mystery movie!

No, that's not to say it was a movie with a mystery plot.
Oh, no, not with the Psychotronic Film Society!
Here's how the Super Crazy Ultimate Awesome Unknown Mystery Movie was advertised.

"In the 11 years that the PFS of SAV has been screening unusual films here at the Bean, we have often hosted “Mystery Screenings,” where we encourage folks to come out and take in a movie featuring a specific actor, or screenwriter or director, or cinematographer, etc…, without knowing EXACTLY what feature they’ll be seeing.
However, to the best of our recollection, we’ve never shown a COMPLETE MYSTERY FILM – meaning one for which we’re giving the public ABSOLUTELY NO HINTS OR INFORMATION WHATSOEVER.
In other words, there is no way to know if what we’ll be showing this night is either A) a very GOOD movie or B) a very BAD movie.
There’s also no way to know if it’s a comedy, a drama, a crime film, an action flick, a horror or sci-fi gem, a campy cult movie, musical or a mainstream blockbuster.
So why would someone come out on a Sunday night and buy a ticket without having the slightest idea what they’re about to witness?
Because they’re brave, insightful, exceedingly smart and handsome, of course!
Plus, tickets are only $5, so how can you possibly go wrong?
So, make plans now to attend this one-night-only screening of a somewhat amazing movie the PFS spent YEARS searching for, and which we have NEVER shown before.
Can we pack the house for a complete question mark?
You’ll laugh (or not)!
You’ll cry (or not)!
You’ll shriek in terror (or not!)
Your life will be forever changed (or not)!
See you there?
+The term “guarantee” is used solely as a figure of speech and does not imply any tangible contract or agreement."

Seriously, how could I resist?
So, I went.
I'm glad I did!
Because of the movie?
Heck, no.
It turned out to be a horror flick, my least favorite genre.
In its favor, it was a 1966 British horror flick, meaning it wasn't the gore-fest we have on this side of the pond.
In its favor, it was old enough to have missed being part of that ilk here.
Also in its favor was this: Jim screened "The Vulture" in black and white, as had been done in the cinema, not in the color in which it was actually filmed.
That was pretty cool!
But the coolest part of all and the reason I have included it in this blog?
He screened it as a surprise birthday present for his friend Jack.
Nice, right?
But that isn't all. Here's the rest of the story.
Jack had told Jim about this film, to see if the PFS film seeker extraordinaire might be able to unearth it. (That is actually a cool, and unintentional, pun, if you know anything about the flick!) So, the PFS-fse went in search of the flick and the topic was closed.
A few months ago, a VHS tape revealed an excellent copy! Someone, once upon a time, had recorded the flick when it aired on television a few decades ago! And Jim had found them!
Then, he sat on his news, patiently biding his time, not breathing a word to anyone. (Picture Snoopy in his Vulture mode, perched on the roof of his doghouse.)
Then, at long last, he finally baited his trap with the above advertisement.
He had a back-up film at hand, just in case this was one of those rare occasions that Jack was not present.
But Jack came.
Game on!
Super cool!
Joe B and Axelle were there, too, which was good for me. There were also some other regulars as well as several folks who had never been to one of the PFS screenings.
That was cool, too.
And there was a brown bag raffle of crazy items from Jim's collection.
That was cool, too, even though I didn't win anything. (Axelle did!)
The coolest part of all, by far, was seeing this side of Jim and witnessing the delight of the birthday boy.
That is what life's all about, folks!