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RETROFANTASMA FILM SERIES Select Wednesdays at 7pm in Cinema One | $10 per person.
WEBSITE: https://carolinatheatre.org/series/retrofantasma-film-series/
January 21, 2026
Richard C. Sarafian’s VANISHING POINT
(R, 1971, 99 min)
“Tighten your seat belt. You never had a trip like this before.” This isn’t a movie. It’s a full-throttle adrenaline trip. Meet Kowalski (Barry Newman) — Vietnam vet, speed demon, and the ultimate antihero — driving a sleek car from Colorado to California. Stakes? A wild wager with his dealer, complete with pills, gas, and zero rules. The cops are hot on his tail, the radio DJ is broadcasting every insane move, and the desert highway becomes a blur of dust, danger, and freedom. It’s like Mad Max before anyone knew what Mad Max was, with a soundtrack that hits you in the soul, insane stunts, and a protagonist who literally refuses to give a single damn. Fast. Raw. Totally unhinged. You will not look away.
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February 18, 2026
William Girdler’s THE MANITOU
(PG, 1978, 104 min)
"Evil does not die… It waits to be reborn!" It starts with a tumor—but this one is alive. A centuries-old Native American spirit begins growing on a woman’s neck, and soon New York City becomes a supernatural playground gone gloriously haywire. Dark rituals, outrageous magic, and practical effects so grotesque they’ll make your jaw hit the floor turn ordinary streets into a chaotic battleground. Chairs fly, bodies twist, and reality bends in ways that are equal parts shocking and hilarious. Ancient evil refuses to be polite, spreading terror and absurdity in equal measure. Equal parts body horror, occult spectacle, and gleeful madness, The Manitou is a camp classic of 1970s horror—twisted, utterly insane, and unforgettable. Based on Graham Masterton’s 1976 best-selling novel, this film brings his shocking supernatural vision to the big screen.
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March 18, 2026
Warren Beatty and Buck Henry’s HEAVEN CAN WAIT
(PG, 1978, 101 min)
“Joe Pendleton... the only guy who ever raised hell about going to heaven.” Heaven Can Wait is a hilarious romantic fantasy about second chances, new loves, and dead quarterbacks. Joe Pendleton (Warren Beatty), a star football player with a promising career, is mistakenly yanked from life too soon by his overzealous guardian angel. To fix this cosmic error, Mr. Jordan (James Mason), a high-ranking celestial official who oversees the afterlife, returns Joe into the body of a recently-murdered millionaire. Unfortunately, Joe’s still the target of the millionaire’s scheming wife and her lover (Dyan Cannon and Charles Grodin), who are desperate to finish the job. Determined to still play in the Super Bowl, Joe must convince his former coach (Jack Warden) that he’s really back from the dead while also falling in love with a wary British activist (Julie Christie) who suspects he may be crazy. Heaven Can Wait earned nine Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Sharp, funny, and unexpectedly touching, it’s a once-beloved gem that deserves far more attention than it gets today.
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April 8, 2026
Mike Nichols’ DAY OF THE DOLPHIN
(PG, 1973, 104 min)
Long before The Birdcage or Working Girl, director Mike Nichols made an unexpected career sidestep with this film that’s unlike anything he had ever done or would do again. Part Cold War conspiracy thriller, part science-fiction suspense, and part earnest drama, George C. Scott stars as Dr. Jake Terrell, a marine biologist whose genius dolphins can communicate with humans. Unfortunately, revealing that the dolphins are intelligent turns out to be a mistake. The dolphins are soon kidnapped and retrained by a government agency to assassinate world leaders. When he discovers the deadly plot, Terrell races to stop the dolphins before they carry out their attacks. Supporting roles from Trish Van Devere and Paul Sorvino add tension and stakes. The Day of the Dolphin stands out among 70s paranoia films like Capricorn One, Klute, and The Parallax View for its surreal, high-concept premise and intelligent antagonists.
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May 13, 2026
Clint Eastwood’s THE GAUNTLET
(R, 1977, 125 min)
A box office smash in 1977 but now tragically overlooked, The Gauntlet is one of the wildest action rides of the 1970s. Ben Shockley (Clint Eastwood) is a washed-up Phoenix cop tasked with escorting Gus Mally (Sondra Locke), a key court witness, from Las Vegas to Phoenix. Simple in theory, impossible in practice—mob hitmen, corrupt cops, flaming vehicles, exploding buses, and biker gangs turn the journey into a battlefield. Unlike his hard-edged Harry Callahan persona, Shockley relies on sarcasm, grit, and survival instinct to navigate the chaos. Imagine John Wick crossed with Baby Driver—with 70s grit. The film builds to a spectacular, over-the-top climax as Shockley and Mally approach the Phoenix courthouse. With over 8,000 rounds fired, real police on set, and stunts that defy belief, the action never stops. Equal parts dark comedy, high-octane crime thriller, and stunt spectacle, The Gauntlet is a forgotten adrenaline masterpiece begging to be rediscovered.
Viewer’s Guide: Attempted sexual assault, partial nudity, and adult language.
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June 17, 2026
Alex de la Iglesia’s THE DAY OF THE BEAST
(R, 1998, 103 min, Spain)
"This Christmas, the Devil himself is coming…and only the unholy can stop him." A Satan-obsessed priest, a reckless metalhead, and a clairvoyant join forces to prevent the Antichrist from being born on Christmas Eve, summoning the Devil himself in the process. Blood sprays, corpses explode, demons lurk in every shadow, and amid the unrelenting gore, laughter erupts uncontrollably. This is a black-comedy horror whirlwind so outrageous, so gory, and so irreverently funny that missing it would be a life-altering mistake. Heaven can wait, hell’s got him now. If you think you’ve seen it all, think again — this Spanish cult classic will shred your expectations while offering a helluva fun time.
In Spanish with English subtitles.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Carolina Theatre of Durham, 309 W Morgan St, Durham, NC 27701-2119, United States
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