October 10th 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.
Today's lone continuing series include Film School 101: Canon Fodder at IFC Center, and the Silent Clowns Film Series at the Library for the Performing Arts. The shutter speed shenanigans be thus;
IFC Center
THE GODFATHER (1972) Dir; Francis Ford Coppola
THE SHINING (1980) Dir; Stanley Kubrick
Nitehawk Cinema
FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) Dir; Tom Holland
THE INVISIBLE MAN (1935) Dir; James Whale
BLUE SUNSHINE (1978) Dir; Jeff Lieberman
Film Forum
ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960) Dir; Luchino Visconti
Mid-Manhattan Library
JAWS (1975) Dir; Steven Spielberg
Library for the Performing Arts
THE MARK OF ZORRO (1920) Dir; Fred Niblo
Owen F. Dolen Park
THE WIZ (1979) Dir; Sidney Lumet
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
TAXI DRIVER (1976) Dir; Martin Scorsese
Today's Pick? The combo of film historians Bruce Lawton, Steve Massa and Ben Model, the latter of which also provides live pinao accompaniment to the proceedings, which are also, incidentally, free and first-come/first-seated. The word "library" might throw ya, but lemme be clear; this is a wonderful theater fully equipped to project all manner of celluloid magic. It was only last sprng that I made my first visit to the space and series, a wonderful unspooling, and I mean unspooling, of Alfred E. Green's LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY, starring one Mary Pickford at the height of her powers both artistic and bean-counting. I'd seen the magical Ms. Pickfordbefore, but never on the big screen, let alone a pristine celluloid print, the intended media for mass consumption. It was transfixing, allowing me my first real glimpse of the magic that Pickford was so casually possessed of. It reminded me of a plain fact: that while silent film is readily available to view, through technically proficient services like Netflix and Hulu and to a lesser degree YouTube, it's every bit as important to experience this soundtrack-free era on the largest canvass as possible, just as it is any classic product of the medium. It may be sepia-toned, the perfs may be more grandly-gestured, and it will definitely require some reading skills in order to best enjoy the proceedings. Your feelings on those points aside, I guarantee you have never seen a silent film to the fullest extent of its ability to entertain as you will in a communal setting, on a grand screen, with live musical accompaniment from one of the greats. So get ready to brave the baby strollers, yer headed to Lincoln Center this afternoon.
Fred Niblo's THE MARK OF ZORRO unspools in glorious 35mm as part of the Silent Clowns Film Series at Lincoln Center's Library for the Performing Arts. Get there early to clai your real estate, and whatever you do, resist the urge to swipe a Z into the foreheads of all the lollygaggers and sidewalk-blockers you encounter. Might seem like winning bravado, but frowned on. Very much so.
For more info on these and all NYC's rep film screenings in October '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 warmer, fiercer cuddle of the sun's sunnier disposition has begun its annual wane, 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!
