April 25th 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.
I am glad to see this week of see-sawing emotions end, one that found me empathizing with my Boston brethren on the anniversary of their marathon tragedy, then just as quickly demanding their heads once the Yanks visited Fenway. There is probably something very comforting and triumphant to be found about our American commonality in particular and the human spirit in general germane of both of those scenarios, but really I just wanna jump like a monkey and tell Sawks fans to chew items unmentionable in the more elevated discourse I provide.
Okay it's gumballs. Gumballs is what I advise Big Papi fans to masticate upon. You came here for class? Really?
Ahem. Now to football.
New and continuing series today include American Hustlers at IFC Center, An Auteurist History of Film at MoMA, Back with a Vengeance at BAM, and the wonderfully swank Cabaret Cinema at the Rubin Museum. Here, now, are the days of our lives;
IFC Center
THE LADY EVE (1941) Dir; Preston Sturges
THE VISITOR (1979) Dir; Giulio Paradisi
Film Forum
OTHELLO (1952) Dir; Orson Welles
MoMA
BELLE DE JOUR (1967) Dir; Luis Buñuel
BAM Cinematek
THE LITTLE FOXES (1941) Dir; William Wyler
New York Historical Society
THE HEIRESS (1949) Dir; William Wyler
Landmark Jersey Loews
THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971) Dir; William Friedkin
Rubin Museum
RED BEARD (1965) Dir; Akira Kurosawa
Nitehawk Cinema
FANTASTIC PLANET (1973) Dir; René Laloux
Today's Pick? Many and varied selections to be had on the rep film circuit this day. We get the DCP resto of Orson Welles' 2nd attempt at Shakespearian celluloid, 1952's OTHELLO, but we also have 2 weeks to indulge in it. Plenty of time. Olivia de Havilland learns the cruel ways of the world once more in William Wyler's THE HEIRESS, tonight being intro'd by 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl and director/producer (and director's daughter) Catherine Wyler. Tempts, but doesn't snag the brass ring. And the opportunity to catch Friedkin's THE FRENCH CONNECTION in what may presently be the closest setting to early 70's NYC, 2014 Jersey City, is a near-tractor beam attraction. However I have a giant Bucket Lister that's screening tonight, in a venue I love dearly, and I cannot resist the notion of purchasing a sake and kicking back with a Kurosawa.
Actually three reasons sway me toward this choice; 1. It's a Kurosawa I've yet to see. 2. It was the last collaboration between the great filmmaker and his John Wayne, the man he'd made a worldwide star, one Toshiro Mifune. 3. The story Wes Anderson told Charlie Rose about Bill Murray's accepting of the RUSHMORE gig. Having read the script and convinced of the quality of Anderson's work Murray met with the director, and repeatedly made comparisons to tonight's Pick. Again and again he referenced it, and again and again he asked if Anderson had seen it, to which he recieved the inevitable reply of "no". The meeting wrapped, and they went on to make the film. Rose then asked the obvious question; "Did you ever wind up seeing the movie?" "Yes", Anderson replied, "and I still don't know what he was talking about".
For whatever reason, it just makes me wanna see it all the more.
Akira Kurosawa's RED BEARD (1965) screens tonight at the Rubin Museum as part of their Cabaret Cinema series. As usual a ten buck bar tab gets you a seat to the screening, but the place fills up quickly so get there early. Oh, and apparently there's a perfectly respectable museum attached to the screening lounge, might be worth a look-see.
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in April '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. For the monthly overview listen in to the inaugural podcast! 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 don't pick your feet in Poughkeepsie.
-Joe Walsh
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 the 2012 hurricane. Be a mensch.
