The Silver Screen Oasis

Here's my game of "let's pretend-"
We are all (physical) neighbors. One night a week we have a MOVIE NIGHT. It's your week to host. What music would you play as guests arrive? What snacks/drinks would you serve? And, most important, what two movies (from your personal collection) would you show? Feel free to make this night as "eventful" as you'd like...
I'll start-
My theme is "CAMP '60's"
Everyone is encouraged to wear your grooviest threads. You'll enter to the sounds of The Fifth Dimension-"Up-Up And Away: The Definitive Collection." Make your way through the curtain of beads into the kitchen for lobster rolls, pigs-in-a-blanket, cheese puffs and clam dip with Ruffles ("R-r-r-ruffles have ridges!) And we have Harvey Wallbangers to wash it down!
Tonight's double feature-"Valley Of The Dolls" and "Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls."
"No prescription required...It's over the counter tonight at MOVIE NIGHT!"

One night I would like: A LITTLE BIT OF CUBA, a title I stole from Luci and Desi.

I would start off the music as folks enter the foyer with "Moo-La-La" with Celia Cruz, and anything else that strikes my fancy from the "Mambo Kings" sountrack.

Costumes: I would require green or khaki army uniforms with green caps.
Folks would be encouraged to smoke cigars on the patio/veranda at my swankienda.

First, I would serve some Cuba Libres (fresh key lime juice, of course!)
And then maybe some tapas, like a chimichurri sauce with crudites...

Then a little dancing the mambo, some salsa swaying, and some black beans and rice or Arroz con Pollo pollo for dinner . I would use the Arroz con pollo recipe from The Valencia/The Colombia in Ybor City in Tampa, Florida. The black beans would not use any traditionally "Mexican" spices like chili powder or cumino, but just a little bacon or salt pork, salt, a dash of garlic powder.

I would garnish it with some grated cheese (Monterey Jack, but not any orange cheddars.) That would be culinary blasphemy. I would add the Cuban crackers that have an octagonal shape that they sell usually only in Florida. Also, traditional Cubans, sandwiches that have luncheon meat on French bread and are sometimes fried, would also be available.

I would initiallly show an old cable film entitled Florida Straits with Fred Ward, Raul Julia, and Antonio Vargas (Honeybear on Starsky and Hutch.)

It's a film about finding Batista's gold, political prisoners, a salty sea captain and a young impresario sneaking into Cuba. Raul Julia goes back not for the gold, but to connect with his true love that he has been pining away for while imprisoned for political subversiveness.

A great cable adventure film if you've ever had any interest in Cuba at all.

Then, of course, Our Man in Havana with Alec Guinness. (For obvious
classical movie reasons!)

For desert, I would have sliced oranges and aguardiente (anisette liquor)
for the men on the porch and flan (custard with carmelized vanilla) for the ladies in the parlor.

Also a tribute to Papa Hemingway might include a midnight showing of
The Old Man and the Sea.

Party favors: Fake ID's with the names of famous and infamous travelers to Havana.

( I actually did have a "Cuba" theme party once (sans films), and it was a blast!)

That's all I can think of, Ben...

That sounds fantastic, Chris! Trader Joe's recently introduced a new product-Cuban Black Beans (in a can.) I'm hooked on 'em!
Love Cuba Libres...No Mojitos?

There are always some mojitos lurking around somewhere....we just try to keep them away from the Eloi because they wreak such havoc with the time machine.....

John, I think you might enjoy my JAZZ BABY movie night too...
With "Auntie Mame" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie."
Sorry, no "Upson Daiquiris."

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Ben: With the secret ingredient? Huh-huh-honeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....

One Mai Tai for Johnm. Coming right up!

Chris, I had this visual of Mag Wildwood saying "Huh-huh-honeyyyyyy."

Alright, here's my Movie Night double feature du jour: SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS and ALL NIGHT LONG (Both, incidentally, showing tonight on the RetroPlex Channel).
Both of these incredible films feature fantastic jazz scores, not merely as incidental background music, but as on-screen performances: SWEET SMELL beautifully utilizes the swinging sounds of the Chico Hamilton Quintet and ALL NIGHT LONG boasts performances by Dave Brubeck, Johnny Dankworth and Charles Mingus!
Vodka martinis (with a twist of lemon) served at the door. Sorry, no food.
Pray for a smashingly loud thuderstorm.

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957)
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ALL NIGHT LONG (1961)
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Fantastic MOVIE NIGHT, Dewey! No food? Not even cookies full of arsenic?
How 'bout guests? I think my friend, Mary Jane, would fit in...
I'll be sure to wear my Pork Pie Hat...so when you're ready for me to leave you can say, "Here's your hat what's your hurry."

Good lord, Ben; you're right (as usual) on all counts!

Sounds like a party, Dewey!