July revivals: first half

Mike here with what to catch for the first half of July. One retrospective I really want to attend is the William Holden retro at the Walter Reade at Lincoln Center. I can't catch most of them, especially I'm afraid The Bridge on The River Kwai. Too many plans for me this 4th of July weekend, so I'm afraid I'm missing that one. In the meantime, here's some good choices here. Now let's go:

THE GENERAL with SALVADOR DALI: HOME MOVIE- Mon July 7 at 6 and Wed July 9 at 8- MOMA- W. 53rd and 5th- A Buster Keaton comedy classic, though I would argue that it's more successful as an action film classic. He plays a train engineer who has a better time showing affection to his locomotive, The General, than with his girlfriend. But the Civil War breaks out, and all the men in her family enlist and are accepted as soldiers in the Confederacy. Keaton tries, but his engineer job makes him more valuable there than as a solider. But the girlfriend thinks he skipped out on enlisting and brands him a coward. He sulks away.

Some time later, they meet again. Somehow, she ends up on his train when it's hijacked by Union spies. Keaton must now to go to great lengths to save his train (and oh yeah, his ex) from the North, then get back to the nearest Confederate general with his train (and oh yeah, his ex) to warn him of a surprise Union attack.

Rooting for the Confederates is not as hard as you might think, this isn't Birth of a Nation folks. It's an action comedy. And there are some good comedy set pieces, such as Keaton in the enlistment office. But it works best as an action film. Wonderful scenes shot in the Northwest; the only place where Civil War style trains and tracks were still in use. Wonderful stunt work from director/lead Keaton. Chaplin's films may be best remembered, but he couldn't do that kind of stunt work on a moving train. Deservedly a classic.

Playing before it is a very short film about Salvador Dali. MOMA is doing a retrospective of his work. It includes this. You now know as much as I do.

ADAM'S RIB and PAT AND MIKE- Tues July 8 at 7 (Adam's) and 8:45 (Pat)- The Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space- W. 95th and Bway- A double feature of two Hepburn/Tracy comedies directed by George Cukor. Both for one admission. First, Adam's Rib, my favorite of the two. Hepburn plays a defense attorney, who turns her loser of a case (a wife shoots her husband when he catches him cheating) into a rallying cause for women's rights and anything else she can think of. Much to the chagrin of her husband Tracy, the prosecuting attorney. The marriage takes a beating, but will it hold up? Gee, what do you think?

My favorite of all the Hepburn Tracy team ups. Some hilarious set pieces, some involving David Wayne as the comic relief neighbor with a longing for Hepburn. Judy Holliday steals scenes as the wife on trial. An Oscar nomination for screenwriters Ruth Gordon and Garrison Kanin.

Gordon and Kanin were also nominated for their Screenplay for Pat and Mike. Another pretty good Hepburn/Tracy team up. Kate plays an athlete who's great at golf and tennis, but cracks when whenever her annoying fiance watches. Enter her new manager Tracy, whose tough ways eventually melt in the face of too much Kate. The script was conceived in part to take advantage of Hepburn's physical skills. She believable plays tennis and golf with the likes of Babe Didrikson.
But two set pieces stand out. One where Tracy imposes the first limits of diet and training on Hepburn, which she hates but has no choice. The second involves a very young Charles Bronson. Hepburn saves Tracy from getting beat on by thugs, one played by Bronson. First you have the thugs beating Tracy, then they get beaten by Hepburn, then they're flabbergasted by the feeling of lost manhood by being beaten by a woman, then you have them trying to explain to Sheriff Chuck Connors why Hepburn should be arrested, then the thugs try to keep from going to jail, then Tracy and Hepburn try to keep the thugs from facing worse criminal charges or perhaps more thugs would come down after them. Got all that? No? See the movie, they do it better then I can explain.

JEAN DE FLORETTE- Tues July 8 at 7:30- Florence Gould Hall- 55 E. 59th St.- Part of the Yves Montand retrospective. A novice farmer battles another farmer for control over a natural spring. Part one of a two part French epic. Starring Montand, Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil. Sorry I'm not describing it well. But it's very good.

S.O.B. and THE WILD BUNCH- Fri July 11 at 1 (S.O.B), 3:30 (Bunch), 6:15 (S.O.B.) and 8:45 (Bunch) - Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of the William Holden retrospective. According to V.A. Musetto's NY Post article, all films shown in the retrospective are one admission for each day. 2 films, one admission is what I meant to say. I hope that's true, especially for this pair.

First, S.O.B.: Holden's final film. This rarely gets a revival screening, and I'm glad this is will play now. A forgotten Blake Edwards comedy from 1981. His previous films from 1975 up to that point were all Pink Panther sequels. But this was different, this was more in the vein of acidic Hollywood films like Sunset Blvd. and The Player. Oh, and don't think the initials in the title stand for the obvious.

He based it on his previous experience directing his wife Julie Andrews in the film Darling Lili. Big budget, big promotion, big expectations, big bomb. It was re-edited and re-released, to no avail. In this film, Richard Mulligan plays an Edwards-like director who directed his Julie Andrews-like wife, played by Andrews herself, in a big budget musical disaster. After several days of suicidal depression, he comes out of it (though not necessarily sane) with an idea to save the picture. By remaking it as an X-rated film, with his wholesome wife showing her breasts. And the film goes from there. Cynical to be sure, and it does get silly in the last 20 minutes or so, but I like this film a lot. Great cast. While Holden (as a liked but somewhat burned out veteran producer) and Andrews got top billing, it's more of an ensemble cast. Along with Mulligan, you had Robert Vaughn, Shelley Winters, Loretta Swit, Larry Hagman, Edwards veteran Robert Webber, Larry Storch, Marisa Berensen and Rosanna Arquette in her film debut. But the standout among the supporting players is Robert Preston, as a quack of a doctor, with as many punch lines as drugs in his medical bag. In other words, plenty.

Paramount distributed this film. For weeks during the summer of 81, they had sneak previews with nothing in the ads but a time, night, location and a hot chick. Played out in the media, just like in the film, was Andrews throwing out her Mary Poppins image, to show the world her tits on screen. Then the film came out. The reviews were mixed, though the overall ones are better now. The business was non-existent. It's become a footnote, both for Andrews' nudity and for being Holden's last film (he died about 3-4 months). You probably never saw this comedy, especially if you're under 34.

Next, The Wild Bunch, the film that John Wayne complained destroyed the myth of the Old West. Follows a group of older outlaws, still robbing and shooting to make a living. The times have changed, they've gotten a lot older and their foes are seemingly younger and stronger. They want to rob to retire, but that only gets a group of bounty hunters after them, led by a former member of the group. They escape to Mexico for one last go. But dealing with the corrupt forces there and the bounty hunters on their tail, the old group of outlaws basically to go out on their own terms. Violent, bloody, and taking hundreds of the enemy with them. Holden is the leader of the Bunch, Ernest Borgnine is his best friend, and Robert Ryan is their former friend. Plus Western stalwarts like Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, Strother Martin and future director Alfonso Arau (A Walk In The Clouds) in the cast as well.

Sam Peckinpah's film was approved mainly to compete with what they thought was the similar Buthch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Similar, Warner Bros.? Oops. He wanted to show a certain macho code that was not holding up in the start of the 20th Century. But no matter what code you live by, betrayal is unacceptable. From others and especially from yourself. Another thing Peckinpah wanted to show was the violent world of this time. Not sanitized like in most Westerns, but closer to what was shown on the news in Vietnam. He wanted to horrify his audience with its brutality. The climatic shootout was supposed to convey this. With 6 different cameras all shooting at different speeds, its an amazing combination of choreography, cinematography and editing. Despite about 20 minutes cut before its release to avoid an X rating, the violence was still considered controversial. But what shocked Peckinpah was how much of his audience was thrilled by the violence as opposed to being repulsed by it. Oops for Sam. When Warner Bros tried to re-release the film back in 1994 with 10 extra minutes, the MPAA gave it an NC-17 rating, complaining about the violence! It took a year of resubmission before an R rating was finally granted.

I'm sorry to say, it appears Lincoln Center will only be showing the original theatrically released cut, as opposed to the longer, more accepted version. A version still good enough to get 2 Oscar nominations, including Screenplay. On BOTH AFI Top 100 lists. Seeing either film separately is ok I guess. But I REALLY prefer seeing S.O.B. and The Wild Bunch together. There is an alternate day and time regarding Wild Bunch, but that's later in this post.

