Get reaquainted with ‘80s CULT movies

Back when he was a Santa Rosa High School student, Neil Pearlmutter saw the coolest films of the ‘80s and ‘90s at Coddingtown Mall or the cinemas on Third Street. Now 41, he’s bringing them to moviegoers at Santa Rosa’s Roxy Stadium 14 as part of a Thursday night film series he calls Classic Underground Lost Treasures (CULT).

Since 2012, his double features nights have paired the most iconic films of the era around a common them, actor or director. Think Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein.” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “The Goonies” and “Terminator.”

Pearlmutter, vice president of Santa Rosa Entertainment Group, is a longtime fan of monster movies, campy horror flicks and science-fiction films, with “Heat” his all-time favorite. He likes to think of CULT as a way to evoke nostalgia and introduce a new generation to classics like “Beetlejuice” and “The Lost Boys.” He and his team also occasionally hold question-and-answer sessions with actors or directors. Special guests have included “Maniac” and “Vigilante” director William Lustig, “Carrie” star William Katt and “Re-Animator” actress Barbara Crampton.

Q: How did the CULT idea evolve?

I grew up watching these crazy films. I have a love of cinema in general, but I have an affection for B cinemas. I watched a lot of horror films as a kid that I should not have seen at that age. I thought this would be a great way to bring these films back. That’s kind of our goal with this series, it’s not only watching movies but with like-minded people.

Q: Are the movies B flicks or blockbusters?

Both. Many were mainstream films.

Q: What genre and era do you feature?

Seventy percent of the films are from the ’80s. We also do some ’70s and ’90s. They’re pop culture hits that most people saw at one time. We do science-fiction titles. Horror is kind of like the staple. They had charm, and they were campy.

Q: How do you choose your titles?

I initially brainstormed with two colleagues, Mark Tietsort and Keith Bouvette, and we have sheets out at every show so people can write their suggestions. That’s where most of them come from. I have direct email, and some people even call me.

Q: Do you have a target audience?

Honestly, all kinds of people love these movies. We typically average 50 to 70 people per show, of both genders and all different ages. It transcends age. We have a few older gentlemen who come fairly regularly and one nice lady who is more mature. We have about 20 hardcore regulars who are really into it. The core group is from their mid- to late 20s. We’ve become a family, basically. We’re together almost every Thursday. You definitely get to know them. And we have newcomers, too. We get people from the East Bay, Cloverdale, all over.

Q: What draws movie-goers to the series?

Nostalgia is a huge part of you. It brings you back to a time when you were young and life was simple. You think back to happy times with your friends. It draws us together. There is nothing more exciting than when people are there to have a good time and experience a film. They applaud at the start and during certain parts of the film. Overall, people just have fun coming together. That’s kind of our goal with this series. It’s not only watching movies, but with like-minded people. It’s a communal experience.

Q: How difficult is it to book older films?

A lot of them you really have to search down the rights because they’re so obscure. You have to follow a phone trail. It’s like a treasure hunt. Caleb Dix is my film buyer, who books the titles and helps me hunt down these distributors and/or owners of rights. The majority are Blu-ray. There’s one distributor who won’t allow the movies to be played unless they’re DCP, Digital Cinema Package, which typically offers the best picture.

Q: Have there been any surprises?

“Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” It was paired with “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and surprised me that it was a big hit. The common thread was “adventure.” Our largest audience was “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth.” We had 270 people. “Spaceballs” and “Airplane 2” didn’t do as well. There were only 30 people.

Q: Is there a movie you’d like to show that hasn’t been available?

“Revenge of the Nerds.” I’d love to play that movie.

Q: How do you engage your CULT followers?

We’re on Facebook and Twitter. We did a Halloween costume contest and awarded an autographed poster from a horror film. And many of our Cultists (my pet name for regulars) are filmmakers. I open up the screen to them once a month after a CULT screening to exhibit one of their films or shorts. It has been fun to create that excitement and allow this venue for our local filmmakers.

“UHF” with “Weird Al” Yankovic and “Strange Brew” with Rick Moranis begin at 7 p.m. Thursday March 19 at Roxy Stadium 14, 85 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. Admission is $10, with free parking at the First Street Garage. Advance tickets are available at sregmovies.com, 522-0330. Learn more about the CULT movie series at Facebook.com/Roxy14CULT, on Twitter @roxycult.