60th Anniversary OUTDOOR Screening of Marilyn Monroe's GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES
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http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/7/8/2/event_251802882.jpeg[NOTE: As of Sun. 6/30 this screening already SOLD OUT and even Jono did not buy his ticket on 6/29 when they went on sale online--but if you are willing to wait patiently in a short standby line--chances are reasonably good that you will still get in--though entrance will depend upon how many pre-purchased admissions become no show and NOT guaranteed]. If you have never seen GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES on the big screen, it is a very bright and funny Technicolor musical (produced just before Fox launched its widescreen Cinemascope process) that decades later actually helped inspire a number of famous music videos for its rapid fire musical number editing technique--the first of its kind--particularly in its most famous "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend" production number.
The movie stars Marilyn Monroe at her peak with co-starring brunette bombshell Jane Russell. Tickets are only $5. [NOTE: Tickets go on sale online on Friday, June 28 at 9am and will likely sell out within that day span so you are encouraged to set your phone alarms and buy your ticket(s) that day they go on sale].
In the late 1980's I worked at 20th Century Fox in TV distribution and met an older, semi-retired film editor who then edited the studio's feature films for airline in-flight showings (in the days where they had to edit out overt violence, strong language and sexual content of the films). He was a very dapper, refined and funny British man named James Blakely who years before was the uncredited, young, apprentice editor of that "Diamonds" number. http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/6/4/2/event_251802562.jpegHe explained to me that in those days when you were an apprentice you never got screen credit, but swore that he edited that entire sequence with the screen credit all going to his boss--the film's main editor (which is how things were done in those days). I told him how legendary that number was--since it was a major precursor to the fast paced editing of music videos that followed decades later in the 1980's. But Blakely told me that at the time, he wasn't trying to "reinvent the film editing world," but instead was forced to use those quick cuts due to Marilyn's limited dancing abilities. He said that one musical number took weeks to shoot and when they were done he had tons of film footage he had to assemble. He said it was Marilyn who took 2 steps then the director yelled "cut," then took another 2 steps and "cut" was yelled over and over again--get the idea? So he explained that there was no other recourse than to do that quick editing approach. Amazingly though, he did such an incredible job that the final sequence appears fluid--like there are no (or very few) cuts--when in actuality such editing cuts were almost endless. But in true Hollywood fashion, when you see the final assembled sequence, it is truly amazing and is one of the highlights of the entire film.
Because of the Technicolor palette Marilyn probably never looked sexier (with possible exception of her infamous subway grate scene in "Seven Year Itch.")
By the way, there is a sight gag that was lifted right out of this movie and later reused by the writers of the "I Love Lucy" TV show.
Parking: Free parking is provided by the Academy in adjacent private lots. Do not use street parking unless you want to risk getting an expensive ticket (or getting your car towed).
60th Anniversary OUTDOOR Screening of Marilyn Monroe's GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES