Preview: Sing-A-Long Fun!

♫ The hills are alive... with the sound of Griswold. ♫

Oh wait, that's the spoof from National Lampoon's European Vacation...

Let's try this again.

♫The hills are alive... with the sound of music. ♫

There. That's much better.

It should only be natural that the revered Rogers & Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music be screened during the Summer Classic Film Series. And so it shall. This 1965 musical stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in this story set in 1930s Austria. Andrews plays Maria, a nun who isn't quite making the grade in becoming a nun. A widower captain (Plummer) then hires her to watch after his "difficult" children, and she (in a fashion only fitting from the woman who played Mary Poppins) eventually charms her way into their hearts. Numerous obstacles rise as Maria and the Captain recognize deeper feelings, including a neighboring nation known as... Nazi Germany. Gulp.

So how about that? A musical classic that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Sounds like a nice, wholesome and benign way to spend an afternoon, no? Oh, but wait (again). There's a little treat I forgot to mention.

One of the screenings of The Sound of Music will be a sing-a-long. That's right. You can warble and yodel like a Ricola commercial to your hearts desire while imaging you're in a Bavarian postcard of musical fun. Rebecca Havemeyer will be on hand to lead the audience in a warm up before the show and give a run down of the actions and use of the interactive goody bag the audience receives. That's right, a goody bag! I hear some folks will even dress up. Your only limit is your imagination. Heck, you can even close your eyes and pretend you're starring in a bizarre mashup of The Sound of Music and "Glee." You don't have to be a good singer (like "Glee"), you just have to be enthusiastic (like "Glee").

It sounds like silly fun, but it's all to assist a worthy cause. The screening benefits the AIDS Services of Austin (ASA), and there is even a special VIP pass you can purchase that includes: pre-party admission with drinks & snacks, premier seating, and free parking. You can purchase that right here.

Sing-A-Long movies and Paramount screenings
ASA parties and singing with feeling
Fun times with others more precious than rings
These are a few of our favorite things

When my voice cracks
And the song ends
Then I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel... sooooo bad

Showtimes for the films:

The Sound of Music (NON-Sing a Long)
Saturday, Jul 30th
2:00

The Sound of Music (Sing-A-Long Event)
Saturday, Jul 30th
7:00

Final Notes about the screening

VIP Reception:

ASA Package Purchasers and Paramount Film Fans are invited to a pre-show reception on the Mezzanine Level of the Paramount Theatre. Complimentary drinks and snacks will be provided.

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."

Preview: Iron and Wine Presents...

Some may be familiar with Sam Beam as the singer/songwriter known as Iron and Wine. His music is deliberate and contemplative, yet you can feel the emotion behind every chord. I admit to having a passing familiarity with his work, which I heard for the first time in 2004's Garden State starring Zach Braff and Natalie Portman. That song, "Such Great Heights," was part of a stellar soundtrack, and later appeared in a memorable M&Ms commercial. That proved to be just the tip of the iceberg for Beam, who has had music featured in "Grey's Anatomy," "Friday Night Lights," Paul Weitz's In Good Company (2004 film with Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace), Todd Haynes' I'm Not There (the unconventional biopic about Bob Dylan) and even (gulp) one of those Twilight movies.

But don't hold that against him.

Truth is, Sam Beam is somewhat of a modern Renaissance man. A former film studies professor, Beam still is known for his appreciation for the cinematic arts. Heck, the man even was selected by The Criterion Collection to present his personal top 10! He's even dabbled in directing, as he created the swoon-worthy yet torrential music video for The Swell Season's "Slow Rising."

And so, as an extension of his great taste, Iron and Wine has been selected to host a couple of films during the Summer Series. This year, we get to imbibe the cinema of Peter Bogdanovich, whose two films presented here have aged like a fine wine.

Paper Moon was probably the first Bogdanovich film I ever saw, way back during my early teens. A story about a con-man and a young girl (who may or my not be his daughter) during The Great Depression, it features real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O'Neal. Their chemistry, needless to say is stellar. But just as impressive is Madeline Kahn in her role as Trixie Delight, a "harem dancer girl" that eventually tags along. With a name like that, you just gotta be an exotic dancer of some sort, am I right?

