We realize that we play a ton of what would be considered geek at the Mayfair as is. So why have theme specific titled Geek Nights on top of that? Well, there are some nights that on average are better than worse in attendance when it comes to the repertory theatre business. For us, the Sunday at 9 slot hasn’t exactly had line-up’s around the block. The concept of taking that dead time slot and trying extra hard to make it something special took form. Do something akin to karaoke nights in bars…well, not with the bad singing, but something that people make a routine of coming to, something that gets marked on the calendar and folks make an extra effort to participate in. Since we have such an appreciative and proud geek audience as is (just look to recent screenings of The Warriors, Army of Darkness, or The Big Labowski for proof of that) the idea of showing not just geeky movies, but real and true hard core cult classics that would interest only the most die-hard of movie fanatic came to be. And what better way to start things off with than an epic tale about a new breed of hero trapped in a world he never made.

In the mid-eighties, on the heels of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, George Lucas pretty much had the power to do anything he wanted in the world of film-making. His non-movie projects ranged from Saturday morning cartoons featuring Star Wars characters to Disney theme park rides starring Michael Jackson (how bizarre is that thought in today’s day and age? Lucas…Jackson…Disney…weird).

On paper, (as ideas for movies always are I guess, ’cause why else would people go to the effort of making them) all the projects that he was involved in seemed like good, or great ideas at the time I think. An epic fantasy directed by Jim Henson, a Star Wars / Lord of the Rings swords and sorcery adventure directed by Ron Howard, a tale of an American automobile icon and hero directed by Francis Ford Coppola. None of them worked though. Not necessarily to say that they weren’t good (I’m a fan of all three of those movies myself), though none found an audience or much in the was of praise (though Tucker did manage a couple Oscar nominations). Financial success doesn’t equal good, but it was quite a downward turn for the filmmaker after the unabashed success he had experienced in the previous ten years or so.

Amidst this era, also came the infamous comic book adaptation of Howard the Duck. Now-a-days, we’ve become acclimated to comic book stories on the big screen. At the time though, they were few and far in between as compared to present day when we average about a new comic book movie a week it seems. Lucas put not only his power behind the project, but hired his Oscar nominated American Graffiti partners Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz to adapt the acclaimed and popular comic book, and promised amazing fx from ILM. Again…all good on paper. And again…didn’t quite turn out as planned.

Celebrate the kick off of Sunday Night Geek Nights with us at the Mayfair with a rare screening of what has become the go to example of a flop Hollywood movie that all the powers that be thought was going to be pure gold. Rare, because, well…who else in their right minds would program such a film? And, as with every Geek Night to come, we’ll have some geeky prize give-aways from some great Ottawa geek stores the likes of The Comic Book Shoppe, Invisible Cinema and Lost Marbles.

Sunday Night Geek Nights begin with Howard the Duck – Sunday May 9th – 9:30PM.

The first night of the next great tradition at the Mayfair Theatre.
Just wait ’till you see what we have planned for June and beyond.