Rick Winston

Even for a casual movie buff like me, this is an entertaining and very informative book about someone who grew up loving movies and later spent much of his life building a movie culture in Vermont. First a film series, then the Savoy Theater, an arts theater that is a cultural institution, then a film festival.

I especially enjoyed all the movies, well known or not, that he discussed throughout the book. You'll want to keep a pad of paper and a pen handy to jot them down.

An interesting, fast-paced look at a life with the movies.

Highly recommended, even for casual movie fans!!… (more)

"Save Me A Seat!: A Life With Movies by Rick Winston published in 2023 by Rootstock Publishing. This is a marvelous memoir as Rick serves as a genial guide across his lifetime journey from nascent film fan, to a deepening passion for movies fueled by trips to legendary New York revival theaters, to starting and running a film society in Vermont, to founding the independent Savoy cinema in Montpelier, adding a video store, helping to start and run the Green Mountain Film Festival, and continuing his journey as film educator throughout the state of Vermont. In addition to covering Rick's personal history the book parallel's the rise of Film Culture in the 60s alongside shifts in technology that brought VHS, DVD, Digital Projection, and streaming. Reading this book is a wonderful antidote to the frequent sharp elbowed cynicism of Hollywood as Rick continually credits the support of family, friends, and community in making him a film fan and film professional through an ongoing circle of generosity. Best of all thanks to Rick's infectious enthusiasm I finally watched the tremendous Les Enfants du Paradis aka Children of Paradise. Highly recommended!… (more)