Classic films and cocktails on a summer's evening are the order of the day thanks to this year's Cult Screens festival. Jeremy Smith reports

Believe it or not, the Summer Solstice or longest day is due to raise its cheery head in about 35 days, meaning the timing of this year’s Cult Screens festival in Oxford is spot-on.

After all, what could be more feel-good, more balmy, hell, more blissful, than sitting outside on a warm summer’s evening watching a classic film being played out on the big screen.

Of course, we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves here – once in Sydney harbour, Australia, I watched Jaws screened on a floating cinema while bobbing up and down on an inflatable provided for the evening.

But as far as Oxford goes, screening some of cinema’s best treats in both The Castle Courtyard and atop Malmaison’s roof garden should provide the perfect summertime frisson for movie lovers everywhere.

According to organiser Phil Cottle, of Cult Screens: “I think it will be very atmospheric with the old walls and castle mound and we are very much looking to showing these movie classics in this new venue.

“There will be a combination of comfy seating for guests to choose from, including cushions on the amphitheatre steps in front of the mound and bean bag wedges in the courtyard.

“As for refreshments, our mobile bar provider, Milk, are coming to Oxford with us this year so we will have fantastic cocktails at every event.

“All films will be screened in full 2k HD and, as on the rooftop last year, sound will be through individual wireless headsets.”

The first films to be screened ‘al fresco’ are:

Pan’s Labyrinth on Thursday, May 29

Oxford Mail:

Pan’s Labyrinth is, as the film website Rotten Tomatoes beautifully summarizes, an “Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable.”

There’s really not much more to say than that except it’s from the stable of Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Need I say more?

Withnail and I on Friday, May 30

Oxford Mail:

Probably one of the best feel-good films ever made (better even than It’s A Wonderful Life I’d argue). Starring Paul McGann, the brilliant Richard E Grant, and Richard Griffiths as the unforgettable Uncle Monty, it tells the story of two unemployed actors struggling to survive in Camden Town in the late 1960s. Extraordinary, laugh-out-loud funny and wonderfully poignant, this is surely one of British cinema’s best loved films.

Dirty Dancing on Saturday, May 31

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner...” And as we all know, they don’t. But despite its cheesiness this is a profoundly enjoyable film. Indeed, there’s nothing to actually dislike – the songs are terrific, the choreography inspired, the story predictable but irritatingly charming, and the final scene... unforgettable.

Starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, it’s a coming of age drama set in a holiday resort of the Catskill mountains during the early 1960s, and no matter how bad a mood you’re in, you’ll come out 90 minutes later smiling (whether you’re man or woman).

Joyous, foot-tapping and yes, Swayze’s best ever performance.

Kill Bill V1 on Sunday, June 1

Oxford Mail:

Well, if cartoon violence of the most explicit kind is your bag, this could be the shoe that fits.

Directed by Quentin Taratino (who else?), Wikipedia sums up its plot best: The film follows “a character initially identified as The Bride, a former member of an assassination team who seeks revenge on her ex-colleagues who massacred members of her wedding party and tried to kill her.” Phew...

Starring Uma Thurman, the films borrows heavily from every cult cliche but remains nonetheless, hugely enjoyable (if gory).

* But if you can’t manage May, consider June among Oxford’s rooftops. Hosted by Malmaison who will also be running the bar and BBQ, and starting on June 26 with Philomena, the other films include Top Gun (June 26), The Usual Suspects (June 27), The Breakfast Club (June 28) and The Graduate (June 29).

And if none of the above whets your appetite, how about this? – on Saturday, July 12, which is a full moon, there will be a screening of An American Werewolf in London in the Old Prison Exercise Yard. How can you resist?

For more information, see cultscreens.co.uk or facebook.com/cultscreens/
Tickets are between £12.50 and £14.50 depending on the seat and event.