Films to See in NYC.

Oscar/Best of 2011 film catch-up list

2012-02-10T02:11:00.002-05:00

A list of what you need to see, of both Oscar nominees and films that should be seen for a potential Best of 2011 list. Broken down in 6 categories: Major nominees in theaters, Minor Nominees in theaters, Major nominees on DVD/Cable/On Demand, Minor nominees on DVD/Cable/On Demand, Others of note in theaters, and Others of note on DVD/Cable/On Demand. Started to do some write-ups for my own blog, but stopped to send this now, and will resume writing later. For the record, major nominations to me are Picture, Director, the 4 Acting Categories, the 2 Screenplay categories, Documentary, Foreign Language, and Animated. Hope this helps.

Major nominees in theaters: THE DESCENDANTS, HUGO, THE ARTIST, TINKER TAILOR SOLIDER SPY, A SEPARATION, ALBERT NOBBS, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, PINA in 3-D,

WAR HORSE- I get the complaints regarding Spielberg being overly sentimental again, but you won't count me among them. It's not like this sentimentality is on the saccharine levels of The Sound of Music. It doesn't make the poor people rich, and it doesn't keep young men from being killed by the hundreds on screen. Done artistically mind you, but still by the hundreds. As a film fan, I appreciate the on-screen acknowledgments of films like Gone With The Wind, The Seven Samurai, Dr Zhivago, and even some John Ford films. There's a line between homage and blatant copying, and Spielberg straddled it nicely here,

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN- Familiar story structure of young man, coming-of-age trying to make his way into the world, mixed with Hollywood-ish biopic. The result is fairly light, fun, with performances that lift it above a typical Masterpiece Theater episode. Thus worth catching on the big screen, but its reputation should jump higher on a TV screen. Michelle Williams makes a wonderful Marilyn (pictures from a recent Q and A I attended above), Kenneth Branagh's Olivier with a semi-permanent stick up his ass is a lot of fun, and you come away wanting more Judi Dench. But the idea of a young man (whose diaries of the making of The Prince and The Showgirl made two books) with no experience or obvious skill, being a mostly beloved and trusted confidant, reeks of B.S. Too false an aspect for me to love this film. I'll just merely like a lot,

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE- I refuse to sit through this, no fucking way,

THE TREE OF LIFE- Best seen on the big screen, unless you have a large TV and/or a HD screen. Currently playing in Cinema Village.

Minor nominees in theaters: THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN,

THE MUPPETS- Not dissimilar to the recent Star Trek reboot in terms of re-launching a franchise. Appeases the old school fan in me, except for a few too many fart jokes. C'mon, this isn't some crappy Eddie Murphy comedy. Some humans, especially Chris Cooper, worked really well with the Muppets. A few others, like Rashida Jones and a few who did cameos like Whoopi and Selena, not so well. Loved, loved, LOVED the nominated Man or a Muppet song and will be pissed if it isn't performed at the ceremony. If you're an old school fan who can't stand the original writers or voices aren't attached to this, I can understand the subliminal discomfort and resistance. But I say the following, the same I say to the Trekkies with the J.J. Abrahms reboot: suck it up. Older pop culture stuff like say, Sherlock Holmes and Batman have endured and at times,thrived. So can this,

W.E.- Madonna's film, in part about King Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson, got an official release on Fri Feb 3. But it received an Oscar qualifying 1 week run back in December in L.A., so yep, it qualifies here.

Major nominees on DVD and/or Cable and/or On Demand:

THE HELP, BEGINNERS, WARRIOR, KUNG FU PANDA 2, BRIDESMAIDS, HELL AND BACK AGAIN,

MONEYBALL- Doesn't exactly speed along, but it needs to get its equations across to non-baseball/sabermetrics people, so sorry it takes time. Plays a little loose with the history for my tastes, but still interesting. Brad Pitt's best lead performance, a pleasant surprise from Jonah Hill, and if Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of Art Howe is accurate (which it isn't physically), then the Mets were seriously screwed up to look at this man as manager in 2002,

RANGO- Probably the only way anytime soon that we could believe Johnny Depp as a complete underdog, as an iguana on his first trip out in the world. Not joking, this is some of his best work in years. Think you need an appreciation of Westerns in order to truly enjoy, which luckily for me I have and I do. Also works as an early intro to the kind of story depicted in Chinatown. The stop-motion animation works well; you're not depicting realistic humans, the animals look just fine,

MARGIN CALL- Good film debut from writer-director J.C. Chandor. A depiction of the early days of the financial crisis of 2008, where the collapse is depicted less by technical means, but by human frailties. Big egos, greediness, even a lack of economics in jobs you would think requires them. Good cast, one that can even carry Demi Moore. One where Jeremy Irons' Dracula-esque performance can still fit in naturally,

A BETTER LIFE- A surprise Best Actor nominee,

PUSS IN BOOTS- Comes out on DVD on the Friday before the Oscars,

IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT- A Best Documentary nominee, it's on DVD but easier to find on youtube. For how much longer on youtube is a good question,

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS- The best Woody Allen film since Match Point. But that's no reason for such an overreaction of praise, hosannas and what not. Solid cast, some good dialogue, nice Parisian locales. But Top 10 best? Please. Let's just call it a pleasant time-killer worth catching on DVD or cable. Let's call it a noticeable improvement over say, Hollywood Ending and Anything Goes and move on,

THE IDES OF MARCH- A George Clooney-directed film that's an improvement over the disappointing Leatherheads. Fun support by both Phillip Seymour Hoffman and (especially) Paul Giamatti, backing yet another tip-top Ryan Gosling lead. But whenever Evan Rachel Wood comes on-screen, with the kind of storyline that has both Jailbait and Dead Meat figuratively tattooed on her forehead, oy vey. The film could only become unpredictable if Gosling came into clean things up with a light saber and a blaster. Seriously, if you didn't see this become a paint by numbers film of political disillusionment, then you have to see more movies. At least it wasn't boring,

PARADISE LOST 3- Best Documentary nominee. Available on HBO On Demand and HBO Plus, alongside Paradise Lost 1 and 2

Minor nominees on DVD: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEADLY HALLOWS PART 2, ANONYMOUS, TRANSFORMERS: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON,

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES- The best Planet of the Apes film since the original. Would make an interesting double feature with the documentary Project Nim,

JANE EYRE, RIO, REAL STEEL, DRIVE

Others of note in theaters: SHAME, THE SKIN I LIVE IN, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, PARIAH, LE HAERVE,

CARNAGE- Decent, but you can wait for DVD or cable. Maybe the piece only works on stage. Maybe the piece doesn't work as well if all four actors, while doing respectable jobs, are only believable as adults. All four just didn't pull the depths emotional immaturity. Strange to say after seeing John C. Reilly in Step Brothers, go figure,

YOUNG ADULT- Wonderful pitch-perfect black comedy. I have never been disappointed in a Jason Reitman film before, and the positive streak continues. Nice to see Charlize Theron in a change of pace, but Patton Oswalt is the revelation here,

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE- will be released on DVD the Tuesday before the Oscars,

A DANGEROUS METHOD- The ideas of sexuality, repression, and feelings bubbling up to the surface, makes this fit right along with other David Cronenberg films. Solid acting, even Keira Knightly who has to run the longest outwardly emotional gauntlet and overall does fine. Though I did spoil it for by reading an interview where she talked about how difficult it was to display insanity through her face, as well as making "sex faces". More than a little distracting. But a major reason why this isn't in my top 10 goes to Christopher Hampton's screenplay. Most definitely feels like a Cliffs Note version of the story/real life people. Yeah I get the basics, but not a lot of emotional investment in these people. Came away feel something was left out, mainly in the Freud and Keira storylines. Still a good job overall,

INTO THE ABYSS- The better of the two Werner Herzog documentaries that received a theatrical release, covering a Texas triple homicide from many different angles. From jailhouse interviews, to interviews with relatives of both killed and killers, a sweetheart of one of the killers who was impregnated with "contraband" semen. Even finding out what happened to the object of the killers' desire, a shiny red car that is no longer shiny, hell it has weeds growing through the floorboard. If the chilling interview with killer Micheal Perry, shot days before his execution, doesn't get to you, then nothing will.

Others on DVD or elsewhere: TUESDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, POTICHE, THE NAMES OF LOVE, GAINSBOURG: A HEROIC LIFE, TOMBOY- These 5 foreign films all worth catching. Tuesday After Christmas is a good Romanian drama; where the husband leaves his wife for a younger woman, devastating his wife and unaware of what he'll lose until it's too late. Potiche is a fun, biting social satire that fits in well with something like 9 to 5. The Names of Love is another satire, though more successful as a romantic film. Gainsbourg nicely avoids the by-the-numbers biography path of something like Ray or Walk The Line, but works best as an introduction. Tomboy is the best of the 5; a quiet coming of age of a young girl, sure of the gender identity path she wants to take (male), but not entirely sure of the consequences (don't worry, nothing like Boys Don't Cry here),

TABLOID- Entertaining Errol Morris documentary available on both DVD and Showtime On Demand,

WEEKEND, CRAZY STUPID LOVE, COWBOYS AND ALIENS, THE THING (2012), CAPTAIN AMERICA,

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS- Another draft and making sure Lenny Kravitz's daughter was never cast would have improved it. Seriously, there's a lot of story that isn't strong when the Xavier and Magneto characters aren't involved, and Zoe Kravitz isn't much of an actress. But Matthew Vaughn brought a wonderful visual style to this, we have two great leads in McAvoy and Fassbender, and compared to Wolverine and X-Men 3, this is almost a work of art,

CONTAGION- Unnecessary to see it on the IMAX screen, but it would make good double feature/ compare and contrast with the original version of The Andromeda Strain. Believable in and terms it only taking a bug and some internet panic to spread a global pandemic. A bit of mixed bag the varying human stories but it works,

WIN WIN- Another winning slice of life from writer-director Thomas McCarthy. No obvious villains here. At worst we have someone whose addictions are out of control or someone taking a little money for the family by telling a white lie. But since the addict is causing pain for her son, and the white lie forces a man with dementia out of his home, I'm sure they would disagree about there being no villains around them. Paul Giamatti leads a quality cast in this quietly effective, at times funny, morality tale,

MEEK'S CUTOFF, BOBBY FISHER VS. THE WORLD, PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, CERTIFIED COPY, SARAH'S KEY,

EAMES: THE ARCHITECT AND THE PAINTER- Decent Cliff notes introduction for newbies like me to the Eames, even though I and quite a number of have been influenced by their work without even knowing it. But better to see it now via PBS.org, under The American Experience banner, as opposed to paying the 13 dollars in a theater,

THE BLACK POWER MIX TAPE- This documentary of the Black Power movement, on the short list for Best Documentary yet didn't quite make it, will air on PBS on Thurs Feb 9 at 9PM, under the Independent Lens banner. It will then air on Thirteen.org under Independent Lens 48 hours later,

THE INTERRUPTERS- From director Steve James. This will air on PBS' Frontline on Tuesday, February 14 at 9PM, and will be on PBS.org within 48 hours after that.

PROJECT NIM- A documentary from the director of Man on Wire, that I was stunned about it not getting a nomination. Out on DVD Feb 7, make time for it,

TAKE SHELTER- Comes out on DVD on Feb 14,

50/50- Joseph Gordon-Levitt's work, with as well as without Anna Kendrick, is what makes the film sing. Anjelica Huston as one solid scene and then, not much else to do. Otherwise, the film is only a bit of the quality of a typical Lifetime movie of the week. Should work ok as a rental,

CEDAR RAPIDS- A pleasant surprise of a dramedy. I can see why Alexander Payne was attracted to the material, even if he didn't direct it. Here's where goodwill toward Ed Helms was at its highest, soon to drop after the disappointing Hangover Part 2, as well as the inconsistencies with The Office (which I blame more on the writers than him),

THOR- In terms of quality, in-between the two Iron Man films. The scenes on Asgard and the ice world always kick ass. Most of the scenes on Earth, not so much. And it looks like Natalie Portman slept-walked through the film, especially when compared to Kat Dennings' work,

PAUL, SUPER 8- 2 throwback/tribute to the late 70s/early 80s style of Spielberg. Paul, while slow, has some funny sequences and a winning supporting turn from Kristen Wiig as a religious woman who sees the light. Super 8 starts off well, but falls apart when we're supposed to react to the Godzilla/Cloverfield monster as an E.T. type in the 11th hour. Yeah I don't think so Mr. Abrahms,

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS- fascinating look at some very very old cave drawings. Drawings that are either 90,000 plus years old, or merely 45,000 or so years old. Seeing something this old still intact is incredible, and ol' Werner Herzog is still a fun wackadoodle of a narrator. But not seeing this in 3-D loses a little something,

IN A BETTER WORLD, INCENDIES- The winner of last year's Best Foreign Film and one of the four other nominees, respectively. They both received a 2011 theatrical release here in the states, so yep, it qualifies.

The picture of Oscar by the way is located by the elevators near the entrance of the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International. This was where the screening for My Week with Marilyn and the Williams Q and A took place. Sometimes, three dollar screenings of Oscar winners take place there. I look forward to coming back.

Feb revivals: first half

2012-02-08T03:07:00.003-05:00

Hey. Mike here with a revival list for the first half of February. Tried to cover the entire month, but I've just been too slow, so unfortunately I've had to split it in half. But one revival/re-release I won't post is Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. Yeah, the trailer in 3-D looks good. But the trailer can't re-write a mediocre screenplay, make Jar-Jar Binks tolerable, or give the then inexperienced Natalie Portman or the rookie Jake Lloyd the extra help needed to make chicken salad out of their chicken shit lines.

The first time I saw it back in its original release, I kinda liked it, despite its Anakin of Nazareth aspects and the Jar-Jar character. But my life was in a rough patch and I needed the release/social outing desperately. Seeing it a year later on TV, it didn't hold up at all. The last time I saw it was as part of a marathon screening with the other 5 Star Wars films. Kinda in the middle of my two previous experiences. The weakest parts of the film weren't as bad as the weakest aspects of Episode 2, but I can't post Episode 1 here. Maybe I'll sneak into the podrace scene or the battle scenes in the last hour or so. But I can't post it here when I have films on this list that are better. Here we go:

THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY- Fri Feb 10 at 7- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- Part of the Museum's See It Big series for films that can't be loved on an iPad or computer screen, but can only be truly embraced on the big screen. And to see this epic, hidden inside the contours of the Western genre, on a near 70mm screen should be too much to ignore for the true film buff.

The epic of Leone's Man With No Name trilogy; you definitely go on a journey here, aided with Morricone's most famous score, especially the theme. Eastwood's not so nice Good, Lee Van Cleef's evil to the core Bad, and Eli Wallach's not much better Ugly, fight each other, and try to work their way around something called The Civil War, to get their hands on buried gold. Probably, the best of the Spaghetti Westerns, due in no small part to Wallach's great performance (note that I RARELY use that phrase), the cinematography and Morricone's score.

This is the Reconstructed Italian version (don't worry, the words are still spoken in English). 2 hrs. 55 min. long, including 15 restored min. that Eastwood and Wallach had to go back and redub a couple of years ago. The print has been cleaned up, and has a remixed 5.1 Digital Dolby sound. I've done this at the Forum a couple of years ago, but I need no excuse to go back. A favorite of mine:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/02/10/detail/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly

THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1974) with a post-film Q and A of Raquel Welch by Dick Cavett- Sat Feb 11 at 6:45- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- The only film from the Raquel Welch retrospective that I have time for. I wish that Fantastic Voyage, Myra Breckinridge and The Last of Sheila were screened at a more convenient time. I also wish 1 Million B.C. wasn't such a crap film, because Raquel in a fur bikini, nice as that is, isn't worth putting up with the rest of the film.

The 3 Musketeers has been adapted into a film over twenty times. Richard Lester made an over three hour version, until the decision was made during post-production to split it into 2, similar to the decision made with Kill Bill. The 3 Musketeers is the first of the 2. Michael York, as young d'Artagnan, wants to be a Musketeer, but the other three Musketeers (Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlin and Frank Finlay) don't exactly make this easy. But no time for fun and games: Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) is doing something dastardly to the King and Queen, and d"Artagnan and the Musketeers must stop him. The cast also includes Christopher Lee and Faye Dunaway as villains, Jean-Pierre Cassel and Geraldine Chaplin as the King and Queen, and Welch as the Queen's dressmaker. The film makes great use of her cleavage, has the servant girl have an affair with d'Artagnan, shows off her cleavage . . .yeah, that's about it.

In the past, I've written that my favorite sword duels involved either the duo of Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone, or the duo of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Nothing in this film happens to change my decision. The duels mostly aim for comedy, but that doesn't make the film any less likable. This film is just fun. By coincidence, it's a lot closer to Alexandre Dumas' book than say, the poorly received Milla Jovovich version that came out last fall. But come on, fun actors, fun duels, fun film.

