Last year, the Light House Cinema offered a welcome alternative to the Dublin cultural touchstone that is Bloomsday in the form of Goldblumsday; a puntastic programme of films starring Jeff Goldblum. His upcoming return as D Ian Malcolm in Jurrassic World: Fallen Kingdom ensures that the Blumassaince is stronger than ever, but that won’t be your only opportunity to see the man on the big screen this summer. This Saturday June 16th, Goldblumsday is back. Stay calm, don’t forget your mantra.
Goldblumsday is a one day only festival of Goldblum-centric cinema. This year, the selection is a 5 course meal of the Goldblum experience, a journey through his career that provides a variety of experiences of the eccentric actor throughout the day, from character pieces to big dumb fun, the horrifying to the bizarrely charming. Kicking off proceedings at 1pm is The Big Chill. One of Goldblum’s first big roles, the film sees him play the role of Michael Gold, one of a group of mourning Baby Boomers that includes Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, William Hurt, Tom Berenger and more, attending the funeral of an old college friend who recently committed suicide. Close was the star who drew the most accolades, her Best Supporting Actress nomination one of three the film received, but Michael Gold is no chopped liver, as he’d be at pains to make clear to you himself.
Next up at 3pm is Independence Day, a film with not quite as much emphasis on ‘words’ and ‘feelings’. Part of last year’s selection too, Roland Emmerich’s big-budget alien explodothon is a true summer blockbuster, for good or ill and ranks right up there with Jurrassic Park for the general audiences Goldblum love. Let us not discuss Independence Day: Resurgence.
As we move into the evening, a surefire sellout starts at 6pm with the crowd-pleasing Thor: Ragnarok. Taika Waititi’s take on the Marvel hero has already become one of the fanbases favourites, and our Jeff is one of the film’s strong points, having the time of his life as the Grandmaster, the hedonistic, life-loving but spirit-crushing ruler of the planet Sakaar and the man who throw Thor and the Hulk into battle together for his own amusement.
The evening finishes with a pair of films perfect for late night viewing. Firstly at 8.30pm is The Fly, a film that should only be seen once your Thor-loving kids have been safely escorted off the premises. One of the all-time great horrors, David Cronenberg remakes the naff sci-fi premise of a scientist splicing with a fly after an experiment gone wrong and takes it to a nauseating and nightmarish conclusion, a story that has so many interesting things to see in it once you’re done looking through your figures, and an experience that puts poor Geena Davis all the way through the ringer. Rounding off the day at the witching hour of cult film fans, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension screens at 10.30pm. Robocop himself Peter Weller Adventurer, stars as Buckaroo Banzai, brain surgeon, rock musician and leader of the crime-fighting team, the Hong Kong Cavaliers. They must stop evil alien invaders from the eighth dimension who are looking to conquer Earth. Goldblum provides support as rookie Cavalier Dr. Sidney Zweibel, an all-singing, all-dancing, piano-playing neurosurgeon. An apt representation of the actor’s appeal, you’ll agree.
Tickets for the films screening during Goldblumsday are available from the Light House Cinema now right here.
