May 12th-18th: Mr. Lawrence, Sidney & J.J., and Donald Westlake, if that IS Your Real Name! Dig in!
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.
Well, Stockahz, I ain't gonna lie; this here task regarding the NYC rep film circuit and my efforts to continually provide you with the best, most complete and constantly updated info has become, well, tougher. Now, that's not to say that I don't still love said task, or that I'm slacking out of disinterest, just that since I started, and some of ya remember when that was, the repertory film scene in the city had hit a lull, one I believed a temporary one, and indeed I began the site not only in the belief of that lull's temp status but in the hopes that my efforts might help encourage turnout at our beloved venues when particular series and screenings demanded such. So it's with great humility that I admit the last couple of months have seen a less effective effort fro yours truly in this regard. Again, not to beat an old saw, but there was Russian hacking (I'm not joking), an apartment collapse, and I don't mean in terms of equity, and the emergence of a brand new and spectacular player on the scene, the newly renovated and reopened Quad Cinema. Yes, I'm behind the 8 ball to a certain degree, but I'm fairly certain that once I get right in the saddle again, the wagon train's trail will proceed smoothly once more. In other words, to put it succinctly, Stick Wit Me Stockahz.
New and ongoing series this day include Forbidden Colors: Ryuichi Sakamoto at the Movies at the Quad Cinema; Modern Matinees: Mr. Cary Grant, Son of Universal: More Rediscovered Gems from the Laemmle Years and Moustapha Alassane, Pioneer of the Golden Age of Nigerian Cinema at MoMA; Peak Performances at BAM Cinématek; Welcome to Metrograph: A to Z and Mother's Day at Metrograph; Crime Scenes: Donald Westlake on Film at Museum of the Moving Image; and the tried and true hook-'em-while-they're-young Film Forum Jr. at yeah Film Forum. The oogie and the boogie be thus;
Friday May 12th
Film Forum
LEO MORIN, PRIEST (1961) Dir; Jean-Pierre Melville
Quad Cinema
Forbidden Colors: Ryuichi Sakamoto at the Movies
HIGH HEELS (1991) Dir; Pedro Almodovar
THE LAST EMPEROR (1988) Dir; Bernardo Bertolucci
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE (1984) Dir; Nagisa Oshima
MoMA
Modern Matinees: Mr. Cary Grant
TO CATCH A THIEF (1955) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
Son of Universal: More Rediscovered Gems from the Laemmle Years
LADIES MUST LOVE (1933) Dir; E. A. DuPont
DESTINATION UNKNOWN (1932) Dir; Tay Garnett
Moustapha Alassane, Pioneer of the Golden Age of Nigerian Cinema
THE RETURN OF AN ADVENTURER (1966) Dir; Moustapha Alassane
BAM Cinématek
TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME (1992) Dir; David Lynch
Metrograph
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1955) Dir; Alexander MacKendrick
SPECIAL EFFECTS (1984) Dir; Larry Cohen
Syndicated
THE BIRDS (1963) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
Museum of the Moving Image
Crime Scenes: Donald Westlake on Film
POINT BLANK (1967) Dir; John Boorman
Anthology Film Archives
CLOSE-UP (1992) Dir; Abbas Kiarostami
THE RULES OF THE GAME (1938) Dir; Jean Renoir
IFC Center
WHITE LIGHTNING (1973) Dir; Joseph Sargent
THE SHINING (1980) Dir; Stanley Kubrick
Nitehawk Cinema
POLTERGEIST (1982) Dir; Tobe Hooper?
Today's Pick? Holy Cannoli, there's a wealth of classic cinema to be had this day! Hitch's THIEF in 35mm at MoMA? John Boorman's template revenge stalk POINT BLANK in 35mm? Jean Renoir's absolute masterpiece regarding class warfare and compromise and the leadup to WW2 in 35 okay you get the format point. So much to be had, and yet how can I pass up the opportunity to catch legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto host a Q&A at a screening of Nagisa Oshima's MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE, a film he not only scored but appears in, and opposite the recently lost Bowie? HOW, I ask? The answer? I don't. Pick made. Screens tonight at the Quad as part of their newborn Forbidden Colors series, feting the Japanese musical master.
Saturday May 13th
Quad Cinema
Forbidden Colors: Ryuichi Sakamoto at the Movies
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE (1984) Dir; Nagisa Oshima
THE SHELTERING SKY (1990) Dir; Bernardo Bertolucci
THE LAST EMPEROR (1988) Dir; Bernardo Bertolucci
Nitehawk Cinema
MOMMIE DEAREST (1980) Dir; Frank Perry
DEMOLITION MAN (1992) Dir; Marco Brambilla
POLTERGEIST (1982) Dir; Tobe Hooper?
Metrograph
FREAKY FRIDAY (1976) Dir; Gary Nelson
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1955) Dir; Alexander MacKendrick
SILKWOOD (1983) Dir; Mike Nichols
Film Forum
LEO MORIN, PRIEST (1961) Dir; Jean-Pierre Melville
HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR (1959) Dir; Alain Resnais
Syndicated
THE BIRDS (1963) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
MoMA
Moustapha Alassane, Pioneer of the Golden Age of Nigerian Cinema
F.V.V.A. (1972) Dir; Moustapha Alassane
TOULA, OR THE WATER GENIE (1973) Dir; Moustapha Alassane
Son of Universal: More Rediscovered Gems from the Laemmle Years
DON'T BET ON LOVE (1933) Dir; Murray Roth
MILLION DOLLAR RANSOM (1934) Dir; Murray Roth
CHINATOWN SQUAD (1935) Dir; Murray Roth
Museum of the Moving Image
Crime Scenes: Donald Westlake on Film
THE STEPFATHER (1987) Dir; Joseph Ruben
THE GRIFTERS (1990) Dir; Stephen Frears
BAM Cinématek
ERASERHEAD (1978) Dir; David Lynch
IFC Center
WHITE LIGHTNING (1973) Dir; Joseph Sargent
THE SHINING (1980) Dir; Stanley Kubrick
Today's Pick? there;s a whooooole lot of entertainingly sordid on display this day, with a great deal of it focused in Astoria as part of Moving Image's trib series to legendary crime author Donald Westlake, as they screen two gem products from his pen: Joseph Ruben's THE STEPFATHER and Stephen Frears' THE GRIFTERS. And yet, if I'm gonna walk the seamy side of the street this day, I simply cannot resist the company of Press Agent Sidney Falco and Gosip Columnist J.J. Hunsecker, two of the filthiest, most corrupted and compromised individuals to ever stain the silver screen. And lord, how they remain irresistable. McKendrick's SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS unspools in, ya guessed it, 35mm at Metrograph as part of their wonderfully unending Welcome to Metrograph: A to Z! The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river. If ya haveta ask...
