Join Cinema Under The Influence and Level Up Entertainment for CUI's first Atlantic City screening as we toast the legacy of VHS--the now-retired format that introduced so many of us to cinema--with a special screening of Kevin Smith's Clerks and Len Cella's Moron Movies at the Boneyard Bar & Grill on January 16th.
The evening starts at 8 pm with a reception and a raffle featuring donations from local businesses like Level Up, The Rock Shop, Hard Rock Cafe Atlantic City, Mr. Blue Sky Tattoo, and more.
The screening begins at 8:30 pm with an exclusive video introduction from Len Cella and selections from his pioneering Moron Movies, hand-picked by the filmmaker himself. These comedy microshorts--often shown onJohnny Carson's "Tonight Show" in the '80s--were popularized and proliferated by easy-to-copy, simple-to-share VHS cassettes.
The feature will be Kevin Smith's seminal indie Clerks. Made in 1994 for $27,000 and financed with maxed-out credit cards and the sale of a comic-book collection, Smith's highly-personal film about two minimum wageslaves--shot in New Jersey video shops and convenience stores--marked the end of VHS culture's dominance as digital distribution formats like the laserdisc and DVD quickly grew in the years to follow. More than just a piece of history though, Clerks remains bitingly funny and an inspiration to young filmmakers more than two decades later.
Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. They include the films, drink specials, and a raffle chance; advance tickets include two chances at the raffle.
So come and raise a glass with us as we make an evening-long toast to a key figure in film history: the VHS tape
