Joe Dante's Matinee is one of the great films that captures the time when William Castle made going to the movie theaters fun for kids and adults. While so many
Horror History: Joe Dante’s MATINEE With John Goodman Hit in 1993 By Mike Sprague
Gremlins and
Matinee starring John Goodman opened back in 1993.
The film takes place in 1962. Goodman plays a William Castle-inspired movie promoter named Lawrence Woolsey. Fifteen-year-old Gene Loomis (Simone Fenton) can’t wait for Woolsey’s arrival. The big man is in Key West to promote his latest offering,
Mant! But Woolsey’s absurd tale takes on a sudden urgency. The Cuban Missile Crises places the real threat of atomic horror just off the coast. With the help of his leading lady (Cathy Moriarty), Woolsey gives Key West a premiere they’ll never forget. Anything can happen in the movies. And everything does in this hilarious tribute to a more innocent (and outrageous) time in American cinema.