Last Updated: 11/18/24

ALL SECRET CINEMA PRESENTATIONS ARE SHOWN IN 16mm (or larger!) FILM ON A GIANT SCREEN (NOT VIDEO...NOT EVER!)

Since 1992, the Secret Cinema has been the Philadelphia area’s premiere floating repertory cinema series, bringing hundreds of unique programs to nightclubs, bars, coffee houses, museums, open fields, colleges, art galleries, bookstores, and sometimes even theaters and film festivals. Drawing on its own large private film archive (as well as other collections), the Secret Cinema attempts to explore the uncharted territory and the genres that fall between the cracks, with programs devoted to educational and industrial films, cult and exploitation features, cartoons, rare television, local history, home movies, erotic films, politically incorrect material, and the odd Hollywood classic. As long as it exists on real celluloid, that is—Secret Cinema screenings never use video/digital projection. While mainly based in Philadelphia, the Secret Cinema has also brought programming to other cities and countries.

Creepy Christmas Films

at Bryn Mawr Film Institute

Bryn Mawr Film Institute
824 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA
610-527-9898

Thursday, December 5, 2024
7:30 pm
Admission: $14.50, $9.00 BMFI members, $12.00 seniors/students, $10.00 children

On Thursday, December 5, the Secret Cinema will return to the Bryn Mawr Film Institute with an audience favorite from our nearly 33-year history. Creepy Christmas Films is a special program of vintage Yuletide shorts featuring frightening puppets, demonic animals, and maudlin sentiments. As an added bonus, we'll include glimpses of strangers' Christmas home movies, showcasing a nostalgic array of old toys and synthetic trees.

This popular program was shown last at the Fleisher Art Memorial in 2017 (and before that, at the Sedgwick Cultural Center, the Prince Music Theater and the long-gone Griffin Cafe). It will be our final presentation of 2024.

There will be one complete show at 7:30 pm. Admission is $14.50, $12.00 seniors/students, $9.00 BMFI members, and $10.00 children.

A few highlights of the program include:

Santa In Animal Land (1948) - In this bizarre one-reeler, animal puppets (with some of the most painfully cloying voices ever recorded) bemoan the fact that there is no official Christmas celebration in the animal kingdom, and set out to protest to Santa Claus about their situation.

Davey & Goliath: Christmas Lost & Found (1965) - A special edition of the early-'60s, long-rerun clay animation series from Gumby creator Art Clokey (and funded by the Lutheran Council of Churches). Sourpuss Davey searches his town in desperation for the true Christmas spirit, finding little consolation even in the antics of his lovable dog Goliath.

A Visitor For Christmas (1967) - "But we can't have Aunt Hattie here -- she'll ruin our Christmas!" Mawkish live-action drama produced by religious studio Family Films, in which every member of a typical American family complains about the impending visit of their hated Aunt Hattie. With Lassie star Tommy Rettig.

Howdy Doody's Christmas (1951) - Buffalo Bob, Clarabelle, "Ugly Sam," and the grandfather of creepy marionettes, Howdy Doody, all join forces in this excruciating short film that was made especially for home and school projectors, to capitalize on the popularity of television's The Howdy Doody Show.

Plus more!

FUTURE SECRET CINEMA EVENTS (more info soon):