In the Midnight Hour

When I was a kid, a local theatre showed “Midnight Movies” on Friday and Saturday nights. These were not first-run shows, but usually cult classics like Monty Python and the Holy Grail or Rocky Horror Picture Show. They would play the same movie for months at a time, and teenagers would go to see them week after week.

These days the thing is the Thursday night midnight premier of the movie hit of the month. I have teenage friends who seem to never miss a chance to visit the theatre in the middle of a school night. I’m afraid that I’m too old for that now.

I love the idea of being the first to see a great movie, but about ten o’clock in the evening, my wheels start to slow down. If I throw caution to the wind and ignore that little signal to get some rest, I pay for it the next morning with never-ending yawns and dark circles. Okay, sometimes it’s worth it.

What do you think about getting the jump on all your friends? Do you go see the midnight movies with your pals, or alone? I need some advice. Are there particular genres of movies that are more “midnight appropriate?”

I confess, I wanted to see Dark Shadows Thursday night at midnight. It seemed like the perfect midnight show. Funny, campy, silly and dark—Depp and Burton are a safe bet for a dangerous combination. I didn’t go.

By ten I was absolutely wiped out. Will I make it this weekend? I hope so.

As a kid, I watched the television soap version of Dark Shadows. I thought it was sort of a comedy, even back then. I liked the idea of jumping through time with the same characters. After all, they were undead. It’s what they do. I also remember thinking that the show looked like it was filmed in my grandmother’s living room. This movie doesn’t, but it’s set (at least in part) in the 1970’s, so that’s almost the same thing as Grandma’s house.

Maybe this summer I’ll get the chance to revisit my youth and go to a dark-thirty premier. Summer feels like the right time for that kind of thing. Maybe I’ll see you there!

That’s a wrap for this Toast to Cinema. Thanks for reading!

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