Fort Lewis College screening movies under the stars this summer
Want to see Chevy Chase rob the cash register at the Strater Hotel? Or Billy Crystal romping on a ranch outside of Durango? While underneath the stars? If so, set aside Wednesday nights this summer. The Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College is producing its first free film series, highlighting movies filmed in and around Durango. The goal of the series is to entertain the locals and to attract visitors to the college campus. "Each summer there are hundreds of thousands of visitors on Main Avenue, but they don't realize there is a college here," said Gary Pennington, director of the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis. So, to increase awareness and enrollment, the office of President Brad Bartel is sponsoring the movie series. "I wanted a movie festival so that people could bring a dinner and have a picnic like fun time watching a movie," Bartel said in an e-mail this week.
Mindful of the high prices associated with many arts events in Durango, Bartel is committed to the event remaining free to the public. He hopes that each year the series will get bigger and better, with movie themes changing each time.
Volunteers from the Durango Independent Film Festival will introduce each film with a description of how the film is associated with Durango. Extras who have worked in the films also will talk about their experience on set.Out of a list of 24 movies that fit the criteria of being filmed near Durango, Pennington selected seven."The Tracker" will kick off the series on June 20, and on following Wednesdays expect: "How the West Was Won," "Around the World in 80 Days," "The Naked Spur," "Support Your Local Gunfighter," and "Vacation." The series will conclude with "City Slickers" on Aug. 8.Films will be shown in a tent outside of the Community Concert Hall. Modeling the style of an old drive-in theatre, movies will start at 8:30 p.m. or dusk. Chairs will be set up, and the concessions stands and cash bar will be open inside the Concert Hall.Best of all, the popcorn is free.