April 4th 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.
So here we are, in what the civilized world regards as climate acceptable. Some rain, sure. Some accelerated winds mayhap. What really counts is this: Opening Day is Sunday. First pitch at 8:05pm ET. You proved a formidable foe, Winter 2015, but you failed to learn the lesson of all the previous Winters; you thought you would live forever. And while I must admit I still feel it too early a call to say you're not going to go full zombie on us, returning after your funeral to chomp us further, I do feel like the worst of your work is buried deep. Okay now I've just succeeded in scaring myself. Please feel free to reach out to comfort and convince me regarding Winter '15's demise. Wait! Something's clambering up my stairwell! It's Winter! How do I kill it?!?!?!
Ahem.
Continuing series today include Overdue: James B. Harris at BAM Cinématek, the Max Roach huggery as part of the Silent Clowns Film Series at the Library for the Performing Arts, The Most Beautiful: The War Films of Shirley Yamaguchi and Setsuko Hara at the Japan Society, and the warm & fuzzy Dick Miller: On Screen and In Person! at Anthology Film Archives. The frenetic filmic foofaraw be thus;
Nitehawk Cinema
THE NATURAL (1984) Dir; Barry Levinson
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) Dir; Rob Reiner
ANITA: THE SWEDISH NYMPHET (1973) Dir; Torgny Wickman
Film Forum
IMITATION OF LIFE (1959) Dir; Douglas Sirk
BAM Cinématek
COP (1988) Dir; James B. Harris
PATHS OF GLORY (1957) Dir; Stanley Kubrick
Library for the Performing Arts
LAUREL & HARDY: LEADING TO THE TEAMING () dirs;
Japan Society
The Most Beautiful: The War Films of Shirley Yamaguchi and Setsuko Hara
LATE SPRING (1949) Dir; Yasujiro Ozu
HOUSE OF BAMBOO (1955) Dir; Sam Fuller
Anthology Film Archives
Dick Miller: On Screen and In Person!
SORORITY GIRL (1957) Dir; Roger Corman
GREMLINS (1984) Dir; Joe Dante*
*Special cast reunion featuring stars Zach Galligan, Pheobe Cates and Dick Miller!
MoMA
THE DEVIL IS A WOMAN (1935) Dir; Joseph von Sternberg
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
MEAN STREETS (1973) Dir; Martin Scorsese
Today's Pick? You really gotta ask?
Joe Dante's perfect marriage of Corman-branded blackly comic grindhouse exploit and studio-era horror beastie homage, the Chris Columbus-scripted GREMLINS, screens tonight as part of the series Dick Miller: On Screen and In Person!, as fête to the legendary character actor. This'd probably win my vote regardless, even against such esteemed company as Scorsese's MEAN STREETS, Fuller's HOUSE OF BAMBOO, and Harris' vastly underrated COP. What completely vaults it over the fence, though, is the cast reunion that accompanies the screening. Galligan is most welcome, Miller a treasure, but really, c'mon, Pheobe Cates is in the house. That woman just owns me, y'know? No seriously, she won me in a underground black market Poker game in Malasyia twenty years ago. It's a long story. I've been regrouting their bathroom for decades.
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in April '15 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. 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 mercifully feeling the loosening of winter's embrace, but 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!
