Back in the day, before VHS, DVDs, Blu-rays, or streaming services, the only way to relive your favorite movie was to wait for its TV debut or hope the studios re-released it on the big screen. Sometimes, these re-releases came with bizarre double features—like The Odd Couple paired with Rosemary’s Baby. But as technology advanced, the idea of re-releases seemed to fade away. That is, until Fathom Events came along and changed the game.
Bringing Back the Magic: Celebrating Movie Milestones
Fathom Events has been screening classic films for special occasions, usually anniversaries, and it’s been a huge hit. Over the years, they’ve brought back beloved films like The Sound of Music, Jaws, Labyrinth, Casablanca, The Dark Crystal, Dirty Dancing, Grease, Singin’ in the Rain, and The Princess Bride. This is just the tip of the iceberg. For instance, the original Die Hard celebrated its 30th anniversary with screenings on November 11 and 14. The animated Batman: Mask of the Phantasm marked 25 years on November 12. Superman: The Movie, now 40 years old, returned on November 25 and 27. And Sleepless in Seattle celebrated its 25th anniversary with screenings on December 2 and 5.
Why Fathom Events Stands Out
Tom Lucas, VP of Studio Relations, explains the appeal: "We offer something different than what you’d experience at home. Back in the day, you could walk into a store and find classic movies on the shelves. But the retail landscape has changed dramatically. Major retailers have gone out of business, and places like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target have reduced their space for classic films. Plus, streaming services often don’t carry these classics. So, we have the chance to dig through the studios' libraries, curate the best titles, and bring them back to life on the big screen. Watching a movie in a communal setting is a completely different experience than sitting at home alone with a DVD."
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The Full Experience: More Than Just a Movie
What sets Fathom Events apart isn’t just the movies—they’ve also cleaned them up and remastered them to perfection. It’s the entire experience. Tom adds, "We create an event. When you come to see one of these films, there’s always something extra. For example, if you see Die Hard, you’ll get a special introduction from a Turner Classic Movies host who will give you the backstory. When you see Superman: The Movie, you’ll also watch a 1941 Max Fleischer Superman animated short that Warner Bros. has remastered and hasn’t been on the big screen in decades. When we showed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, William Shatner even did a Q&A. Incredible stuff!"
Fathom Events doesn’t stop at movies. They’ve also screened TV shows like Doctor Who and Game of Thrones, performances from the Metropolitan Opera, Anime productions, and even Broadway musicals like Bandstand (which screened on November 15 and 19). But for many, it’s the classic films that draw the crowd.
The Selection Process: Quality Over Quantity
Tom explains, "We choose movies from all different time periods, ranging from the 1930s to the 1990s. Some of our best-performing titles come from various decades. We’ve had Singin’ in the Rain from the 1950s, Dirty Dancing from the ’80s, The Wizard of Oz from the ’30s, Jaws from the ’70s, and The Sound of Music from the ’60s. It’s not about the time period; it’s about the quality of the film."
