Susan Tyrrell Tribute: Fat City

Susan Tyrrell's Rotten Memorial will be held at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar at 7pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012. FAT CITY will be screened followed by a bombardment of joyous memories, music, and more. Come join us in the gutter for unbridled irreverence and share a toast with Susu's Ghost.
Our dear friend and hero Susan Tyrrell died this week. She was an actress of rare power and as a person she gave off a radiant light. When we closed our original Alamo Drafthouse in 2007 we knew we wanted to… Show more invite someone who had inspired us and someone whose work we loved. We unanimously chose to invite Susan Tyrrell and she gave the old theater a memorable sendoff. As I recall, I asked about her Academy Award nominated turn in 1972's FAT CITY and she turned to Alamo regular David Strong, who was manning her wheelchair, and said "Mr. Strong, do your stuff" as she stormed off the stage. We hated to see her leave the stage then, but it was such a perfect dramatic gesture we just had to admire her for it. She had a flair for those perfect dramatic gestures. Her life and work are full of them.
We're sad to have to present FAT CITY without her. In truth she was ambivalent about the film. She didn't like to hear about her Oscar nomination. She hated director John Huston. She did not welcome praise about her acting. Though it's hard to think of her as shy, she was as shy about her talent as she was about her beauty (and she was one of the most beautiful women around). She couldn't stand for anyone to make a point of either. But we're going to press the issue and make a point about her rare talent with a screening of FAT CITY. All of you who loved Susu in person and from afar, please join us for this one-time screening. After the film there will be a memorial service for her with stories, more stories, and still more stories. And drinking.
FAT CITY is a late masterpiece from director John Huston. It tells the story of a boxer in a serious downward spiral (Stacy Keach) who crosses paths with a younger fighter (Jeff Bridges) who seems destined to make all the same wrong moves. Keach and Bridges are excellent in the film, but Susan Tyrrell effortlessly steals the show as Keach's barfly lady friend.

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