Join #TeamGSR for our 2nd Annual D6 Movie Night! This free screening of Puss in Boots will include a free hotdog, popcorn, beverage, and candy for the first 300 attendees!

Sat. Nov. 9

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 35min | R | Action/Comedy| Hong Kong/China 

Dubbed in English 

Presented in partnership with Cinema Lamont

This autumn at the Senate, kung fu returns to our big screen for the 20th anniversary of the wacky action extravaganza, Kung Fu Hustle! As the leaves fall outside so too will the karate chops and flying kicks rain down, bludgeoning your eyeballs with acrobatic martial arts action, leaving you reeling, clutching a belly made sore by a relentless slapstick comedy attack. 

Directed by and starring filmmaker, actor and master of the absurd Stephen Chow, Kung Fu Hustle follows the travails of Sing, an inept wannabe gangster. In the slums of 1940s Shanghai Sing struggles to find the true hero within as he faces off against a tornado of axe-wielding thugs, hidden powers, and cartoonishly nasty villains.  

This award-winning new classic is as brazenly brutal as it is beautifully silly, combining the energy of Bugs Bunny’s most manic antics with artful and elaborate fight choreography.  

This is Hong Kong cinema at its biggest and boldest. See it big. See you at the Senate! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

An exclusive screening of award-winning writer and filmmaker dream hampton’s powerful new documentary, presented by the Museum of Contempory Art Detroit with a panel discussion to follow with the filmmaker. DOORS AT 5:30

Join us at the historic Senate Theatre for an exclusive screening of award-winning writer and filmmaker dream hampton’s powerful new documentary, It Was All A Dream. A visual memoir reflecting on the dawn of the golden era of hip-hop from hamptons personal archives, takes viewers inside the studio with intimate access to some of rap’s most celebrated minds, including hampton’s neighbor The Notorious BIG, Wu Tang’s Method Man, Mobb Deep, Snoop Dogg and many more. And celebrates a phenomenal era in hip-hop history. Experience an evening of thought-provoking storytelling that challenges norms and inspires change. Following the film, we’ll have a short discussion and Q&A with the director and MOCADs Co-Director/Artistic Director, Jova Lynne . Don’t miss this chance to witness a groundbreaking work that pushes boundaries!

Sat. Oct. 26 

Doors – 6:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM  

1hr 23min | R | Horror | USA 

After Party – 10:00 PM - Midnight 

Tickets – $10 

Full bar 

Costume contest 

Halloween themed art and music 

A night of film, art, and seasonal vibes to benefit the Senate Theater!

Join us for a special screening of Tobe Hooper’s disturbing and influential horror classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Much like the Senate Theater, this independent, low-budget sensation—a grimy bit of 1970s cinematic grit—has endured for decades and is sure to capture your imagination. Unlike the Senate Theater, it follows a group of hapless travelers, lost and reeling in the oppressive heat of the Texas summer, who stumble upon a family of cannibals. Things do not go well. 

But at least you can help keep the music and movies alive in Southwest Detroit! 

All proceeds support the Senate Theater and the further restoration of our historic Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. 

In addition to our usual film screening, you can expect an extra special spooky organ overture, costume contest, art show, eerie seasonal music, and a full bar. Admission starts at $10 but further donations of any amount are graciously accepted.  

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts.

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Silents at the Senate Presents: The Phantom of the Opera (1925) 
Sat. Oct. 12 
Doors – 7:00 PM 
Film – 8:00 PM 
Tickets - $12 
1hr 18min | NR | Horror/Drama | United States 
Live Organ Accompaniment by Tony O’Brien
Tarot readings before the show!

This spooky season Silents at the Senate is proud to present the 1925 adaptation of the world’s most famous gothic romance, The Phantom of the Opera, with live organ accompaniment by theater organist Tony O’Brien! 

Silent screen legend Lon “The Man of a Thousand Faces” Chaney stars as the title character. A seemingly supernatural figure, the “Phantom” terrorizes patrons and employees at the Paris Opera House, all in the hopes of furthering the career of Christine, a singer and object of his deranged affections. But the real star just might be Chaney’s self-devised make-up work. Nearly a century on this grotesque tour deforce still represents the pinnacle of cinema—how imagery can creep into our minds, lurk in the shadows, and strike with vengeance when we least expect it. 

