Cult classic: “Harold & Maude” at Cinema La Placita

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the 1971 quirky, cult classic film “Harold and Maude“. 20 year old Harold falls in love with 80 year old Maude, a novel type of relationship any time. Bud Cort stars as Harold and Ruth Gordon is Maude. It may be the Cat Stevens music in the background, or this unusual couple, or depressed Harold’s domineering (but funny) mother, or militaristic uncle that make this movie so entertaining as well.

Cinema La Placita (www.cinemalaplacita.com) shows this movie outdoors tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., with suggested donation of $3, with all you can eat popcorn. This movie venue is in its 11th year, and is now participating in the 2nd Saturdays Downtown fest as well, on the large, empty wall in the large, empty lot on E. Congress, between Scott and Stone.

From their website: “Since May 2000, we have been showing classic movies in a beautiful plaza setting in downtown Tucson. Every Thursday evening at 7:30, May through October, hundreds of Tucsonans enjoy the cool summer evenings and a pleasant summertime event.”

For those new to Tucson, Cinema La Placita shows movies in the plaza at La Placita Village, 110 S. Church Avenue, which is on the SW corner of E. Broadway and Church Avenue (those bright, multi-colored three & four story buildings).

See you at the movies!

Coming up next week Thursday, the 1933 sci fi/horror film, “The Island of Lost Souls“.

Monty Python’s SPAMalot

I just listened to the CD soundtrack of Monty Python’s Spamalot, advertised as a CD “lovingly ripped off” from the Original Broadway cast recording. Actor Tim Curry is King Arthur on this CD.

poster from musical

But if you want to see the real live musical, then log onto Broadway in Tucson (www.broadwayintucson.com) or call 1-800-745-3000 and get your tickets now for the September 22 to 27 showings (eight performances in five days) here at the Tucson Music Hall. Note that the poster says that this musical was “lovingly ripped off” from their Holy Grail movie (more ripping off).

This musical (winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical) is also being touted as– The Best “Knights” Out in Tucson.

King Arthur's knights

I lived in England decades ago and learned to appreciate British humor, and also got exposed to Mad Cow Disease. I’m sure the Monty Python fellows could do a skit on that hilarious occasion. I guess I was forced to eat too much red meat back then. Regardless, as a consequence I can’t donate blood…even to vampires.

Were any of you there for the Loft Theater’s recent Monty Python Singalot on August 19? That was me, a loyal Loft volunteer, collecting tickets with the killer rabbit hand puppet.

Whatever you do today, “always look on the bright side of life.” I think I’ll make myself a spam sandwich for lunch. Yum.

Note: If you are wondering where the spam title comes from, it’s in the song by the Knights
of the Round Table singing–“We dine well here in Camelot… We eat ham and jam and spam a lot.”

“Enlighten Up” (for the yoga community)

This 2009 movie “Enlighten Up!” is a true, fascinating documentary of a young man’s quest to study and practice different forms of yoga. Besides the physical training and flexibility that yoga provides, Nick Rosen was trying to find if there was any spiritual “secret” in doing yoga. A complete novice to yoga and a skeptical journalist, Nick travels from New York City to California to Hawaii, and then ultimately to India on this quest.

After 6 months he finds that he has learned a lot, practiced yoga a lot, talked to many, many practitioners and gurus, but is left with no clear answer about the ultimate meaning of yoga (if any).

International children’s film festival coming to the Loft

If you love free movies and you have kids, or are still a kid at heart, here’s a film festival for you, starting Saturday July 25.

Super cinematic summer excitement is back at The Loft with its the third annual TUCSON INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL,
presented by the Glassman Foundation, and hosted by the staff of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s Toys, a very popular toy store at Crossroads Festival.

This exciting and “awe-inspiring silver screen extravaganza is a nine-day celebration of great children’s cinema, featuring classic kids films, foreign features, cartoons, sing-a-longs, fun interactive activities, free popcorn and prize giveaways!”

And best of all, every movie is FREE! Another freebie is that you can enter a daily raffle to win a $50 gift certificate to Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s Toys!

The event runs Saturday through Sunday for 9 days to August 2, and movies are at 10 a.m. every morning. The festival kicks-off with the “Wizard of Oz”, one of my all time favorites, and finishes with the incomparable sing-a-long “Mary Poppins.”

Be there on July 29 as The PIMA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY will be handing out FREE copies of the book “James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl, before the movie (while supplies last.) There will also be a short discussion on turning the book into a film after the movie. I’ve read the book and it’s an exciting movie as well.

There are also some international films from Japan, France, and Hungary (but mostly dubbed in English).

I’m one of the dedicated Loft volunteers who enjoys movies and such community film festivals. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a supervising adult, so please don’t just drop off the little ones. See http://www.loftcinema.com for more details and a schedule of each day’s film.

Sounds like it’s going to be a “supercalifragilistic” screening festival. Plus it’s also a great summer way to beat the heat.