November 27th 2013. Pick Of The Day.
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Last missive before the tryptophan does its worst. Ongoing series today include IFC Center's The Way He Was: Early Redford, the Film Society's trib to Harold Pinter, and BAM's slowly winding down Bruce Dern-a-thon. The doings in full;
IFC Center
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) Dir; George Roy Hill
TAXI DRIVER (1976) Dir; Martin Scorsese
Film Forum
SANDRA (1965) Dir; Luchino Visconti
Film Society of Lincoln Center
THE CARETAKER (1963) Dir; Clive Donner
THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN (1981) Dir; Karel Reisz
THE SERVANT (1963) Dir; Joseph Losey
THE HOMECOMING (1973) Dir; Peter Hall
BAM Cinematek
SMILE (1975) Dir; Michael Ritchie
Anthology Film Archives
KING LEAR (1971) Dir; Grigori Kosintsev
KING LEAR (1971) Dir; Peter Brook
Today's Pick? Still not inclined toward the Pinterpalooza, even though Losey's THE SERVANT is a gem. Loves me some Bruce Dern but I've chosen from the series already on more than one occasion. And honestly I've no desire to watch either version of LEAR, partly because I love Kurosawa's RAN so dearly, mostly because, like the aged monarch, I find the notion of a nap more appealing. So I'm throwing my considerable heft (which will only increase after tomorrow's fowl savagery) behind tonight's midnight screening of Martin Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER, streaming its wondrous 1's and 0's at the IFC Center. If only because I delight at the idea of choosing something so subversive for that most traditional of American festas. And I'm not just referring to the copious sex and violence to be found within this masterpiece.
Amy Taubin blew my mind some time ago by pointing out this film's status as disguised Hollywood western, its roots deep in John Ford's THE SEARCHERS, which may have been subconciously supplied by scribe Paul Schrader but were most definitely purposely highlighted by Scorsese. Its protagonist's name is Travis. a cowboy name. It's villain's name is Sport, none too far removed from Ford's Scar. Both involve the rescuing of a "pure" white girl from company corruptive, uncivilized, perhaps subhuman in the director's vision. Ford, at least, provided supporting characters whose ultimate victory we could find comfort in. Not so in Scorsese's vision, which leaves its audience to either identify with a sordid cast of characters or free to embrace a moral limbo. Still, as it's the only western, albeit a neo-western, to include a cowboys vs. Native Americans theme (can't include Hill's CASSIDY/SUNDANCE, a western about train robbers), and I think even the veiled reference to Native Americans should win the day on this particular holiday's eve, I'm making the reach and making it my Pick today, or tonight. Plus, we're all inevitably, annually bound, when surrounded by our families, to utter at least once the film's most famous phrase. So lemme answer it in advance. YEAH, I'm talking to you, JACKASS!
For more info on these and all NYC's classic screenings in November '13 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. And be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter. On this, the biggest bar night of the year, mostly due to the pitfalls a full day with our family and loved ones forebodes, I wish you all a barn-burner of a night celebrating with your circle of friends, that you make it through safely and soundly, and that the carving of the boid on the morrow finds you content in the comfort of those closest to you. Nitrate Stock wishes you a happy holiday. Suckahz.
-Joe Walsh
