by Adam Riske and Patrick Bromley
Double Feature 1:
Adam: #1: Magnum Force (1973)
Patrick: #2: The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Texas Rangers, Apocalypse Now, Extreme Prejudice, “U.S.S. Indianapolis” scene from Jaws
Patrick: Theme: Written by John Milius
Patrick: I love John Milius’ work as a screenwriter, maybe even more than his work as a director, even though both are great. I thought it would be cool to celebrate this side of his career. Can you believe he wrote the script that became Texas Rangers? Did you ever see the documentary about him? It’s so good.
Adam: Nice. I have a fair amount of Milius blind spots so this evening will allow me to see The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean for the first time (which is also a Paul Newman blind spot for me). I should watch that documentary you mentioned as a primer. I haven’t seen it yet. P.S. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around someone being able to write Apocalypse Now because it’s, well, Apocalypse Now.
Double Feature 2:
Patrick: #1: Music and Lyrics (2007)
Adam: #2: Fools Rush In (1997)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: The Silence of the Lambs, Wayne’s World, Vegas Vacation, Daredevil
Adam: Theme: Released on Valentine's Day
Adam: I wasn’t a big fan of Music and Lyrics when I first saw it, but I’m interested in giving it another chance. I think I heard once that it’s one of Quentin Tarantino’s recommended airplane movies. I paired it with one of my favorite romantic comedies although this viewing might be a little melancholy with Matthew Perry’s passing. There’s a lot of good movies released on Valentine’s Day! Good thing I’m programming this in March.
Patrick: This theme, which I love, proves that every movie released on Valentine’s Day has been good. Except Vegas Vacation, even though it has one great sequence. I’m curious if you’d like Music and Lyrics if you saw it again. I think it’s super charming.
Double Feature 3:
Patrick: #2: Harold and Maude (1971)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Breezy, Lost in Translation, The Graduate, May/December
Patrick: Theme: May December
Patrick: People get so stuck on the age difference in Licorice Pizza that I decided to just lean into it and build a whole night around it. This reminds me that I need to rewatch Licorice Pizza because it’s the best.
Adam: You should; it is the best. That controversy always felt like a talking point to latch onto for people who didn’t like the movie anyways. It’s been a while (...been a while) since I’ve seen Harold and Maude but it’s a movie I like too. If it weren’t for a later double feature you programmed, this would be the one I’d want to watch first.
Double Feature 4:
Patrick: #1: The Pledge (2001)
Adam: #2: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: 25th Hour, Mulholland Drive, Ripley's Game
Adam: Theme: Roger Ebert's Great Movies (Early 2000s Edition)
Adam: I’ve thought about attempting to watch all of Roger Ebert’s Great Movies, but that endeavor would take seven years if I watched one a week. I’m surprised The Pledge is one of them just because Ebert’s the only vocal fan of it that I can recall (I’ve never seen it, but always meant to see it). Is it good? I paired The Pledge with A.I. since both have a sad quality. This is going to be a very sad (but rewarding) evening. Are you a fan of Sean Penn as a director?
Patrick: Sean Penn has made some good movies even though I can’t stand Sean Penn. I like The Pledge more for Nicholson’s performance than for Sean Penn’s direction. This would be a great night of movies.
Double Feature 5:
Patrick: #2: Harlem Nights (1989)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: The Mask, The Cable Guy, The Waterboy, Little Nicky
Patrick: Theme: Hit & Bomb
Patrick:.To be totally transparent, I just wanted to see Harlem Nights in a theater and came up with a theme to justify it. I really like that movie. Actually, I like the “bomb” movies better than the hits for all of these. What does this say about me? I swear I’m not trying to be contrarian.
Adam: I’ve never seen The Golden Child, which is surprising because the poster art used to intrigue me when I was in grade school. I finally saw Harlem Nights for the first-time last year and didn’t love it but was pleasantly surprised how (pretty) good it was compared to the consensus in 1989 when I (even as a 7-year old) remember how much the critics lambasted it. This is such a cool theme since it’s basically a case study of most comedic actors at some point in their career.
Double Feature 6:
Patrick: #1: Tommy (1975)
Adam: #2: Lisztomania (1975)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Funny Lady, Nashville, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Adam: Theme: 1975 Musicals
Adam: I originally had Tommy paired with The Rocky Horror Picture Show but then saw Tommy and Lisztomania (which I hate typing) both are Ken Russell movies with Roger Daltrey. I did you a favor by not booking the Tales from the Crypt “Forever Ambergris” with this. I’m also glad The Rocky Horror Picture Show isn’t playing so I don’t have to clean the Linderground Cinemarink of Rocky Horror props afterwards.
Patrick: Thank you for not programming “Ambergris” so I don’t have to skip a night at our theater. We’re still gonna have a lot of cleaning to do after this double because we’re handing out baked beans to every customer. IYKYK
Double Feature 7:
Patrick: #2: Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: Death Becomes Her, Tootsie, A Civil Action
Patrick: Theme: Supporting Pollack
Patrick: I mean, it speaks for itself. We both love Sydney Pollack as an actor, and these are two of his best performances. Dude just comes in and sinks buckets from half court. Sports!
Adam: Now this here is the best double feature of the month. Sydney Pollack is so good. He’s like Deus Ex Pollacka when he enters a movie because he rolls up his sleeves and is all “You think you know, but you have no idea. I’m going to tell you how it really is…” I’ve been wanting to rewatch Michael Clayton a lot recently, but my brain is broken and I convinced myself I have to wait until its 2K Replay article eligibility in 2027.
Double Feature 8:
Patrick: #1: Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
Adam: #2: Space Jam (1996) or Coyote vs. Acme (if someone can steal it)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Cats Don't Dance, Quest for Camelot, The Iron Giant, Osmosis Jones
Theme: Warner Bros. Feature Animation
Adam: My theme is a topical choice with all the bullshit going on with Warner Bros. mistreatment of Coyote vs. Acme. If someone can steal a copy, then we’ll show it instead of Space Jam. I picked Space Jam to back up Back in Action because I have a vague memory of Joe Dante making Back in Action as a rebuke to what Warner Bros. did with the Looney Tunes in Space Jam. Is that accurate?
Patrick: That is accurate! He felt like they were being mishandled and wanted to do right by them. I really hope someone can steal Coyote vs. Acme because a) I want to see it and b) I don’t want to have to watch Space Jam again.
Double Feature 9:
Patrick: #2: To Have and Have Not (1944)
Patrick: Trailers/Shorts: House of Frankenstein, The Woman in the Window, Bluebeard
Patrick: Theme: Fall 1944
Patrick: This was the hardest pick to theme, so I went all classic. I haven’t seen a couple of the trailers but both features are good. Watching old movies sometimes makes me mourn the loss of a certain kind of movie star. I’m guessing seeing Cary Grant and Lauren Bacall on screen is going to put me in that place.
Adam: I keep meaning to make a concerted effort to watch more older movies, but it always feels like I’m giving myself an assignment. I used to be so good at expanding my horizons by following the Music Box calendar but even they are showing fewer older movies nowadays. Maybe I’ll use the double features programmed in these articles as my syllabus. I love what you said about mourning the loss of a certain kind of star. For better or worse, I appreciate that studios used to invest in their actors almost like sports teams invest in their prospects.
Double Feature 10:
Patrick: #1: Dune (1984)
Adam: #2: Lifeforce (1985)
Adam: Trailers/Shorts: Excalibur, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, The Kid Who Would Be King
Adam: Theme: Non-Star Trek Sci Fi/Fantasy Stewart
Adam: This is a night programmed for you, bud. I’ve never seen Dune (1984) so here’s my opportunity. I’ll chase it with Lifeforce (which I’ve seen and like) in case the headliner doesn’t do it for me. Isn’t Patrick Stewart great? He’s a big comfort blanket of a screen presence. Also, no X-Men because of the Bryan Singer of it all.
Patrick: OMG thank you. This is the most incredible night and the double feature I want to see first. Movies are the best.
Outstanding line up! Diverse as always and filled with great suggestions.
ReplyDeletethe baked beans line cracked me up
Adam: will be interested to hear your thoughts on The Golden Child if ya watch. it was HUGE for kids o the 80s but feels lost in time. i think it pairs with Big Trouble in Little China pretty well tonally. and it bears mentioning that it stars the criminally under--talked-about villain character actor Charles Dance (who nails it in this and Last Action Hero).