RAN- Sat July 12 at 4:30 and 7:30- Film Forum- Part of the Tatsuya Nakadai retrospective. Considered Kurosawa's last standout film. Basically King Lear set in Japan with sumptuous visuals, with Nakadai as the old king. Oscar nominations for Cinematography, Art Direction, and Kurosawa's direction. An Oscar for the costumes. A visual spectacle worth catching, even on the Forum's smallish screen.

SABRINA (1954) with or without STALAG 17- Mon July 14 at 6:15 (Sabrina) and 8:30 (Stalag)- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of the William Holden retrospective. Another double feature, though this time, I want to catch the former, and wouldn't mind seeing the later. But only if it's convenient.

One of the better romantic comedies. Young servant's girl falls for the youngest of 2 rich brothers. Gets a little older and goes off to Paris. Comes back full of life and self confidence. The younger brother is now attracted to her, but things get complicated when the older brother gets involved. There, that's the Cliff Notes version. Audrey Hepburn plays the girl, Holden is the younger brother, Humphrey Bogart is the older brother. MUCH older brother; you're gonna have to let some stuff slide to enjoy.

It's a miracle this got made at all. Director/Co-Writer Billy Wilder had to settle for Bogie when Cary Grant wasn't available. Bogie didn't get along with Wilder, especially when Billy refused to cast Lauren Bacall in the title role. Bogie didn't respect Audrey, and he and Holden hated each other with a passion. Speaking of passion, Holden and Hepburn started a heated affair on this film. It supposedly ended shortly after the film ended, but I thought it picked up later on; I could be wrong on this. Anyway, Oscars nominations for Wilder for both Director and Screenplay (along with Ernest Lehman and Samuel A. Taylor), Hepburn for Actress, Art Direction and Cinematography. An Oscar for Edith Head's Costume design, though most of Hepburn's costume were designed by someone else who DIDN'T win.

The other film in this double feature is Stalag 17. I'm not dying to catch this, but I wouldn't mind. It's pretty good and doesn't feel like the typical stagy adaptations. Especially if the alternative is to walk around on a potentially hot sticky night away from the Walter Reade's air conditioning.

One of Billy Wilder's biggest hits, about a group of American P.O.W.s living in the title German camp. One part dramedy/slice of life during WW 2, one part mystery as the prisoners try to figure out who informing to the German guards.

An Oscar nomination for Wilder for Director, an Oscar for Holden for Best Actor. Won in part probably making up for losing the award for his performance in Sunset Blvd. three years earlier. Also won in part for his twenty minute scene where he reveals who the rat is. Holden plays this with two themes in mind. One, as though he was the detective in an Agatha Christie murder mystery, delighting as he shows off his smarts. And two, as a giant F.U. to all the guys who thought HE was the traitor and beat him for it.

Like I said, I'd really like to catch Sabrina, and wouldn't mind staying for Stalag 17. Unless you prefer to catch the following after Sabrina . . .

FAIL-SAFE- Mon July 14 for free- at Bryant Pk- park opens at 5pm- Part of the free film series at Bryant Park. An unusual choice as far as I'm concerned. So talky for a park film. From the same year and studio as Dr. Strangelove, with the same brutally dark black Cold War atmosphere as well. But while Strangelove treated it's material as black comedy, Fail-Safe treated its material as dark suspense thriller. A thriller where our technology is stronger than our ability to fix it. A thousand to one electronic glitch causes a bomber group to go past its fail-safe marks, and proceed to bomb the Soviet Union. A nervous general tries to help the Soviets shoot them down, civilian expert Walter Matthau advises to let the planes hit their targets to force a showdown once and for all; and President Henry Fonda must talk to the emotional Russian premier (with the help of nervous translator Larry Hagman), and eventually must make an offer of atonement that's should make every New York viewer very uncomfortable.

In fact, even if I don't do the film at all from start to finish, I might want to race down there for the last 10-15 minutes and see the viewers in the park squirm.Sidney Lumet's film is well acted and well crafted. Because of Strangelove, a flop in its day, despite great reviews. But I'm guessing most of you reading this aren't very familiar with this film, so it's time to play catch up.

SABRINA (1954) and THE WILD BUNCH- Tues July 15 at 1 (Bunch) and 3:35 (Sabrina)- The Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- The end of the William Holden retrospective. If The Wild Bunch isn't doable on Fri the 11th, then it can be done in the afternoon with Sabrina. A more out of whack double feature then S.O.B. and Wild Bunch, but these are two good films, so I'm ok with that.

MANON OF THE SPRING- Tues July 15 at 7:30- Florence Gould Hall- Part of the Yves Montand retrospective. The sequel to Jean De Florette. I prefer this one to the first. Don't get me wrong, they both get thumbs up from me. But I suppose since this film puts the story to a satisfying end, I prefer Manon. That and having Emmanuelle Beart in all her nubile glory helps. What can I say, I'm a pig. Sue me. She plays the title role, seeking revenge on Montand and Daniel Auteuil what they did in the first film. Both French classics were released in the US in 1987, and both won Best Foreign Language film by the National Board of Review.

Like I said, the Holden films have top priority for me. Anything else is a bonus. Later all.

June revivals: second half

Hey all. Mike here with what to catch in early June. A more eclectic collection than usual. but before that, I went to MOMA on Friday to catch Breathless. Whoever thought that many people would go to see the Richard Gere remake as opposed to the French original, is the very definition of being cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Anyway, now I knew that on Friday's after 5pm, the museum is free to the public. But I didn't know the films were as well. Boy am I pleasantly surprised. When they come up with something interesting I'll post it. Sorry that I don't consider Todd Haynes' Poison to be one of them. Anyway, here we go:

Charlie Chaplin's MONSIEUR VERDOUX- Wed June 18 and Thurs June 19 at 7 and 9:30- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of a long forgotten Charlie Chaplin comedy. The blackest he ever made. No Little Tramp business here, as he plays a dapper looking man who, after the stock market crash of '29, supports his family by marrying, then killing other women. Exactly the kind of film post WW 2 film audiences were demanding to see . . . Before the film came out, Charlie had the kind of negative publicity that Britney and Lindsey would think there but for the grace of God go us, or whatever their equivalent would be. But being an actual artist with a point of view (along with a strong sexual appetite that leaned toward much younger women to put it kind), seemed to make Chaplin more of a danger. Imagine the way critics have sharpened the knives, ready to rip into M. Night's films now. Then imagine some of these critics feeling they must defend the masses against whatever political statement Chaplin would make with this film. Then consider the only media around are in newspapers, magazines and radio, thus giving these critics some more sway. Throw in other reporters more interested in asking Chaplin about allegedly sleeping with underage girls or being condemned by members of Congress then the film's content.

Monsieur Verdoux was DOA. A major financial flop that was pulled after a month or some. Not everyone hated it. The Times back then gave it a very good review. It was named Best Film by National Board of Review, and Chaplin himself received an Oscar nomination for the Screenplay. A 1964 re-release gave the film some much needed respectability and even an audience. I guess those dealing with the Cold War felt the film to be quite fresh. But except for the rare TV screen, it's been out of sight, out of mind. Now's the time for major re-evaluation.

SPELLBOUND or JAWS- Fri June 20 at 6 for both- MOMA- First come, first served with both these films. You can't do both on this day, you can only get into one. Spellbound is Hitchcock's romantic mystery/thriller. Ingrid Bergman is a psychiatrist who tries to help amnesiac patient Gregory Peck, who thinks he might have killed someone. Of course they fall in love . . . Oscar nominations for Picture, Hitchcock for Director, Michael Chekov (as Bergman's mentor) for Supporting Actor, Cinematography, and Special Effects. An Oscar for the score. It's playing at MOMA as part of a retrospective of Salvador Dali's work. He designed the dream sequence. Fans of his work tend to enjoy this more than the rest of the film. It's not in my top 5 of Hitchcock, but I like it, and wouldn't mind seeing it, especially for free.

Jaws is also playing for free, subject to availability. I talked about it when it played at the Ziegfeld. If you didn't catch this there before and you DON'T take advantage of this, then you're hopeless, or out of town. Though probably both.

BONJOUR TRISTESSE- Wed June 25 at 6 and Thurs June 26 at 8:30- MOMA- An Otto Preminger film I've never seen. David Niven and Jean Seberg play play self-interested father and daughter who vacation on the French Riviera with his girlfriend. An Oedipus attachment develops between parent and daughter, but things get worse when old girlfriend Deborah Kerr comes to visit. Very curious and wouldn't mind trying it.

CLUE- Fri June 27 and Sat June 28 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- The 1985 comedy gets another midnight screening. This has a major cult following in L.A. In NYC, not so much. I don't know why I like the film so much. It has a good begginning, an extremely mixed middle and endings of varying quality. But I like it, no rational reason why. I'd like to catch this, unless you prefer your midnight films darker, in which case, there's always . . .

