Alamo-At-Home Is Ready For A Virtual ‘Roar’ Experience

Lately on the CinemAddicts podcast I’ve been banging the drum for the benefits of a virtual cinema experience, and in perfect pop culture timing Alamo-At-Home is bringing Roar via Vimeo’s VOD platform starting April 15. Movie fans will probably check out the film thanks to the overwhelming success of Netflix’s Tiger King. My interests actually lie in seeing Tippi Hedren and Melanie Griffith in an entirely different element.

Released in 1981, Roar was billed as a comedy about the adventures of an American family living with tigers and lions at a nature preserve in Tanzania. The feature stars Noel Marshall (who also directed), his wife Tippi Hedren, stepdaughter Melanie Griffith, and his two sons. A video Q&A from John Marshall (Noel’s son) will also be featured at the virtual screening.

The production was a nightmare, as a scheduled six month production turned into a four year undertaking just to complete principal photography (according to imdb)! Although the film claims that no animals were harmed during production, an estimated 70 people were injured and Griffith was mauled by a lion and required facial reconstruction.

Ten percent of ticket grosses will be donated to The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation’s Pioneers Assistance Fund which provides assistance to motion picture industry professions. PAF is currently providing financial assistance to theater employees who are furloughed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“Roar is so singular, so breathtaking . . . you’ve never seen a movie like it, and there will never, ever be a moviel like Roar again,” said Alamo Drafthouse founder and CEO Tim League. “I’m delighted we’re able to bring it straight into people’s homes.”

Advance ticketing are available in the following locations:

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
• Studio Movie Grill
• Showcase Cinemas
• The Broad Theater (New Orleans)
• Hollywood Theatre (Portland) 
• Music Box Theatre (Chicago)
• Scarecrow Video (Seattle)
• Screenland Armour Theatre (Kansas City)

I recently watched Melanie Griffith in The Bonfire of the The Vanities and after years of really disliking her performance and the actual movie, I’ve come around to appreciating the film for its merits. Truth to tell I’ve always undervalued Griffith as an actress (check out her performance in Arthur Penn’s Night Moves), and lately I’ve also been interested in taking a deeper look into Tippi Hedren’s body of work (as an Alfred Hitchcock fan, I still haven’t seen The Birds in its entirety!). Also, let’s not discount the acting and home design skills of Tippi’s granddaughter (and Melanie’s daughter) Dakota Johnson! Bottom line is that more attention should be given to this acting family, and for me that will continue with a virtual screening of Roar (it’s $9.99 for the pre-order!).

If you have seen Roar or are planning to check it out, I’d love to hear your comments on the film (my CinemAddicts co-host/buddy Anderson Cowan swears by this film). I’m also up for Tippi Hedren/Melanie Griffith/Dakota Johnson movie recommendations as well. Support your local theater, by hook or crook or (in this case) simply Roar!!!