After the film, Welch herself will participate in a Q and A with Dick Cavett. Therefore, I'm guessing this screening will sell out, and I strongly advise you to get tickets beforehand. Beforehand as in a day or two in advance. You can buy them online, or at the Walter Reade box office in person, presumably the week of the screening:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/the-three-musketeers

THE MUPPET SHOW with Christopher Reeve and Lynda Carter and SPIDER- Sun Feb 12 at 1(Muppet) and 3(Spider)- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- A unique double feature. First, 2 more Muppet Show episodes from the Jim Henson exhibit/retrospective. It's a superhero double feature, back to back episodes. First, an episode with Christopher Reeve, who can only change clothes via the phone booth in his dressing room, and whose attempt to perform Hamlet turns into Brush Up Your Shakespeare. Followed by an episode with Lynda Carter, who sings while surrounded by Muppets who want to be superheroes. Take note of Miss Piggy as Wonder Pig.

Next, Spider, on the last day of the David Cronenberg retrospective. Probably Cronenberg's best film in relation to lack of audience, and almost as far away from the Muppet Show that you can get. Spider would always be a tough sell to audiences. Ralph Fiennes plays a schizophrenic, moving into a halfway house after decades in an institution. But his memories and his illness keep coming back. And when your memories include your dad and his mistress killing your mom, and then having said mistress introduced as your mother, yeah, things aren't going to go well. With Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne, Lynn Redgrave, and John Neville, in his last film film role before retiring due to complications from Alzheimer's. A tough film but a good one:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/02/12/detail/the-muppet-show-you-will-believe-a-pig-can-fly-lynda-carter-christopher-reeve

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/02/12/detail/spider

WINGS- Sat Feb 11 at 1 and 7 (introduced by Ben Burtt), and Sun Feb 12 at 7- Film Forum- The start of the William Wellman retrospective. Wellman, years before working his way up the ranks of low level production work until he became a film director, was a fighter pilot during World War I. He brought that experience to a romantic action drama, with a plot that's fairly similar to Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor. 2 small town young men fight and compete with each other over the love of Clara Bow. But then the guys are drafted, and train to become fighter pilots. They become buddies, but war is hell and the Germans are unrelenting.

Wellman was hired to direct Wings in part due to his pilot experience. And with the aid of the Army Air Corp, you had more realistic flight scenes than what 1927 audiences could have thought possible. Would be interesting to compare it with say, Bay's Pearl Harbor or the recent Red Tails, to see how this stacks up with CGI. The winner of the first Best Picture Oscar; it wasn't called that then, but has been retroactively. Featuring Gary Cooper in a small role that gave his career a big boost.

This screening of Wings is a 4k digital restoration. The original 1927 score is re-incorporated. The color tinting has been duplicated and restored. The sound effects have been duplicated to what was available in the mid 1920s by Ben Burtt, the sound effects man from Star Wars who decided everything from a Wookie sound to a light saber sound and everything in between. Burtt himself will discuss the restoration process at the 7pm screening on Saturday, February 11:

http://www.filmforum.org/movies/more/wings

NOTHING SACRED and A STAR IS BORN (1937)- Tues Feb 14 at 6:40(Sacred), 8:10(Star) and 10:15(Sacred)- Film Forum- Part of the William Wellman retro. A double feature of two of his early Technicolor efforts, both from 1937. First, Nothing Sacred, Carole Lombard's only color film and the first screwball comedy ever shot in Technicolor. She's a small town girl who thinks she's dying, so she wrangles a free trip to NYC from low level (and possibly low life) reporter Fredric March. She finds out she's not dying. But why not get the free trip, and keep people fawning over her with sympathy, and manipulate the reporter who's manipulating her, and maybe even fall in love? There's more, but if you don't know this screwball comedy, I won't spoil it for you. Dark satire from writer Ben Hecht, with a rapid fire war of worlds between Lombard and March.

Next, A Star is Born. The first and best version of the story, as Janet Gaynor's career rises, while the love of her life, payed by Fredric March, sees his career and health falter. Falter to the point that he may need to take a dip . . . Like I said, the first version of the story and the best. Better than the Judy Garland version, and far better than the Streisand version. Oscars for the color cinematography and Wellman for the Screen Story, Nominations for Picture, Wellman for Director, Gaynor for Actress, March for Actor, and Dorothy Parker (among others) for the dialogue. Actually, the recent Oscar nominee The Artist tells a very similar story, one that's at least better than the Garland and Streisand Star is Born's. I'll let you decide if it's better than the original Star is Born:

http://www.filmforum.org/movies/more/a_star_is_born_nothing_sacred

Let me know if there's interest, later all.

Thanks

2012-01-29T19:49:00.010-05:00

No new list here. Just a thanks to those of you who caught the following revivals with me over the past 12 months:

WINTER KILLS (this forgotten 1979 conspiracy thriller, starring Jeff Bridges and John Huston, gets a little too out there near the end, but highly recommended. This film only exists on digital, the film prints destroyed missing or too damaged to be saved. Sounds like restoration work needs to be done on most films from 1977-1990 ASAP, but I digress. See this before it's gone.),

THE AFRICAN QUEEN, DOG DAY AFTERNOON,

THE SOFT SKIN (was a little disappointed in this Truffaut. Not by much, but just a small but noticeable sense of "Eh" in the last quarter or so of the film.),

TAXI DRIVER,

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (wonderful Q and A with Angela Lansbury. It was great to re-introduce this classic to someone who hadn't seen it in a long time, and to introduce it to someone who never saw it. And grateful to TCM for sponsoring this free screening. Lousy picture included of Angela. Sorry, did my best.),

THE IDIOT (keeping up with my Kurosawa. Even a Cliff Notes adaptation of the Dostoyevsky novel is very good in the hands of Kurosawa-Mifune, among others.),

THE BIRDS (another wonderful Q and A/ free screening sponsored by TCM, this time with Tippi Hedren. Decent picture above; it's the TCM one that isn't with Lansbury.)

MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE, IT'S A GIFT (2 fun W.C. Fields films, with nice intros/ Q and As from Fields' grandchildren- lousy picture of the grandson listed here somwhere.),

TOP GUN (I've seen this a bunch of times on VHS, but on the big screen, I was pleasantly stunned how much fun it was. Don't think about the script, it can't handle the scrutiny. Just have fun.),

THE MAKIOKA SISTERS (The score is terrible, but this Japanese film is good. In the Criterion Collection.),

ROLLERBALL (the original. Works better as social drama and and fits in the violence with consequences file. I wish more people know this. It's good believe it or not.),

BADLANDS, DAYS OF HEAVEN,

DOGTOOTH (this is now in my top 10 of 2011. Put it at #9; behind Another Year, ahead of Kawasaki's Rose, and knocking Gasland out of the Top 10 all together.),

THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH,

LE RAYON VERT- (I can take Eric Rohmer's work, but in small doses. This was a small, pleasant enough dose.),

PLANET OF THE APES (boy, was this a blast on the big screen.),

MONSIEUR VERDOUX (another film I wish more people knew. As long as both this and Modern Times are both on Charlie Chaplin's resume, I'll always put him above Keaton.),

SEVEN CHANCES, AIRPLANE! (that said, I enjoyed 7 Chances immensely. And it was so short, I had plenty of time to catch Airplane with the appreciative crowd at Bryant Park. All in all, a pleasant, funny summer night for me.),

THE DARK CRYSTAL, THE FOG OF WAR (a unique double feature. I admit, the ending for Dark Crystal doesn't make a lot of sense, but the journey is worth it. Interesting Q and A with Muppeteer Kathy Mullins. A Robert McNamara documentary is not an obvious double feature with Dark Crystal but hey, works for me.),

THE WILD BUNCH,

DIRTY HARRY (a quality end to the Bryant Park summer film series, paired with that Bugs Bunny cartoon where he faces off with a mad scientist and that "interesting monster". Was not appropriate for the 8-11 year olds who were watching it, felt seamier that Taxi Driver. Picture of the Bryant Park screens, 3 in total, are above.),

BAND OF OUTSIDERS, MARRIAGE ITALIAN STYLE,

THE LION KING (works great in 3-D. Lean and mean filmmaking, no wasted scenes or sequences. The idea that there was no need to see this on the big screen because there's a musical version on stage still pisses me off. How elitist, no wonder the other 49 states hate New York.),

THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, WEEKEND,

THE BRIDE WORE BLACK (2 disappointing Truffauts for me this year. Entertaining in its style with a good Bernard Herrmann score, but both could only carry the film so far.),

AUNTIE MAME (literally nothing more than a filmed play. An entertaining filmed play with some good to great performances, but good God do I understand why the director made so few films.),

THE LIFE & DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP, EMMET OTTER'S JUG BAND CHRISTMAS, FANTASIA, THE WAGES OF FEAR, THE TREE OF LIFE, THE GOLD RUSH, THE ROAD WARRIOR, 2 episodes of the MUPPET SHOW,

THE ROOM (wow this film was awful. Wow was this film fun. The only disappointment was this college kid who thought she was funnier than everyone else. You should experience this train wreck. The only question is; whether you want to first experience it live where you can't hear half the dialogue and therefore miss getting some of the jokes going on around you, or on TV like say the Adult Swim screenings on April Fools Day, where you hear all the dialogue but may not have the social experience you desire. And you will desire it after watching it awhile.),

and MANHATTAN (maybe not Woody Allen's best, that would be for me, Annie Hall. But Manhattan's probably my favorite of his work. Sorry that the best Woody can feel about this is essentially, he got away with one. The borough has never been captured so beautifully on film.) .

42 in total, compared to last year's 33. Even with repeat revival screenings from previous years taken out of the 42 total, I still managed to make more first time screening over the past twelve months than in the twelve before that. Very nice indeed. Thank you all.

Revivals for the next few days

2012-01-24T02:31:00.002-05:00

Hey, Mike here with a list of revivals for the second half of January and the first few days of February. Before I get to the list, I have a little story. I tried to catch a free screening last weekend of the pretty good Moneyball, at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab (or SWTL), on Madison and 56th St. They have a small screening room, they screen some of their newest HD discs, on a large HD screen. Talk about an exercise in futility. Their automated phone operation is confusing, long winded, and easy to make mistakes on. Go ahead, call their number: (212) 833-8100. It delivers a lot of information in a overly quick manner. Some of the information is for screenings they will NOT accept reservations for because it's too far ahead in the future. But they'll take up your time explaining it anyway. The SWTL website tells us to begin attempt to reserve on Monday morning. But the voicemail told us no with regards to Moneyball. Could be because Monday was a federal holiday and the lab is understaffed when it comes to screenings and reservations, but who knows. If you attempt to leave a reservation for an available screening, it's not official until SWTL calls you back with the number you leave them, which is fine. Unless you make mistake of not attempting to reserve between 9AM-2PM (again, NOT on the website), or if you leave the message on the "wrong" voicemail.

The later is what I did wrong. By the time I figured out that mistake, and figuring it out meant calling the automated service and spending 3-5 minutes hearing all the previous info I had to deal with last time, before I learned my exact mistake, and oh yeah, that there was no seats available for Moneyball. Now, the screening had a waiting list, but no info on how to get on it or when. If there was it wasn't clear. I, the caller, had to speak slowly and clearly when giving my info. The workers making the voicemail, are under no apparent obligation to reciprocate.

Now it seems like a fun place on the SWTL website. But I will not recommend this place to anyone under any circumstances until I check it out myself. With the screenigs they have, many kid related. That won't happen thru February. And based on the lack of quality of SWTL automated phone service, probably longer than that. We'll see. Now for films you can ACTUALLY GET INTO. Here we go:

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in 3-D- Varying theaters nationwide, check your local listings, unknown end for the engagement- Reminder about this Disney classic from 1991. It's not doing the bang-up business that Lion King did a few months back. Merely doing the respectable business that the first 2 Toy Story films did. I figure you have at least until Thursday February 2nd to catch it, maybe Thursday February 9th. After that, you're on your own.

A MAN ESCAPED- Wed Jan 25 at 7:45 and 10- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of the only film in the Robert Bresson retrospective that I have both time and interest in. A member of the French Resistance is imprisoned by the Nazis, and the prisoner spends the rest of the film trying to escape before he's executed. Will he succeed? And what will he do with his cellmate? Will he bring his cell mate with him, or could he be a Gestapo spy and therefore must be silenced? Bresson won for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival, the film itself was nominated for the Palme d'Or.

http://www.filmforum.org/films/manescaped.html

MANHATTAN- Fri Jan 27 at 7- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- The film that starts off the new edition of the Museum's See It Big series. Films that should be seen and can only be truly embraced on the big screen. Arguably Woody Allen's best film. On the short list with Allen's Annie Hall, Hannah and her Sisters, and Crimes and Misdemeanors, though NOT the only above-average Midnight of Paris. He wanted to make a film where he wanted to captured what he thought of as life in Manhattan, late 1970s. Put into the filter of one of his favorite films, Jean Renoir's The Rules of The Game. Allegedly, at some point after post production was completed, Allen was so unhappy with the final product, he offered to make a new film for free if United Artists either shelved or destroyed Manhattan. UA execs, happy with what they received, politely declined. Despite the praise and acclaim, Allen felt/feels he got away with one in this case. It may not be a life in New York circa late 1970s, but worth catching.

Hell of a cast. Diane Keaton, Micheal Murphy, Meryl Streep and Allen were the better known actors; Mark-Linn Baker, Karen Allen and Six Feet Under's Frances Conroy in smaller roles. 2 Oscar nominations for the Screenplay (written by Allen and Marshall Brickman), and Mariel Hemingway for Supporting Actress. I hope as the relationship between Allen's and Hemingway's characters develops, all cries of "Soon-Yi" are held to a dull roar.

What it wasn't nominated for, which still stuns me, is Gordon Willis's stunning black and white Cinematography. Hard to say who should have been dropped from the category, considering the excellent work done in Apocayplse Now (the winner), All That Jazz, 1941 and The Black Hole. Wait, I know, drop Néstor Almendros for his work in Kramer vs. Kramer. But wait, he worked on Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven. DAMNIT!!! Anyway, a must see on the big screen:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/01/27/detail/manhattan

If you can get there sometime between 3-4:30, you'll be able to check out the Jim Henson exhibit, and then perhaps grab a quick coffee, before the screening begins. You can also catch it on Saturday the 28th, as part of potentially much longer day/night of screenings . . .

THE MUPPET SHOW with Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash, with either SHIVERS (preceded by shorts Transfer and The Drain) or RABID and MANHATTAN- Sat Jan 28 at 1 (Muppet), 2:30 (Shivers), 5 (Rabid), and 7 (Manhattan) - Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- Lots of possibilities for one admission. First, the Museum continues their Jim Henson retrospective with a pair of Muppet Show episodes. This isn't the first time the Museum has done Muppet Show screenings, this is the first pair I may have time for. Now consider this as a country music edition. First, a season 3 episode with Loretta Lynn, where the gang is forced to perform at a railroad station, with all those annoying trains going by. Followed by one of the last episodes of the series, with guest Johnny Cash.

Not sure if there are any music rights issues that plague this episode like others that have been either released edited on DVD, or have yet to be released on DVD. But this and all other Muppet Show episodes will be screened as they originally aired only at museums like this one, thanks to the Jim Henson Legacy. A combined 50 minutes in length.

Next, part of the David Cronenberg retrospective, two similar films from the early part of his career. Both similar in terms of using the horror genre to tell the story of an epidemic spreading or about to spread through a major city. First, Shivers or They Came From Within, released in the U.S. in 1976. Set an almost sterile, luxury apartment complex in Montreal. A man made parasite spreads through mostly sexual contact. Regardless of age, the body's defenses are lowered, and the infected will seek out the uninfected sexually. And if the uninfected, the number of which drops vastly over the course of the film, refuses to submit to such open sexual contact, then there will be bloody violence.

A film that's not exactly complimentary to the sexual revolution or to casual sexual relations, while kinda predicting the AIDS epidemic, with its epidemic sometimes spreading sexually while breaking down the body's immune system and infecting the blood. Not exactly smooth film-making, but surprisingly subtle at times, and a good sign of what indie film-making can do. No hint of something like A History of Violence in this, Cronenberg's feature length film debut, but a good indicator of what kind of career was to come.

Preceding the screening of Shivers, are Cronenberg's first 2 shorts. First, Transfer, about (to quote the Moving Image website) " . . . a surreal exchange between a psychiatrist and his obsessive former patient, who claims he invented stories to gain the psychiatrist’s attention." , followed by From The Drain (quoting the website again) "This futuristic short features two clothed men in a bathtub discussing chemical warfare. . . until something emerges from the drain.".

