Jump on 'The Band Wagon'
George Morris recommends that you see 'The Band Wagon'
By Marjorie Baumgarten, 5:10PM, Fri. Aug. 1, 2014
Who is George Morris and why should his opinions matter to you? Long story short: George was a film writer who wrote for the Chronicle, as well as many other publications, in addition to teaching at Austin Community College. He was a friend and teacher of Richard Linklater, who dedicated Slacker to his memory. George Morris died of AIDS in June 1989.
The Band Wagon is showing at 8pm tonight at the Marchesa Hall and Theatre. The Austin Film Society is screening the film to celebrate the anniversary of last summer's "Best Little Art House in Texas" campaign to upgrade the venue to modern standards. (The Marchesa is in the Lincoln Village Shopping Center, in the spot where the old Lincoln Theatre stood.) AFS founder and Artistic Director Richard Linklater will introduce the film.
In George's opinion, The Band Wagon was "Vincente Minnelli's finest musical." In 1994, The Austin Chronicle reprinted a paragraph on the film from a piece George wrote for The Soho Weekly in 1978. That piece remains as convincing as ever and you can read our excerpt here. For more details on the screening tonight and tickets go to the AFS website. The curtain rises in less than three hours.
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The Band Wagon, George Morris, Richard Linklater, Austin Film Society