May 6th 2014. Pick of the Day.

An uncharacteristically slow day during May's 1st week affords me the opportunity to finally choose a film that's been running for the last week and a half, and not only because it reps exactly one quarter of the days's rep circuit doings. The totality of today's new and continuing series include French Cinema's Secret Trove at the French Institute, and BAM Cinématek's sadly concluding Ellen Burstyn trib. And now, on with the opera;
 
Film Forum
OTHELLO (1952) Dir; Orson Welles
 
French Institute/Alliance Française
LITTLE LISE (1930) Dir; Jean Grémillion
DAINAH LE METISSE (1931) Dir; Jean Grémillion
 
BAM Cinématek
SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR (1978) Dir; Robert Mulligan
 
Today's Pick? Orson Welles' newly restored OTHELLO, unspooling as a series of 1's and 0's in its brand spankin' new DCP at Film Forum. Welles had already tackled the Bard on many occasions, on stage most famously in his radical reworking of JULIUS CAESAR and not 4 years earlier on celluloid in his spare, haunting MACBETH. As with his shooting of the Scottish play, limited, actually chaotic budget conditions forced the creative genius to make fast decisions simply to get a day's filming in the can. Adding to the film's woes was the initial producer's declaration of bankruptcy just days into the production schedule. Welles began funding the project out of pocket, accepting acting work for no other reason than to keep laying track before this Shakespearean locomotive he'd set in motion (as one of these parts was Harry Lime in Carol Reed's THE THIRD MAN, a double hug for this flick!) Because of the staggered production schedule pragmatic concessions had to be made; scenes begin in one country and end in another, no less than three Desdemona's spent time before Welles' cameras, wardrobe articles were designed on other productions then pilfered, etc. In the face of such impossible odds the film took the Palme d'Or at the 1952 Cannes Film Fest, and despite meager U. S. box office has come to be regarded among the filmmaker's finest achievements. You get three last chances this week to witness this brilliance, which promises to stun in its new DCP iteration. What would Iago do...?
 
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in May '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. For the monthly overview listen in to the new podcast, and follow me on SoundCloud! For reviews of contemporary cinema and my streaming habits (keep it clean!) check out my Letterboxd 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 put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away! Go, vanish into air!
 
-Joe Walsh
JoeW@NitrateStock.net
 
P. S. Should you be feeling charitable during this still 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.