Classic movies get new life on big screen thanks to this Fort Worth film lover
Here’s the scene: It’s an autumn night, mid-October. There’s not yet a chill in the air in Fort Worth, but it’s getting darker earlier, and the shadows play tricks in the evening gloom.
In a small theater inside a local retirement community, the lights go down, and a moment later the room is awash in a silver glow as the opening sequence of 1939’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles” appears onscreen.
It’s a perfect film for the spooky season, a classic mix of mystery and supernatural horror starring Basil Rathbone as the indelible detective Sherlock Holmes, with Nigel Bruce as Holmes’ oft-comedic sidekick Dr. Watson.
It’s also a perfect film for film buffs, several of whom have gathered to experience on the big screen a movie most have only seen on television.
In some ways, the communal experience harkens back to what audiences must have felt 86 years ago when “The Hound of the Baskervilles” premiered, a reminder that we perhaps lose something in the convenience of streaming movies in the comfort of our own homes.
Ryan Bijan Jeri, who hosted the screening, certainly believes so. For the past three years he’s presented beloved films from decades past around Fort Worth (and occasionally in Dallas) under the moniker Cowtown Movie Classics, a takeoff on Jeri’s favorite cable channel, Turner Classic Movies.
Before closing in 2023, the Downtown Cowtown at the Isis Theater on North Main Street near the Stockyards was the venue of choice. Nowadays, Jeri holds his events at places like Horus Hall on Northwest 24th Street, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the historic Texas Theatre in Dallas. Once a month, Jeri hosts a private screening for the retirement community residents and a handful of regulars.
On Oct. 17, Jeri is showing a mystery “nunsploitation” film at Horus Hall, followed by a showing of the Bela Lugosi-led horror film “White Zombie” at the same venue on Oct. 25.
On Nov. 19 at the Modern Art Museum, Jeri will host a double feature of “Lonely are the Brave,” starring Kirk Douglas, and “First Blood,” with Sylvester Stallone in his first turn as Rambo.
Details are on the Cowtown Movie Classics Facebook page and @cowtownmovieclassics on Instagram.
Cowtown Movie Classics evolved from a childhood passion
In Jeri’s words, Cowtown Movie Classics is “like a book club for movie nerds.” And he counts himself among those “nerds,” having long been fascinated by the black-and-white films he grew up watching at home.
“First and foremost, I’m a film lover,” Jeri said, before describing how that love morphed into a passion and a way of life.
As a kid, the Fort Worth native directed his own independent movies, and he studied film, television and digital media production at TCU. He’s since worked as a production assistant and an occasional actor, and Jeri’s knowledge of movies and movie history would seem to rival just about any film scholar’s.
To a large extent, Jeri is a self-taught expert. He began accumulating a collection of VHS tapes and DVDs in his younger years and would often analyze the films he watched, turning on the director’s commentary when possible to glean additional insights.
When social media came along, Jeri found a conduit to the filmmakers, actors and producers he admired. He connected with some of them, and since starting Cowtown Movie Classics, he’s invited several to appear as special guests at his events.
At a screening of “The Big Trail,” starring John Wayne, Jeri was joined onstage at the Modern Art Museum by Patrick Wayne, the Duke’s son. He’s also sat down with people like Michael Uslan, who owns the rights to Batman and has executive produced every Batman film going back to the 1989 version starring Michael Keaton.
Jeri’s guests sometimes appear in person, and other times he screens a pre-recorded interview before the feature film. Either way, he likes giving his audiences a peek behind the curtain in the form of a curated commentary on the evening’s movie.
Cowtown Movie Classics: ‘We make the old new’
As for the films themselves, in recent months Jeri has screened “The Untouchables,” “Jaws,” the Bob Hope/Bing Crosby comedy “Road to Morocco” and Akira Kurosawa’s “Throne of Blood” and “Stray Dog.”
The selections appeal to people’s nostalgia and pique their interest with horizon-expanding deeper cuts.
“The goal is to get contemporary audiences reinvested in the medium,” Jeri said of the motivation behind what he does.
Talking to Jeri’s regulars, there’s a shared appreciation for those efforts. Marilyn Holmes, one of the retirement community residents watching “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” said the monthly Cowtown Movie Classic screenings are “one of the best things we have.”
Diane Tran grew up on Charlie Chaplin movies, and she’s been a Cowtown Movie Classics fixture ever since Jeri ran a silent film retrospective three years ago. Tran is so committed she drives all the way from Allen to Fort Worth and Dallas for events.
Cowtown Movie Classics’ motto is “we make the old new.” That goes for the films, of course, but there’s a deeper, perhaps unintended, meaning as well. Cowtown Movie Classics gets people out to cinemas again. It gets them talking about movies and sharing in something in real time, face to face. Plots are dissected on the drive home instead of on social media pages.
There’s something to be said for that in a time when even big chain theaters struggle to attract customers.
It’s a testament to the power of Jeri’s enthusiasm. And while he hasn’t gotten rich, he’s not in it for profit. Labors of love come with their own rewards.
“I’ve been so blessed,” said Jeri. “I’ve met so many wonderful people, and I’ve made so many friends through doing this.”
Now, there’s a Hollywood Golden Age ending.
