November revivals: Thanksgiving weekend

Hey all. Mike here with what to catch this Thanksgiving weekend, and a few days after that. I didn't plan for most of this list's selections to come from IFC Center, but that's what's happened. This is also the latest I can go before posting. 2 days after I posted the last list, an AMC theater in Fresh Meadows posted an ad in the News and the Post for a revival screening of It's A Mad Mad Mad World for Sunday November 22 at 1. But this was the only way most people heard about, since it wasn't on AMC's website, and there were no earlier announcements anywhere. An ad in the paper, what is this, 1960 or 1970something? Maybe I could have gone, maybe I could have posted it, but if not given the chance . . . Oh well. I like the intentions, but if they don't draw anyone, I don't feel sorry for them. Anyway, here we go with this list:

M. HULOT'S HOLIDAY- Wed Nov 25, Sat Nov 28, and Tues Dec 1 - Thurs Dec 3 at 8:20 and 10:10- Film Forum- A restored 35mm print of the classic French comedy classic I brought up on the last post. I won't go into it again now, I still haven't seen it, and I'd like to catch this. Therefore, I'm re posting it.

SMALL CHANGE- Wed Nov 25, and Tues Dec 1 at 7:05 and 9:30, and Sat Nov 28 at 9:30- IFC Center- A new print of Francois Truffaut's 1976 hit. Episodic in nature, so don't go in thinking you'll get a linear plot here. Consider this as a slice of life over the course of a few summer months, following the lives of some of the kids, mostly of elementary school age. Not only are the kids the focus, the story is interrupted as though we're looking at this as a kid, at about the time just before they make the change to more adult ideas and decisions. Meaning little things take on greater importance. If something goes on that the kids don't understand, like first love or child abuse, and if one of the adults can't explain it clearly, then it will go misunderstood, or the kids will just move on. Might be frustrating for the audience, but stick with it.

Not the highest praised of Truffaut's canon, but much beloved to those who know it. Runs for one week only, I've listed the days and time I'm most likely available.


THE SHINING- Wed Nov 25 and Fri Nov 27 at 11:50 pm- IFC Center- Yet another chance to catch this Kubrick-Nicholson film. If you can't catch this Thanksgiving weekend, it will play again sometime soon. It's been popular for this theater so far in 2009, so I'm sure they'll continue with other, mostly unannounced midnight screenings for the foreseeable future. Also playing around the Midnight time at the IFC Center is . . . .


BRAZIL- Wed Nov 25 - Fri Nov 27 at 12:05AM- IFC Center- The last of the Monty Python retrospective. A little surprised that it hasn't run a little longer. I guess either the IFC Center couldn't find a good print of Time Bandits, or didn't think Time Bandits was good enough, or that Time Bandits could draw. Won't bother to go into the other stuff from Python people that might be too obscure (like Clockwise or A Private Function: look them up on IMDB on your own time.).

A commercial failure back in 1985-86, for reasons widely published that I won't bother getting into now, one of my favorites from the 1980s. Unfortunately, as the years go by, the world (major cities, anyway) seems to take a step at a time toward becoming the world depicted in Brazil. A funny version of Orwell's 1984, but with all the horrific implications to those who cross the Big Brotheresque government, though this government is more concerned with paperwork than surveillance. You can also be an innocent bystander to get screwed, like the poor man in the beginning of Brazil, that eventually leads us to our day dreaming hero, played by Jonathan Pryce.

If you've never seen this on the big screen, man it's so different. This is no tv skit film, this is a full blown cinematic experience. With an art direction (the look, people) that, along with Blade Runner and Batman, set the standard for large decaying Gothams. And I haven't even gotten into the cast; whether its actors we know, like de Niro, Michael Palin, Ian Holm and Katharine Helmond, or those we Americans weren't very familiar with back then, like Bob Hoskins and Jim Broadbent. Oscar nominations for its Screenplay and its Art Direction. If you can stay up this Thanksgiving weekend, let's go for it. If you're really adventurous, we can do it Thanksgiving night. An odd choice, but worthwhile.



Let me know. Happy Thanksgiving all, later.

November revivals for the next few days.

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Mike here with another list, a small one. I don't have time to do a full list for the rest of the month, but if I wait any longer, I'll never get this out in time. Only 2 more films to add, but that will have to wait for a few days from now.

In the meantime, I caught The Red Shoes and I should apologize for just dismissing this as a chick flick or for dancers only. This is also for those who love film. Fantastic looking print, but the story is more about people, willing to sacrifice pieces of humanity and possibly their life to feed an addiction to make art. Well, not just art, but art at the highest quality. This just happens to take place in the ballet world. Interesting to see the most interesting character was the impresario who happens to be a rich cold fish. Also interesting to see the male dancers here smaller than what I'm used to seeing at ABT. Also, I wouldn't call the ballerinas in ABT anorexic, but let's just say the ballerinas in The Red Shoes look like they at least eaten a meal. Ah, different times. Anyway, you still have two days and nights to catch this print at the Forum, and if you haven't by now, I hope you catch it now. So let's go with the list:

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY- Thurs Nov 19 at 7:30- Queens Theater in the Park- The last of AMMI's series of classic films for the fall at Queens Theater in the Park. Take the 7 to the old Shea Stadium stop (I have no idea if there will be a shuttle bus or not) or try to park somewhere near QTITP, the U.S. Open, or the Hall of Science and walk over. And if you do that, you'll see a digital projection of one of my all time favorite films. I've brought this up before, so I won't go into this further.

BATMAN (1989) for free (subject for availability)- Fri Nov 20 at 8- MOMA- Part of a Tim Burton retrospective, and the only one I can catch, and have major desire to catch for that matter. Some I can't get to (Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Big Fish, Corpse Bride), some I've seen enough of on TV and on the original release (Batman Returns, Beetlejuice, Ed Wood), and some I have no desire to pay to catch again (to an extent Sweeney Todd, but I'm really referring to that crappy Planet of the Apes remake). Adding that this screening is for free (tickets given out at about 4PM, first come first served), it would be nice to see this again on the big screen, about 20 years after it became one of the biggest films of its day. It's not Dark Knight or Batman Begins, but it will do.

M. HULOT'S HOLIDAY- Fri Nov 20, Tues Nov 24, Sat Nov 28, and Tues Dec 1 - Thurs Dec 3 at 8:20 and 10:10 (no screenings on Mon)- Film Forum- A restored 35mm print of a classic French comedy, that's getting a 2 week run at the Forum. The first of 4 Monsieur Hulot films that co-writer/director/star Jacques Tati would make. Shot in the style of say, Modern Times, where there's practically no dialogue, but where music and sound effects hold high importance. Also, like Modern Times, comedy is important, and any social commentary is on the sly (ok, so that's a little different than Modern Times, don't complain to me please . . .). The lack of dialogue wasn't an obstacle for the picture to get an Oscar nomination for its Screenplay.

The story itself is simple. M. Hulot, a pipe-smoking klutz, goes off to vacation at a beach resort in August. Now decades before the cult film, Buckaroo Banzai, came out and had one of my favorite movie lines "No matter where you go, there you are.", this film "lived" that line. All different classes stay at this resort, and they all can't lose themselves on vacation. Whether they're snobby rich types, or pompous intellectual types, they can't get out of their own way. And they can't get out of the way of M. Hulot, in whatever sight gag or pratfall happens.

