The Quad Brings the Cinematic Heat this Summer
We are excited to spotlight yet another summer-themed film series happening in our own NYC backyard. This one comes by way of the Quad Cinema who is presenting Drenched: Sweaty and Sunkissed Cinema.
The program includes an eclectic set of films featuring bits of comedy, family drama, (dysfunctional) romance, a smidge of horror, some fun in the sun (sort of), a nice helping of criminal activity, and good ol’ fashioned sweat! The lineup includes Purple Noon (1960), American Graffiti (1973), The Green Ray (1986), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Miami Blues (1990), Knife in the Water (1962), Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Crooklyn (1994), The Burning (1981), and Dog Day Afternoon (1975). This series is definitely worth exploring, not only for its cinematic offerings but as an opportunity to duck out from our hot and steamy NYC streets for a cool few hours.
A few notes about the latter two films: The Burning was part of the bloody deluge of theatrical slasher releases in the early 1980s. The movie, which has a particularly nasty edge, was included in our brief rundown of summer camp slashers back in June. If you missed that one by all means have a look!
Dog Day Afternoon is based on a very unusual “only in New York” sort of bank robbery which occurred in Brooklyn in 1972. The Concentric Cinema team loves this movie, so much so that it is an annual summer watch for us. This Sidney Lumet-directed classic will be featured as part of our Cinematic Semicentennial Series, so stay tuned!
Drenched: Sweaty and Sunkissed Cinema kicks off tomorrow, Friday, August 15th and runs through Thursday, August 28th. It will feature multiple screenings of each film on staggered days. Visit the series landing page for a complete schedule and to purchase tickets.
About the Quad Cinema
the Quad Cinema is one of the oldest independent theaters in New York City. Upon its opening in October 1972, it also became the first theater in the city to have multiple screens in the same building. This was before the explosion of monster-sized multiplexes synonymous with 1980s and 1990s moviegoing. Located just a few blocks southwest of Union Square in lower Manhattan, “The Quad” is absolutely worth the trip. On several occasions I have enjoyed settling into any one of their stylish yet cozy screening rooms for what always proved to be a comfortable and intimate viewing experience. As a huge genre film fan, I have appreciated their various retrospectives including one featuring classic horror from Britain’s Hammer Films and another celebrating kung fu cinema from the great Shaw Brothers Studios of Hong Kong. I have fond memories of watching several of my favorites like The Horror of Dracula, The Revenge of Frankenstein, and The Five Deadly Venoms.
Lastly, consider spending a little time at the Quad Bar pre or post screening. The bar opens daily at 2pm and serves up boozy and non-alcoholic beverages through the last screening of the day.
