February 12th 2016. 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.
New and ongoing series this day include Modern Matinees: A Pioneer Cowboy and Death is My Dance Partner: Film Noir in Postwar Argentina, both at MoMA, Heat and Vice: The Films of Michael Mann at BM Cinématek, Valentine's Day Massacre '16 at Anthology Film Archives, Justice in Film at The New York Historical Society, and the continuing trib to one of filmdom's true giants, Christopher Lee at IFC Center. The kino kerfuffle be thus;
Film Forum
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1946) Dir; Jean Cocteau
MoMA
Modern Matinees: A Pioneer Cowboy
THE TEXAS RANGERS (1936) Dir; King Vidor
Death is My Dance Partner: Film Noir in Postwar Argentina
IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE (1952) Dir; Carlos Hugo Christensen
NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR (1952) Dir; Carlos Hugo Christensen
BAM Cinématek
Heat and Vice: The Films of Michael Mann
MANHUNTER (1986) Dir; Michael Mann
Anthology Film Archives
THE HEARTBREAK KID (1972) Dir; Elaine May
POSSESSION (1981) Dir; Andrzej Zulawski
GREED (1924) Dir; Erich von Stroheim
New York Historical Society
Justice in Film
GLORY (1989) Dir; Ed Zwick
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (1961) Dir; Blake Edwards
IFC Center
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974) Dir; Guy Hamilton
SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984) Dir; John Hughes
Nitehawk Cinema
MISERY (1990) Dir; Rob Reiner
Today's Pick? So much to choose from; von Stroheim's epic, though truncated examination of human nature at its basest, followed closely by kindred cinematic spirits from Argentinian noir and the contemporary dark spaces of Michael Mann. But hey, this is Valentine's Day Weekend, so let's focus on this day's more romantically-focused marquees. John Hughes' ode to the beginnings of romantic longing gets a midnight screening at IFC, while Holly Gollightly is given the floor once more to share her philosophy of romance at the same hour. Rob Reiner's King adap aslo counts as a love stiry, albeit amongst the blackest ever imagined. but really today it comes down to two offerings. Cocteau's perfectly imagined take on the classic fairy tale concerning substance versus apparance, and the Charles Grodin vehicle that exposes the whole romantic-stalker notion as an out and out, well, fairy tale. Being as the latter is directed by a woman very dear to my heart indeed, it wins the contest. In this case, however, my affections will never fade.
The great Elaine May's THE HEARTBREAK KID screens tonight as part of Anthology Film Archives' annual Valentine's Day Massacre. It's scripted by another legend, the brilliant Neil Simon, but it may as well have come from the typewriter of Ms. May herself. In any event it's one of the true gems of the New Hollywood 70's, contains perhaps the finest perf from stalwart character smug guy Charles Grodin, and concludes with perhaps an even deeper and darker comment on whirlwind romance's immediate aftermath than her onetime stage partner Mike Nichols' THE GRADUATE. Ya get to witness all this bleak cheer in honest-to-god 35mm tonight. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
For more info on these and all NYC's rep film screenings in February '16 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. Winter's icy grip seems to have finally taken hold of our fair city, 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!
