Sierra gearing up for a week of movie classics

By ANDREW MCGINN
a.mcginn@beeherald.com

Through a recent conversation with Rick Morain, Jim Daubendiek learned that the last time “Gone With the Wind” played Jefferson, it arrived on five reels — and that during the movie, the reels got out of order.

“Somebody next to him said, ‘I just don’t get this movie,’ ” Daubendiek, president of the Sierra Community Theatre, said this week.

Thankfully, when “Gone With the Wind” returns to town Jan. 23 to kick off “Classics Week” at the Sierra, it’s guaranteed to run in order — a big benefit of the Sierra’s $80,000 switch from 35mm film to digital presentations.
The week will feature three movies chosen by local businesses, all with multiple show times.

Admission is free, but it’s hoped donations flow freely.

“It’s kind of in the vein of Iowa Public Television and their fundraising week,” said Daubendiek, general manager of Jefferson Telecom.

The fundraiser is a first for the Sierra, which now belongs to the community after decades in the Des Moines-based Fridley chain.

“If this is successful, we plan on doing it every year,” Daubendiek said.

It’s been two years since the community took on the responsibility of running a first-run movie theater.

The theater’s air-conditioner went out late in the season, according to Daubendiek, which means the Sierra is looking at an $8,000 fix.

So if you want air-conditioning this summer during “The Avengers 2” and more, “Classics Week” is the time to help out.

To paraphrase Rhett Butler, “Frankly, my dear, you should give a damn.”

The film schedule is as follows:

“Gone With the Wind” (presented by Jefferson Telecom)

Show times: 6 p.m. Jan. 23; 12:30 and 6 p.m. Jan. 24; 12:30 and 6 p.m. Jan. 25.

A movie like no other — when was the last time you went to a movie that had an intermission?! — the 1939 Civil War epic starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh is still the all-time top-grossing movie when adjusted for inflation.

Its box office take totaled $1.6 billion in today’s dollars.

“The Goonies” (presented by Greene Bean Coffee)

Show times: 7 p.m. Jan. 26; 2 and 7 p.m. Jan. 27.

Well, even 30 years after the fact, it’s still hard to equate the word “classic” with a movie that features a theme song by Cyndi Lauper, but “The Goonies” remains a pretty lovable little adventure flick.

Richard Donner directed the 1985 movie; Steven Spielberg wrote and produced.

The Sierra concession stand should stock up on Baby Ruths for this one.

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (presented by Rasmussen Law Offices)

Show times: 2 and 7 p.m. Jan. 28; 7 p.m. Jan. 29.

Nazis! Biblical artifacts! Booby traps!

It was the movie that introduced Indiana Jones to the world.

The 1981 Spielberg flick is the 20th top-grossing movie of all-time when adjusted for inflation, with an adjusted box office gross of more than $715 million.