Dixie State University is hosting a screening of “The Electric Horseman” and a Q & A discussion with actor Wilford Brimley to mark the 40th anniversary of the film’s theatrical release.
The event is set to take place on March 1 and will begin at 5 p.m. with a wine-and-appetizer reception in the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center’s Sears Art Gallery on the Dixie State campus. DSU Professor of English Stephen B. Armstrong will host a conversation with Brimley at 6 p.m. in the Eccles Concert Hall. The screening of “The Electric Horseman” will immediately follow the discussion. The Q & A and screening are open to the general public and free to attend, with seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Willie Nelson and Brimley, “The Electric Horseman” was shot throughout Washington County and features extensive footage of Snow Canyon State Park, Leeds, Virgin and downtown St. George.
The film follows the efforts an idealistic rodeo rider, played by Redford, takes to rescue a mistreated horse. Brimley, a Santa Clara resident, co-stars as a farmer who assists Redford in his efforts.
“My parents took me to see ‘The Electric Horseman’ sometime in early 1980 when the movie had its first theatrical run,” Armstrong said. “I grew up in Maryland and seeing the sublime landscape of Southern Utah on the movie screen left a permanent impression. Pair a compelling story with gorgeous scenery and you have a great picture.”
DSU’s College of Humanities & Social Sciences, DSU’s College of the Arts, DOCUTAH and the Utah Film Commission are co-sponsoring the event.
Reception tickets, which are $15 and require a valid ID to purchase, are available through Dixie State University’s Ticket Office by calling 435-652-7800 or visiting utahtech.edu/ticket-office.