Labor Day Weekend traditionally marks the end of the summer season and all the fun that goes along with it. And most communities do their best to cram as much as they can in a 72 hour period to send students off to school, and workers back to offices with a refreshed energy that will sustain them through the winter months. Although we enjoy good weather most of the year, Los Angeles is no different, and a quick look around reveals a whole bunch of classic movie screenings happening all over So Cal. In fact, the Los Angeles area is brimming with such a variety of movie themed presentations from which to chose you’re going to have to make some tough decisions.
First of all there’s Cinecon 48 In Hollywood. Located at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Cinecon is a five day classic film festival and memorabilia show. Where the TCM Classic Film Festival focuses on the popular and known, Cinecon specializes in rare and infrequently seen old films that have escaped the attention of the general public. Truly an event for the cult fans, the festival also provides an opportunity for well known artists (Randolph Scott, Jean Arthur, Spencer Tracy) to be seen in their earlier and lesser known films.
And of course there’s Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. For the holiday there will be two nights of screenings outdoors, under the stars. Saturday night is the fun, yet steamy classic Dirty Dancing to tickle your sentimental heart with the late great uber hunk Patrick Swayze guiding a young and lithe Jennifer Grey across the dance floor of a 1950s family summer camp. Then the action heats up on Sunday night with Brian De Palma’s 1983 version of Scarface. I can only imagine the type of audience that’s going to attract - at a cemetery no less. You can get reservation tickets and parking passes online by clicking here to order.
Also on Sunday night is the Hollywood Bowl Tribute to Paramount Studio’s 100th Anniversary. “The Big Picture” features the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performing many of the most famous and recognizable motion picture scores in movie history as produced by the oldest and only remaining major studio still in Hollywood. Actor Jason Alexander hosts the evening that will include selected movements from Wings (first Academy Award winner for Best Picture), The Godfather trilogy, the epic romance Titanic, and the ever popular theme to Mission: Impossible. among many other favorites. Special guests include Mission: Impossible composer Lalo Schifrinand Back to the Future composer Alan Silvestri.
Come Monday, if you’re still in the mood for some great cinema head over to the Aero in Santa Monica for the Sergio Leone classic, The Good The Bad and The Ugly. Not only is this the best of the man-with-no-name trilogy (truly a not to be missed experience on the big screen) but there’s special senior ticket pricing at just $5. Regular ticket prices apply for General, Student, and Member admission, but it’s so worth it and still a way better deal than any regular movie theater ticket in town.
So there you go. If you don’t happen to catch a single classic film this holiday weekend it’s not my fault. And I’ve certainly only just scratched the surface, but I can’t list everything here. I simply don’t have the space. However, if you don’t see anything here that tempts you to get up and out, please do a search of your favorite local venue. No doubt they’ve got something going on to entice you. And not just for the Labor Day Weekend, but all year long. As glossy and up to the minute as the city is, Los Angeles sure knows how to honor its cinematic past with or without a holiday. Be sure to experience it.