The Ford Reveals Lineup of 2024 Film Presentations

During late summer and fall, film events will once again light up the night at THE FORD. Two sets of presentations feature very different focusses on classic films.
 
August 23, 24 and 25, three of the most popular Studio Ghibli animated films from the storied Japanese studio - “Princess Mononoke,” “Spirited Away,” and “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” - are part of a weekend residency, exploring the natural world created in these artful movies, as we show them outside on the big screen in the natural beauty of the Cahuenga pass.
 
Then, in late October, two live action films of the 70s and 80s are screened – Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” a tale of isolation, horror and madness, based on the Stephen King novel, followed the next evening by a 50th anniversary screening of Mel Brooks’ black and white cult classic “Young Frankenstein.”

Tickets for The Ford 2024 Season are available at theford.com or via phone at
323 850 2000. Programs, artists, prices and dates subject to change. Ticket limits may apply. All sales are final.

Studio Ghibli Residency 

All films screened in Japanese with English subtitles
 
The Natural World of Studio Ghibli celebrates the legendary animation studios’ thematic explorations of natural environments, our relationship with nature, and the spiritual aspect of the natural world. Miyazaki’s films invite audiences into fantastical worlds, filled with memorable characters, heartfelt storytelling, and iconic scores by Joe Hisaishi that have earned Academy Awards and fans worldwide. Experience classic Studio Ghibli films screened in Japanese with English subtitles set in the natural outdoor beauty of The Ford

“Princess Mononoke”(1997) 

In Japanese with English subtitles
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 at 8:00 PM
 
Roger Ebert praised Princess Mononoke as “a great achievement and a wonderful experience” that avoids easy moral simplifications to show “Hayao Miyazaki’s deep humanism.” Set in 14th-century Japan, a young prince sets off to break a curse he received from a raging demon. As he journeys far from home, he finds himself in the middle of a world at war—waged between the mining colony Iron Town and the forest gods marshaled by Princess Mononoke. The prince seeks to forge peace, but the harmony between men and nature might be too far gone.  This program is a collaboration with the LA Phil Insight initiative, generously supported by Linda and David Shaheen.

“Spirited Away” (2001)

In Japanese with English subtitles
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 at 8:00 PM

 
Combining Japanese mythology with Alice in Wonderland-type whimsy, Spirited Away earned Hayao Miyazaki an Academy Award, holds the record for the second-largest box office in Japan, and opened Western audiences to the possibility of animation. Chihiro thinks she is on another boring trip with her parents. But when they stop at a village that is not all that it seems, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits, shape-shifting dragons, and a witch who never wants to see her leave. She must call on the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. This program is a collaboration with the LA Phil Insight initiative, generously supported by Linda and David Shaheen.

“Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” (1985) – 40th Anniversary

In Japanese with English subtitles
SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, at 8:00 PM

 
A thousand years after a great war, a seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind is one of the only areas that remains populated. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley are engaged in a constant struggle with powerful insects called “ohmu,” who guard a poisonous jungle that is spreading across the Earth. Nausicaä and her brave companions, together with the people of the Valley, strive to restore the bond between humanity and the earth. This program is a collaboration with the LA Phil Insight initiative, generously supported by Linda and David Shaheen.

Halloween Screenings 

“The Shining” (1980)

Wednesday, October 30 at 8:00 PM
 
In this haunting horror staple, Jack Torrance, an aspiring author and recovering alcoholic, drags his wife Wendy and gifted son Danny to snow-covered Colorado's secluded Overlook Hotel after landing a job as an off-season caretaker at the establishment. Things seem to be slow enough for the family to enjoy their stay at the hotel, until supernatural events start to happen. Snowstorms start to trap them in the hotel leading to each family member toward their own insanity. From Jack losing his mind, Wendy fighting for her life, and even their son Danny finding himself in paranormal activities, Kubrick’s tale of horror is sure to make you want to sleep with one eye open afterwards.
 
Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers, this star-studded film is considered one of the best horror films of all time. Don’t set yourself up for cabin fever this Halloween season, come out to The Ford (in costume!) and get in the spooky mood with this infamous classic.

“Young Frankenstein”: 50th Anniversary (1974)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31 at 8:00 PM

 
In this hilarious cult classic, Mel Brooks gives us a surreal parody of the horror staple, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, by telling the story of the infamous scientist’s grandson who is on a mission to prove that his grandfather wasn’t as crazy as people say he was. After being invited to Transylvania, the American scientist sets out to discover the process of reanimating a dead body. Follow the journey of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein and his assistants, Igor and Inga, as they collide with all the obstacles that come after bringing the dead back to life.
 
Starring acting legends, Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, and Peter Boyle, Young Frankenstein has been a critical and commercial success, ranking among the greatest comedy films of all time. Arrive early to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary with pre-show entertainment and other goodies—and it’s Halloween, of course, so don’t forget to dress to kill!

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