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Tampa Theatre brings back summer series of classic movies

From “The Wizard of Oz” to “Jaws” to 1920s silent movies with live organ music, the historic movie house will resume its showing of classics.
 
Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Judy Garland as Dorothy and Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman, sing in this scene from "The Wizard of Oz." The movie will kick off Tampa Theatre's Summer Movie classics series June 4-6.
Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Judy Garland as Dorothy and Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman, sing in this scene from "The Wizard of Oz." The movie will kick off Tampa Theatre's Summer Movie classics series June 4-6. [ AP ]
Published May 14, 2021|Updated May 20, 2021

Tampa Theatre has released its lineup for the 30th anniversary of its summer movie series, and it includes beloved films like The Wizard of Oz and Jaws and two 1920s classics presented in their original format with a live accompaniment on the movie house’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ.

It’s another sign of a return to normal since the pandemic began, and also nostalgia.

“For 30 years, the community has flocked to Tampa Theatre on hot Sunday afternoons to enjoy Summer Classics as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen, with a bag of fresh popcorn and a cold drink in hand, as a shared, community experience,” the theater’s news announcement said.

Last summer, with Tampa Theatre closed during the pandemic, the 29th annual Summer Classics series did not happen. This year, as people start to return to their favorite leisure activities, the historic movie house hopes people make this their “first movie back."
Last summer, with Tampa Theatre closed during the pandemic, the 29th annual Summer Classics series did not happen. This year, as people start to return to their favorite leisure activities, the historic movie house hopes people make this their “first movie back." [ Times (2012) ]

Last summer, with Tampa Theatre closed during the pandemic, the 29th annual Summer Classics series did not happen. This year, as people start to return to their favorite leisure activities, the historic movie house hopes people make one of these showings their first movie back.

This year, each summer classic will be offered more than once. The series will kick off with a three-show weekend June 4-6 featuring The Wizard of Oz. And then each of the other films will be shown at 3 p.m. Sunday and again at 7:30 p.m. the following Thursday evening.

With The Gold Rush and The Black Pirate, the series offers a unique opportunity to see those silent films the way audiences saw them back in the 1920s: presented in their original format with live accompaniment on the Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ. Tampa Theatre’s artist-in-residence Steven Ball will write and perform an original score for each of the films.

Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp character in his 1925 movie "The Gold Rush," which will be shown as part of Tampa Theatre's Summer Classics series on June 20 and 24 with live organ music.
Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp character in his 1925 movie "The Gold Rush," which will be shown as part of Tampa Theatre's Summer Classics series on June 20 and 24 with live organ music. [ Warner Home Video ]

“The overall experience is as close to time travel as one will ever experience,” the theater announcement said.

Audiences are also invited to stick around after select shows for talks with some of the community’s film experts, including retired University of South Florida film professor Harriet Deer and retired Tampa Bay Times film critic Steve Persall, who will examine the films’ themes, structure and cultural significance, and answer questions from the audience. Film talks are included with movie admission.

Tickets are $10; $12 online at tampatheatre.org. Silent films are $13; $15 online.

The lineup

The Wizard of Oz (1939): 7:30 p.m. June 4, 5 and 3 p.m. June 6

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Airplane! (1980): 3 p.m. June 13 and 7:30 p.m. June 17

The Gold Rush (1925): 3 p.m. June 20 and 7:30 p.m. June 24

Citizen Kane (1941): 3 p.m. June 27 and 7:30 p.m. July 1

Glory (1989): 3 p.m. July 4 and 7:30 p.m. July 8

North by Northwest (1959): 3 p.m. July 11 and 7:30 p.m. July 15

The Big Lebowski (1998): 3 p.m. July 18 and 7:30 p.m. July 22

Jaws (1975): 3 p.m. July 25 and 7:30 p.m. July 29

Some Like It Hot (1959): 3 p.m. Aug. 1 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5

Singin’ in the Rain (1952): 3 p.m. Aug. 8 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12

Young Frankenstein (1974): 3 p.m. Aug. 15 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19

Casablanca (1942): 3 p.m. Aug. 22 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26

The Black Pirate (1926): 3 p.m. Aug. 29 and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2