December 2015! Noir Landscapes, Women Crime Writers, and A Very Douglas Sirk Christmas! Happy Holidays!
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Hallo Stockahz! And a Happy Yuletide Season to yaz all from Nitrate Stock! It always blows my mind when this time of year rolls around, it's power to induce reflection on the last 12 months' passage unstemmable. And I don't care if that last word isn't a word. It is now. We began the year with William Friedkin's intro/post-screening Q&A of CITIZEN KANE at Film Forum, and weaved our way from there to the final third of the Blacklist series at Anthlogy Film Archives, the Wim Wenders trib at MoMA, the restored Apu Trilogy at Film Forum, Mexican Noir and 100 years of Technicolor at MoMA, the 70mm series at Museum of the Moving Image, the NYFF at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, all of the city's cozy outdoor summer screenings, all of the one-weekend-a-month-except-during-summer screenings at the Landmark Jersey Loews, and the continuous efforts to school the boroughs in all things film at my beloved Nitehawk Cinema. It's been quite the year, a hard one to match actually. So I look forward to the efforts of our rep programmers in trying come the calendar year that results in 2016. For now, let us explore what goodies these cinemaniacs have plotted for us to close out this year. It's a slate heavily weighted. To the sked!
Those of you familiar with this site know that I like to accord what I fondly term Big Dawg status to that series or screening I deem the month's most unmissable. November '15 saw that accolade bestowed upon MoMA and their 13th annual series dedicated to film spared the ravages of time: To Save and Project. As usual it spanned decades and international borders, providing a showcase for academics and neophytes alike regarding the history of film, and hence its power. A tough act to follow indeed.
It is with that in mind that I award this month's Daily Growl to the Film Society of Lincoln Center and their sublimely timed series Imitations of Life: The Films of Douglas Sirk. I mean, what better way to prep for the melodrama inherent in the holiday season that to kick back with the cinematic master of such? Unless there's a telenovella marathon broadcasting somewhere. Then, it's up for grabs. Titles in the series include the obvious, films like 1954's MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, 1955's ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS, and the series' namesake, 1959's IMITATION OF LIFE, as well as more obscure titles like 1950's MYSTERY SUBMARINE, 1949's SHOCKPROOF, and 1948's SLEEP, MY LOVE. The man Rainer Werner Fassbinder called the greatest of the great is fêted at the Walter Reade Theater from December 10th til January 6th.
Also at the Film Society this month is a special retrospective to the films of Jacques Rivette and David Lynch, a program that compares the men's CV's, and to underline that point it's entitled Lynch/Rivette. Just to make the point clear. Match-ups in the series include Lynch's ERASERHEAD, WILD AT HEART and BLUE VELVET, alongside Rivette's PARIS BLEONGS TO US, L'AMOUR FOU and CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING. The weird vibes run from the 11th to the 22nd.
Finally at the Film Society this month the ongoing Print/Screen series offers up John Cassavetes' GLORIA, which will be attended by widely-acclaied City on Fire author Garth Risk Hallberg. The screening takes place on the 10th at 7pm. The Film Society has two locations: the Walter Reade Theater at 165 W. 65th street, and the Elinor Bunin Monroe Film Center at 144 W. 65th Street.
Scootin' downtown via the 2/3 train the action at NYC's fave fim temple, West Houston Street's Film Forum, is bursting with the classic film goods! Their tribute to the late & great production designer/filmmaker William Cameron Menzies proceeds apace with titles familiar like Hitchcock's FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, Alexander Korda's THINGS TO COME, and the director's own iconic INVADERS FORM MARS, as well as lesser known fare like John Cromwell's MADE FOR EACH OTHER, Anthony Mann's REIGN OF TERROR, and Harold Clurman's DEADLINE AT DAWN. The series runs til the 10th.
Sharing sked space with the man who oversaw the burning of Atlanta for GWTW is none other than the Frogteur who many feel burned the conventional film industry to the ground. And is still doing so. A notion I find preposterous, but nevertheless healthy to the conversation. Jean-Luc Godard's PIERROT LE FOU screens in its new 4K DCP resto for a week at the FF, Friday the 18th til Thursday the 24th. So apparently my Xmas eve gift this year will be this film's last screening. Of 2015, anyway.
