Name: SECRET CINEMA: Our GREATEST HITS at PBC
Start: 2026-06-12T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-12T02:00:00+00:00
Location: Philadelphia Brewing Co.

THE SECRET CINEMA’S GREATEST HITS at
Philadelphia Brewing Company
The Secret Cinema will bring its 16mm film projectors and reels to a brand new location on Thursday, June 11: the Philadelphia Brewing Company's large upstairs tasting room. The event is sponsored by the East Kensington Neighbors Association, and the screening will be free to all.
Our initial program at PBC will serve as a primer for new audience members and a refresher course for old fans: THE SECRET CINEMA’S GREATEST HITS will include audience favorites from 34 years of screening obscure short films from the miscellaneous, most forgotten corners of film history. Campy educational reels, industrial films, TV commercials, cartoons, musical shorts and more will all be included. Housed in the Secret Cinema’s large, private film archive, most are unavailable for viewing anywhere else.
There will be one complete show at 8:00 pm. Admission is free.
As always—still—Secret Cinema programs are shown using 16mm (not video, not digital) FILM projected on a giant screen.
Just a few highlights of THE SECRET CINEMA’S GREATEST HITS are:
THE STRANGER AT OUR DOOR (1940) - This dramatic two-reeler, made by a religious group to promote ethnic tolerance, shouldn’t be funny—but the outrageous overacting by Bowery Boys rejects and their non-specific European-born target make it surreally so.
HOW QUIET HELPS AT SCHOOL (1953) - The answer should be obvious, but the level of quiet expected by the uptight narrator of this classic ‘50s social guidance film probably had kids holding their breath in class.
PRO KLEEN commercial (1950s) - A mind-numbingly crass eight minute TV commercial in which an unappealing pitchman with a thick Baltimore accent extols the wonders of a new spot cleaner.
THE STORY OF BUBBLEGUM (1952) - This beautiful Kodachrome film sets out to answer the question, “Can bubblegum be good food?” Made at the old Fleer bubblegum plant in Olney, showing its giant vats of pink rubber, plant cafeteria and garden, and their amazing R&D department. Quite possibly THE GREATEST FILM EVER MADE, SHORT OR LONG.
INSIDE TEST CITY, U.S.A. (1959) - Reader’s Digest produced this promotional film publicizing the magazine’s test-marketing service for manufacturers of consumer products. “For the last two decades,” the narrator explains, “American business has tested more of its products in Columbus [Ohio] than in any other major American community. Through the years, industry has discovered that what happens in Columbus today will be happening all over America tomorrow.”
Plus much more!
SECRET CINEMA WEBSITE: https://www.thesecretcinema.com
EAST KENSINGTON NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION WEBSITE: https://www.ekna.org
PHILADELPHIA BREWING COMPANY WEBSITE: https://philadelphiabrewing.com