Unfathomable Films Brought to Hampton Bays

As a huge movie nerd, I’ve taken part in various Fathom Events exclusives over the years. One of my favorites was watching Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau’s The Odd Couple, another was getting to laugh along with the guys behind Mystery Science Theater 3000 when they presented their RiffTrax series not long ago. With something for everyone, Fathom Events provides varied and fascinating entertainment for all ages while also delivering exclusive and exciting originals for theatergoers.

UA Hampton Bays is one theatre that features Fathom Events regularly, including a recent successful showing of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. There seems to be a tremendous amount of buzz surrounding the upcoming showing of Carmen, as well. Both Swan Lake and Carmen are part of Fathom Events’ The Met: Live in HD series which presents various Metropolitan Opera pieces in stunning high definition, as well as in 2D and RealD 3D. I haven’t been lucky enough to catch any of the Metropolitan Opera shows that are part of the Fathom Events presentation; however, I’ve always wanted to. I don’t make it to The Met often, so getting a touch of class while sitting comfortably in an air-conditioned movie theater, without having to dress up in a tux, sounds spot-on to me.

The summer movie season isn’t exactly known for its classy, art house or prestige-level films. Something like, for instance, Argo or Zero Dark Thirty wouldn’t open against a silly comedy like This Is The End or a superhero masterpiece like Man of Steel. Fathom Events strives to break the monotony of the bloated Hollywood blockbusters (which, to be fair, provide the most revenue for theatres) by displaying beautiful ballets and operas. In previous years, Fathom Events has brought a bit of Shakespeare to film screens with Shakespeare’s Globe London Cinema Series. Starting with The Merry Wives of Windsor and ending with Henry VIII. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to bring a bit of the classics to the general populace.

Those attending a Fathom Event screening can always expect something out of the ordinary. When are you going to make it to the Rome marathon? Can’t get to Italy, go to the movies, Fathom Events showcased it. Everything is streamed digitally, running through a state-of-the-art projection system via satellite. The UA Hampton Bays theatre, though part of a large company, takes its time to get to know its theatergoers. The theater has a core group of folks who flock in for the Fathom Events series, which is great to see. Typically, Fathom Events screenings are all-ages, with the exception of some horror films like Halloween or The Exorcist, both of which have been screened in the fall, as have the Universal classic duo of Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein, James Whale’s meditative take on Mary Shelley’s gothic horror.

The operas continue to do well, as did Floyd Mayweather’s return to the ring not long ago. Watching boxing at a Fathom Event screening is basically like being ringside. While some events are far more popular than others, in the end, it all comes down to marketing. Individual events are marketed separately, which brings in a different crowd, or, in some cases, fails to find its audience. UA Hampton Bays is new to the Fathom Events series, however; they’re happy with audience attendance. Of course, it could always be higher.

Changes in programming, from opera to more seasonal events in the fall is something that should bring in more of an audience for the Fathom Events series. On August 1^st, however, fans of the Grateful Dead (“Deadheads,” as it were) can enjoy Sunshine Daydream, a documentary featuring never-before seen clips of the band from concerts as well as interviews with the surviving members of the band.

Tickets can be purchased at FathomEvents.com and can also be purchased at the UA Hampton Bays box office. For more information, call the theater at 631-728-8535