January 25th 2015. 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.
Okay. I'll just admit it. The week just got away from me. It happens. As next week, the last of the month, is the one where I get to work building February's calendar, writing that month's podcast, as well as maintaining the Twitter feed and other sundry and wherewithal, I hereby promise to be back on my game. At least as well as I was before. No jokes, please.
Continuing series today includes Screwball Romance at IFC Center, Film Forum Jr. and the Orson Wellestrib at Film Forum, New York Jewsih Film Festival '15 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and French Classics of the 1930's-40's at Anthology Film Archives. The movie mad mishegoss be thus;
IFC Center
THE AWFUL TRUTH (1937) Dir; Leo McCarey
Film Forum
THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1958) Dir; Nathan Juran
IT'S ALL TRUE (1943-93) Dir; Orson Welles
OTHELLO (1952) Dir; Orson Welles
MACBETH - Original Release Verison (1948) Dir; Orson Welles
Nitehawk Cinema
BLOW UP (1966) Dir; Michelangelo Antonioni
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (1989) Dir; Woody Allen
Film Society of Lincoln Center
New York Jewsih Film Festival '15
CRY OF THE CITY (1948) Dir; Robert Siodmak
Anthology Film Archives
French Classics of the 1930's-40's
MARIUS (1931) Dir; Alexander Korda
FANNY (1932) Dir; Marc Allégret
CESAR (1936) Marcel Pagnol
Today's Pick? The trio of Gallic charmers at AFA tempt, but the lack of a tik-discount kinda tamps the passion. Siodmak's noir, featuring the brilliant Richard Conte and the once-allluring-believe-it-or-not Shelley Winters, graces the halls of the Film Scoiety and greatly entices, but it doesn't quite rise to the level of unmissable flick today. Of course, I'm always inclined toward my new fave movie theater, Billyburg's Nitehawk, today unspooling what I deem Antonioni's best, at least his most accessible to these eyes, and what might perhaps be the finest two hours in The Woodman's canon. However, it's the end of January, perhaps the bleakest month on the calendar, and I think we need a little dose of childish movie magic this day. Childish not in execution, but in spirit. One of the master craftsman of film fantasy all-time holds court during this day's early hours, a man whose impact cannot be measured, only felt. A man so vital to genre filmmaking he stands apart as the lone name from the world of special effects who could not only raise a budget single-handedly, he was and is pretty much the star of the feature, the lone reason to attend the film. He left us just shy of 2 years ago, but we have his work. Which is forever.
Nate Juran's THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD unspools today at Film Forum as part of the Film Forum Jr. series. Oh, uh, no offense to Juran, but the name I've been referencing is obviously one Ray Harryhausen, the minter of dreams, the dealer in the fantastic. The man who pushed the needle so far forward within the world of fantasy cinema he clearly numbers the likes of Lucas, Spielberg, Cameron, and Jackson amongst his progeny. Do yourself a favor and check his artisinal self out on the big screen, whydonch'ya?
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 soon with new Picks 'n perks, 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!
