MWO Presents “Matinees on the Mountain” feat. “The Mad Worlds of the Fleischers and Buster Keaton”

Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO)—Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history—presents the final “Matinees on the Mountain” screening of 2025 on Saturday, October 25, at 3:00pm.

Join MWO and co-presenter, the Livonian Cinema, for “The Mad Worlds of the Fleischers and Buster Keaton,” featuring a live organ accompaniment by Mark Herman. The screening presentation will feature a series of otherworldly silent movies from animators Max and Dave Fleischer and actor/director Buster Keaton, including “Out of the Inkwell (1918),” “Swing You Sinners!” (1930), and “Sherlock Jr.” (1924). Herman’s live accompaniment is performed on MWO’s recently acquired two-rank Allen Theater Organ.

Perfect curation for the location, these experimental short films reflect the most inventive and imaginative minds of the era, a time when some of the great discoveries, from the expansion of the universe to the first evidence of dark matter, were made at Mount Wilson Observatory.

Like the earlier installments, the 2025 finale will be presented in MWO’s 256-seat auditorium. Moviegoers can enjoy lunch at the Cosmic Cafe or picnic on the grounds, explore the Observatory’s rich history, and then settle in for a unique cinematic experience 1-mile above the City of Los Angeles. Tickets are priced at $20 for general admission and $15 for children under 12. For more information and tickets, please visit: www.mtwilson.edu/events/movies102525

VISITING MWO
The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike, gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape, and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum.

The Cosmic Cafe (www.mtwilson.edu/cosmic-cafe), located above the main parking lot at the Observatory entrance, is open on weekends in the spring, summer, and fall. In addition to traditional menu items such as hot dogs, drinks, and snacks, the Cafe offers wraps, salads, and sweet treats from Little Flower.

PARKING
A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week, passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway (https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US). Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them: www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass

For more information about Visiting Mount Wilson Observatory, please visit: www.mtwilson.edu/visiting