Alamo Drafthouse And Kodak Join Forces For REEL FILM DAY

The Alamo Drafthouse has long been committed to showcasing films as they were truly meant to be seen - in the glorious 35MM format. And this year, they've partnered up with the good folks at Kodak to celebrate that format via its very own holiday: Reel Film Day, which will arrive on March 5th.

Come Reel Film Day, a number of Alamo Drafthouse locations will screen some of your favorite movies (Inglourious Basterds, Touch Of Evil, and The Silence Of The Lambs, just to name a few), and a portion of all ticket sales will be donated to the Film Foundation to help fund "an upcoming important film preservation effort". Added bonus: Mondo will be representing the cause at every participating location with a line of specialty enamel pins and T-shirts marking the occasion (a portion of their sales will go to the Film Foundation, as well).

Here's their press release on the matter:

Austin, TX – February 16, 2017 – Mark your calendars, cinephiles. 35mm film will be alive in all its glory on March 5 -- or 3.5. A collaborative initiative from Alamo Drafthouse and Kodak, the first-ever “Reel Film Day” will champion the beauty of cinema’s richest and most enduring format with celebratory screenings at Alamo Drafthouse and independent theaters across the U.S.

“There is nothing like experiencing actual 35mm projected film,” said Steve Bellamy President of Kodak Motion Picture and Entertainment. “I don’t care if it is the greatest 8K projector in the world,35mm is a radically different thing and there is simply no comparison. Projected film is watching light blast through dozens of layers of color dye clouds and emulsion, 24 times per second. A film projectionist is a master craftsman and seeing his or her work is akin to performance art. While the world has largely migrated to the utility of video projectors, there is a massive growth in consumers who understand the experience of film projection. This is why theatres projecting film are coming back so strongly and doing so well!” 

As a true celebration of the wide-ranging scope of cinema, Reel Film Day programming will be deeply eclectic, featuring classics including Powell and Pressburger’s THE RED SHOES and Orson Welles’ A TOUCH OF EVIL rubbing reels with cult favorites like BUCKAROO BANZAI and Quentin Tarantino’s INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. At press time over 25 screenings are taking place, and it is expected that ultimately hundreds of theaters across the country will join in. No matter the location, the unifying factor is that all films will be presented large and lustrous from 35mm film.

“Less than 5% of our film history exists in a high-definition digital format,” says Alamo Drafthouse CEO and Founder Tim League. “If you really love film, then join us to recognize, celebrate and support film screenings in independent theaters everywhere. This scrappy group of fellow cinephiles is truly preserving film history. Support your local theater, support 35mm (and 70mm) film on 3/5, the first annual Reel Film Day."

For those looking for a marquee-level display of their devotion to 35mm film exhibition, acclaimed art boutique Mondo has created an exclusive line of T-shirts and enamel pins to mark the day. Merchandise will be on sale starting 3.5 at mondotees.com/collections/reel-film-day.

The KODAK Reel Film App, a free smartphone tool for moviegoers, will provide quick access to information about movies being projected on real film, show times, images, summaries and theater locations.

Finally, to fully realize the day’s efforts to keep 35mm alive, $3.50 from tickets to all of the 35mm screenings at Alamo Drafthouse locations and select partner venues, as well as a portion of the proceeds from Mondo’s sales, will be donated to the prestigious Film Foundation to help fund an upcoming important film preservation effort.

I know what you're thinking: yo, you guys got a list of the Alamo Drafthouse locations participating in this badassery? And the answer is yes, of course we do.

Here you go:

Austin Lakeline       INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Austin Lamar         TOUCH OF EVIL

Austin Ritz             SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Brooklyn                FROWNLAND

Dallas Cedars       INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Kansas City         KILL BILL Double Feature

Littleton              THE RED SHOES (1948)

Lubbock              HEAT

Mason Park     35mm Roulette

Omaha        BUCKAROO BONZAI

Richardson        MATINEE (1993)

San Francisco        KING LEAR (1987)

Yonkers        MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN

And here are the non-Drafthouse theaters who've joined in to celebrate along with us, along with the movies that they'll be screening:

Boulder, CO - International Film Series - WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Brookline, MA - The Coolidge Corner Theatre - FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Chicago, IL - The Music Box Theater - Double Feature: PUNCH DRUNK LOVE + LONESOME

Cleveland, OH - The Cleveland Museum of Art - THE DOCKS OF NEW YORK w/ Live Music

Cleveland, OH - Cleveland Cinematheque - 1984

Houston, TX - The Museum of Fine Arts - I AM CUBA

Milwaukee, WI - UW-Milwaukee Union Cinema - PAN'S LABYRINTH

Olympia, WA - Capitol Theater - TAXI DRIVER (1976)

Phoenixville, PA - The Colonial Theatre - STAGE FRIGHT (1950)

Pittsburgh, PA - The Hollywood Theater - DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)

Tucson, AZ - The Loft Cinema - BICYCLE THIEVES (1948)

You're also probably wondering if we've got a snazzy Reel Film Day sizzle reel. Of course we do. 

For further information, including the ability to score tickets, you can head on over to this page at the Alamo Drafthouse right now. If you're interested in seeing the awesome products Mondo's put together to celebrate Reel Film Day, you should check out this page at the Mondo blog. And, finally, if you run a 35MM-capable theater and are interested in getting involved in the festivities, you should reach out to the Alamo Drafthouse's Sarah Pitre via this link!

This is gonna be a great day for film lovers all over the country, and we're excited to see you out there!