Hitchcock Week

Civic Theatre Announces “Hitchcock Week” – December 16 – 20 Classic Films to Screen in Theatre514 New Film “Hitchcock” to Debut on 19^th Street Theatre Screen December 21  

Allentown, PA (December 10, 2012) -- Beginning Sunday, December 16 and running through Thursday, December 20, Civic Theatre of Allentown will host a series of screenings of classic Alfred Hitchcock films at Civic’s Theatre514 facility in Allentown.  Dubbed “Hitchcock Week,” the screenings are paying tribute to the legendary director in anticipation of Civic’s opening of the new film, “Hitchcock,” at the 19^th Street Theatre in Allentown on Friday, December 21.  The new film, which is being released nationally by Fox Searchlight, stars Anthony Hopkins as the master director and Helen Mirren as his wife, Alma.

Hitchcock week will begin with a screening of one of the director’s most revered films, “Rear Window” on December 16. The week includes five features that were made by Hitchcock during his affiliation with Universal Studios. They include “The Birds, “Vertigo,” “The Trouble with Harry,” and “Psycho.”

The new film “Hitchcock” will open on the 19^th Street Theatre screen on December 21. “We obviously believe that the 19^th Street Theatre is the perfect venue for a film like ‘Hitchcock,” says Traupman. “Our vintage 1928 theatre perfectly enhances the time and place for a period piece of this nature. We are happy to be screening this acclaimed film over the holiday season.”

The full schedule for Hitchcock week is as follows:  

Sunday, December 16 @ 1:00, 4:00 pm – “Rear Window” (1 hour. 52 minutes) starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. Professional photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries breaks his leg while getting an action shot at an auto race. Confined to his New York apartment, he spends his time looking out of the rear window observing the neighbors. He begins to suspect that a man across the courtyard may have murdered his wife. Jeff enlists the help of his high society fashion-consultant girlfriend Lisa Freemont and his visiting nurse Stella to investigate.

Monday, December 17 @ 5:00, 7:30 pm – “The Birds” (1 hour. 49  minutes) starring Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren and Suzanne Pleshette. A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness.

Tuesday, December 18 @ 5:00, 7:30 pm – “Vertigo” (1 hour. 59  minutes) starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. John "Scottie" Ferguson is a retired San Francisco police detective who suffers from acrophobia and Madeleine is the lady who leads him to high places. A wealthy shipbuilder who is an acquaintance from college days approaches Scottie and asks him to follow his beautiful wife, Madeleine. He fears she is going insane, maybe even contemplating suicide, because she believes she is possessed by a dead ancestor. Scottie is skeptical, but takes on the task -- all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.

Wednesday, December 19 @ 5:00, 7:30 pm – “The Trouble With Harry” (1 hour. 49 minutes) starring John Forsythe and Shirley MacLaine. Trouble erupts in a small, quiet New England town when a man's body is found in the woods. The problem is that almost everyone in town thinks that they had something to do with his death.

Thursday, December 20 @ 5:00, 7:30 pm – “Psycho”  (1 hour. 49  minutes) starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. A young woman steals $40,000 from her employer's client, and subsequently encounters a young motel proprietor too long under the domination of his mother.

The film, “Hitchcock”, formerly known as “Alfred Hitchcock and The Making of Psycho,” is a love story about one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century -- Alfred Hitchcock and his wife and partner, Alma Reville. The film takes place during the making of Hitchcock’s seminal movie “Psycho” and presents a behind-the-scenes look at the film, which was marred with controversy due to complaints about violence, nudity and other sexual content as well as claims that a body double was used in Leigh’s place during the shower murder scene. The film also stars Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh, James D'Arcy as Anthony Perkins as well as Jessica Biel, Danny Huston, Toni Collette, and Ralph Macchio.

Opening Weekend show times for “Hitchcock” are as follows: Friday, December 21 @ 3:00, 5:30, 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 22 @ 3:00, 5:30, 8:00 pm
Sunday, December 23 @ 1:00, 3:30, 5:30 pm

For more information on the Civic Theatre film series, please visit the theatre’s website at www.CivicTheatre.com or call the Civic movieline at 610-432-0888.