And to that visual power the Senate will add the unmatched auditory majesty of a Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ, an instrument literally made to accompany a silent film. There is no better way to see The Phantom of the Opera!  

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts 

Sat. Oct. 5 

Tickets - $6 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

First Film – 8:00 PM 

Second Film – 9:45 PM (approximately) 

The Masque of the Red Death (First Film) 

1hr 23min | NR | Horror/Drama | USA 

House on Haunted Hill (Second Film) 

1hr 15min | NR | Horror/Mystery | USA

 

Behold! The poetic grandeur of not one but two classic Vincent Price performances, his singular visage projected in all its emotive glory on our big screen!  

The master of villainy and heroically huge theatricality, Price’s imposing frame has long loomed large amongst the pantheon of horror icons. His turn towards the genre began in the 1950s with the likes of William Castle’s camp classic, House on Haunted Hill, now one of Price’s best-known pictures. He soon found steady employment with director Roger Corman in a string of low-budget and high-style Gothic horror flicks adapted (loosely) from Edgar Allan Poe’s tales of the macabre. This collaboration ended in 1964 with two films, including the psychedelically tinged fantasia of depravity, The Masque of the Red Death.  

Experience the joy of vintage terror, filtered through the sonorous voice and unmatched enunciation of a master thespian, with nearly three hours of horror at the Senate. It's a spooky season miracle! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Sep. 21 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 8min | NR | Melodrama| Mexico

Presented with Cinema Lamont and La Carpa Theatre Teen Ensemble 

The Senate is honored to present Nosotros los Pobres (“We, the Poor”) an all-time classic melodrama from the golden age of Mexican Cinema, starring the eras most beloved icon of screen and song, Pedro Infante!  A portion of proceeds will benefit La Carpa Theatre Teen Ensemble.

Infante plays Pepe, a poor carpenter living with his adopted daughter Chachita in the slums of Mexico City. Amidst tragedy, betrayal and violence their fragile family attempts to find a place for love and hope in a world where the downtrodden have little else.  

Don’t miss your chance to see this enduring and heart-wrenching tale at the Senate. This is big drama and deserves the big screen. 

Sábado. 21 de septiembre.

Horario de ingreso: 7:00PM

Inicio de ceremonia: 7:30 PM

Película: 8:00PM

Precio de tickets: $6,00

Duración 2h08min/ Sin clasificación/ género: melodrama/ México

con Cinema Lamont and La Carpa Theatre Teen Ensemble 

The Senate tiene el honor de presentar Nosotros los Pobres, un clásico atemporal del melodrama de la época dorada del cine mexicano, protagonizado por el ícono más querido de la pantalla y la canción de la época, ¡Pedro Infante! Una parte de las ganancias beneficiará El Grupo de Teatro Juvenil La Carp.

Infante interpreta a Pepe, un pobre carpintero que vive con su hija adoptiva Chachita en los barrios bajos de la Ciudad de México. En medio de la tragedia, la traición y la violencia, su frágil familia intenta encontrar un lugar para el amor y la esperanza en un mundo donde los oprimidos tienen poco más.

No pierdas la oportunidad de ver esta conmovedora y desgarradora historia en The Senate. Es un gran drama y merece la gran pantalla.

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 33min | PG | Comedy/Musical | USA 

We all know rock music is dangerous, but did you know it might just blow up your children’s school? 

That’s according to the cult teen movie classic, Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, a delightful alchemy of sneering punk rock attitude, goofball energy, and campy performances! 

Produced by Roger “King of the B-movie" Corman, this tongue-in-cheek comedy follows the exploits of a plucky teenage troublemaker Riff Randall as she attempts to meet her idols and hopefully kickstart a nascent songwriting career. It was originally conceived as Disco High, an update of the rock ‘n’ roll exploitation films Corman and others made in the 1960s. That concept was soon abandoned, however, as the script veered deep into screwball antics and back towards rock music, eventually leading to the hiring of (then unknown) punk rock legends The Ramones.  

The result lands somewhere between Grease and Animal House, with a soundtrack featuring a heavy dose of The Ramones, alongside the likes of Brian Eno, The Velvet Underground, and Detroit’s own MC5. 

See you there. Don’t be a square. 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Puertas – 8:00 PM 

Pelicula – Oscuridad (approx.9:00 PM) 

Entradas - GRATIS! (FREE!)

