Despite the kvetching you may overhear at your local (soon to be demolished?) watering hole, Austin remains a unique and singular city, with a thriving arts and film community. One of those cinematic oases is (and hopefully always will be) the Paramount Theatre, a magical place that has been entertaining audiences for a century.
And every summer for the last 40 years, the Paramount has gifted Austin movie lovers with four months of stellar programming with its Summer Classic Film Series. From the gems of Hollywood’s Golden Age to contemporary masterpieces, this is the film series that has something for everyone. New this year is the Family Film Festival, a selection of films for the whole family taking place over eight consecutive weekends starting July 11, with special discount tickets for the wee ones. That series gets a sneak preview on May 23, with The Iron Giant, Brad Bird’s much beloved 1999 animated classic about a boy and his robot.
Other highlights include an evening with acclaimed writer/director Richard Linklater as he presents his film Me and Orson Welles, about a high school student (Zac Efron) who gets cast in a stage production of Julius Ceasar, helmed by the up-and-coming auteur. The screening is free, and a Q&A with Linklater follows the film. And then there’s the tale of The Grime Game, a 1919 silent film starring Harry Houdini that was once thought lost, until a complete copy resurfaced in Brooklyn earlier this year. The film will be screened with a live, original score. And lest you think this series is geared for the high-minded cineaste, I’ve got three words for you: Austin Danger Powers. Yes, all three Mike Myers’ films starring that catchphrase-spouting spy will screen in succession. Please note: The theatre has a full bar.
This week’s issue of the Chronicle will have a handy insert to adorn your fridge all summer long, as well as a feature on some of the more interesting characters to grace the silver screen this summer.
The 2015 Paramount Summer Classic Film series runs from May 22 through Sept. 6 at the Paramount Theatre and the Stateside Theatre. See www.austintheatre.org for tickets and showtimes.
This article appears in May 8 • 2015.