Events

The Sprocket Society periodically hosts movie screening and film events in the Seattle area. To receive future announcements, subscribe to our email list.

Past Events

Public Screenings

  • The Secret Sunday Matinee II: Adventure! And Stuff!
    (March 1 - May 24, 2009) Northwest Film Forum
    Our second three-month series of old-fashioned weekend matinees, with a 12 chapter cliffhanger movie serial (Zorro’s Fighting Legion, 1939), plus rare cartoons and shorts, and a classic Secret Feature Film. This series emphasized adventure, film noir, and westerns along with the occasional comedy, horror, or sci-fi treasure.
  • The Secret Sunday Matinee series
    (August 31 – November 23, 2008) Northwest Film Forum
    A three-month series of good old-fashioned weekend matinees. Every show featured weekly episodes of the classic 1941 sci-fi movie serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, plus cartoons and shorts, and a Secret Feature — science fiction, adventure, and horror films from the 1930s - 1960s. Web page includes a series guide and downloadable posters.
  • Georges Méliès: Impossible Voyager
    (May 15, 2008) Northwest Film Forum
    Special effects epics from the early 1900s, with unusual musical accompaniment. Plus special guests Climax Golden Twins on dueling Victrolas, and a rare live performance of Méliès’ original narration for The Impossible Voyage (1904). Illustrated program booklet available as PDF.
  • Keep Warm, Burn Britain!
    (April 13, 2008) The Jewel Box Theater
    Slide show performance and experimental films by Ross Lipman, plus live music by Ruby Thicket and The Philistine Liberation Orchestra. Web page includes film stills, full bio and press release PDFs, MP3s and other related links.
  • Search and Rescue: Sound Found
    (March 4, 2008) Northwest Film Forum
    A program of rare early sound films, with The Mysterious Island (1929) starring Lionel Barrymore, and the Fleischer brothers’ cartoon, Noah’s Lark (1929).

Backyard Movie Parties

The Sprocket Society had its genesis in a (so far) ongoing series of private backyard movie parties held in Ballard, beginning in 2005. Below is a list of our backyard movie parties to date, including links to available program notes.

  • Backyard Movie Party IX - Flash vs. the Psychic Silverfish: Mars Attacks the World (1938) - a feature version of the serial Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars released at the same time. Plus shorts: The Silverfish King, Bobby Bump’s Hypnotic Eye, PSI, et al. (August 15, 2008)
  • Backyard Movie Party VIII - Duck, Duck, Marx: Duck Soup (1932) plus shorts (June 27, 2008)
  • Backyard Movie Party VII - Trippin’ With Groucho: Skidoo (1968, Scope) plus shorts (September 15, 2007)
  • Backyard Movie Party VI - Attend or Die! (Atomic B-Day Edition): Monster Zero (1970) plus shorts (August 4, 2007)
  • Backyard Movie Party V - Soundies and Stuff: numerous shorts (July 6, 2007)
  • Backyard Movie Party IV - Voyages: The Fabulous World of Jules Verne (1958/1961) plus shorts (May 25, 2007)
  • Backyard Movie Party III - BYMP 2006 Part 2, The Sequel: Nosferatu (1922) plus shorts (Sept. 29, 2006)
  • Backyard Movie Party II - BYMP 2006: Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (1974) + shorts and 3D (Sept. 3, 2006)
  • Backyard Movie Party I - Basement Edition: Frankenstein (1931) + shorts and 3D (Sept. 4, 2005)