PBS Thirteen Reel Classics Turns Saturday Night Into Movie Night

You may think all broadcast television has abandoned showing feature films in any serious way. Broadcast networks or even most cable networks may not treat films respectively, but leave it to public television to come to cinema’s rescue.

Since the inception of DVD, NetFlix and now Video On Demand through cable television and satellite dish, movie lovers have all but deserted broadcast TV for their film fix. Why bother with broadcast when you can program exactly what you want for an evening’s entertainment? Indeed, when favorite films are cut up for time or content, there’s little reason to channel surf and spend valuable time watching a highly censored or commercial laden version of a beloved movie.

Public Television WNET 13 in New York City offers a wonderful alternative to the scarcity of broadcast uncut movies. It’s called Reel 13. They’re also bringing new independent filmmakers to public attention at the same time. Each Saturday night at 9pm, PBS will broadcast a classic Hollywood film, then a short film, then finally an independent feature film.

Here’s how PBS describes this innovative and interactive weekly movie experience.

Reel 13 is a community of people who love film — watching it, making it, talking about it, and sharing it with others. Right here on the Reel 13 site, you can read blogs, write critiques, and share your thoughts and observations with film fans like yourself.

And, if you’re a professional or aspiring filmmaker, you can submit your film to our weekly competition. The film that gets the most votes will air on Thirteen/WNET, America’s most-watched public television station.

Every Saturday night at 9, Reel 13 goes on the air on Thirteen, reaching a potential audience of millions throughout the New York metro region. The weekly lineup includes a classic feature, the winning short film chosen by visitors to this website, and an exciting new indie feature.

This past weekend I caught my first Reel 13 showing and found it incredibly enjoyable. The feature film was the biblical epic The Robe starring Richard Burton and Jean Simmons. I’d heard great things about it over the years, so watching it uncut on Reel 13 was a perfect opportunity to experience the entire film in an uninterrupted form. Best of all perhaps – it was absolutely free.

The independent film was Two Harbors, written and directed by James Vculek and starring Alex Cole, it’s a quirky, but tragic love story and is based on a true story. Often, one has to go to a film festival or subscribe to a cable channel like Sundance to see a good indie feature. With Reel 13, you’re guaranteed one each week and also there’s a chance your own work will be broadcast. Details on submitting your own film are at WNET’s website – www.thirteen.org/reel13.

As digital media advances, we’re faced with more entertainment choices. Sometimes it’s a good thing to have to make a date with a film, sit back and discover something you might not have found with all the time shifting and personal choice viewing. With Reel 13, PBS showcases the best in Hollywood classic cinema,while giving a fantastic, rare opportunity for struggling filmmakers to get their movie maximum exposure, and also a $500 award for making the cut.

Reference:

• www.thirteen.org/reel13