The Last Picture Shows

Just In:
Four-time Oscar winner Sean Baker and director Rustin Thompson
will participate in a post-film conversation and Q&A at the Laemmle NoHo in Los Angeles, following a 7:30pm screening on October 19. Moderated by film exhibition historian Ross Melnick, they will discuss why cinemas matter and what all of us can do to help preserve the theatrical experience for future generations.

“Spare and beguiling…the movie’s lyrical and elegiac tone makes it truly resonant.”
New York Times Critic’s Pick

“At once a cautionary tale and a love letter to an era before it becomes bygone. ”
3.5 out of 4 stars/Roger Ebert.com

“A disarming and heartfelt ode to small-town, Main Street movie theaters…personal filmmaking at its best.”
Leonard Maltin

A film by Rustin Thompson
Executive Producer, Rachel Price, Foghorn Features

Letterboxd Rotten Tomatoes IMDB Facebook Instagram

Listen to the soundtrack on Spotify

Click on Poster for Trailer

“There’s a poignant sadness in the film…but hope beams throughout,
like the light from a projector.”
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times

Download the Digital Press Kit
Booking Agent: Jessica Prosner/jessicaprosner@gmail.com
Sales Agent: Gary Rubin/gary@garyrubinfilmsales.com
Writer-Director: Rustin Thompson/Film Inquiries: rustindt58@gmail.com

Scroll down to bottom of screen for credits

Ten states. 10,825 miles. 123 theaters.
An elegy for small-town cinemas.

Filmmaker Rustin Thompson journeys into the American West on a search for traces of what was once a center of small-town life: the movie theater. On the trip, he finds long abandoned and forgotten cinemas; movie houses that have fallen into disrepair; theaters recently closed, theaters struggling to hold on, and theaters that—thanks to their thoughtful caretakers—are not only surviving but thriving. Between the stops along the way, Rustin poetically intersperses excerpts from Peter Bogdanovich’s 1971 classic film The Last Picture Show, as well as reflections on past and present hardships facing the film exhibition industry. The Last Picture Shows is not only a timely portrait of an industry in crisis, one facing the headwinds of consolidation, streaming, and the diminishing theatrical experience, but it also reminds viewers that even in vast cinema deserts, there are oases of community and gathering that remain, where the movie house continues to be a place of wonder, contemplation, and connection.

Upcoming Play Dates

Lewisburg,PA, The Campus Theatre, Oct. 2, 7 & 9 Buy Tickets

Portland, OR, The Living Theater, Oct. 3 & 7 Buy Tickets

Taos, NM, Taos Center for the Arts, Oct. 7, 14, 16, Buy tickets

Hermiston, OR, Hermiston Cinemas, Oct.9-15 Buy tickets

Chicago, Music Box, Oct. 10 Buy tickets

Champagne, Il, Chambana Film Society, Oct. 10 6pm Buy tickets

Milwaukee, WI, The Oriental, Oct.11 Buy tickets

Minneapolis, the Heights, Oct. 12 Buy tickets

Tallahassee, FLA, Tallahassee Film Society, Oct. 17 & 25

Frankfort, MI, The Garden, Oct. 18

La Grande, OR, Eastern Oregon Film Festival, Oct. 14-17

Santa Cruz Film Festival, Oct. 15 Buy tickets

Kilgore, TX, Star 4 Cinemas, Oct. 17-19 Buy tickets

Los Angeles, Laemmle NoHo, Oct. 19 Q&A with Sean Baker and Rustin Thompson

Friday Harbor Film Festival Oct.24, 1 pm Schedule

Columbus, Indiana, Yes Cinema, Oct.24

Palm Springs, Desert Film Society, Oct. 24

Ipswich, Suffolk, England, Nov. 1

Larkspur, CA, The Lark, Nov. 7

El Cerrito, CA, Rialto Cinemas, Nov. 9

Albuquerque, NM, The Guild, Nov. 10-12

Langley, WA, The Clyde, Nov. 13-15

Traverse City, MI, State Theatre, Nov. 17

Cleveland, OH, Cleveland Cinematheque, Nov. 19

Walla Walla, WA, Gesa Power House, Nov. 20th

Concord, NH Nov. 20

Bedford, NY Dec. 1 Buy Tickets

More to come!!