Sunday May 14th
Film Forum
LITTLE WOMEN (1933) Dir; George Cukor
LEO MORIN, PRIEST (1961) Dir; Jean-Pierre Melville
HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR (1959) Dir; Alain Resnais
Nitehawk Cinema
MOMMIE DEAREST (1980) Dir; Frank Perry
DEMOLITION MAN (1992) Dir; Marco Brambilla
Metrograph
FREAKY FRIDAY (1976) Dir; Gary Nelson
TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (1983) Dir; James L. Brooks
SIDEWALK STORIES (1989) Dir; Charles Lane
SILKWOOD (1983) Dir; Mike Nichols
MoMA
Moustapha Alassane, Pioneer of the Golden Age of Nigerian Cinema
THE RETURN OF AN ADVENTURER (1966) Dir; Moustapha Alassane
TOULA, OR THE WATER GENIE (1973) Dir; Moustapha Alassane
THE RING OF KING KODA (1962) Dir; Moustapha Alassane
Son of Universal: More Rediscovered Gems from the Laemmle Years
OUTSIDE THE LAW (1930) Dir; Tod Browning
YOUNG DESIRE (1930) Dir; Lewis D. Collins
Quad Cinema
Forbidden Colors: Ryuichi Sakamoto at the Movies
HIGH HEELS (1991) Dir; Pedro Almodovar
THE SHELTERING SKY (1990) Dir; Bernardo Bertolucci
THE HANDMAID'S TALE (1990) Dir; Volker Schlöndorff
Syndicated
PSYCHO (1960) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
BAM Cinématek
CARRIE (1977) Dir; Brian de Palma
RUBY (1977) Dir; Curtis Harrington
Museum of the Moving Image
Crime Scenes: Donald Westlake on Film
COPS AND ROBBERS (1973) Dir; Aram Avakian
MADE IN USA (1966) Dir; Jean-Luc Godard
THE HOT ROCK/THE OUTFIT (1972/73) Dir; Peter Yates/John Flynn
Mid-Manhattan Library
YOUNG BILLY YOUNG (1969) Dir; Burt Kennedy
Anthology Film Archives
CLOSE-UP (1992) Dir; Abbas Kiarostami
Today's Pick? Okay, TODAY I go with Crime Scenes: Donald Westlake on Film, if only because it offers up some choice and underappreciated 70's grit like Peter Yates' THE HOT ROCK and John Flynn's THE OUTFIT, but also the jewel of today's slate I'd argue; the CRIMINALLY (yeah, pun intended) overlooked and underloved COPS AND ROBBERS, starring Cliff Corman and Joe Bologna as career cops who decide to pull a fast one to the tune of 10 mil. Plus, the price of admission to Museum of the Moving Image gains you a ticket not only to the most awesome museum on the east coast, maybe anywhere, but to the screenings. You really, really, REALLY will not find a better deal to be had. It's practically a steal bad dum I'm here all week try the lasagada!
Other notable screenings this week include a special screening of Alison Anders' mercurial and mellifluous GAS FOOD LODGING, at the Film Forum this Monday and featuring the auteur in attendance; the intriguing curio CHINATOWN SQUAD, a relic from another era in terms of cultural sensitivity but a fascinating example of art from another time, screening Tuesday as part of MoMA's wonderful follow-up series Son of Universal: More Rediscovered Gems from the Laemmle Years; a young Sherilyn Fenn boasting not merely physical beauty but impressive chops and command of the screen in Zalman King's TWO-MOON JUNCTION, Wednesday at BAM as part of their Black Lodge anticipating Peak Performances; and for a change, I'll go non-celluloid or DCP, and choose David Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS, only because it's one of Cronenberg's masterpieces, and you can order food and booze at Syndicated as part of the experience, this upcoming Thursday.
Once again, there you have it, my picks and pontifications regarding your next 7 days' worth of rep filmgoing! We'll check in again a week from now, in the early days of a whole new spin 'round the sun, for the purposes of once more rummaging through the reels and making the tough yet wonderful choices regarding our chosen love. Til then be sure to follow me on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, and be SURE to catch my new YouTube channel, Nitrate Stock TV, where I'll be checking in at screenings all over the city and giving my 2 cents on the film, the venue, the audience, any damn thing that comes to my mind. Which, as some of ya know, can be quite entertaining. . Til next time Stockahz, remember: be safe, be sound, and make sure the next guy and gal are too. Excelsior!
- Joe Walsh
P. S. As you know I like to beat the drum for what I consider worthwhile causes. Xenophobia has sadly always been present in our country, mostly dormant, but at times very awoken and tangible. Sadly, the latter is the present case, and the subject of Syrian refugees has become a veritable powderkeg. To those of you who believe we can aid these people, our fellow human beings who are desperate for our help, I suggest the heroic efforts of the good men and women at DoctorsWithoutBorders. They're providing boots-on-the-ground relief, everything from surgery and medicine to clean water. It's a small something to be sure in this maelstrom of madness, but it is just that: something.
