SATURDAY MATINEE AT THE BIJOU (kiddie matinee)

SATURDAY MATINEE AT THE BIJOU (kiddie matinee)

Rejissyor: The 2am Theater. Saturday matinees (kiddie matinees) were a summertime institution in thousands of US movie theaters. They lasted into the late ‘50s when they were finally killed off by Saturday morning children’s TV programming. These three-hour extravaganzas for the cap pistol set consisted of a jumble of multiple cartoons (that often were racially insensitive), serial chapters and one or more feature films that always were B-westerns. Parents and girls (eeu!) weren’t banned, but I don’t remember either showing up. Saturday morning were the unchallenged domain of us vacant-lot cowboys. This morning’s program begins with matinee serials coming attractions followed by two cartoons and chapter 4 of “Flash Gordon,” and then two more cartoons. Next it’s chapter 5 of the first “Superman” serial. Which leaves us with just enough time for two more cartoons and the Tim McCoy B-western “Lightning Carson Rides Again.” So stock up on buttered popcorn and Good & Plenty. Then grab seats down front. The show is about to begin. We won’t see daylight again until sometime this afternoon.

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