A long time ago, in a small town in USA, a devoted film fan spends his days making movies in his backyard and obsessing over 2001: A Space Odyssey and every other film he loves… but little does he know that he’s about to discover a film that will change his life forever…
That boy is Pat (John Francis Daley – Spider-man: Homecoming, Game Night) and that film is Star Wars.
Now the long-awaited, captivating feature, 5-25-77, based on the true story of Patrick Read Johnson – written and directed by the man himself – is out now on UK digital thanks to 101 Films.
This funny and endearing coming-of-age drama is a love letter to film, filmmaking and the seminal films of the 70s and is a must-see for anyone with a passion for film or just loves a good movie.
Meet Pat, he’s an outsider, a geek with an obsession for film. When he’s not watching them, he’s making them, using anything and everything in his house, including his siblings… and when he’s not making films, he’s waxing lyrical to anyone and everyone about his theories and favourites – whether they like it or not.
Bullied at school and the butt of his friends’ jokes, he dreams of making it big in film and aspires to the heights of his ultimate hero… special effects whiz Douglas Trumbull. When his Mum engineers a meeting in Hollywood with Herb Lightman (Austin Pendleton – My Cousin Vinny, Finding Nemo), his whole world takes a major leap into the unknown. Not only does he find himself in a room with some of the all-time greats – including a young Steven Spielberg – but he also becomes the very first outsider to see Star Wars.
This beautiful tale of growing up in rural Illinois, falling in love and becoming the first fan of the film that changed the face of cinema forever perfectly captures the magic of filmmaking and is an ode to the films that inspired ingenuity and encouraged freaks, geeks and creative spirits to dream big.
Make a date with 5-25-77, a joyfully cinematic tale that pulls on the heartstrings and testifies to the power of cinema.
