u/midnight_grain

That's a wrap on the weekend screening! What should we watch next week?

Guidelines:

-2 films (shorts or feature films)

-Both films should have a common theme

-The films must be in the public domain*

*If you aren't sure if a film is in the public domain, still feel free to leave a comment and I can look into it.

Here's a list of some past Midnight Grain weekend screenings for inspiration:

-Modern Times (1936) + One A.M. [Comedy]

-The Hitch-Hiker (1953) + Detour (1945) [Noir]

-White Zombie (1932) + Carnival of Souls (1962) [Horror]

I was living in Central Texas at the time and many of the theaters in the smaller towns didn't get all of the films because they had limited numbers of screens. I really wanted to see The Others so my wife and I drove about an hour to get to a theater in Temple, TX. We buy the tickets, buy some popcorn and drinks, and go in. The only people in the theater were all teenagers that were throwing food at each other, running around and laughing, etc. I was in my 20s at the time. We thought that they would settle down once the film started. Nope.

Film started, we got about 15 minutes into it, they were running up and down the aisles, laughing and yelling, etc. We got up and walked out. I went to the ticket window and ask them what the hell was going on, and before she even answered, gave us our money back. I said, wait, we drove an hour to see this film. Isn't there anything you can do to clear them out? She said, no, they don't even pay to come in, they just walk in and start tearing up the place.

I was completely shocked. Apparently that theater, wasn't in the greatest part of town, and had a reputation for the chaos. The girl at the ticket window said she spent just as much time refunding people as she did selling tickets. I said, well maybe you should warn people before they come in.!

I did everything I could to avoid spoilers and ended up seeing the film when it was released on DVD.

So what's your bad movie going experience?

I've been reading more about H.P. Lovecraft's interest in movies and it got me thinking about his perspective on adapting his own written work to film. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but after a quick Google search, it appears none of his books had a film adaptation in his lifetime. I would imagine that he had considered the thought of licensing his work to a filmmaker, as he was clearly fond of the cinema, so I'm curious if there are any recorded discussions of HPL exploring this topic in his lifetime.

Follow up question: What are some must-see movie adaptations of HPL's work?

Since I've been reading more about H.P. Lovecrafts interest in movies on this sub, it got me thinking about his perspective on adapting his own written work to film. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but after a quick Google search, it appears none of his books had a film adaptation in his lifetime. I would imagine that he had considered the thought of licensing his work to a filmmaker, as he was clearly fond of the cinema, so I'm curious if there are any recorded discussions of HPL exploring this topic in his lifetime.

Follow up question: What are some must-see movie adaptations of HPL's work?

I'm planning to watch some more 30s and 40s gangster films, after watching Scarface (1932) for the first time last week. I'm starting with Smart Money (1931) starring Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney. Thanks to u/NYourBirdCanSing for the recommendation!

It appears Smart Money is in the public domain, so I will likely download this film from the Internet Archive and watch it outside on the projector if the weather is nice.

What films are on your watch list this week, and why? What format and setting will you watch them in?

Hello everyone 👋

I'm working on making some improvements to this sub, including the addition of user flair!

There are many ways we could approach this, so please vote for your preference in the poll below, or add your thoughts in the comments. The options are defined below:

1. Format: Flair would be based on your preferred movie format (i.e. DVD, VHS, theater, drive-in, projector, etc).

2. Rituals: Flair based on your personal movie watching rituals (i.e. snacks, setting, and how you like to experience films).

3. Genre: Self explanatory

4. Director: Self explanatory

5. Other: Share your ideas in the comments

Thanks for taking the time to help shape this community!

View Poll

HPL’s Chaplin poem runs as follows:

“To Charlie of the Comics

(With profuse Apologies to Rheinhart Kleiner, Esq., Poet-Laureate and Author of "To Mary of the Movies".)

You trip and tumble o'er the sheet

That holds your life-like image.

You shuffle your prodigious feet

Thro' love-scene, chase, or scrimmage.

As gazing on each comic act I stare at your perfection,

I find it hard to face the fact

That you're a mere projection.

I've seen you as an artist rare,

With brush and paint-smear'd palette;

I've seen you fan the empty air

With ill-intention'd mallet.

I've watch'd you woo a winsome fay

(You must a dream to her be),

But ne'er have caught you in a play

Without that cane and derby!

Dear lad, I trust your happiness

May be like that you give us,

And since ripe years the mirthful bless,

That you may long outlive us.

May you the smiles of Fortune see,

Nor know what want of cash is;

And may your times of trouble be

As short as your moustaches!

I'd like to meet you, Charles, old chap,

Tho vast the space dividing;

Yet I must merely sit and clap

At your fantastic gliding.

But tho you're far away, we know,

You still have pow'r to rouse us:

Your films can pack a picture-show

That's roomy as your trousers!”