Beaks here...

If you're a geek of a certain age, the summer of 1982 is arguably the most significant four-month run of movies in your lifetime. Beginning on May 14th, every weekend brought something wondrous, hilarious, frightening or flat-out invigorating. Films from some of our greatest popular storytellers intermingled with cheap thrills from shameless schlockmeisters. It was a glorious time to be a movie lover.

And this August at the New Beverly Cinema, we're going to re-experience that summer on the big screen. In 35mm. The way these movies were meant to be seen.

Starting this Sunday, August 5th, AICN and director Peyton Reed will co-host a mini "Summer of '82" fest. The films selected hopefully reflect the variety of that summer, which wasn't just about fantasy, science-fiction and horror. In planning the series, we had a couple of heartbreaks: Universal had their own thirtieth anniversary plans for E.T. (it screened via DCP at the Los Angeles Film Festival), while BLADE RUNNER simply isn't currently available for 35mm exhibition. I know. Those are probably the two most influential films of that summer. We're more bummed than anyone that they won't be a part of the fest, but it's not like there weren't other classics released that year.

Here's our run of movies...

August 5th & 6th

THE ROAD WARRIOR (d. George Miller)

CONAN THE BARBARIAN (d. John Milius)

August 8th & 9th

DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID (d. Carl Reiner)

NIGHT SHIFT (d. Ron Howard)

August 12th, 13th & 14th

STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (d. Nicholas Meyer)

THE THING (d. John Carpenter)

August 15th & 16th

POLTERGEIST (d. Tobe Hooper)

TBD (d. ???)

I'm especially excited for the DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID/NIGHT SHIFT double, as those movies are rarely projected in 35mm. But all of these movies are phenomenal, and demand to be seen on the big screen. So come on out over the next week, and celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of a perfect summer!