MAD MAX- Fri June 27 and Sat June 28 at Midnight- IFC Film Center- The 70s Sci-fi retrospective ends with the film that made Mel Gibson an international star and put director George Miller into the big leagues. Note I said international and not U.S. Before films like Titanic and the Lord of the Rings series came along, you see the list of what was the highest grossing films in any country outside of North America, and chances are Star Wars, Mad Max and E.T. were in the top 4. But in America back in 1980 (it was released in most countries in 1979), it came out in a heavily dubbed form. Apparently there was no belief that we could understand all these Australian dialects. And to see this little film as opposed to say, Empire Strikes Back for the second or third time? Forget it. Several re-releases, including one a year after The Road Warrior's success, made no dent here.

One part post-apocalyptic film and one part Death Wish. Not as much action as you might think or remember, but still pretty good on a low budget. Apparently most of Australia can pass for a post- WW3 environment, and director Miller does a lot with a little. And Gibson practically screams Movie Star here. And it's only 93 minutes; helpful for a midnight screening.

YOJIMBO- Sat June 28 at 1, 7:10 and 9:40- Film Forum- Part of the Tatsuya Nakadai retrspective. The only one I have the guts to post at the moment- I've caught High and Low at the Forum and I'm in no hurry to catch it again. Among my favorites. Leone would later rip this off to make A Fistful But for the rest of this Mifune-Kurosawa, I'm cutting and pasting something from a another website that described this. It could have been Film Forum, it could have been AMMI. I don't remember, it was over 2 years ago and I'm tired:

"You can't get ahead in this world unless folks think you're both a cheat and a killer." Met at the entrance to a seemingly deserted village by a stray mutt sauntering past with a severed hand in his jaws, grubby wandering and unemployed samurai Toshiro Mifune, after a suitable double take, realizes a skilled yojimbo (bodyguard) could rake in a few ryo in this town. And after checking out the sake merchant's thugs squaring off against the silk merchant's goon squad, twice as much, if he hires out to both sides. Venice Festival acting prize to Mifune, with Tatsuya Nakadai as the pistol-waving killer."

I would have posted Bride of Frankenstien at Bryant Park for free on Monday June 23, but due to the fire at Universal Studios, I don't know if the print scheduled to come here survived the fire. If it didn't, I don't know if they'll get another print up in time. Either way, there are other choices so I push them instead. Let me know. Later all.

June revivals: first half

Hey all. Mike here with what to catch in early June. A more eclectic collection than usual. Here we go:

THE PAWNBROKER- Fri June 6 at 6- MOMA- I brought this up back in February during the Film Forum's Sidney Lumet retrospective. It plays again at MOMA. If you haven't seen this well-acted drama starring an Oscar nominated Rod Stieger, now's your chance. Not a happy film, but a good one.

THE PRESIDENT'S ANALYST- Sat June 7, Mon June 9 and Thurs June 13 at 7:30 and 9:40- Film Forum- A mostly forgotten film from 1967 in a new 35mm scope print. One of a number of the inspirations for Austin Powers, yet probably the only American one. It tries to both emulate and mock James Bond films as well. And I'll give the Village Voice credit; the final 10-15 minutes seems to have inspired at least sections of The Matrix trilogy.

James Coburn plays the title role. The stress of this job causes him to have his own breakdown and his own paranoia. Justified, since once he escapes, The FBI and CIA want to kill him, and the KGB and other foreign groups want what he knows. But that's nothing compared to the most powerful group of them all. One who, for those who haven't seen this, I dare not spoil. Though today, one can imagine Microsoft plotting like the film's master group.

A very pointed satire for its day. Attacks on the counter-culture, liberalism, gun control and the civil rights movement are just the tip of the iceberg. Pointed about the fear of citizens being spied on, and their willingness to spy on others. Something that will probably mean more to us now then the audience back then. Pointed enough that the FBI and CIA demanded not to be named in the film. Their names were dubbed over. So pointed that the name of the big evil world-controlling company was removed by NBC on their TV broadcasts, in fear of retaliation. And since most of the technology needed to carry out their evil plan is no longer science fiction, but science fact, oh boy.

From writer/director Theodore J. Flicker; this was his chance to make a big statement on film after years of TV directing (The Andy Griffith Show, I Dream Of Jeannie, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.). After the film's failure (it appealed to the young, but after its big opening weekend, why did Paramount pull it from most of its screens?), it was back to TV for Teddy. He never made another theatrical film, but he did co-create Barney Miller, so it's not a loss for us. I assume most of you don't know this film, but the Forum was good enough to pull this out of cultural mothballs, so I strongly urge you to take advantage.

ZARDOZ- Sat June 7 at Midnight- IFC Film Center- Part of IFC film center's 70s Sci-Fi retrospective. They seem to all be screened upstairs, in a screening room that has quality sound and is kind of small and round. In the lobby, they've got some impressive posters from different countries that would fit this retrospective. It makes me wish that films like Westworld, Logan's Run, even Rollerball, were scheduled to play alongside Mad Max and Sleeper. Right now, they're not. A shame.

Now as for Zardoz. One of my favorite What The Fuck kind of films. I admire its audacity, and I can't believe that anyone in Britain or at Fox thought people would pay to see this in droves. I like that director John Boorman really tried to go out there, but in his most recent DVD commentary about Zardoz, even he can't figure out What The Fuck is happening, or why he chose to do certain scenes the way he did.

I'll attempt the Cliff Notes version here. In post-apocalyptic Britain, Sean Connery plays the leader of a group of tough guys, who stumbles on a highly advanced, Utopian village. It comprises of three types of people: youngish Brits with hot bodies bright minds and snooty attitudes, youngish Brits whose brains don't seem to be working, and babbling old people. Throw in a God named Zardoz, and there's a mystery to be solved. Though why Connery is forced to do this in a long black wig, Fu Manchu-esque mustache and shiny red diaper, I have no idea. I'm serious, it looks like Sean spends more than half the film in a shiny red diaper. With Charlotte Rampling, who's smoking here.

There are parts of the film that I don't want to spoil. There are parts of the film where I think "YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!!". Though the ending is cool. You'll either admire it, hate it with a passion, or laugh at it. Don't worry, I've done all three. Let the film experimentation begin.

BREATHLESS (1959)- Fri June 13 at 6- MOMA- I brought this film up back in April during the Film Forum's Goddard retrospective. The only one I was willing to watch, especially after seeing the pretentious Contempt on TCM. For those who haven't seen it, you get a second chance.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY- Fri June 13 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- Some of you looking at this have done this film before, and in some cases, more than once. But every time one of my all time top 5 films is shown on a decent screen with at least good sound, I will bring it up. Throw in the odd chance that someone I know has never seen it except on TV and might be curious to experience this classic as it should be . . . I'd feel guilty not bringing this up. This film is ageless despite the title, timeless, and it's still possible to discover something new about it as one gets older. And those who've only seen this on TV; to paraphrase and change Larry Miller's joke to fit here, seeing 2001 on the big screen as opposed to TV, is the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.

DR. NO- Mon June 17 at dusk for free at Bryant Park- Park opens at 5- The free films at Bryant Park kicks off with the first Sean Connery Bond film. A bit of a surprising choice to me. I might not have felt that way if I hadn't caught it at the Forum in April. Portions play a bit slow, and the dialogue on the island didn't play well, especially for those of us who saw Goldfinger just before. Now that I think of it, I believe Goldfinger or From Russia With Love would be better films in general, and better crowd pleasers in particular. Must be some kind of rights problem, unles both are over two hours long. The dialogue scenes on the island have not aged well at all.

Still, the fight scenes will appeal in the Park, and when Connery starts acting all cool, or when Ursula Andress rises out of the sea, it should still be fun.

As long as one makes the attempt to catch The President's Analyst, anything else is a bonus as far as I'm concerned. Later all.

May revivals: the rest of the month.

Mike here with the remainder of of May's revivals. Most of them would be fun birthday viewing options for me, even if they're playing after the birthday. Here we go:

ANNIE HALL- Fri May 23 at 10 (tentative on my end), Sat May 24 (the whole day tentative for me for this film) and Mon May 26 at 3:30, 6 and 8 (the last 2 times on Mon. tentative for me), and Tues May 27 at 8 and 10- Film Forum- The end of the United Artists Back By Popular Demand retrospective. I've talked about this before, so I won't go into this Oscar winning film/ one of the best romantic comedies ever/ in my personal Top 100. For those who did this with me back in the days of Movie Night meets, you've done this before and that's good enough. But others haven't caught this, not in a long time anyway. So back on the list it goes. For some reason, the Forum describes this as a 70s Abbie's Irish Rose, but I don't get that. And by the way, good job of by the Film Forum folks to draw people to a 1977 Woody Allen film; by comparing it to a play that was already outdated and cliched by 1935!

ALIEN- Fri May 23-Sun May 25 at Midnight- IFC FIlm Center- The first of IFC's 70s Sci-Fi retrospective. A perfectly constructed film as far as I'm concerned. Some have you seen this classic with me before, and I'm not saying you have to see this again. May or may not be in my personal top 100, but one I can see over and over again. Sci-fi for those who aren't into Star Trek or Star Wars. Great visual effects, and just enough of Jerry Goldsmith's beautiful score to make the silences even more effective. Ridley Scott never made a better film; sorry for those of you who are fans of Blade Runner, or Black Hawk Down, or American Gangster.

Even more convenient, is that's playing all three nights of the Memorial Day weekend. I'm assuming of course most of you aren't working on Monday. But another option for this weekend is . . .

THE SHINING- Fri May 23-Sun May 25- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- If you rather do Kubrick-Nicholson at Midnight, well here's The Shining. This film works for me to on this weekend. Longer and a little more out of the way, but worth it. If you don't know this film, what good are you? Moving on.

PILLOW TALK- Thurs May 29 at 7 and 9:30 for 6 dollars- Chelsea Clearview Cinemas- The first of the Rock Hudson- Doris Day comedies, as well as both the most successful and the best. No point in breaking down plot, they're all about the same. Man and woman hate each other, love each other but don't know it, then eventually find out and after much arguing, a happy ending, with Tony Randall on the sidelines, making jokes. Like I said, the best of the bunch. Oscar nominations include Day for Actress, Art Direction, Score and for Thelma Ritter for Supporting Actress in another wisecracking role. An Oscar for the Screenplay. And only for 6 dollars.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA- Fri May 30 and Sat May 31 at Midnight- IFC Film Center- Part of the 70s Sci-Fi retrospective. The pilot gets a Midnight screening. This is strictly childhood for me, though the memories for me are strongest in terms of remembering this show on syndication, as opposed to it's original run on ABC. The remake is a very good show, and if you haven't seen it, get to Netflix already. It used the feelings and emotions of dread from post 9/11 and spread on a multi-global level, mixed some 24-esque tension, hired some good (mostly Canadian) actors, took some story chances, and have come up with a superior series than the original.

The 1978-79 edition of Battlestar didn't have that kind of emotional heft around. Okay, there was the Holocaust, that was too far away and too long ago I guess. This was created in part or mostly, depending on who you ask, to rip-off Star Wars. Lucas sued them, and concessions had to be made in order to keep George from owning Universal. This is big space opera, with explosions, space battles, acting that verges from the ok, to campy to amateurish. For this last part, ABC had the tendency to cast hot chicks who were models or college students with little skill, whose career would either end within 5 years, or finish in infomercial or direct to video hell. Not every actress hired could be Jane Seymour, who is in this. One of my early crushes, an ideal for beauty that has screwed me up to no end, but that's for another blog . . .

I also have quite a lot of affection for the main villains, the Cylons. Over 6 ft tall, all chrome except for the ruby quartz eye that moved across the head with a swerving hum. And that low electronic monotone voice. The most original aspect that I still have a fondness for, despite the massive improvements done to them in the remake series. Plus decent to good visual effects, though because of the budget restrictions, the same battles were repeated throughout the series' run, and even to an extant, in this.

I can't say this would be the best flick you'll ever see whether you've seen it or not. And I can't say seeing this now wouldn't ruin any childhood memories. There are some aspects that will just seem laughable now. And as much as I like this, I would probably laugh at those absurd or lousy moments with the rest of you. But dammit, not everything can be The Rules of the Game, or Annie Hall, or Lawrence of Arabia. This is silly campy fun, and I'm not ashamed of having fun with it. And I hope you will as well.

For the record, I don't know if this is the original ABC pilot from 1978 that will be screened at IFC Film Center, or the 1979 theatrical release that was in Sensurround. For those under 32, or didn't watch films in the U.S. in the mid-late 70s, Sensurround was basically Universal's failed attempt to get people interested in some of their flicks. Speakers would be under some of the seats, and in scenes of shakes or explosions, they would go on and cause the seats to shake. And in some cases, it caused plaster to fall from the theater walls.

No matter what version they screen, I just hope those working in IFC Film Center can have the whole thing in focus from the beginning. I still remember what trouble they had with the start of Eraserhead. Please please don't screw this up. This and Alien too for that matter.

Any chance to catch the midnight screenings would be great. Anything else would be a bonus. Let me know quickly, and I do mean quickly. Especially about this weekend. Later all.

Mid May revivals.

Hey all. Mike here. Not in the mood for a long list, so I'll just break down what to catch for the next 8-10 days or so. All repeats from the last list or from an earlier one, but worth bringing up. Here we go:

THIEVES LIKE US- Wed May 14, Fri May 16, and Tues May 20 at 7 and 9:30- Film Forum- Part of the United Artists Back By Popular Demand retrospective. I mentioned and pushed this Robert Altman drama before (basically, a more realistic variation of Bonnie and Clyde), and I do so again. But luckily, it's been popular enough that the Forum is giving it a week-long run. Can't get any easier for you to catch. This is just what I'm pretty sure I could make.

ALL ABOUT EVE- Thurs May 15 at 7 and 9:30 for 6.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- W. 23rd and 8th Ave- I mentioned it last time. You know it, you've heard about it, so I'll move on.

FIRST BLOOD- Thurs May 15 at 7:30- Regal E-Walk 13 on 42nd st, Regal Union Square 14, Regal Kaufman Astoria 14, Chelsea Clearview Cinema 1st & 62nd and Chelsea Clearview on 260 West 23rd- A digital screening of the Stallone film. Again, a repeat mention from the last list. I've seen mention about the screening elsewhere, and I thought it was supposed to be First Blood as it was back in 1982, followed by interviews and the complete alternate ending. But some of what I've read makes me think we'll see this alternate ending, edited in and eliminating the other one. I'm confused but whatever.

It's still awful fun. And yes, I do mean awful. And yes, I do mean fun. Personally, Kaufman Astoria, the Clearview on E. 62nd and the Regal on 42nd St are easiest to get to for me. But it's playing on the same night as All About Eve at the Chelsea Clearview. It might be possible to see First Blood then sneak in to All About Eve afterwards? Might miss the first minute or so. Just musing . . .

Enough for now. Later all.

May revivals: first half

Mike here with what to catch for the first half of May. Not a lot of time, so I'll just get to it. Here we go:

CITY LIGHTS with or without MODERN TIMES- Thurs May 1 at 4:40 (City), 6:30 (Modern) and 8:20 (City)- Film Forum- The last of the main United Artists retrospective. A Chaplin double feature of 2 of his best films. Saying which of the two is better would be a long argument that I won't get into here. Not when one can see both on the same day. First, City Lights. It is a silent film, but Chaplin's first with recorded music and sound effects. Basically, Chaplin's Little Tramp goes through various trails and tribulations, all for the love of a blind flower girl. Chaplin and blind girl actress Virginia Cherrill hated each other with a passion, but since she was the only one who could play blind without looking like a joke, he was stuck. He fired her at one point, only to later rehire her. One of the all time favorite films of both Kubrick and Tarkovsky; either I got someone real interested or turned them off on this film completely. Apparently, Woody Allen modeled that last scene of Manhattan on this film's final scene. A comedy classic that's on both AFI Top 100 lists.

The exact same thing can be said of Modern Times. Featuring Chaplin's first bit of sound speech, even if it is gibberish. This time, the Little Tramp tries to work in automated factories, and the hilarity results. Sounds like a cliche, but for those who have seen it know this is just bad writing on my part. Granted, it does have a heavier political hand then any of Chaplin's previous films. But when it results in a funny scene such as when the Tramp accidentally leads a Communist parade, it's easily taken. And sorry, no matter how dirty her face was made, Paulette Goddard is still the most beautiful homeless person that has ever been. Since I've done Modern Times a few years ago, my emphasis is on City Lights. Especially since I didn't catch it at the Forum at the end of 07. Caught 4 other films instead. Now granted, I was thrilled to catch All That Jazz, and Juno was ok, but just ok. But the Walk Hard/ Charlie Wilson's War double feature I did (pay for the first, sneak into the later afterwards) over City Lights? Not the best choice I ever made. So let me know.

BREATHLESS (1959)- Fri May 2 and Sat May 3 at 4:40, 6:30, 8:20 and 10:10, plus Sat May 3 at 2:50- 8:20 SHOW ON FRIDAY INTRODUCED BY FRENCH DESIGNER AGNÈS B.- Film Forum- The official beginning of the Jean-Luc Goddard retrospective, and probably the only film from here that I'll put on the list. Since I started out with catching American films on my own and took a class or two of (mostly) American films long before I caught a nice share of foreign language pics, this was has fallen through the cracks. Have seen portions of it, but never from start to finsh. Sorry that I'm more familiar with the lousy Richard Gere remake. I'm sorry, there was a hot naked chick in it.

Written by Goddard from a screen story from Francois Truffaut. It was incomplete when filming began; some scenes were written in the morning to be shot later in the day. Jean-Paul Belmondo plays a cool car thief who shoots a policeman, attracts Jean Seberg to run away to Italy, where coolness prevails until the law catches up. Belmondo would play a similar type of cool criminal in Le Doulos; while the gorgeous Seberg was made an It girl forever, for better and for worse in her short life. Is credited for introducing the jump cut, based on editing advice given to Goddard by Jean-Pierre Melville (Le Doulos, Army of Shadows). Instead of cutting out scenes that slowed down the action, Goddard cut out shots in most scenes that slowed things down. A classic I'd like to catch.

Designer Agnes B., whose career was launched in part by copying Seberg's look in Breathless, will introduce the 8:20 screening on Fri May 2. If you want to try for this one, some early planning must be done.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?- Sat May 3 at 10 for 8 dollars- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- 260 W. 23rd- 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 on 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.

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY- Sun May 4 and Tues May 6 at 7:50 and 10- Film Forum- Part of the United Artists Back By Popular Demand retrospective. A good British drama from 1971 that's unknown here these days, unless you stumbled on it either on PBS or TCM. Forgotten in part because it wasn't A Clockwork Orange or The French Connection, and maybe because it wasn't American like The Last Picture Show. A quiet film that John Schlesinger choose to cash in his Golden Ticket (so to speak) for, after the success of Midnight Cowboy.

Glenda Jackson and Peter Finch (Howard Beale from Network) fall in love with the same man (Murray Head; best known for stage work and one hit wonder 80s song, One Night in Bangkok). Unfortunately for them, the guy is self-centered to the point of not caring about the emotional damage he leaves behind. A simple story, well told. 4 Oscar nominations: Best Actor for Finch, Actress for Jackson, Director for Schlesinger and Original screenplay. You probably have never heard of it, but you should check it out, if not here, at least on Netflix.

PUTTING LOONEY IN THE TOONS- Monday May 5 at 7:30 for 5 dollars- The Academy Theater at Lighthouse International- I've always been semi-serious to people when I told them that I think Bugs Bunny is the best American actor. He could do anything. Sing, dance, do comedy, action, sports and even pull off drag better than most queens. I make this comment partly in tongue in cheek mocking of some current actors, and partly in embracing childhood memories. But I know full well the character is not only great because of the work of Mel Blanc, but also of writers and directors like Chuck Jones, Tex Avery and Michael Maltese. A number of these cartoons that are Oscar winners or just nominated will screened for only 5 dollars. Call 1-888-778-7575 for ticket reservations, otherwise it will be a pain in the ass to get in. Doors open at 7 p.m. All seating is unreserved.

For the rest of the info, I'll cut and paste from the Oscars website:

Academy Award®-winning animator John Canemaker (The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation, 2005) will host this double centennial tribute to Tex Avery and Michael Maltese, which returns to the big screen some of the short cartoons the pioneering pair worked on together as well as selected highlights from their prolific individual careers in animated films. Avery and Maltese, both born a century ago in early 1908, crossed paths at the Warner Bros. animation studio back when it was Leon Schlesinger Productions (now affectionately referred to as “Termite Terrace”). Among their collaborations and individual career achievements are many of the wackiest moments (animation or live action) ever devised for the film medium. Avery’s directorial approach to animation was to celebrate the medium’s unique energy and limitless possibilities at a time when Disney animation was striving for increased pictorial realism. Maltese, who wrote dozens of animated shorts over the course of his career, was perfectly suited to incorporating Avery’s madcap style into the evolving stable of Warner Bros. characters, which included Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd.

The evening will include screenings of such Avery and Maltese classics as Porky’s Duck Hunt (1937), Heckling Hare (1941), Oscar winner For Scent-imental Reasons (1949) and What’s Opera, Doc? (1957).

BLUE VELVET- Fri May 9 and Sat May 10 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- Once again, I put up the David Lynch film that resurrected his career and Kyle McLaughlin's after Dune flopped. In my own top 5. Will anyone be talked into this? We'll see.

ALL ABOUT EVE- Thurs May 15 at 7 and 9:30 for 6.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- The acclaimed bitch fest starring Bette Davis that beat Sunset Blvd. for Best Picture. Try to pick between those two films; almost like which flavor satire you prefer, acidic with visual style, or acidic with verbal flair. If you've never seen it on the big screen, you can now at a reduced price. Sat is tentative for me at the moment.6 Oscars. Most nominations in Oscar history, Titanic could only tie it. An AFI Top 100 film and in my personal top 30. But unless you prefer a different film with more blood and guts and less intellect, then there's always . . .

FIRST BLOOD- Thurs May 15 at 7:30- Regal E-Walk 13 on 42nd st, Regal Union Square 14, Regal Kaufman Astoria 14, Chelsea Clearview Cinema 1st & 62nd and Chelsea Clearview on 260 West 23rd- A digital screening of the Stallone film. Less bloody then the awful fun (figuratively and literally) of Rambo, here's the one that started the series. There was no intention to create a series, it was a minor miracle that they could cut the film down to make it watchable. And a major miracle that it came out of nowhere to be a big hit of the fall of 82. Maybe the combination of Stallone with a machine gun, the fact that it was just E.T. and fill-in-the-blank in playing in theaters at the time, and the story of an unappreciated Vietnam vet doing a variation of Travis Bickle and Charles Bronson, hit the cultural zeitgeist at just the right time.

The story: Rambo comes into town up North, just passing through. Sheriff Brian Dennehy arrests him when not necessary. Behind their boss's back, his redneck-ish deputies torture him (pulling out the whip?!?!?), Rambo goes nuts and gives payback to the town, while Richard Crenna shows up with monologues about how tough Rambo is and how much dead meat the town will be. Ending with Stallone giving the most incomprehensible monologue known to man. Kenny speaks clearer on South Park!!! Just check your brain at the door and have fun.

For the rest of what the evening has in store, I'll quote from the Event website:

"Following the film, see the alternate ending (where Rambo dies!) for the first time ever in theatres. Plus - this one night event will include an exclusive, never-before-seen interview with Sylvester Stallone on First Blood, the new film Rambo and the iconic Rambo series."

Emphasis on Chaplin, the Brit drama, the cartoons, and something on the 15th. Anything else is a bonus, but you must move fast and reserve for the cartoons. Later all.

April revivals: second half

Mike here with what to catch in the second half of April. Won't waste time, so let's go:



THE SPY WHO LOVED ME- Tues April 22 and Thurs April 24 at 8- at the Ziegfeld for 8 dollars- W. 54th and 6th Ave.- I think this is a digital screening of the flick, but DON'T QUOTE ME because I could be wrong. I've done this before, but I'm open to doing this again, especially on this screen.

This is what a summer blockbuster should be; Pirates of the Caribbean and Spider-Man 3 are embarrassing next to this. Arguably, the best of the Roger Moore Bond films. A lot of fun without insulting your intelligence, unless you're an annoying Connery/Craig purist. Definitely the best of the 70s Bond films, though it admittedly doesn't have a lot of competition. One of the better stories, Moore's best Bond performance, great Egypt and Canada/Switzerland locations shots, a standout opening stunt title credit sequence and song, and one of the better Bond villains in Jaws (you know, the one with the metal teeth). Would have been the big hit of 1977, if that art house film Star Wars hadn't come out.

Oscar nominations for Marvin Hamlisch's score, song (Nobody Does It Better) and the opulent Art Direction/ Set Decoration. But if you're a Connery/Craig purist, you hate this film with a passion, so I'll move on. I wish you gave it a chance, but I move on.