Following Shivers is Cronenberg's next film, Rabid. Like Shivers, this also has similar issues regarding what happens when unprotected, consequences-be-damned sex leads to a potential epidemic to the population at large. Unlike Shivers, which is a variation of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Rabid is a mixture of 2 kinds of horror films. Marilyn Chambers, in a rare non-porn role, stars as a horribly burned model, whose beauty is restored by experimental plastic surgery. But the side effects are devastating, as she's turned into a kind of vampire, who must suck blood out of others in order to survive. And where the blood-sucking things are on her body and what they look like are not typical in a vampire film, but they're typical Cronenberg.

But her victims aren't turned into vampires, they turn into zombie-like creatures. They begin to decay almost immediately, and just as immediate is their need to eat the flesh of others to survive. Chambers' character is immune to the zombie-aspects of the virus, but her boyfriend is not and she has to find him. But she also has to fear . . . Yeah, this can't end well. Shivers is the better film, but Rabid has plenty of moments for horror fans.

Also for one admission, at 7pm, is Woody Allen's Manhattan. Long day I know, but doable. But all of this is for one admission. Personally, I can't do all 4, that's way too much. But I would like to do the 2 Muppet Show episodes, followed by one of the Cronenberg films, and then Manhattan. Use the remaining time to take a coffee/snack break, maybe take another gander at the Jim Henson retrospective. Do dinner after the Allen film, with a nice 5 Napkin Burger across the street. The family types will definitely skip everything after the Muppet Show episodes and the Henson exhibit, but otherwise, it's a very good day/night for all:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/01/28/detail/a-little-bit-country-loretta-lynn-johnny-cash

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/01/28/detail/they-came-from-within-a-k-a-shivers

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/01/28/detail/rabid

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/01/28/detail/manhattan

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? for 7 dollars- Thurs Feb 2 at 7 (with Hedda Lettuce) and 9:30 (without Hedda)- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- A cheap screening of A-list Campfest incarnate. The plot is simple enough that I'll just copy it from imdb: "In a decaying Hollywood mansion, Jane Hudson, a former child star, and her sister Blanche, a movie queen forced into retirement after a crippling accident, live in virtual isolation." Shot in terrific black and white, it deserves attention just from the teaming of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. I don't know if the simmering rivalry that exploded into a full-fledged feud is obvious in Crawford's performance, but the rage certainly fuels Davis performance as the former child star/ alcoholic/ tormentor. An Oscar for Costume Design. 4 other nominations, including Black and White Cinematography, and Davis for Best Actress. The story of what happened with that category, as well as the whole making of the picture itself is too damn long to go over here. Just see the film if you haven't. Your choice of seeing it with an intro (and possible commentary) from Hedda Lettuce at 7, or without Hedda at 9:30:

http://clearviewcinemas.com/classics/classics-chelsea.shtml

WOODSTOCK for free (subject to ticket availability)- Fri Feb 3 at 6- MOMA- A rare screening of the Oscar winning documentary. One of the best films of 1970 and if it's not placed among the best docs ever made, it's probably because it's not just a job, it's an adventure for current audiences who are probably intimidated by its running time and own ideas and interpretations as to what Woodstock the concert was. According to MOMA's website, we'll be seeing the 3 hr theatrical release not the director's cut that's 43 minutes longer. Warner Bros. had no faith in this. The executive who apparently thought they could always take the prints from this probable flop and use the strips for bookmarks, was probably stunned at its success. This film gave rise to the idea of 2 and 3 panels at varying times, showing different angles or different scenes simultaneously. It was conceived by the filmmakers, including co-cameraman/co-editor Martin Scorsese, after the original directors, the Maysles brothers, quit at the last minute. Woodstock is practically a clinic in film editing. And, oh yeah, a clinic in the music of the day. Hendrix, Joplin, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Joe Cocker, CSN, Santana, among others. And the screening will be free, subject to ticket availability:

http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/film_screenings/14520

THE MUPPET SHOW with Elton John and Paul Simon and either THE FLY (1986) or CRASH (1996)- Sat Feb 4 at 1 (Muppets), 3(Fly), and 6 (Crash)- Museum of the Moving Image- More Muppet Show episodes and more David Cronenberg films. I'm mixed about doing all three, but 2 out of 3 of these pieces, definitely. We'll see, there's time to plan.

First, two more episodes of The Muppet Show, part of the Jim Henson retrospective. Both episodes featuring singer-songwriter. First, a season 2 episode with Elton John. He performs several of his hits, including Crocodile Rock with Muppet crocodiles, and Don't Go Breaking My Heart with Miss Piggy. After that, a season 5 episode with Paul Simon, including a Veterinarian Hospital skit that aired in the U.K. but NOT in the U.S.

Next, The Fly, Cronenberg's only big career hit, the surprise hit of the summer of 86, and one of the best films of that year. At that time, despite the praise, saying something like that was considered surprising, daring, or greeted with a "oh, please". History says differently, if you can get by the Oscar winning, and at times disgusting, makeup effects.

But underneath the horror film aesthetic, is a well done tragic love story, where the love suffers terminal problems, when one of them suffers a crippling disease or addiction. This kind of story, as Cronenberg knows well, has universal appeal. Instead of say, AIDS or drug addiction, or the ravages of aging as Cronenberg has stated in more than one interview, you have Jeff Goldblum transforming into a man-sized insect. His physical deterioration and changing behavior does mimic disease, aging and addiction, despite the disintegrating fly vomit. With Geena Davis, at her most beautiful, turning in her best performance.

For the same admission, you can also catch Crash. No, not the Oscar winner that is going to age real bad. But the NC-17 rated film directed by Cronenberg. Very chilly film. A man (James Spader) who hasn't emotionally or sexually recovered from his traumatic car accident, tries to use a fetish sub-culture of people who get off in car wrecks, watching car wrecks, or having sex while getting into an actual car wreck. Good cast includes Holly Hunter and Rosanna Arquette, in a film not for the emotionally squeamish. I've already received feedback of extreme discomfort from this film. You realize this film doesn't make people have sex in car wrecks, right? It's not exactly promoting this as an enjoyable lifestyle, ok? You do realize this is a film? Does the subject matter make you queasy, or the idea of what Cronenberg could make you think? Decide for yourself:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/02/04/detail/the-muppet-show-a-little-bit-rock-and-roll-elton-john-paul-simon

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/02/04/detail/the-fly

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2012/02/04/detail/crash

Let me know if there's interest. Later all.

Jan revivals: first half

2012-01-04T21:30:00.002-05:00

Hey all, Happy 2012. Mike here with a revival list for the first half of January. A little smaller than planned. In part because there are newer films to catch up with that might be Oscar nominated and/or might be a "best of 2011" candidate. In part because I don't feel like going out into the biter cold to see Frank Capra's Lost Horizon, for a minimum $7.00 bar tab, at the Rubin Museum of Art. I was interested in that earlier, but now it feels like exertion. And I've learned that if feels like a hassle to go to a revival, then there's no point in going out. You can go to the Rubin and catch it if you like, but no thanks for me. Here we go:

THE ROAD WARRIOR- Fri Jan 6 and (a maybe for me) Sat Jan 7 at 12:10AM- IFC Center- And with everything I wrote in the first paragraph, what's the first thing I do? Post a Midnight screening. In fact my first two postings are Midnight screenings. But if it feels like work, don't bother doing the screening. And this is fun.

Part of IFC's series of Car Chase movies at Midnight series. The first successful Mad Max film in the U.S. I mentioned a few months back how much of a mega hit the first Mad Max was in every country except this one. And Warner Bros must have figured this out when they changed the film's title from Mad Max 2 to this. This wasn't breaking box office records like E.T. was doing that same summer, but it found a big enough audience in theaters (and blew up big time on home video), that a third Mad Max film was eventually made.

Not only the best Mad Max film, but for me, one of the best action films ever made. Mel Gibson is in full anti-hero, as Max is in no mood to help one group that's low on brute strength, but high in both brain power and precious gas reserves. But another brutal group, full of men in masks and punk looks, is looking to pillage and do far worse, forcing Max to help. Some good action scenes, but the greatness comes in the final car chase lasting quite a while. Swarms of unrelenting evil, attacking Max in his tanker, at speeds that seemed at least 80mph. A car chase so good, they can even throw in character moments that enhance and further develop the story, without interfering with the fun.

A triumph of editing, cinematography and script writing. No, seriously. The stakes are raised by the time we get to this car chase, with an ending that we were not expecting. Yeah, you say that 25 yrs later, but when you first experience the scene? I don't think so. Have never seen this on the big screen and would really like to.

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/the-road-warrior/

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK- Fri Jan 6 and (a maybe for me) Sat Jan 7 at 12:20AM- IFC Center- A 4k digital restoration of Raiders of the Lost Ark has apparently been so popular for IFC Center for the last 3 weekends of 2011, is back for this weekend. What can I say, I a sucker for one of my all time favorites:

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/raiders-of-the-lost-ark/

Now for these films, I've posted the date Saturday, January 7th as a maybe. Because they can both serve as backups for a Midnight possibility I'd prefer to do on the 7th . . .

THE ROOM- Sat Jan 7 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- One of the best bad films of recent times, Tommy Wiseau's The Room continues playing at Landmark Sunshine Cinema at Midnight on the first Saturday of every month. This "Citizen Kane of bad movies" has to be seen to be believed. After reading Kate Ward's article for Entertainment Weekly, I'm expecting a Rocky Horror experience. At previous screenings elsewhere, you might expect Wiseau and at least 1 actor to come, say hi to as many fans as possible, and do an interesting Q and A, but who knows. I'm definitely expecting a Rocky Horror type atmosphere, with talking back to the screen, tossing of footballs, etc. I also expect this to sell out like it did at the Ziegfeld, like it did at the Village East Cinema where this used to screen. I expect people to line up early, but I'm not sure what to expect at this location.

As for The Room itself, the best I can say is, there is nothing quite like it. That's the best you're getting out of me. What? I didn't go into what it's about? Does it truly matter? Won't make it any better. Decide fast if you want to, because tickets will go fast:

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/NewYork/NewYork_frameset.htm

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) in 3-D- Starts Fri Jan 13 for 2 or 3 weeks (maybe more but don't plan for that)- Theaters and times TBA- Based on the success of the re-release of the first two Toy Story films, and on the heels of the bigger success of The Lion King re-release, Disney's Beauty and The Beast, from 1991, gets a re-release for at least 2-3 weeks, maybe more. And like the aforementioned animated films, Beauty and the Beast is also getting the 3-D treatment. Not sure how much 3-D will enhance the film beyond the memorable ballroom dance scene. But a film this good getting a re-release deserves attention. I'm happy to post this, as opposed to the upcoming 3-D re-releases of Star Wars Episode One and Titanic. Excuse me, or not, if I ignore those two.

Getting a little personal for the moment. At the time of Beauty and the Beast's original release, I had no interest in catching animated films in general. The releases of Oliver and Company, The Little Mermaid and The Rescuers Down Under did nothing for me, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a live action-animated hybrid, and my going to the re-releases of Fantasia and 101 Dalmatians were more a case of convenient re-embracing of childhood memories. So yeah, I was more hyped up for The Addams Family and Star Trek VI than for Beauty and the Beast. Yeah, the Disney flick had some surprisingly great reviews, but I still wasn't going. Then, Beauty and the Beast gets 6 Oscar nominations. Notably, a Best Picture nomination, the first ever for an animated film. I figure "Aw hell, now I'll have to go". Then life interfered, and the chances to see films on the big screen dropped dramatically. And as Beauty when on to win 2 Oscars, for Score and for the title song, life didn't let up. Never got to see it on the big screen, I had to wait for its VHS release. And of course after seeing it, I think both "Yeah, that was pretty good." and "I missed it on the big screen, DOH!".

Still haven't seen it on the big screen, but my chance is coming now, and unless you saw it sometime between November 1991 to May 1992, or saw its IMAX re-release in early 2002, this will be your chance to. Theaters haven't been announced as of this writing except for a few AMC theaters throughout the country, but since this is getting a nationwide release, finding a theater to watch it shouldn't be a problem.

ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL- Fri Jan 13 at 6:15- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of Lincoln Center's series of films that made a big impact in the New York Film Festival. A Rainer Werner Fassbinder film that looks like "What if Fassbender made a Douglas Sirk-esque film, but shot at times almost like a faux-documentary?". From 1974, 2 lonely people meet by chance, and quickly get married. Perhaps too quickly, and in other films, that in itself would be the whole story. But since the couple in question is a 60 year old West German woman and a much younger Moroccan immigrant, we'll dealing with racism, ageism, hatred of immigrants and general feelings of betrayal from family, friends and co-workers, yeah, things won't go so well for the couple. The film is more complex than I'm making it sound. But since explaining it more requires me to go into spoilers, and most of the people who'll ever look at this list has seen maybe one Fassbender film (if that many), I'd prefer you go. Multiple Cannes Film Festival award winner for Fassbender, the first awards for Rainer outside West Germany. This may not be the best gateway intro to Rainer's work; for me, it would be either Marriage of Maria Braun or Lola. But it's still very good:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/nyff-74-ali-fear-eats-the-soul

THE UNKNOWN- Mon Jan 16 at 8- Film Forum- Part of the MGM Silent Film series. Haven't seen it, but the description of it got me interested. Lon Chaney is an armless trick shot performer in a circus. Actually, he isn't armless, but he preforms his tricks that way. Not everyone knows he's armless, including the woman he loves, fellow circus performer Joan Crawford. She would only love a man who didn't have arms. Once Chaney's character hears this, what's a guy to do but . . . I won't spoil it for you, but believe it or not, the film gets much weirder from there. From director Tod Browning, of Dracula and Freaks fame. Absolutely curious, and willing to try this weird film:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/silentroar.html#unknown

Let me know if there's interest. Later all.

December revivals: holidays edition

2011-12-14T21:28:00.005-05:00

Hey all, Mike here with a revival list for the rest of 2011, and a few days into 2012. Some repeats, especially 3 from the last list, but plenty of choices for the holiday season. Not quite as complete a list as I'd like. I've been waiting for Lincoln Center to provide their revival list for the dates Dec. 23rd- Dec. 30. But I can't wait for them any longer, so forget it. On with the list, here we go:

NASHVILLE- Fri Dec 16 at 7- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- Part of the Museum's See It Big series. Robert Altman's other masterpiece, from 1975, gets a big screen showing. Country music types were not thrilled with Altman's attack of their world, but they weren't a target. This was Altman's cinematic State of the Union address; while hope is expressed for some of the Individuals, the country was rotting and it would only get worse. Bad enough that it kinda predicts the coming of both Mark David Chapman and John Hinckley. So let's sort of frame it as a musical!

We're following 23 characters, who'll all eventually come together for the Parthenon concert in Nashville's Bicentennial Park. Lily Tomlin is a married gospel singer who ends up becoming one of the many conquests of rock star Keith Carradine. Ned Beatty is Tomlin's husband, who has his own wandering eye, is a local organizer for an unseen Presidential candidate, and his tying in a campaign rally with the concert. Henry Gibson is Country Music Royalty, with an ego, an eye for political office, and a loud, drunk girlfriend who worships the late Kennedy boys, JFK and RFK, a bit much. Ronee Blakley is the most popular female country singer, whose constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown and whose husband is struggling to keep her sane. Scott Glenn is a Vietnam vet, walking around in uniform and gets maybe a little too close to Blakley's character. Karen Black is another popular country singer, though more ruthless off-stage and mediocre on-stage than Blakley's character. Michael Murphy is the two-faced campaign manager. Shelley Duvall is a man-chasing groupie, chased by uncle Keenan Wynn, whose wife is dying. Barbara Harris and Gwen Welles are two aspiring singers trying to get into the concert; the former is not conventionally pretty and has been struggling for a while, the later is lovely, and is forced to move up through her body than through her voice. Geraldine Chaplin as a reporter (or is she?), who seems a lot closer to starfucker than serious journalist. With Elliot Gould, Julie Christie (as themselves), and Jeff Goldblum in an early role.

A film that Altman had difficulty finding financing for years. All the major studios didn't want to touch the heavy political aspects of Nashville, no matter what possible actors and big time soundtrack would come along with it. It wasn't until Jerry Weintraub came along, became producer of the project and got creative with the financing before Nashville could get made (at least according to Weintraub's interesting autobiography). The last Altman film that both drew an audience and had critics (lead by Pauline Kael) praising it to the hilt.

Oscar nominations for Picture, Altman for Director, and both Tomlin and Blakley for Supporting Actress. An Oscar for Carradine, who wrote the song, I'm Easy. On the second AFI Top 100 list. The main reason it's not on mine is because it's been a long while since I've seen this on cable, and I've never seen this on the big screen before. Now is a great chance to change that. And if you get there early, you could check out the Jim Henson exhibit if you haven't already:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/12/16/detail/nashville

THE BLUES BROTHERS- Fri Dec 16 and Sat Dec 17 at Midnight- IFC Center- Part of IFC Center's retrospective of films with notable car chases. From 1980, though it has much more of a 70s vibe. The story is basic. Jake and Elwood Blues is on a Mission From God, to raise money to keep their childhood Catholic orphanage from going under due to taxes. Of course there is no respect for property, so the law is after them. It just gets worse as the boys try to get the band together, and get harassed by cops, rednecks, neo-Nazis, and Carrie Fisher as one crazed, trigger-happy, explosives-happy, flame thrower-happy, ex-fiance.

Dan Aykroyd never wrote a screenplay before, and it shows. He turned in a 324 page screenplay, and left it to director John Landis to make a film out of this mess. So there is a reason for the film being a bulky, excessive mess at times. Never mind that there's no such thing as an organized religion in this country whose school, church, ANYTHING, going into tax default. There isn't a lot for John Belushi and Aykroyd to do in terms of comedy. I think I like them here more for the good feelings going in than what they do at times. Car chases feel like a crutch at times, but luckily, some of it is really good. Especially the scene involving the drive through a crowded mall, at top speed.

But this film succeeds with its musical numbers. Dan and John get a few numbers at the end, but they/Landis/the script generously let others get their moment in the sun. James Brown with the Rev. James Cleveland Choir is the standout for me, with The Old Landmark. Aretha Franklin performing Think, Ray Charles performing Shake A Tail Feather, Cab Calloway performing Minnie The Moocher and John Lee Booker performing Boom Boom also stand out for me.

The Blues Brothers was successful at the box office, but with it's budget overruns and having to compete with The Empire Strikes Back and hits with smaller budgets (Friday the 13th, The Blue Lagoon, Airplane), the veneer of smash hit was not on this film. Plus, the critics took a giant crap on it, especially some of the New York reviewers like Janet Maslin, Rex Reed and Kathleen Carroll. Reviewers since then have become much kinder to The Blues Brothers, and the audience for has made this a cult film of sorts, thanks to massive success on cable and home video. Therefore, I expect a crowd for this:

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/the-blues-brothers/

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK- Fri Dec 16 & Sat Dec 17 at 12:10AM, Fri Dec 30, Sat Dec 31 and Sun Jan 1 at Midnight- IFC Center- If you don't know the first Indiana Jones film, then what the hell are you doing looking at this? In my personal top 35, on both AFI Top 100 lists, won multiple Oscars, and oh yeah, one of the most fun films ever made. A new 4k digital restoration for the film's 30th anniversary, will be screened at IFC Center on two weekends: the weekend of December 16, and New Years Weekend. So yes, you could hide and watch this film to ring in the New Year. Or, if you must have a hangover of some sort, a Midnight screening on Sunday, New Years Day. Why not, since Jan 2nd seems to be an unofficial holiday. That's what we get when a full slate of NFL games interfere with major college football bowl games. Anyway, I digress, the classic Spielberg-Ford-Lucas film is back for you to enjoy:

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/raiders-of-the-lost-ark/

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY for 6 dollars- The Amphitheater at Lincoln Center-165 West 65 Street, 4th Floor- Sat Dec 18 at 4- Part of Lincoln Center's series of Family Films that get screening times that families can reasonably do. The Gene Wilder cult classic gets a screening that for once, isn't at Midnight. It may not be as loyal to the original Roald Dahl book as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it's a better film. Dahl wrote the original adaptation, but a massive re-write caused Dahl to badmouth the film every chance he got. And while there was better usage of the Oompa Loompas by Tim Burton for the remake, and the budget to go hog wild on the look, the family/daddy issues, especially in the last half-hour, drags the film down when compared to Willy Wonka. Maybe I like this film so much strictly for Wilder's performance. I'm ok with that.

Now considering this was not a hit back in 1971 but only became a cult classic thanks largely to NBC broadcasts from the late 70s into the 1980s, most people have no idea what this film looks like on the big screen. I include myself in that statement, but I would like to change that. And for one day, it's at the relatively dirt cheap price of 6 dollars. It will play in the Amphitheater in Lincoln Center. The film will play on a 152" Panasonic Plasma screen, in the newly opened Elinor Bunin Monroe section of Lincoln Center. I believe it houses the fewest seats of all the Lincoln Center film screens, so a yes on this would need to immediate:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory

THE TREE OF LIFE- either at the Francesca Beale theater at Lincoln Center- Sat Dec 17 or Tues Dec 20 at 6:30- 165 West 65 Street4th Floor- or at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria with Douglas Trumbull in person- 36-01 35th Ave- Thurs Dec 22 at 7- If you missed Terrence Malick's film this summer (like me), now is the time to make up for it, and you have two places over the next 7-8 days to try. One option is catching it this coming weekend/ early next week at the Francesca Beale theater, one of the new screens at Lincoln Center. The other option, is a one night only screening at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. It will be screened as part of the Museum's See It Big series, for film that should be seen to be appreciated on the big screen, as opposed to your computer screen or Ipad/Smartphone/whatever. The Museum's big screen and great sound system should do quite nicely. This film has been/ will be spoken about over the next few months, what will critics awards, top 10 of 2011 lists, and potential Oscar nominations coming down the pike. It's already been awarded by the New York Film Critics for Brad Pitt's performance, Jessica Chastain's performance, and for the Cinematography as well. Expect more to follow.

As for the film itself, I already wrote that I haven't seen it. But the first impression I got about all this seems to be holding steady after all these months: You'll either really like the film, or despite admiring the look, you'll think it's New Age-y clap-trap. Either or, nothing in-between. Anybody want to take a chance?

If you choose to do the Museum in Astoria, Douglas Trumbull, the special effects pioneer of such films as 2001, Close Encounters, Star Trek: The Motion Picture as well as Tree of Life, will attend the screening. Don't know if he'll introduce it, or do a post film Q and A, or both. And if you get here early enough, you'll also be able to check out the Museum itself, including the Jim Henson exhibit, which will be extended (unofficially) beyond Martin Luther King weekend. I don't know how much longer, but anyway, you can check it out for your admission to Tree of Life if you get there soon enough:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/the-tree-of-life

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/12/22/detail/the-tree-of-life

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE- Sat Dec 17, Wed Dec 21 and Tues Dec 27 at 7 and 9:40- with Mary Owen in person on Dec 21- IFC Center- A new 35mm print. Once again, IFC Center shows the Frank Capra-Jimmy Stewart-Donna Reed classic for a week. It's only shown once or twice a year on NBC and I believe it will be screened only once on TCM, and not much more after that, if at all. So if you're in the mood, here it is. I'm sorry that you don't get a little bell with the title of the film on it, like you do with the recent DVD release, but how bad do need to give out angel wings?

Once again, Mary Owens, Reed's daughter will make introductions to selected screenings. She'll be doing more than the one I posted. The film in general will play at IFC Center for 12 days, starting on Dec. 16th. In both cases, I'm just posting the days/ times I think I could make:

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/its-a-wonderful-life/

MEAN STREETS with Martin Scorsese in person- Tues Dec 20 at 6:30- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of Lincoln Center's series of films that made a splash over the years at the New York Film Festival. The first pairing of actor Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese. I have never seen this on the big screen, and I really want to. Not Scorsese's first film, but it is his first studio film. Done cheaply since Warner Bros was only going to devote so much Dirty Harry profits to distributing a film from the director of Boxcar Bertha. In college I dealt with a Scorsese sycophant, I mean fan, who talked about the raw power of this film was superior to the polished works of Raging Bull and Goodfellas. Considering he was coming out with Casino and The Age of Innocence, it was easy to conjure up babel like that.

But just because the film is raw as opposed to polished, doesn't mean it doesn't belong near the top of the director's work. Just that when you have Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and lower profiles works like After Hours and Kundun on your resume, it's hard for a lot of films to get the respect it deserves. And respect AND viewer ship is what Mean Streets deserves. More of a character study than a plot driven project, Harvey Kietel's small timer is who we follow, but De Niro's living embodiment of a psychotic screw-up is what steals the show. The quintessential New York film, shot mostly in Los Angeles. Please let's make time to see this.

Scorsese himself will be attending this screening. Now whether he's just introducing this, or just doing a post film Q and A, or both, I have no idea and it isn't clear on the filmlinc website. Guess the only way to find out is to go, and why not, the man's a talker:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/mean-streets

THE GOLD RUSH- Fri Dec 23 at 4:30, 6:15, 8 and 9:45, and Tues Dec 27-Thurs Dec 29 at 4:30, 6:15, 8 and 9:45- Film Forum- The 35mm restoration print of the Charlie Chaplin classic, with re-scored orchestral score in its original cut. Chaplin re-edited it, tweaked the score, added narration, and this was the version of The Gold Rush that's been available since 1942. Until now, where the original 1925 edit, popular at this year's New York Film Festival, gets a week-long run at the Forum. I'm only posting the days and times I think I can make.

As for The Gold Rush itself, Chaplin's personal favorite of all his work, where the Little Tramp attempts to strike it rich during the Klondike Gold Rush, despite being unprepared for the harsh conditions, if you're a film fan, you probably know it. With the famous boot eating scene, including the dance with the dinner rolls. On both AFI Top 100 lists. Speaking from experience, it was a very pleasant holiday experience, catching Modern Times at the Film Forum some years back. I wouldn't mind repeating the experience with The Gold Rush:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/goldrush.html

LAURA- Fri Dec 30 at 4:40, 6:30, 8:20, and 10:10, Sat Dec 31 at 8:20 and 10:10, Mon Jan 2 at 4:40 and 6:30, and Tues Jan 3-Thurs Jan 5 at 8:20 and 10:10- Film Forum- A new 35mm restoration of the classic film noir, one of my favorites of the genre. Detective Dana Andrews is obsessed with murder victim Laura, played by Gene Tierney. Among the suspects are outwardly suave Vincent Price and ultra prissy, ultra acidic critic Clifton Webb (Oscar nominated). We see flashbacks from Laura's life that fascinate the detective more. And then . . . . sorry, if you never saw it, I'm not spoiling it. Though do look for a young-ish Judith Anderson.

Among the best of the noirs. Amazing how much sexual tension there were able to get past the Production Code. An Oscar for the Cinematography, additional nominations for director Otto Preminger (a replacement from Rouben Mamoulian; Otto chucked Rouben's old footage, reshot everything and changed the ending- WOW!), Art Direction and the Screenplay (3 writers were nominated, not Ring Lardner Jr., who did some script doctoring). What I'm surprised wasn't nominated was David Raskin's score, which includes "Laura's Theme", which is hard to forget if you like the film. If you don't know the film, you should make a concerted effort and change that.

On Dec 31, there will be a complimentary glass of champagne for all those who come out of the 8:20 and 10:10 screenings. So, this can be the start of your New Years festivities if you wish:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/laura.html

THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE- Fri Dec 30 and Sat Dec 31 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- The best disaster film ever made. One part action film, one part adventure film and one part religious parable, a group of passengers try to survive when the ocean liner they were on completely capsizes. They're attempting to reach the bottom or outer hull of the ship, which is the thinnest part of the ship and is above the surface. It's a theory that help will come in that direction, and that theory comes from a young boy, but those who haven't given up feel it's the only way to survive and see The Morning After (the title of the Oscar winning song). Gene Hackman plays an atypical hero, an ultra-self-righteous, Captain Ahab-esque, defrocked preacher whose personality clashes with loud doubter Ernest Borgnine may proof more problematic than the fires and leaks the group encounters. Throw in aspects of The Flying Dutchmen, Ship of Fools, other survivors wandering the ship like they were in the desert, and all the survivors looking for salvation of some sort, and you got parables right in your face. Or you can enjoy the strong acting and good action set pieces. Fine cast that includes Red Buttons, Jack Albertson, Leslie Neilsen, Roddy McDowell and Oscar nominated Shelley Winters. A special Oscar for its Visual Effects. 8 nominations in total, including Cinematography, Editing and for John Williams' fine score.

This will play at Midnight on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31; appropriate, considering all the action takes place on New Years Eve/ the AM of New Years Day. You decide for yourself if it's appropriate for you:

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/NewYork/NewYork_frameset.htm

Let me know if there's interest. Later all, and Happy Festivus.

December revivals: pre-holidays edition

2011-12-01T01:32:00.004-05:00

Hey all, Mike here with a list of December revivals. I'll split the December list up in half-ish. This list will be pre-holidays as in pre-Hanukkah. The next list will start on December 20 or a little after that. Here we go:

THE ROOM- Sat Dec 3 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- One of the best bad films of recent times, Tommy Wiseau's The Room will begin playing at Landmark Sunshine Cinema at Midnight, on the first Saturday of every month, for the foreseeable future. I don't know what I mean by foreseeable, except maybe through the cold and hot months of 2012, but I don't have specifics regarding dates. This "Citizen Kane of bad movies" has to be seen to be believed. After reading Kate Ward's article for Entertainment Weekly, I'm expecting a Rocky Horror experience. At previous screenings elsewhere, you might expect Wiseau and at least 1 actor to come, say hi to as many fans as possible, and do an interesting Q and A, but who knows. I'm definitely expecting a Rocky Horror type atmosphere, with talking back to the screen, tossing of footballs, etc. I also expect this to sell out like it did at the Ziegfeld, like it did at the Village East Cinema where this used to screen. I expect people to line up early, but I'm not sure what to expect at this location.

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Films/films_frameset.asp?id=37635

THE WAGES OF FEAR- Fri Dec 9, Sat Dec 10, Tues Dec 13, Wed Dec 14, Sat Dec 17, and Mon Dec 19 at 6:40 and 9:30, plus Mon Dec 18 at 9:30- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of the film that gets a two week run. I'm just posting the days and times I think I can make. From the director of Diabolique, from 1953. 4 desperate macho men will get the reward of a ticket out of the hellhole, piss-poor little South American village they're all stuck in. That is, if they're willing to drive trucks filled with nitroglycerin over mountain sides and through jungles, in order to put out a fire at an oil refinery. They also battle each other, with macho posturing just as threatening as the elements and the nitro. Doing it all for a company that was part of a recent IMDB poll about evil film corporations, alongside the ones depicted in Robocop, Alien, Resident Evil, and District 9. Starring Yves Montand.

Perennially in imdb's annoying top 250. Winner of the Grand Prize at Cannes and a worldwide hit back in the day. Diabolique is director's Henri-Georges Clouzet's best known film, but this is considered his best. I've never seen it, but I've seen the American remake from 1977, Sorcerer, which is underrated (released the same weekend that Star Wars went into wide release, thus forgotten). But The Wages of Fear is considered a classic, at least outside the U.S., and I'd like to catch it:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/wages.html

CHRISTMAS EVE ON SESAME STREET and other Sesame Street Holiday moments and HALDANE OF THE SECRET SERVICE- Sat Dec 10 at 1 (Sesame) and 5:30 (Haldane)- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- A unique potential double feature at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. Two different pieces from two different retrospectives, and if you still haven't checked out the Jim Henson exhibit, you'll have time in-between the pieces to do so.

First, in time for the holiday season and part of the Henson retrospective, over eighty minutes worth of Sesame Street Holiday Moments. Don't know what they all are, but the highlight is the 1978 special, Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. All your favorites who were around in 1978 are here. Which means no Elmo, but Mr. Hooper is still alive, who explains why he celebrates Hanukkah as opposed to Christmas. One of the special's highlights is Big Bird, after being teased by Oscar the Grouch (who walks around a subway station in his trash can) that Santa can't fit narrow chimneys and deliver presents, investigates and will eventual wait for Santa by his own chimney. Another highlight is a variation of O' Henry's The Gift of the Magi, as Bert and Ernie try to buy each other the perfect gift. And just wait till you see Cookie Monster's appetite go nuts, slowly but surely.

A good Holiday special that is mostly about Christmas, but does acknowledge and celebrate Mr. Hooper's Jewish heritage and identity. It rarely plays on TV anymore, and when it does, it usually cuts out Oscar's big comic musical number "I Hate Christmas". But the special will be screened intact on the 10th. Other holiday moments in Sesame Street will be included at the screening. And by holiday you do realize I mean more than just Christmas. right? You do realize New Year's and Hanukkah exist, right? Anyway, they'll be part of this as well.

At 5:30, there will be a unique screening, the only film from the Museum's Magicians on Screen retrospective I have both interest and a chance that I could actually catch it. The rarely screened Haldane of the Secret Service, a silent film from 1923 directed, produced and starring Harry Houdini in the title role. Harry's after the counterfeiters and bad guys who murdered his father. And wouldn't you know it, they seem to initially get the jump on him, trapping him in ropes or chains. And wouldn't you know, he has to try to get out of all these confinements like he's a master escape artist or something . . .

