Like Father, Like Son
40 years ago, director George P. Cosmatos made a streak of great genre films, ranging from underseen thrillers to massive action blockbusters. 30 years later, his son Panos became an underground favorite for his dark, surreal films. You may not recognize their names, but you know their movies. Both directors are accomplished visual stylists who revel in heightened realities, which makes them an excellent double bill.
Mandy
Directed by Panos Cosmatos
In 2018, Panos Cosmatos unleashed the blackened metal nightmare that is Mandy. Mandy begins with a hypnotic, brooding calm that will feel familiar to fans of Panos’ earlier work. Midway through the film, that calm is shattered, unleashing a hellish descent into violence that’s both horrific and blackly comic.
Mandy plays Friday (6/16) at 7:00, Sunday (6/18) at 9:00, and Thursday (6/22) at 7:00. Tickets
Of Unknown Origin
Directed by George P. Cosmatos
Of Unknown Origin is a psychological thriller about Peter Weller having a breakdown while he hunts a rat. Honestly, that’s the whole film. It’s the kind of movie that shouldn’t work, but absolutely does. A great performance from Weller, and the relentless intensity brought by director George P. Cosmatos make for an awesome, claustrophobic character study.
Of Unknown Origin plays Friday (6/16) at 9:35. Tickets
Tombstone on 35mm
Directed by George P. Cosmatos
Like the best modern westerns, Tombstone is just as much about breaking down western myths as it is embracing them. What sets Tombstone apart is Geeorge Cosmatos’ uncanny ability make films with propulsive momentum, while leaving room for his cast to craft deep characters and deliver career best performances. We’ll be playing this one on a 35mm print from Tombstone’s original 1993 run that has just the right amount of film texture for a modern western.
Tombstone plays Saturday (6/17) at 7:00, Sunday (6/18) at 4:00, and Tuesday (6/20) at 7:00. Tickets
Beyond the Black Rainbow on 35mm
Directed by Panos Cosmatos
Considering both he and his fathers filmography, it may come as a surprise that Panos Cosmatos wasn’t allowed to watch horror films as a child. Nonetheless, he would browse the aisles of his local rental shop, looking at covers and imagining the films that might be contained within. Beyond the Black Rainbow emerged from these memories, a hypnotic re-imagining of horror films that never existed. Beyond the Black Rainbow was released right at the end of 35mm films dominance, and the print we’re playing comes from this time. It’s got all the vibrant colors that come from modern printing practices, and it’s been treated with care.
Beyond the Black Rainbow plays Saturday (6/17) at 10:00, and Monday (6/19) at 7:00. Tickets
Cobra
Directed by George P. Cosmatos
On paper, you’ve seen plenty of movies like Cobra. Sylvester Stallone plays Cobretti, a tough-guy cop on the hunt for a cult of murderous serial killers. But Cobra is something different. Drenched in style and heightened to the point of near parody, George P. Cosmatos put his personal stamp on a well-trod genre. Cobra mixes just the right amount of absurdity into a relentlessly grim film.
Cobra plays Sunday (6/18) at 7:00, and Wednesday (6/21) at 7:00. Tickets
Sneaky little hobitses
They’ll get their own newsletter soon enough, but we wanted to let you know that we just booked the Lord of The Rings trilogy, in both Theatrical and Extended flavors. You even get a good old fashioned intermission if you come to the extended cut. Details Here
