Saturday eve I partook of a unique LA tradition of recent years, Cemetery Screenings. Down in Hollywood, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, folks can come set up on one of the lawns for a picnic and enjoy a classic film projected on a mausoleum wall. It might seem a little creepy, but it was a cool crowd and a neat way to spend the night outdoors.
The screening we saw was for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, which is a classic for a reason, it's just a plain great film no matter what you want to read (or not read) into it. Being with a big crowd, there were alot of moments that got everyone laughing, albeit for reasons that date the film-- but everyone couldn't help but acknowledge the skill of one of our master filmmakers as tension grew and an eerie fate befell the sleepy town of Bodega Bay.
The projection was surprisingly sharp and it wasn't hard to be mesmerized by the stunning Tippi Hedren, whether seductively coy or being pecked to death by thousands of birds. No one ever said Hitchcock didn't know what he was doing.
Lots of great movie caps, photos, and tidbits: Cinema Astoria, The Birds [URL no longer valid-BD].