The Peoria Riverfront Museum Presents Alfred Hitchcock…
3/6/2019 Andrew Greenway, Editor
Looking for a chilling time to spend your Spring Break? Got an itch that only classic cinema can scratch? Do you want to experience the thrills of Psycho and North by Northwest as they were intended on the big screen?
Join the Peoria Riverfront Museum from March 7th-10th as they retrace the steps of one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, hosted by New York Times best-selling author Marc Eliot. Using his talents as a film critic and pop culture historian, Eliot will guide the audience through four films from the iconic director’s filmography, explaining the deeper meanings of the films. From Hitchock’s stylistic origins in German Expressionism to exploring their deeper personal meanings, Peoria audiences will be in for a treat as Eliot helps us look into the mind of the Master of Suspense.
Specially chosen for their accessibility in addition to their value as pieces of entertainment and the art of filmmaking, we join Eliot as he explores a new film for each day of the weekend.
Thursday, March 7th, 6 PM: Strangers on a Train, the 1951 film noir starring Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, and Robert Walker doubles as an adaption of the Patricia Highsmith novel by the same name and as a tense psychological thriller. Earning cinematographer Robert Burks an Oscar nod and Hitchcock a DGA Outstanding Direction nomination, Strangers on a Train aims to shock and awe audiences with a whodunnit so juicy that you could sink your teeth into it.
Friday, March 8th, 6 PM: North by Northwest just goes to show that no one is safe from a 2,000 lb. death machine, not even the lovable Cary Grant.
Saturday, March 9th, 6 PM: Vertigo, considered the greatest mystery film ever made by the American Film Institute, Vertigo is a film of deja vu and spectacular editing that’ll keep you on the ropes the whole ride. With a score by the revered Bernard Herrmann, this 1958 gem will have you have so dizzy with anticipation to see its conclusion, it may have you see double.
Sunday, March 10th, 2 PM: Psycho. The scream that changed the world. An antagonist as mysterious and surreal as the legacy that surrounds it. Whether you know it as the first blockbuster slasher film, the most recognizable scene in cinema, or the movie that gave us American Horror Story, Bates Motel, and Halloween, Psycho is an undeniable juggernaut of cinema and not one that has cast a shadow over the art of filmmaking itself. Marking the beginning of Alfred Hitchcock’s later filmography and the final years of his life, the 4-time Oscar nom closes out our weekend of presentations not with a bang, but a scream.
If you’re interested in attending any of the films or all of them, you can purchase tickets online at http://www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org/giant-screen-theater/the-art-of-film-hitchcock-as-master-of-suspense or in-person at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, 222 SW Washington St, Peoria, IL 61602.
Tickets* start at $25 per film or $90 for an All-Access Pass** for all four films.
*Ticket includes admission to film, discussion, and after-event book signing.
**All-Access Pass includes admission to all 4 films, discussions, book signings, and four (4) large popcorn & drink combos.
(Special Note: An employee at the museum has generously offered 20 students or faculty free admission to the event. This means there are a total of 20 free tickets for each movie. To inquire about ticket availability or further details, contact David Stief @ Dstief@peoriariverfrontmuseum.org, but hurry, time is running out!)
Image via the Peoria Riverfront Museum.