July 30th 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.
Nitrate Stock 's August '14 calendar/podcast is just about ready to post. Exciting stuff lay on NYC's rep circuit horizon, including tribs to two very influential auteur filmmakers, an observance of one of Hollywood's least proud moments, and, of course, the last of the city's terrific outdoor screenings. Before we get there, though, let's send July off in style, shall we?
Ongoing series today include Femmes Noirs at Film Forum, An Auteurist History of Film and Lady in the Dark: Crime Films from Columbia Pictures 1932-57 at MoMA, and the Luis Buñuel retrospective at BAM Cinématek. The palimpsest reads thus;
Film Forum
BODY HEAT (1981) Dir; Lawrence Kasdan
FATAL ATTRACTION (1987) Dir; Adrian Lyne
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (1964) Dir; Richard Lester
MoMA
ANNIE HALL (1977) Dir; Woody Allen
DEAD RECKONING (1947) Dir; John Cromwell
THE SNIPER (1952) Dir; Edward Dmytryk
McCarren Park - Williamsburg
HEATHERS (1989) Dir; Michael Lehmann
BAM Cinématek
NAZARIN (1959) Dir; Luis Buñuel
Pier One, Riverside Park South
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) Dir; Rob Reiner
Today's Pick? Because it's a seminal work not only of its decade, but of a notable filmmaker's CV, one who used to number amongst my favorites, who I don't so much hate per se now that he's squandered his once formidable gifts as feel mightily disappointed over (as opposed to, say, a Tim Burton, who's absolutely whored his spark until it rests comfortably on tourist gift shop shelves hellwide). Because it features some of the most memorable work from its cast, from the preserved-in-amber youthful ebullience of leads Cary Elwes and Robin Wright, to Andre the Giant's finest 15 minutes of film glory, to eminently quotable turns from Wallace Shawn, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane and Billy Crystal. Because Peter Falk is its onscreen narrator, reading William Goldman's bedtime story as, well, a bedtime story, and any excuse to watch the great Falk do his thing for the cameras is a worthy expenditure of anyone's time. Because it's an outdoor screening smack-dab in the middle of these precious summer months, months I desperately cling to in an increasingly cold NYC. But finally, and foremost, because I've never seen it. A fact that my tight circle of movie-mad friends never let me forget for too long a time. I think 82 minutes might be the record. So with all these factors in play, I eschew Woody Allen, Edward Dmytryk and Luis Buñuel in favor of a different sort of movie magic today, in the hope that this'll finally get alla you off my back once and for all. What noble intent have I.
Rob Reiner's THE PRINCESS BRIDE screens tonight, sunset at Pier One, Riverside Park South. Have fun storming the meadow.
For more info on these and all NYC's remaining classic film screenings in July '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. For the monthly overview and other audio tomfoolery check out the 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 safe, sound, make sure the next knucklehead is too. Excelsior, Stockhaz!
-Joe Walsh
P. S. Even though we've fully entered the summer months and therefore not often as mindful of the displaced, some of our fellow NY'ers are yet to be made whole since Hurricane Sandy hit nearly two years ago. Check in with the good folks at Occupy Sandy to see if you can't still volunteer/donate to our neighbors in need. Be a mensch.
