March revivals: first half

Mike here with a list of March revivals for the first half. Much smaller list then usual. Here we go:


RAISE THE RED LANTERN- Fri March 2, and Sat Mar 3 at 7 and 9:30, Sun Mar 4 at 7, Wed Mar 7, Fri Mar 9 and Tues Mar 12- Thurs Mar 15 at 4:30, 7 and 9:30- Film Forum- W. Houston St. bet. 6 and>Varick- A new 35mm print of the 1991 film. Gong Li stars as a young woman in 1920 China, forced into an arranged marriage with a man with other wives. She must then compete with the varying hierarchy and jealousies of the other wives. Highly praised film with gorgeous cinematography. Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film of 1992. Briefly banned in China until the mid 90s.


CONAN THE BARBARIAN- Fri Mar 2 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- 143 E. Houston St. bet. 1st and 2- One of my favorite bad films. This god awful, so full of itself, yet still fun film, made Arnold Schwarzenegger a Hollywood leading man, for better or worse. Don't blame me; I was too young to help this film be one of the top grossing films of the summer of 1982. There are so many hot chicks here, your head will spin. Sandahl Bergman is just one of them. Max Von Sydow and James Earl Jones are in full paycheck mode here. Written by Oliver Stone and director John Milius; it's amazing they ever worked again after this crap. For fans of fun junk like The Warriors, here's another one. Enjoy.


THE ELEPHANT MAN- Fri Mar 9 and Sat Mar 10 at Midnight- IFC Film Center- W. 3rd St. and 6th Ave.- Another of several David Lynch films getting midnight screenings. Mel Brooks had control of this property, not based on the hit play. He felt he himself couldn't get the film made properly and still be taken seriously. He found who he thought was the perfect director in Lynch, after watching a screening of Eraserhead. Anthony Hopkins is the star, but John Hurt gets the attention as David Merrick, the deformed man wanting a little dignity. Heartbreaking at times, moving at the end. A hit for its day, compared to films like Tess and Raging Bull. 8 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Hurt for Best Actor, and Director and Screenplay for Lynch, but surprisingly not for the stunning Black and White cinematography of Freddie Francis (Glory, Cape Fear remake). The Formula and Coal Miner's Daughter were both nominated ahead of Elephant Man? Oh, HEEELLLL NO! Anyway, one of the best films of 1980.

CLINT EASTWOOD'S IWO JIMA FILMS- Sat Mar 10 at 3(Flags of our Fathers) and 6(Letters from Iwo Jima) and Sun Mar 11 at 4(Iwo Jima) and 7:30(Flags)- AMMI in Astoria- 35th Ave. and 36th St.- The two Clint Eastwood World War 2 films, are played back to back. Most of you haven't seen them, based on their poor box office grosses. The underrated Flags of Our Fathers, and Letters From Iwo Jima, one of the best films of the year. Worth catching if you've never seen them.

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM- Sat Mar 10 for 5 dollars at 8pm- The Makor- Steinhardt Building, 35 West 67th St.- Brutally dark Darren Aronofsky film, covering 4 people's lives, spiraling out of control due to drug addiction. Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly star, but Ellen Burstyn received the kudos and an Oscar nomination as Leto's mom. Tough, but well made. One of the best of 2000.

Short list. Let me know ASAP. Later all.