Beaks here...

This Friday and Saturday evening (9/4 and 9/5), The New Beverly Cinema is celebrating the life and remarkable talent of writer-director-producer John Hughes with a double feature of what many consider to be his two finest films: FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF and PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES. You shouldn't need any extra incentive to watch these two terrific movies with a crowd of fervent Hughes fans, but because The New Beverly is the best damn repertory theater on the planet, they've rounded up a group of former Hughes collaborators to share with you their memories of working with a filmmaker who defined a generation.

If you show up tonight (starting at 7:30 PM), you'll get to fire off questions at the great Jeffrey Jones (Principal Ed Rooney), Edie McClurg ("GRACE!!!"), and Cindy Pickett (the loving, if completely oblivious Mrs. Bueller). And if you come tomorrow, you'll get the same group along with Lyman Ward (Mr. Bueller), producer Tom Jacobs (who also worked with Hughes on THE GREAT OUTDOORS, UNCLE BUCK and CHRISTMAS VACATION), and legendary editor Paul Hirsch (CARRIE, BLOW OUT, CREEPSHOW, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and an Oscar for STAR WARS). In case you're wondering, the print for FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF was struck in 2005, while the one for PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES was struck last week. In other words, these films are going to look terrific.

Admission for the double-feature is $7. Not that you care, but I'll be there Saturday night because I'm sticking around for the midnight screening of Sidney J. Furie's THE ENTITY.

The entire New Beverly calendar is up for September and October, and there's some incredible stuff on the way. Samuel Fuller's THE CRIMSON KIMONO and UNDERWORLD U.S.A.! John Carpenter's THE THING and PRINCE OF DARKNESS! A 25th Anniversary screening of BREAKIN' 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO! And you should totally join me on my birthday for the October 18th double feature of ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN and THE GHOST AND MRS. CHICKEN (I had nothing to do with programming these films, but I love them both dearly).

Hope to see you out this weekend!