MIDNIGHT COWBOY- Wed April 23- Tues April 29 at 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:50 and 10- Film Forum- 209 Houston St.- Part of the United Artists retrospective. A new 35mm print. It played earlier, but now gets a one week run where it will be the only film playing on one of the Forum's 3 screens. The only X rated film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, as well winning for Director John Schlesinger and Screenwriter Waldo Salt. Depicting the relationship between hayseed male prostitute Jon Voight and sickly slickster Dustin Hoffman. On both AFI Top 100 lists. Chances are, if you're looking at this post, you know the film. But there's also a good chance you haven't seen this film, except for maybe Hoffman's "I'M WALKING HERE!!!" clip. Now would be a good time to change this.


THE MARK OF ZORRO (1920) and/or TOM JONES- Thurs April 24 at 7:45 (Zorro) and 9:40 (Tom Jones)- Film Forum- Part of the United Artists retrospective. A double feature for one admission. I don't have to catch both. I'd like to, but it's not a priority.

First, The Mark of Zorro. One of UA's early hits from the silent era. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. stars in one of the more popular versions of the story. Tyrone Power is probably the best remembered Zorro, except for idiots who can only think of Antonio Banderas's versions. That might be harsh, but let's not put Antonio's big budget, heavily edited version, with the more athletic Fairbanks Jr. version. With live piano accompaniment, as opposed to some canned synthesized music for "modern audiences".

Followed by Tom Jones. The Forum refers to this romantic farce as Barry Lyndon with laughs. Never seen this, so I couldn't tell you. But now is as good a time as any to catch up. I do know this is what made Albert Finney an international star forever. For those who just think of him as some older, overweight actor in small roles from The Bourne Supremacy to Before The Devil Knows You're Dead., here's the chance to see him young and vibrant.

11 Oscar nominations, including Finney for Best Actor. He lost to some guy named Poitier for Lilies Of The Field. Winner of 4 Oscars, including Picture and Director for Tony Richardson, and Screenplay Adaptation for John Osbourne. Not a great year for film 1963, considering the other films included Cleopatra, How The West Was Won, Bye Bye Birdie and Come Blow Your Horn. Ok, Hud , 8 1/2 Charade, The Birds, Dr. No and The Great Escape salvage the year. Anyway, let me say, catch this film.

Note: Yes, I know Dr. No is mostly considered a 1962 film, but since it wasn't released in New York until 63, tough titties. The next film is generally considered a 1963 film, but since it didn't come out in the U.S. until 1964, again, tough titties.


FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE- Fri April 25 at 8, Sat April 26 at 2 and Sun April 27 at 5- at the Ziegfeld for 8 dollars- In my opinion, the Best Connery Bond. Yes, even over Goldfinger. Has the best fight scene, between Connery and Robert Shaw. If you know Bond, you know how good this is. Nuff said.


ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE- Sat April 26 at 5- at the Ziegfeld for 8 dollars- For me, the best Bond film. Not necessarily the best Bond in George Lazenby, though I thought he was the best, physically and fight-wise. I've done this one before, so if someone really wants to do it, they'll have to let me know ASAP.


DR. NO- Fri April 25-Thurs May 1- at the Ziegfeld for 8 dollars- Caught already and not going again. Hasn't aged well in and at times, moves like molasses. Luckily, Connery's characterization, the theme, some action/fight scenes, and Ursula Andress rising from the ocean in a swimsuit makes this worth catching. It also makes this the weakest of all the films on this list, and not by a little bit. But if you have the time, go.


THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN- Tues April 29 at 7 and 9:30- Film Forum- A new 35mm print. Well made remake of Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai. Yul Brynner leads the group of hired guns, defending the poor Mexican village from despicable Eli Wallach and his evil henchmen. Served as a kind of template for future spaghetti Westerns. Also served as a springboard for the film careers of several of the 7: James Coburn, Charles Bronsan, Robert Vaughn, and . . . oh yeah, Steve McQueen. Also with one of the best film scores of all time from composer Elmer Bernstein(no exaggeration). From the director of The Great Escape. If you've caught up with Steve McQueen with both that and Thomas Crown, you might as well complete the journey for this retrospective.


THE LONG GOODBYE and/or THIEVES LIKE US- Wed April 30 at 5:25 (Thieves), 7:35 (Long Goodbye, with a pre-film intro by Jim Bouton) and/or 9:40 (Thieves)- Film Forum- An Altman double feature. First, The Long Goodbye. Some of you have done with me before, so I won't push too hard. If you haven't seen it, catch it. Imagine Phillip Marlowe, now in the swinging, more violent, early-1970s, while he still seems to carry the values and ideals of a Bogart-esque era. Now, instead of having Bogart as your private eye, you have Elliott Gould. Altman felt Gould was perfect for it. He said (I got this from the Forum website):

“Everyone said Elliott’s not Philip Marlowe and I wasn’t being true to Chandler, but what they were really saying was that Elliott Gould wasn’t Humphrey Bogart. I believe we were closer to Chandler’s character than any of the other renditions.”

That apparently was the feeling back in 73, because the film was a box office flop. Their loss, your gain if you go see it. Jim Bouton, the ex-Yankees pitcher who plays Marlowe's friend will introduce the screening. The only thing I'll add is this quote I previously wrote from the Forum's email system. From Terrence Rafferty of the New York Times: “Watching The Long Goodbye in 1973, you could feel Philip Marlowe dancing on his own grave. Watching it now, you can see Robert Altman dancing with him.”

Followed by Thieves Like Us, an Altman film from 1974. Unfortunately, this was also a flop. An adaptation of Edward Anderson's novel. While it might be considered a more faithful adaptation than the Nicolas Ray film They Live By Night, most of us have never read it. This film feels like a more realistic version of Bonnie and Clyde. 3 bank robbers elude the law. One of them falls in love with a girl. But instead of the sexiness of a Warren Beatty-Faye Dunaway couple, we have a more realistic Keith Carradine-Shelley Duvall pairing. You feel for them, but you know in this time period it won't work out. Lots of Mississippi locations and superior art direction and costume design help with the authentic feel. Catch this, though if it's inconvenient now, it plays for a week in May at the Forum.

I'm also leaving out Sunday Bloody Sunday at the Forum, because it will play later on at more convenient times in May. Otherwise let me know. I lean toward Tom Jones, the western and the Altman double feature, but anything else is a bonus. And I must know if there's any interest in Her Majesty's ASAP. Later all.

April revivals: first half

Mike here with what to catch for the first half of April. Sorry for being a little late, spent a little time working background on the new Tony Gilroy film, Duplicity. A film shoot where earlier in the week, lead Julia Roberts mocked someone for watching cartoons. According to Ms. Roberts, any grown man who watches animation is absurd. So apparently any male over 21 who watches animation, whether it's Tom and Jerry, or South Park, or Family Guy, or something from Pixar, or something like Persepolis. She didn't specify and I don't need her to. The attitude gives me a clear enough picture. But that doesn't make her a bad person. Anyone on Duplicity who came up with idea of having hundreds of people work while deprived of access of food (and at one point, water except from the bathroom sink) for over seven hours, those people are far worse. Oh, we could try to get something from the overpriced snack machine, as long as they were the first 50 people on line. Or we go to the tent area on 36th st. That is, if you managed to dodge traffic, stick your hand in the cooler and hope it's just soda, or fight the ravenous mob of people, desperate for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Wow, this experience just sucked.

At least Paul Giamatti was professional with his mini monologue/speech. He never flubbed his lines, had his character well set, with some takes lasting several minutes at a time (with massive coverage for editing purposes.). And when a frustrated female extra (who babbled behind me earlier on about how she screwed up taking off from her babysitting gig for this job, which paid about 80 percent less) yelled during a take "WE HAVEN'T EATEN ALL DAY!!!", Giamatti just took a beat, and resumed as though nothing happened. It felt like if it wasn't for him, we would be shooting through midnight. Part of me knows that's not true; but as I was desperately filling the empty cavern I was calling my stomach with a patty melt from a nearby greasy spoon, it was hard to believe at times. Thank goodness I knew some people at this gig. Best to share the misery I always say.

Anyway, I'm done ranting. Here we go with the list:



DR. NO and GOLDFINGER- Sat April 5 at 5:15 (Goldfinger), 7:25 (Dr No) and 9:30 (Goldfinger)- Film Forum- A new 35mm print for both. Yes, both films will be playing at the Ziegfeld later this month. But either you want to spend 8 dollars for each film separately, or pay 11 dollars to see both. I leave that decision to you, I'll just post.

First, Dr. No. The first of the Bond films (No I'm not counting the Barry Nelson version done for TV, Bart. Shut up about it already!) with Sean Connery. Featuring the Theme, and Ursula Andress, rising from the sea like a goddess. Luckily, there will be no sing-a-long after each screening of Dr. No. I'd hate to imagine how stupid that would be.

