James Stewart finds himself enchanted by Kim Novak – and her mischievous feline familiar, Pyewacket – in the bewitching romantic comedy “Bell, Book and Candle,” screening at the Orinda Theatre on Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.
The Orinda Theatre is experiencing a revival, bringing audiences an expanded slate of films and events. From the long-loved Classic Movie Matinees to the newly launched Cinema Craft Series, the historic venue is buzzing with renewed energy and community spirit.
Oh, and they’re also offering a monthly one-hour historic tour of the theater the last Sunday of each month at 11 a.m. – yes, free too (see details below).
The new Cinema Craft Series debuts Oct. 26, and will repeat the last Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. The first offering is an excursion into the supernatural, 1957’s “Night of the Demon.”
Based on the M. R. James story “Casting the Runes,” it is directed by Jacques Tourneur and features Dana Andrews dealing with mysterious runes that threaten to control his fate. This movie was released in the U.S. in truncated fashion as “Curse of the Demon” but the Orinda Theatre will play the longer, original British release, which has never been seen in Orinda before. Admission is $10.
Next up, in the spirit of the witchcraft season, Kim Novak plays a most alluring witch in “Bell, Book and Candle” opposite James Stewart, with a cast that also includes Jack Lemmon, Elsa Lanchester, Hermione Gingold and Ernie Kovacs.
This light romantic comedy is a delight from 1958, and is the Orinda Classic Movie Matinee Tuesday, Oct. 28. The movie is presented with a program of selected short subjects at 1 p.m. Following the shorts, the feature film starts at approximately 1:45 p.m. Admission to the Orinda Classic Movie Matinee is $10.
Legacy of the Orinda Theatre
When a grass-roots group raised awareness to save the Orinda Theatre from demolition in the 1980s, the members convinced the local citizenry of the value of the theater architecturally and esthetically.
Those monumental efforts are now decades behind us and it’s time to share the theater’s intrinsic value to new generations through a tour that makes it clear just how special the Orinda Theatre is. The free, one-hour public tour starts at 11 a.m. on the last Sunday of each month and highlights the theater’s history, design and Heinsbergen murals.
The goal is to heighten public awareness and pride in one of the most beautiful theaters in the world.
More information at orindamovies.com.
