Big Screen Coming to Montrose for Annual Film Fest

File photo Members of Prom Plus Club will take on the role of car-hop during the Montrose Film Festival this weekend. The movies scheduled to play are “Jumanji” on Friday and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” on Saturday.
File photo
Members of Prom Plus Club will take on the role of car-hop during the Montrose Film Festival this weekend. The movies scheduled to play are “Jumanji” on Friday and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” on Saturday.

By Mary O’KEEFE

The Montrose Shopping Park is gearing up for the Sixth Annual Montrose Film Festival taking place on Friday and Saturday.

The idea of a film festival came from a conversation between Tony Smith and Steve Pierce, two longtime Crescenta Valley residents. Both remembered the Montrose Movie Theater that once stood where the parking lot of Andersen’s Pet Shop is now in the 2200 block of Honolulu Avenue. In its day, the Montrose Theater was the place to go. In 1987, though, it was destroyed by fire. The only reminder of the movie house is a charred utility pole that still stands near the parking lot.

“Tony said he had an idea and wanted to talk to me. We had coffee at Black Cow,” Pierce recalled. “He said, ‘Let’s bring the movies back.’”

The first five years Pierce and Smith sponsored the event with the support of the Montrose Shopping Park Association. This year the association is the sole sponsor.

Throughout the year the MSPA sponsors several events to highlight the businesses and support their patrons. The Montrose Film Festival is just one of those events.

The movie night will include free freshly popped popcorn. Drinks (water and soda) will be available for purchase from the Crescenta Valley High School Prom Plus Club with proceeds going to Prom Plus.

Prior to the films being shown at about 8 p.m. there will be classic cars on display. Saturday cars include three Ferraris and five Panteras. Music will begin at 6 p.m. with the Honolulu Avenue Strummers, a ukulele group.

Pierce invites everyone to come early to see the classic cars, enjoy the music and have dinner.

Several restaurants, including Pepe’s, Black Cow and El Charro, will offer menus and, in a car hop-style, Prom Plus Club kids will run the orders to the restaurants, pick up the food and bring it back to patrons.

The films will be shown on a large screen that was built for the venue.

“Jumanji” is rated PG and stars Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst, Bonnie Hunt and David Alan Grier.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is rated PG-13 for some strong language and adult situations. It stars Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck and Mia Sara.

Admission is free.