February 2nd 2014. Pick of the Day.
New York City's premiere resource for classic film screenings in the metropolitan area. Offering reviews, recommendations, venues and a host of links keeping classic film and the silver screens alive.
Punxsutawney Phil? Done! NFL? Done! Madden's Turducken? In the oven! What more could I ask for today? John Carpenter announcing he's finally making his western? Okay, I'll rein in the greed...
Ongoing series today include MoMA's Roadshow: The Fall of the Film Musical in the 60's, and Moving Image's See It Big! Musicals! I sense a trend. The non-gridiron whistles as follow;
Film Forum
SHANE (1953) Dir; George Stevens
THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (1947) Dir; Orson Welles
MoMA
CAMELOT (1967) Dir; Joshua Logan
CABARET (1972) Dir; Bob Fosse
Mid-Manhattan Library
FOR ME AND MY GAL (1942) Dir; Busby Berkely
Museum of the Moving Image
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944) Dir; Vincente Minnelli
GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (1933) Dir; Mervyn LeRoy
PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (1981) Dir; Herbert Ross
Today's Pick? I think it's great that the consensus among today's rep circuit programmers, whether a conscious one or no, was to counter-program the planet's most effusive, egregious, downright shameless display of lizard-brain & testosterone-fueled antics with a series of studio musicals that span the golden age of the genre to its sputtering last breaths. What could piss off an NFL morlock more than a Freed Unit showstopper, I ask? That being the yardstick I'm going with an actual heyday entry from producer Arthur Freed's musical department at MGM, and a film directed by its greatest practicioner, the brilliant Vincente Minnelli; a film that has perhaps become synonymous with MGM's iconic and seemingly proprietary status as the studio era's best, most devoted champion of the genre. In this example alone you may avail yourself of the genius of songwriters Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, who here provide the enduring The Boy Next Door, The Trolley Song, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; some of the most sumptuous work of Technicolor cinema from DP George J. Folsey; and the luminous song and dance talents and sheer screen charisma of the not-yet-tragic Judy Garland. Sure, the Super Bowl might initially seem a more manly pursuit this early February eve, should you consider that a deciding factor in your decision-making process, until you consider the following three factors; tights, rampant ass-patting and the Bruno Mars halftime show. Weighed against each other by such criteria I think the out-of-the-closet bests its opposite. But hey, to each their own. No judgements. Lousy NFL fan!
Vincente Minnelli's MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS screens as part of the series See It Big! Musicals at Astoria's Museum of the Moving Image. The commercials won't be as good but the main event? No contest.
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in February '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. And be sure to follow me on both Facebook, where I provide further info and esoterica on the rep film circuit and star birthdays, and Twitter, where I provide a daily feed for the day's screenings and other blathery. Back with a brand new Pick tomorrow, til then your box numbers are 3/7, 8/5, and 189/2145367. Man, 8/5's a bitch.
-Joe Walsh
P. S. Should you be feeling charitable during this harsh weather period please remember to check in with the good folks over at Occupy Sandy. Some of our NY neighbors are still feeling the effects of last year's hurricane. Be a mensch.