Originally shot in 1952, director Tati did something years before the likes of Spielberg, Ridley Scott and others: reshoot or add stuff for a director's cut. It wasn't referred as that back then of course. But Tati would re-edit in the early 60s while having the score re-orchestrated and adding an additional shot. Then in 1978, he shot new beach footage, and edited it in. This restoration had to restore the spliced-to-hell negative, while repairing the sound. Lot of work for a silent comedy classic. Is it worth it? LEt's go and see.

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

Nov revivals: first half

Mike here with what to catch for the first half of November. A bit of a long list, so I'll try to brief as possible. Here we go:


ON THE WATERFRONT- Wed Nov 4 at 7:40 and 9:50- Film Forum- 3 of the films from the Elia Kazan retrospective were popular enough to warrant their own week long release. On The Waterfront is the first. Since most people I know who don't know any Brando fanatics, didn't catch this last month, here's another chance. Sorry that this is the only date I can catch it.

THEATER OF BLOOD and SCREAM OF FEAR- Wed Nov 4 and Thurs Nov 5 at 8:10 (Scream) and 9:45 (Theater)- Film Forum- A few more days to catch this British horror film double feature. Like I said before, if I only catch Theater of Blood, I'm fine with that. Therefore, I won't re-post what I copied and pasted about Scream of Fear, just the Theater paragraph:

Theater of Blood is a lot of fun. Vincent Price plays a great (self-proclaimed) actor who fakes his suicide to revenge on all the critics who tried to "ruin" his career and deny Jack Hawkins and Robert Morely are among the Shakespearean stage actors playing critics who meet their Shakespearean doom. With Diana Rigg as Price's angry daughter. As you can imagine, it can get hammy and cheesy. And because of the time it was made (released in 1973), perhaps its bloodier than it should be. But trust me, its fun. But I'd like to catch both.

THE RED SHOES- Sun Nov 8, Tues Nov 10- Fri Nov 13 and Sun Nov 15, Wed Nov 11 and Thurs Nov 19 at 7 and 9:35- No screenings on Mon night- Film Forum- Arguably the most important film featuring dance ever made, and supposedly one of the films that inspired Martin Scorsese to become a filmmaker, gets a two week run at the Forum, in a restored 35mm print. The restored version that Scorsese himself this spring at the Cannes Film Festival. To quote him: "There's no question that it's one of the most beautiful color films ever made, and one of the truest to the experience of the artist, the joy and pain of devoting yourself to a life of creation."

The lush colors, and the breezy cinematic manner that directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger tell this story keeps it somewhat timeless. Sorry, you just can't have people riding in trains because they have to, and still be considered completely timeless.

One of the few films to pull off both the ballet on-stage and the work and/or the passion behind it successfully. This is despite having relatively less on-screen staged ballet than what you might remember. There are very few dancers worth a damn who haven't been inspired to join the profession since it's release in 1948. Maybe a little too girly for some of you, but it's a classic, so deal with it and catch it.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT- Fri Nov 6 at Midnight- IFC Center- Part of a series of Monty Python films at Midnight. Never intended for release in their British home, this compilation of best of Python sketches, was suppose to introduce the group to America. Didn't work; not well distributed and perhaps too strange to dive into without any mental or emotional intro. At least their English audience had seen stuff like The Goons, or the members' previous shows, like At Last The 1948 Show, or The Frost Report to at least lay down the groundwork. And considering all we really had was Laugh-In unless you happened to catch Second City on stage, that wasn't enough.

For this film, it also didn't help that their director (according to the recent IFC documentary), tended to dive into drinking by noon, leaving the Python members to shoot on their own, essentially. And also according to the IFC doc., it gave them the impetus to maintain complete control of their work, eventually leading to Holy Grail. But it's gotten a sort of cult following, and with skits like Dead Parrot, Upper Class Twit of the Year, Hell's Grannies, Self-Defense, and so forth, the laughs come easy.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE- Mon Nov 9- Wed Nov 11 at 7 and 9:30- Film Forum- Another Kazan film that apparently did well enough at the Forum last month to get a week long run. You know it, you know Brando, you know Vivian Leigh, you know "STEEEELLLLLAAAAAA-HHH!!!!", so I don't think I need to go further . . .

8 1/2- Thurs Nov 12 at 7:30- Queens Theater in the Park- Part of AMMI's Masterpieces series that they have playing in other venues. Since the museum still isn't ready to reopen, they've been trying different venues. And this fall, they're being screened at Queens Theater in the Park, at Flushing Meadow Park. Digitally projected in their 400 plus theater, here's something for those who don't want to trek into Manhattan. I would have wanted to catch some of their earlier films, like Citizen Kane or Rules of the Game, but 8 1/2 is the first one in the series I have time for.

In time for the release of the upcoming musical remake 9, 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.

SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS- Fri Nov 13, Mon Nov 16 and Wed Nov 18 at 7 and 9:30- Film Forum-The third Kazan film, a romantic drama, to get a week long run. I didn't have time for it last month when it only played one or two days, but I can catch it now.

In the 1920s, Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood play young lovers who might be each others' true love, yet split apart by parents, different social classes and perhaps not enough maturity to overcome them. Not to say the audience is any better then they are; it's how similar we are that drives the film home. Oscar nominations to Wood for Best Actress and for William Inge's Screenplay. Not Kazan's last successful or heavily praised film (that would probably be America, America), but career highs for Kazan, (especially) Wood, Beatty, and all involved.

MONTY PYTHON'S THE MEANING OF LIFE- Fri Nov 13 at Midnight- IFC Center- Part of the Monty Python at Midnight retro that the IFC Center is having. Not the best film the group has ever done, but does have some of their best work. Closer to one of the old episodes in terms of style, than something linear like Life Of Brien. But like I said, some of their best bits are in this picture; like the old people who become pirates to attack big business, giving birth, the large Catholic family that performs "Every Sperm Is Sacred", and organ donation (also the bloodiest scene Python ever put up). And that's not counting the dinner sketch where might be the most disgusting Python skit ever, and I'd be damned if that wasn't funny as well. Like I said, not the best Python film, but still pretty funny and one of the best films of 1983. A biased opinion, since I'm the biggest Python fan I know, but so what?


That's all for now. Heavy interest in the Brit horror films, Red Shoes and Meaning of Life, but anything I can would be good. Let me know. Later, all.

Oct. revivals: second half

Hey, all. Mike here with what to catch for the rest of October. No time to waste, so here we go:

      

TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2 in 3-D- Various locations in NYC- Now until whenever Disney feels like pulling it- Technically not revivals, but a re-release. Supposedly its for two weeks only. But as you can tell, they've done well enough that they're still playing. Not on the level of say, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, or even Couples Retreat. I heard that this would have been completely replaced by yet another 3-D re-release of Nightmare Before Christmas (which I recommend). But since Toy Story did well these past 2 weeks, the plan has been modified. Nightmare only played on 57 screens this weekend, none in the tri-state area. My guess, we have until either Thursday Oct 22 or Thursday Nov 5 until Disney pulls the double feature. But your guess is as good as mine as to when.   
 

A FACE IN THE CROWD- Wed Oct 21 at 2, 4:30 and 7- Film Forum- Part of the Elia Kazan retrospective. Not the best film he ever directed or even the most subtle, but a potent one nevertheless. And I know some of you have caught this before, either with or without me. But for those who haven't, who've probably caught most of the other films I'm listing hear, this is the one I want you to catch. A passionate gem of a film.

