A bright neon sign lights a lone box-office window. Fliers are
scattered around the pavement. Photos and movie posters adorn the
outside walls. A friendly, almost familiar face tears a ticket and
another, only a few steps away, invites you to buy a drink.
And then the clock strikes 12.
But instead of commanding you to leave the ball lest the
Volkswagen become a pumpkin, midnight calls for you to sit down,
relax and enjoy the show. Welcome to the Nuart.
Every Friday night the Nuart Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard
hosts a one-time-only midnight movie screening: a uniquely exciting
assortment of films ranging from “The Great Muppet
Caper” to “Army of Darkness.” The films vary in
genre from documentary to horror, and the times of release range
from the 1950s to last year.
“I try to look for something weird or quirky or cult for a
midnight audience,” said Mark Valen, the midnight-screening
programmer for the Nuart and several other Landmark Theatres around
the country. “I look for a film with a bizarre style or a
very offbeat or surreal sense of humor. Some of them are even
mainstream -type films.”
Every week, crowds of film fanatics fill the Nuart’s
rustic movie-house atmosphere. Piano music plays quietly in the
background, the seats are bland but comfortable and the film always
starts a bit late ““ it’s just that relaxed.
“It’s obviously an old-school movie theater.
It’s not sterile; it’s not a multiplex. You get to know
the staff and it feels very personal,” frequent visitor Angie
Collins said.
Preshow festivities include a small introduction given by a
quirky but knowledgeable employee and door prizes. To win a
“The Aristocrats” poster and DVD, for example, a
randomly chosen audience member must go to the front of the
audience and tell his favorite dirty joke.
And as the curtains open and the lights dim, a series of
old-print trailers and commercials grace the screen. A young John
Waters advises the viewers not to smoke in the theater (while
smoking) and a psychedelic template heralds the “Feature
Presentation.”
“Cult films have a nostalgia factor,” Valen said.
“We show (films such as) ’80s comedies and adventures
because the audience that grew up then wants to relive those
moments.”
For a generally younger crowd, mostly consisting of 17 to
35-year-olds, according to Valen, the Nuart offers a decidedly
unique weekend activity.
“If you don’t feel like going out to the bars, this
is something that’s an alternative,” said first-time
visitor Kate Batuel.
Valen adds that the one-time-only factor and showtime also
increase the hype. “It’s almost like a party,” he
said.
Indeed, the late start of the screening does make it an
alternative to heading out to a bar or party.
“(The time) lends a cache to it,” Collins added.
“For an 8 o’clock (showing), people are maybe going to
still be getting off work or going to dinner. This makes it feel
like more of an event.”
Crowd size and diversity inherently hinge upon the film being
screened, but also the presence of an occasional celebrity
speaker.
For example, Corey Feldman and Robert Davy appeared at a
sold-out screening of “The Goonies,” and the director
and a tribute band appeared for the sold-out showing of
“Forbidden Zone.” On Feb. 10, director Jonathan Kaplan
and cowriter Tim Hunter will present “Over the Edge.”
When Kevin Smith made an appearance a few years ago, people lined
up as early as 7:30 p.m.
Just minutes away from UCLA, the theater staff no doubt keeps in
mind the demographic of the Westwood and Santa Monica communities
when selecting the films.
“I tailor each series to reflect what the neighborhood is
like,” Valen said. “In New York, for example, I like to
throw in at least one film about New York every few
weeks.”
When programming the screenings, Valen also considers the
plausibility of acquiring prints. Landmark acquires the films
through various studios and distributors. Last week’s
“Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip” came straight
from Columbia’s underground vault, for instance.
“Not all of the older films are available,” Valen
said. “I try to get the films that have at least decent print
quality.”
Ultimately, though, film selection is only a small part of the
intrigue every Friday night at the Nuart.
“There is a lot of audience participation. The audience
often seems to know the music and they sing along,” Valen
said. “It’s the kind of experience you can’t have
just by watching it on DVD.”