POP UP CINEMA BRIGHTON

White Wall Cinema x It Is Still 1985 presents

 

​​​FRIDAY MAY 9TH

IT IS STILL 1985 MOVIE CLUB
DESPERATELY

SEEKING SUSAN
40TH ANNIVERSARY

DIRECTOR: Susan Seidelman

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STARRING:     
Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, Madonna, Robert Joy, & Laurie Metcalfe.​

Celebrating 17 years of Brighton's favourite 80s party and the city's longest running weekly club night (Every Saturday at Green Door Store) 'It Is Still 1985' is marking both their own longevity and the fact that the year they are named after (1985) is now exactly 40 years ago by teaming up with us at White Wall Cinema to create a new movie club for 2025 that screens a selection of movies celebrating their 40th anniversary on a limited number of select dates across this year.

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A bonafide member of the first wave of American 80s-era independent filmmakers Susan Siedelman was just coming down from the success of her first film 'Smithereens' (the first American independent film to be selected for competition at Canne) a gritty and humorous look at New York's Bohemian post-punk music scene, when she stumbled upon her next film and truly captured pop culture lightning in a bottle. Against the studios wishes she refused a who's who list of stars lined up for the film's lead roles opting instead to cast two unknowns in the shape of Rosanna Arquette and Siedelman's neighbour at the time Madonna. Arquette of course would go on to be a major movie star (credits include Scorsese's After Hours, Besson's The Big Blue, Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and Cronenberg's Crash) but it was Madonna, still exuding the hyper cool of New York street fashion, cool in a way that only a newly minted popstar on the verge of mega-fame can be, that set audiences alight in 1985. 

 

Highly influenced by the madcap dual feminine energy of Jacques Rivette's Celine and Julie Go Boating, the film revolves around bored housewife Roberta (Arquette), who is envious of adventurous and cool stranger Susan (Madonna). Through mishap and happenstance, Roberta loses her memory and unknowingly takes on Susan's life in case of mistaken identity. Tons of fun, Siedelman's finger on the pulse street level approach of including countless New York artists, comedians and musicians, as well as an endless string of fresh faces of the city's acting scene including Laurie Metcalfe (Ladybird) John Tuturro (Do The Right Thing, The Big Lebowski), Giancarlo Esposito (Do The Right Thing, Breaking Bad) and Aidan Quinn (Legends of The Fall) Desperately Seeking Susan makes for a vibrant and joyous time capsule film that perfectly compliments Madonna's still fresh out of the box cool, which is palpable throughout, and would make a major impact on both pop culture and fashion through the film's huge box office success.

 

An icon of the 80s showcased at the height of her cool with great cast in the beating heart of New York city of the era makes for thrilling viewing. Join us for this special screening of Desperately Seeking Susan either by buying tickets in the usual way, OR, amazingly, you can get free tickets to the event by attending any Saturday night It Is Still 1985 at Green Door Store between now and the film's screening. Simply claim them on entry. 

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For more info It Is Still 1985's weekly Saturday events visit itisstill1985.com