From 1957, Patricia Neal works on the radio, and gives a chance behind the microphone to a hobo type, with possible anger issues, played by Andy Griffith. So basically, by sheer force of personality, this early Howard Stern/ Rush Limbaugh type goes from small time Southern radio voice, to big time National radio voice, to selfish, borderline power-mad egomaniacal personality on this new fangled medium called television.

The writing and directing team behind On The Waterfront, went out of their way to make a large chunk of this film as unsubtle as possible. This was on purpose, since this was more a call to arms of the way TV and advertising was changing America, and not in a good way. Is right up there with Network, in terms of standout films that not only attacked and critiqued media, but also in terms of how despite the changing times, audience sizes and technology; the accuracy it has about our current times is uncanny. the idea of politicians packaged like a new car or a fast food place, or that the audience will follow some wannabe demagogue on TV and almost blindly follow what the person says (unless the audience feels blatantly tricked). Boy, that human nature crap hasn't changed at all.

Of course, this wouldn't work if we didn't at least empathize with the characters, and this certainly wouldn't work if the performances weren't outstanding. Neal, Walter Matthau (as the bitterly observant East Coast type), and Anthony Franciosa (as the slimy manager), are just the better known names in a wonderful cast. Lee Remick makes her fresh faced screen debut. But if you just think of Andy Griffith as the sheriff of Mayberry or as Matlock, his performance in A Face In The Crowd will shatter those perceptions. Funny, driven, ravenous, tender, lonely, subtle, brutal. Griffith bounces from one to another of these states and more, and you never see the seams. You see the cruel glint in his eye early, but you can sympathize with him for long stretches. In effect, you can understand why Neal's character would throw away her principals a piece at a time to love a man who may not be the misunderstood kind-hearted person she thinks he is. Very good film, one you really need to make time for at some point.

 

PSYCHO for 7.50- Thurs Oct 22 at 9:30- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- 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, and at a cheaper price, 7.50, then the previous times I've posted it. I'm choosing this time as opposed to the 7pm screening, where it will get occasionally mocked by Hedda Lettuce. Some films deserve the MST3K method, this doesn't.


WILD RIVER- Fri Oct 23 and Mon Oct 29- Thurs Oct 29 at 5:30 and 7:40- the Fri screening at 7:40 introduced by Kazan's widow Film Forum- A new 35mm scope print. The last of the Elia Kazan retro, and the only one getting a week-long run. From 1960, a film that made even less of an impact upon its release than A Face In The Crowd. But like Face In The Crowd, it's reputation has grown and was cited for preservation by the Library of Congress. Now I've never seen it, so I'm forced to copy and paste from the Forum's website (I feel like a hack) to pitch this:

(1960) In the wake of disastrous Depression era floods, the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) is instituted, and Montgomery Clift flies in from D.C. to tie up one last loose end: get 80-year-old matriarch Jo Van Fleet to vacate her island homestead before the dams flood it. But she isn’t going, and as they argue Clift comes to appreciate her deep love for the land, and to find a bond growing with her widowed granddaughter, Lee Remick. A project Kazan nursed for 25 years, after his first visits to the region in the 30s, and the most atmospheric of his works, from its long, slow, almost Ozu-like opening scenes, through Ellsworth Fredericks’ crisply autumnal CinemaScope photography, Kenyon Hopkins’ haunting score — complemented by overheard snatches of hymns and spirituals, most memorably when a seeming no-neck begins a heartbreaking “In the pines” at a funeral on a cemetery-sized islet in the swollen river. And keyed by three powerful performances: Clift, never so sharp and subtle, a tentative smile, a flick of the eye, a nod conveying the shy city intellectual with an awakening heart and a hidden vein of iron; Van Fleet, only 37 at the time — her makeup took four hours — even stronger and more dominating than in her East of Eden Oscar-winner; and Remick, moving through loneliness, yearning, passion, and rage to create the most complete and developed among all of Kazan’s characters. Poorly distributed on first release, and long unavailable, this now can be seen as one of the greatest works of one of America’s greatest directors. 


THEATER OF BLOOD and SCREAM OF FEAR- Fri Oct 30 and Mon Nov 2- Thurs Nov 5 at 8:10(Scream) and 9:45(Theater)- Film Forum- A double feature of two British horror flicks that sounds like fun. Now the second film, Scream Of Fear, I don't know anything about, so here we go with the copy and paste stuff from the Forum website:

(1961, Seth Holt) Wheelchair-bound Susan Strasberg arrives on the Côte d’Azur for a first meeting with stepmom Ann Todd and a reunion after a decade with her estranged dad, only to find him away on business. So what’s his corpse doing in the summerhouse? The ever-so-helpful family doctor has a sedative for those hallucinations — but wait a minute, he’sChristopher Lee! Touted as Britain’s answer toPsycho, it was actually written much earlier (by Hammer horror specialist Jimmy Sangster, in a deliberate change of pace) and more reminiscent of Clouzot’s Diabolique — but with special twists of its own. Shot in stunning b&w by the great Douglas Slocombe (later DP of the first three Indiana Jones adventures).

Now the other film, Theater of Blood, is a lot of fun. Vincent Price plays a great (self-proclaimed) actor who fakes his suicide to revenge on all the critics who tried to "ruin" his career and deny Jack Hawkins and Robert Morely are among the Shakespearean stage actors playing critics who meet their Shakespearean doom. With Diana Rigg as Price's angry daughter. As you can imagine, it can get hammy and cheesy. And because of the time it was made (released in 1973), perhaps its bloodier than it should be. But trust me, its fun, and if this is the only half of the double feature we catch, I would be satisfied. But I'd like to catch both.

MONTY PYTHON: LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL- Fri Oct 30 and Sat Oct 31 at Midnight- IFC Center- This weekend, IFC Center will start a Monty Python retrospective at Midnight for the next number of weekends. But I've done the first film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail twice in recent years, and I think I've bled out the audience for this. So I'll move on to the first Python film I can do: Monty Python: Live At The Hollywood Bowl. A concert film from the Los Angeles end of their tour back in 1980, released in the summer of 1982. A mix of classic skits (The Arguement Sketch, The Ministry of Silly Walks), with newer pieces like Graham Chapman wrestling himself. My favorite of the newer pieces is the Pope (John Cleese) arguing with da Vinci (Eric idle) over The Last Supper. I'm paraphrasing the following:

Pope: You can't have a Last Supper with THREE CHRISTS in it!!!

da Vinci: Why not? The fat one even outs the 2 skinny ones!

So if you don't want to spend your Halloween weekend with horror films. Here's a fun alternative.

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

October revivals: first half

Hey all. Mike here with what to catch for the first half of October. I think I got a real nice mix of stuff here. Not necessarily every film is a "good" film mind you, but each is entertaining in their own way. Go through the list, and you'll see what I mean. Here we go:



TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2 in 3-D- Various locations in NYC, look them up on your own- Opens Fri Oct 2- Technically not revivals, but a re-release. Supposedly its for two weeks only. But that's what they said about the Hannah Montana concert film and the two re-releases of Nightmare Before Christmas, so we'll see. Originally, only Toy Story was supposed to be released now, with Toy Story 2 released in February. But since they'll be re-releasing Beauty and The Beast then, and Disney really wants to pitch the upcoming Toy Story 3 to us, these two films are out now.