1h 25m | NR | Horror/Sci-fi | USA 

En Español (with English subtitles) 

Es verano en el Senado y una vez más con calor, sudorosos y raros con una serie de películas para satisfacer tu ardiente deseo de tonterías y subculturas, exageramientos y cultos, e incluso un superhéroe/detective/héroe popular mexicano de lucha libre!

El Santo, el legendario luchador convertido en actor protagonista de El Santo vs. Los Zombies. Una película de misterio y crimen con un estilo de cómic al estilo de Dick Tracy pero con mucha más lucha. Esta mezcla de géneros (que presenta zombis al estilo anterior a la Noche de los Muertos Vivientes) es típica de las películas de luchadores de la época. En esta primera aparición de El Santo, el enmascarado de plata hace tiempo entre combates de lucha libre para luchar por la justicia contra enemigos viles, sobrenaturales y algunos otros un poco más extraños. En donde las autoridades locales han fallado, El Santo debe intervenir para detener esta ola de crímenes violentos con un toque de vudú.

Únase a nosotros para esta PROYECCIÓN GRATUITA AL AIRE LIBRE en el Senate Coney Lot (al lado del teatro en Michigan Ave.) y disfrute de esta exagerada y cursi pieza de la historia de la cultura pop mexicana.

¡NO OLVIDES TRAER TU PROPIA SILLA!

¡EL PUESTO DE CONCESIONES Y LOS BAÑOS ESTARÁN DISPONIBLES DENTRO DEL TEATRO!

¡PELÍCULA AL AIRE LIBRE GRATIS! (FREE OUTDOOR SCREENING!) 

Sat. Aug. 10  

Doors – 8:00 PM 

Film – Dusk (approx. 9:00 PM) 

Tickets - GRATIS! (FREE!)

1hr 25min | NR | Horror/Sci-fi | USA 

En Español (with English subtitles) 

It’s summer at the Senate and we’re once again getting Hot, Sweaty & Weird with a series of flicks to satisfy your burning desire for schlock and subculture, camp and cult, and even a wrestling Mexican superhero/detective/folk hero! 

El Santo, the legendary luchador turned actor stars in Santo vs. The Zombies. A mystery crime film with a comic book style ala Dick Tracy but with a whole lot more wrestling, this genre mashup (featuring pre-Night of the Living Dead style zombies) is typical of the luchador films from the period. In this early Santo outing, the perpetually masked crusader makes time in between wrestling matches to fight for justice against nefarious foes, both supernatural and otherwise. Where the local authorities have failed, Santo must step in to stop this violent crime wave with a voodoo twist. 

Come join us for this FREE OUTDOOR SCREENING in the Senate Coney Lot (next door to the theater on Michigan Ave.) and enjoy this campy piece of Mexican pop culture history. 

DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR!  

CONCESSIONS STAND AND BATHROOMS WILL BE AVAILABLE INSIDE THE THEATER! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Jul. 27 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 32min | R | Comedy/Sci-fi | USA 

The Senate’s 4th annual Hot, Sweaty & Weird summer series continues with a countercultural hit, ready-made to feed your hunger for cult sci-fi and oddball satire! 

It's a film that combines punk rock attitude, car repossession, and extraterrestrial activity in the trunk of a 1964 Chevy Malibu.

Which means it can only be Alex Cox’s incomparable black comedy Repo Man, starring Emilio Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton. Released without much hope or support by Universal, this critically lauded film was initially little seen. But thanks to an eccentric tone and killer soundtrack, it soon garnered a devoted fan base through video rentals and television reruns. 

So cut off your sleeves, tell that crappy job to shove it, and get to the Senate for this quirky and pulpy takedown of the Reagan era through the lens of Atomic Age science fiction! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Jul. 20 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 23min | NR | Exploitation/Comedy | USA 

It’s summer at the Senate and we’re once again getting Hot, Sweaty & Weird with a series of flicks to satisfy your burning desire for schlock and subculture, camp and cult! 

First up is Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, the grandmama of “sexploitation” films from writer/director/producer and consummate boundary pusher, Russ Meyer—hailed as the “best movie ever made” by director John Waters (Hairspray, Pink Flamingos).

This low budget masterpiece follows the violent exploits of three go-go dancers/sports car enthusiasts led by the terrifying and shockingly busty speed demon, Varla (Tura Santana).  

Originally dismissed by the film critics, this boldly bad and brazenly bawdy film has since been reevaluated as a sneaky satire with cheeky humor and quotable dialogue; its b-movie aesthetics and production values elevated by its subversive and still relevant takes on sexuality and gender. 

