Paramount Theatre’s Summer Programming Will Keep You Cool 

During Austin’s summer season, there’s no shortage of outdoor activities to take advantage of. However, everyone has their limit when it comes to triple-digit heat, and sometimes, you just need a little break.

Thankfully, the Paramount Theatre is back to save the day with its annual Summer Classic Film Series, and this year’s lineup provides the perfect reprieve on those days when you’ve had enough of the Texas sun. Count on the AC cranking while you enjoy some of the greatest stories ever put to film, all summer long.

From its humble beginnings in 1975 as means to keep the then-fading theater afloat, the series has since become a yearly movie-lover tradition. This year marks the 49th summer of nonstop classics at the Paramount, and you won’t want to miss what’s in store. From the forefathers of film to present-day auteurs, cinephiles will surely be pleased with the 90+ film lineup. The series kicks off on May 26th with Casablanca, and from there, you’ll find showtimes for a wide variety of new and old classics every week through September 2nd.

The series is curated to suit all different types of viewers, whether you watch romance or horror, comedies or action flicks. Here are just a few of the standout highlights to look forward to:

Majestic Ball Week (6/20–6/24)

To celebrate PRIDE Month and the week leading up to the 2nd annual Majestic Ball, you can catch screenings of a handful of LGBTQ+ classics. From Best Picture-winner Moonlight to Hedwig and the Angry Itch, Paramount has PRIDE month covered.

Harry Ransom Center: Drawing the Motion Picture (7/11–7/13)

In July, the series is teaming up with the Harry Ransom Center in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibit: Drawing the Motion Picture. The exhibit showcases the behind-the-scenes sketches, storyboards and designs that bring films to life, and you can check out the finished products at the Paramount with three excellent examples: Malcolm X, The Red Shoes, and Raging Bull.

Hitchcock Week (8/22–8/26)

Spend a whole week with the Master of Suspense. To start, there’s a newly restored showing of Shadow of a Doubt, arguably Alfred Hitchcock’s first masterpiece, followed by three of his most beloved films: Rear Window, The Birds, and Psycho.

You can find the entire lineup here, which is also full of family-friendly favorites, foreign films celebrating big anniversaries, and even a personally curated selection from Texas film icon Robert Rodriguez. Tickets are on sale now, and you can even purchase a discounted bundle to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Here’s to Austin Summer at the Paramount!

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