Photos from Warner Bros. Pictures
“Welcome to my nightmare.”
So goes one of the most unforgettable lines of iconic monster Freddy Krueger, from director Wes Craven’s 1984 classic horror-slasher “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
Ayala Malls Cinemas’ annual Thrill Fest is now on its second week, and on its frightening lineup from August 28 to September 3 are two more Hollywood classics celebrating milestone anniversaries this year. The aforementioned “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” directed by horror-slasher favorite Wes Craven, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Joining “Nightmare” is a classic disaster-thriller from 1974, Academy Award winner “The Towering Inferno,” which is turning 50 this year. Moviegoers are in for a treat as they can watch remastered versions of these classics on the big screen for only P200 – P250. The Thrill Fest will run for only one more week, until September 3, so hurry and book your tickets.
Dubbed “Thrill Fest: The Ghost Month Classic Film Series,” this year’s Thrill Fest is in celebration of Ghost Month, an August tradition believed to be a time when the spirits of the dead come to visit the living. On its first week, Thrill Fest offered cineastes the double horror treats of “Interview with the Vampire” and “Gremlins.”
Read on to find out why you shouldn’t miss the rare opportunity to watch these classic movies on the big screen – where they were meant to be seen.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)
What: A man who was murdered returns as a hideously scarred monster in the terrifying nightmares of his killers’ children who, one by one, are starting to die in their sleep.
Who: Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, John Saxon
Why: This cult classic has been such an enduring favorite that it has spawned sequels, spinoffs, a remake, a crossover movie with another horror-slasher icon, and countless memes. Watch this on the big screen and experience the ultimate terror only Freddy Krueger can deliver. With everything magnified on the big screen, you’ll feel like you’re living each nightmare, and the screams and horror are more frightening with the superior audio quality in the cinema.
THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974)
What: Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) is the architect who designed the 138-storey Glass Tower, the tallest building in the world. But during the dedication ceremony for the skyscraper, an electrical short circuit starts a fire. San Francisco Fire Department chief Michael O’Hallorhan (Steve McQueen) arrives on the scene to help put out the fires, but with inadequate wiring that causes more fires, and the building being too high for such an emergency, will the people at the Tower survive?
Who: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire
Why: On TV, smartphones or tablets, this film feels just like any other movie. But thanks to the superior picture and sound quality cinemas offer, watching “The Towering Inferno” on the big screen becomes a fully immersive experience: images of the spreading fire and people trying to escape are made more intense and suspenseful; the sounds of falling debris, rescue vehicles and screams of terror made by the trapped guests more terrifying.
Must-watch cinema
This year’s Thrill Fest launched last week, during which Ayala Malls Cinemas exclusively offered movie lovers the extremely rare chance to watch “Interview with the Vampire,” starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and “Gremlins,” starring Phoebe Cates and Zach Galligan, on the big screen. Now on its second and final week, movie audiences can cap off Ghost Month with two other spine-tingling classics – “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “The Towering Inferno.” These movies are available for a limited time only, from August 28 to September 3, so book your tickets now, for only P200 – P250.
Catch the classic films of the Thrill Fest for only P250 in the following Ayala Malls Cinemas branches: Glorietta, Greenbelt, The 30th, Circuit, Market Market, Fairview Terraces, Feliz, Trinoma, UPTC, Manila Bay, Harbor Point and Solenad.
Movie tickets for the Thrill Fest are at P200 in the following branches: Ayala Center Cebu, Centrio, Capitol Central and Central Bloc.
With plush seating, generous legroom, cutting-edge laser projections, better images and superior audio technologies like Dolby Sound and Dolby Atmos, and state-of-the-art facilities, audiences get to enjoy an enhanced movie-watching experience at Ayala Malls Cinemas – as well as re/discover timeless masterpieces and experience them the way filmmakers originally intended for them to be seen.
Make sure to catch “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “The Towering Inferno” – which are currently not available on any streaming service – during their limited festival run in Philippine cinemas from August 28 to September 3. For more information on screening schedules and to book tickets, movie enthusiasts are encouraged to visit the Ayala Malls Cinemas FB and IG pages. You may book your tickets in advance by visiting www.sureseats.com or any of the participating cinemas.