Don’t miss it! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Jun. 22 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 4min | PG | Crime/Drama | USA 

Acclaimed film director, Sidney Lumet would have celebrated his 100th birthday this June. In celebration the Senate is excited to present one of his best regarded and beloved films, Dog Day Afternoon, starring Al Pacino and John Cazale!  

Based on a real-life robbery turned hostage situation, this typically grimy piece of 70s realism was rightfully lauded by critics upon release and, today, has earned its place in the pantheon of great American films. In no small part its captivating and honest portrayal of desperate people at the edges of society solidified the legendary status of its director and star.  

Brimming with tension and pathos, it is just as potent now as it was in 1975. 

Come see it the way Mr. Lumet intended, on a big screen, in a movie theater, surrounded by fellow lovers of film! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $12 

2hr 34min | NR | Adventure/Fantasy | United States 

Live Organ Accompaniment by Andrew Rogers 

Presented with the Arab American National Museum and the Center for Arab Narratives 

Flying carpets! Monsters of land and sea! Crystal balls! Derring do! Immortal love! 

A GRAND ADVENTURE MADE ALL THE MORE MAGNIFICENT BY A LIVE ORGAN SCORE! 

Silents at the Senate, along with our partners at the Arab American National Museum and the Center for Arab Narratives, is proud to present the silent film classic, The Thief of Bagdad!

Organist Andrew Rogers will provide the magnificent musical accompaniment, playing our Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ along with the film. enhancing the action and emotions on screen in real time. 

Few films are as extravagant, as romantic, as fantastic, or epic. With enormous sets, innovative special effects, and a cast of thousands, this loose adaptation of several stories from One Thousand and One Nights tells the tale of a thief named Ahmed—scoundrel turned hero, transformed by the power of love. In order to win the hand of his beloved princess, he must embark on a dangerous quest across vast distances, beset by gigantic beasts, mythical creatures, and sinister rivals. 

AN ENDURING, SWASHBUCKLING MASTERPIECE! 

Released at the height of Douglas Fairbanks’ career, the film cemented the star as a matinee idol of lavishly staged adventure films, a dazzling screen presence known for acrobatic stunts, physical prowess, and boyish charm. It was an enormous hit. Today, The Thief of Bagdad stands as a premier example of the art of silent filmmaking and has deeply influenced subsequent works inspired by or adapted from the folktales of One Thousand and One Nights.  

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 44min | PG | Comedy/Fantasy | USA 

A neo-noir mystery, a hard boiled detective story, a . . . wacky comedy? 

Who Framed Roger Rabbit puts the “toon” in Chinatoon and the “Dip” in Diple Indemnity. It’s the only film that could contain Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Daffy Duck, and the impressive talents of award-winning actors without exploding to pieces like a stick of (Acme brand) TNT. 

It’s a marvelous melding of live-action crime drama and animated slapstick antics

Bob Hoskins, Christopoher Lloyd, Kathleen Turner and Charles Fleischer star in this beloved classic, set in a world of cartoons living side by side with human beings. Eddie Valiant, (Hoskins) a gruff and hard drinking private eye, finds himself embroiled in a (bunny) tail of corruption, lies, and infidelity as he tries to exonerate his “toon” client, the ever-plucky Roger Rabbit, of murder. But can he rustle up the evidence he needs before the sinister Judge Doom (Lloyd) executes Roger in a bubbling, toon-killing brew known as “The Dip?” 

P-p-p-please! 

Come see this one-of-a-kind film the way we saw it for the very first time: on a big screen, laughing along with your fellow movie-lovers, enthralled by its jaw-dropping special effects and enduring performances! 

For one night only at the Senate! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $12 

Shorts Program: The Goat (1921) and One Week (1920)  

48min | NR | Comedy | United States  

Feature: Sherlock Jr. (1924) 100th Anniversary Screening! 

45min | NR | Comedy/Fantasy | United States 

Live organ accompaniment by Dennis Scott

A season of Silents at the Senate would not be complete without the timeless pairing of cinema and physical comedy—SLAPSTICK!

With two classic shorts and one short feature directed and starring the most deadpan titan of silent comedy, An Evening with Buster Keaton is sure to delight.  

