(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- The ShowRoom Cinema presents Brian De Pal-Month, a three-film retrospective celebrating the stylish, suspense-driven work of visionary filmmaker Brian De Palma. Taking place throughout the second half of May, the series spotlights three of De Palma's most acclaimed thrillers—each showcasing the director's mastery of voyeurism, psychological tension, and bravura cinematic technique.
The retrospective begins on Saturday, May 16th at 8:00pm with Sisters, a twisted tale of murder, identity, and paranoia following a journalist (Jennifer Salt) who witnesses a brutal crime connected to a mysterious model (Margot Kidder), only to find the evidence mysteriously erased. Blending psychological horror with De Palma's signature split-screen suspense, the film established many of the stylistic trademarks that would define his career.
The series continues on Saturday, May 23rd at 8:00pm with Dressed to Kill, a seductive and shockingly stylish neo-Hitchcockian thriller involving a bored housewife (Angie Dickinson), a high-end call girl (Nancy Allen), and a razor-wielding killer stalking the streets of New York. Widely regarded as one of De Palma's most provocative films, the screening will be introduced by Ray Dademo, Professor of Cinema Studies at Middlesex College.
The retrospective concludes on Saturday, May 30th at 8:00pm with Blow Out, De Palma's acclaimed conspiracy thriller starring movie sound technician Jack Terry (John Travolta), who accidentally records evidence of a political assassination and teams up with a young woman (Nancy Allen) caught in the deadly aftermath. Combining technical virtuosity with emotional tragedy, the film has become widely recognized as one of the defining American thrillers of the 1980s.
Tickets for all screenings are $17 and can be purchased at showroomcinemas.com. The ShowRoom Cinema is located at 707 Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
The ShowRoom Cinema opened in Asbury Park, NJ, in April, 2009, as a single-screen, 50 seat movie theater, with a goal of bringing provocative and relevant independent movies and engaging special events to the city’s budding downtown. In 2012 the theater evolved into a 3-screen, independent cinema and became the leading entertainment destination in Asbury Park’s eclectic, art-infused downtown shopping district.
Through its eleven year run, The ShowRoom brought an important selection of independent, first-run films — including critically-acclaimed domestic and foreign features, documentaries, festival winners and shorts — to the Jersey Shore. It also hosted a variety of special one night only screenings, live performances and community-driven special events. The theater closed in 2020, but new owners Daria Parr and family are excited to welcome The ShowRoom back to Asbury Park. As the last year and a half has shown, the simple pleasure of seeing a new release on a big screen with a roomful of fellow film fans is an experience many of us didn’t realize we would miss until it was gone.
The ShowRoom will continue to deliver the same high quality film selection and impeccable customer service that the theater has become known for while working toward the big picture goal: restoring some of what was lost during the pandemic by inviting our cherished guests to share the energy and fun of going to the movies again.