by John Gaspard (Author)
TWO YEARS, ONE THEATER: THE CULT FILM THAT WOULDN'T DIE
(SECOND EDITION - WITH A DOZEN NEW PHOTOS)
The studio wanted it buried. Critics dismissed it. But when Harold and Maude arrived at Minneapolis' Westgate Theater, something magical happened.
The quirky dark comedy about a death-obsessed teen and an 80-year-old free spirit found its home. And stayed. And stayed. And stayed some more-until angry neighbors started protesting.
This true story captures the remarkable phenomenon that transformed a box-office disaster into one of the most beloved cult films of all time.
Inside this captivating chronicle, you'll discover:
- How a single theater kept Harold and Maude alive when everyone else had given up on it
- The joyful celebrations when stars Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort visited their devoted fans
- The superfan who saw the film so many times he became friends with Ruth Gordon herself
- The hilarious neighborhood protests demanding a change after endless months of the same film
- Rare, never-before-published photographs of the theater, the celebrations, and the protests
Before streaming, before home video, before "cult classic" was even a term-there was a small theater that wouldn't let a strange little film die. This is their story.