January 6th 2015. First Pick of the New Year.
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.
Seems like forever since the last time. I know that's from a song, but I don't care, and I can't remember which tune anyhoo. Meds having worn off, holidays firmly in the rear view mirror,
new toothpick securely in place, let's begin the rep cinema beguine, shallst we?
Ongoing series today include the Orson Welles trib at Film Forum, Let There Be Light: The Films of John Huston at the Walter Reade Theater, and Eccentrics of French Comedy, part of the CinéSalon series, at the French Institute/Alliance Française. The results of the negotiations be thus;
Film Forum
CITIZEN KANE (1941) Dir; Orson Welles
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Let There Be Light: The Films of John Huston
A WALK WITH LOVE AND DEATH (1969) Dir; John Huston
MOULIN ROUGE (1952) Dir; John Huston
French Institute/Alliance Française
ANTOINE ET ANTOINETTE (1949) Dir; Jacques Becker
Today's Pick? I'm a huge fan and eager student of French film from all eras, my intro to that country's cinema most likely coming through a youthful viewing of Cocteau's LA BELLE ET LE BETTE. My dive into the Nouvelle Vague came via Truffaut's THE 400 BLOWS, courtesy an airing on my local PBS station (the Boogie-Down, whilst boasting a mere 40 minute trek via submerged rail toward pretty much any arthouse cinema we craved, sadly contained none of its own). Those viewings, along with broadcasts of Bergman's THE SEVENTH SEAL and Fellini's 8 1/2, awakened this once-teenager's tiny little mind to the possibilities of cinema, of art in general, and by association to the larger potentials of communication as a whole. Expansion of boundaries, thanks to exponentially-groundbreaking technology, no longer requires physical travel from one country to another, just screen to screen, size notwithstanding. Although the antiquated method is still largely encouraged. In the spirit of indulging another culture, one now culturally disavowed while a once former common enemy is embraced, I make of my choice today a film I've yet to see though long desired, from a director important to that country's cinematic evolution, in a venue I cherish like few other.
Jacques Becker's ANTOINE ET ANTOINETTE screens today at 4pm and 7:30pm at the French Institute/Alliance Française to kick off the Eccentrics of French Comedy program, part of their marvelous, ongoing CinéSalon series. Get'cher tix now before they seel out. Tout suite.
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in January '15 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 2015's new Podcast and first missive, til then safe, sound, make sure the next knucklehead is too! EXCELSIOR AND HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!
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!