The trailer for Paper Moon is a bit unorthodox. Although at times it feels like an outtake reel, it still gives a sense of the movie's vibe and sharp humor.

For her debut performance in this picture, Tatum O'Neal became the youngest Oscar winner in history at age 10. Let me repeat that. Ten. Wow. At age ten I think I was somewhere still walking like an Egyptian and learning how to transform a toy robot into a cassette recorder.

And really, what more can be said about The Last Picture Show? Well, I for one said plenty about it last year. This film is simply amazing and authentic in its emotions. Who knew a story of complacency versus change in a small Texas community would reflect the human condition so strongly? Evidently, Bogdanovich did. The story of a town treading water to avoid drowning in its own malaise is filled with an amazing cast: Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Eileen Brennan, Randy Quaid and Cybil Shepard (who never looked more beautiful).

Although captured perfectly here in a fictional Texan town, the loneliness depicted here isn't exclusive to the Lone Star state. Alas, it's definitely an American sensibility as well.

In his prime, Peter Bogdanovich was a young master of capturing sentiments and telling stories about people. And now, 40 years after The Last Picture Show, who better to host these two classics (where empathy and emotion are at play) than Iron and Wine himself, Sam Beam. A man whose music and artistic appreciation both runs deep and rings true. It promises to be an insightful couple of nights.

Like the most affecting of music, the greatest stories can be those where we recognize something about ourselves, and then can reveal the truisms you don't even realize. It's our choice to do with them what we please. Do we allow the narrow views to restrain our spirit like iron shackles? Or, per chance, do we let this new awareness broaden our horizons... letting them mature like that fine wine?

Showtimes for the films:

Paper Moon
Wednesday, Jul 27th
7:30

The Last Picture Show
Thursday, Jul 28th
7:30

Final Note about the screening

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."

Preview: LIghts! Camera! Music!

We've had some fun partaking of classics from many different varities: dramas, comedies, noir, sci-fi, thrillers and more. But now, it's time for some musicals. So get ready to watch a couple of vintage song-and-dance movies that'll have you humming under your breath and shuffling your feet under your seat.

I saw West Side Story last year for the very first time, and was blown away. The thought of seeing it again on the big screen at The Paramount leaves me ecstatic. It's truly one of the finest musicals ever made, and I wrote on last year's experience here.

The film is easily the most acclaimed musical in motion picture history. Winner of 10 Academy Awards including: Best Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costumes, Editing, Direction, Score, Sound and Best Picture. At the time, the soundtrack album was also the best-selling album of all-time. Set on the streets of New York City, it's a clever modernized Romeo and Juliet that is far less headache-inducing than anything by Baz Luhrman. It's incredible, it's moving, it's visually stunning... it's West Side Story.

Does it seem a little dated to you? Well, then try this one on for size. It's a later trailer for a DVD release. It showcases much more of the soundtrack and the vibrant visual style, and captures the energy and vibe perfectly.

Just goes to show ya, after 50 years this one is still powerful and amazing.

The second film featured, Swing Time, is a classic from the collaborations of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, whom are still regarded as two of the best dancers in cinematic history. And contrary to what may have been instilled in you since the late 1990s, the title neither refers to The Brian Setzer Orchestra or a Gap commercial.

Of all the films featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Swing Time is often referred to as their best dance musical. Released in 1936, it marked the peak of popularity for the dancing duo. The story is about a young man (Astaire) who bumble a wedding and must make $25,000 to make up for his error. Broke and penniless in New York City, he then meets a dance school instructor (Rogers). They eventually form a successful dancing partnership, but let's be honest. Here, the plot is incidental; merely an excuse to see these two dance around each other like orbiting bodies. Director George Stevens smartly allows their dance sequences to be the showcases in the film and they are presented mostly in real time, without manipulation of edits. The results are beautiful to behold.

Swing Time is also notable for the song "The Way You Look Tonight," which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and has been covered countless times since. It's one of a few sequences in the film where Astaire and Rogers practically glide over the floor in such elegance. Once you see them in action, it will be easy to see why, after over 75 years, Fred and Ginger remain the gold standard in dance.

Experience two of the most amazing musical dance films of all time at The Paramount. Even if you normally don't care for musicals, make the effort to check these out. They are two that simply don't want to miss. Musicals can engage you like few other films can. All you have to do is let them into your hearts and minds, let the rhythm surround you, and let the magic sweep you off your feet.

Showtimes for the films:

West Side Story
Sunday, Jul 24th
4:00
Tuesday, Jul 26th
7:00

Swing Time
Sunday, Jul 24th
2:00 7:00

Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."

Preview: The Movie Star, Katharine Hepburn

"I'm a personality as well as an actress. Show me an actress who isn't a personality, and you'll show me a woman who isn't a star."

-Katharine Hepburn

This summer, we've already visited with royalty of cinema; icons of the silver screen like Bogart, Chaplin, Brando, Newman and Audrey Hepburn. But when it comes to the most acclaimed actress in film, the biggest star, few can argue against that other Hepburn. Katharine Hepburn had a career that spanned six decades working with the titans of the industry. Or rather, perhaps I should say that many of the best known names in film worked with a titan like her. A talent that lit up screens and a personality to match her vivacious performances, Katharine Hepburn was truly one of a kind.

She has the most Oscars for Best Actress with 4 wins, and had a total of 12 nominations under her belt. Katharine was known for playing strong-willed characters, and was at her best when she played off a strong male lead. Watching the inevitable clash of characters was always a joy to behold, whether it was dramatic or comedic.

The African Queen is one of the great classics, and is widely seen as the validating film near the end of Humphrey Bogart's illustrious career. Released in 1951 and directed by John Huston, the film also features Hepburn displaying her bossy splendor. She plays Rose Sayer, a missionary alongside her reverend brother in German East Africa at the outbreak of World War I. Bogart is Charlie, their rough-and-tumble supplier. When the mission village is destroyed and her brother is killed by German forces, Charlie helps her bury her brother and begins the task of helping her escape the volatile area in his ship, The African Queen.

Rose, however, has other plans. Evocative of the spunk that so well defines Hepburn, she wants to strike back and convert the vessel into a torpedo boat to attack a fortified German boat. Charlie finds that the passage down a dangerous river is nothing compared to Rose's moxie. Audiences were beckoned to the adventure and the clashing of these two movie stars. Katharine was nominated for an Academy Award as Rose, and despite a treasure trove of performances by Humphrey Bogart over the years, this is the only film that won him an Oscar.

Not that Hepburn wasn't adept at comedy as well as dramatic river adventures.

The comedic banter of Hepburn and Cary Grant may be best known in Howard Hawks' Bringing Up Baby, but they also made a trio of films with director George Cukor around the same time. Holiday is another fine example in the Hepburn and Grant repertoire of witty performances.

It harkens back to a time when romantic comedies were actually both romantic and funny. In Holiday, Grant plays Johnny Case, a man who thinks outside he box and wants to escape the grinds of work to go on an extended holiday. Think of it as a retirement to enjoy one's youth while one is actually, well... young. Naturally, everyone thinks it's a bad idea. Among those trying to dissuade him are his finance and her millionaire father, who want Johnny to settle into their business, but he refuses to yield his ambition to do nothing.

Actually, he does have encouragement from two of the darker sheep in the fiance's wealthy family: her lush brother and a free-spirited sister, Linda (Hepburn). As he gets to know the headstrong Linda, he begins to see that he has more in common with her than his fiance. With her influence, Johnny must decide what path is right for him... and possibly which girl.

Katharine Hepburn was an actress who literally could do anything, over the decades she displayed enormous levels of talent, and she always had personality in spades. She's the grand dame of movie stars, and her level of smart and dynamic female roles opened the doors for actresses everywhere. Without her, we would have no Meryl Streep or Cate Blanchett... or Cate Blanchett winning an Oscar for playing Katharine Hepburn herself. A unique blend of sophistication, intelligence and charm, Hepburn was true Hollywood royalty. Hail to the queen.

Showtimes for the films:

The African Queen
Tuesday, Jul 19th
7:00
Wednesday, Jul 20th
9:00

Thursday, Jul 21st

7:00

Holiday
Tuesday, Jul 19th
9:10
Wednesday, Jul 20th
7:00

Thursday, Jul 21st

9:10

Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."