May 28th 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.
Continuing series this day include The Apu Trilogy at Film Forum, Acteurism: Joel McCrea at MoMA, and Titanus Films: A Family Chronicle of Italian Cinema at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The Moviola madcappery be thus;
Film Forum
PATHER PANCHALI (1955) Dir; Satyajit Ray
APARAJITO (1956) Dir; Satyajit Ray
APUR SANSAR (1959) Dir; Satyajit Ray
MoMA
ESPIONAGE AGENT (1939) Dir; Lloyd Bacon
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Titanus Films: A Family Chronicle of Italian Cinema
LITTLE GIRLS AND HIGH FINANCE (1960) Dir; Camillo Mastrocinque
THE SIGN OF VENUS (1955) Dir; Dino Risi
BowTie Chelsea Cinemas
SUNSET BLVD (1950) Dir; Billy Wilder
Today's Pick? I've waited and waited and waited, and then waited some more. I'm not just talking about the recent 4K resto and three-week booking at Film Forum, I've been starved for Satyajit Ray films my entire life. I'd first heard his name as passing reference on At the Movies in the late 80's I think, and then the reference popped up continually, from comparisons to the output of Merchant-Ivory to the most recent films of Wes Anderson. His name was the unfortunate victim of decades of my mispelling, so I won't even go into my mispronunciations. However, though I probably still haven't learned to properly rep his monicker, I can absolutely rattle off the short version of his life story, and his importance to cinema.
Ray started out as a graphic designer for an Brit-headed ad agency in his home country of India before moving to Signet Press to serve in the same capacity. Whilst there, he worked on the cover of a children's book version of the popular Indian novel PATHER PANCHALI. The story struck a deep chord in Ray, and when his first exposure to the newly-born genre of Neorealism arrived in the form of Vittorio de Sica's BICYCLE THIEVES, he caught the film bug fully. The new cinematic movement both embraced and stressed a sparer, more immediate brand of film narrative and technique. No longer need the wardrobes be designed by a dedicated department. No longer need the actors be professionals. No longer need the script be written, perhaps thought out at all. Neorealism was the first instance of the democratization of cinema; anyone with a camera, some film, and an idea, could find his vision realized, even if that vision was budget-constrained. Hell, lack of funds more often than not fuelled the creative engine to even higher speeds. It was a pivotal moment and movement, proving that cinema had a future on multiple fronts.
Ray sought and landed the gig of location scout on Jean Renoir's adap of Rumer Godden's THE RIVER, the French auteur's first color film. We can go into how wonderfully and instantly Renoir took to color film stock in another column. Suffice to say the Frogteur's plan to recharge his batteries once his Hollywood tenure left him most blah worked brilliantly, resulting in one of his masterworks. Ray bonded with Renoir during the production, and when the fledgling filmmaker asked for the great man's advice, Renoir told him to go for it. Raise some cash, rent some equipment, tell your story.
Ray did just exactly that, and nearing completion of production John Huston, in India to scout locations for an early attempt at THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, championed the existing footage to the film dept. at MoMA. They included the completed film as part of their 1955 series Textiles and Ornamental Arts of India. It was a rousing smash, and its subsequent release in India was a turning point, the exact moment, actually, that modern Indian cinema not only came to be, but reached the world entire. Not many artsts are gifted such instantaneous and comprehensive success and influence, still far fewer maintain such inspired quality over the course of a long career. I finally got the chance to watch my first Ray films last year; THE MUSIC ROOM and THE BIG CITY, courtesy of my brilliant decision to subscribe to Hulu Plus for the 900+ title Criterion archive they boast of. I can say without a doubt I am in love with the man's style, subject matter, tone, pace, characters...oh, hell, I'm a devotee based solely on those 2 films. Today, his debut, the one that rocked the world of film and continues to do so, screens in a marathon-sked with its two sequels. As this seems to have become what the kids call my "thing" of late, I find the opportunity irresistable.
Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy, comprised of PATHER PANCHALI, APARAJITO and APUR SANSUR, screen back-to-back-to-back today at Film Forum, on what was supposed to be the final day of the series, and remains my Pick. But the good news is that this series has been gifted fresh O2 for another 14 days! So should you be unable to avail yerself of the experience before the cock crows thrice tonight, no sweat; we got another 1/2 month of Apu on the horizon. Plus, I gotta say: you call 7 hours a marathon? Pikers!
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in May '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. The warm cuddle of the sun's friendlier disposition seems finally to have arrived, 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!
