February 25th 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.
Today's continuing series are Film Forum's recently commenced The Complete Hitchcock, and the Nitehawk Cinema's Vice presents the Film Foundation Screening Series. The cinematic monkeyshines look a lil' something like this;
Film Forum
THE WRONG MAN (1956) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
ELSTREE CALLING (1930) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
Nitehawk Cinema
THE CONNECTION (1962) Dir; Shirley Clarke
Today's Pick? I've kept a fairly decent attendance record at Billyburg's Nitehawk Cinema since their Film Foundation series kicked off nearly a year ago, so I'm happily trodding forth to my sister borough to catch Shirley Clarke's THE CONNECTION. Clarke, the ex-choreographer turned bold independent filmmaker, fought a tough battle in NY state's court system whence attempting to release her debut feature, an adap of an off-broadway play concerning junkie jazz musicians which had already been recieved with enthusiasm at that year's Cannes film fest. Initially judged obscene by the state's film licensing board, that decision was later overturned by the State Court of Appeals, a victory not just for the director but the entire independent film scene of the soon-to-go-batshit 60's. Its eventual release was a failure, however, due to the negative publicity the lawsuits had drawn, and it took years of critical re-evaulation for the movie's rep to be restored. It's no longer quite as hard to see as had been the case for years, due of course to the restorative efforts of Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation, but it's still not exactly a routine event. So should ya wanna catch an important entry into the cinematic timeline, and knock back a few root beers n' tater tots in the process, the Nitehawk's your place tonight.
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 I propose we select a random individual on a daily basis to wear a shirt with the words Polar Vortex printed on it just to see how far he'd make it across town alive. Just so we vent. It's a thought.
-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.