Past Play Dates

Carsey-Wolf Center, UC Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara International Film Festival (World Premiere)
Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (Nominee for Best Documentary)
Oxford Film Festival (Honorable Mention)
Ashland Film Festival (Benefit Screening)
Spokane International Film Festival (Closing Night film)
Credo Film Festival, Los Angeles (Finalist)
Thin Line Film Festival. Denton, Texas (Best Film and Artistic Vision Nominee)
Ethnografilm Festival, Paris.
Desertscape Film Festival. St. George, Utah (Best Film Nominee)
Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival (CA)
Arizona International Film Festival, Tucson (Special Jury Award for Cultural & Historical Filmmaking)
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival (Best Documentary Honorable Mention)
Benefit Screening for the River Oaks Theater. Houston, TX.
Gallup International Film Festival
deadCenter Film Festival, Oklahoma City
Winthrop, WA, The Barnyard Cinema, Benefit screening
Kingston, WA, Firehouse Theater
Tacoma, Grand Cinemas
Seattle, Tasveer Cinema
Bellingham, WA, The Pickford
Camas, WA, Liberty Theater,
Portland, OR, Hollywood Theater
Corvallis, OR, Darkside Cinema,
Seattle, Tasveer Film Center
Bainbridge Island, WA, Lynwood Theater
Bremerton, WA, Westsound Film Festival (Best Feature Documentary)
New York, Village East Cinema
Huntington, Long Island, Cinema Arts
Bronxville, NY, Picturehouse
Chatham, NY, Crandell Theater
New York City, New Plaza Cinema
Three Oaks, MI, Vickers Theater,
Somerville, MA, Somerville Theater
Worcester, MA, Cinema Worcester
Springfield, MO, Moxie Cinema
Santa Ana, CA, The Frida
Los Angeles, Laemmle Royal Theater
Tulsa, Circle Cinema
Los Angeles, Laemmle Glendale
Hudson, NY, Time and Space Limited
Birmingham, Alabama, Sidewalk Film Festival
North Bend, WA, North Bend Theatre
Cincinnati, OH, Esquire
Edmonds, WA, The Edmonds
St. Helena, CA, the Cameo
Seattle, Tasveer Film Center
Moscow, ID, Kenworthy Performing Arts Center
Los Angeles, Laemmle Glendale
Cincinnati, Mariemont
New Orleans, Zeitgeist Theatre and Lounge
Chelan, WA, The Ruby
Hudson, Quebec, Hudson Village Theater
Dayton, WA., The Liberty
London, Screen on the Green, Islington
Hanover, NH, The Nugget
Maitland, FLA, The Enzian
Billings, MT, Art House Cinema & Pub
Missoula, The Roxy
Baker City, OR., The Eltrym
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City Film Society
Lexington, MA, Lexington Cinema,
Montgomery, AL, The Capri
Columbus, OH, Gateway Cinema
San Francisco, Balboa
Staunton, VA, Visulite
Sebastopol, CA, Rialto
Berkeley, CA. Rialto Elmwood
Hutchinson, MN, State Theater
Susanville, CA, Sierra Theatre
Santa Fe, NM, Center For Contemporary Art
San Rafael, CA, Smith Rafael Film Center
Knoxville, TN, Central Cinema
Modesto, CA, The State Theatre
Gig Harbor , WA, Gig Harbor Film Festival
Crete, NE, Isis Theatre
Vancouver, Canada
Ashland, Oregon, Varsity Theatre
Orinda, CA, The Orinda Theatre
Saratoga Springs, NY, Saratoga Arts
Ann Arbor, The Michigan Theater
Conrad, MT, The Orpheum
Tunkhannock,PA, The Dietrich

ilm Credits

Directed by Rustin Thompson
Executive Producer Rachel Price
Written and Produced by Rustin Thompson
Cinematography, Editing, Sound by Rustin Thompson
Additional Cinematography by Nick Thompson

Cast:
Melvin “Tiny” Pedersen/The Desert Historic Theater
Ross Melnick/Professor
Mike and Carolyn Smith/The Sierra
Teresa McQuisten/The Eltrym
Steve Wisner/The Auto-Vue Drive-In
Larry Hibbard/The Ruby Theater
Genevieve and Steve Cole/The Barnyard Cinema
Debbie Ayerst/The Liberty
Dave Lockhart/The Monte Rio
Darrell Brann/The OK Theater
Jerry Lussy/The Washoe
Cody Jones/The Seeley
Jared Alexander/El Morro
Maverick Albrecht/The Gem

Film Clips:
Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods/2023/David F. Sandberg
The Last Picture Show/1971/Peter Bogdanovich
Cinema Paradiso/1988/Giuseppe Tornatore
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga /2024/George Miller
Hud/1963/Martin Ritt
The Picture Show Man/1977/John Power
Fred Ott’s Sneeze/1894/William Kennedy Dickson
The Grey Fox/1982/Phillip Borsos
The Great Train Robbery/1903/Edwin S.Porter
Nickelodeon/1976/Peter Bogdanovich
The Birth of a Nation/1915/D.W. Griffith
Sullivan’s Travels/1941/Preston Sturges
It’s A Wonderful Life/1945/Frank Capra
Two-Lane Blacktop/1971/Monte Hellman
Red River/1948/Howard Hawks
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms/1953/ Eugène Lourié
The Hills Have Eyes/1977/Wes Craven
Rio Bravo/1959/Howard Hawks
The Scarecrow/1920/ Edward F. Cline, Buster Keaton
City Girl/1930/F.W.Murnau

Sound Design Junior Bonner
Colorist Pike Bishop
Post-production coordinator Doc McCoy
Re-recording mixer Paul Eric Miller
Additional sound design Paul Eric Miller
Audio Services Manager Wendi Wills
Audio Post Production Bad Animals/Seattle
Transcriptions Claire Thompson, Nick Thompson
Creative Consultants Ann Hedreen, Nick Thompson , Rachel Price, Claire Thompson, Xander Demetrios, David Betz, Chris Robertson

Photos
cinematreasures.org
Chemung County Historical Society
Eltrym Theater
National Archive
I-Stock

Film Sales Gary Rubin

Music:
“Going to the West”/Traditional/Performed by Coty Hogue
“Diminished Things” and “The Unpromised Land”/ Written and performed by Joseph Huber
“Leaving Bev’s Miner’s Club at Dawn” and “Finding Horace on the Street”/ Written and performed by Richmond Fontaine
“My Darling Clementine”/Traditional/Performed by Austin Glasser
“My Rifle, My Pony, and Me”/ Written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster/Performed by Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson/Live performance by Some Sister/Enterprise, Oregon
“Devil’s Highway”/Written and performed by J Wagner
“Never Be Fooled Again” /Written and performed by Zoe Muth
“My Old Friend”/Written by Zoe Muth/Performed by Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers