Secret Cinema is a London-based group of film fans that formed in 2007 to bring movie lovers to various secret, sometimes bizarre locations to watch a classic film. “Classic” being the operative word; the company has screened everything from Ghostbusters to The Red Shoes. The showings have become increasingly complicated affairs for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is because the concept has grown in popularity. Last summer saw an ambitious Back to the Future event where viewers watched the movie in a replica of Hill Valley.
The next project is even bigger: The Empire Strikes Back will play from June 4 until August 2 in a yet-unnamed London location, with patrons heading to “a secret city where they will be taken on a journey through the world of Star Wars.”
From their event page:
Look out for a secret code on forgotten buildings in the days to come which will lead to a secret portal.
We are gathering those that believe in the Force by reinstating the importance of romance, adventure and mystery in this high-speed world.
Tickets are £75, or about $112 USD, and will be available starting March 18. That’s quite a lot of money considering there’s no indication they’ll be showing the original version and not the special edition. Fans on their Facebook page are put out by the leap in ticket prices. While “immersion” events with actors and ambiance can be fun, Secret Cinema started out as clandestine screenings in small locations for the limited amount of people who could follow the clues given to them via email.
According to the Guardian, despite ticket prices increasing to match the scale of their events, Secret Cinema wasn’t paying actors and other workers involved a fair wage. The Back to the Future production was not without its problems, yet it managed to raise over £3.5 million. Regardless of the complications and complaints, the company is bringing the same event to Los Angeles this year, as well as the summer-long showings of Empire in London.
via Blastr
