This year, the Plaza Classic Film festival is celebrating anniversaries for two of the industry’s most beloved studios, Paramount and Universal Pictures. Several titles from each studio will be shown, along with a great selection of classic U.S. and foreign films, documentaries, concert films and local talent.

It should be a thrill to discover, or rediscover, several of the films in the lineup. The original Japanese classic “Gojira” will be shown and modern audiences, who’ve probably only seen the more campy versions of “Godzilla VS.” or the American remake, will be surprised by how bleak and dramatically centered the original is.

Also showing is the legendary “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which has always been one of the best romantic comedies of all time with two great leads and an iconic performance by Audrey Hepburn. It should be interesting to see the character of Mr. Yunioshi and how it holds up to modern audiences, as blatant as it is of an Asian stereotype.

Other possible highlights include “Pulp Fiction,” one of the most quotable and iconic films of the ‘90s. The film gave John Travolta his comeback and launched Quentin Tarantino into the mainstream. It should be great to revisit that early Tarantino, and new audiences can see what all the fuss is about.

One film that is coming back to El Paso and will be having its world re-premiere is the cult sensation “Manos, The Hands of Fate.” The film was not only considered one of the worst films ever made, but it was actually filmed here in El Paso. It has been embraced as a template cult classic and even featured on “Mystery Science Theatre 3000.” Actress Jackey Neyman Jones will be the special guest during the screening.

Audiences should go out and experience any of the films, whether it is foreign, animated, science fiction, drama or adventure. The festival offers comedies ranging from the early days of cinema (“Duck Soup”) to the last film by the legendary Monty Python crew, “The Meaning of Life.”
Also featured is “The Big Lebowski,” a film noir comedy that really ties the whole scene together.

The surreal tale that defies the notion of dreams and reality, while also tackling themes of sexuality and expression, Luis Buñuel’s landmark “Belle de Jour” will also be screened.

The festival will also commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy with two films: “Titanic” (1953) and “A night to Remember” (1958). It should be interesting to see how these black and white films compare to James Cameron’s take on the tragedy and how different decades viewed the same tragedy with a different mentality.

Many of the films to be screened also contain different themes that deal with postwar grief, whether that is “Gojira” in Japan or “A Place in the Sun” in the U.S. Others deal with women taking on new identities “Marnie” and “Belle de Jour,” while others explore romance on exotic locales whether that be Venice or Casablanca with David Lean’s “Summertime” and “Casablanca” from Michael Curtiz.

These are films that are truly unforgettable and remind us of the power of film as an art form and as a social medium that brings people together to laugh, cry, get inspired or simply have a good time with family or friends.

Such events are important for our understanding of film. Actors (including Al Pacino who will make an appearance for benefit purposes), actresses and scholars will serve to inform the public as to what went into making these films, how they have a cultural importance, why they are classics and why they must be viewed and shown to the public.

Oscar Garza may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.