Irate cops stepping into open elevator shafts, a crudely assembled house with teetering walls, a movie screen turned into a doorway toward which a dreamer falls, searching for a way back to his beloved. Even after a century or more, his films—overflowing with physicality, absurdity, mischief, and even wonder—remain as captivating and hilarious as ever. They are . . .

PURE MOVIE MAGIC!

And their magic will be made all the more powerful by the internationally known silent film accompanist out of Chicago, Dennis Scott. At the console of our Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ, Mr. Scott is sure to show off our instrument’s kaleidoscopic tonal color without ever showing up the images on the screen as he creates a live film score in real time, right before your very ears! 

A LIVE FILM SCORE IN REAL TIME, RIGHT BEFORE YOUR VERY EARS!

Be sure to stick around after the show for a chance to ask the organist a question and take a tour of the organ pipe chambers. This is a rare opportunity to get an up-close look at the inner workings of this marvelous musical machine! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

MICHIGAN MADE DOCUMENTARY!

BENEFITS THE SENATE THEATER

CO-CREATORS JOSEPH BEYER AND JORDAN IN ATTENDANCE WITH PRODUCERS BETH MILLIGAN AND CHRISTAL FROST ANDERSON

$10 TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR

About:

No one fights to preserve a multiplex, but some people will risk everything to save a marquee. Through booms and busts, Delft Theatres Inc. - and its innovative gem, The Nordic - endured in Marquette Michigan for almost 100 years, even as the world changed endlessly around them. Local kid Bernie Rosendahl’s modern crusade to restore the historic arthouse to its former glory leads filmmakers to discover a hidden cinema empire in the Upper Peninsula.

Portraying the fascinating history of motion pictures through one iconic screen - and featuring dozens of real-life Marquette locations and characters - Marqueetown is the true story of chasing your dreams, redefining failure and success, and reembracing the enduring magic of cinema.

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 1min | PG | Sci-fi/Adventure | USA 

This Spring, in the year 2024, in this galaxy right here, the Senate implores you to join us in saying, “May the fourth be with you!” as we screen the film that started it all. 

Luke Skywalker begins a journey that will change the galaxy in Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope. Nineteen years after the formation of the Empire, Luke is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet of Tatooine. Obi-Wan begin Luke’s Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of Darth Vader and the evil Empire. 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 26min | R | Comedy | USA 

Two dopes rip their way from California to Mexico and back again, evading the cops entirely by accident in Up in Smoke, a countercultural comedy of errors. 

Starring the stoner comedy duo, Cheech & Chong, this scrappy, meandering, low-budget farce burned bright at the box office in 1978, virtually creating a cinematic subgenre. With its enormous popularity it blazed the trail for every half-baked flick that has since risen from the ashes of the 1970s and remains a touchstone for a certain kind of high-minded film fan. 

We’ll see you on Saturday, April 20. 

But before you come, we’ll be blunt. While we know these guys are going to light up the joint with laughter, THE SENATE REMAINS A STRICTLY NON-SMOKING ESTABLISHMENT. Thank you for your cooperation in advance. 

Snacks will be available at the concessions stand. 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Mar. 30 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 7min | PG | Drama/Musical | USA 

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom! Your heart will sing. Como me duele! Your heart will break. 

Selena tells the story of the rise and sudden death of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the trailblazing Mexican American singer, and the tight-knit family who made it all possible.

Released just two years after her tragic death, (with deep involvement and consent from the family) Selena the film has served as a loving monument to the “Queen of Tejano Music” for over a quarter century. 

Directed with sincerity and respect by Gregory Nava this modern classic has endured. It guides viewers through an uplifting musical journey, made real by the touching performances of stars Jennifer Lopez (in her breakout role) and legendary Mexican American thespian, Edward James Olmos. In the process it has ensured the legacy of its subject, allowing her music and light to shine beyond her time, inspiring new generations who otherwise may have never heard her voice. 

We could fall in love with her. 

So come to the Senate and fall in love (again) with Selena! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $12 

1hr 22min | NR | Historical Drama | France 

Live Organ Accompaniment by Scott Smith 

Presented in partnership with Cinema Lamont

Silents at the Senate and Cinema Lamont invite you to behold this singular film. An exaltation. An ode. A rousing picture of conspiracy, belief, and sacrifice. 

The Passion of Joan of Arc is a timeless artistic achievement, relentless in style and achingly evocative. It rightly stands as one of the finest films of all time.

Watch as an icon of women’s history transcends her era, the psychological drama of her final hours on screen. Listen as her struggle unfolds in bold imagery, invigorated by a live score from organist Scott Smith on the Senate Theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. 

Based on the actual medieval records of the trial and execution of Joan of Arc, Carl Th. Dreyer’s masterwork is nothing less than a cinematic reincarnation.

In the soulful visage of Renée Maria Falconetti the patron saint of France comes to life, shot in startling close-ups that aim to “interpret a hymn to the triumph of the soul over life." 

Experience it the way it was meant to be seen: in the communal atmosphere of a theater, the majestic sounds of a theater organ filling the room. It will be a true feast for the ears, eyes, and spirit. We hope to see you there! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 54min | NR | Noir/Crime | USA 

PRESENTED WITH MOTOR CITY CINEMA SOCIETY ON 16MM FILM

“Made it, Ma! Top of the World!”  

With these iconic lines James Cagney—his voice aching with crazed intensity—cemented his comeback as Hollywood’s most explosive movie star.  In 1949, as moviegoers sat transfixed by the screen, the movie stars’ manic desperation left little doubt: Cagney and White Heat had reached the peak of the gangster film. And today, 75 years later, few, if any, have come close to attaining such heights. 

Using real-life gangsters like Ma Barker and her four criminal sons as a jumping off point, this firecracker of a story travels across the beauty of the High Sierra mountains, deep into the horrors of the penitentiary, and into the mind of a man suffering from “homicidal psychosis.”  

On the edge of the gangster and film noir genres, it features a bold heist, a femme fatale, and moody black and white photography, all directed by gangster flick veteran Raoul Walsh (The Roaring Twenties, High Sierra).

But what really sets it apart is Cagney. Bursting with vulnerability and rage, he embodies Arthur “Cody” Jarrett, a violently volatile, (and highly quotable) criminal madman beset with mommy issues, a debilitating psychosomatic ailment, and a beautiful woman he can’t help but trust.  

Come see why White Heat, decades later, is still on top of the gangster heap, WITH THE REAL FLICKER OF 16MM FILM ON SCREEN!

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 1min | R | Drama/Comedy | USA 

 A good man may be hard to find but friendship is always there. 

In Waiting to Exhale, directed by Forrest Whitaker, four Black women struggle against the tumult and disappointments of their lives. Through their bond with each other they find joy, love, hope and kinship—with a little help from some vehicular arson. 

Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Terry McMillan (How Stella Got Her Groove Back) this trailblazing hit film spurred the production of similar films for at least a decade and has had a long-lasting cultural impact. Though it focuses on middle class Black women and their particular problems it remains a touchstone of representation for any woman. Meanwhile, it dared to buck the trend of popular Black films that focused on the poverty stricken and violent lives of young Black men, proving once again the viability of films made for and about women—their desires, their issues, and their triumphs.  

Of course, with a cast like this how could you miss?

Superstar singer/actress Whitney Houston and critically acclaimed actress Angela Bassett lead the stacked ensemble,

a who’s who of Black actors from the mid-1990s featuring Loretta Devine, Gregory Hines, Giancarlo Esposito, Wesley Snipes and more. Add to that a soundtrack and score written by R&B giant, Babyface, and it’s no wonder that this film has remained one of the most relevant and beloved classics of the era. 

And we haven’t even mentioned how funny it is.  

We hope to see you there! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Feb. 17 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $12 

1hr 11min | NR | Drama/Romance | United States 

Live Organ Accompaniment by Lance Luce 
 

Depravity seizes upon poverty as extravagance collides with innocence in Queen Kelly,

a silent drama of doomed romance, presented with live musical accompaniment by Lance Luce on the Senate’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ! This incomplete but still captivating exercise in cinematic excess from director/screenwriter Erich von Stroheim proves that even an unfinished work from a master is still a masterwork. 

Co-produced by and starring Gloria Swanson, one of the silent era's biggest stars, what survives of the film tells the story of a playboy aristocrat who balks at his betrothal to his mad queen. On the eve of the marriage, he falls for an enchanting and fiery convent girl (Swanson) and then schemes to possess her, no matter the cost.  

In its existing form, the film presents a meticulously realized world in beautiful detail, a simple but sumptuous tale of worlds colliding—an ill-fated meeting that ends, (spoiler) in tragedy.  

