As hardcore as they come, Che Guevarra‘s image has been transformed by the very capitalism he railed against into something non-threatening enough that the totem has been given a pair of 3-D spectacles and serves as a logo for a rebel band of film enthusiasts. In sharp contrast to what the retail-industrial complex continues to try selling us, there are those that prefer the more organic charms of a beaten, scratched, oft-repaired and aged release print of any given movie, ratty-sounding optical audio tracks and all. Guerilla Drive In has outfitted a BMW motorcycle with a vintage Eiki 16MM film projector in a sort-of nod to The Motorcycle Diaries, and organizes clandestine movie showings at secret locations that are apropos to the plot or storyline of the film in question.
Joining a band of South American rebels may have been easier than getting onto the Members List of Guerilla Drive-In, a fun-seeking endeavor dreamt up by website developer John Young. The first thing one needs to do if they wish to watch Ghostbusters on the wall of a haunted fort with jumbo jets on final descent adding to the ambiance is to find the “MacGuffin.” An AM transmitter housed in a bright orange Pelican case, the MacGuffin plays a continuous loop of a secret access code needed to join, very Spy Gear. Once the unit is found, you must email a picture of yourself with the transmitter and containing the access code to be notified of future showings. It sounds like a fun way to take in the charms of aged films with a coterie of similarly minded folks, tenacious enough to find that orange thing pumping out a signal at 1700 kilohertz and get on the list. If it seems like a lot of work for something you could just rent or download, we think that’s sort of the point; the experience, more than the film, is the reward.
[Source: Guerilla Drive-In via PSFK.com | Image Source: Harold Ross, rossstudio.com]