April 6th 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.
Continuing series today include Tout Truffaut and Film Forum Jr. at, you guessed it, Film Forum, American Hustlers at IFC Center, Vienna Unveiled and The Aesthetics of Shadow at MoMA, Permanent Vacation: The Films of Jim Jarmusch at the Walter Reade Theater, and Blonde Venus: The Films of Dietrich and von Sternberg at BAM Cinematek. Let's go to press!
Film Forum
OLIVER! (1968) Dir; Carol Reed
MISSISSIPPI MERMAID (1969) Dir; Francois Truffaut
IFC Center
A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988) Dir; Charles Crichton
Nitehawk Cinema
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (1987) Dir; Gary Goddard
Mid-Manhattan Library
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1934) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
MoMA
THE JOYLESS STREET (1925) Dir; G. W. Pabst
FLESH AND THE DEVIL (1926) Dir; Clarence Brown
WELCOME TO VIENNA (1986) Dir; Axel Corti
SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS (1927) Dir; F. W. Murnau
Film Society of Lincoln Center
PERMANENT VACATION (1980) Dir; Jim Jarmusch
BAM Cinematek
THE BLUE ANGEL (1930) Dir; Joseph von Sternberg
Anthology Film Archives
HAXAN: WITHCRAFT THROUGH THE AGES (1922) Dir; Benjamin Christensen
Today's Pick? The magic and incredibly influential first pairing of muse and filmmaker, 1930's THE BLUE ANGEL, screening as part of BAM's wonderful Blonde Venus: The Films of Dietrich and von Sternberg series. How crucial to film history is the swapping of a pair of vowels; Lulu was almost Lola. Louise Brooks, freshly arrived in Europe after a contract dispute with Paramount Pictures, found herself in demand based on the success of her recent work with Howard Hawks, 1928's A GIRL IN EVERY PORT. Von Sternberg had wanted to cast the bob hairdo'd beaut as his cabaret temptress, until G. W. Pabst won her services for the role of the ill-fated free spirit of PANDORA'S BOX. Luckily von Sternberg had picked one of the most fortuitous safetys in film history, the aloof, alluring Dietrich, who stepped into Lola-Lola's stilletoes as if born to them. The resulting film was not only a worldwide box office smash, it spawned one of the great director/star collaborations in cinema history. 6 more features of equal if not superior quality ensued, and they all claim their rightful place back up on the big screen as part of BAM's series. Today, though, you can witness that symbiotic artistic indulgence's big bang. As it were.
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in March '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. For the monthly overview listen in to the brand new podcast! 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 wasn't CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER brilliant?!?
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 the 2012 hurricane. Be a mensch.