Toy Story and Toy Story 2, from Pixar. The film that changed the game in terms of animation and what constitutes a big box office draw, and one of the few sequels considered better than the original. Not by everyone mind you. Toy Story is on the second AFI Top 100 list and the other is not. Both are beloved and both are back, for one admission, and in 3-D only. So get ready for that 3 dollar plus surcharge for those glasses. Hopefully, you haven't thrown out your glasses from stuff like Up, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, Ice Age 3 and whatever else was in 3-D, pay to see something else, and sneak into this. Note, its been set up that the times for the first Toy Story film is seen first, so if you intend to see the second one first, good luck with that. And if you intend to put that much effort into that, you're a bit of a moron.


SOME LIKE IT HOT- Mon Oct 5- Thurs Oct 8 at 7 and 9:30- Film Forum- A new 35mm print. You all know this one. Lemmon and Curtis in dresses blah blah blah, Marilyn Monroe blah blah blah, Billy Wilder classic in a career full of classics blah blah blah, AFI Top 100 blah blah blah, on the short list of comedy classics blah blah blah. If you know it, you probably love it, so let's just catch it already.


RiffTrax makes fun of PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE- Thurs Oct 9 at 7:30- AMC Empire 25, Regal Union Square Stadium 14 and Regal Westbury Stadium 12- The legendarily GOD AWFUL Ed Wood Jr film (is there any other kind?) gets a rare screening. Here it's made fun of by RiffTrax. The members of the group are Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett. Yes, former members of Mystery Science Theater 3000, riffing on a colorized version of this laughably terrible film. Complete with bad dialogue, worse acting, a spaceship on a string, tombstones in a graveyard that moves, and other disasters. With a short that gets rifted on before Bela Lugoisi's last picture begins. One night only and it sounds like fun.


ON THE WATERFRONT- Fri Oct 9 and Sat Oct 10 at 7:40 (with different intros on each night) and 9:50- Film Forum- The start of the Elia Kazan retrospective. You all know this one too. Brando classic, blah blah blah, I coulda been a contender blah blah blah, Best Picture winner classic, blah blah blah, AFI Top 100 film, blah blah blah. You'll decide if you want to see it or not. But two introductions of note going on here. On Friday the 9th at 7:40, Roberta Hodges, Waterfront's Script Supervisor will introduce the screening. On Saturday the 10th at 7:40, Benn Schulberg, the son of the film's screenwriter Budd Schulberg, will introduce this particular screening. I don't have to catch either one, I'd go just to see the film. But I wouldn't say no either.


DEAD-ALIVE- Mon Oct 12 at 4:30 or Fri Oct 16 at 9- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of a series of horror films playing at Lincoln Center, though this is one of the few I will bring up. Peter Jackson's first film, where a man falls in love with a woman. But then, the man's mother gets bitten and is slowly turning into a zombie. The man tries to be the dutiful son, but sure enough, zombie mom wreaks havoc. We're talking zombie dogs, zombie monkeys, zombie babies, zombie priests. I think I even saw a zombie lawn mower, unless I was just confused. Did I mention this was a comedy? An insane, bizarre, ultra gory comedy, but a comedy nevertheless. If you want to see the twisted mind of the man behind the Lord of the Rings films, here's a perfect opportunity.

But one question remains. Is this a good film that's over the top funny, or a crapfest that's almost on the level of Plan 9 (but not quite!), that's so over the top, that you can't help but to at least smirk? And the answer is, I can't help you. You have to decide for yourself.



PINK FLOYD: THE WALL- Tues Oct 13 at 8- The Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- 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, being shown at a reasonable time. 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. According to the filmlinc website, they plan on cranking up the volume for the We Don't Need No Education scene, and there will be an after-party, specializing in progressive rock from the DJs of Viva Radio.


BABY DOLL- Wed Oct 14 at 7:45 and 10- Film Forum- Part of the Kazan retro. A one day/night only screening. A screenplay from Tennesse Williams, and directed by Kazan. Carroll Baker plays the title role, as a 19 year old child bride, who refuses to give in to husband Karl Malden's "demands". She ends caught in the middle, as her virginity becomes a prize, between Malden, and an angry Mexican business rival (Eli Wallach in his film debut) who tries to take revenge, by taking Baby Doll. Funnier then you might expect, but as well acted, written and directed as you might think from all the names I mentioned here.

Controversial back in the mid 50s for the subject matter (in the 1950s? Gee, you THINK?!?!?!). Condemned by the Legion of Decency, this arm of the Catholic Church tried to organize a nationwide boycott. Cardinal Spellman in St. Patrick's Cathedral condemned the film during mass, telling Catholics to not see Baby Doll "under pain of sin". A surprising indirect ally was Time Magazine, who called the film the dirtiest American picture ever legally screened. The boycott didn't completely work. The backlash eventually killed the Catholics out of giving films the Production Code seal of approval; a step that would eventually lead to the ratings system and board we have today. But it did kill any chance Baby Doll ever had to be profitable. The boycott succeeded to the point that over 50 years later, this film is still criminally under seen. You might have heard of this film, but you have to be an ardent buff to anything about this film. For the record, a bit on the tame side, and far from pornographic. I tried to catch it last December, but it was sold out. Let's try again.



A very eclectic group, with something for almost everyone. Let me know. Later all.

September revival: second half

Hey all. Mike here with what to catch, revival-wise, for the second half of September. And based on increased schedule difficulty (Trust at Parkside Players- catch it!), this is the only revival I can catch. But I've been waiting for this one to come around for a while:



FAT CITY- Sun Sept 27 at 7:30 and 9:30, Tues Sept 29 and Wed Sept 30 at 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 and Thurs Oct 1 at 1:30- Film Forum- A new 35mm print. Not a hit back in 1972, and frankly, not really remembered today. But for those who have seen it, it's cited as one of the films that made 1970s the best decade for American film. I won't step into that particular argument here. But it's also one of those films that shows director John Huston was doing work that was just as vital near the end of his career as it was in the beginning.

Please, it's more than just Death of a Salesman or Requiem For A Dream, set in boxing. There's just enough levity to make it 70s palpable. Based on Leonard Gardner's successful book, Stacy Keach stars as a boxer, never the biggest name in his division, trying to restart his career in one of the most dusty, and drabbest (not a word but whatever) towns in all of California. He meets a younger version of himself, played by Jeff Bridges. Jeff's character may be up and coming, but is that only because he's so young? In a sport where one knockout can change anything, who's to say how long Bridges' character will have a bright future. And if Keach's character wins, whose to say that that would be enough to get him out of dive towns and into better fights?

Two aspects of Huston the man and director have served the legacy of this film well, for those who have seen it. One, Huston's past as a former boxer, led him to shoot the fight scenes as realistic as possible. Not with the power punches of a Rocky film or The Contender TV series, or with the bloody artistry of Raging Bull. But if you're familiar with the barroom fight in Treasure of the Sierra Madre, then you have the idea of the kind of fights depicted.

Two, Huston cast many of his films well, and this is no exception. He took chances casting Bridges and Keach, back when they were mostly unknown. Their breakout films, Last Picture Show for Bridges and Doc for Keach, had not been released when cast. It also helped Keach that Brando was unenthusiastic about taking the role. An Oscar nomination went to Susan Tyrell for playing Keach's 'squeeze', the barfly of all barfly. Before American Graffiti, Candy Clark made her screen debut as Bridges' screw-up girlfriend. With Nicholas Colastano (years before Raging Bull and Cheers as coach) as Bridges' trainer, and a number of welterweight, middleweight and lightweight boxers in small roles throughout.


Let me know because like I said, I'd really like to catch it. Later all.


