Where Were You In 1976? A Look Back at Bicentennial Cinema: ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976)
Event Details
ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976) John Carpenter
Special pre-show of Bicentennial year goodies curated by Deserted Films at 6pm/ Film at 6:30pm
“Look at that, two cops wishing me luck. I'm doomed.”
Along with everything else it has going for it, ASSAULT is just a beautiful, tight little film, built on the narrative foundation of Howard Hawks’ RIO BRAVO. So that means you will be riveted to the action from the first frame…and you will have the pleasure of beholding some of Carpenter’s very best (because he was operating under the influence of a master) dialogue. NOTE: as with every John Carpenter film, you will have a hard time shaking the soundtrack. So, give in to it and track it down online. It makes for some pretty strange party music!
ABOUT THE SERIES:
The USA turns 250 years old in 2026. It’s a big birthday! Our series looks back at our last big birthday… the Bicentennial in 1976. What films were we watching? What were we thinking about?
Deserted Films, the Palm Springs Public Library, and the Palm Springs Cultural Center, have teamed up to bring you a unique selection of films reflecting what was on our ‘collective minds’ at the Bicentennial. Because looking back can help us make sense of now!
Folks talked a lot in 2026 about the “dark themes” running through the films being considered for Oscars…but 1976 brought us NETWORK, TAXI DRIVER, and CARRIE! It was a year of deep (sometimes brutal) self reflection. And a year of groundbreaking American cinema. We will dig into key films from the moment and offer up some surprises!
And, of course, Hollywood filmmakers were not alone in celebrating and questioning America at 200. Each feature film in our series will be accompanied by archival gems from Deserted Films or from our colleagues in the archival community to help set the mood: home movies of people celebrating the Bicentennial, as well as educational and sponsored films and other oddities from the same moment in American history.
