Imagine walking into the movies, buying popcorn, sitting down in the theater, and waiting for your movie to start, but there’s a catch — you don’t know what movie is playing. That’s the experience of Regal’s Monday Mystery Movies, on show at the East Hampton Cinema about two Mondays a month at 7 p.m. In addition to the fun of the surprise, there’s another draw: The movies only cost $5.
Regal’s Monday Mystery Movies are a nationwide offering, and at the East Hampton branch they attract a small group of dedicated regulars. One of them, Joanna Tschurtschenthaler, said she enjoys seeing the same faces at each Monday Mystery screening. She likes socializing in the lobby and then having a quiet night to herself inside the theater.
While there tends to be an older crowd at certain points during the year, “everyone loves it,” the theater’s management said. Mystery Movie Night patrons also get a chance to see a new movie before it’s released in theaters.
Dan Glass of Sag Harbor called Monday Mystery movies a “hidden gem [that] you can’t really find anywhere anymore.”
Mystery Movies have been running for almost three years here, with over 50 films shown, including hits such as the new “Jurassic Park” and “Gladiator II.” One of Mr. Glass’s favorites was “Paint,” a comedy about a television painter named Carl Nargle, whose character is loosely inspired by Bob Ross. Ms. Tschurtschenthaler enjoyed “The Fire Inside,” a sports drama about the journey of a female boxer from Flint, Mich.
You won’t find Mystery Movie Night on the theater’s marquee, but head to Regal’s website, regmovies.com, search “Monday Mystery Movie” and select the East Hampton theater to find the next scheduled date: in this case Monday, Sept. 22.
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Quinn Corleto was a participant in The East Hampton Star’s Summer Academy.
