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Fassbinder's CHINESE ROULETTE 35mm @ The Secret Movie Club Theater

  • Secret Movie Club 1917 Bay Street Los Angeles, CA, 90021 United States (map)

SECRET MOVIE CLUB presents

FASSBINDER 35MM BIERGARTEN WEDNESDAYS! Wednesday, September 22, 2021

LOCATION: The Secret Movie Club Theater, 1917 Bay Street, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90021

*Please note entrance/parking is actually in the back of the building. Make a right on Wilson Street, then a right behind the building. We’re the first set of black steps after the big gate. We’ll have staff to help guide/park you.

8pm CHINESE ROULETTE (1977, wri/dir by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Janus, Germany, 86mns, 35MM)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

***ALL GUESTS WILL BE TAKEN THROUGH PROTOCOLS PRIOR TO ENTERING THEATER SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE A FUN AND SAFE TIME.

***WE STILL RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE BRING PROOF OF VACCINATION. AND EVERYONE (REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS) MUST WEAR MASKS WHEN NOT EATING/DRINKING CONCESSIONS.

***PLEASE HAVE A PHOTO OF YOUR VACCINATION CARD READY ON YOUR PHONE AND/OR HAVE IT ON YOUR PERSON FOR EASE OF CHECK IN.

HOW TO:

1)PLEASE BRING AND BE READY TO WEAR A PROPER MASK AT ALL TIMES INSIDE THE THEATER AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION.

2)PRE-ORDER ANY CONCESSIONS OR MOVIE MERCHANDISE you would like from the additional Add-Ons. You can pick up all concessions & merchandise at our tables in our lobby prior to the screening.

We will be able to sell concessions & merchandise at the theater. But it will make everything much quicker and easier if you pre-order!

3)PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ANYONE EXHIBITING COVID OR FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS AT THE DOOR, WILL BE OFFERED COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS TO A FUTURE SHOW AND ASKED TO RETURN WHEN HEALTHY. So please, if you’re feeling sick, just write us at community@secretmovieclub.com and we’ll offer your complimentary tickets to a future screening when you’re healthy. Let’s all do our part to beat this thing so we can go back to the complete movie going experience!

Another one of our relatively deep dives of Fassbinder, Chinese Roulette soon shows itself to have more in common with Renoir's Rules of the Game and Bergman's Smiles on a Summer Night then many of Fassbinder's other movies. Except. . .

It's still really brutal and scathing about human nature while at the same time showing itself to be incredibly tender towards victims of dysfunction.

Shot by the masterful Michael Ballhaus, Chinese Roulette tells the story of the Christ family whose daughter Angela needs crutches to walk (yes, if you picked up on the symbolism, you're on the right track. . .). When Mr. Christ lies thinking he'll have his country estate to himself and his mistress, he's rudely surprised when Angela, her Mother, and other family friends descend upon the home for the weekend.

Soon, Angela is leading everyone in a kind of "truth or dare" game that will devastate everyone before the night is through.

Though an initially chillier and more style-focused entry, Chinese Roulette soon reveals itself to be every inch as emotionally devastating as Fassbinder's other's movies but with a very perverse mind game at the center.

Best always,

Craig Hammill

35mm Secret Movie Club Founder.Programmer

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR OUR IN-DOOR THEATER SCREENINGS

REFUNDS:

We can offer refunds up to 24 hours before showtime. Please request a refund through Eventbrite and we will process ASAP. After that, no refunds. Sorry.

However if something last minute comes up and you can’t make the screening, for whatever reason, just write us at: community@secretmovieclub.com and we’ll offer you complimentary tickets to a future screening.

WHY ARE THE TICKET PRICES HIGHER THAN NORMAL?

In order for us to re-open, maintain health protocols , and screen movies on 35MM, we need to temporarily raise our ticket prices. We apologize.

However, if you could look at this as partially helping the Secret Movie Club Theater re-open, make the improvements as we go to turn this into the amazing movie watching, movie making center we know it can be, we would be eternally grateful.

We should be able to lower our ticket prices soon as we are able to increase capacity and lower restrictions.

If you could look at this as all of us being in this together, we WILL remember your kindness.

HELPFUL SECRET MOVIE CLUB (1917 Bay Street, 2nd Floor, LA, CA 90021) THEATER PARKING TIPS:

We recommend that you park just outside our theater. Remember our theater is actually in a beautiful street art alleyway in the back of the 1917 Bay Street building. You get to our entrance by taking a right on Wilson, then a right behind the building. We are the first set of black steps on the right after the big gate.

We will have a staff member on duty to monitor all cars parked in the street-art alleyway at our entrance.

There is also a parking lot at the corner of Mateo and Violet Street, just 2 blocks from our theater, which costs $7 per car.

HOW WILL OUR STAFF MAKE SURE THE THEATER IS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE:

We will have staff in the theater at all times who make sure everyone is wearing masks and obeying protocols. We will have signage at entrance, markings at concessions, restrooms, etc so folks keep 6 ft distance at all times.

Anyone not observing safe protocols will kindly be asked to leave. On top of this, we’ll be making announcements at the head of each screening to make sure everyone understands the rules & regs!

HOW CAN WE STAY ON TOP OF NEWLY ANNOUNCED 35MM SCREENINGS, EVENTS, ETC?

You can follow us on Facebook: @secretmovieclub35mm or Instagram/Twitter: @secretmovieclub

You can also subscribe to our weekly email newsletter by writing us at community@secretmovieclub.com and using the header “SUBSCRIBE ME TO NEWSLETTER”.

HOW CAN I CONTACT YOU IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS:

You can always email us at community@secretmovieclub.com with any other questions, concerns, thoughts, recommendations.