Six by Hitch Lonestar Film Society pays tribute to one of film's master directors all weekend by screening six of his best films at The Modern in Fort Worth. Starting Thursday with a screening of one of Alfred Hitchcock's earliest films, Blackmail, this weekend walks through his career presenting classics, as well as some of the more rarely seen works. For Blackmail, which screens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, pianist Robert Edwards will provide musical accompaniment in the suspenseful Hitchcock fashion. This six-part showcase of the director's work runs through August 31; tickets to each film are $8. Find more information at themodern.org.
Thursday, August 28
Princess Bride Quote-a-long It's hard not to quote a long to this classic fairy tale flick when you're watching it in the privacy of your own home, which is why it will be even better when it's on the big screen and you and a hundred strangers are shouting, "As you wish," together. Get in on the fun at the Alamo Drafthouse at 7 p.m. Thursday. Tickets, $12, are available at drafthouse.com/dfw.
Fighting the Fires of Hate: America and the Nazi Book Burnings There are things in history that should never be forgotten and it's not always pleasant. Fighting the Fires of Hate is a traveling exhibition of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It opens at 10 a.m. Thursday and runs through October 15 at the Dallas Holocaust Museum, 211 N. Record St., Suite 100. Admission is $10 ($8 seniors, free for members). Call 214-741-7500 or visit dallasholocaustmuseum.org.
Show Your Shorts! Dallas filmmakers will be putting their shorts (film shorts) on the big screen of the Texas Theatre at 7 p.m. Thursday night and the audience will vote for their favorites. It's like a mini film festival and you're the jury. Tickets are a mere $5, the bar will take your drink orders, and the seats are comfortable.
Friday, August 29 Dallas DanceFest After a 10-year hiatus, the Dallas DanceFest returns to the city and it's bigger than before. With 18 companies, 16 of them local, this celebration of all forms of the genre kicks off Friday night and stretches into Sunday afternoon. Tickets and more information available at dallasdancefest.com.
See also: A Complete Guide to the Companies Performing at Dallas DanceFest this Weekend
#NorthOakCliffDoesNotExist: An Evening of Poetry and Performance Get your fill of spoken word and experimental performance art at this one-night-only event thrown by THRWD magazine. The evening features an extensive line-up of interesting young artists and will be hosted by Randy Guthmiller, the man behind local zine Shapes. More information at thrwd.com.
Tulisoma: The South Dallas Book Fair Contrary to popular media narrative, there are still young people in America who read books. Libraries still serve as place for children to be swept away by on trails of adventure or romance. This hope that literature will forever remain a cornerstone of the human experience is an impetus for Tulisoma, the South Dallas Book Fair. Tulisoma is Swahili for "we read" and this a two-day festival has made its mission to explore the Southwest African-American experience in books and story. The events are spread out throughout Dallas with a featured performance from Luenell at the Majestic Theatre (1925 Elm St.) at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets to her performance start at $40 and are available through the box office, 214-670-3687. For a full round-up of events visit tulisoma.org. Saturday, August 30
Texas Burlesque Peep Show The '20s were a great decade for women. It gave us bobbed hair, trousers, and oh yeah, a tiny thing called women's suffrage. It would be a few decades before we mastered the art of second wave feminism, in which women began to reclaim their sexuality, but it's certainly the sound of woman in the Roaring '20s. The indepdent spirit of this decade will be celebrated Saturday night at the Texas Theatre (231 W. Jefferson Blvd) in all its decadance. Texas Burlesque Peep Show takes us back in time for an evening of art deco fantasy, complete with flapper dresses, gloved fingers and a good old fashion striptease. The show starts at 9 p.m. Saturday and tickets will run you $20. More information is available at texasburlesque.com.
Michael Malone Get in a few laughs with up-and-coming comedian Michael Malone, who's quickly becoming one of iTunes' most popular comedy stars (who would've guessed that would ever be a thing?). He'll be performing at Hyena's Comedy Club in Mockingbird Station several times this weekend. Catch him at 8 or 10:30 p.m. Saturday for just $10.
Deep Ellum Brewery Tour It's a three-day weekend, so you know you'll be drinking, might as well drink good beer. For $15 at the door, drink your way through Deep Ellum Brewing Company's selections from noon to 3 p.m. and then grab something from the food trucks to soak it up... or do it the other way around, your call. When they toss you out onto the streets after the tour, you'll be in Deep Ellum and the night will be young, or still hours away. Your call.
Sunday, August 31 Duck Soup If you've never seen a Marx Brothers film, stop reading and download one right now. We'll wait. Too busy now? Then just make plans to head to the Alamo Drafthouse (100 S. Central Expressway in Richardson) at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, when the movie theater screens Duck Soup, which is often considered to be the troupe's tour de force. It packs numerous one-liners, phsyical comedy, and Groucho's infamous moustache into 68 minutes of political commentary and downright funny film reel. Order a mimosa from the bar, turn off your cell phone for an hour and no longer allow yourself to be a neglectful film lover. Tickets are $5 and available at drafthouse.com/dfw.
Mad Decent Block Party Drunken dance party, because it's Labor Day weekend. Ya dig?
Monday, September 1
Big Tex Choice Awards If you aren't planning a barbecue in your backyard, or you don't have a backyard, you can head down to Fair Park to attend the State Fair of Texas' Big Tex Choice Awards. It's the first time they've opened them up to the public and your $100 ticket gets you samples and supports charity. A win-win for everything except your digestive tract. More info at bigtex.com.
