Chris & Heather's Big Screen Blowout, presented with L.A. Filmforum
For one night only, artists Heather McAdams and Chris Ligon join us in person to host an all-16mm screening of oddballs and rarities from their personal archives.
~
Jul 16, 2025, 8:00 PM
2220 Arts + Archives, 2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057, USA
Los Angeles Filmforum and Mezzanine present:
Chris & Heather's Big Screen Blowout
An all-16mm program, with Heather McAdams and Chris Ligon in person!
doors/bar: 7:30
film: 8:00
Tickets: $15 general, free for Filmforum members
Artist/filmmaker Heather McAdams and songwriter husband Chris Ligon have assembled one of the most impressive, private collections of short-form 16mm films we know of, focusing on music films, commercials, movie previews and other true oddities
which usually fall through the cracks at large, institutional film archives. For this special event, Chris and Heather present some of the very best of their 16mm film collection for a unique and inspiring evening of nonstop laughs and entertainment in their inimitable style. Drawing from their extensive collection, amassed over more than 40 years and edited in their signature "bumper to bumper" style, this selection of short subjects is sure to please everyone, especially those with a short attention span.
The program includes amazing vintage movie trailers for films like SUPERCHICK (1973), SWEDISH SWINGERS (1972) and TRIP WITH THE TEACHER (1975); forgotten TV commercials for goofy games like Town Dump and toys like Fuzzy Pumper; sensational songs by Ricky Nelson, Buffalo Springfield, The Staple Singers and more; plus 5 one-minute animated cartoons made by Chris and Heather for MTV in the mid 1990's.
Chris and Heather, all the way from Chicago, will appear live to introduce the films and attempt to explain themselves.
This program is being done in tandem with the Academy Museum's program the following evening of July 17, where Heather McAdams will be screening her own newly restored films: Kind of a Drag: Experimental Films, Documentaries, and Scratch Animation by Heather McAdams, 1980-1995.
Special thanks to the Academy Museum, K.J. Relth-Miller, Chicago Film Society, Kyle Westphal and Julian Antos (Chicago Film Society).