Shea’s Performing Arts Center is proud to announce the return of the Free Family Film Series, sponsored by Tompkins Bank.
The films will now be projected through a brand-new Christie CP4230 digital projector, which uses a 6,000-watt xenon arc lamp to create 30,000 lumens of bright, high-resolution movie magic. The theatre also added a Dolby Media Server capable of playing all the latest releases.
“At the same time we upgraded the projector, we also upgraded the sound from an analog Dolby CP-50 that was released in 1977 to a brand new Dolby CP-950, which is capable of delivering crystal clear digital surround sound,” shared Chris Brown, projectionist, IATSE 121. “The viewing experience at Shea’s will be greatly improved by no longer having to show old film that was susceptible to scratching and other visual anomalies, and a far superior audio experience. I would personally say this system rivals if not exceeds most of the major movie theater chains in this area in terms of visual fidelity and overall moviegoing experience.”
The film series will kick off with Ghostbusters: Afterlife on Oct. 23, just in time to celebrate Halloween. This PG-13-rated film came out in 2021 and has a run time of 2 hours and 4 minutes. This film stars Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd and Finn Wolfhard, and connects to the story of the original 1984 Ghostbusters film.
The Wizard of Oz will be projected in the theatre on Jan. 15. This G-rated film came out in 1939 and has a run time of 1 hour and 42 minutes. The movie, starring Judy Garland, won Best Music, Original Song, and Best Original Score at the 1949 Academy Awards.
The Princess and the Frog will be shown on Feb. 5 to celebrate Black History Month and Disney’s first Black princess, Tiana. This G-rated film was released in 2009 and has a run time of 1 hour and 37 minutes.
The fourth and final film in the series will be Encanto on April 2 as a celebration for the Spring season. This PG-rated film released in 2021 and has a run time of 1 hour and 42 minutes. Encanto won the 2022 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and the 2022 Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Animated.
To learn more about the Free Family Film Series at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, visit sheas.org.