Don't know, but I'm very curious. The film will play with live piano accompaniment. But before the film, a short will play. The Talking Tea Kettle, made this year, about Houdini's and fellow magician David P. Abbott's efforts to reveal fake psychics and mediums:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/12/10/detail/christmas-eve-on-sesame-street-and-sesame-street-holiday-moments

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/12/10/detail/haldane-of-the-secret-service

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION for 7.50- Thurs Dec 15 at 7 (with Hedda Lettuce intro) and 9:30 (without Hedda)- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- A cheap screening of a film I really enjoy. I told some of you when i had my CED collection in the mid 80's, there were films i would watch in heavy or semi-heavy rotation. This film from director Billy Wilder, was one of the later. I saw a revival screening of this 5 years ago, and it holds up quite well. With a screening hosted by Hedda Lettuce, and one without. I really want to catch this.

Ailing attorney Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton-Oscar nominated) has been advised by his doctors to retire. When he's asked to take the case of murder suspect Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power, in his last completed film role), who stood to gain financially from the victim's death, his interest is piqued. But the case becomes even more of an uphill battle when the defendant's supposedly loving wife Christine (Marlene Dietrich) decides to testify as a witness for the prosecution. Wilder expanded Agatha Christie's play, creating the role of Robarts' housekeeper Miss Plimsoll (played by Laughton's wife Elsa Lanchester-Oscar nominated), whose back-and-forth with her employer provides a funny counterpoint to the film's melodrama. Also nominated for Picture and Director for Wilder. If you've never seen it, now would be a good time:

http://clearviewcinemas.com/classics/classics-chelsea.shtml

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/12/16/detail/nashville

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/the-blues-brothers/

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY for 6 dollars- The Amphitheater at Lincoln Center- 165 West 65 Street, 4th Floor- Sat Dec 18 at 4- Part of Lincoln Center's series of Family Films that get screening times that families can reasonably do. The Gene Wilder cult classic gets a screening that for once, isn't at Midnight. It may not be as loyal to the original Roald Dahl book as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it's a better film. Dahl wrote the original adaptation, but a massive re-write caused Dahl to badmouth the film every chance he got. And while there was better usage of the Oompa Loompas by Tim Burton for the remake, and the budget to go hog wild on the look, the family/daddy issues, especially in the last half-hour, drags the film down when compared to Willy Wonka. Maybe I like this film so much strictly for Wilder's performance. I'm ok with that.

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory

Let me know if there's interest. Later all.

Revivals: Thanksgiving weekend edition

2011-11-17T04:10:00.003-05:00

Hey all. Mike here, with a list of revivals to go around Thanksgiving weekend. I cheat a little with the first two films listed. But the first film is a one night only screening and is rarely shown in these parts, and the second film on the list opens the week before Thanksgiving, plays through that weekend, and runs for a few more days afterward. Both films, especially the second one, I can't skip posting.

But before I go on, there's one change from the last list. The screening for The Last Waltz at the Rubin Museum on Friday, November 18th, has been cancelled. No reason given, no sign on the Rubin's website that this film was ever scheduled to begin with. I'm glad I looked on Monday the 14th. Very disappointing. Now on with the list, here we go:

BEN-HUR (1925)- Mon Nov 21 at 7:30- Film Forum- Part of the Forum's series of silent films from MGM. The original Ben-Hur, from 1925, gets a rare screening. The most expensive silent movie ever made, 3.5 million in mid 1920s dollars. While it didn't make back all its budget, its artistic success established MGM as The Studio above all others for decades. This is the first full length film version of the story of Judah Ben-Hur, the wealthy Jew who seeks vengeance on his childhood friend, the Roman Tribune Messala. A little more loyal to the original novel than the Charlton Heston remake, with a larger chariot race (this was the version Lucas directly modeled the pod race sequence in Star Wars Episode 1), and actual large ships with real fire explosions and hundreds of extras (as opposed to the toy ships in the 1959 remake). A tinted black and white film, with two strip Technicolor for the religious scenes involving Jesus, Joseph and Mary. With live piano accompaniment for the whole 2 hour 23 minute film. This is a unique opportunity and I hope you say yes to it:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/silentroar.html#ben

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP- Tues Nov 22, Wed Nov 23, Fri Nov 25, Sat Nov 26 and Tues Nov 29- Thurs Dec 1 at 4:10 and 7:10- Film Forum- A new 35mm restoration from the directors of The Red Shoes. Among the earliest of the Technicolor films. During the Blitz in World War 2, young soldiers make fun of the fat, big mustached, buffoonish-looking, Col. Candy or "Colonel Blimp". He tries to set them straight by telling his life story. We see him after he receives an award for bravery in the Boer War, start an diplomatic incident, fight a duel to avoid things from getting worse, become friendly with a German officer with similar Honor, only to lose the woman he loves (played by Deborah Kerr) to him. We see him in World War 1 claiming how the War was won honorably. The British Way, despite what the Allies did to get information when he wasn't looking. Candy meets with his German friend, then a POW and tells him how after the War, Germany will be treated fairly. Candy also falls in love with another woman he looks like his old love (and is also played by Kerr). By World War 2, Candy believes it's better to lose with your Honor intact then to fight like the enemy. But since this enemy is the Nazis, this literally makes Colonel Blimp a relic from a bygone era, and his superiors will let him know it. So yeah, this is a HAPPY film . . . .

Not a film supported by some in the British government. One of whom pushed Winston Churchill to try keep it from being shot, or at least to keep it from receiving things like Army equipment to make it (though the film crew managed to find all they needed on their own). Hard to think Churchill would thrilled by this picture. He and the title character were of the same generation, and that anyone from his time be depicted as backward and unhelpful during the war effort . . . though if you see this film, you'll realize that isn't completely true. The positive depiction of a German officer, even though he was completely against the Nazis, wasn't appreciated either. Not a hit in its day, the film was edited down for commercial purposes, down to 150 minutes by 1950, and later to slightly over 90 minutes, changing the order to to make sequential with no flashbacks! When the film was restored to its original edit back in 1983, that's when re-evaluation and appreciation began. Never as popular as The Red Shoes, but usually on the lists of great films that have gone unseen. Also on Britain's BFI Top 100 list, their equivalent of our AFI Top 100 lists. Now you have two weeks to catch this, I just posted the possible and probable days and times I can try to catch this:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/blimp.html

ALIEN- Wed Nov 23- Fri Nov 25 at Midnight- IFC Center- Don't know why I'm posting this, I've caught this enough times. But I like this film too much, and still know a few people who haven't done this on the big screen, that I have to post this again. In my personal top 100 or at least very close. 4 Midnight screenings for the Thanksgiving weekend. I'm only posting the first three, and yes, I'd actually do Thanksgiving:

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/alien/

EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS and FANTASIA- Fri Nov 25 at 1 (Otter), 3 (Otter) and 7 (Fantasia), and Sat Nov 26 at 1 (Otter) and 3 (Fantasia)- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- Family fun for this particular weekend, but the kind of stuff adults might appreciate more than the kiddies. First, Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas. Part of the Jim Henson retrospective, Henson directed this 1977 adaptation of the 1971 children's story, though most of us haven't seen it on DVD are more familiar with the reruns on ABC back in the early and mid 80s. A variation of O'Henry's The Gift of the Magi, Emmet Otter and his mother, Ma, struggle to get by. But when a local talent show occurs, Emmet and Ma figure the best way to buy Christmas presents is to enter the show. Of course they enter separately and must sacrifice something to enter . . .

One of the better Christmas specials ever made, though it rarely gets the props that Rudolph, Charlie Brown and The Grinch get. With fun songs from Paul Williams, and if you see this, take a good look at the art direction. In particular, the sets; probably the most appropriate looking, best realized of all the TV projects Henson had ever done. I'm sure there are exceptions but they're just not coming to mind right now. Due to copyright issues, sometimes the special doesn't include the narration of Kermit the Frog, but I'm guessing Kermit will be part of this edit. The Museum says that outtakes and behind the scenes clips will be included in the screening, whatever that means.

Next, the original Fantasia. An archival 35mm print of the original roadshow version, which is marginally different than what's available on all forms of home video or the re-releases you might have seen. You can check imdb's Fantasia page to see the specific snips and edits on your own. On the first AFI Top 100 film. 2 Honorary Oscars for its then revolutionary combination of music and animation. A flop in its day, a hit and a classic since then. I really want to see this. I saw it on Radio City Music Hall's former 70mm screen and it blew me away. While this won't be a 70mm screening, the Museum's screen can get pretty large and their sound system is pretty darn good. I hate it when I take grief from people, just because I've said that if you give me great visuals and interesting music, I can overlook quite a number of a flim's flaws. But a film like this? Bring the kids. Bring the kids-at-heart. Now for the rest, I'll quote from the Walter Reade website back in 2006 I believe: "Go and see it, if you're in the business. You can learn more from seeing 'The Dance of the Hours' by Walt Disney than from spending a year glumly staring at the television screen," wrote director Michael Powell (The Red Shoes, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp) in his autobiography. "Oh that the rest of Hollywood were only like Walt!" For generations now, kids and adults have plunked down their hard-earned dollars to see Fantasia, and emerged a little over two hours later with their minds blown. Vulgar? For sure, and proudly so. This kind of myth-making always is. You could throw almost any adjective at the film and it would be absorbed into its vast mythic territory. One little addendum to Powell's assessment. It's Walt, assisted by a small army of animators. Here are a few names: Bill Tytla, Norman Ferguson, Ollie Johnston, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, Joshua Meador, Fred Moore, Art Babbitt and Wolfgang Reitherman. Not to mention a few composers: Bach, Dukas, Tchaikovsky, Ponichelli, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Mussorgsky, and Schubert."

Your choice of either doing this on Friday or Saturday. It can be done on Sunday as well, but that's without me so I'm not posting it. If you wish to include the Jim Henson exhibit as well, it can be done. On Friday Nov 25th, you can come early like around 10:30 or 11AM, or a little later like around noon, but that means only doing the 3PM Emmet Otter as opposed to the 1pm. On Saturday Nov 26th, it would be best to attempt the Henson exhibit when the museum opens at 10:30AM. Like I've written before, you need at least 2 hours to properly get the most out of the exhibit. But since this is Thanksgiving weekend, be ready for a crowd. I thought about posting a 4pm screening of Sideways (one of the best films of 2004) on Friday the 25th, and the 6pm screening of Gone With The Wind (if its not in my personal top 100 it's very close), but there's enough to do for me on this weekend. If I can't imagine fully committing to a screening, I'm not posting it. Emmet Otter, Fantasia and the Henson exhibit can all be done for one admission, and all that is plenty.

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/11/25/detail/emmet-otters-jug-band-christmas-2

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/11/26/detail/fantasia

Let me know if there's interest. Especially with regards to Emmet Otter/Fantasia. I need to make plans if they are to be done. Later all.

November revivals before Thanksgiving

2011-11-01T01:09:00.005-04:00

Hey all. Mike here with a revival list for the first third or so of November. I've looked ahead as far as I could this month, and I'd rather break this month up unevenly. The next list for this month will have a heavy emphasis on the Thanksgiving weekend at Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. You can look ahead at movingimage.us to see what I mean. It will probably be very small, but that's subject to change.

This current list isn't the biggest list, but it's a list that I can look at and go "Oooh! Oooh! Oooh!'. Not because each and every film is an out-and-out classic. Only 1 is such a classic, and maybe one of these other films is a cult classic and that's being generous. Sometimes it's for the price, sometimes it's something that isn't screened very often around these parts. And a couple I don't know at all and I'm very curious. But I would be very happy to them all. Here we go:

THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) and FAHRENHEIT 451- Thurs Nov 3 at 3:05 (Man), 5:15 (451), 7:20 (Man) and 9:30 (451)- Film Forum- A double feature from the Bernard Herrmann retrospective that are not screened very often, especially the second film. First, The Man Who Knew Too Much, the remake from 1956. The 50s was Hitchcock working at his peak. This film may not be on the level of Rear Window or Vertigo, but its still pretty good. I'll let any ideas about how this might be a depiction of American Foreign Policy (the U.S. is slow bumbling and lumbering, but we eventually get it right), and just use the Forum's brief description from their Hitchcock retrospective back in late 2005. It's brief and I disagree with none of it:

“Que sera, sera — whatever will be, will be,” warbles Doris Day (singing the only hit song from a Hitchcock movie — and an Oscar winner to boot),but little does she know that a Marrakech vacation with hubby James Stewart will lead to kidnapping, murder, and a classically nerve-shredding race with a cymbalist — under composer Bernard Herrmann’s baton — in London’s Albert Hall. This long sequence alone on the big screen is worth the price of admission.

Next, the rarely screened Fahrenheit 451, from 1967. The adaptation of Ray Bradbury's classic novel, which he said wasn't a book about censorship, but a depiction of a possible future where a society is taken with television. So taken that not only is literature burned, but information is doled out only by image and sound bite (seems like the later has been going on for a while, in and out of politics, but anyway). Oskar Werner is Montag, a fireman whose very job of burning books is questioned; first by a beautiful stranger, and then by himself.

Probably the most difficult film in Francois Truffaut's career to make. His only English language film. It took about six years for him to adapt it properly in his mind. Some of the changes he made, like tweaking the ending and not only having the beautiful stranger live beyond the start of the story but to have her and Montag's wife be two sides of the same coin, work. Having Julie Christie play both roles makes Truffaut look like a genius. The world we see is unique: European looking, not overly futuristic but not alien either. Good film, but how good you think it is will depend on how you feel about Werner's lead performance. Oskar went with an approach that Truffaut quipped was like a monkey sniffing a book. Whether you think his performance, which caused actor and director to feud throughout shooting, helps or hurts the film, is up to you. I don't hate his performance, but I'm curious to see what a different approach to Montag would look like. We've been hearing for decades about other directors' attempt to remake this, with Mel Gibson coming the closest allegedly. But this will probably be years down the line, so now's a good time to check this out:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/bernardherrmann.html

ALL THAT JAZZ for free (subject to ticket availability)- Fri Nov 4 at 7:30- MOMA- Bob Fosse's semi-autobiographical film gets a special screening at IFC Center, so I expect the print to be quite good. Around 1974, Fosse was trying to direct, co-write and choreograph Chicago on Broadway starring his (long separated) wife Gwen Virdon: while trying to balance his relationship with girlfriend Ann Reinking with the other women he slept around with, keep up a relationship with his daughter, and struggle to edit his film Lenny into something at least watchable. All while being a chain smoker and popping Dexedrine like they were candies. Wanna guess how many heart attacks he had, and how close to death he was?

After he got better, and both projects went up, what's a man to do? After he put up the show Dancin', Make all of that into a movie. His friend Shirley MacLaine claims to have given Fosse the idea, he claimed not to remember. Change the names to protect the innocent as well as those he might not have liked, such as Michael Bennett, played in a way by John Lithgow. Made sure he came off as the biggest jerk of all, yet still likable. Bring in some veterans who have been around his world, like Ben Vereen, Leland Palmer (who came out of retirement to play the Gwen Verdontype, then went back into retirement), designer Tony Walton to help with the Art Direction, andReinking to essentially play herself (which she does well, plus dances terrifically). Make the film essentially a flashback from a place that might be in-between life and death, and that might only be happening in the Fosse-like man's imagination, with Jessica Lange as one luscious Angel of Death, and you've got a helluva picture.

Non-original music and newly developed Fosse choreography shine here. For those who have difficulty with musicals where the singing and dancing come from inorganic places, note the singing and dancing only come from the audition/rehearsal of a musical, one moment performing for Dad, and that imagination place between life and death. The best example was the use of Teddy Pendergrass's On Broadway. In another F.U. to Michael Bennett (allegedly), Fosse whittled down the audition process of ensemble dancers as depicted in A Chorus Line (which crushed Chicago at the Tonys and was still a massive hit when All That Jazz was released) into a mere 3-5 minutes of what Fosse thought was more realistic. It's one of the showstoppers of this film.

That said, we're in for the ride, because we buy Roy Scheider as the Fosse type. According to Razzle Dazzle; unlike Warren Beatty who wanted massive rewrites to fit his tempo, or Jack Nicholson who was more interested in watching the Lakers than talking in depth with Fosse, or Richard Dreyfuss who quit before he was fired during rehearsal,Scheider was more submissive. He was actually willing to learn how to be Fosse from Fosse, not impose a character of his own creation. Might not necessarily be ideal, but film is the director's medium. You might not believeScheiderwas ever a dancer before the last scene, but you do come away believing everything else.

