Your favorite theater chain is turning 20 this year, and in true Alamo Drafthouse fashion, they're doing it in style.
Tim League and Co. are pairing with partners new and old to bring you tremendous events to celebrate their anniversary, and you don't have to be in Texas to enjoy them! As of right now, all of the events announced will be simulcast to Drafthouse locations across the country, so every fan can celebrate the occasion. Technically things already kicked off back on May 25th, but there's still plenty in store for those who want to get involved in the festivities!
Take it away, press release:
In 1997 two young cinephiles -- Tim and Karrie League -- opened the doors of the very first Alamo Drafthouse on Colorado Street in Austin, Texas. A single-screen theater converted from an old warehouse, their original website promised “good food, good beer and good film, all at the same place.” Twenty years, twenty-eight locations, and millions of pints of beer later, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is celebrating their past, present and future with twenty “distinctly Alamo” events happening throughout the rest of 2017.
Proceedings launched officially May 25th at an intimate, reunion-style event at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, just blocks from where the League’s opened their first theater. Long-time and long-ago employees and a select few old-guard customers gathered for a surprise evening with director / Alamo Drafthouse collaborator Edgar Wright and a sneak screening of his film BABY DRIVER.
Hot on the burnt rubber of BABY DRIVER are four special events that represent the diversity and depth of Alamo Drafthouse programming. The cast and crew of WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES will be on hand for its’ New York red carpet special screening, Bill Pullman and director Jared Moshé will be celebrating THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN with a marathon featuring the three westerns you must see before you die, THE MONSTER SQUAD returns for its 30th anniversary with a touring reunion featuring lead cast members, and American Genre FIlm Archive will reunite the team behind the infamous late-70’s shocker, EFFECTS, for the first time ever.
“There is no better way for us to celebrate two decades of existence than sharing and celebrating movies we love. That’s what our company is all about, and that’s what Alamo20 is all about,” said Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse Founder and CEO.
These film experiences will touch every Alamo Drafthouse location across the country, feature once-in-a-lifetime outdoor screenings at landmark locations, exclusive studio sneak previews, and guest appearances from iconic actors and directors. Plus, those who attend more than ten Alamo20 events get first crack at attending the final event, a year-end action-packed, star-studded Alamo20 end-of-year blowout. It all begins with the first wave of four events detailed below. But this is just a first taste. Look for future announcements about additional Alamo20 events in the very near future.
Working in collaboration with MONDO, Alamo Drafthouse will offer a special line of 20th anniversary apparel that revives and revamps some of the cinema’s most iconic, out-of-print designs. The first of the series is the official 2017 Badass Cinema T-shirt featuring the eternally badass star of COFFY, FOXY BROWN and JACKIE BROWN, Pam Grier. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this shirt will go to Project Angel Heart, a Denver-based charitable organization Grier has been working with for years.
A commemorative beer marks a most fitting addition to the festivities with Austin Beerworks contributing a liquid gold tribute dubbed “Action! Anniversary Ale.” This limited batch pale ale, brewed with two different hop varieties, comes exclusively in 16-ounce “tallboy” cans with six different collectible designs. The ale is available now at select Texas Alamo Drafthouse locations while supplies last.
Celebrating your anniversary means looking back at all of the things that make you great, and it looks like the Drafthouse will be doing just that. Drafthouse and Mondo have always been a match made in heaven, and what's a special event without a limited run beer? Are you tired of me talking and want to know what the hell the events are already? Ok, fine, here's details on the first wave of events:
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
When: July 10, 2017
Where: Locations Nationwide
Join Alamo Drafthouse for an exclusive advance screening of WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES with a special simulcast presentation LIVE from the red carpet special screening at the SVA Theatre in Manhattan. Before the film, we’ll be joined by director Matt Reeves along with stars Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller and Joe Letteri for a conversation and Q&A about the film.
TERROR TUESDAY: EFFECTS with cast and crew reunion!
When: August 22, 2017
Where: Locations Nationwide
Cobbled together with loose change by George Romero’s friends and never released theatrically, EFFECTS is an essential D.I.Y. horror film that feels like SNUFF as envisioned by a young Brian DePalma. American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is proud to celebrate their Blu-ray release of EFFECTS with this never-in-a-lifetime event, as stars Tom Savini (DAWN OF THE DEAD) and Joe Pilato (DAY OF THE DEAD), producer-star John Harrison (TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE: THE MOVIE), director Dusty Nelson, and editor-producer Pat Buba reunite for the first time in decades. The live event will be held at the Alamo Drafthouse and simulcast into participating Alamo Drafthouse locations nationwide.
THE MONSTER SQUAD 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
With stars Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert, and Ashley Bank in person!
When: Late August 2017
Where: Locations Nationwide
The most masterful, monster-full ‘80s masterpiece THE MONSTER SQUAD turns thirty this year. That’s three full decades of schooling young and impressionable minds on vital topics like the major monster groups, proper cussing technique, and lycanthrope anatomy. To celebrate, we’re getting the Squad back together for a coast-to-coast anniversary tour! Join stars Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert, and Ashley Bank - that's Sean, little sister Phoebe, and Rudy - for a night of remembering, reminiscing, and raging anti-monster justice on the big screen!
BILL PULLMAN and JARED MOSHE’s ESSENTIAL WESTERN MARATHON
When: December 2017
Where: Locations Nationwide
This December, get ready for an incredible new western, THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN, starring the greatest cinematic POTUS ever, Bill Pullman, and directed by Jared Moshé. Variety says THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN features a “career best” performance by Pullman. For Alamo20, we posed the question to Pullman and Moshé, what three essential westerns must everyone see before they die? We invite everyone to discover the answer live with Moshé and Pullman in person in Austin and simulcast in participating Alamo Drafthouse locations nationwide. We’ll watch a trio of mystery classic westerns with conversations after each one by Pullman and Moshé followed by a sneak preview of their new film, THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN.
Looks like Drafthouse fans are going to have a ton of exciting stuff to do in the coming year. The best part is, that's not even all of it: there will be even more special events announced as the year progresses, which means even more ways to celebrate. Newcomers will be able to see all of the things that make the Alamo Drafthouse great, and folks who have been headed to their local Alamo for years will get a chance to toast the unique theater experience that they love.
You can check out a full programming details for Alamo20 here, and all your merch needs can be fulfilled here. You guys ready to celebrate with us or what?