By Kristin Long
Weekend, Etc. Editor
The final hours of a Friday night slowly dwindle to a close. You've had your fill of school for the week, and you are looking for a break. The nearest house party is too far away, and the fraternity scene does not top your list of things to do. There is nothing on television, and you think you have seen every good movie that is playing at the theaters - or, then again have you?
Two of the campus cinemas, the Michigan Theater and the State Theater, offer a wide array of late night films that exceed ordinary screenings. The selection stems from "Pulp Fiction" to "2001," and the show times begin after the placid have gone to sleep, and just as the wild ones roam the streets (usually around 11:30 p.m.).
What makes these screenings unique and exciting is the atmosphere in which the films are shown. The aura of an antique theater that has pre-show organ interludes hardly compares to the standard matinees and early evenings.
The Michigan Theater (which turns 70 next year) has the mystique of an old-time moviehouse with its decor of the late 1920s and its acoustics that carry the sounds that make films come alive. Russ Collins, the executive director at the Michigan Theater, says, "A lot of times students don't realize what a tremendous asset (the Michigan Theater) is. It is one of the best things about going to a late-night show."
The selection hardly follows the norm either. Collins says, "We offer an eclectic program of late night films. Instead of the standard monotony of modern features, we offer a wild mix from 'Monty Python' to 'Alien' to 'Clockwork Orange.'" The diverse menu changes on a regular basis, and most films at the Michigan play randomly and only for a limited time.
If classic cinema is not your style, the State runs more recently released films. "Pulp Fiction" and "Scream" have been among those that reign supreme after hours. Films like these that have a long-running appeal to the student population only run in the late-night spot.
Engineering junior Ryan Sockalosky witnessed the 80 millimeter showing of "2001: A Space Odyssey" at the Michigan. "It was a more intimate movie-going experience because it was just me, the movie and other dedicated fans who braved the trek," he said.
While many students go in normal attire, some films denote an occasion to get a little bizarre. Collins said that sometimes the Michigan holds a costume or a look-alike contest. When a Marilyn Monroe classic is shown, many fans don Marilyn apparel to accentuate the mood.
The mood, however, thrives on the more than clothes. The opportunity to see "Aliens" on the big screen is hardly one to be missed. Nor can one forget seeing "Scream" for the eighth time with fellow fans who long to be scared right before they go to bed.
"We want to leave students with something that is a unique part of their University experience," Collings said.
Not all endeavors to the theater stay in one's memory as those that occur at unusual times, covering barely-run films. The most avid fans journey into the darkness to experience cinematic excellence at its finest.
So maybe some popcorn and a pop do not have the same effects as what ensues after an evening on the party-circuit, but it does offer an experience to witness vintage movies in a classic venue.
There is even a student discount.
09-03-97
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