P.S.: Do catch Trust. It's a good show. Go to www.parksideplayers.com, and follow along for Trust. Later all.

Sept revivals: first half, this weekend only

Hey all. Mike here with what's available for me to do revival wise for the first half of September. Which for me, except for the U.S. Open (which I've enjoyed for the most part as of this writing) and other stuff schedule-wise, means this weekend earlier. I would have posted earlier, but there was no interest from others regarding Psycho at Lincoln Center on Sun Sept 6, and no real interest for myself regarding The Big Lebowski last weekend at Midnight at IFC Center. So it's really just these two films. Here we go:


ODD MAN OUT- Sat Sept 12 and (maybe but I'd like to avoid this date) Tues Sept 15 at 5:30, 7:45 and 10- Film Forum- A new 35mm print of the last of the British film noir retrospective. From director Carol Reed, who made pictures such as The Fallen Idol, Oliver! and one of my favorites, The Third Man. But this film starring James Mason as an IRA man, I'd like to catch. But since I don't know it, I'll have to cut and paste from the Forum's website again:


(1947) Snow drifting down a once elegant stairwell from a broken skylight; a little girl with only a single roller skate; a seemingly omnipresent clock tower that counts down the hours to a midnight resolution: and a bank job to fill the coffers of the Organisation (the IRA, though unnamed) gone sour: one man dead, Cyrill Cusack and Dan O'Herlihy panic and go on the booze, and James Mason's Johnny McQueen is badly wounded on the run. And as his path to Calvary runs on from sunny afternoon to pouring evening to snowy night, it moves from suspenseful Noir to the almost surreal, while he's being sought by icy policeman Dennis O'Dea, unspoken lover Kathleen Ryan, and ally Robert Beatty, with Good Samaritan Fay Compton dressing his wounds, bum F.J. McCormick calculating what he's worth, bartender William Hartnell wanting him out, and barmy artisit Robert Newton trying to paint his look of death - but is there a ship out there? "The most complex manhunt ever filmed" (Pauline Kael) - and the first of the trilogy (followed by The Fallen Idol and The Third Man) that would make Reed world renowned and set him on the path of Britain's first cinema; with Robert (Third Man) Krasker's spectacular b&w photography making the moody settings and the (unnamed) Belfast locations into a true city of dreadful night.
(1947)

MILLER'S CROSSING- Fri Sept 11 and Sat Sept 12 at Midnight- IFC Center- The last of the Coen Brothers retrospective. Released among the glut of gangster films back in the fall/winter of 1990. Goodfellas is the only one better than this from that time, and is among the best films from that year. That it barely found more of a U.S. audience than The Krays or State of Grace means less then you think. So I'm guessing most of you reading this have either never seen this, or haven't seen this since the 90s on video.

A stylized gangster film set during the Prohibition era. Albert Finney's Boss character refuses to bow to pressure from a rising upstart who refuses to take "the high hat" any longer. Gabriel Byrne, playing his best friend and right hand man, begins a complicated scheme to save his boss. Even it costs him their friendship and possibly his life. Because Byrne's character is something of a cold fish for whom most of the fireworks going on with him are internal, you might have trouble going for this film.

For me, the style is substance here. A bit intellectual, but then I didn't say it was the best film of that year, just one of. Good cast helps. Among them is Homicide's Jon Polito, Marcia Gay Harden in her first major film role, and early screen appearances by Steve Buscemi and Michael Jeter. Cinematography by future director Barry Sonnenfeld, who come to think of it, did the same thing for Raising Arizona as well.

But if you know the film at all, then your first thought would be to John Turturro as weasel extraordinaire Bernie Bernbaum. Specifically, the scene in the woods where he goes to great lengths begging for his life. The desperation, the loss of self confidence in the face of one's demise, the knowledge that you have nothing to give that could change your killer's mind so you just beg and cry and beg some more. If John wasn't locked in to at least character film work forever with his work on Spike Lee films, then this cemented it.


Let me know quickly. Later all.

More August revials: Re-run Edition

Hey all, Mike here. I wrote last time that I didn't think there would be any more revivals in August to bring up. But things changed. 2 titles that I attempted in the past but couldn't catch for whatever reason, are back. So I'll do this as a rerun edition. I didn't think I'd be available for these at the time of the last post, but I'm glad that's changed.

Like I mentioned before in the previous re-run edition, I'm basically cutting and pasting from a previous post, with maybe a slight edit or update at best. Saving time on my end, nothing more. Here we go:

DEATH ON THE NILE- Thurs Aug 27 at 7 and 9:30 for 7.50- Clearview Chelsea Cinema- W. 23rd and 8th Ave- For those who like Agatha Christie mysteries, murder mysteries in general, travel porn (I mean seeing exotic locations!), or the British in general, here's an easy going film for you. Peter Ustinov makes his first appearance as Hercule Poirot. I don't know if I would put him over Albert Finney's version, and I wouldn't put him over David Suchet's great interpretation on tv. But this is Ustinov's best film as Poirot. The time, money and care was put into this. The wonderful Egyptian locales and the Oscar winning costume design helped create a fabulous look.

Once again, Poirot must stop his vacation and a solve the murder of an heiress (future Bond babe Lois Chiles) aboard a ship on the title river. A wonderful cast. David Niven assists Poirot, and the suspects include Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Olivia Hussey, Angela Lansbury, Jack Warden, Maggie Smith, Jane Birkin, and George Kennedy. C'mon, not every film has to be serious, they can be fun too. And for a cheap price why not.

Note that the 7pm screening is one with some jokes as it goes on with Brini Maxwell (including a pre-show bit), while the 9:30 screening is just the film.

IN A LONELY PLACE- Fri Aug 28 at 9:50 and Sat Aug 29 at 5:30, 7:40 and 9:50- Film Forum- A new 35mm print for this; originally the start of a Nicolas Ray retrospective. Not the biggest hit of the day, but has gotten respect over the years, to the point that it was picked for preservation two years ago by the National Film Registry. The kind of that Curtis Hanson, when preparing to direct L.A. Confidential, showed some of his cast this film and said basically, This is what I'm going for.

Missed it when it played last month. At one point it came down to seeing this or Titus. The choice was made to see Titus, and it was a wonderful choice. But bye-bye went In A Lonely Place. But apparently, when this was played at the Forum, critics went ape-shit in joy over this and apparently business was real good at the Forum. So good, that this film was brought back for a nine day engagement. Sorry I'm only getting around to listing this on its last two days, but I'm posting only when I can do it. Because of the fact that I've only seen a few minutes of it, don't know it very well and would like to catch it, I'm forced to copy and paste from the Forum site, and let their description try to be a draw:

