16mm DOUBLE FEATURE NIGHT at The Way Out Club April 4th – FIRST BLOOD and SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Join us for some old-school 16mm Movie Madness! – It’s our monthly 16MM DOUBLE FEATURE NIGHT at The Way Out Club (2525 Jefferson Avenue in St. Louis)! Join Tom Stockman and Roger from “Roger’s Reels’ for complete films projected on 16mm film. The show is Tuesday April 4th and starts at 8pm. Admission is FREE though we will be setting out a jar to take donations for the National Children’s Cancer Society.

First up Is FIRST BLOOD (1982)

FIRST BLOOD was the original Rambo film before he became known as a one-man army as shown in the sequels, Sylvester Stallone plays Ex-Green Beret and Vietnam War veteran John Rambo who’s passing through a small town after learning of the death of a member of his unit, and all he wants is something to eat. The local sheriff (Brian Dennehy) doesn’t take too kindly to him, however, and after he breaks out of jail, a strong disagreement turns into a full-scale war, with Rambo at odds against the town’s police force. Not only does he make a fool of the sheriff, but in his wake, leaves a trail of destruction all on his own that only serves to match the amount of rage and alienation built up inside of him. Action films just don’t get better than FIRST BLOOD, although the three sequels that followed sure did try.

Then it’s SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (1977)

Redneck bad boys were all the rage in ’77. Cars were still made in Michigan and CB radios were the hot technology with phrases like “10-4 good buddy” familiar expressions and SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT captured that side of American culture as well as any film. The plot of SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT was merely an excuse for the many car chases and gags that comprised the thin story, which is about Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and his buddy Cledus (Jerry Reed) attempting to win a bet. They have to drive from Georgia to Arkansas, pick up four hundred cases of Coors beer, and deliver it back in Georgia within twenty-eight hours. Along the way they pick up escaped bride Carrie (Sally Field) and get chased by the jilted groom’s father, a Texas sheriff; one Buford T. Justice, hilariously played by the great Jackie Gleason.It was the directorial debut for former stuntman Hal Needham and was the first of nine collaborations with his pal Burt Reynolds. Jackie Gleason tossed off great one-liners like the comedy legend that he was and former Tarzan Mike Henry was perfect as his doofus son.

There will be movie trivia with prizes and of course The Way Out Club will have a full bar and Way Out Pizzas for sale. Don’t miss it!