Which brings me to one particular part of All That Jazz. The two top films for me that came out in 1979 are All That Jazz and Apocalypse Now. The difference for me between Apocalypse being very good and All That Jazz being not only the best film of 1979, but also in my personal top 35 ever, is the ending. Apocalypse is one of the best, until we get to see Marlon The World's Fattest Green Beret, and then Coppola's film deflates and suffers (Redux only partially fixes this). But the ending of All That Jazz is a great finale, the build-up leads to a payoff greater than expected. And when it's time for us to go, what could be better than a send-off with singing, dancing lights, spectacle, and everyone we ever became close to giving us a fond farewell. The little details is what Fosse nailed, while Francis had fat Marlon in the jungle.

Not as big a hit as Cabaret, but successful enough. 9 Oscar nominations, including Picture, Fossefor Director and Screenplay, Scheider for Actor and also for Cinematography. 4 Oscars, including Art Direction and Editing. In fact, it one the first 4 awards announced at the 1980 ceremonies. Don't know why they didn't start with a Supporting Category like in other years. But after that, the Kramer vs. Kramer steamroller commenced, and All That Jazz's commercial momentum slowed. It also won Fosse the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. One can argue what was the first standout, live action movie musical of the 2000s. Whether you think its Moulin Rouge or Rob Marshall's Chicago. But the last great live action musical before any of them was All That Jazz. The screening will be introduced by Schawn Belston, Senior Vice President of Library and Technical Services at Fox Filmed Entertainment:

http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/film_screenings/13736

VANISHING POINT- Fri Nov 4 at Midnight- IFC Center- The last of IFC Center's films for gearheads, and the only one I had both time and interest in. The possible cult classic on this A Hi-def screening as opposed to 35mm. One of the films that inspired Tarantino to direct his part of Grindhouse (a similar model Dodge Charger is used for the major car chase), gets a rare screening. A cult hit from 1971, Barry Newman agrees to deliver the charger from Colorado to Frisco in less then 15 hours on a bet. Cops and highway patrolmen plot to catch him. Throw in gay hitchhikers, a few naked chicks and a boatload of car chases, and you'll see why Tarantino wanted in part to do Grindhouse:

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/vanishing-point/

SELL!SELL! SELL!: THE COMMERCIALS OF JIM HENSON and PLAY TIME- Sat Nov 5 at 1 (Henson) and 3 (Play Time)- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- A unique double feature, both can be seen for one admission. First, Sell!Sell!Sell!: The Commercials of Jim Henson, part of the Museum's Jim Henson retrospective. Now the Jim Henson exhibit is showing a few commercials. They include commercials from the 60s, like the "Violent" ones for Wilkins Coffee for D.C. television, or for La Choy with the La Choy dragon. It's what kept Henson and his company afloat per-Sesame Street. Mad Men had Don Draper sneer at an ad campaign that used puppets back in 2008. But these and other Henson commercials, including those with prototypes of Muppets such as Rowlf and Cokkie Monster, will play together at the Museum, with an introduction from Henson Company Archivist Karen Falk.

Next, Play Time, from 1967. A French comedy directed, co-written by, and starring Jacques Tati, as his famous M. Hulot character. If you saw one of this year's Oscar nominees for Animated Film, The Illusionist, based on an unproduced screenplay of Tati's, then you are familiar with the character. Imagine the klutzy M. Hulot going from typical Paris to not just any metropolis, but to an actual Metropolis. As in a place similar to the city from Fritz Lang's Metropolis, but with enough alienation and little use for individuality, that Tom Stoppard and/or Terry Gilliam had to know this film when making Brazil. A mega-flop in its day, but with ever growing appreciation for it as the years have gone by. The film shot in 70mm by Tati, this might be the only time a (restored) 70mm print has been shown in a revival house here:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/11/04/detail/play-time

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/11/05/detail/sell-sell-sell-the-commercials-of-jim-henson

THE BRIDE WORE BLACK- Mon Nov 7- Thurs Nov 10 at 5:30, 7:45 and 10- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of the last film in the Bernard Herrmann retrospective. Another collaboration between Herrmann and Francois Truffaut. A film that Truffaut was not happy with the end product. He feuded throughout principal photography with his longtime cinematographer, who preferred the style he worked with Goddard as opposed to what Francois wanted to do.. Lead actress Jeanne Moreau took advantage of the chaos and made herself at times a de facto director toward the cast, giving notes to the actors throughout shooting. Truffaut, in this instance, shares two distinctions with Woody Allen, when Woody made Manhattan. First, both directors were unhappy with the final product, and their opinion would never waver over time (Woody went so far as allegedly wanting to destroy Manhattan and a make a new film free of charge, something United Artists said hell no). Second, both films received found an audience upon release. The Bride Wore Black was Truffaut's biggest hit in years upon it's 1968 release.

Have never seen this film. I thought this was about a woman who gets rid of her exes in different ways, but the new trailer of this tells me how wrong I was. Shot in a Hitchcock kind of way, Moreau plays The Bride, who's actually a widow. She seeks revenge on the 5 men who killed her husband on their wedding day. She scratches off names on a list, and gets rid of her targets in different ways. GEE, THIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE KILL BILL WITHOUT THE KUNG FU, DOES IT?!?!?!? Tarantino claims he never saw Bride Wore Black, but I can't say he's received a ton of defense on this charge. Anyway, I haven't seen it, and I would really like to:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/bride.html

THE FRONT with a post film Q and A with screenwriter Walter Bernstein and critic J. Hoberman- Mon Nov 7 at 6- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of Lincoln Center's series, Hollywood's 'Jew Wave'. The time period where Jewish performers like Woody Allen, Elliot Gould and Barbara Streisand became big names in Hollywood at about the exact same time: the mid 1960s to mid 1970s. Won't have the time for anything with Gould or Streisand, but here's one with Allen. The Front, the first film starring, but not written or directed by Allen. Underrated little gem. He plays a little man who agrees to be a front for blacklisted writers to get their work out there. Directed by Martin Ritt, written by Walter Bernstein and co-starring Zero Mostel and other formerly black listed people. After the screening, Bernstein will do a Q and A with film critic J. Hoberman:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/the-front

THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS- Tues Nov 8 at 9- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of Lincoln Center's series of films that made a big impact via the New York Film Festival. An excellent film that was studied in the Pentagon as an example of what to expect when invading Iraq. But as you see the film, you might wonder, at what point did those in charge forget what they learned by seeing this?!?!? Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Language Film, Director and Original Screenplay. For the rest, I'll just cut and paste from the Forum's website back on either 2005 or 07, I forget which:

(1965, GILLO PONTECORVO) Algiers, 1957. French paratroopers inch their way through the Casbah to zero in on the hideout of the last rebel still free in the city. Flashback three years earlier, as the Algerian National Liberation Front decides on urban warfare. Thus begin the provocations, assassinations, hair-breadth escapes, and reprisals; and massive, surging crowd scenes unfolding with gripping realism: many of the sequences were shot and edited to the driving prerecorded score by Pontecorvo and Morricone. Winner, Grand Prize, Venice Film Festival:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/the-battle-of-algiers

LENNY- Wed Nov 9 at 4 and Fri Nov 11 at 9- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of Lincoln Center's series, Hollywood's 'Jew Wave'. The time period where some Jewish performers became big names in Hollywood at about the exact same time: the mid 1960s to mid 1970s. Now here's a film from probably the biggest of the male names in this retrospective, Dustin Hoffman. I prsume Linclon Center will use the same studio archive print they used over 2 and a half years ago, but I'm not sure. If you're reading this and you're under the age of thirty five, you've probably never heard of this. In fact, if you're under 60 and you know this film, that probably means you're a film buff, or you're a relative of Fosse, or one of the two leads, Hoffman or Valerie Perrine. Now's the time to correct this by catching one of the best bio-pics ever made. It's easy to dismiss flicks like Ray and Walk The Line as mild entertainments, when you catch a film like this.

Shot in the same faux-documentary style Fosse would later employ in Star 80, and shot in gorgeous black and white by Bruce Surtees (Dirty Harry, The Shootist, Beverly Hills Cop). Hoffman plays stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce, whose style of social commentary and free use of language, that all stand-ups from the 70s to the present take for granted today, handed Bruce into a legal morass he never lived to see end. Just before he left office, former NY Governor Pataki gave Bruce a posthumous pardon for the indecency convictions he got. This also covers Bruce's relationship with his mother (stage mother wannabe), his marriage to a stripper (Perrine, never more beautiful and who never had a better role), and his slow descent into drug addiction. But perhaps because it was directed by Fosse, a pill popper himself at one time if you pay attention to All That Jazz, he still found empathy for Bruce, while showing the damage it did in terms of on-stage performance, and premature death.

Fosse and Hoffman supposedly had a difficult relationship. In one of their early meetings (again, according to the Fosse biography, Razzle Dazzle), Hoffman said he came up with a walk for Lenny Bruce, to which Fosse supposedly replied (I'm partially paraphrasing) "Your last 3 roles were fucking walks!". Not the greatest of starts. But Fosse's desire to get every detail right no matter how many takes, blended perfectly with Hoffman the perfectionist, who always seemed to want one more take to get something small right. The two neuroses fed each other, and we, the audience benefit. An excellent performance from Hoffman that never seems to get the credit it deserves.

Not the big hit Cabaret was, but Lenny managed to find an audience. Oscar nominations helped. 6 nominations in all, for Picture, Fosse for Director, Hoffman for Actor, Perrine for Actress (Lost to Ellen Burstyn, but did win Best Actress for this at Cannes), Cinematography and Screenplay Adaptation. But Lenny ran into the Oscar juggernaut that was The Godfather Part 2, plus there was Chinatown and The Conversation getting a lot of attention. This little film didn't have a shot in hell.

Now in case you haven't noticed, I'm saying, let's go to this:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/lenny

WEST SIDE STORY- Wed Nov 9 at 7- AMC Empire, AMC Kips Bay 15, College Point Multiplex and other theaters in SF, Miami, NJ, Upstate NY, Columbus, Pittsburgh and elsewhere- A restored 50th Anniversary screening of West Side Story, sponsored by TCM, gets a one night only screening nationwide. I've listed a few of the cities/areas where there will be a screening, but if you go to the fathom events website and click the link on list of participating theaters, you should find one. The film will play on a number of screens in the NYC/LI areas, but I'm only posting the 3 theaters where it's cheaper. For example, Chelsea Clearview Cinema is overpriced at 15 dollars, and the Port Washington Cinema has an even worse price at 18 dollars. Forget that. With the AMC theaters, I'm pretty sure you can use a Silver pass and that should be ok. It worked with Taxi Driver, it should work for this film.

West Side Story, it's on both AFI Top 100 lists, and in my personal Top 100. Number 2 on AFI's recent Best Movie Musical list. It is totally different seeing it on the big screen as opposed to TV. I can't describe it very well, you have to go to know what I mean. Sight and sound makes this more of an experience then just passive viewing like on tv. Is it perfect? No. Some of the slang is just too dated, some of the actors had to be painted Latino (get a good look at George Chakiris and tell me I'm wrong), most of the teenagers are either over 21 or pushing 30, and some had to be dubbed. But mix Leonard Bernstein's music, Stephen Sondheim's songs, Jerome Robbins's choreography and Robert Wise's direction and you have a terrific film. Yes, Robbins is co-director, until his perfectionism resulted in re-shoots and extended shooting, causing the film to go over budget and behind schedule. He was fired 60 percent into shooting and Wise finished it. Stunning use of New York locales and a terrific opening credit sequence and ending. 10 Oscars including Picture and Director. If you've never seen it on the big screen, go with no hesitation:

http://www.fathomevents.com/classics/event/westsidestory.aspx

THE LAST WALTZ for a $7 bar minimum- Fri Nov 11 at 9:30- Rubin Museum of Art- 150 W. 17th bet. 6th and 7th Ave.- Arguably the best concert film ever made. After Taxi Driver, a change of pace for director Martin Scorsese, filming the farewell concert of The Band on Thanksgiving 1976. Mixed with recording sessions that also included working with Emmylou Harris and The Staples. They also had some friends performing with them, including Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Ron Wood, Dr. John, and Ringo Starr. Also includes interviews with members of the Band, days after the concert. Also noteworthy is the cinematography of Michael Chapman, who also did Scorsese's Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. The first concert film to be photographed in 35mm. There might be a presenter for this screening, like there usually is for Friday night screenings at the Rubin. If there is, he or she hasn't been announced yet.

Now, how can you see all this? You can go to the Rubin Museum as early as 6pm, when admission is free. You can check the Museum out, which I highly recommend. You can get a bite to eat on the ground floor area to your left when you enter the Museum, but you can find cheaper food and/or more filling food elsewhere in Union Square. But make sure you get to the bar, order your drink or drinks, and find the person giving the tickets. If you can't find the person, just ask the bartender, he'll know. You get your free ticket, and you can bring your drink(s) to the screening room. It worked out well with a dark film like Dogtooth, it should work even better with a concert film like this:

http://www.rmanyc.org/events/load/1365

AUNTIE MAME for 7.50- Thurs Nov 17 at 7 (with Hedda Lettuce) and 9:30 (without Hedda)- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- A cheap screening of the non musical form, of the story of a young orphan boy, who is raised and taught love and tolerance from her beloved Auntie Mame. Cute at times, and I prefer the music and songs, though there's no way in hell do I prefer the 1975 musical version of the film, Mame. Nominated for 6 Oscars, including Picture, Supporting Actress, Editing and Cinematography. This was in 1958/59 when Auntie Mame competed for Best Picture against flicks such as The Defiant Ones, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, and lost to Gigi. The film remembered and admired most by the way, is Vertigo, a flop back then. Go figure.

Anyway, the main reason to catch this is for Rosalind Russell 's Oscar nominated title performance. A career performance as the lovable eccentric, and almost indomitable Auntie. There are very few scenes where she isn't onscreen, and you'll go wherever she and the story will takes us. You can choose either a screening hosted and commented on by Hedda Lettuce, or a screening without:

http://clearviewcinemas.com/classics/classics-chelsea.shtml

THE MUPPET MOVIE- Sat Nov 19 at 1- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- The Muppet Movie, part of the Jim Henson/Muppets film retrospective, returns for one more weekend of screenings. The first and best of the Muppet films usually gets a late night screening but for once, NOT at midnight. A sleeper hit of the summer of 1979, you might be surprised that it's more than just a kid's flick. You have a road film, with a stealth satire of Hollywood and what one might move too quickly to give up on to make it big. A satire not on the level of say, Sunset Blvd or The Player, but one that registers now that didn't back in grade school when you/we first saw this. Ok, was that too much? Fine, you got fun jokes, both good and groan inducing. You have enjoyable cameos, with Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Charles Durning, Dom DeLuise, Richard Pryor, Bob Hope and Orson Welles among the cast. You've got practically every Muppet that ever appeared during the run of The Muppet Show. You also got the Oscar nominated song, The Rainbow Connection. What you'll have is fun.

For one admission price, you can before or after the screening, catch an exhibit of Henson's work, puppets, Muppets, drawings, writing, etc. You can also do both the film and the exhibit on Sunday the 20th, but I'm only available for the 19th:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/11/19/detail/the-muppet-movie

Let me know if there's interest, later all.

October revivals: second half

2011-10-19T01:27:00.006-04:00

Hey, Mike here with a revival list for the rest of October. Not a lot in terms of horror except for Halloween weekend, but some pretty darn good ones overall. Here we go:

WEEKEND- Wed Oct 19 and Thurs Oct 20 at 5:30, 7:40 and 10- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of Goddard's black comedy. 2 more nights to try to catch this. When I wrote about Weekend last time, I didn't get the sense of how big this was back in the day, in Goddard's career, and in the hearts and minds of film critics and historians. Since then, after reading much New York based writing about Weekend, I get the sense of where it was in Goddard's career and how he wouldn't make a film quite like this ever again, and that this is a very big deal among most film critics. Not so sure if it was that big a deal to American audiences beyond whatever the art house scene comprised of back in the late 60s. I also have an even stronger sense that Weekend will either be very good or pretentious junk that's aged badly, nothing in-between. I'm willing to take a chance if you are:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/weekend.html

CITIZEN KANE with or without JANE ERYE (1943)- Fri Oct 21 at 5:05 (Kane), 7:15 (Jane) and 9:05 (Kane)- Film Forum- The start of the Forum's Bernard Herrmann retrospective. One of the giants of film composers, the retrospective begins with 2 Orson Welles films he scored.

First, Citizen Kane. Ok people, show of hands, how many of you have ever heard of Citizen Kane? Ok, good. If you even bother to look at this list at all, you at least know of Orson Welles' film. Didn't expect to see any hands from those under 18 anyway. Now, how many of you know more about Kane than just Rosebud, even if it's aided by memories of HBO's passable version of the making of Kane, RKO 281? Similar number of hands, fine.

