Ragtag Cinema hosting 40th-anniversary screening of 'The Terminator'

There's never a bad day or a wrong way to honor Ragtag Cinema.

But Columbia's indie moviehouse offers a special celebration this Thursday when it joins sibling theaters in marking Art House Theater Day.

Participating venues will offer a one-night-only 40th-anniversary 4K restoration screening of "The Terminator," a blockbuster with enduring aesthetic appeal. This presentation of the 1984 Arnold Schwarzenegger-Linda Hamilton flick will include a Q&A with filmmaker James Cameron and producer Gale Ann Hurd "on the film's indie roots and the critical importance of art house theaters today," according to a news release.

"Knowing that many people have never seen the film or missed out on seeing it on the silver screen, I couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate The Terminator's 40th anniversary with its return to cinemas on Art House Theater Day," Hurd said.

The producer also cited the film's relatively small budget — $6.4 million — as well as the coterie of financiers and finagling it took to launch the film via a mid-size distributor.

Art House Theater Day is an initiative of Art House Convergence, which self-identifies as "a coalition of independent exhibitors that connects, amplifies, and advocates for its community." The first Art House Theater Day involved more than 150 theaters in 2016; this year is the fifth observance.

"We are so excited to be taking part ... an opportunity to celebrate everything we love about being an independent cinema," Ragtag Film Society artistic director Chloe Trayner said in the release. "Bringing people together in community through cinema is our passion and we consider ourselves lucky to do that work here in Columbia."

Ragtag Film Society is the parent organization for the theater and the annual True/False Film Fest.

Thursday's screening takes place at 7 p.m. Learn more at https://ragtagcinema.org/ .

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Ragtag Cinema hosting 40th-anniversary screening of 'The Terminator'