Historic Colonial Theatre Hosts 2nd Annual NOIR CITY: Philadelphia Film Festival Nov. 15-17

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The historic Colonial Theatre, known as the premiere destination for entertainment in downtown Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, presents Noir City Film Festival Nov. 15-17. The three-day extravaganza features ten films from the heart of Hollywood’s noir movement. Hosted by Eddie Muller, audiences will take a swanky, sexy, and sinister excursion back in time.

Film Noir Foundation president Eddie Muller, familiar to a national audience as the host of Noir Alley on Turner Classic Movies, will introduce thematically paired double bills, blending noir tales from Argentina, France, Japan, and Italy with English-language films from the United States and United Kingdom. The three-day, 10-film program will showcase heists, prison breaks, missing persons, cultural alienation, and plenty of classic, old-fashioned murder.

Kicking off the festival is a screening of the FNF’s most recent restoration, the 1952 Argentine film Never Open That Door (No abras nunca esa puerta), based on two short stories by American master of suspense fiction Cornell Woolrich. Also included in the NOIR CITY: Philadelphia schedule are English-language rarities, including Black Tuesday (1954) and Across the Bridge (1957). International titles include Zero Focus (Zero No Shoten, Japan, 1961) and Smog (1962).

A book signing with Eddie Muller is set for Saturday, Nov. 16, with books available for purchase from Muller’s recent publications — Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir, Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir, and Kid Noir: Kitty Feral and the Case of the Marshmallow Monkey.

Single tickets for NOIR CITY: Philadelphia are $25 and double feature tickets are $40. Tickets can be purchased HERE. To see the full schedule and list of films and showtimes, click here.

About Colonial Theatre:

Originally built in 1902, the Colonial is the last surviving of the theatres that once existed in the borough and is the only theatre of its kind in Chester County. The theatre, originally named the Colonial Opera House, debuted its inaugural stage performance in 1903 and was home to live stage shows by Harry Houdini and Mary Pickford, vaudeville acts, and musicals. The Colonial Theatre not only survived both World Wars and the Great Depression but became a national treasure after appearing in several scenes in the 1958 release of the sci-fi horror classic The Blob.

After renovating and expanding into the adjacent former National Bank of Phoenixville building in 2017, the Colonial now consists of three theatres housed in two connected historic buildings. The older wing of the Colonial Theatre houses the box office and the 658-seat 1903 Theatre, one of only a few theatres left across the country equipped for both 35mm and 2K digital projection. The treasured 1903 Theatre offers a stunning, one-of-a-kind experience for moviegoers or live event attendees. Guests can walk the same aisles as vaudeville greats and film stars of days gone by.

The most updated wing, the former bank, houses the 174-seat White Rabbit Theatre and the intimate red luxe 65-seat Berry Theatre. Both theatres are equipped for 2k digital projection. The modern, swanky White Rabbit Theatre space boasts retractable seats, allowing for a flexible venue that can be used as a black box theatre or open auditorium. The updated wing also houses rental spaces, the main concession stand, and the bar. Programming at the Colonial includes classic, art, and independent film howings, live concerts, comedy shows, and a variety of community events.

The Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460), is situated in the heart of downtown Phoenixville.