(1950) Humphrey Bogart a vicious killer? Okay, he’s a hard-drinking, log-sized-chip-on-his-shoulder screenwriter with a sardonic cynicism so deep he enlists a hatcheck girl as overnight novel summarizer so he doesn’t actually have to read the trashy book he’s agreed to adapt, stopping to take a poke at an asking-for-it producer’s son-in-law along the way. Even when she winds up dead, and he’s being grilled by old army buddy Frank Lovejoy, it turns into an occasion for girl-across-the-courtyard (an exact reproduction of Ray’s first Hollywood pad) Gloria Grahame to give Bogie an alibi — and to get to know better an “interesting” face. But as their love affair progresses, Bogie breaks his fussbudget longtime agent’s glasses, creeps out Lovejoy and wife Jeff Donnell with his too-real “imaginative” reenactment of the murder, and is barely prevented from braining a motorist he’d already sideswiped and beaten senseless. An agonizingly inevitable — but still surprising — resolution looms. Ray boasted “I took the gun out of Bogie’s hands” in altering his screen image (“a radical demystification of the classic Bogart hero” – Robert Sklar); while his own marriage with Grahame ended during the filming — they kept it a secret, fearing Ray would be kicked off the production. "Bogart's performance shares most of the characteristics of his classic performances except that the tie between the killer and the lover is laid bare, without the romanticism, the genre conventions, or the political ideology which underlay it in previous films.... There are no moments for audiences to cheer as he pumps lead into a noxious villain - surely not when he extols the wonderful feeling of crushing a throat, or with his hands around one. The role of Dixon Steele is among the most interesting examples of a performer's critical reevaluation of his screen persona, and surely belongs on the list of Bogart's great performances." – Robert Sklar. Approx. 93 minutes

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

August revivals: the rest of the month

Hey, Mike here with what to catch for the remainder of the month. I had originally planned to split this into 3 August posts, but some last minute schedule changes, plus the coming of the U.S. Open with its free practices and qualifiers, means this will probably be the last post this month. We'll see, but until then, here we go with the rest of August:




THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE- Sat Aug 15 at Midnight- IFC Center- Part of the Coen Brothers retrospective. Not the first film, it's been playing for a few weekends now. But it's the first one I'm willing to post because I've never seen it. Most of their films I have caught. But this one? Nothing more than 30 seconds. I took heat from film buff friends that I missed it, and it didn't seem like I'd appreciate it as much on video or cable. But now, despite the late time, is a good chance to catch it.

This film noir homage stars Billy Bob Thornton in his most praised performance after Sling Blade and (maybe) Bad Santa. He plays a sad sack of a barber, who decides to blackmail the man who he thinks is sleeping with his wife, and use the money to start a dry cleaning business. This being a film noir, these things lead to murder, attempted cover-ups, and damage spread to all. James Gandolfini plays the blackmailed, and Frances McDormand (in what amounts to an extended cameo) plays the wife. But since the film's 2001 release, the supporting cast has become better known. Yes there are Coen veterans like Jon Polito (Miller's Crossing) and Michael Baldalucco (O Brother Where Art Thou). Since then, Tony Shaloub (Monk), Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) and Scarlett Johansson have become more prominent.

Roger Deakins' cinematography however, is mostly what was always singled out for praise. Shot in color, then developed in black and white. He had been working for decades at that point, on films like Sid and Nancy, Shawshank and Kundun, plus every Coen Bros. flick since Barton Fink. But despite multiple awards and nominations before this, his work on Man That Wasn't There was the one that seemed to have Deakins stand out more.

Like I said, it was a 2001 release. But such a depressing looking film, coming out about 2 months after 9/11, and having critics unanimously praising the look but not necessarily the film itself, this didn't have a shot. Ok, but not a great art house run. An Oscar nomination for Deakins' work (losing to the first Lord of the Rings film), then off to obscurity the film went. But I want to check it out, and if you can stay up until about 2AM, I hope you can too.


THE INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (1978)- Wed Aug 19 at 7 and 8:45 for 9 dollars (cheaper if you have a SAG card)- Huntington Arts Cinema- A new 35mm print of the original version, before Quentin Tarantino's remake or homage (whichever) comes out. I've never seen this either, but I'm curious. I also don't claim this to be high art either. This is the kind of Grindhouse film that inspired Quentin to get into film.

From 1978 (though not released in the U.S. until 1981), this is basically an Italian ripoff of The Dirty Dozen. 70s B movie stars Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson are in a platoon of mostly criminals, who are out killing Nazis, then facing the death penalty. But after escaping from a Nazi prison, they end up working with the French Resistance on a "suicide" mission. Nothing earth shattering here. Just expect a decent level of competent film making, naked Aryan looking women firing machine guns, and lots of Nazis dying. Shooting, stabbing and blowing up Nazis by the ton. Sounds like fun.

9 dollars is the regular admission, 6 dollars for members. However, if you have your SAG card, two of you can get in for the member price.

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY- Mon Aug 17 or Fri Aug 21 at 7- MOMA- Part of MOMA's recent Acquisition retrospective. I brought Mike Leigh's film up several times, reserving it a very high spot on my best of 2008 list. No amount of prying on my end got anyone that I know to see this, but I will try again here. Leigh's most accessible film, a serio-comic film that's more comic than serious didn't seem to draw anyone other than the director's die-hard fans. Even for an art house film, it drew disappointingly. I hope you give this a chance.

Sally Hawkins plays a single kindergarten teacher who absolutely refuses to be down or nasty. She will be cheerful and chipper to the point that some strangers and the viewer might think she's delusional and insane. Not that she's blissfully unaware of troubles in the world and in other people. She actively tries to help her students and friends. But she will not make the world worse by being intentionally cruel or mean herself, no matter what.

Leigh lets the viewer decide if she is silly, naive or is in a place in her life we should consider aspiring to. Many smiles and more then a few laughs abound. And Hawkins makes this special creature shine. And her scenes with Eddie Marsan, as her polar opposite driving instructor, are the highlight of the film.

BOB AND CAROL AND TED AND ALICE- Fri Aug 21 at 6:15 with Elliot Gould and Dyan Cannon either introducing or doing a Q and A- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of the Natalie Wood retrospective, and the only one I'll be able to catch. I've seen West Side Story enough times that I'm doing it again right now, no one is interested in Miracle on 34th Street (little known fact: Miracle was originally released in August, so it's not that big a stretch to see it now), Lincoln Center isn't into screening obviously fun bad films so no Meteor, if I couldn't get people to see a 7 dollar screening of Gypsy before then forget spending 11 dollars now, and everything I don't have time to catch. Except this one.

Now people familiar with films have probably heard of this film, but figures since it's just about married couples switching partners, that's all they need to know about it. And these people are probably over 50 and saw the film when it first came out, or on network TV/syndication. If you're under 50 the chances you haven't seen this film are high. Hell, even I haven't seen all of it. But I seen enough to know it's more than just sex for thrills.

Now whether it's more than just a Sixties time capsule is something I can't help you with. You'll have to decide for yourself. From director/co-writer Paul Mazursky, two married couples, Dyan Cannon & Elliot Gould, and Robert Culp & Wood, are best friends. Despite the sexual tension between them, nothing is done about it. Until the late 60s comes along. Therapy, special "Institutes", and the notion of free love, tests the ideas of love and friendship between the four of them. Praised for its insight and snappy dialogue, and oh yeah, the cast. Nominations for the Screenplay and Cinematography, as well as Supporting nods to Cannon and Gould. Both of them will be at the screening. I don't know if they'll be introducing the film, or doing a Q and A afterwards. My guess is, it will be the later. They'll be doing this on Sunday the 23rd as well, but I can only do the 21st. Hope you can too.


SPACEBALLS- Fri Aug 21 and Sat Aug 22 at Midnight for 9.99- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- A new 35mm print of the Mel Brooks Star Wars spoof. Ok, it hits a few more sci-fi stuff, but mainly Star Wars. Not on the level of Brooks' Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. More on the level of stuff like History of the World Part 1 and Silent Movie, which is still respectable. More affection for this film than any actual love for it. Even when the jokes get corny, the fact that people like John Candy, Rick Moranis and Bill Pullman are pulling them off is more than good enough.


