Change is hard to notice in the moment. It usually takes hindsight to recognize a shift in style, perception, or ethos—but change inevitably happens. That means every movie, even the most cutting-edge or seemingly evergreen title, is destined to become a period piece.
When you look at films from a particular era together, even seemingly unrelated ones combine to tell a story. They reveal the history of filmmaking—where technology stood, how Hollywood’s tastes were shifting—but they also reflect the world itself: our fears, our reckoning with the past, and our hopes (or anxieties) about the future.
There is no better example of this than 1975. In an America reeling from Nixon’s resignation and the end of the Vietnam War, New Hollywood filmmakers brought disillusionment and discontent to the screen with movies like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Barry Lyndon,” and “Nashville.” Meanwhile, a new wave of voices embraced camp and comedy in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” And in the middle of it all, the blockbuster era arrived with the ominous opening chords of “Jaws.”
To mark the 50th anniversary of this cinematic turning point, we’re excited to present 1975 at 50 — a 10-film series featuring the New Hollywood dramas, game-changing blockbusters, and subversive comedies that shaped film history. It all kicks off this Sunday when director and educator Deborah Reinisch introduces our first film, Shampoo, Hal Ashby’s razor-sharp satire on how the free-love ideals of the ’60s collided with the cynicism of the Watergate era.
The films of 1975 tell a story about America at a crossroads. None of them provide easy answers, but they do hold an exhausted honesty that makes them more relevant than ever fifty years later.
Now Playing
“Nickel Boys”
An innovative Best Picture nominee from Ramell Ross.
An Academy Award nominee for Best Picture, “Nickel Boys” tells the story of Elwood and Turner, two African-American teenagers sent to an abusive reform school in the Jim Crow South of the 1960s. Shot entirely from the point of view of its protagonists, director RaMell Ross immerses you in a cinematic experience unlike any other in this tale of friendship and survival.
Part of our Limited Engagement Series, “Nickel Boys” plays for one week from February 21 to 27.
“Wild at Heart”
Rescheduled from February 15!
The Triplex is honoring the legacy of visionary director David Lynch with “Time to Wake Up,” a new series celebrating the swirl of darkness, romance, and Americana that made Lynch one of the greatest to ever step behind a camera.
We kick things off on Valentine’s Day weekend with “Wild at Heart,” Lynch’s Palme D’Or-winning love story starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern and featuring Willem Defoe, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, and more in supporting roles. When young lovers Sailor (Cage) and Lula (Dern) hit the road to escape Lula’s domineering mother (Ladd), they become entangled in a violent criminal underworld that will test the strength of their love.
February 22, 8:30 p.m.
“Shampoo”
Hal Ashby’s satire kicks off our 1975 retrospective.
We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of movies from 1975 in our monthly series 1975 at 50!
We kick things off with Hal Ashby’s biting satire “Shampoo,” a darkly comedic look at the complications of the free love movement as it ran headlong into the Watergate era, sponsored by Michele’s Salon & Day Spa. Starring Warren Beatty as a hairdresser who uses sex to help advance his career, “Shampoo” follows Beatty’s George over the course of Election Day 1968 as he juggles his girlfriend (Goldie Hawn); his client (Lee Grant, in an Oscar-winning role); her husband (Jack Warden); and his mistress (Julie Christie), who just so happens to be George’s ex-girlfriend.
Director and educator Deborah Reinisch joins us to introduce Shampoo and discuss the significance of 1975 in film history! February 23, 4:30 p.m.
“Captain America: Brave New World”
Harrison Ford hulks out in the latest entry in the MCU.
Anthonie Mackie picks up the shield in “Captain America: Brave New World,” the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Drawing on inspiration from conspiracy classics from the 1970s, “Brave New World” finds Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the one man who can stop a shadowy cabal from provoking a hot-head president (Harrison Ford) into bringing the world to war.
Continues this week!
“Paddington in Peru”
Everyone’s favorite bear returns for a new adventure!
The very best bear returns for another adventure in “Paddington in Peru”! The third installment in the beloved family franchise follows Paddington and the Browns as they travel to Paddington’s native Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, only to discover that she has gone missing. Featuring an over-the-top Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman in supporting roles, “Paddington in Peru” is a heartwarming adventure that is as sweet as marmalade.
Continues this week!
Coming Soon
“Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story”
Take an intimate look at the life of a living legend in “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story.” Featuring new interviews with Ms. Minnelli herself, Liza gives you the untold story of a life lived in the public eye with a mix of interviews and archival footage.
Part of our Limited Engagement Series, “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story” comes to The Triplex for one week, from February 28 to March 6.
“Last Breath”
Things get deep on February 28 with “Last Breath,” a heart-pounding survival thriller based on a true story! Director Alex Parkinson adapts his 2019 documentary about a team of deep-sea divers led by Duncan Allcock (Woody Harrelson) as they race against time to rescue a crewmate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface.
Starts February 28.
“Eraserhead”
The next entry in our series “Time to Wake Up: A Tribute to David Lynch” is Lynch’s debut movie, “Eraserhead”! As startling today as when it premiered in 1977, “Eraserhead” features longtime Lynch collaborator Jack Nance as Henry Spencer, a man navigating the anxieties of sex, parenthood, and all-around existence in this cult classic that cemented Lynch’s status as a surrealist visionary from the very beginning.
March 1, 8 p.m.
Oscar Watch Party
Join us for the Oscars on March 2! We will be playing the show on the big screen with food specials from our friends at Juju’s and drink specials from our concessions team! We will start at 6 p.m. to catch all the red carpet looks and keep the fun going throughout the show with trivia, giveaways, and an Oscar ballot competition!
This is a free event, but reservations are recommended! Reserve your seat now at thetriplex.org!
March 2, at 6 p.m.
“Clueless”
There is nothing as comforting as digging into a movie you know by heart! That is why we are teaming up with our friends at the Berkshire Food Co-op for “Comfort Food,” a new series of movies that hit that nostalgic sweet spot.
Join us on Tuesday, March 4, as we kick off our “Comfort Food” series with “Clueless,” the eternally cool rom-com starring Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy, and more! Don’t wait to grab your tickets for this one—the Co-op will be providing a limited quantity of ’90s-themed goodie bags that are available for presale now!
Want to grab some actual comfort food after the screening? Use your ticket to get a discount on your next Co-op purchase!
March 4, 7 p.m.
