December 19th 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'm confused, as I always get around this time of year. Is today the 5th day of Christmas? Is the 12th day Christmas Day itself or is it the day after? Who decided anyway there'd only be twleve days when there's 25 all told? Did this happen during WW2 rationing? Why aren't there 31 days of Christmas? Why must there be more than 2 days, Eve and Day? And who exactly starting this whole gifting of hens-a-layin', pipers piping and golden rings jazz anyway?!?! Macy's?!? GIMBELS?!?! MASTERCARD?!?!?
Ahem. As I said, confused. Now back to the rep circuit.
New and continuing series today include Screwball Romance, Rated RXmas: Holiday Classics, Naughty and Nice and Cronenberg, all at IFC Center, Chandler, Hammett, Woolrich and Cain at Film Forum, Let There Be Light: The Films of John Huston at the Film Society, MoMA's tribs to actress Joan Bennett and filmmaker Robert Altman, Justice in Film at the New York Historical Society, and the heartwarming holiday series Xmas Chopping at the Nitehawk Cinema. The Yuletide yukkery looks thus;
IFC Center
THE LADY EVE (1941) Dir; Preston Sturges
Rated RXmas: Holiday Classics, Naughty and Nice
GREMLINS (1984) Dir; Joe Dante
THE BROOD (1980) Dir; David Cronenberg
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) Dir; Frank Capra
Film Forum
Chandler, Hammett, Woolrich and Cain
THE MALTESE FALCON (1941) Dir; John Huston
THE GLASS KEY (1942) Dir; Tay Garnett
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Let There Be Light: The Films of John Huston
KEY LARGO (1949) Dir; John Huston
FREUD: THE SECRET PASSION (1962) Dir; John Huston
THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1951) Dir; John Huston
MoMA
DOCTOR'S WIVES (1932) Dir; Frank Borzage
QUINTET (1979) Dir; Robert Altman
NASHVILLE (1975) Dir; Robert Altman
New York Historical Society
Justice in Film
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) Dir; Frank Capra
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
CHRISTMAS EVIL (1980) Dir; Lewis Jackson
Nitehawk Cinema
CHOPPING MALL (1986) Dir; Jim Wynorski
Today's Pick? I'm tempted, with such a generous abundance of John Huston on display, to recommend you take advantage of the world's greatest public transport system to jet between Film Forum, beginning with the man's directorial debut, all the way uptown to Lincoln Center, for a trio of his subsequent gems. However the scheduling conflicts, and I'll be damned if you'll make me choose between THE MALTESE FALCON and KEY LARGO. DAMNED!
We also have some great 80's horror at hand, most of it Xmas-themed, including the likes of Wynorski's CHOPPING MALL, Jackson's CHRISTMAS EVIL and Joe Dante's big-money graduation from/celebration of Corman production shenanigans, 1984's GREMLINS. Also sneaking into the mix; Cronenberg's BROOD. And nothing sez Xmas like the D-Crone. Still, none win me over this day. Much as they try, they just don't scream Santa, by golly!
I've already chosen the Joan Bennett series just yesterday, and, as most of you know, I'll be damned before I make Altman my Pick. Okay further damned. But still, DAMNED!
So I think it's about time I make what is perhaps the most beloved Christmas film of all my Pick, and that I correct this unfortunate error on my part of never having seen it on a big screen. After all, how impressive is lassoing the moon if you don't see it life-sized?
Frank Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE unspools in glorious 35mm all day this December 19th at Manhattan's beloved IFC Center. Remember, every time you watch this Holiday classic, its maker's flat-out masterpiece, on the big screen, a film programmer gets his wings. That didn't sound as lyrical as I first thought. But I'm sticking with it. Atta boy, Clarence*!
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in December '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. For the monthly overview and other audio tomfoolery check out the podcast, and follow me on SoundCloud! 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 safe, sound, make sure the next knucklehead is too!
P. S. We're fully entwined in winter's embrace, and believe it or not 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!
*Man, do I hope the guy who programmed this flick is named Clarence. Or the girl. Walsh out.