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

August revivals: first third

Hey all, Mike here with what to catch for the first third of August. A definite mix here. No time to waste, here we go:



EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN- Sat Aug 1 at 8:30- Walter Reade- Part of the Ang Lee retrospective. This type of retro is something I knew I would have to confront at some point. When a director whose work I've seen quite a bit of gets a retro, how interested can I get in all of them. In the end, I've narrowed it to 3. The Wedding Banquet I like, but paying to see it once was enough. Same with Brokeback Mountain, which I liked even more. Crouching Tiger is the best film of 2000, but no way I'm paying to see this for a third time. Sense and Sensibility is just fine on cable. There are parts of The Ice Storm that I like, but there are parts I don't give a crap about, so I'm in no mood to pay to see all of it. There is no way I'm paying 15 to see Ride With The Devil, even if Lee himself does a Q and A afterwards. Hulk, no way. Edward Norton still cracks me up when he wishes he could have made his Hulk film as more of a character study. HELLO, that was Ang Lee's film it and large chunks of it stink. But Eat Drink Man Woman is the first of three I'll post here from this series.

The Wedding Banquet brought Lee to prominence in America, became a major arthouse hit, and gave Lee his first Oscar nomination for Foreign Film. This one wasn't quite as successful, but it drew an audience, gave Lee another nomination for Foreign Film and I think is a better film than Wedding Banquet. A quiet film, set in Tawain, that starts where 3 adult daughters who live at home with their father. And we follow what happens to them after their father has a heart attack, and has to retire from being a top chef. Quite a number of quiet moments strung out over the course of a long film to the point where you think nothing happens for long stretches. But be patient and pay attention; the well written script from Lee, James Schamus, and Hui-Ling Wang yields rewards. Should note the photography of the many meals depicted in the film. May make you hungry and make you NOT want to settle for McDonalds afterwards.


PUSHING HANDS- Mon Aug 3 at 8:45- Walter Reade- Part of the Ang Lee retro. Lee's first film. I've never seen it, and I don't think it even had a full American release until the successes of Wedding Banquet and Eat Drink Man Woman. Story of an old Chinese man who moves from China to New York to live with his son and very American wife. Culture clash, and difficulty accepting American ways, his son's supposed putting aside of some Chinese ways for those more of the wife's, and getting older in general, are among the problems for the main character. Now supposedly, this isn't nearly as morbid as I'm making it sound, but I've never seen it, and I'd like to.


BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (original)- Wed Aug 5 at 6:55 and 8:55- Huntington Cinema Arts Centre- 423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY- at the intersection of Park Avenue and Main Street (25A)- I go away from the city and go deep into Nassau County for this bit of summer fun. The original Battlestar gets a screening, but at reasonable times as opposed to a midnight screening. The first episode gets screened. Note that its not the actual ABC edit from Sept. 1978, but the 1979 Sensurround edit Universal released in theaters. It should include the actual Sensurround intro that came up before even the Universal logo. Don't know if it's on Youtube, but it has to be seen to be believed. Anyway, this cut is barely two hours long, cutting a few subplots, and a lot of the bad acting (though not all).

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 recently ended 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. For the record, I'm dreading Caprica and any more spinoffs, one shot TV films and anything else that's coming soon, but that's for another time.

The 1978-79 edition of Battlestar didn't have that kind of emotional heft around. Okay, there was the Holocaust, but that was too far away and too long ago I guess. 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. Though she didn't seem to be allowed to wear a bra on Galactica, but anyway . . .

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. 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, that manages to capture a bit of the dread and tension that the remake series thrived on, and I'm not ashamed of having fun with it. And I hope you will as well.


THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS for free- Fri Aug 7 at 7- MOMA- Part of the new acquisitions series.These are films that MOMA has just received as part of their library, and now they get to show it every so often. All three Lord of the Rings films are being shown; once each day from Aug 6- Aug 8. But The Two Towers is the only one being shown for free. All films after 4pm at MOMA are free, no special reason. And since I still know a few people who have seen only Fellowship, you can't beat free. Note that all three Rings films being shown are the original theatrical cuts, not the extended director cuts.


RED DAWN- Fri Aug 7 and Sat Aug 8 at Midnight for 9.99- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- Some people had problems in Superman Returns when Frank Langella, as Perry White , said Truth Justice all that stuff, while ignoring The American Way. There was also a major complaint why not enough people weren't complaining about it. Here's one way out theory: maybe some of those people grew with the ridiculously awful Red Dawn and have rebelled against anyone pushing rah-rah stuff ever since.

For me, Red Dawn is, let me be clear, FUCKING AWFUL, but GLORIOUSLY FUCKING AWFUL. Kind of gives a barometer as to what the feeling was in this country during the Cold War, that this was actually considered possible. It might have even considered believable, if Red Dawn wasn't over the top.

From 1984, World War 3 begins, as Soviet paratroopers land in a small Colorado town. But they are held at bay as high schoolers Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell and Charlie Sheen (in his screen debut) do something about it. With the aid of Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey (years before the nose job, Ferris Bueller and Dirty Dancing), plus help from veterans Ben Johnson and Powers Boothe (pre 24), they form the Wolverines, and go guerilla warfare on them Commie bastards. WOLVERINES! Or as they tend to say it, WWOOOOOLLLLVERIIIIIINNES!

Directed and co-written from very macho John Millus (Conan The Barbarian and Dillinger, the less artful but less full of shit version of Public Enemies). Over the top, from the start of Harry Dean Stanton's monologue (ending with AVENGE ME! AVEEEENNNGE ME!), to the final battle. As subtle as a brick, or the giant Soviet armored helicopter that goes after them. And though it was nice to see the late Ron O'Neal get a job, I can only think "Holy Shit! They got Superfly leading the Commies!". Millus actually does do a good job with the action scenes. So good, that you wish he hadn't approved some of the other bullshit that follows.

If you want a cheesy example of Reagan era action movies: Rambo division, this is it. Hard to believe this was actually PG-13, the first PG-13 film ever. Before the remake comes out next September (when the Chinese become the invaders), here 's the original, at a slightly cheaper price then regular films in Manhattan.


LUST, CAUTION- Fri Aug 7 at 6:15 and Sat Aug 8 at 8:30- Walter Reade- Part of the Ang Lee retro. The third film I'm posting here. In my Best of 2007 list, this was one of those I regretted missing. In 1942 Shanghai, a young woman poses as someone else, to seduce then kill a Japanese collaborator. But the young woman is an actress, whose not necessarily trained to keep the new identity from overwhelming the main one. Especially when she falls in love with the target. Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Infernal Affairs, Hard-Boiled) plays the target, with Joan Chen in the cast as well. There's more, but I'm not familiar enough to go further. The film got ok to good reviews, but business was pretty weak. Maybe the 2 hr 37 min running time didn't help, but the NC-17 rating for its sex scenes was probably what did it. After all, chains like AMC and Regal won't touch a film with that rating, and the only way some of you probably saw this was on Blockbuster, where the R-rated version was the only one allowed. The NC-17 version is what will be screened.


THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN- Mon Aug 10 for free- Bryant Park- The classic Western remake of The 7 Samurai. Yul Brynner leads the gang of hired guns, protecting the poor Mexican peasants from Eli Wallach and his band of brutal henchmen. Served as a kind of template for future spaghetti westerns. Also served as a launching pad for several of the 7: James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Charles Bronsan . . . . and oh yeah, Steve McQueen. Also featuring one of the best film scores ever from Elmer Burnstein, no exaggeration.


