If you screen it, they will come.
That’s the hope of Benjamin Brewer and Eric Forbes, founders – or “astral projectors” – of Durango Underground Séance of Cinema, a new group formed from a mutual passion for everything film. DUSC will debut as a group with its first movie night Sunday, with the 1989 flick, “Field of Dreams,” which will be shown at the Gaslight Twin Cinema downtown.
If you go
WHAT: Durango Underground Séance of Cinema hosts a Father’s Day presentation of “Field of Dreams” (1989)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Gaslight Twin Cinema, 102 E. Fifth St.
TICKETS: Admission is free, though donations are accepted
“Eric and I are really big film buffs. We spent a lot of time watching shows together, talking about our favorite movies, and we really just wanted to create a space where we could meet more like-minded people and just build community around cinema. That’s the goal,” Brewer said. “For the screening, specifically the Gaslight, we got the idea from Grant Wilson. He did a series of kung fu films earlier this year at the Gaslight.”
The two said they took that idea and have extended it into a more open-genre format. The group plans to hold screenings monthly – and for free, with donations being accepted to help with the cost of the event, they said.
And DUSC, which is working to become a nonprofit, hopes to encourage fun and community building with its shows, according to its mission statement.
“The Durango Underground Séance of Cinema is a secret society devoted to the noble art of resurrecting forgotten film classics through ancient mystical rites, questionable incantations, and the occasional projector bulb replacement. Once each month, this tongue-in-cheek collective gathers to summon ‘oc-cult’ cinema from the great beyond, screening beloved, bizarre, and underappreciated films free of charge for the community,” it says. “Dedicated to preserving moviegoing as a shared cultural experience, the Durango Underground Séance of Cinema exists to bring people together, celebrate the magic of the silver screen, and ensure that great films never truly stay buried. Whether you’re a devoted cinephile, curious newcomer, or wandering spirit, all are welcome to join the circle.”
DUSC is able to screen “Field of Dreams” by obtaining a Public Performance License for the film through Swank Motion Pictures, Inc., which handles licensing and distribution rights for films. This license authorizes its public screening of the film, Brewer said.
The idea for the group came about the way many cool ideas do – a couple of people just sitting around chatting. For Brewer and Forbes, the idea for the name was born during a lunchtime conversation, and, they said, for those anticipating any type of otherworldly rituals or other things of that type, they may be disappointed. There will, however, be special tarot card-themed tickets created by artist Lauren Grinde, who also created the group’s logo and the promotional poster. The tickets are collectible, and Forbes and Brewer are playing around with the idea of forming a High Council of Celluloid, a group made up of people who have collected all the cards/tickets and who may have a vote in what movies are screened. The two have plenty of other plans they hope to implement as DUSC grows, including hosting screenings at venues other than theaters – such as local businesses. And they are already planning a screening of “The Goonies” as next month’s selection.
But for now, Brewer and Forbes want to see you at the Father’s Day screening. The film is, after all, about a dad, Ray Kinsella, who is compelled to turn his cornfield into a baseball field ... of dreams.
“We kind of have a family-friendly approach with ‘Field of Dreams.’ We’re like, ‘Oh, that’s a perfect Father’s Day thing,’” Forbes said. “What a great thing to do with your son or your daughter, or whoever, to go see it in a theater and see it in a community. I think with these kind of classics that we’re trying to showcase, you know, to relive those in a community setting instead of just at home on the TV and stuff, there’s just so much more that you can get in that shared experience. That’s kind of a big reason that we’re wanting to create that environment.”
And to be able to offer the screenings for free is a way to help people have the chance to go to the movies, Brewer said. The two said there are about 74 or 75 seats that will be available for Sunday’s screening, so people should plan to get to the theater early to secure a seat.
And it’s a fun treat for dads, they said.
“This is a Father’s Day event; this is for the dads, especially, like, ‘Field of Dreams.’ If you’ve seen the movie, you probably know,” Brewer said. “We’re doing this for the dads, I’m a dad myself, so this is kind of my Father’s Day present to myself as well.”
katie@durangoherald.com