But the epic and transgressive melodrama that could have been was never completed, itself a victim of incompatibility. But rather than a clash of class and circumstance, what doomed Queen Kelly from reaching its potential was the battle between art and business, the vision of an auteur versus censorship. 

Silents at the Senate is proud to present the 1932 release of this almost lost piece of silent film history!

Released only in Europe well into the “talkie” period, this is the most concise and cinematically pure version of the film. It features the so-called “Swanson” ending, filmed after the dismissal of Stroheim and shot two years after the abrupt end to the production due to massive cost overruns and the directors’ efforts to skirt the demands of censors. 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 4min | PG-13 | Romance/Sports Drama | USA 

Passion and courage. Desire and determination. A deep connection built on shared dreams. 

In Love & Basketball, romance got game. 

In this new classic of American cinema, the lives of two young athletes and childhood friends (Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps) are intertwined as they attempt to navigate the world of competitive basketball. Meanwhile, a powerful attraction keeps them drawn to each other again and again through injury, struggle, and distance.  

Gina Prince-Bythewood's semi-autobiographical debut feature is equal parts coming-of-age love story and nuanced sports drama, originally intended as a Black When Harry Met Sally. Upon its release this soon-to-be cult favorite garnered plenty of critical praise but was only a minor success at the box office. In the twenty plus years since, however, its reputation has only grown, turning it into a perennial favorite for Valentine’s Day viewing and earning it a rightful place in the National Film Registry.  

Come see this Spike Lee produced gem at the Senate, with all its action—on the court and off—splashed across our big screen! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Nuestra Cultura's Chicano History Week 2024 (Detroit, MI)

Join us for an exciting event celebrating Chicano History at the Senate Theater in Detroit, MI! Get ready for a vibrant and immersive experience as we explore the rich cultural heritage of the Chicano community. We will be screening the film, American Homeboy, by Director Brandon Loran Maxwell. From engaging live art and thought-provoking panel discussions to Chicano art exhibitions, this event promises to be an unforgettable celebration of Chicano history and culture.

American Homeboy is a documentary film that explores the complex origins of pachuco and cholo culture which sprouted from American soil in response to wartime sentiment, social alienation, and government discrimination only to become a pop culture phenomenon. The film draws from rare interviews shot on 5k with leading Mexican American historians, academics, artists, activists, cholos, and former law enforcement officers against a backdrop of 50 hours of restored archival footage.

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 38min | R | Kung-fu/Mystery | Hong Kong 

Centipede! Snake! Scorpion! Lizard! Toad! 

Five deadly men. Five deadly fighting styles. Five Deadly Venoms. 

In a feudal world of violence, corruption and intrigue, a young novice of the Poison Clan must seek out and discover the identities of the five former pupils of his kung-fu master so that he might reclaim the good reputation of their clan. But will he be able to tell which of them can be trusted and which of them must be defeated? 

The Senate is excited to present this kaleidoscopic blend of kung-fu action, superhuman exploits, and intricate mystery from Hong Kong’s storied Shaw Brothers Studio. This is the film, perhaps more than any other martial arts picture in the post-Bruce Lee era, that kept kung-fu in the cultural consciousness within the United States. Through screenings at urban “grindhouse” theaters and steady rotation on television throughout the 1980s a cult following developed.

And with its dazzling, fantasy world this low-budget adventure provided an escape to countless youth on Saturday afternoons while it inspired filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and hip-hop luminaries like the Wu-Tang Clan.  

Don’t miss your chance to see this classic of Hong Kong cinema, presented just like Americans first saw it in 1978—dubbed in English with all the acrobatic action and bright colors splashed across a big screen. 

We're being joined at Five Deadly Venoms by our friends at the Detroit Kung Fu Academy for a special guest introduction and a 5-10 minute kung fu demonstration during intermission.

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Jan. 20 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

1hr 32min | Not Rated |Noir/Thriller | USA 

Love and hate. Darkness and light. A terrifying evil that only righteousness can overcome.  

The stuff of fables, of scripture, of the deep and eternal struggle in our souls. An old story, but rarely has this tale been told with such indelible and nightmarish beauty as in the noir/thriller classic, The Night of the Hunter! 

Robert Mitchum stars as Robert Powell, a murderous “preacher” in Great Depression era West Virginia. After being released from the state penitentiary he quickly closes in on the stash of stolen money he knows to be hidden somewhere in the home of his now executed cellmate. With charisma and sex appeal he insinuates himself into the life of the widow Willa Harper, (Shelley Winters) presenting himself as a man of God as he preys upon her unfulfilled desire and the innocence of her children. 