Different types of flicks, at different places. Let me know if there's interest. Later all.

July revivals: rerun edition

Mike here with what revivals to catch for the rest of the month, with a caveat. If I posted it on at least one previous list, it goes on this one. If I didn't, it doesn't get a mention. And with some exception and/or update, I'm reposting what I wrote before. I can't spend forever on these lists, so consider this the equivalent of a summer rerun. So here we go:



BIGGER THAN LIFE- Fri July 24 (maybe) and Sat July 25 (more likely, but who knows) at 7:50 and 9:50- Film Forum- Part of the Nicolas Ray retrospective. I hope I can catch this, but I have no damn clue. Social stuff holds up whether I can commit to doing this, but I'm posting this anyway so that it can at least get noticed.

A film I've surprisingly never heard of before its first Film Forum run during the first week of this year. I mean, I know the film's lead James Mason, his co-star Walter Matthau, and the film's director Ray (Rebel Without A Cause). And according to imdb, the average shot length is eleven seconds. But aside from being an inspiration to Godard, I know nothing else. Haven't seen a frame of it. But I'm very curious to try it. The first attempt to catch this didn't work out, so here's another chance for me, and us. NOT available on DVD in this country, and 4 minutes longer then the version occasionally shown on Fox Movie Channel. So this is the only way to see this as originally intended. Okay, because it was shot in Cinemascope, the screen would usually be bigger than any of the Forum's screen, but still. as for anything else, I cut and paste the following from what the Forum website had back in January:


(1956) “God was wrong!” proclaims James Mason — but then he’s in the grip of all-out 50s mediocrity: a too-intellectual, bow-tied grade school teacher, his house festooned with travel posters for places he’s never been to; forced to spend odd afternoons as a cab dispatcher to make ends meet; his job, friends, family, and even himself, self-described as dull. But then there’s bad news and good news: he’s got a rare arterial disease that will probably finish him within a year. The good news? There’s this miracle drug (cortisone) that might just save his life. But there could be some little side effects… Time capsule of the 50s: the décor, the blocky suits and omnipresent hats for the men, the gowns that wife Barbara Rush tries on during the new Mason’s ill-advised splurge fest, the hat she wears on Sunday, the conformity (everyone in town seems to attend the same church) — an unexpected setting for Mason’s tour de force performance, as he moves from frumpy nice guy to full-blown, drug-induced megalomaniac. Color; Approx. 95 minutes.


JOHNNY GUITAR- Sun July 26 at 1 and 3:20 (maybe), and Mon July 27 at 10- Film Forum- Part of the Nicholas Ray retro. A simple Western, starring Sterling Hayden, Joan Crawford, Ernest Borgnine and Mercedes McCambridge, and directed by Ray, that was successful back in 1954, then went away. Until Francois Truffaut and some gay film buffs got ahold of it. They're the ones reminding us about the hidden lesbian story, the links to the HUAC hearings, and the irony of casting HUAC namer of names Hayden as the possible hero (though we didn't know until recently that he was an actually secret agent of some sort who actually knew at least a little something about Communists). Though no male hero would DARE upstage Joan Crawford by this time!

So is it a simple, entertaining Western? Is it an allegory of the Blacklist and the McCarthy witch hunts? It was written unofficially by black-listed screenwriter Ben Maddow. Is there high entertainment value from the over-the-top perfs of both Crawford (is it me, or does she play most scenes like she were the Queen of England or Cleopatra?) and McCambridge? Both ladies hated each other. They fought constantly, and according to IMDB, Crawford was so mad (and drunk), that once she flung McCambridge's costumes along a stretch of Arizona highway. And is it true that the real story of the film, is that McCambridge's character is actually a closeted lesbian, spurned by Crawford, and now seeking revenge? I would say, yes to all of the above. It works as a Western, the allegory is right there, the lead female perfs have high camp value, and you could say no about the lesbian overtones, but there's enough there to read that into it. But whether the film is actually any good is not something I can help you with. But it sure as shit ain't dull. Worth catching in any case.


GOMMORAH- Tues July 28 at 6:15 and Wed July 29 at 8:20- Walter Reade at Lincoln Center- Part of their Toni Servillo: Fire and Ice retrospective. He has a role in the ensemble of this film, which was in my top 10 of 2008 list. Yes, it didn't play here until Feb 2009, but it opened in L.A. in 08 to qualify for the Oscars, which I'm stunned it didn't even get a whiff of. It didn't even come close to getting a Foreign Language nod. Here's another chance to see it, and here's what I wrote on that list:


If you know some that says that mob movies are waste and that nothing more can be said in the genre, Gamorrah is the proof that this person is an idiot. Or Mobbed up. This just recently opened in New York, but since it received a one week release in L.A. to qualify for the Oscars, it counts toward this list and not next year. Dark Italian film based on the book that exposed the dealings of the Camorra crime empire, based around Naples. All elements of honor or coolness from previous mob films, comes off as bullshit next to what's depicted here, an area that God seems to have forgotten. Similar to both Traffic and Traffik (Google it people), in its multi-arcs and semi realist style of telling the story. It's almost as though director Matteo Garrone decided: I can have the speed and style of say, City Of God, but you can't have the editing jump cuts. You must let the camera roll and let the story be told that way. Very Visconti or very Kubrick in its overall final state.

We see different aspects of the organization, but never in any exotic locales. The daily dealing rub outs in what is essentially a ghetto. The payments made to people with jailed gang members. It's different business holdings are brought up; from couture (Scarlett Johansson in a Italian dress is featured: now you know who will profit from this exposure), to profiting off dumping toxic waste (tough if you happened to live near there), to their investment in the re-building at Ground Zero, to the everyday practice of killing an average of one person who steps out of line every three days. We meet individuals, like the 12 year old boy, ignoring his mom to become a new recruit. The dapper man who runs the waste management company, without a care about where he dumps. The older man who gives payments, and thinks he's special because he doesn't kill anyone. The two teenagers who literally don't know what to do with a woman (as we see in a scene in a strip club), but whose idolization of Scarface makes them think they can be just like him. Hey kiddies, Al Pacino isn't a mobster, he's paid to play make-believe. The sweaty gangsters you're trying to rip off don't play at all. And don't bother looking for the police. They're only good for taking dead bodies away.

A few professional actors mixed in with mostly non-actors, kind of like with Gran Torino. You should walk away from this film a little sickened by what you experience. Especially since it's been happening, it's going on while you read this, and nothing will happen to change this, probably in our lifetime. But the mastery of the film making should make you feel this is time well spent. Slowly expanding over the next few weeks as of this writing, so do go.


WHAT'S UP DOC- Thurs July 31 at 7 and 9:30 for 7.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- A cheap screening of a somewhat forgotten screwball comedy. The names Barbara Striesand and Ryan O'Neal may annoy the hell out of you, but they are a terrific couple in this 1972 film. Peter Bogdanovich's homage to the screwball comedies of the 30s and 40s fits right along with them. Most of you don't know this film, but this is a good time to start. Complications upon complications upon misunderstandings upon strange accents upon a car chase upon a hysterical courtroom scene. Screenplay by Buck Henry, Robert Benton and David Newman. Great supporting cast includes Madeline Kahn, Austin Pendelton, Kenneth Mars, Michael Murphy, John Hillerman and Randy Quaid. Pre film show by Brini Maxwell.



Let me know. Later all.