The annual Retro Cinema will be making a comeback, once again this year during Valentine’s week! The Aurora Opera House retraces its cinematic roots and merges retro with romantic and musical fantasy on the weekend preceding Valentines’ Day.

Immortal Titanic – the legend, not the ship

The first screening will be the 1997 movie production of Titanic, featuring young Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet in a James Cameron and Jon Landau production to music by James Horner.

Incorporating both historical and fictionalised aspects, it is based on accounts of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage.

Dick Van Dyke in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

On Sunday, the Aurora goes even more retro with the 1968 British musical-fantasy film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, directed by Ken Hughes with a screenplay co-written by Roald Dahl and Hughes. Loosely based on Ian Fleming’s novel Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car (1964), the film features a star-studded cast, headed by none other than Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Adrian Hall, Heather Ripley, Lionel Jeffries, Benny Hill, James Robertson Justice, Robert Helpmann, Barbara Windsor and Gert Fröbe.

The film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli. John Stears supervised the special effects. Irwin Kostal supervised and conducted the music, while the musical numbers, written by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman, were staged by Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood. The song “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” was nominated for an Academy Award.

Entrance to both screenings is free of charge, thanks to the support of the Directorate of Cultural Heritage within the Ministry for Gozo. While enough seating for all patrons is assured, thus making prior booking not a mandatory requirement, patrons are reminded to present their valid COVID-19 certification at the door, without which, entrance cannot be afforded. The organisers will be complying with all health and safety regulations issued by the Public Health authorities and therefore face masks are to be worn at all times inside the premises.