BOOM! to Be Screened In Special One Night Event At The Museum of Performance & Design 8/12

Joseph Losey's rarely seen 1968 film Boom! will be screened in a special one-night event at the Museum of Performance & Design on Wednesday, August 12 at 7:00pm. Boom! (screenplay by Tennessee Williams) tells the story of heiress Sissy Goforth (ElizaBeth Taylor) who is visited on her private island by a young artist (Richard Burton) who may or may not be The Angel of Death. In one of his final film roles Noël Coward gives a classic performance as "The Witch of Capri" that combines the drawing room humor and camp sensibility that made him an international icon.

Although critically dismissed at the time of its release, Boom! has gained a devoted cult following. Among its fans are director John Waters, who cites the production design and over-the-top performances as a major influence on his taste. For the 2002 Sight and Sound Poll, Waters listed this as the third best movie of all time. Boom! is presented in conjunction with MPD's current exhibition, Star Quality: The World of Noël Coward, on display until August 29. Included in the exhibition is the original Douglas Hayward tuxedo Coward wore in the film.

The event takes place on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 7:00 pm at the Museum of Performance & Design, 401 Van Ness Avenue (@ McAllister), Veterans Building, 4th Floor in San Francisco. The screening is free, but space is limited and reservations are required: please call the Museum at (415) 255-4800 or email tonyb@mpdsf.org. For more information visit us online at www.mpdsf.org