The first and last film directed by acclaimed British actor Charles Laughton, The Night of the Hunter was initially ignored by audiences and harshly reviewed by critics. This, despite its daring visual style, a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize winner James Agee, and a movie star lead. Over the decades, however, the film developed a cult following thanks to television and revival art house theaters. Audiences were drawn to its strange synthesis of film noir mood, horror aesthetics, elemental themes, and abstract set design. As a result, its cult burgeoned while simultaneously undergoing a critical reassessment that now places it among the best of all time. 

Don’t miss this masterpiece on our big screen! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Jan. 13 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 16min | R |Action/Sci-fi | USA 

This January 2024 the Senate Theater is going to party like it’s 1999 . . . 

IN OUR MINDS! 

By party, of course, we mean we’re inviting you to follow the white rabbit into our auditorium to once again experience The Matrix. This all-time mind-bender is turning 25 and there’s no better way to celebrate than to come see it on the big screen just like you saw it for the very first time. 

Woah! Déjà vu! 

Following Neo (née Mr. Anderson), an unsuspecting computer programmer dogged by nefarious men in black, The Matrix takes place in a world where humans are trapped in a simulation created by artificial intelligence. After meeting a pair of mysterious strangers named Trinity and Morpheus, Neo is ripped from his computer fabricated existence and soon discovers that he may be “the one” to release humanity from its virtual prison. 

But you’ve visited the Oracle, so you already know that, right? Or maybe you’ve come to the conclusion that ignorance is bliss? Either way, we can’t wait to see you at the theater to see this award-winning and influential special effects action spectacle! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Dec. 2 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 10min | PG |Drama/Comedy | USA 

Merry Christmas, Detroit! Merry Christmas Michigan Avenue! Merry Christmas you wonderful old Senate Theater! 

We’re kicking off the season of giving this year by bringing you It’s a Wonderful Life. More than seventy-five years on, this enduring holiday classic remains just as romantic, funny, and heart wrenching as ever.  

You’ve seen it again and again, but now you can see it on the big screen in a theater that was playing movies back in 1946 when this classic was released. 

George Bailey (James Stewart) is an idealist, dedicated to his family and neighbors. Almost universally beloved, he is known as a man of integrity and generosity, living his entire life within the quaint confines of his hometown. But will a stifled ambition, the cruelty of fate, and the darkness lurking beneath his picturesque surroundings lead him over the edge of despair into ultimate destruction?  

You probably know the answer. But the strength of this film, where integrity, generosity and the power of community defeats deceit, greed and a lust for power, is that knowing the end doesn’t matter. It never gets old, watching the life story of our flawed but thoroughly decent hero. We laugh and cheer at his triumphs. We ache and cry with him in his moments of darkness. We long to descend into the picture as Clarence, his guardian angel, descends from heaven to save his soul. 

Come experience this beautiful picture once again at the Senate. We’ll see you there! 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society, a non-profit and all-volunteer organization, is supported in part by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Sat. Nov. 18

Doors – 7:00 PM

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM

Film – 8:00 PM

Tickets - $6

2hr 6min | PG-13 | Sci-Fi/Action | France 

Whether you’re a supreme, cosmic being or just another meat popsicle, you don’t want to miss The Fifth Element at the Senate Theater.

A science-fiction cult classic with elaborate, over-the-top style

The Fifth Element is an extravaganza of big movie stars, bigger performances and galactic scope. It is a garish vision of a wasteful and corrupt future as goofy, unhinged and colorful as it is dystopian. But beneath all the camp and color lies the belief that the “divine light” of love can conquer all — even an “ultimate evil” from the deepest, darkest depths of outer space. 

Hollywood writer Robert Mark Kamen (The Karate Kid, Taken) and French writer/director Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, Léon: The Professional) worked together to blend their American and European sensibilities, giving birth to this

perhaps the oddest sci-fi extravaganza to ever make a killing at the international box office.

And though it divided critics at the time, The Fifth Element has only grown in popularity and esteem since its release. Not only a lavish visual spectacle of practical and computer effects with exciting action sequences, it also boasts iconic turns from the likes of Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich. 

We’ll see you at the theater! (Multipass not required for entry.) 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue