The Crandell Theatre reopens July 1-4, 2021, with four feature-length movies shown from Thursday through Sunday. Thursday’s festive opening begins at 6:30 p.m. with music and dance presented outside the theater prior to the screening at 7:30 p.m. A complete schedule of screenings for the weekend can be found on the Crandell website, crandelltheatre.org, where tickets may be purchased online and at the box office. Movie admission is $8 members, $9 nonmembers, and $7 for children 12 and under.
Film screenings and their times are as follows: Thursday (July 1), 7:30 p.m., The Truffle Hunters; Friday (July 2), 4:00 p.m., Dream Horse; 7:30 p.m., Jaws; Saturday (July 3), 1:00 p.m., The Truffle Hunters, 4:00 p.m., Dream Horse, and 7:30 p.m. The Climb; Sunday (July 4), 1:00 p.m., Sunflowers, and 4:00 p.m. The Climb. After the screening of The Climb on Saturday evening, producer Noah Lang participates in a Q&A with Peter Biskind, Crandell Theatre board member and Executive Director of FilmColumbia. Directed by Michael Angelo Covino, The Climb was recognized at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019 and features a cameo appearance by the Crandell Theatre.
On Thursday, beginning at 6:30 p.m., movie goers outside the theater are entertained by the Crandell Sidewalk Trio (Christopher Ferrone, saxophone; Jonathan Talbott, violin; and Peter Jung, guitar) playing American movie and jazz standards. At 7:00 p.m. Kiersten Berry, Aidan Brennan, Mason Hutchinson, Sam Silver, and Lily Stratman of the Columbia County Youth Theater Performance Company perform “Dancing Queen,” from Mama Mia and “We Got the Beat” from Head Over Heels. Seating for the film, The Truffle Hunters, begins at 7:15 p.m.
Although health restrictions for theaters in New York have been waived, Executive Director Annie Brody said that several protocols are being implemented to accommodate safety concerns. The theatre has been thoroughly cleaned, and upgraded air filters have been installed. Between screenings, arm rests and restrooms will be wiped down and side doors opened for ventilation.
Brody indicated that staff are wearing masks and movie goers are required to wear masks when entering and moving about the theater. Masks may be removed when seated. Staff are encouraging social distancing while movie goers are standing in line. The Crandell’s contactless ticketing system automatically provides for social distancing in seating. With the ability to accommodate over 500 people, Brody anticipates that everyone will find comfortable, safe seating. To avoid congestion, concessions are not being offered, although Brody expects that refreshments will be sold in the future.
A brief description of the weekend’s movies follows:
The Truffle Hunters (PG-13 Documentary, 2020)
With a wily and absurdist flare, The Truffle Hunters captures a precarious ritual constantly threatened by greed and outside influences but still somehow protected by those clever, tight-lipped few who know how to unearth the magic within nature.
Dream Horse (PG-13 Drama/Sport, 2020)
Academy Award nominee Toni Collette stars in Dream Horse, an inspiring tale based on a true story of an unlikely racehorse bred by a small town Welsh bartender, her husband (Damian Lewis), and their community.
Jaws (PG Horror/Adventure, 1975)
When a young woman is killed by a shark near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will hurt the town’s economy. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and the trio engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature.
Sunflowers (Documentary, 2021)
Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers are among his most famous works, as well as being some of the most iconic paintings in the world. In an extraordinary exhibition, the Van Gogh Museum took a new and revealing look at the five publicly-owned versions of sunflowers in a vase.
The Climb (R Comedy/Drama, 2019)
Kyle and Mike are best friends who share a close bond — until it is revealed that Mike has slept with Kyle’s fiancée. The Climb follows a tumultuous but enduring relationship between two men across many years of laughter, heartbreak, and rage. The film premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2019, winning in the “Un Certain Regard” category.
Through the summer, from Thursday through Sunday, the Crandell presents eight screenings of four curated commercial and independent films each week. The full schedule for each month is posted on the Crandell website, crandelltheatre.org, by the 15th of the preceding month. Show times are fixed as follows: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Tickets with specific seat reservations may be purchased in advance online at the Crandell website, crandelltheatre.org, and at the box office, 30 minutes prior to film start time. Admission is $9 for nonmembers, $8 for Crandell members, and $7 for children 12 and under. Credit/debit cards are preferred.
The Crandell Theatre opened in 1926 as a venue for traveling vaudeville shows and silent movies. Built in the Spanish Renaissance style, the building has been largely unchanged. With over 500 seats, the Crandell is one of the few single-screen movie theatres in the country. The Crandell’s highly regarded festival, FilmColumbia, celebrating 20 years, has been recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” in the world. In March 2021 the board announced a capital campaign to complete the renovation of the theatre.
Crandell Theatre is a not-for profit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural vitality of the region through film programming that challenges, inspires, educates, and entertains. The theater is supported by ticket sales and earned revenue, contributions of members and friends, and private and public grants, including the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. In 2017 the Crandell Theatre was listed on the federal and state registers of historic places. For information, visit the website, crandelltheatre.org, or call. 518.392.3445.