Feb '14 Update! The Complete Hitchcock at Film Forum! Five weeks, all surviving films! Plus, Peter Yates' Breaking Away!

Just when ya think the classic film calendar's pretty much set, and none of the houses on the rep circuit or their respective programmers have any big surprises up their collective sleeves, KA-BOOM! Bruce Goldstein and co. over at the Church of West Houston, otherwise known as Film Forum, drop an A-bomb on the NYC film fanatic! From February 21st to the end of March they've programmed The Complete Hitchcock! All surviving films by Tha Mahstah are on display during the series' five week run, from British-era classics suggesting an oeuvre in progress (THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, THE LADY VANISHES, THE 39 STEPS), to the first wave of his Hollywood career (REBECCA, SHADOW OF A DOUBT, LIFEBOAT), to his more complex, bolder 50's successes (STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, REAR WINDOW, VERTIGO), and the regrettable but still fascinating box office decline of the 60's and 70's (MARNIE, TOPAZ, FRENZY). Also coming to the Forum as part of this series is The Hitchcock 9, last year's stunning new restorations of all nine of Big Al's surviving silent films, among which number boxing melodrama THE RING, depression-era morality tale CHAMPAGNE, and perhaps his most famous pre-talkie THE LODGER. You may have seen these in shabbier public domain versions on YouTube, but that just means you haven't really seen them. All silent screenings accompanied by pianist Steve Sterner. Sure, Hitchcock's work screens fairly often in our Cinegeek-friendly clime. Okay, a fairer assessment would be to say nary a month passes when at least one of his films isn't screening somewhere in the 5 boroughs. However, I can't recall a series in his honor this exhaustive, which is also accompanied by a trib up at the Paley Center for Media airing every single episode of his ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS TV show. If you're a fan of the fat man, this 5-week span is the celluloid (& DCP) equivalent of pure uncut heroin, but even if you're a casual fan of the medium chances are ya love Big Al, and for a month plus you get it all. Thank you Film Forum.

Also at the Forum, in what will undoubtedly seem anti-climactic after the above gushery, Peter Yates' very underrated (ironic 'cause it was once considered overrated) teen coming-of-age dramedy BREAKING AWAY unspools for a single night, Monday the 24th. In attendance for that screening will be actor Paul Dooley, who played father to cycling enthusiast Dennis Christopher, to discuss the film. Films aimed at teens are historically among the hardest to make, if only because it's so hard to make an honest film about that transitional point. There isn't a phony frame of celluloid to be found in this film, the first to introduce larger audiences to fresh-faced actors Dennis Quaid and Daniel Stern, and sadly the last we'd pretty much see of the great Jackie Earle Haley until his recent well-deserved career resurgence. This is one of those films that is largely forgot, rarely screened or discussed, but when it pops up in a film conversation or is newly discovered on Netflix or other DVD delivery device, the enthusiasm it engenders is infectious. Do your best to check this out.

That's the update for now, back tomorrow with a new Pick of the Day. For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in February '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the 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. Til the morrow stay safe and sound (and WARM) and make sure the next knucklehead is too. Excelsior!

-Joe Walsh

joew@nitratestock.net

P. S. Should you be feeling charitable during this 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 last year's hurricane. Be a mensch.