October 2016! James Dean, A Nite to Dismember, and NYFF54! Read On!

Allo allo, my beaming, beautiful Stockhaz! And might I bid you a fair and fond welcome to our shared October 2016! We're at that transition point between Summer and Winter that has long had no name, no descriptive title to inscribe said epoch deep within our collective conscious okay, it's called Autumn. I fibbed. It's just that I dread Summer's passing, because it only means one more triple-noggined gorgon known as Winter is just around the corner, ready to exhume itself from its always, sadly, temporary grave. It means the end of Baseball, the mean season of Football, and the annual Shakespearean tragedy known as the New York Knicks. It means frigid weather, bleak days, women breaking out their bulky cold spell attire. It means the 3-month full-court press the film world increasingly employs in the leadup to Oscar voting. Yea, it serves as seasonal bellwether of much ill. Yet, it also promises certain splendors. The 2016 World Series. The aforementioned Oscar race. Thanksgiving and Christmas with friends and fam. And, of course, the increasingly busy rep film circuit seeking to meet the demands of our movie mad metropolis! So much is about to happen o the scene, from fests and retrospectives to guest appearances and special reconstructions. We've got much to look forward to, so let's get to the next 31 days of magic!

Those of you familiar with the site, y'know, the beautiful peeps amongst ye, know that I like to confer what I call Big Dawg status on that series or screening I deem well nigh unmissable for that lunar cycle. Last month that much sought after designation fell to Anthology Film Archives for their incredible, essential series Woman with a Movie Camera: Female Film Directors Before 1950. The program focused on early pioneers of cinema before gender lines were drawn around twenty years into the newly-born genre. Names like Gene Gauntier, who produced/wrote/starred in and sometimes directed a series of action clifhangers featuring a Civil War-era female spy; Lois Weber, who for a good spell in the teens was Universal Studios' top earner; and Alice Guy Blaché, perhaps the most accomplished of the early feamle cinematic sojourners, having experimented with both color and sound at the turn of the century, were repped not just respectfully, but magnificently. I'm hoping there's more to this program to come.

This month's Daily Growl, despite some ace competition, must, has to, can't not go to the folks uptown at the Film Society and their stellar, stunning, always exceptional and insanely essential New York Film Festival, this year celebrating its 54th iteration! As usual, this fête remains the cream of the cappucino, occuring well in the distance of deal-making fests like Sundance and Cannes, and breaking just on the verge of the 3-month season containing all the Oscar bait one could possibly hope for. My focus, however, is on the Revivals and Retrospectives sections of the festa; the former presenting brand-spankin' new DCP spitshines of some classic works of cinema like Gillo Pontecorvo's war-procedural game-changer THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS, Robert Bresson's last breath L'ARGENT, Mizoguchi's haunting meditation UGETSU, and Marlon Brando's lone directorial effort, the recenty-reappraised ONE-EYED JACKS. The latter brings us classics of pre-Nouvelle Vague French Cinema, including titles like Jacques Becker's ANTOINE ET ANTOINETTE, Jean-Pierre Melville's LES ENFANTS TERRIBLE, and Jean Renoir's LA MARSEILLAISE, as well as a buffet-style revisit of studio-era careerist Henry Hathaway's CV, boasting titles iconic like the Marylin Monroe breakout NIAGARA, the Richard Widmark breakout KISS OF DEATH and the John Wayne-Stewart Granger broken NORTH TO ALASKA, as well as lesser-known fare like 1938's SPAWN OF THE NORTH, 1946's THE DARK CORNER, and 1951's FOURTEEN HOURS. The whole glimmering, glittering, glistering shebang kicked off yesterday, the last day of September '16, and runs for the next two weeks. It is an event not to be missed. I've only been covering the shindig for the last two years, and in that time I've been lucky enough to witness epic events like the entire main cast of Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA attend a post-screening discussion of the newly-assembled longer cut, nearly every screening in the Joseph L. Mankiewicz retrospective, Thelma Schoonmaker Powell expound on her ex-husband's proclivity for brilliance at the TALES OF HOFFMAN reconstruction premiere, and Martin Scorsese himself spend the entirety of his interview time, roughly 45 minutes, answering a single question regarding the 25th aniversary of his Film Foundation. Needless to say, my synapses are firing wildly at the prospect of my third year of attendance. The Film Society is located at the Walter Reade Theater at 165 W. 65th St., and the Elinor Bunin Monroe Film Center at 144 W. 65th St.

