TAMPA – For more than three decades, the community has flocked to Tampa Theatre on Sunday afternoons to enjoy Summer Classics as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen, with a bag of popcorn and a cold drink as a shared, communal experience.
Now in its 34th year, the Summer Classics Movie Series celebrates more than a century of extraordinary filmmaking.
The oldest offering, a collection of silent comedy shorts from the 1920s, takes Tampa Theatre back to its roots of presenting silent films with live musical accompaniment on its original Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. Others, like “The Blues Brothers,” “Psycho” and “Monty Python” are celebrating milestone anniversaries.
Most of these iconic favorites, like “The Wizard of Oz,” “Casablanca” and “The Princess Bride” have been named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for their cultural, historical or aesthetic significance.
To kick off the season, Tampa Theatre will present a special engagement of Jaws (1975) over Memorial Day weekend, offering audiences a chance to experience “the original summer blockbuster” on the big screen, May 23 to 27.
After that, the Summer Classics lineup includes:
- “The Princess Bride” (1987) – 3 p.m. June 1
- “The Blues Brothers” (1980) – 3 p.m. June 8
- “Dr. Zhivago” (1965) – 3 p.m. June 15
- “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) – 3 p.m. June 22
- “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) – 3 p.m. June 29
- “Top Gun” (1986) – 3 p.m. July 6
- “Psycho” (1960) – 3 p.m. July 13
- “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975) – 3 p.m. July 20
- “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) – 3 p.m. July 27
- “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” (1966) – 3 p.m. Aug. 3
- “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) – 3 p.m. Aug. 10
- “Roman Holiday” (1953) – 3 p.m. Aug. 17
- “Casablanca” (1942) – 3 p.m. Aug. 24
- “The Silent Clowns” – 3 p.m. Aug. 31
“The Silent Clowns” shorts provide a unique opportunity to see these silent films exactly as audiences saw them back in the 1920s, presented in their original format with live accompaniment on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. Tampa Theatre’s Artist in Residence Steven Ball will write and perform an original score for each of the films.
Audiences are also invited to stick around after select shows for Film Talks with some of the community’s most knowledgeable movie experts. They will examine the films’ themes, structure and cultural significance as well as answer questions from the audience.
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of Bank of America’s sponsorship of the Summer Classics Movie Series.
“At Bank of America, we are dedicated to supporting local cultural institutions that have a positive impact on our lives,” said Michael Esposito, president, Bank of America Tampa Bay. “For 10 years, we’ve supported Tampa Theater’s Summer Classics Movie Series and their goal to bring beloved classics to our community. This program has become a local tradition that brings people together each year.”
Tickets for “The Silent Clowns” event are $14.50 ($11.50 for Tampa Theatre members). The rest of the Summer Classics films are $10 ($7 for members).
