Lido on the Roof returns for its fourth year this year lighting up the rooftop of the beloved Glenferrie Road cinema. Its spring and summer film program showcases the most hotly anticipated new release films, as well as a film lovers’ selection of retro classics.
With its well-stocked rooftop bar and extended trading hours, the Lido Rooftop is an irresistible choice as a meeting spot for friends to enjoy a drink and watch the sunset colour the surrounding Hawthorn skyline, before catching a film on the big screen – either on the Roof, or in one of the indoor cinemas. The bar is open to anyone who has purchased a movie ticket.
The program launches with the electrifying Bohemian Rhapsody, chronicling the years in the lead up to legendary rock band Queen’s appearance at the 1985 Live Aid concert. Rami Malek (Mr Robot) has transformed himself into a jaw-droppingly accurate portrayal of Freddie Mercury for the film, helmed by director Bryan Singer (X-Men series). Catch Rooftop screenings until Tuesday 6 November.
Blockbuster movie-lovers and arthouse cinephiles alike will be spoilt for choice during the holiday season. The next title in the Harry Potter universe, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald starts its Rooftop season on 15 November; Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Ralph Breaks the Internet will be alternating nights during the week commencing Thursday 13 December; and Mary Poppins Returns floats down to the Rooftop on New Year’s Day.
Advance screenings for the darkly disturbing Suspiria directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, A Bigger Splash) take place on Friday 2 and Sunday 4 November. A fresh interpretation of Dario Argento’s 1977 horror masterpiece, Suspiria stars Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, and Chloë Grace Moretz, with music composed by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke.
Joel Edgerton’s next turn behind the lens comes with a powerful story about a boy sent to gay conversion camp, called Boy Erased, screening on the Rooftop from 9 November; Step Brothers dynamic duo Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly team up again in Holmes & Watson, from Friday 28 December; and horror fans will delight in the arrival of director Jennifer Kent’s (The Babadook) new film, The Nightingale, which was shot in Tasmania and recently won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. It screens on the Rooftop from Thursday 24 January.
Alongside all the exciting new releases, there’s a whole pick ‘n’ mix of retro gems in the Lido Rooftop program for movie fans, young and old. Costumes are crucial for the House of Capulet party screening of Baz Luhrmann’s iconic sun-drenched, star-crossed love story Romeo + Juliet on Wednesday 7 November, the high school reunion screening of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion on Wednesday 28 November and relive your childhood with a special screening of Matilda played on ex-rental VHS on Wednesday 16 January.
It’s not just Charli XCX and Troye Sivan who are feeling nostalgic for 1999. Lido on the Roof will be taking things back to a stellar year for teen-rom-coms with its Teen Dream series, featuring She’s All That (Wed 6 Feb), Drive Me Crazy (Wed 20 Mar), and Never Been Kissed (Wed 3 Apr).
Action movie fans will bust a bicep over the SchwarzeMega Marathon on Wednesday 5 December; kids will squeal over classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas (Wed 12 Dec), Matilda (Wed 16 Jan), and The Lion King (Wed 23 Jan); and 80s film fans will flip out over Die Hard (Wed 19 Dec), Labyrinth (Wed 9 Jan), Purple Rain (Wed 30 Jan), Big(Wed 20 Feb), Beverly Hills Cop (Wed 6 Mar), and Risky Business (Wed 13 Mar).
An extra thrilling addition to the program for genre film fans is the inaugural Paracinema Fest, happening over four days from Thursday 29 November to Sunday 2 December. The full program is yet to be revealed, however some appetite whetting early announcements include Terminal starring Margot Robbie and Simon Pegg; the Christmas zombie apocalypse flick Anna and the Apocalypse; and the next bizarrely hilarious film from the creators of The Greasy Strangler (2016), An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn starring Aubrey Plaza, Jemaine Clement, Craig Robinson, and Emile Hirsch.
It’s going to be another glorious summer of cinema under the stars at Lido on the Roof.
Full program details are as follows:
Lido on the Roof Events:
Fri 2 Nov: Suspiria advance screening
Sun 4 Nov: Suspiria advance screening
Wed 7 Nov: Romeo + Juliet – House of Capulet costume party
Wed 28 Nov: Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion – High school reunion costume party
Wed 5 Dec: Schwarzemega Marathon – Kindergarten Cop, Junior, and Twins
Wed 19 Dec: Die Hard – Singlets and slacks costume party
Wed 16 Jan: Matilda – Played on ex-rental VHS with chocolate cake served
Wed 6 Feb: Teen Dream: She’s All That – Movie make-over montage dress-up
Wed 13 Feb: The Before Trilogy – Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight –Speed Dating on the Rooftop
Wed 13 Mar: Risky Business – Shirts, socks, and sunglasses party
Wed 3 Apr: Teen Dream: Never Been Kissed – High school prom costume party
Special Programming:
Retro
Wed 12 Dec: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Wed 9 Jan: Labyrinth
Wed 23 Jan: The Lion King
Wed 30 Jan: Purple Rain
Wed 20 Feb: Big
Wed 27 Feb: The Bodyguard
Wed 6 Mar: Beverly Hills Cop
Wed 20 Mar: Drive Me Crazy
Wed 27 Mar: From Dusk till Dawn
Full Program
November 2018
1, 3, 5, 6 Nov: Bohemian Rhapsody
2, 4 Nov: Suspiria – advance screenings
7 Nov: Romeo + Juliet (1996) – retro
8, 10, 12 Nov: The Girl in the Spider’s Web
9, 11, 13 Nov: Boy Erased
15-18, 20 Nov: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
19 Nov: The Old Man & the Gun
22 Nov: Strange Colours
21, 23-25, 27 Nov: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – 21st = advance screening
26 Nov: I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story
28 Nov: Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997) – retro
29 Nov: Paracinema Fest – An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn
30 Nov: Paracinema Fest – Overlord
December 2018
1 Dec: Paracinema Fest – Anna and the Apocalypse
2 Dec: Paracinema Fest – Terminal
4 Dec: Widows
5 Dec: Schwarzemega Marathon – Kindergarten Cops, Junior, Twins – retro
6 Dec: Mortal Engines
7 Dec: The Grinch
9, 11 Dec: Overlord
10 Dec: Studio 54: The Documentary
12 Dec: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – retro
13, 15, 17 Dec: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
14, 26 Dec: Ralph Breaks the Internet – 14th = advance screening
19 Dec: Die Hard (1988) – retro
20, 23, 24 Dec: Bumblebee
21 Dec: Mary Poppins Returns – advance screening
22 Dec: At Eternity’s Gate
25 Dec: Aquaman
27 Dec: The Favourite
28, 30, 31 Dec: Holmes & Watson
29 Dec: Vice
January 2018
1-3, 8 Jan: Mary Poppins Returns
4, 7 Jan: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
5 Jan: Holmes & Watson
6 Jan: Ralph Breaks the Internet
9 Jan: Labyrinth (1986) – retro
10, 12, 15 Jan: Ad Astra
11, 14 Jan: Welcome to Marwen
13 Jan: The Hate U Give
16 Jan: Matilda (1996) – retro
17, 21 Jan: Storm Boy
18, 20, 22 Jan: Glass
19 Jan: Mary, Queen of Scots
23 Jan: The Lion King (1994) – retro
24, 26, 28 Jan: The Nightingale
25, 29 Jan: The Front Runner
27 Jan: Green Book
30 Jan: Purple Rain (1984) – retro
Lido on the Roof (November – April)
7 days a week, all rooftop showings start at 9pm, unless otherwise indicated.
The Lido on the Roof bar is open:
Mon – Fri: 4pm onwards
Sat and Sun: 2pm onwards
Public Holidays: 12pm onwards
675 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, 3122
