The Charlotte Library Summer Film Series – 1984

Life comes at you fast, which is why it has been so long since our last post. That is also why it was nice to take a few hours this weekend to relax and take in this week’s offering from the Charlotte Library Summer Film Series.  It was an excellent bike ride to the ImaginOn branch of the library, followed by a wonderful greenway ride home.

Each summer, they select a series of films based on a theme, and offer free showings at the ImaginOn’s Wells Fargo Playhouse. Last year the theme was legal movies, and this year’s selections are all movies from 1984. This week’s showing was Blood Simple, the Coen brothers’ first film. We arrived with just enough time to lock up the bikes and make it into the theater for showtime, but next time I think we will try to arrive a little earlier. The other selections look like more family friendly films, which may fill the rest of the half-full theater.

We took our seats right as the library’s program coordinator, Sam Shapiro, took the stage to introduce the film.  He seemed particularly excited about the screening despite warning us that it was a rated ‘R’ film “that earned the rating.”  Turns out, he was at the first ever screening of this film when it debuted at the New York Film Festival in October, 1984.  After a little background on the film and its directors, he dimmed the lights and started the movie.

We are excited about the rest of the summers offerings, and hope to make it to as many of the remaining films as we can.  With the exception of the final film, all showings take place at 2:00pm at the ImaginOn.

Here is the schedule for the rest of summer:

June 24 – Broadway Danny Rose

June 28 – Top Secret!

July 5 – Passage to India

July 19 – Amadeus

July 26 – Ghostbusters – This screening starts when the sun goes down outside at the Carolina Theater Park (corner of 6th & Tryon)