The historic Alex Theatre of Glendale, California is a magnificent specimen of 1920s architecture. With a striking art deco neon column gracing its entrance and a Greco-Egyptian-inspired interior, the theater is a key element of Glendale’s landscape, speaking to its history as a home for the movie world. With this in mind, the citizens of Glendale banded together, restoring the venue to its original glory, and in 1994 founded the Alex Film Society (AFS).
The foremost priority of the AFS is to maintain the theater as a venue for classic film in the modern day. From their opening night, which featured a reunion of the surviving cast members of Gone with the Wind, the society has more than proven its ability to accomplish this goal with panache. Today, the AFS hosts a series of screenings, including the Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn comedy Desk Set (on February 10), and William Wyler’s Best Years of Our Lives, which will be shown in the spring. In addition, AFS president Randy Carter notes that the society is “constantly looking for ways to make our screenings [into] real events, with pristine 35mm prints, interesting guests, fun programs and in-theater promotions.†With such a diverse and entertaining roster of films and the magnificent Alex Theatre as its home, it seems the Alex Film Society will have no trouble maintaining its mission as guardians of classic cinema history.
For more information or to become a member, visit their website.
Sound Off: What classic films are you dying to see up on the big screen? Let us know in the comments section!
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