Classic films series kicks off at the Strand, plus free popcorn

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) – The Strand Theatre is bringing some of the world’s most critically acclaimed and classic films to its screen this spring with a special series inspired by Sight and Sound Magazine’s “Greatest Films of All Time” poll.

Since 1952, Sight and Sound has conducted a poll every decade, asking film critics to select the greatest films ever made. The Strand’s film programmer, Daniel Boone, said the series offers a rare opportunity for audiences to experience some of these landmark films on the big screen.

“Even though we have shown a number of the films on this list in the past, it seemed like a good idea to offer our audience a chance to see some of the ‘greatest’ films ever made,” Boone said.

The Strand’s series will count down the top 10 films from the 2022 Sight and Sound poll, omitting two that have been shown recently. Boone said the programming will stay true to the list’s order, even including titles he might not have selected otherwise.

“I’m letting the list dictate the order, and I’m going to show some that I might otherwise skip for one reason or another,” he said. “And I have to admit, there are a few here I’ve never seen.”

The series will begin with the No. 10 film, the 1951 musical classic Singin’ in the Rain, on Saturday, March 29, at 7 p.m. The following night, Sunday, March 30, at 5 p.m., the theater will screen David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001), which ranks at No. 8 on the list. The No. 9 film, Man with a Movie Camera, is being skipped, as it was screened at the Strand in 2022.

“I love that we can start with such a fun, colorful, joy-filled musical and then follow it up with Mulholland Drive, a twisted, slippery film about a young woman coming to Hollywood to pursue a career in movies, only to find… well, a lot of weirdness,” Boone said. “It seems perfect that both films are about making movies but couldn’t be more different tonally.”

Tickets are $10 per screening, or $9 in advance at Highway 61 Coffeehouse. Attendees will also receive free popcorn.

For more information on the Sight and Sound poll, visit: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time.

The Strand Theatre is located at 717 Clay Street.