Elizabeth Taylor Retrospective: REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE
About this Event
Elizabeth Taylor Retrospective
Violet eyes, volcanic talent, and a screen presence that could tilt the axis of Hollywood—Elizabeth Taylor wasn’t just a movie star, she was an era unto herself. From child prodigy to global icon, and from lavish studio epics to intimate, emotionally daring performances, Taylor’s career is a masterclass in range, risk, and reinvention. This year-long retrospective celebrates the full sweep of her work—the wit, the bruised vulnerability, and the unapologetic intelligence that make her one of cinema’s most enduring stars. Whether you’re revisiting beloved classics or discovering lesser known but worthy titles, these films reveal an artist always more daring—and more surprising—than her glamorous image.
Join us one Saturday each month at 6 PM for a big-screen celebration at the Historic Camelot Theatre at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Each screening is preceded by a 5 PM pre-show featuring vintage film ephemera from the year of the film’s release.
The series is hosted and introduced by author and film historian Matthew Kennedy (On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide). Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the screenings, courtesy of Best Bookstore Palm Springs.
Rediscover Elizabeth Taylor as she was meant to be seen—on the big screen.
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)
Director: John Huston
Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Julie Harris
Set on a Southern military base, this strange, hypnotic drama explores homosexual repression, obsession, and emotional isolation through a series of simmering, unstable relationships. Huston leans into atmosphere and psychological unease, creating a film that feels both dreamlike and dangerous.
Taylor, in her fearless late ‘60s phase, plays against comfort and expectation, embracing the film’s emotional extremes. It’s a key role in her period of deliberate risk-taking, when she traded polish for provocation and proved she was a star willing to unsettle audiences.
MATTHEW KENNEDY is a Film historian and author and the former curator and host of the film series at the Mechanics Institute Library in San Francisco. He is the author of Joan Blondell: A Life between Takes, Roadshow! The Fall of Film Musicals in the 1960s, and On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide, and has written for the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, Turner Classic Movies, and the National Film Registry.
CLASSIC COCKTAILS
Elevate your movie night and select one of our classic cocktails! We offer a full range of fine wines, craft beers, and premium well drinks. Pre-order on Eventbrite and save $4 on two drinks with our exclusive pre-show drink special. Sip, relax, and enhance your cinematic experience with a touch of sophistication.
Agenda
🕑: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM
PRE-SHOW/ PIZZA
Info: Come early for a special curated screening of vintage trailers, commercials, interviews from the year the film was made. Enjoy our signature Neapolitan Pizzas made fresh in house from our cafe. Vegetarian options available!
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
FILM
Info: Enjoy a rare screening of a cinema classic on the BIG SCREEN in our Historic Camelot Theatre with your host film historian and author Matthew Kennedy.
🕑: 08:00 PM - 08:30 PM
BOOK SIGNING
Info: Meet your host author Matthew Kennedy and pick up his latest book "On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide."
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 16.81 to USD 17.85
