming
Boulder, CO – International Film Series – WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Brookline, MA – The Coolidge Corner Theatre – FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Chicago, IL – The Music Box Theater – Double Feature: PUNCH DRUNK LOVE + LONESOME
Cleveland, OH – The Cleveland Museum of Art – THE DOCKS OF NEW YORK w/ Live Music
Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Cinematheque – 1984
Houston, TX – The Museum of Fine Arts – I AM CUBA
Milwaukee, WI – UW-Milwaukee Union Cinema – PAN'S LABYRINTH
Olympia, WA – Capitol Theater – TAXI DRIVER (1976)
Phoenixville, PA – The Colonial Theatre – STAGE FRIGHT (1950)
Pittsburgh, PA – The Hollywood Theater – DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)
Tucson, AZ – The Loft Cinema – BICYCLE THIEVES (1948)
For tickets and more details, visit drafthouse.com/35mm.
Other theatres that project 35mm film are encouraged to join the initiative and can contact [email protected] for more information.
