Katelin Aanerud On "Film Freaks At The Lincoln"

What Is Freaks At The Lincoln?

Step into a 1929 Mayan Revival landmark and settle in for a night where cinema turns into conversation. We’re pulling back the curtain on Film Freaks at The Lincoln, our free, monthly program that blends a sharp, 20-minute primer on film history with a top secret screening and an energetic talkback. Curator Katelin Aanerud joins us to map the 2026 slate and explain how a historic theatre, a curious crowd, and bold programming can turn a simple movie night into a shared discovery.

We kick off with midnight movies and cult classics, tracing how late-night rituals built communities around transgression, camp, and catharsis. Expect nods to Rocky Horror and Pink Flamingos, then a surprise 80s British comedy to test how humor ages across eras. From there, we jump to science fiction’s tech prophecies—virtual reality in the 90s, the dream of ubiquitous screens, and the uneasy edge where immersion blurs identity. Katelin shares why revisiting analog visions of the future helps us think clearly about today’s AR, haptics, and algorithmic feeds.

We also dig into adaptations and authorship: what fidelity really means, how directors translate voice and structure, and when a film redefines a book in public memory. Along the way, you’ll hear how we choose titles you rarely catch on the big screen, why audience questions shape each discussion, and how patrons will help steer topics later this year. If you love movies, arguments, and the rush of seeing something new with a roomful of strangers, this is your seat.

Admission is free, the popcorn is flowing, and the doors are open. Subscribe, share this episode with a film-loving friend, and leave a review to tell us which adaptation or cult classic we should tackle next.

To learn more about The Lincoln Theatre visit:
https://www.TheLincoln.org/
The Lincoln Theatre
117 E. Main Street
Marion, Virginia  24354
276-783-6092

Transcript

Welcome To The Lincoln Theater

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to On Stage with the Lincoln Theater, where history and entertainment steal the show. Dive into the rich legacy of this iconic Mayan Revival Theater, from its 1929 debut to its starring role in Marion, Virginia's entertainment scene. Guiding us through this journey is the man in the spotlight, our executive director, Bob Watkins.

Meet The Film Curator

SPEAKER_02 0:28

There's something really special about watching a film talking about a film in a historic theater, especially when the program behind it has a personality of its own. Welcome back, everyone. Skip Monico host slash producer back in the studio with Miss Caitlin Anarud, who is the film curator for the Lincoln Theater. Caitlin, always good to sit down. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Good. How are you?

What Film Freaks Is

SPEAKER_02 0:51

I'm doing just fine and uh appreciate you being back on the show again. I know we've we've had uh an episode uh talking about film freaks last year, and uh I know there's a lot of exciting things lined up for 2026, so I thought we would get back together and uh and talk about what's coming up uh in the in the new slate of uh of uh entertainment at the Lincoln with with Film Freaks. But before we do that, for those that haven't seen that episode and need a little refresher, why don't you tell us exactly what is Film Freaks at The Lincoln?

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Yeah, so Film Freaks is a free educational film program. Um it's usually around once a month. And to start off, I give a lecture on some aspect of film history or the art of film or just something relating to movies. Um we have a top secret film screening and then a live discussion afterwards. I usually have some discussion questions, but um it's always open to the crowd of what they want to talk about and how it relates to the lecture in the film. It's usually the first Friday of every month. Um, some of them are a little mixed up this year, but we have at least one a month coming up um for the rest of the year.

Curator’s Path To The Lincoln

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Very cool. Now, briefly, uh so everybody knows, how how did you get here? How did you end up as the film curator at the Lincoln?

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Yeah, so I'm originally from Chicago, actually. Um I went to school down at Illinois State, and um I just heard about this job opening. I am sort of on my way to DC to be a film historian one day. So this has been my stopping point for the last few years. We've been solely reintroducing film since 2022 when I started working here. Um Film Freaks started that that following year in 2023. So we've been going since then with some great um and unique film programming.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

Wow. From Chicago to Marion, Virginia.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

Yes.

Themes And 2026 Focus

SPEAKER_02 2:46

From the big city to the bigger city. So tell us what uh what all do we have going on? What can we look forward to in in 2026?