Seeing this on the big screen as opposed to watching it on TV, there's a world of difference. In terms of storytelling, pacing and emotional depth (as well as innovative in its use of visual effects, make-up and music), as modern a film as what we have now in release, and a lot better than all but a hand full (I'm trying to be nice and not be considered a snob. I probably failed at that a long time ago). Now, how many of you have actually seen Citizen Kane from beginning to end? Ok, the number of hands have dropped, but I'll let you decide if that would be a fairly low number. I mean, some of have seen it through the very occasional airings on TCM. Maybe 1 or 2 of have seen it/ own it on DVD. New York/ New Jersey people as recent as the early 80s saw this on one of Channel 9's Million Dollar Movie airings. Or maybe 1 or 2 of you saw it in a film class or some sort. Now, how many of you have actually seen this on the big screen? Yeah, that's what I thought. The 1 or 2 of you who saw this with me at the Forum, when Kane ran for a week back in March 2004, or the one who saw it with me at the Forum last April.

A flop in its day (when you do a thinly veiled attack on William Randolph Hearst, and he still wields considerable influence, it's amazing no one burned the negatives behind RKO's backs), a classic today. First, in France, where it was screened shortly after WW 2, and had the praise and backing of filmmakers like Goddard. Then in the mid to late 50s, when it aired on TV and had a major re-release. 9 Oscar nominations, including Picture, Welles for Actor and Director, Herrmann for his Score, and Editing for Robert Wise. An Oscar to Welles and Joseph J. Mankiewicz for the Screenplay. Number one on both AFI Top 100 lists, and along with Casablanca and The Godfather, always in the conversation for greatest American films ever made. That it's in my personal top 6 should be a little obvious.

Next, Jane Eyre. The first English language sound version of Charlotte Bronte's classic story, from 1943. Jane goes through a harsh childhood, grows up to be Joan Fontaine, and is hired by Welles' rash, reckless Edward Rochester, to tutor/care for his daughter. There's something that grows between them, but oh do we have some harsh times to come. With child actress Margaret O'Brien as Adele, Agnes Moorehead as mean Mrs. Reed, and an uncredited, 10 year old Elizabeth Taylor in an early role. Have only seen clips of this version, don't have to stay for it. But since we're already paying one admission for this double feature, why not?

http://www.filmforum.org/films/bernardherrmann.html

COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT with post film talk- Sat Oct 22 at 6 (Forbin)- 92nd St Y Tribeca- 200 Hudson St.-The only film, released in 1970, in 92nd Y Tribeca's series of Doomsday films that I have both possible time and definite interest in. Years before the creation of Skynet and WOPR/Joshua, and a few years at most before the creation of the HAL-9000, there was Colossus. A super defense computer built to protect the U.S. from the Soviets. Protected by being built inside a mountain, and powered by its own nuclear plant. But after they link together, Colossus and its Soviet counterpart become of one mind. And they decide to expand, force the American creator Dr. Forbin to help it. And with that, Colossus will seek to help humanity, to protect and improve it. And if humanity doesn't agree, there's always the Nuclear option . . .

Taut, literate film. The technology may not have aged well, but if you can accept the concept of Skynet, you can accept Colossus. And if you can accept that the human protagonists are trying to combat Colossus with logic and reasoning as opposed to machine guns and grenade launchers, then you'll like this film. Grounded lead by Eric Braden (best known for either Titanic or The Young and the Restless), as Forbin, who plots against his dream project. After the mid 80s, this film seemed to disappear, except for a DVD dump released back in 2004. So you probably don't know it, and now is a good time to catch up with it.

After the screening, there will be a discussion about subjects brought up in the film, like robotics and AI. According to the website, the featured panelists are reporter Maggie Jackson, Time Out NY critic Joshua Rothkopf, roboticist Chris Bregler and AI pioneer Roger Schank. The moderator is Motherboard editor Michael Byrne:

http://www.92y.org/Tribeca/Event/Colussus--The-Forbin-Project.aspx

NORTH BY NORTHWEST- Sun Oct 23 at 6 and 8:30 and Mon Oct 24 at 9:30- Film Forum- Part of the Bernard Herrmann retro. The best of all the lightweight Alfred Hitchcock films. No big morals here. Just sit back and relax, as everyman Cary Grant gets confused as a secret agent by sinister forces led by James Mason. He runs from them and runs from the law, for a murder at the United Nations he didn't commit. Of course all this running around doesn't stop Grant from taking time to flirt with mysterious Eva Marie Saint, in some of the most fun innuendo that the remnants of the Production Code would allow.

I use the term everyman loosely when describing Grant. But according to Gene Wilder on his episode of Inside The Actors Studio, that's how Grant described himself during a chance meeting on a cruise ship, where the Northwest homage Silver Streak, was playing. Wilder was pleasantly stunned to here this description, as well as how Grant was nice enough to include Wilder as being on the same level, but I digress.

Fun film, with good performances, a snappy though unsubtle Herrmann score, with one of Saul Bass's best opening credit sequences. Oscar nominations for the great Editing, Art Direction, and Ernest Lehman's script. Have never seen this on the big screen. I missed my chance about 6 years back, when it was screened for several weekends at midnight at the Paris theater. I'm sorry I missed catching it on the Paris's large screen, but I blame a girl named Amanda for that. The Forum's screen will be adequate for the occasion, their sound system should rock the hell out of Herrmann's score, so to speak:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/bernardherrmann.html

DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN- introduced by robbinschilds- Mon Oct 24 at 7- IFC Center- A sleeper hit from the spring of 1985. A variation of Alice In Wonderland, as a bored housewife spots a regular personal ad in the paper titled 'Desperately Seeking Susan'. She heads off to New York, following the ad, and finds Susan. From there, it gets a little trippy, as said housewife loses herself, and yet finds herself, in this new trippy world. A time capsule of the Village of the mid 1980s, and a fun, at times romantic, comedy. Made Rosanna Arquette a working actress for a while, but it deserves to be considered the Madonna movie, since she overshadows better actors (Adian Quinn, Laurie Metcalf, John Turturro), with a solid, appealing persona.

This is part of IFC Center's Queer/Art Film series. Choreographers Sonya Robbins and Layla Childs, also known as robbinschilds, will introduce the film, and discuss how the film influenced them and their art:

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/desperately-seeking-susan/

CAPE FEAR (1962) and TAXI DRIVER- Fri Oct 28 at 3:05 (Cape), 5:05 (Taxi), 7:10 (Cape), 9:10 (Taxi)- Film Forum- Another double feature in the Bernard Herrmann retrospective. Now I brought up Taxi Driver earlier in the year, and caught a new digital print (so to speak) back in March. I saw that, as opposed to the new 35mm restored print the Forum had at the same time. Now that print is back. I don't have to see it. But since it's in my personal top 100 I certainly wouldn't mind, considering what it's playing with: the somewhat rarely screened Cape Fear. Specifically, the original from 1962. You might unfairly label this as Atticus Finch vs Mitchum, but let's not go there because we 're talking about even more of a psychological battle in this version than the Martin Scorsese remake.

Robert Mitchum spends years in jail, based on testimony from lawyer Gregory Peck. Now Mitchum's out of jail, and he engages in full psychological warfare, stalking Peck and his family. May not have the great scene like there was between De Niro and Juliette Lewis in the remake, though the sexual tension between villain and teenager comes from the remake, not here. Just a series of good scenes and ratcheting tension, lead to a better climax on the boathouse than in the remake. With Polly Bergen as Peck's wife, Martin Balsam as the police chief, and Telly Savalas as a private detective. If one wanted to just catch Cape Fear and skip Taxi Driver, I understand. But i wouldn't mind staying for both.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS with either ALIEN or FRANKENSTEIN introduced by Sara Karloff- Sun Oct 30 at 1 (Horrors), 4 (Alien) and 7 (Frankenstein)- Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria- Up to 3 films can be seen on this day at the Moving Image in Astoria. Seeing 2 of these films would make checking out the Jim Henson exhibit difficult. But all of these films are good, the last two are great, and all are appropriate for Halloween. First, Little Shop of Horrors, musical version, from the Henson retrospective. Why? Because this was not only frequent Henson collaborator Frank Oz's first solo directorial effort, but all the Audrey 2 puppets were made from the Henson workshop.

Might be the best musical of the 1980s, but when your only competition in that decade is The Little Mermaid, The Blues Brothers, Pennies From Heaven, A Chorus Line, Breakin, and Breakin 2: Electric Bugaloo, and you'll have to excuse me if I'm not impressed. Let me not be a hater here. It's a wonderful upgrade of the Roger Corman original, where nebbish Seymour tries to get his dream girl Audrey to pay, eh, close attention to him. But he makes the flower shop with the popularity of the alien plant named Audrey 2, who has an appetite for blood, and grows far beyond its original plant pot. Director Frank Oz's best film.

Rick Moranis doesn't have the best singing voice but beyond that, he's the perfect Seymour. Ellen Greene (Pushing Daises) does sing well, and successfully transferred her stage performance to screen. Vincent Gardenia makes an appropriate Mr. Mushnik. But back in 86, to draw audiences who tended to avoid movie musicals, a lot of Warner Bros.' advertising push was to promote the cameos/extended cameos of comics associated with SNL or SCTV. Yes, Christopher Guest, John Candy and James Belushi are there. But the ones who pack the film with energy and elevate the material are Steve Martin (as the abusive dentist; his Be A Dentist" is a standout) and Bill Murray (who steals the film as the depraved dental patient; not an improvement of Jack Nicholson's original take, so much as a hysterical variation). Personally, I feel a chunk of the film's high energy departs when Murray and Martin leave the screen for good, even with Levi Stubbs' inspired vocals as Audrey 2. But the film is a pleasant enough ride, even with an ending that was changed to please preview audiences who hated the original end. Oscar noms for Visual Effects, and to Howard Ashman and Alan Menken for Best Song (Mean Green Mother from Outer Space).

Next, Alien. Part of the Museum's series of films that must be seen on the big screen. I'll buy that. I believe it's a print of the original 1979 release, as opposed to the "director's cut" from about 8 years ago. My guess the website doesn't indicate otherwise. It means we don't get more establishment shots of the soon-to-be claustrophobic ship interiors, more signs of dislike and/or disrespect of Ripley, and the final fates of a few characters. All worked when restored to the film, but not essential to the film's enjoyment. Especially the extra interiors. I've seen this with several of you before, but that doesn't stop me from posting this again. This film works, better than anything Ridley Scott as ever done. Excellent combo of look, pace and sound. In my personal top 100. C'mon, it's fun.

Last, Frankenstein from director James Whale, often remade, but never topped. Mostly serious, as opposed to almost all the sequels, with iconic scenes and the popular image/performance of Boris Karloff as the misunderstood creation. Originally on the AFI top 100, and still a classic American film. I saw it last year at the Forum and wouldn't mind catching it again. Not sure if it quite works as horror at this point. But aside from the film's corny coda (shot by the studio over Whale's objection), Frankenstein still works as a drama. By the time the monster is trapped by the people in the windmill, your heart still goes out to the monster despite that has occurred leading up to this scene. Karloff's daughter, Sara, will introduce the screening.

Don't forget, the Jim Henson exhibit is still going on and I recommend it. I still say you need at least 2 hours to go through it properly. The films this day may or may not allow it. Let me go through the possibilities with. The only you can do 2 hours worth of Henson and see all three films is to get there by 10:30AM: this leaves you with time for coffee in between the films and a quick bite in between Alien and Frankenstein. You'd have plenty of time to for the Henson exhibit if you skip say Little Shop or Alien, but not a lot of time if you catch the first two films but skip Frankenstein, though at least you'd eat dinner at a normal time. Let me know what you might want to do, especially if someone wants to skip Frankenstein in favor of the next film below the 3 moving image links:

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/10/30/detail/little-shop-of-horrors

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/10/30/detail/alien

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/10/30/detail/frankenstein-with-sara-karloff-in-person

RE-ANIMATOR introduced by director Stuart Gordon and actor Jeffery Combs- Sun Oct 30 at 9:30- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- The only film in Lincoln Center's series of Scary Movies that I might have time for. Not a very faithful adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's story, as a darkly comedic take on Frankenstein, with the blood, violence and nudity amped up to almost cartoonish levels. Young medical student is in love with the hot blonde daughter (Barbara Crampton, sigh) of the dean of the medical school. The aforementioned hot blonde daughter is in turn, eyed like a piece of meat by an older, slimy rival doctor. Everything comes to a head with a arrival of Dr. Herbert West (Jeffery Combs, the go-to character actor on most of the Star Trek series-es). The mad Dr. West has come up with a serum that brings the dead back to life. But since it's still in the experimental phase, and Dr. West doesn't do a good job in containing his "living" experiments, the consequences on all the characters will be brutal.

Re-Animator will be screened in its original unrated cut, the version I first saw on VHS back in the day. Jaw dropping and audacious. If you told me back then that this would screen at Lincoln Center 2 decades later, my responses would be: "They show films in Lincoln Center?" and "You've got to be KIDDING me?!?!?!". Nice to know I can be wrong in a good way. If you're not a fan of horror films, you're not likely to embrace this. Yes it's bloody and violent, but the over the top style allows the gore to go down better. If you haven't seen it recently, it'll still make you jump, it'll still make you laugh, and will make you very uncomfortable. Though not as uncomfortable Barbara Crampton may have felt when shooting this. I'm still surprised how much Crampton allowed(?)/endured in her infamous scene, when the lecherous older doc has his way. Actor Combs (as the insane yet still appealing scientist) and director/co-writer Stuart Gordon will introduce this screening:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/re-animator

PSYCHO (1960) and OBSESSION- Mon Oct 31 at 4:50 (Psycho), 6:50 (Obsession), 8:40 (Psycho)- Film Forum- A double feature of Bernard Herrmann scored films, semi-appropriate for Halloween. 2 horror films technically, the later less so. But both have major psychological issues on display.

First, Psycho. Honestly, I'm not trying to make a habit of posting this film each and every time it comes up. It's that I haven't seen it each time I've posted, and I'm gonna try again when it's playing at a convenient time for me. Which it is here.

Familiar to many, but I'm telling you, it's a completely different beast on the big screen as opposed to TV. You're not spending time in your living room, check marking all the familiar aspects of the story. This story sucks you in, lulls you into thinking one way, and then turns it around. You know all this, you wouldn't be looking at this list if you've never heard of Psycho. But this tightly edited story draws you despite what you know. And if you've somehow NEVER seen it, oh boy I'd like to see this with you.

And despite being an unplanned landmark in the horror genre, slasher sub-section, I would argue that this plays more like a suspense thriller then a horror pic. So those that have problems with horror flicks, should be ok with this. Interesting to watch acting-wise, as well. John Gavin's boyfriend performance hasn't aged too well, and Vera Miles's isn't bad, but definitely more then a little annoying. Not as shrill as Julianne Moore's in the remake, but still. Martin Balsam continued his reliable character actor work here, as a more believable ex-cop then Bill Macy in the remake.

There is a reason why this is Janet Leigh's most memorable performance, and it's not because of the shower scene. Go ahead, name another memorable performance of hers. Oops, Touch of Evil, not quite. Being part of the memorable opening scene doesn't qualify as a performance. And Manchurian Candidate doesn't count either. Being the red herring of a story's plot, eh, whatever. Despite Hitchcock's feeling about actor being cattle, Leigh gets to play a truly conflicted person. Decent, wanting more out of life, caught up in temptation, then over her head looking for a way out, which is about when she pulls into the Bates Motel.

But Anthony Perkins' performance feels modern today. Creepy, alive, desperate to open up, yet jittery within his own skin, and with just a little anger threatening to bubble up. Ole' Hitch may not have understood what Perkins was bringing to the table, but Alfred was patient enough to give him free rein. Thanks to the success of this, Tony could never be free of the typecasting. Oscar nominations for Leigh (her only one), Hitch for Director (his last nomination), Cinematography and Art Direction. On both AFI Top 100 lists and in my personal top 100. Catch this.

Next is Obsession, a forgotten Brian de Palma film from 1976. Not so much of a "good, it's forgotten" like Wise Guys, but a film that should be re-discovered. Cliff Robertson plays a rich businessman, who's never recovered from the kidnapping/death of both his wife and daughter. Years after the incident, he meets a young woman (Genevieve Bujold, one of my favorites) who's the spitting image of his late wife. What happens next, well if you don't know exactly, I won't give much in terms of spoiler. I will say it's a bit reminiscent of Hitchcock's Rebecca, and more than a little similar to Vertigo. Released in that in-between time, after Vertigo had been out of circulation for years, but before Vertigo was re-released and attained near instant classic status. Not saying this to denigrate Obsession. Just pointing out what its similar to without jumping into major spoilers with the psychological issues on screen. With John Lithgow as Robertson's friend. Featuring a romantic Herrmann score, for which he received a posthumous Oscar nomination (alongside his score for Taxi Driver, both losing to The Omen).

Let me know if there's interest. Later all.

