Some of you are missing going to the movies. And while it’s not exactly the same thing,the Alamo Drafthouseis hoping to help out in this time of need. They have announced that they are doing Alamo-At-Home, which is being touted as a virtual experience. And they’ve even announced the first movies that will be shown.
Alamo Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is providing fans new ways to support and celebrate their local theaters. The Austin-based cinema-eatery has launched an “Alamo-At-Home” initiative, including the exciting Virtual Cinema return of its longest-running programming series, Terror Tuesday and Weird Wednesday, plus new t-shirt designs drawn from its most iconic Don’t Talk PSA and home versions of its most sought-after recipe.
“The entire reason Karrie and I built theaters in the first place was to bring people together in a celebration of film,” says Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and CEO. “Our theaters are currently closed, but that doesn’t have to mean our communities have to remain shuttered as well. We intend to hunker down, weather this storm and reemerge on the other side. Until then, we’ll continue to work to share the movies we love with this community, and find ways to support each other.”
Last week Alamo Drafthouse announced it would begin offering “Virtual Cinema” options to guests, an initiative led by distributors like Kino Lorber, Film Movement, and Magnolia Pictures to allow independent theaters to digitally offer new films to their guests. Thanks to the American Genre Film Archive, AGFA, Alamo Drafthouse’s signature cinephile seriesTerror TuesdayandWeird Wednesdayare entering the Virtual Cinema space with online screenings featuring pre-show content, introductions, and discussions conducted on Alamo Drafthouse’s content and editorial website, BirthMoviesDeath.com.
“Terror Tuesday and Weird Wednesday aren’t just film series- they’re communities, and even though our theater doors are currently closed, it’s vital that we continue to foster these communities, because they are truly the heart of the Alamo Drafthouse,” says Sarah Pitre, Senior Director of Programming and Promotions.
The first title chosen is Terror Tuesday’sCentipede Horror, the 1982 Hong Kong horror classic by director Keith Li. Never released legitimately on home video in the United States, the Virtual Cinema screening uses a recent 2K preservation drawn from the only 35mm film print in existence. The screening goes live beginning at 8pm Eastern / 7pm Central / 5pm Pacific on Tuesday, March 31st at vimeo.com/ondemand/ttcentipede. Tickets are on sale now for $7.75 and support AGFA and Alamo Drafthouse.
Weird Wednesday’s first Virtual Cinema title is a 4K restoration ofGodmonster of Indian Flats, the story of an eight-foot-tall toxic sheep monster that blows up gas stations, smashes crooked politicians, and terrorizes stoners. The screening is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8th.
Alamo-at-Home programming for Terror Tuesday and Weird Wednesday will continue weekly, alternating between the two series. Follow Alamo Drafthouse on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates on film titles.
Seven additional Virtual Cinema titles are also available now at drafthouse.com, including Academy Award nominee CORPUS CHRISTI, The Band documentary ONCE WERE BROTHERS, and Brazilian Weird Western BACURAU. To view the full list and purchase tickets, visitdrafthouse.com.
In 2011, Alamo Drafthouse’s offices received a voicemail from a customer upset about the company’s No Talking and No Texting policies. After being placed on-screen and YouTube, the “Angry Voicemail” PSA went viral, and spread Alamo Drafthouse’s commitment to respecting cinema all across the Magnited States. Now, fans can celebrate and support Alamo Drafthouse with two new t-shirts riffing on the PSA, available for pre-order on MondoShop.com for $25, with an anticipated ship date of April 20th. 10% of sales will go directly to the Alamo Family Fund, which is currently in the process of distributing over $2 million to furloughed Alamo Drafthouse staff members.
While Alamo Drafthouse’s theaters are temporarily closed, hundreds of thousands of frequent guests are missing out on their favorite made-from-scratch snacks and entrees. To help curb the cravings, the company is sharing “Alamo-At-Home” recipes customized for a home kitchen. First up is the much-requested Buffalo Cauliflower vegan snack. You can get the recipehere at the Alamo.