Next is Goldfinger. Arguably one of the best Bonds, though that argument won't be made by me after seeing this and From Russia With Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service on the big screen. The cheese factor is notably higher then in the previous installments; as Sean Connery battles the title character, Odd Job, a castrating laser, and in his own way, Pussy Galore. But it's still a lot of fun. Following the 2 listed evening performances on each day, there will be a Goldfinger sing-a-long. It not only shows the god awful song writing, but makes us think what kind of a miracle worker Shirley Bassey is, by turning this chicken shit song into chicken salad.


THE GREAT ESCAPE- Tues April 8 at 7:20- Film Forum- A new 35mm print. A well-crafted mix of fact and just enough Hollywood (it lays that right out for you in the beginning) to create a rousing adventure-thriller. Depicting the true story of the mass escape of Allied POWs from a German stalag during WW2. Big cast includes James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Coburn and Charles Bronson. Oscar nominated editing was well deserved.

In retrospect, all of this has been pushed aside by the presence of Steve McQueen. With this picture, you can literally pinpoint the moments where McQueen goes from leading man, to American Movie Star, to International Film Icon, all in the course of 2 hrs, 57 min. It's a long night, but if you're for it, please say yes.


MIDNIGHT COWBOY- Wed April 9 at 7:30 and 9:40- Film Forum- Part of the United Artists retrospective. A film that show the seedy side of NYC circa late 1960s. Flower power didn't seem to extend here. The only X rated film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, as well winning for Director John Schlesinger and Screenwriter Waldo Salt. Depicting the relationship between hayseed male prostitute Jon Voight and sickly slickster Dustin Hoffman. On both AFI Top 100 lists. Chances are, if you're looking at this post, you know the film. But there's also a good chance you haven't seen this film, except for maybe Hoffman's "I'M WALKING HERE!!!" clip. Now would be a good time to change this.


ANNIE HALL and WHERE'S POPPA?- Thurs April 10 and Fri April 11 (Friday tentative on my end) at 6:15 (Poppa), 7:50 (Annie), and 9:40 (Poppa)- Film Forum- Both films part of the United Artists retrospective. First, Annie Hall. Not going too much into this. Blah blah, Woody Allen's best film right along with Manhattan. Blah blah, on both AFI Top 100 lists and in my own personal top 100. Blah Blah, Multiple Oscar winner including Best Picture. Blah blah, Diane Keaton becomes movie icon and feminist icon of all time. Blah blah, the Annie Hall character was to women then as Juno is to young women right now. Blah blah, one of the best romantic comedies ever made, despite the dramatic/sad tinges to it. Blah blah, just see it, all right.

Next is Where's Poppa, from director Carl Reiner. A film that could only have been made in the 1970s. Well, let me rephrase that. The idea of an adult trying to take care of their senile and/or elderly parent has been covered before, most recently in The Savages. But the black comic depths could not be done today. George Segal plays a failing lawyer, going nuts over taking care of his senile old bat of a mother, played by Ruth Gordon. He finally gets help from a nurse, who turns out to be his dream girl. But wait till Momma does things her way. Ron Liebman, Barnard Hughes, Vincent Gardenia and Paul Sorvino are among the cast of this cult film. I don't know which ending this screening will have. Those with the laser disc know exactly what I mean. Anyway, let's make time for both films please.


THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY- Sat April 12 at 1 and 8:30- Film Forum- Part of the United Artists retrospective. 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 re-dub 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 few years ago, but I need no excuse to go back. A favorite of mine.


PINK FLOYD: THE WALL- Sat April 12 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- A film from United Artists, after it was sold and became part of MGM. That's the only connection this has with the other films on this list. You can't get much more bizarre than this collaboration of Alan Parker's visual style and Roger Waters' music. Among the last of the midnight movies to make any kind of impact. Waters hated this film so much, he bad mouthed it every chance he had. I don't think Parker can say Roger's name without some form of bile buildup. Amazing visual sequences, not just in the famous We Don't Need No Education scene. The film is barely coherent from the start, and makes less sense as it goes along. But good music and visuals go a long way with me.

NIGHT OF THE HUNTER- Mon April 14 at 9:30- Film Forum- Part of the United Artists retrospective. One of the better film noirs. Robert Mitchum's best performance as a corrupt preacher willing to kill, as he marries widow Shelley Winters to force her kids to tell him where their late father hid money from a robbery. Any comparisons to Blue Velvet or Twin Peaks, where evil creeps into little America is understandable. It's easy to think of film villains like Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter and Gollum, or get caught up in a newer one, like Capitán Vidal from Pan's Labyrinth. It's sometimes easy to forget the older villains. I find Mitchum's preacher more insidious than his later turn in the original Cape Fear.

When I watched Do The Right Thing when it first played in theaters, I admired the Radio Raheem monologue about Love and Hate on his hands. Didn't realize it was stolen from Mitchum's character here. The moral: keep watching good films. And also, if we keep giving Spike Lee less credit, the world will be a happier place to live in.

Initial reaction from 1955 audiences made this film a huge bust. It prompted first-time director/ acting legend Charles Laughton to never direct again. A cult classic today and maybe even more than that. Selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 1992. if you haven't seen it, let's do it.


TOPKAPI and/or THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968)- Thurs April 17 at 7:05 (Topkapi) and 9:20 (Crown)- Film Forum- 2 heist films that are part of the United Artists retrospective. First Topkapi, from the recently deceased Jules Dassin. Raffi may his best film, and probably the best heist film ever made, but this comedy/thriller deserves some love. A small timer (and possible idiot), played by Peter Ustinov spies on a group of jewel thieves (Melina Mercouri, Maximillian Schell and Robert Morley, among others) involved in a caper in Istanbul. The complications rise, the police apply more pressure, and this little idiot actually thinks he's controlling the situation. Featuring a heist scene that De Palma would expertly copy (I mean do a homage to) in the original Mission: Impossible. In fact this film inspired the original series. Great location shooting, and an Oscar for Ustinov for Supporting Actor.

Next, the original Thomas Crown Affair. The Pierce Brosnan remake is ok, but nothing matches the original. A new 35mm print for Thomas Crown. Steve McQueen plays the title role, and is in ultra-cool mode. He's a bored multi-millionaire who gets his kicks from planning bank robberies. But he might meet his match in high class private eye Faye Dunaway. The rest of the film becomes a cat and mouse game between them.

I enjoy Norman Jewison's film very much. But I'll admit to some dated moments here, though thanks to 24, the multiple pictures in picture isn't one of them anymore. Has a very 60s feel to it, especially in the Oscar nominated score, the Oscar winning "The Windmills of your Mind", and the ending.

The leads help this endure. McQueen may not be the prototype for the polo playing 60s-esque Master of the Universe. But he's Steve McQueen, so he's cool. And Faye Dunway gets to be stylish, sexy, and smart as whip. Mix the 2 together in that chess seduction scene, and it becomes unforgettable. I'm confident that if you're reading this, you probably haven't seen this. And I'm just as confident you'll enjoy it.


Emphasis on the McQueen films and the Annie Hall/Where's Poppa double feature. Anything else is a bonus. Let me know. Later all.

March revivals: second half

Mike here with what to catch for the rest of March. Small list, because of the small number of flicks. Have been enjoying some of the films at the Ziegfeld. I enjoyed West Side Story, but I expected to. What I didn't expect to catch was The Sound of Music. But I did, and enjoyed it. There's just some cheesiness that can't be overcome, but this was the first time I got to understand the cinematic scope of this picture. Additional kudos to Robert Wise. South Pacific may have better songs, Oklahoma may have a standout dance sequence, but Wise's camera and editing work, combined with Julie Andrews' iconic performance, is why Sound of Music is among the classics, and why the other Rodgers and Hammerstein movie musicals won't be.

I believe there was a Robert Wise retrospective done by the Forum a few years back. But for Wise's films from West Side Story through Star Trek The Motion Picture, I think the Walter Reade at Lincoln Center is the only revival house who can do them justice. That still doesn't make me want to run to see Star (Julie Andrews as Gertrude Lawrence?), but I don't see the Forum or any other screening room pulling them off well. And now when I talk to some about great film musicals, I can no longer leap from 1964 (My Fair Lady and A Hard Day's Night) to 1972 (Cabaret). I have to acknowledge Sound of Music in 65. I'm still not doing the same for "Oliver!". Not at this time anyway.

