All Hail The Roxy in Miramar
Monday is for Movies.
Alright, we are living in increasingly uncertain times. So, it was certainly a time to go to the movies last night. And what a treat to escape to The Roxy and see The Thing – a 40th Anniversary screening. The Roxy knows how to do these events – you could get cocktails, a desert and DJ Beware was playing a set of John Carpenter cuts. But you could also just rock up with a no-frills ticket and enjoy the movie without a fancy feast or libation.
All correctly socially distanced of course. People scanning in, and showing their vaccine passes, since that’s what you currently need to do to get the treats. No big deal. No people trying to scam in, no issues, everyone lining up and being sorted efficiently. You wear your mask until the movie starts. Or even during the movie if that makes you feel better.
The Thing is a masterpiece. You might remember I went deep into John Carpenter late last year because – apart from always being a fan I did a radio feature on RNZ about his soundtrack work.
Watching The Thing was one of my revelations from last year’s dig. To see it on the big screen now was such a treat.
One of my most prized possessions in my growing vinyl collection of movie soundtracks is the score for The Thing (a gift from another music fan getting rid of his vinyl collection). So I was keen to see the movie in a cinema just to soak up the soundtrack in that environment. It did not disappoint. But the movie itself…what a masterpiece. And if anything, it seemed more prescient.
One part isolation drama (Cabin Fever, Panic Room), one part classic sci-fi/horror blend (Enemy Mine, Aliens) but most importantly the creeping tension of paranoia when those elements combine. Yes, there’s gore and Creature-Feature aspects and the special FX are brilliant for the time and fun to laugh at a bit now also – but the thing about The Thing that I love most is that it has aspects of 12 Angry Men or An Inspector Calls. The frenzy of paranoia and how it is its own virus. Watching a group turn on themselves when forced into a special and isolated/isolating conundrum.
As much as it’s great to get to the cinema to escape, it was hard not to view The Thing as somehow relevant in this stage of a pandemic where a noisy, embarrassing minority believe they are protesting freedom but are merely parading selfishness and stupidity. Tinfoil hats were no longer satire this weekend down at parliament…
Anyway, I just wanted to thank The Roxy for another great night and another great event.
You will remember I got along to see The Big Lebowski there mid last year. And Misery too.
There have been other events we’ve made it to as well. A full family mission to see Poltergeist was a pre-Xmas highlight for us. I’ve already locked in tickets for The Batman – the latest reboot of the iconic character. And I’m very tempted to see Face/Off again – coming up there…in finding that out I saw they’re going to screen Tommy. And Ghostbusters. The hits just keep on coming…
So a huge thank you to The Roxy – and you can click there of course for ticketing and event info if you’re in Wellington – for helping to keep me sane and for providing an element of escapism and just a wee bit of pageantry on the side.
But a thank you for simply celebrating movies and the joy of re-screening your favourites.
We need this, I think. Now is the time for this.
So, all hail The Roxy in Miramar. And if you’re not in Wellington, or New Zealand, do you have a cinema near and dear to you that is keeping your movie dreams alive?
