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Photos: Sincerely Yours, Marty McFly at the Classic Gateway Theater
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On Saturday night, Fort Lauderdale's culture fans traded in their usual shot-taking, craft-beer-drinking weekend rituals for an evening of nostalgia at Subculture's cinematic event "Sincerely Yours, Marty McFly."
Held at the Classic Gateway Theater -- one of Fort Lauderdale's oldest film houses -- a sold-out crowd of nerds, cinephiles, and indie scenesters packed into the musty lobby waiting to watch cult classics The Breakfast Club and Back to the Future on the big screen. And thanks to Subculture's creative minds, this wasn't just any ol' night at the movie theater. It celebrated every aspect of these films that were originally screened before most of the audience was born.
The lobby served as a time machine, shooting us back to the '80s. And not just because of the tacky carpet and floral print wallpaper, though those decorative features added a certain je ne sais quoi to the overall feel of the event. The walls were adorned in movie-themed paintings from local artist Kristen Frenzel. JAMS DJ Duo of Esoteric and Chris K. filled the room with throwback sounds and hits from the films' soundtracks.
But the real cherry on this 1950s sundae was in the metal flesh Delorean -- owned by local Dan Harris -- parked in front of the theater. Eager fans swarmed around it hoping to get a chance to sit inside the stainless-steel box of memories. To be quite frank, we wanted to slide across the hood, but alas, the owner didn't share these sentiments.
Around 9 p.m., it was finally time for the first film, The Breakfast Club. The coming attractions were off by a few decades from today. Such films as Flashdance and a John Stamos commercial for Neet hair remover had the crowd in fits of laughter. And when the David Bowie quote appeared on the black screen, the entire room roared and cheered over the opening scene's music. Throughout, the audience collectively yelled out lines from the film as if it were Rocky Horror Picture Show.
During intermission, the temperature inside the theater reached an all-time high. Surprisingly, there wasn't much complaining. Probably because everyone was too busy stuffing their mouths with the savory Frankie Dogs. Inside one of the theaters, local bands Beach Day and Suede Dudes held our attention while we stood around eagerly waiting for Back to the Future. In a corner, photographer Ian Witlen set up a photo booth with handcrafted props for attendees to pose with. The Doc Brown hairpiece was a crowd pleaser.
With more than a handful of events already in its pocket, the local culture makers at Subculture are certainly doing something great for the South Florida scene and local community. We are looking forward to seeing what they come up with next. Maybe a double feature of ET with stationary bikes and The Goonies with rocky road ice cream? Just a thought.
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