October 22nd, 2019 - 4:00 pm to October 25th, 2019 - 4:00 pm
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME Opening at the Cinema Art Theater
Starting on October 25, the Rehoboth Beach Film Society’s Cinema Art Theater will present “Dolemite Is My Name,” a heartfelt biographical drama about a comedy and rap pioneer who proved naysayers wrong when his hilarious, obscene, kung-fu fighting alter ego that became a 1970’s phenomenon.
Stung by a string of showbiz failures, floundering comedian Rudy Ray Moore (played by Academy Award nominee Eddie Murphy) has an epiphany that turns him into a word-of-mouth sensation: step onstage as someone else. Borrowing from the street mythology of 1970’s Los Angeles, Moore assumes the persona of Dolemite, a pimp with a cane and an arsenal of obscene fables. However, his ambitions exceed selling bootleg records deemed too racy for mainstream radio stations to play. Moore convinces a social justice-minded dramatist (Keegan-Michael Key) to write his alter ego a film, incorporating kung fu, car chases, and Lady Reed (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), an ex-backup singer who becomes his unexpected comedic foil. Despite clashing with his pretentious director, D'Urville Martin (Wesley Snipes), and countless production hurdles at their studio in the dilapidated Dunbar Hotel, Moore's Dolemite becomes a runaway box office smash and a defining movie of the Blaxploitation era. [US, 2019, 118 minutes, Rating: R].
Richard Roeper of “Chicago Sun-Times” says, “We laugh every step of the way with Moore and his fellow fringe-showbiz hopefuls. We root for them to somehow break through. We care about them.” Linda and Al Lerner of “Movies and Shakers” exclaims, “Murphy gives Rudy Ray Moore plenty of personality in a perfect role for this talented actor. “Dolemite” is dynamite and because of Eddie Murphy, his name you'll remember.”
Screening times are 4 and 7 pm on Fri (Oct 25), 4 and 7 pm on Sat (Oct 26), 3 pm on Sun (Oct 27), 2 pm on Mon (Oct 28), 4 and 7 pm on Wed (Oct 30). Admission is $8 for members and $11 for future members. Customers are encouraged to purchase tickets online. If seats are available, tickets can be purchased at the theater starting 30 minutes prior to each screening.
The mission of the RBFS is promoting cinematic arts and providing education, cultural enrichment, and opportunities for engagement for our diverse communities and audiences. The Film Society sponsors ongoing screenings, special events, and the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival (October 31 – November 10, 2019). Having met all the requirements for best practices in nonprofit management, the Rehoboth Beach Film Society is accredited by the Standards for Excellence Institute®. The Film Society is funded, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com. For more information on this series, other events, or to become a member, visit the Rehoboth Beach Film Society website at rehobothfilm.com or call 302-645-9095.