Jump into the fantastical world of time travel with original The Time Machine (1960), followed by the documentary The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal, following the life and times of its director! Stick around for the intermission as we discuss both films with the producer/director of the documentary, Mr Arnold Leibovit!
Experience the groundbreaking special effects and visionary storytelling of George Pal, one of the most innovative filmmakers of his time. The Time Machine — a thrilling adaptation of H.G. Wells’ timeless novel — takes you on an unforgettable adventure through time, where a daring inventor (Rod Taylor) uses his fantastic creation to travel into the far-flung future. Witness an incredible journey that bridges centuries in vivid Technicolor, and marvel at Pal’s imaginative world-building, which set the standard for future sci-fi cinema.
Then, go behind the scenes with The Fantasy Film World of George Pal, a documentary celebrating the creative genius behind such classics as War of the Worlds and The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. Before E.T. and Star Wars, there was George Pal. The documentary covers the five-decades life and career of the Academy Award-winning producer-director whose vision and groundbreaking works continue to inspire the filmmakers of today. Presented are interviews with the stars and filmmakers whose lives he touched, along with famous movie scenes, rare footage, and original artist’s renderings.
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind double feature that brings both the magic of the past and the fantasy of the future together in a way only George Pal can deliver!
This screening is a exclusive arrangement with Warner Brothers Motion Pictures. Thank you to them for making it possible!
Doors – 2:00PM
The Time Machine – 3:00PM
Intermission + Q&A – 5:00PM
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal – 5:30PM
Read More
The Frida is partnering up with Muzeo Museum to present Raiders Of The Lost Ark, the first film in the Steven Spielberg/George Lucas Indiana Jones trilogy. This collaborative series features classic films inspired by the posters on display in “Painted for the Pictures: The Illustrative Art of Classic Movie Posters.” A discussion on this subject will follow each screening.
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
The Muzeo Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00AM-5:00PM. “Painted for the Pictures” runs from Saturday, February 8 through Sunday, April 20 and is in our Main Gallery. For tickets and more information, please visit: https://muzeo.org/
Read More
Winner of the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, The Frida Cinema is proud to present the wondrous animated film Flow for an extended run of matinees!
A wondrous journey, through realms natural and mystical, Flow follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet. From the boundless imagination of the award-winning Gints Zilbalodis (Away) comes a thrilling animated spectacle as well as a profound meditation on the fragility of the environment and the spirit of friendship and community. Steeped in the soaring possibilities of visual storytelling, Flow is a feast for the senses and a treasure for the heart.
Upon premiering at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, the film has received critical acclaim and won numerous film and animation awards, including Best Animated Film at the European Film Awards, the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, the National Board of Review Awards, and many more! The film is selected as the Latvian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards!
Read More
Frida Cinema Film Club members are invited to join us for two free screenings of the 1953 white-knuckle masterpiece The Wages Of Fear in a brand new, stunning 4K restoration!
In a squalid South American oil town, four desperate men sign on for a suicide mission to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin over a treacherous mountain route. As they ferry their explosive cargo to a faraway oil fire, each bump and jolt tests their courage, their friendship, and their nerves. The result is one of the greatest thrillers ever committed to celluloid, from France’s legendary master of suspense, Henri-Georges Clouzot.
Not a Frida Cinema Film Club member yet? Sign up here: https://thefridacinema.org/memberships/
Read More
Our 80s Sword and Sorcery series winds down with The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s groundbreaking fantasy epic!
Set in the mystical world of Thra, the story follows Jen (voiced by Stephen Garlick), the last of the peaceful Gelfling race, who embarks on a quest to heal the titular Dark Crystal, a powerful artifact corrupted by the malevolent Skeksis. Guided by ancient prophecies, Jen must locate the missing shard of the Crystal and reunite it before a great conjunction of Thra’s three suns, which would grant the Skeksis eternal dominion. Along the way, Jen is joined by Kira (voiced by Lisa Maxwell), another surviving Gelfling, and her animal companion Fizzgig, as they face trials of courage and self-discovery.
