Late shows for the Academy

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 14

Late shows for the Academy

One .innovative policy of-., the newly-appointed, manager of the Academy, Martyn Bullimore, comes into effect tomorrow at 11.30 p.m. with ; the first of weekly, late-night movie screenings. , Tomorrow’s and Saturday evening’s late shows will be “Outrageous,” starring Greg Russell as a would-be “drag-. artist,” who finds himself to be an outsider from the “gay” world. This proved to be quite a good film although it lasted for only one week at the Cinerama about two. years ago. Late screenings will then continue every Friday and Saturday of such old classics and curiosities as a “Godzilla” double feature, The Who in “The Kids are Alright,” the Monkees in “Head,” Arlo Guthrie in “Alice’s Restaurant,” Neil Young’s “Rust Never Sleeps,” “Young Frankenstein,” "Myra ' Breckenridge” and David Bowie in the “Man Who Fell to Earth.” Martyn says that he feels confident about the success of these late-night shows, although some doubts have been expressed about such a venture in Christchurch. “My reply is that there is little for people to do in Christchurch in the late evenings, particularly after the pubs shut,” Martyn said. “This is also a good time of the year to start it, with the university just having gone back. “There have been many changes in Christchurch in recent years in people’s time habits and even in their wider interest in foods. Therefore, this should prove to be just the right time.” Martyn first came on to the local film scene when he organised regular late-even-ing screenings at the Arts

Centre, through a small enterprise-called S:W.I.F.T. (5.W.1.F.T., he says, is an acronym for the Scott Walker International Film Theatre. This fellow .being a member of thfi Walker Brothers pop group, who recently has become a bit of a .cult figure. Ho.wever, if you want to know why this group was named after Scott, you had better ask Martyn.) Last year’s eight or nine fortnightly screenings in-, eluded such oddities and cult films as “Freaks,” “The Damned” and. “Ashes and Diamonds.” Martyn used to pass around big bags of warm popcorn' during the screenings —■ a habit he probably will not be able to continue at the Academy.

An 'Englishman, Martyn, < 35, first came to New Zea-. 1 land seven years ago as a i design engineer for P.D.L. ■ Industries. Since then, he has been, overseas several times, ,i catching up on movies in : Europe and Asia. A': Since his last return, he ' has, occasionally, advised , Lang Masters, of the Masters Independent Cinemas, on suggested films for screening at the Academy — several of which proved successful. His personal interest in films, the work through S.W.I.F.T. and his'continuing association with Peter Downer, the general manager of Masters Cinemas, now has led to Martyn’s appointment as manager of the Academy. There, Martyn hopes to

continue his efforts to bring little-known, little-seen or almost forgotten films to the Christchurch public. .' Such projects will include musical and science fiction 'festivals, and a Derek Jarman collection of “Jubilee,” “Sebastiane” and “The Tempest.” (The last two having only been available in New Zealand previously for film festival screenings, and having to be brought in again from Australia.) Another film of interest which starts at the Academy tomorrow is “THX 1138,” an early science fiction film by George Lucas, who went on to make his name with “Star Wars.” The executive producer was Francis Ford Coppola and it stars Robert Duvall.