Cult Classics And Midnight Movies

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Yeah, this year I've sort of done different themes. Um, one year we had your motion picture passport, so I did different countries. Last year we revisited some general film 101 stuff and some film theory stuff. This year we're doing film and you, so some more broad topics. Um, and the second half of the year I'm actually opening it up to our patrons to decide what sort of topics I cover. Um, but we're kicking off the air next week with um a little lecture on the history and importance of midnight movies and cult classics. So I know a lot of people have some favorite cult classic movies, so I get to talk about a lot of those. Um, so that's our next one.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

It's a rocky rocky horror kind of thing.

SPEAKER_01 3:40

Yeah, I'll be talking about Rocky Horror, Pink Flamingos, all of those, all those classic ones. And then of course we have our top secret film screening, which is a um can't tell you the name of the movie, but it is uh British comedy from the 80s that I love.

The Secret British Comedy

SPEAKER_02 3:58

Oh wow. Yeah, maybe maybe some Monty Python, maybe possibly. Hopefully, I'm a Monty Pythons fan. Well, tell us what what uh I I can't imagine doing this. I mean, especially with it for a film junkie like like you, uh, but for people that attend, how special that is to discuss these films and watch them in uh such an incredible theater. Tell tell us what makes that different, I guess.

Why The Experience Feels Special

SPEAKER_01 4:25

Yeah, so um I studied film, so I have a lot of background in the history and art of film, um, but I'm also super into just watching unique stuff. So I always pick weird and unique things that you don't get to see on other screens um to screen here. So when these people come in, they hear my lecture, and they usually get to see a film that they've never seen or maybe even heard of before.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

Very cool. Now, how long does the the whole process take for a lecture and and everything?

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Yeah, so we always start at seven. My lecture is usually around 20 minutes. Um obviously depends on the length of the film for the film screening, but anywhere from an hour and a half to two and a half, and then um another 20 minutes at the end for our discussion.

SPEAKER_02 5:11

Oh, okay. So it's like a good evening.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

Yeah.

How The Evening Flows

SPEAKER_02 5:14

Absolutely. And of course you got Lola's right. Do you guys sell refreshments during film freaks?

SPEAKER_01 5:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 5:20

Awesome. That's awesome. So is there anything coming up this year that you're most excited about for audience to audiences to discover?

Refreshments And Vibe

Tech Futures And Sci‑Fi

SPEAKER_01 5:30

Yeah, so after from March, we are talking about technology in the future and how it was represented in film. So I'm gonna start back in like the 50s and 60s with some early sci-fi and then go through how sort of film predicted our our lives today. And I'll be showing a really cool film that's from the 90s that's about virtual reality. So it'll be really interesting to see how the 90s depicted something like that and how it is today. Um, we'll also be doing one on adaptations and authorship. So I know a lot of people are talking about different adaptations of movies and how faithful they are to the original source material. So we'll be talking about the history of that. Um, lots of great stuff that I'm gonna be talking about this year.

Adaptations And Authorship

SPEAKER_02 6:18

I would be psyched to come to the science effects, the uh how movies predict have kind of predicted the future. Like hopefully, hopefully, Star Trek will show up in that some because it's amazing. You know, I watch a lot of uh science documentaries, nerd stuff, and it's amazing how they talk about things like warp speed and you know it things that were going on in the Star Trek original series in the 60s is actually happening today. I mean it's incredible, it's incredible. Well, sounds like a blast. I'm looking forward to that. Uh, as far as uh what's the cost to attend?

SPEAKER_01 6:58

Totally free.

Star Trek And Real Science

SPEAKER_02 6:59

Totally free. That is awesome. So a great evening at the Lincoln Theater. You learn something about movies, and it's free. So what a deal. Well, Caitlin, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you joining us today, and we'll look forward to uh the uh surprise screening and the uh uh all the uh interesting lectures you got coming up and uh uh look forward to that.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Of course, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 7:25

All right, well, you have a great rest of the day and tell Bob we'll see him in the next episode.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

All right, I will.

SPEAKER_02 7:32

All right, thanks so much.

It’s Free And Open

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Thanks for tuning in to On Stage with the Lincoln Theater. Want more of Mary and Virginia's entertainment scene? Visit us online at thelincoln.org. Yes, that's thelincoln.org. Or drop by our theater at 117 East Main Street. Let's keep the arts alive and kicking together.