The really big news this month at Film Forum is their Women Crime Writers series, timed to coincide with Todd Haynes' recent adap of a little-known Patricia Highsmith novel, herself the author of the macabre crime classics STRANGERS ON A TRAIN and the Ripley novels. Enticing titles in this program include Nicholas Ray's IN A LONELY PLACE, Otto Preminger's LAURA, Wim Wenders' THE AMERICAN FRIEND, René Clément's PURPLE NOON, and the afore-trampled Jean-Luc Godard's BAND OF OUTSIDERS. The series runs from the 11th til the 17th.
Also screening at the Forum this month are two classics as part of the Penguin Classics Presents program: George Sidney's PAL JOEY, intro'd by NY Times writer Charles McGrath, and Norman Jewison's IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, intro'd by Times critic Wesley Morris. They screen on the 12th and 21st, respectively.
The wonderful Film Forum Jr. series continues this month with presentations of Fred C. Newmeyer's THE FRESHMAN, Norman Z. McLeod's THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, and Robert Zemeckis' WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? The films screen Sunday mornings at 11am.
And finally, the best Xmas present I could ever ask for (well, within the rep film circuit anyway, keep it clean...), Howard Hawks' BALL OF FIRE unspools in a glorious archival 35mm print for one week. Should any of ya require a quick tutorial regarding my feelings regarding the Grey Fox, contact me. I've got lots to say. The film is scheduled from Christmas day til New Year's Eve, with complimentary champagne offered for the final two unspoolings. Film Forum is located at 209 West Houston St. in Manhattan.
Headin' back uptown to midtown the venerable institution known as MoMA spills some secrets this month with their ongoing Modern Matinees series, this month subtitled The Film Library Grows. Titles this month include Henry King's STELLA DALLAS, William Wellman's THE PUBLIC ENEMY, and Warner Brothers' game-changer THE JAZZ SINGER. Screenings occur at various dates but always at the same time, 1:30pm. It's time well-spent.
Also at the museum this month a trib to Italian New Wave director Antonio Pietrangeli, a man I must admit complete and total ignorance of until this series' announcement. Titles in the series include GHOSTS OF ROME, IT HAPPENED IN ROME, and THE GIRL FROM PARMA. I'm gonna take this opportunity to educate myself. The series runs from the 3rd til the 18th. MoMA is located at 11 W. 53rd street in Manhattan.
Zagging over to the East Side we find ourselves at the NYC rep film fanatic's fave haunted house. This month Anthology Film Archives provides a branch program off of their Blacklist overview. Sound and Fury: The Films of Cy Endfield celebrates the efforts of a one-time scribe turned filmmaker who saw his career downed early by the advent of McCarthy-ism, one who survived and in certain instances thrived, much like Jules Dassin. Titles include familiar fare like MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and ZULU, as well as not-so-recognizable stuff like SEA FURY and JET STORM. The series concludes December 8th. AFA is located at 32 2nd avenue in Manhattan.
Hoverboarding across the East River into Astoria we find ourselves at the most magisterial Museum of the Moving Image, boasting of two essential series this month; Lonely Places: Film Noir and the American Landscape, and The Hollywood Classics Behind Walkers. The former offers screenings of Felix Feist's TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY, Nick Ray's ON DANGEROUS GROUND, and Jacques Tourneur's NIGHTFALL. The latter slate includes classics like Coppola's THE GODFATHER & THE GODFATHER II, Billy Wider's DOUBLE INDEMNITY, and a little obscure indie from 1960 called PSYCHO. MoMI is located at 36-01 35th avenue in Astoria.
Speedwalking into Brooklyn we full-stop at the doors of BAM, where their Cinématek also sups of the Godard Kool-Aid this month with a week-long screening of his 1964 fauxsterpiece A MARRIED WOMAN. As I don't speak French, I'll simply offer the folowing; bah. The retro runs from the 4th til the 10th. The Cinématek is located at the Peter Jay Sharp building at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn.