The Thing (2011)

2011-10-12T03:11:00.003-04:00

Will try to keep it brief. While the newest version probably won't reach the same kind of classic status that the Howard Hawks original and the John Carpenter remake attained, it merits attention for your Halloween dollar. Was worried about saying this was a prequel to the Carpenter version, thinking that it would be a nice surprise for the uninitiated. But since the studio seems to be pushing the prequel notion front and center in interviews, you might as well know it too. Keeps a couple of main elements from the Hawks version: team discovers spaceship and alien on ice, creature thaws out, havoc reigns while the lead scientist tries to maintain control beyond reason. Aside from one shot in the first half, all homages to Carpenter's take seem to be confined to the second half. Good idea to keep the film in 1982. It limits the technology the humans can use to fight the creature, as well as show how closed off they are from the outside world.

Best addition here is how our main hero is different then the rest of the team, and why the rest of the (mostly Norwegian) team are distrustful. 'She's young, not as experienced as us. On top of that, she's a she who doesn't know her place AND she's an American to boot!' Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the lead whose never less than interesting, and at times, quietly good. The updated CGI technology allows the filmmakers to credibly expand the creatures' capabilities. Not always to the near perfection of the original man-made effects from the Carpenter film. But the first time we get a full look at one of these creatures, as well as a melding sequence used to connect this and the Carpenter film, stand out among the more daring designs that have been successfully pulled off. This version also has a lack of humor, dark or otherwise. But the tension remains credible throughout, and this version of The Thing is worth catching.

October revivals: first half

2011-09-29T02:58:00.005-04:00

Hey all, Mike here with a revival list for October's first half. But first, let me address what I see as possible upcoming revivals that I may or may not post over the next few months. First, Ghostbusters, which will be re-released in about 500 AMC theaters in the U.S for one screening only on 3 Thursday nights in October. I'll let you look it up on your own, because I won't post them. I saw it as a Midnight screening around 2004 or 2005. I like it, fun not-so-little New York movie, which gave me pleasant throwback memories to childhood. But the visual effects don't hold up, it feels longer than it felt back then, and though there are quite a few good supporting performances, the film is held together by Bill Murray. A believable X factor whose unpredictability, even if you know the film by heart, keeps you interested and laughing. Hard to believe what this could have looked like if John Belushi lived to tackle the role. Anyway, Ghostbusters is a 3 out of 4 star, 7 out of 10, thumbs up for me. But if I ever thought to put together a top 10 of 1984 list and this is on it, it must because there's a steep drop for me in quality after A Solider's Story, Amadeus, This Is Spinal Tap, The Killing Fields and Greystoke. It's similar release pattern done earlier this year by Taxi Driver and Top Gun. But the former is in my personal top 100 and the later is cheesy fun, and Ghostbusters is right in the middle. Not enough to post however.

Next, the Museum of the Moving Image will start of a retrospective of films under the title See It Big! Basically, in the age of being able to see films on newer, smaller viewing platforms, some films just won't play as well there. So with the ability to show screen films as large as 70mm or in digital 3-D, the Museum will screen films best viewed on a large screen. This excited me, until I saw that most of films in the retrospective are revivals I saw pre-blog list format (Lawrence of Arabia, Close Encounters), blog list format (Gone With the Wind), or both (Fantasia, Alien, The Shining), plus Avatar. I've taken a little heat for repeat listing of certain films, especially those I've seen on the big screen more then twice. If I didn't like the film at all, I wouldn't post them at all. But I promise if I post any films I caught and dragged others to see, it will be tied in to see some other film or special playing there, probably something from the Jim Henson retrospective. Point is, for most of these films, to combine them with both the Henson retrospective and the Henson exhibit for one price, is well worth it. Now on with the current list, here we go:

THE LION KING in 3-D- Now until at least Thurs October 6- Different theaters with their own times, check your newspapers or websites for your own areas- The Lion King has been so popular in its 3-D re-release, that its been extended for another week. This has been credited for not only making flops out of films such as Drive and whatever that thing Sarah Jessica Parker is starring in, but its making studios consider the idea of re-releasing films (a successful business idea that became rare after 1991). And as for the idea of "Why should we see it, we have a 3-D version of Lion King, its called BROADWAY", piss off. There are 40 plus other states without a stage version of Lion King, and they have spoken. God, no wonder a lot of people seem to hate New York City/ Long Island . . . sorry, I digress . . .

Anyway, this re-release should play at least through Thursday, October 6. But considering the blu-ray disc comes out on Tuesday October 4th, I wouldn't wait too long.

BEN-HUR (1959)- Sat Oct 1 at 10:30am, introduced by William Wyler's daughter Catherine, and Charlton Heston's son Frasor- Alice Tully Hall- 185 W. 65th st, 4th floor- The 11 time Oscar winner and one of the highest grossing films ever mad (don't look at the regular list; check the adjusted for inflation list and be surprised), Ben-Hur gets a special screening. In time for its Blu-Ray release this week, the Charlton Heston-William Wyler classic gets a digital screening. An upgraded 8K Digital screening in its original 2.76 Aspect Ratio. Miklos Roza's score, among the best ever for a film, will heard in 6.0 Dolby Stereo.

I went a long time without seeing Ben-Hur. It played frequently on the 4:30 Movie here in NYC. But it was chopped into what, 4 or 5 parts maybe, and if I was ever going to watch a Heston film back then, it would be Planet of the Apes. Once cable came along in the household, I still wouldn't pay much attention to it. The only time would be sequences of the famous chariot scene in a documentary about Wyler, or spots on TCM where the chariot scene was used as an example of the virtues or widescreen, as opposed to fullscreen or pan-and-scan.

This changed in February 2006, when I saw it on the Ziegfeld's big screen. The story of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince betrayed and sold into slavery by his Roman best friend, is the kind of epic film others aspire/aspired to be. Heston's broad style of acting results in a career performance here, as he seeks revenge throughout the year. A drive for revenge that does more to separate him from his love and his leprosy-plagued family than slavery ever did. Coming to a head with the kind of chariot race/ action scene that Gladiator and all its CGI could dream about.

Melodrama and sentiment are abound here, but I'm not opposed to a little excess, especially when its done this well. And yet the scenes involving Jesus, especially the crucifixion, were done with such sensitivity . . . . My feelings regarding The Passion of the Christ changed from being in my top Ten of 2004 just missing the top Five, to just barely in my Top 10 with no need to ever see it again. That's how good a job of direction I thought Wyler did. You might disagree, but I'm guessing you've never seen Ben-Hur on the big screen and hey, I'm not offering an answer, just a response to what I saw.

A nomination for the Screenplay. 11 Oscars, including Picture, Heston for Actor, Wyler for Director, scene-stealing Hugh Griffith for Supporting Actor, and Score. A record for Oscars, tied by Titanic and Return of the King. On both AFI Top 100 lists. May or may not be in my own top 100, but if it isn't, it's very close. Close enough that I would actually drag myself to Lincoln Center on a Saturday morning to watch. Since this is a part of the New York Film Festival, you shouldn't waste time thinking about buying to get a ticket if you're interested. Buy ahead of time. The screening will be introduced by William Wyler's daughter Catherine, and Charlton Heston's son Frasor:

http://www.filmlinc.com/blog/entry/nyff-spotlight-ben-hur

THE LAST PICTURE SHOW- Sat Oct 1, Sun Oct 2, and Wed Oct 5 at 4:30, 7 and 9:30- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of the 1971 film that doesn't get a revival screening too often. Two milieu are depicted here. Life in high school, as its seniors are finding their way into adulthood, however slow the emotional development. All taking placing in a dying small Texas town, circa early 1950s. Our entry into this world comes from two buddies: the wild jocular type played by Jeff Bridges and the more sensitive one played by Timothy Bottoms. College doesn't seem likely for them. More likely for them, unless they choose to move to larger towns like many before them, is reflected in the lonely, frustrated bitter adults around them. Whose dreams have long since died a quiet death. All here are not depicted as country bumpkins or idiots. Maybe some are more vain, or depressed than others, but such as life.

Peter Bogdanovich jumped to A list status with this film, a status that went bye-bye, thanks to pictures like Daisy Miller and At Long Last Love. But with a great script adaptation of Larry MacMurtry's novel from Bogdanovich and MacMurtry (anyone better in depicting Texas in print than Larry?), and wonderful cinematography from Robert Surtees (black and white, per the suggestion/demand of Orson Welles), you have cinema. If it wasn't for so many good, recognizable actors in the cast, you might think you were watching a documentary, what with the almost subliminal use of music and naturalistic performances. A cast that includes Bridges, Bottoms (Tim and Sam), Cybill Shepherd (ok performance, but perfect as an object of desire), Randy Quaid, Eileen Brennan, Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Leachman, and Ben Johnson (watch his monologue by the lake, very good indeed).

Oscar nominations for Picture, Director, Screenplay Adaptation, Cinematography, Bridges for Supporting Actor and Burstyn for Supporting Actress. Oscars for Johnson for Supporting Actor and Leachman for Supporting Actress. On the second AFI Top 100 list. And with everything I said, this may be more of an acquired taste. I invite any and all to come watch this, but this might be better suited for cinephilles (or however you spell it) and those interested in quiet films. I'm not sure if this even has classic status. Two other films from 1971, The French Connection and A Clockwork Orange, may or may not have been loved by critics as much as Last Picture Show, but their classic status is unquestioned. Now I don't know which version of Last Picture Show will be screened: the 1 hour 59 minute theatrical release, or the 7 minutes longer version released in 1992. 7 minutes cut by Columbia Pictures, who insisted that the film had to have a running time under 2 hours. Whatever version is screened, I want to catch this:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/lastpictureshow.html

SQUIRM- Thurs Oct 6 at 7:30- 92nd Y Tribeca- Part of the 92nd Y Tribeca's Ripoff Cinema. Here we have Squirm, a Southern Jaws on the ground, or the Ben-Hur of worm films, according to the 92nd Y's website. Worms get a shock of electricity down in a small Georgia town, and somehow become flesh eaters. Meanwhile, city slicker Don Scardino (best known for his off-screen work on 30 Rock) goes down to visit his girlfriend (Patricia Pearcy), and runs into some characters who not only appear to be either stereotypes or rejects from Deliverance, but also seem to have Worm Attack victim tattooed on their foreheads.

Trust me, it's more fun than I'm making it sound. Tongue is firmly planted in cheek here, when it isn't filled with rubber things passing for killer worms instead. Seriously, you can't take the threat of killer worms too seriously, and the filmmakers know this. Nobody got any acting awards for this, and once you see it, you'll know why. But I do have a fondness for our lead heroine Patricia Pearcy. Maybe she was a little too delicate looking, a little too close to say, Sissy Spacek for some casting directors tastes. Aside from the soap Ryan's Hope and a small role in The Goodbye Girl, she didn't seem to get much of a chance for substantial screen roles, except for this fun junk. She does well with it, just wish it was for something better. Nevertheless, this is fun, so if you don't mind sitting thru some cheap looking 70s fun, let's try it:

http://www.92y.org/Tribeca/Event/Squirm.aspx

ROSEMARY'S BABY- Thurs Oct 6 at 7 and 9:30 for 7.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- The classic Roman Polanski horror film plays for a cheap price at a convenient location. Though more psychological at times than anything else, as well as one of those quintessential New York films. Whether it's scarier for Mia Farrow to have the Devil's baby in your womb, to marry an actor, or to have a haircut that doesn't work on your head like that pixie cut, is up to you to decide. Oscar nomination for Polanski's adaptation of Ira Levin's novel, an Oscar for Ruth Gordon as one of the witches. Can see it at either 7 with pre-film and in-film commentary by Hedda Lettuce, or at 9:30 sans commentary.

8 1/2 for a $7.00 bar admission minimum- Fri Oct 7 at 9:30- Rubin Museum of Art- Here's how you can spend a night with minimal expense. The Rubin Museum's gallery is free on Fridays, starting at 6pm. That's good for an hour, maybe more if you're really into the exhibits. You can eat out beforehand or eat from their cafe, which is right next to their bar area. The prices aren't bad at all, though the portions and/or food (lots of Himalayan and Vegetarian) may not be to your liking, so best to plan ahead. Either way the bar is there and wherever you go in that space, it's overly loud. Anyway, one beer or two ginger ales/cokes/seltzers will do the trick in terms of admission. Ask for the girl with the tickets, approach her for a film ticket. The drinks in your hands will be obvious to her. You bring yourself your ticket and your drinks down one floor sometime after 9pm, and you drink while you watch the film. You can also go back up to the bar, get another drink and bring it back to the film if you wish. I did all this with Dogtooth this summer, and liked the experience. I wouldn't mind repeating the experience with 8 1/2.

Fellini's classic film mixes reality and fantasy, as Marcello Mastroianni tries to overcome a form of director's block, while living his life in a fishbowl as a celebrity as well as trying to get his new film off the ground. The film mixes flashback, fantasy and reality, and is also a love letter to not only film in general, but the idea of a director as a kind-of Master of his little Universe. And when surrounded by classic beauties like Anouk Aimee, Claudia Cardinale and Barbara Steele, yeah man, you got it tough. Nominations for Fellini for Director and Screenplay plus Art Direction. Oscars for Best Foreign Film and the Costume Design:

http://www.rmanyc.org/events/load/1360

WEEKEND- Sat Oct 8, Wed Oct 12, Fri Oct 15, Sat Oct 16, Wed Oct 19 and Thurs Oct 20 at 5:30, 7:40 and 10- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of Goddard's black comedy. I wasn't the biggest fan in the world of Goddard, but Breathless broke the ice. Now having seen both Every Man For Himself and Band of Outsiders over the past year, I'm ready to take on Weekend. Don't know a lot about it aside from the little I've read just so i could cough up a post. Doing my best to avoid learning many particulars so I don't spoil it for myself, though any dark comedy with a title card that says "a film adrift in the cosmos" tells me this won't be a happy trip. A married couple take her trip to the wife's sick father to secure her inheritance, by any means necessary. Their trip on the highway is chaotic, filled with road rage, sometimes brutal, with a famous tracking shot regarding a traffic jam and what's causing it. That part at least I knew about, but not the rest. Very curious to go down this dark rabbit hole and I invite you to join me:

http://www.filmforum.org/films/weekend.html

THE GOLD RUSH- Mon Oct 10 at 2pm at Alice Tully Hall- Part of the New York Film Festival, the Charlie Chaplin classic, where the Little Tramp attempts to strike it rich during the Klondike Gold Rush, despite being unprepared for the harsh conditions. With the famous boot eating scene, including the dance with the dinner rolls. On both AFI Top 100 lists. With a restored score and live accompaniment by members of the New York Philharmonic at Alice Tully Hall. Probably the score Chaplin added to its 1942 re-release, recieving an Oscar nomination despite being an addition to a seventeen year old. If you're interested, don't waste time. Get your tickets quickly. New York Festival stuff tends to go fast you know:

http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/the-gold-rush

CARRIE- Thurs Oct 13 at 9:30 for 7.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- The Brian De Palma classic where Sissy Spacek (Oscar nominated) plays the awkward girl who goes nuts, and wont be laughed at anymore. With John Travolta, Amy Irving, William Katt and Nancy Allen when they were all quite young, and Piper Laurie (also Oscar nominated) as the mother of all demented mothers. It's Brian De Palma, so we not talking subtle here. But it is among his better films. For once it's not playing at Midnight, but I rather do the screening without commentary and jokes than with.

http://clearviewcinemas.com/classics/classics-chelsea.shtml

GIORIGO MORODER'S METROPOLIS (1984)- Fri Oct 14 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- A midnight screening of something that's getting something of an underground resurgence. Maybe it's just curiosity, but whatever the reason, here's another chance to catch Giorigo Moroder's edit version of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Not on DVD.

By the mid-late 80s, there was a few versions of Fritz Lang's Metropolis out there, all around 90 minutes or so, and each missing a ton of footage. In 1984, Moroder released his own cut of Metropolis. He supposedly found footage different from the other prints, but he also trimmed existing footage from his edit to make the picture run faster. 80-something minutes in length, some shots colorized or tinted, subtitles instead of title cards, and Moroder's own music running throughout. Some of it was his own score, and some of it were songs performed by acts such as Queen, Pat Benatar, Billy Squier, Adam Ant, Loverboy and Bonnie Tyler.

Some critics like this version, Siskel and Ebert in particular. But even in his thumbs up review, Gene Siskel ripped the Moroder songs, calling the lyrics "stupid". And that, was the rallying point for those who hated this version. The best that can be said is that it introduced a generation from 1984 to about 1989 (when the last laserdisc version was released) to Lang's film. In my case it took Queen's song "Radio Ga-Ga", a top 5 hit that gave Queen American success after the Flash Gordon debacle, for me to even hear of Metropolis. The video contained clips of the Moroder cut. Now, you have another chance to judge for yourself.

Let me know. Later all.