Catching 'The Guns of Navarone' in Ikebukuro!

The Guns of Navarone at the Shin Bungeiza. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Wednesday, August 16, I caught a screening of the Columbia Pictures classic The Guns of Navarone (1961) at the Shin Bungeiza theater in Ikebukuro. I'd never seen it before, so I figured seeing it on the Shin Bungeiza's massive screen would be the best way to watch it for the first time. I was a bit taken aback to find that the screening would be sourced from a Blu-ray, as opposed to a 4K remaster or DCP. (What is this -- the Pickwick Theatre?!)

Look who's guarding the soda machine. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Thankfully, the movie was still quite watchable, even if it was grainier than what I was used to. I enjoyed the movie, too, especially since I couldn't always predict where the story would go. On the other hand, I felt the climax went on too long and lost some of its tension along the way, but I was pleased with the overall film. It was also fun to see Irene Papas in an early role, as I mostly know her from her appearance as a baddie in John Landis' Into the Night (1985). 

Not sure what movie I will see next there. I saw that the theater will screen a great Showa-era horror movie at the end of the month, but we'll see if I'm available to catch a screening.