Blading slightly North and East of BAM we wind up at the finest film venue in follically-festooned BillyBurg. The programmers at the Nitehawk Cinema are up to their usual shenanigans once more, with excellent brunch and midnight fare connected by a yuletide theme. Titles like John McTiernan's DIE HARD, Chris Columbus' HOME ALONE and Steven Spielberg's HOOK for the Bellini-besotted, and Bob Clark's BLACK CHRISTMAS, Charles E. Selier Jr.'s SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT and Joe Dante's GREMLINS for the Witching Hour set. Other choice bookings include John Landis' TRADING PLACES as part of their specially-menued Film Feasts series, William Asher's NIGHT WARNING as part of their monthly trib to Times Square's glory grindhouse past, The Deuce. The Nitehawk is just a short stumble away from the Bedford Avenue L train stop, at 136 Metropolitan Avenue.
Jetskiing back to the civilized side of the East River we arrive at the IFC Center, which continues its excellent Film School 101 series, subtitled Canon Fodder. Upcoming screenings include Vittorio De Sica's BICYCLE THIEVES, Jean Renoir's THE RULES OF THE GAME and Orson Welles' CITIZEN KANE. Midnight screenings include Walter Hill's THE WARRIORS, Steven Speilberg's RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, and the wonderfully perverse booking of Wes Craven's THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT on Christmas weekend. They're a cute bunch, these guys. IFC Center is located at 323 6th Avenue in Manhattan.
The Rubin Museum continues it's eternally swank Cabaret Cinema series this month, continuing with the theme Consequences. Upcomng titles include Josef von Sternberg's THE BLUE ANGEL and King Vidor's THE FOUNTAINHEAD. The protocol's changed slightly, and the price of a cocktail no longer gains you a free tik to the screenings, but it's a small price to pay for the guest-speakers, the ace projection and sound, and the legroom. The latter's the most important if ya ask me. The Rubin's located at 150 W 17th street in Manhattan.
The month's remaining rep screenings are few but cherce; The New York Historical Society continues their Justice in Film series with titles like Walter Lang's DESK SET, Ernst Lubitch's THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, and Roberto Rossellini's THE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS. The latter film boasts a discussion and Q&A with the filmmaker's daughter, actress Isabella Rosellini, as well as renowned editor and film restoration champ Thelma Schoonmaker-Powell. That amounts to can't-miss stuff.
The BowTie Chelsea Cinema continue their Thursday Classics series with holiday fare like Victor Fleming's THE WIZARD OF OZ, Frank Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and George Seaton's MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. The Tarrytown Music Hall joins in the merriment with Capra's WONDERFUL LIFE and Bob Clark's cult classic A CHRISTMAS STORY. The Landmark Sunshine Cinema has Big al's VERTIGO and McTiernan's DIE HARD at midnight. And finally the Mid-Manhattan Library offers up a quartet of Lubitsch; 1930's MONTE CARLO, that same year's THE LOVE PARADE, 1931's THE SMILING LIEUTENANT, and 1933's DESIGN FOR LIVING. I call that a nice way to ring out the year.
And that's that, Stockahz. Your December 2015 repertory film calendar. Skeds are subject to change, and they do, so be sure to check back with the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. Don't be shy about feedback, either. Be sure to let me know what ya think of the job I'm doing. And be sure to like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, observe me on Instagram, stalk me on Tumblr, measure me on Vine AARGH STOP MAKING THESE APPS!!!.
It's been a spectacular 2015, and 2016 looks like a promising one on the rep circuit. It's been a privilege to operate this site and to get to know some of you personally through my efforts, and it's good to know they haven't gone in vain and that the classic film crowd is healthy in number and growing. So for the fourth time now I hope your holidays find you and yours healthy and happy. Until next time, be safe and sound, Stockahz, and make sure the next knucklehead is too. Excelsior!
-Joe Walsh
