“Still creepy, still menacing, still hypnotic, and it is still dedicated, in its freaky way, to the ideal of eroticism” –Guardian

When it was first unleashed on unsuspecting audiences at Cannes some 30 years ago, Crash caused controversy. Why, you ask? Who, after all, could possibly have a problem with an erotically-charged thriller about kinky, death-obsessed car-crash fetishists who get their rocks off on twisted metal and scar tissue? Well, the prudish authorities were scandalized, and David Cronenberg’s icy adaptation of J. G. Ballard’s future-shock novel of the 1970s was banned from some UK cinemas, leading it to become one of the most controversial films of the 1990s. While the scandal may have abated, Crash retains it ability to shock and disturb, taking audiences deep into a bizarre subculture of sadomasochism and tech fetishism. A traffic collision between a disaffected commercial producer (James Spader) and an enigmatic doctor (Holly Hunter) serves as accidental initiation into a bizarre sadomasochistic subculture in which the flesh-mangling destruction of the car crash is the ultimate turn-on. Crash remains a key piece of late-twentieth-century cinema, a disturbingly seductive treatise on the relationships between humanity and technology, sex and violence, that is as unsettling as it is mesmerizing.

“At the beginning of the film the sex is rather anodyne, it’s lost its power. It only regains some of its power when it’s connected to other forces that give it meaning and life and dynamism. IT’S SEX AGAINST DEATH.” -David Cronenberg

“You should be prepared before you watch a movie like Crash. You have to be adventurous, and ready to accept that movies can still break new ground. Crash is a great film.” -Combustible Celluloid

“[A] necessarily disturbing and equally profound inquiry into human desire, however self-destructive” -Slant Magazine

This film is screening as part of Arkadin’s September-long series ENVELOPE PUSHERS, spotlighting extreme cinema, convention-flouting surrealism and radical comedies that push the boundaries of content, narrative and sometimes good taste.

Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.

THEATER POLICIES

All seats are first-come, first-served.

The theater opens 30 minutes prior to showtime, except for “Happy Hour” events and pre-shows when the theater opens at the listed start time.

All ages are welcome at Arkadin except for Drinkolas Cage events, which are restricted to 21+. We follow the MPAA rating guidelines for all other films.

Tickets can be purchased using the BUY TICKETS link above. Upon ordering, you will receive a confirmation email from Square. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the show at the concession counter.

If you’ve purchased advance tickets, when you arrive, please give your name at the concession counter to check in.

Tickets are returnable by sending a request through the contact form located on our About Us page prior to showtime.

When an event is sold out, we reserve the right to release open seats to customers on the waitlist. If you have a pre-purchased ticket and arrive late and there is no seat for you, your ticket will be refunded.

All screenings are held in our indoor theater unless indicated otherwise in the event description above.

Please respect your fellow movie-goers by remaining quiet and refraining from using your cell phone throughout the screening.