The best little film series you haven’t heard of

*The facade and marquee of the Electric Theater in St. George Utah.*

ST. GEORGE — What if I told you some of history’s best movies were being screened — for free — each month in St. George?

On the third Tuesday of each month of 2022, the Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah is screening a different film on the big screen at the Electric Theater. The films will cover a century of movie history, from the silent era to the present day.

Each month represent a decade of film.

January featured a trio of silent films (accompanied by a live pianist!), February featured the vampire classic “Nosferatu,” March screened the Marx Brothers’ classic “Duck Soup,” April brought the 1940s gangster movie “White Heat,” and May showed the 1958 Kurosawa action-adventure film “The Hidden Fortress.”

*The audience filters in before the screening of “The Hidden Fortress.”*

The film series’ next picture will be “The Time Machine,” screening on June 21, and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” on July 19.

As the film series progresses, savvy film viewers can notice the progression of film techniques and styles over time, as well as learn a little bit about the history and making of each film.

*FMASU president Adam Mast speaks before “The Hidden Fortress” screening.*

Every film screening will also highlight a guest speaker to talk about the film, and filmmaking in general. The next two months will welcome John Eaves, a concept artist for the motion picture and television industry who was worked for Marvel and Star Trek. After each film screening, guests can participate in a Q&A and enjoy pizza from Riggatti’s.

John Pugh, co-founder and vice president of the FMASU, said that the film series is trying to create a special moviegoing experience for the people of St. George.

“We can watch these films from home… so to come out and experience this, it has to be something special. We hope that we’re cultivating that special experience by putting it on the big screen with big sound, big picture.”

Pugh said he still remembers seeing The Lion King in theaters with his friends as a young child and fell in love with the entire movie experience. Pugh said the community aspect of film is one of the things that makes it so great.

“The coolest thing is when you experience that for yourself and then you hear it in the crowd from others,” said Pugh. “These stories are meant to be shared.”

This year’s film lineup is diverse, and spans many genres and film styles. “There really is a little of something for everybody,” said Adam Mast, president and co-founder of the FMASU. “This year we have everything from dramas to comedies to silent films, we’ve got a musical playing, we had a foreign film, we have an animated movie playing…”

“We love film as an art form… we want to create an environment for the filmies,” said Mast.

Check out the rest of this year’s films for free at the Electric Theater in St. George, Utah. Doors open at 6 PM, all films begin at 7PM.

See lineup below: