May 8th 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.
An eclectic if minimal mix this day on the rep circuit; a Shakespearean adap from one of the finest filmmakers the world's ever known, a cutural game-changer that not only impacted its genre but practically invented the Midnight Movie, a disaster epic produced at the height of that sub-genre's popularity, and Wes Craven's DEADLY FRIEND. Lord knows where my predilections will lead me this day.
Ongoing series today include An Auteurist History of Film at MoMA, and The Deuce at the Nitehawk Cinema. The hijinks look thus;
Film Forum
OTHELLO (1952) Dir; Orson Welles
MoMA
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) Dir; George A. Romero
BowTie Chelsea Cinemas
EARTHQUAKE (1974) Dir; Mark Robson
Nitehawk Cinema
DEADLY FRIEND (1986) Dir; Wes Craven
Today's Pick? As I've just chosen Orson Welles' OTHELLO and George A. Romero's still-influential NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, and as I have no intention of making Wes Craven the recipient of my token nod, I'm goin' with the 70's-tacular disaster-porn epic EARTHQUAKE at the BowTie Chelsea Cinemas, which may not be screening in its original theater-rattling Sensurround, but I'm sure the natural audio bleed from the adjoining screens, surely playing one or another Superhero epic, will be enough to recreate the original seismic experience. Plus you get a choice example of Charlton Heston in one of his patented Me-decade "Why didn't They Listen?!?!" perfs. It all adds up to a 7.5 on the whimsy scale. I couldn't resist.
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 RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!! CHARLTON HESTON 'S HERE, IT CAN'T BE GOOD NEWS!!!
-Joe Walsh
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.
