February 11th 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.
It's now official; due to the unseasonal, punishing cold all molecular activity in NYC has come to a standstill. So for a change it's not just the taxi drivers, trash collectors and Time Warner repairmen that have stopped moving. Continuing series today include the French Institute's CineSalon, BAM's Vengeance is Hers, and the Film Society's Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema. The shivering shenanigans be thus;
Film Forum
ALPHAVILLE (1965) Dir; Jean-Luc Godard
THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (1947) Dir; Orson Welles
French Institute/Alliance Francias
UNE CHAMBRE EN VILLE (1982) Dir; Jacques Demy
BAM Cinematek
KURONEKO (1968) Dir; Kaneta Shindo
Film Society of Lincoln Center
MOTHER JOAN OF THE ANGELS (1960) Dir; Jerzy Kawalerowicz
THE CONSTANT FACTOR (1980) Dir; Krzysztof Zanussi
MoMA
MANILA IN THE CLAWS OF LIGHT (1975) Dir; Lino Brocka
Today's Pick? Well if I gotta leave my pillow-and-quilt fortress today for any reason the French Institute's new-ish CineSalon series, which pairs new 35mm and DCP restos of classic French cinema with pertinent intros and post-screening discussion, is probably the best motivation I could have. Already one of the best kept secrets on the rep film circuit (if ya ask me) the Alliance Francais boasts one of the better, swankier screening spaces Manhattan has to offer, and their programming is always unique and intriguing. This series presents everything from the early sound cinema of Jean Renoir (BODOU SAVED FROM DROWNING), to 50's Technicolor masterpieces (Max Ophul's LOLA MONTES), to later exercises in genre homage, such as tonight's entry; Jacques Demy's 1982 musical UNE CHAMBRE EN VILLE. I finally availed myself of Demy's work firsthand last autumn, as part of Film Forum's comprehensive presentation of his CV, taking in THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG and THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT. Which I, not a lifetime movie musical lover, found absolutley enchanting. CHAMBRE comes later in Demy's career, just years shy of his early death in 1990, but cleaned up come his native industry's awards season, proving he'd lost none of his relevance as a filmmaker. As with CHERBOURG he employs here the operatic technique of recitative, in which every line of dialogue is sung. Hopefully, as with CHERBOURG, the experience will be just as magical.
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 tomorrow with a brand new Pick, til then let's start burning Red Sox fans. Y'know for heat. And cosmic justice. Goddam I've had it with winter...
-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.
