By KRWG News
El Paso – Famed film historian, writer, actor, producer and director Peter Bogdanovich will join the growing list of special guests at this year's Plaza Classic Film Festival, event organizers announced today. The Plaza Classic, now in its 3rd year, premiers August 5, 2010 in El Paso and will run through August 15, 2010 at the Plaza Theatre. The event is sponsored by the El Paso Community Foundation.
Bogdanovich is best known for his 1971 film, The Last Picture Show, which he wrote and directed. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards (including Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing) and starred a long list of established and emerging talent: Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Cybil Shephard, Ben Johnson (Best Actor Oscar), Ellen Burstyn, Randy Quaid and Cloris Leachman (Best Supporting Actress Oscar).
"This is a seminal film of the early seventies and a perfectly accurate look at a West Texas small town in decline and dealing with the closure of its only movie house," stated the Plaza Classic's Artistic Director Charles Horak.
Horak says Bogdanovich will not only share his personal recollections on the making of The Last Picture Show, but will also introduce two of the festival's other titles: Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Orson Welles' border noir Touch of Evil. Horak stated, "We're extremely fortunate to have Mr. Bogdanovich joining us this year. His wealth of knowledge of classic films is not just academic, but personal, and audiences will be hearing very special stories about Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles, among others."
Mr. Bogdanovich will take part in a conversation about his career moderated by festival artistic director Charles Horak in the Plaza's Philanthropy Theatre on Saturday, August 14th at 4 p.m.
The Last Picture Show will be screened Saturday, August 14th at 7 p.m. inside the Kendle Kidd Performance Hall at the Plaza Theatre and Touch of Evil and Psycho will be screened on Friday, August 13th at 3:30pm and 7pm, respectively.
The Plaza Classic Film Festival will feature rare screenings of classic films, film talks with film scholars, concerts and special presentations. Screenings will be held in and around the historic Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Centre, a 1930 atmospheric-styled movie palace restored in 2006.
Ticket prices for screenings at the Plaza Classic range from $2.00 to $10.00, with several movies free of charge.
Festival Passes are available now for $150 through the El Paso Community Foundation, (915)533-4020 and tickets will go on sale Friday, July 9 at the Plaza Theatre box office or through all TicketMaster outlets.