This year’s Don’t Knock the Rock came to a close on the highest of high notes Thursday night with the screening of Night Flight: Born Again to a packed house at Cinefamily. Hat’s off to Allison and Tiffany Anders for another solid year of rock-out flicks. Things started with the ever so charming Michael Des Barres guiding us into the picture with just enough heroin and groupie jokes before the soothing voice of Pat Prescott took over narration. From then on out it was an endless buffet of cool, highlights including Grandmaster Melle Mel’s impromptu Night Flight rap, B.B. King’s recounting of dubbing his axe Lucille, Ozzy Osbourne’s War on Drugs, and Zappa’s explanation of why music videos are shit in 1985. All this and more mashed between vintage commercials, cult movie excerpts, presidential footage, and cartoons, making for a fluid experience into the world of the weird and profound. Along with the vintage footage were fresh Bush Era segments as well as new animation by Joe Cartoon, both complimenting the effectiveness of the piece, reminding the viewer not only of what Night Flight was but still is about. It’s clear to see that a modern Night Flight has the potential to be greater than ever before. Show pioneer Stuart Shapiro was met with a standing ovation as the titles rolled before announcing an upcoming monthly residency at the Cinefamily along with a New Wave Theatre Night sometime soon. Needless to say but with great relief, Night Flight is officially reborn!

—Nolan Knight