Anyway, back to the list. Here we go:



JAWS- Thurs Mar 27 at 8- at the Ziegfeld for 8 dollars- I mentioned this in the last post, so I won't repeat myself except in one respect. A reminder for those who haven't seen it that this is the last night. If you've never seen it, this is the time and place to go. Seeing this on TV isn't the same, people.


PLANET OF THE APES- Fri Mar 28, Sat Mar 29, and Tues Apr 1- Thurs Apr 3 at 2, 5 and 8- at the Ziegfeld for 8 dollars- A new 35mm print for the 40th anniversary. For those of you who lived and where consciously aware in New York at least through the mid 80s, have a memory of Ch. 7's The 4:30 Movie, with that theme and those graphics that were fun but a little dated by 1978. When they did Planet of the Apes week, I was there BA-BY! The first film chopped into 2 edited parts, followed by 3 of the sequels. Now I'm not asking you to see the sequels, and God knows I don't want to get near the Tim Burton remake. I'm just pushing the original. A hit in its day, that a surprising number of critics ripped apart back then. Many of them had to do mea culpas weeks and years after.

3 astronauts land in a strange place, filled with talking apes, and human slaves who are mute. 3 astronauts go down to one. The one being Charlton Heston, who, after going through many trials, begins to kick ass. Until the ending, the kind that makes M. Night seem like a weakling. There, the story told in a nutshell.

Basically, its an enjoyable action/sci-fi/drama with satirical moments. A number of screenwriters contributed to this adaptation to Pierre Boulle's novel, including Rod Serling and Michael Wilson, who previously adapted Boulle's The Bridge on the River Kwai. Wilson is credited with the tribunal scene that was a cross between the Scopes Monkey trial and a Communist witch hunt hearing, the kind that had Wilson blacklisted for years. Serling is credited with the ending, one that Boulle apparently preferred to his own.

With the most unique hero in film in Heston's Taylor. A man with no hope, no faith, and a complete asshole. And yet, he becomes more naive and more hopeful as the film goes on, while still being an asshole. And he still kicks ass. Not like in the second film, when he blows up the entire planet, but close.

Of course this doesn't work unless you buy the monkey makeup, which didn't work if the cast didn't take fellow cast mate Roddy McDowall's suggestion to add the occasional tic, blink and anything else they could think of, to not rely on just the mask to show character. 2 Oscar nominations, and a special Oscar for the makeup. Granted, this was a year when the ape makeup work for 2001 went completely ignored. I guess because the Academy believed everyone in the Dawn of Man sequences were really apes. Anyway, a fun time for all of us who catch it.


A BOY AND HIS DOG- Fri Mar 28 and Sat Mar 29 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- E. Houston bet. 1st and 2nd Ave.- Here's a fun, god awful piece of crap, midnight movie for you all. A 1975 cult flick set in the U.S., sometime after World War 4. Don Johnson, practically a baby back then, tries to survive in this world with his genius dog, who he either has a telepathic link with or talks to or I don't remember what crap they came up with. Then he meets a hot chick and then end up in some underground world where the old ways are maintained, and all the adults are wearing blush. Jason Robards plays the film in a dead drunk. Years afterward, when he was sober and was working with Johnson on a TV remake of The Long Hot Summer, he was surprised to learn he worked with Don before. And then stunned to see this film, where he looked like a cross between a geisha and the farmer from the American Gothic painting.


THE KILLING- Sun Mar 30 at 6 and Mon Mar 31 at 10:30- Film Forum- Part of a retrospective of the best films ever made and/or distributed by United Artists. Before Tarantino was making crime films that twisted the timeline back and forth, Stanley Kubrick made this film noir very early in his career. A film that made his reputation forever more. Kubrick adapted the novel "Clean Break", with additional dialogue from pulp author Jim Thompson. Sterling Hayden is the leader of a group robbing a race track. Of course, things go wrong, with a memorable ending. Among the standout performances, take note of Elisha Cook Jr. as Sap Incarnate, and Marie Windsor as his scheming wife.

United Artists had no faith in The Killing, and threw it out there as part of a B movie double feature. But critics took notice, and so did Kirk Douglas, who desperately needed a director for Paths of Glory. A classic of the genre. The Killing is playing as part of a double feature with Paths of Glory, and if you have time for both, go for it. You'll be in film buff nirvana. But I've done Paths of Glory fairly recently, so I'm not running to that one. But it's been about 8 years since I caught The Killing, and I'd like to catch this again. And don't worry, its only 84 minutes long.


That's it for now. I expect the next list to be somewhat heavy in the Forum's UA retrospective. Must know fast if Jaws is doable. Later all.

P.S.: Found two links on You Tube that might amuse that relate. You'll probably have to cut and paste the links in order to see them. First, the 4:30 movie theme and logo that introduced and ended each airing. If there was a way to have it be what played into anyone looking into my Facebook account, I'd love it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=icI8D3lIMiQ&feature=related

Second, I stumbled on this one. The CBS Friday Night Movie, introducing Planet of the Apes in what would be it's last prime time airing back in 1976. Interesting introduction, gets one interested by concentrating mostly on one scene from the movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOnnGegq3vQ

March revivals: Ziegfeld update

Mike here with a need to update the list. The Ziegfeld finally came out with their classics screenings list and I'm a little disappointed. Only 2 weeks scheduled, and most of them a repeat from the last time they did this back in September/October of 2006. I heard rumors of digital screenings of some Bond films and a 40th anniversary screening of Planet of the Apes, but they haven't been scheduled at this time, if they're going to be scheduled at all. But since those of you looking at this probably didn't see it back then, it's new to you.

Also have to mention a correction on the price. They raised the price from 7.50 to 8 dollars. Not as cheap as it used to be, but still affordable compared to current lousy movies at full price. So here we go:

WEST SIDE STORY- Sat Mar 15 at 4:30, Sun Mar 16 and Wed Mar 19 at 8:15, and Thurs Mar 20 at 4:30 (Weekdays and weeknights tentative on the Ziegfeld's end)

GREASE SING-A-LONG- Fri Mar 14 at 8:15 and Sat Mar 15 at 2

THE SOUND OF MUSIC- Sat Mar 15 at 8, Sun Mar 16 at 1 and Tues Mar 18 and Thurs Mar 20(those last 2 dates tentative at the theater's end) at 8:15

Separate admission for each film I'm afraid. But if they get the sense that you're hear for the duration, they might let you pay for your seats without stepping outside, or at least let you leave your stuff while one of your party gets tickets for all. This happened with some friends a couple of years ago when the Indiana Jones films were all screened in one day. But don't go in thinking this will automatically happen; you're on own and so an I, so assume nothing and hope.

Now I already talked about Grease and Sound of Music on the previous listing, but West Side Story I'll bring up now that I know it will be there. Now if these dates for West Side are a little difficult, note that the Film Forum will screen this on Sat April 12. But note that the Forum will do one screening only, and their screen and sound system are not superior than the Ziegfeld's in any way (though the Forum seats are a little more comfortable).

Now as for 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. And if you can only choose between Grease, West Side Story or Sound of Music, I say West Side with no hesitation.

And next is what they bill as Steven Spielberg week. I'll list all three. But I'm being dutiful in case one of you yells about what must be seen. But I'm only pushing one, the last one:

BACK TO THE FUTURE- Fri Mar 21 at 5, Sat Mar 22 at 2 and Wed Mar 26 at 8

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (2001 Edition)- Fri Mar 21 at 8, Sat Mar 22 at 5 and Tues Mar 25 at 8

JAWS- Sat March 23, Mon March 24 and Thurs March 27 at 8

Like I said, Jaws is the one I'm pushing the most on this list. Like West Side Story, on both AFI Top 100 lists. But this is higher up for me. More like in my personal Top 35 as opposed to just one of one hundred. Don't underestimate the quality of this Spielberg film on the big screen, and on the Ziegfeld's 70mm screen? Forget about it. It's not just another fish film, Ed. 3 Oscars including John Williams's memorable score, and a nomination for Best Picture (along with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Barry Lyndon, Dog Day Afternoon and Nashville; not shabby.)


And I must correct myself on my top 10 from a couple of posts back. Specifically with I'm Not There and the possible helpfulness of having a sixth actor playing Dylan. Now I left out Heath Ledger on purpose, since I was trying not to write an epic tome. But I completely forget Ben Whishaw who was the sixth Dylan. Ok, Richard Gere was in the film, but for our purposes, Ben is. The funny thing is, despite an extreme lack of screen time, I liked Ben more than I did Richard, go figure. Anyway, correction made, and the Ziegfeld listing has been updated. Let me know. Later all.