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Some years at the movies are remembered for one defining release. In 1997, audiences moved between Japanese animation, Hollywood spectacle, neo-noir, crime stories and experimental independent cinema.
That range returns to the big screen this August as VIFF Centre’s 90s, Baby! series reaches 1997.
The summer program moves through the decade chronologically, using a “one week = one year” format. After completing its 1996 selections on August 6, the series begins exploring 1997 on Friday, August 7. The opening weekend includes L.A. Confidential, Princess Mononoke, Titanic and Gummo.
For visitors staying downtown, one of these screenings can become the centre of a Vancouver evening rather than a small addition to an already crowded itinerary.
The 1997 program begins with two very different films at VIFF Cinema.
L.A. Confidential screens at 5:30 p.m. Curtis Hanson’s neo-noir follows police corruption and scandal in 1950s Los Angeles, creating an evening option for viewers who prefer crime stories, mystery and intricate character relationships.
Later that night, Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke screens at 8:20 p.m.
The animated epic follows Ashitaka as he becomes caught between an expanding human settlement and the animal gods protecting the surrounding forest. Its conflict is built around competing needs rather than a simple division between heroes and villains.
The Friday screening is presented with subtitles. Additional screenings are scheduled for Sunday, August 9 at 8:00 p.m. and Wednesday, August 12 at 5:30 p.m.
Because the two Friday films overlap, moviegoers will need to choose their direction for the evening: Hollywood noir or an animated environmental epic.
James Cameron’s Titanic screens at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 8.
At 197 minutes, this is an evening built around the film itself. The running time gives viewers time to settle into its combination of historical disaster, romance and large-scale filmmaking.
Watching Titanic in a cinema is also a different experience from revisiting it at home. The scale of the ship, the sound design and the length of the story were created for an uninterrupted theatrical setting.
A second screening is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11 at 3:00 p.m. That matinee may suit visitors who would rather keep Saturday evening open for another downtown activity.
Moviegoers looking for something far removed from a Hollywood blockbuster can choose Harmony Korine’s Gummo.
The film screens at 8:30 p.m. on August 8 in the Lochmaddy Studio Theatre. Unlike the scale and narrative structure of Titanic, Gummo is an experimental portrait of people living in a tornado-damaged Ohio community.
The contrast between the two films captures what made 1997 such an unusual cinema year. One became a global box-office phenomenon. The other developed a reputation as a challenging cult film.
Further screenings of Gummo take place on Sunday, August 9 at 5:50 p.m. and Tuesday, August 11 at 8:00 p.m.
The 1997 program continues after the weekend.
Jackie Brown screens at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11 and again at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 13. Quentin Tarantino’s crime film follows a flight attendant drawn into a plan involving money, law enforcement and several people trying to outmanoeuvre one another.
L.A. Confidential returns for another screening at 8:10 p.m. on August 13. This provides a second opportunity for anyone who chooses Princess Mononoke on opening night.
Together, these films present several distinct sides of 1997:
The program is focused enough to build a movie night around one title, but varied enough to reward visitors who attend more than once.
VIFF Centre is located at 1181 Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver. Screenings take place in either VIFF Cinema or the smaller Lochmaddy Studio Theatre, so guests should check the room listed with their selected film.
The box office opens 30 minutes before the first screening of the day. Current ticket availability, accessibility information and any schedule updates should be confirmed directly through VIFF before visiting.
Longer films also require a little more planning. Titanic runs for more than three hours, while Princess Mononoke, L.A. Confidential and Jackie Brown each run for more than two hours. Check the running time before making dinner reservations or planning another activity for the same evening.
Quality Inn & Suites Downtown Vancouver is located at 1221 Granville Street, close to VIFF Centre’s Seymour Street location. Guests can make a screening the main event of the evening while keeping the rest of their downtown plans flexible.
The hotel offers Double, Queen and King rooms, along with suites featuring kitchenettes and dining tables. These options provide a convenient base for a single movie night or a longer visit built around several Vancouver events.
For one week in August, VIFF Centre is returning to 1997. The hardest decision may be choosing which version of the year to revisit first.