The Bama Theatre is offering the perfect chance to experience a wide array of foreign films over the course of the next two months.
The “5 Foreign Films for $5” series, sponsored by Five restaurant, will commence on October 19 with a showing of “Cinema Paradiso” and will continue with four other films this fall. Each general admission ticket is $5, but students can get in free with their IDs. The box office will open at 6:30 p.m., and the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The series will showcase both classic favorites and newer works. Other films include “Nosferatu the Vampyre” (October 26), “Day for Night” (November 1), “A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence” (November 6), and “Joyeux Noel” (December 17).
David Allgood, manager of the Bama Theatre, hopes to see students take advantage of this opportunity to experience foreign films for free.
“It’s a good experience to get off campus, come downtown and see something new,” Allgood said. “All you have to do is show up, go to Five the day of the showing to get your ticket, and it’s free.”
Students are more used to watching movies on TV and Netflix, but Allgood said sometimes it can be good to get back to the tradition of going to the theater to see a film.
“I’ve been theatre manager here almost 13 years, and I’ve noticed it’s very difficult to get undergraduate students to the theatre to see films,” Allgood said. “Because they didn’t grow up with the tradition of going to art houses to see films, millenniums have grown up movies on computers, telephone, and Netflix, which are all great, but not the same as going to the theater and watching a movie on a big screen with a great sound system and a bunch of strangers.”
Charles Morgan, owner of Chuck’s Fish and Five, has been a life-long fan of foreign films and is looking forward to helping students appreciate them too.
“My whole life, I’ve loved foreign films, and it started when I was in school,” Morgan said. “In one sense foreign films are more available than ever before, but to see it in the theater with other people is a special experience, and it’s important in the world of education.”
Morgan has always known about all that the Bama Theatre offers the city of Tuscaloosa, and he is excited to be a part of what they do.
“Since we opened Chuck’s 10 years ago in Tuscaloosa, we have know from before we opened what an incredible jewel the Bama Theatre, and we have always been impressed with David [Allgood] and the work they do,” Morgan said. “Because of that, we want to be a part of what they do. It’s a special place.”
The theatre also offers a full bar as well as classic movie refreshments like popcorn and candy. In order to receive a free student ticket, students must pick up tickets at Five on the day of the showing. General admission tickets are $5 each.
