April 29th 2016. 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.
New and continuing series this day include Classic IFC Center and When U Were Ours: Remembering Prince at IFC Center, Fassbinder's Top Ten at the Metrograph, Modern Matinees: Six New York Independents at MoMA, the waning days of the Film Society's Queer Cinema Before Stonewall, and the eternally swellegant Cabaret Cinema at the Rubin Museum. The glorification of grain be thus;
IFC Center
CITY LIGHTS (1931) Dir; Charlie Chaplin
When U Were Ours: Remembering Prince
PURPLE RAIN (1984) Dir; Albert Magnoli
Metrograph
SALO, OR THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM (1975) Dir; Pier Paolo Pasolini
Film Forum
A TOUCH OF ZEN (1971) Dir; King Hu
MoMA
Modern Matinees: Six New York Independents
THE HONEYMOON KILLERS (1970) Dir; Leonard Kastle
Film Society of Lincoln Center
VICTIM (1961) Dir; Basil Dearden
THE GIRL WITH THE GOLDEN EYES (1961) Dir; Jean-Gabriel Albicocco
LOVE MEETINGS (1964) Dir; Pier Paolo Pasolini
Syndicated
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
PSYCHO (1960) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
New York Historical Society
Justice in Film
FORBIDDEN GAMES (1952) Dir; René Clement
Rubin Museum
DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) Dirs; Robert Hamer, Basil Dearden, Charles Chrichton & Alberto Cavalcanti
Nitehawk Cinema
HEAVY METAL (1981) Dir; Gerald Potterton
Today's Pick? Lots to obsess over, from IFC Center's twin tribs to Chaplin and one of his greatest progenies, the Artist Formerly Walking Amongst Us, the world's beloved Prince, to Metrograph's Fazz crowd-surf, to the new and immediately beloved Syndicated in Brooklyn, screening two Hitch classics this eve. It strikes me, however, that I have not merely overlooked my newest and fave theater in these 5 boroughs, but also the animated film genre. Let's kill two birds with one stone, shall we?
Gerald Potterton's HEAVY METAL, the incredibly daring attempt at adult, very adult Sci-Fi and fantasy, in animated form no less, found its inspiration in the pages of the French monthly known as METAL HURLANT, which found distribution in these states under the same title the film assumed. It took bold chances, it threw greenbacks toward original music from the era's most popular bands. It appealed to 12-year olds everywhere, which is the exact age I first viewed it in. The prospect of naked female breasts, albeit in cartoon form, maybe especially in cartoon form, proved the draw in my burgeoning adolescece, but the real mindfuck promised was the talent on disply; Bernie Wrightson, Ron Cobb, Richard Corben, and the absolutely stunning genius known simply as Moebius. It made its dough at the time and served its purpose as an entry in the Midnight Movie animation circuit, alongside interesting fare like René Laloux's FANTASTIC PLANET, and once-dangerous ink from Ralph Bakshi, titles like HEAVY TRAFFIC, COONSKIN, and the immortal FRITZ THE CAT. It also served as a sort of capper to the Me-Decade's indulgence of European-New Wave influenced filmmakers. It arrived just as the we-can-get-away-with-anything ethos was about to end. So it's a remarkable work in many regards. And deserves our love. It screens tonight at my beloved Nitehawk Cinema. Plus, tater tots. Best in the city.
For more info on these and all NYC's rep film screenings in April '16 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. 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 soon with new Picks 'n perks, til then safe, sound, make sure the next knucklehead is too!
P. S. Winter's icy grip seems to have loosened on our fair metropolis, but milder weather aside some of our fellow NY'ers have still yet to be made whole in the wake of the 2012 storm. Should you be feeling charitable please visit the folks at OccupySandy.net, follow their hammer-in-hand efforts to restore people's lives, and donate/volunteer if you have the inclination and availability. Be a collective mensch, Stockahz!