Pedicabbing across the body of water to Manhattan's east we find ourselves in the Palm Beach of NYC, Queens County's Astoria, and the Museum of the Moving Image, at what proved to be a close close runner up to the shenanigans at Lincoln Center. Krzyztof Kieslowski: A Complete Retrospective, is exactly that - the complete works of the giant of postwar Polish cinema, and while I don't include his short films or docs, as is my policy with all screenings, his fictional narratives are the main draw regardless. The complete DEKALOG unspools over the course of 2 weekends, but like Fassbinder's BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ, I find it a difficult inclusion as it was originally intended as a television miniseries. Here's what I can wholeheartedly recommend: 1976's bureaucracy indicting THE SCAR, the RUN LOLA RUN-template BLIND CHANCE, the independence temp-gauge NO END, and the best-known and most celebrated of the pack: 1991's THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE, followed by the incomparable THREE COLORS TRILOGY, all repping swaths of the French flag - 1993's BLUE (Liberty), 1994's WHITE (Equality) and 1994's RED (Fraternity). The series runs from the 7th til November 6th. Moving Image is located at 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria, Queens.

Tunneling under the wall that separates the boroughs we find ourselves in bustling Brooklyn, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music specifically. At their Cinématek, even more specifically. The 'Tek i a bustling hive of activity this month, with tribs to a beloved cult songwriter and Halloween hijinks aplenty. The main draw, however, and what served as close close CLOSE runner up to the foofaraw at Lincoln Center, is BAM's retrospective, an overdue one some may think, to the recently deceased director of the most notorious financial debacle in the modern film era. The story of the so-called catastrophe is much more complex, and his legacy is far better than the quibbling ninnies of his time would have it, so this revisit is a cinematic mitzvah to say the least. Desperate Hours: The Films of Michael Cimino, offers up his every effort in Hollywood, from his screenwriting work on MAGNUM FORCE and SILENT RUNNING, to his directorial debut, the universally beloved THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT, to his most galvanizing, divisive works; 1978's awards-behemoth THE DEER HUNTER and 1980's studio-wrecking (so-called) HEAVEN'S GATE. He'd go on to notable stuff like 1985's YEAR OF THE DRAGON and 1987's THE SICILIAN. But for all intents and purpose, he emerged in the wake of his notorious western a dead man walking. To which degree you consider that unfair belongs to your personal taste. But if you're only aware of this man via his rep, you owe it to yourself to watch his work, and to take advantage of this opportunity to witness his visions unspooled on the large canvass intended. The series runs til October 6th. BAM is located at the Peter Jay Sharp buildng, 30 Lafayette Avenue, in Brooklyn.

Treading the estuary effusion we find ourselves smack dab back in the center of culture in our fair metropolis, the isle of Manhattan, most specifically at that temple of cinematic worship: West Houston Streets' Film Forum, which is stocked to the point of overstocked with rep film treasure this month. At the moment their trib to the too soon stolen James Dean offers up his lone trio of cinematic efforts; Nick Ray's REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, Elia Kazan's EAST OF EDEN, and George Stevens' GIANT. The scrapbook pageturn continues til the 6th.

Two 4K restos of 60's cinema from vastly differing film climes make their way from the NYFF to a traditional rep venue run at the Forum. Both Pontecorvo's BATTLE OF ALGIERS and Brando's ONE-EYED JACKS. they get a week apiece; the former 10/7-10/13, the latter 10/14-10/20. Both are examples, if somewhat dissimilar, of their era of rebellio and revolt. Both are unmissable.

Following those two snuggle-fests comes one of the most celebrated works of Foodie Cinema, as it were. Juzo Itami's TAMPOPO gets a full 2 weeks to stir your appetites, both carnivorous and carnal. You won't ever view a raw egg the same way after this flick. You've been warned.

Other short and single night events include a viewing of the great Joan Micklin Silver's Oscar-nommed debut HESTER STREET, with the auteur herself in attendance; an always welcome screening of Fred Newmeyer's iconic Harold Lloyd vehicle SAFETY LAST!; Alfred Santell's newly restored Vitaphone gem SHOW GIRL; and the usual hook-'em-while-they're-young hijinks of Film Forum Jr., this month promising Norman Z. McLeod's IT'S A GIFT, Raoul Walsh's THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, and Frank Oz's cult-classic remake of a cult-classic, 1985's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Yeh, they do film here. Film Forum is located at 209 W Houston St. in lower Manhattan.

The Manhattan film fanatic's fave collapsing haunted house, Anthology Film Archives, does just that this month, crumbles under the massive weight of its Lucio Fulci series and disappears in a Spielbergian ball of white light. Spielberg not included. The Genre Terrorist offers evidence of Fulci's full career, as he shares with fellow countrymen Dario Argento and the mighty Mario Bava the distinction of working in multiple genres successfully while being associated mostly with one: the Giallo film. AFA has scheduled sex comedies like A STRANGE TYPE and MY SISTER-IN-LAW, Spaghetti Westerns like MASSACRE TIME, KRULL-presagers like CONQUEST, Poliziotteschi fare like CONTRABAND, a stab (no pun intended) a respectability with an adap of Jack London's WHITE FANG, and some truly cheesy and gory grindhouse gold; 1980's CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD , 1981's THE BEYOND, and perhaps his biggest international hit,1979's ZOMBIE. Series runs from the 21st through the 31st. Anthology Film Archives is located at 32 2nd Avenue in Manhattan.

Ziplining into the follically festooned nabe of BillyBurg in Brooklyn, the gang at the Nitehawk Cinema are up to their usual mischief, with the special addendum the venue conjures and offers every October. Brunch and midnight screenings include Tim Burton's BEETLEJUICE, J. Lee Thompson's CAPE FEAR and Henri Georges Clouzot's DIABLOQUE for the Bellini-besotted, and Jonathan Demme's THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Michael Mann's MANHUNTER and George A. Romero's CREEPSHOW at the Witching Hour. Demme's LAMBS makes a reappearance as part of the Nitehawk's Film Feasts series, Alfred Sole's ALICE, SWEET ALICE as part of their monthly Grindhouse series The Deuce, and the aforehinted annual frightfest affectionately bemonickered A Nite To Dismember. For the unfamiliar, the Nitehawk's Halloween hijinksery begins at midnight and offers an overnight movie marathon appropo of the occasion, this year embracing the theme of haunted enclosures. On the menu this year ar classics like Edgar G. Ulmer's THE BLACK CAT, John Hough's THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, Joe Augustyn's NIGHT OF THE DEMONS, and the Goddfadda of the genre; William Friedkin's still-spine-rattling THE EXORCIST. Plus ya get trivia contests, giveaways, and a complimentary brekkie of eggs and tots! Trust me, you won't find a better deal this All Soul's Eve. The Nitehawk is just a short hopscotch from the Bedford Avenue L trian stop at 136 Metropolitan Avenue.

People-moving your way over one of 3 bridges back onto the cultured pavillion known as Manhattan we find ourselves at the newest, brightest rep venue NYC sports. This month the Metrograph continues two very popular signature series: Welcome to Metrograph - A to Z, and Old & Improved. The former offers up John Huston's directorial debut/noir kickstart THE MALTESE FALCON, Frantisek Vlacil's MARKETA LAZAROVA and Frank Capra's MEET JOHN DOE, while the latter serves up Alan Dwan's THE INSIDE STORY, Charles Vidor's DOUBLE DOOR, and Victor Halperin's SUPERNATURAL, just in time for Jack-O-Lantern fever. The Metrograph's slowly winding-down trib to Robert Aldrich still has some big guns to roll out still, namely 1971's period crime caper THE GRISSOM GANG, the go-for-broke war flick TOO LATE THE HERO, and the irreverent, melodramatic LAPD exposé THE CHOIRBOYS. The Aldrich retro runs til the 9th. The Metrograph is located at 7 Ludlow St. just north of Canal St.

The rest of the pickin's be slim after these grand skeds. IFC Center offers up Richard Brooks' CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF as part of their Queer/Art/Film series; Syndicated's October calendar includes such classics of horror as Brian de Palma's CARRIE, John Carpenter's CHRISTINE, Sam Raimi's THE EVIL DEAD, and Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA; the Rubin Museum's Cabaret Cinema series offers up Peter Brook's MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE MEN and Micheal Powell/ Alexander Korda/Ludwig Berger's THE THIEF OF BAGDAD; and the Japan Society dares you to gaze at THE FACE OF ANOTHER, Teshigahara's creepy classic that just so happens to adorn the day of Halloween 2016.

So there it is, your rundown of the month in repertory cinema. Schedules are subject to change, and they do, so be sure to check back with this site to keep fully updated. And be sure to like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, observe me on Instagram, stalk me on Tumblr, and OH YEAH: check in with me via my brand-spankin'-new YouTube channel, NitrateStock TV! Face it, we're just stuck with each other.. So until next time, be safe and sound, Stockahz, and make sure the next knucklehead is too. Excelsior!

-Joe Walsh

JoeW@NitrateStock.net

P.S. My charitable push expands, because the forces for ill are making their grandest surge I've yet seen in my lifetime against he forces of the-other-guy/gal-counts-too: please continue to support the boots on the ground and hammer in hand eforts of Occupy Sandy, as they still work to restore families affected by Hurricane Sandy to their safe havens, but let's also support the victims of the Syrian crisis, the refugees who've come under attack by fearmongers worldwide and, most shamefully, here at home. Please either donate to agencies like www.DoctorsWithoutBorders.org, www.RedCross.org, and/or www.UnicefUSA.org, or post these addresses to your feed to involve your friends and followers in a noble cause. What are we if not a compassionate people? JFK once said, amd I'm paraphrasing, that Anerica was great because it was good. Once the latter ceased to be the case, the former would evaporate like so much hot steam. Really, though, at the end of the day, wouldn't it feel great to know you helped improve someone's circumstance. particularly the desperate ones? Here's hoping you pitch in. Cheers, Stockahz.