Read More
Our 80s Sword and Sorcery series continues with Krull, Peter Yates’ 1983 science fantasy favorite!
Set in a magical world under siege by an evil alien overlord known as the Beast, the film follows Prince Colwyn (Ken Marshall). Embarking on a daring quest after his bride, Princess Lyssa (Lysette Anthony) is kidnapped by the Beast’s forces, Colwyn journeys to the villain’s fortress to rescue her. Armed with the legendary weapon called the Glaive, a mystical, star-shaped blade, the prince gathers an eclectic band of companions, including a wise seer, a comical thief (Alun Armstrong), and a skilled cyclops warrior (Bernard Bresslaw). Together, they traverse breathtaking landscapes, confront deadly traps, and battle monstrous creatures in their journey to defeat the Beast and restore peace to the planet.
Read More
Up next in our 80s Sword and Sorcery series is Matthew Robbins’ 1981 dark fantasy Dragonslayer!
The story follows Galen (Peter MacNicol), a young sorcerer’s apprentice, who is thrust into a perilous quest when a desperate village seeks help to vanquish a monstrous dragon named Vermithrax Pejorative. With his master Ulrich (Ralph Richardson) unable to lead, Galen must summon his courage and skills to confront the fearsome creature, which has long terrorized the kingdom under a grim pact of human sacrifice. Alongside the brave and determined Princess Elspeth (Caitlin Clarke), Galen grapples with the limits of his power and the weight of his destiny.
Read More
Our 80s Sword and Sorcery series opens with Excalibur, John Boorman’s 1981 Arthurian retelling.
The film follows the rise and fall of King Arthur (Nigel Terry), beginning with the forging of the enchanted sword Excalibur and its role in uniting a fractured England. Guided by the enigmatic wizard Merlin (Nicol Williamson), Arthur ascends to the throne and creates the legendary Round Table, fostering ideals of chivalry and justice. However, internal strife, the forbidden love between Sir Lancelot (Nicholas Clay) and Queen Guinevere (Cherie Lunghi), and the malevolent sorcery of Morgana (Helen Mirren) threaten to destroy Camelot from within.
Read More
It’s finally time for Tommy Wiseau’s new film Big Shark to be unleashed on Orange County! As an added bonus, we’ll be throwing it on a double feature with his 2003 cult classic The Room! And if that all weren’t enough, star of The Room and best-selling author of The Disaster Artist, Greg Sestero, is joining us for all the fun to introduce both films in person!
First up, you know the drill! Bust out those plastic spoons! Wiseau’s peerless magnum opus finds the auteur who shaped a generation taking on the arts of acting, writing, casting, directing, editing and more. What’s even more remarkable: he’s mastered them all. The multi-talented director stars as Johnny, a big-time banker working in gorgeously shot San Francisco. His fiancée Lisa, seemingly a happy part of a successful relationship, has wandering eyes…for Tommy’s best friend Mark. Cinema has never witnessed such betrayal!
And then finally…the Big Shark arrives here at The Frida Cinema, with only a mysterious tagline attached to it: three firefighters must save New Orleans from a gigantic shark. That’s it! Don’t miss this awesome double feature on the big screen with a packed house!
Read More
A Kubrick Christmas kicks off with 2001: A Space Odyssey, the director’s 1969 science fiction trip!
Opening in prehistoric times, the film jumps from early man’s discovery of a strange monolith and subsequent development of weaponry to hundreds of thousands of years into the future when humanity has mastered space travel. As the rest of their crew rests in hibernation, scientists Dave and Frank lead a mission to Jupiter to retrieve a mysterious ancient artifact, accompanied by sentient computer system HAL 9000. When HAL’s intellect and ego are challenged, the journey takes an ominous turn as the craft races closer to its cryptic destination.
Read More
