The popular drive-in movie series returns to the Island this summer, sponsored by Chilmark’s M.V. Film Festival in collaboration with the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard. Brian Ditchfield, newly appointed as MVFF’s executive director, called the relationship “fantastic.” He said the series has some exciting additions this year.
They include a new stage, built to allow the series to offer live performances with the Island’s dance, theater, and music communities. July and August will bring the Vineyard Playhouse’s Shakespeare for the Masses to the stage, and music programming will be supported by MVY Radio. The series will include use of several cameras with multiple-angle shoots projected on the big screen, enhancing the live performances onstage. Also new this year is a digital cinema projection system that will allow the Film Festival to offer screenings of first-run movies as they appear in coordination with Edgartown’s Entertainment Cinemas.
Known for its screening of film classics, the series got underway last weekend with 1985’s “Back to the Future” and 1993’s “Jurassic Park.”
Next Friday, June 4, Pixar’s “The Incredibles” is planned. This 2004 animated film stars Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, Holly Hunter as Elastigirl, and Samuel L. Jackson as Frozen. The Incredible/Elastigirl superhero couple has to rescue the world from destruction. Appearing next Saturday, June 5, will be “Monty Python’s Holy Grail,” the 1975 comedy classic with Terry Gilliam as the Green Knight, John Cleese as Lancelot, and Graham Chapman as King Arthur. Set in the Middle Ages, King Arthur leads his knights in a quest for the Holy Grail, a mission fraught with danger and disaster. A special music guest is planned at 7:15 pm before the film starts at 8:15 pm.
The series will offer sound through a FM transmitter, available to the audience at 89.9 FM. To those without portable stereos, the Film Festival will deliver radios before the show. Once again, the drive-in will extend pay-what-you-can financing, so that programming will be available to all.
Known for its children’s educational outreach, the festival will offer workshops on storytelling for children of all ages before the film screenings; the workshops will begin at 7:15 pm. Drive-in screenings will be located in the YMCA’s parking lot in Oak Bluffs on the Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road.
For information and the series schedule, visit driveinmv.com.
