Showtime at the Senate Nick Baldwin

Showtime at the Senate has returned!

Before quarantine and the COVID-19 virus hit, we planned on screening John Carpenter's They Live (1988) on Saturday, March 28th. The screening is postponed for now, but before all this mayhem hit, I had on award winning novelist Jonathan Lethem on the show to talk about  They Live and the Deep Focus book he wrote on the film back in 2010. (available here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/They-Live-Focus-Jonathan-Lethem/dp/159376278X)

We talk about his experience with the film, why we enjoy watching it so much, Reaganomics, consumer capitalism and one of my favorite characters, the blind preacher.



Recorded at MusicTown Detroit. 

On Episode 7 of Showtime at the Senate - John J Shetler and I discuss Kong, The Eight Wonder of The World! We touch on Merian C. Cooper and Earnest Schoedsack's personal history, Willis O' Brian and the origins of Visual Effects in Film and Max Steiner's incredible and groundbreaking score.

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Sat. March. 7th, 2020.

Doors 7:00 pm

Organ Overture 7:30 pm

Movie 8:00 pm

Tickets $5

1 hour 40 min.

The Senate Theater and the Detroit Theater Organ Society present a screening of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack’s classic monster movie “King Kong” (1933), the original film that inspired generations of monster movies.

Kong, The Eighth Wonder of the World, is a prehistoric ape like creature who inhabits Skull Island. Captured by man and put on display in the Big Apple, will Kong escape his shackles and return to Skull Island or will he wreak havoc on New York City?

“King Kong” ranks 43rd on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest American films of all time, boasting a remarkable performance from Fay Wray and an unforgettable score by Max Steiner.

The character of King Kong has become one of the world’s most recognizable movie stars and has inspired numerous sequels, remakes, cartoons, comic books and more.

Episode 6  of Showtime at the Senate is here and we get to talk about one of my favorite movies, The Maltese Falon. My fellow movie committe members, Lindsay Robillard and Ian Gleespen, chat with me about how awesome Humphrey Bogart is, The Maltese Falcon's origin story and a bit about the artistic relationship between John Huston and Humphrey Bogart. We also discuss their 1953 spoof film, co-written by Truman Capote, Beat the Devil.

Episode 5 of Showtime at the Senate is LIVE! This week, I talk with Flamingo Vintage Detroit proprietress, Nikki Neuzil, and film aficianado Finn Formica about Grease (1978), shopping vintage, and 50's fashion.

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Grease + 1950’s Pop-Up Shop  Sat., Feb. 15  Doors + Shopping 6 p.m.  Organ Overture 7:30  Movie 8 p.m.  Tickets $5   

Attention Pink Ladies and T-Birds, Sandy and Danny are reuniting at the Senate Theater! Come see the beloved musical Grease (1978) as it was meant to be seen; on the big screen in a theater full of fans. A 1950’s Pop-Up Shop featuring Flamingo Vintage Detroit and other vendors will be bringing poodles skirts and more to round out a truly retro evening. We’ll be handing out prizes for best dressed at intermission so bring your poodle skirts and bomber jackets!

Showtime at the Senate: Episode 3 is here!  This week, we discuss the oldest avant garde and experimental film festival in North America,the Ann Arbor Film Festival, with tour manager Marin Smith!  The Ann Arbor Film Festival Almost All Ages Program is this Sat. Jan 25 at 4 pm! Tickets $5 and kids 12 and under FREE. 

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The Senate Theater is teaming up with the Ann Arbor Film Festival to bring their Almost All Ages touring festival to Detroit. Almost All Ages is a diverse selection of colorful and engaging films that makes experimental, one-of-a-kind films accessible and exciting for everyone who watches. Each of the eight short films, ranging from animated to documentary features a distinctive perspective. As a group, the films inspire audiences to think, look, and experience the world around them in new and creative ways. The works are intended for audiences ranging from elementary school children to adults well-versed in the cinematic arts and everyone in between. The content is appropriate for ages 6+.   ABOUT THE FESTIVAL Established in 1963, the Ann Arbor Film Festival is the oldest avant garde and experimental film festival in North America. The six-day festival presents 40 programs with more than 200 artist films from over 20 countries of all lengths and genres, including experimental, animation, documentary, narrative, hybrid, and performance-based works. The 58th Festival will take place March 24-29, 2020 at the historic Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Episode 2 of Showtime at the Senate! Fellow movie committe member John Shetler and I discuss our upcoming Fatty Arbuckle and Friends silent shorts program. We discuss the heartbreaking story of Roscoe Arbuckle and why he should be remembered for his craft rather than a series of horribly unfortunate events.  

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Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle mentored Charlie Chaplin, introduced the world to Bob Hope and Buster Keaton, and for a time, was the most popular comedian in Hollywood.  Due to a scandal that unfairly affected his reputation, Arbuckle's contributions to screen comedy have been largely ignored.  Thankfully, since the 1970s, historians have begun to set the record straight and audiences have given a second look to this founding father of movie comedy.   

 As part of the Silents at the Senate series, CineMuseum LLC and the Detroit Theater Organ Society proudly presents FATTY ARBUCKLE AND FRIENDS.  Join us for a collection of six hilarious silent shorts, accompanied by Andrew Rogers on the Mighty Wurlitzer organ:  Peeping Pete (1913) The Rounders (1914) The Waiters' Ball (1916) Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1916) Coney Island (1917) Love (1919)  

Sat. Jan. 18th, 2020 Doors 7 pm Movie 8pm  Tickets $10 - Kids 12 and under FREE  All six shorts star Arbuckle, assisted by other comic greats of the day – Chaplin, Keaton, Mabel Normand, and others.  Bring the family for a fun night at the Senate!  In addition to the shorts program, organist Andrew Rogers will conduct a Q&A session and attendees will be invited to tour our organ chamber.  As an added treat, Producer, Director, and co-founder of Cinemuseum LLC, Paul Gierucki will be displaying memorabilia and items personally owned by Roscoe Arbuckle!  Approximate running time: 1hr 51min (plus intermission)  Silents at the Senate is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and CultureSource.