Hollywood Starlet Dazzles Moviegoers

Tiana Sigala, staff writer

One of cinema’s most dynamic figures has returned to the big screen –– for a limited time. Charlottesville’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has arranged an eight-week series of Mondays with Audrey; each week hosting an Audrey Hepburn film, bringing together cinephiles and film newbies alike to enjoy one of Hollywood’s most beloved darlings.

It can be difficult to review classic films, partly because there is not much to be said that has not been said already and partly because who could be so vain as to feel they have a new spin on such, beloved films. What does a millennial have to say about movies twice their age?

While it seems integral to the culture of youth to criticize things of age, to consider them outdone, or write them off simply because of their age, this urge fails the collective mind when it comes to Hepburn movies.

Herein lies the secret that makes this event a winner: there is something that never dies about these classic films. The jokes are still crisp and the wit is still cutting and clever. Hepburn’s beauty and mid-Atlantic elocution are timeless in their elegance. Moreover, the themes themselves have endured.

To watch Princess Ann play out the battle between her role as a monarch and her desperate want to experience life free of this duty, is to recognize immediately one’s own desire to live a life unencumbered by responsibility, weightless as a bird, or a gorgeous young dame on a vespa in Rome. To see Hepburn’s doe-eyes well up with tears upon watching her unrequited love dance with another is to feel for Sabrina, either in solidarity or in envy of a love so all encompassing as that of a young chauffeur’s daughter for the playboy Larrabee.

The struggle young Jo Stockton faces in living by her ideals and morals while the world around her demanded she be something she didn’t believe in, to act as a pawn for an industry she didn’t subscribe to, is something most young people must come to terms with ––a bit of familiarity, wrapped up in endearing dance numbers and fashion by Givenchy to boot.

Beyond the inescapable presence and life of Audrey’s first few films, we would be remiss not to mention the care the host took to create ambience. Alamo Drafthouse Creative Director James Sanford spoke before and after the screenings to give some trivia and background, and to tie the production up in a neat bow, offering comical considerations as far as the rumor mill of the times, or actor squabbles.

“And if you’re pleased with your service, please remember to tip your waiters, as they’ve already had lucrative offers from the Larrabee estate,” quipped Sanford before the Sabrina showing.

This group address served to give the experience a personal and precious feeling, as though the theatre were not a room full of strangers come together to watch a movie, but instead a room of friends, come to laugh and enjoy a classic together.

There is little to be said of the theatre itself that isn’t derivative of some other review; the seats are comfy, and doubly so if you choose a row where the seats recline.

The menu is large and somewhat varied, but rather expensive –– snacks run between $6 – 8.99, entrees between $9.90 – 13.90 –– and rather heavy. One could find, after having tried a few of the entrees, that the food is a bit too decadent, with use of oils and cheeses approaching greasy, and alternative diet options limited and ill-thought-out.

Overall, the Alamo Drafthouse has hit a home run with its decision to host Mondays with Audrey. In bringing back these fan favorites, the cinema allows fans young an old a chance to view the starlet’s pictures as they were meant to be seen––in Technicolor and Dolby Digital sound. Alamo offers a look into Hepburn’s life ––her upbringing, shining moments, and her scandals–– in a cozy and inviting setting, with all the trappings of a high-quality ––if a bit indulgent–– theatre experience.

Mondays with Audrey will run until February 25, featuring such titles as Wait Until Dark and Breakfast At Tiffany’s, at the comparatively low price of $10 per ticket.

Showtimes and tickets can be found on the Charlottesville Alamo Drafthouse Cinema website.