A still from one of Mark Griffin’s directed films (Courtesy photo)
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the acclaimed documentary “That’s Entertainment!” with a special screening at the Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 2 p.m.
This year marks the centennial of the founding of film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, known as MGM, which produced a series of musicals whose success and artistic merit remain unsurpassed in motion picture history. Released in 1974, “That’s Entertainment!” features highlights from dozens of classic MGM musicals, including “The Wizard of Oz,” “Singin’ in The Rain,” “Show Boat” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”
The Lincoln Theater screening will be hosted by film historian and Lewiston native Mark Griffin, author of “A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli.” Griffin’s book is a biography of the Oscar-winning director whose credits include “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “An American in Paris” and “Gigi,” all of which are excerpted in “That’s Entertainment!”
“I’m very honored to be introducing this extraordinary film,” Griffin said. “‘That’s Entertainment!’ is an extravaganza that really lives up to its name. The incomparable MGM musicals exemplify the magic that was the Golden Age of Hollywood. As Frank Sinatra says in the movie, ‘You can wait around and hope but you’ll never see the likes of this again.’”
Mark Griffin (Courtesy photo)
Sinatra is one of eleven on-screen narrators in “That’s Entertainment!” paying tribute to MGM’s fabled history. Elizabeth Taylor, James Stewart, Debbie Reynolds, and Liza Minnelli are among the other celebrities introducing film clips.
“This movie is one showstopper after another,” Griffin said. “It also showcases the incredible artistry of four legendary performers – Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, and Esther Williams. Each one a uniquely talented icon.”
“That’s Entertainment!,” which was the sixth highest grossing film of 1974, proved to be so successful that it spawned two sequels, released in 1976 and 1994 respectively.
“‘That’s Entertainment!’ is about celebrating excellence. Lincoln Theater is the perfect venue to present this kind of dazzling showmanship and I can’t wait to share it with my fellow movie buffs,” said Griffin, whose most recent book, “All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson,” inspired a 2023 HBO Max documentary.
“That’s Entertainment!” plays for one showtime only, Saturday, Aug. 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for Lincoln Theater members and youth ages 18 and under and available in advance through the theater’s online box office at lincolntheater.net. Any remaining tickets will be available for purchase at the door beginning 30 minutes before showtime.
Lincoln Theater is located at 2 Theater St. in the heart of downtown Damariscotta. For more information, go to lincolntheater.net, email info@lincolntheater.net, or call 563-3424.
