February 23rd 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.
Continuing series this day include CinéSalon: Lhomme Behind the Camera at the French Institute, and the supernatural shenanigans unspooling during Witches' Brew at BAM Cinématek. The halide high-fives be thus;
Film Forum
CITY OF WOMEN (1980) Dir; Federico Fellini
French Institute/Alliance Française
CinéSalon: Lhomme Behind the Camera
CYRANO DE BERGERAC (1990) Dir; Jean-Paul Rappeneau
BAM Cinématek
I MARIED A WITCH (1942) Dir; René Clair
Nitehawk Cinema
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985) Dir; Dan O'Bannon
Today's Pick? Before I let this series pass without a drum-thrum, I must award my complete attention to BAM's exceptional and nearly ending series, dedicated to the black arts as practiced by wiles most feminine indeed. Witches' Brew offers up a cult classic from the crates today, one that is slowly but steadily garnering some much-deserved acclaim over the last few years, in no small part due to the Criterion Collection's ace BluRay edition issued a couple of years ago. Legendary French filmmaker René Clair didn't last long in Hollywood, much like fellow expatriate Jean Renoir, but he did sprinkle his particular brand of magic onto a few vehicles during his stay. Perhaps the choicest example concerns a centuries-old practicioner of the dark arts, one who falls madly in love with a mortal who happens to be a career politician, and who also happens to be Frederic March. The Boogah Babe in the pointy black hat is essayed by none other than cult fave Veronica Lake, known now mostly for her turns in Stuart Heisler's remake of THE GLASS KEY and George Marshall's THE BLUE DAHLIA, both co-starring Alan Ladd. Mostly though, she's the female love interest in what many consider the great auteur Preston Sturges' masterpiece, SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS. So it is with great satisfaction that I observe this outing as Black Arts Babe, one of her finest roles, perhaps her all-time best, grow exponentially in stature, winning her a new legion of fans in the process. Some would suggest there might be some hocus pocus involved in this film's resurgence. I call it the magic of film. The truly great stuff can't ever be put to rest.
René Clair's I MARRIED A WITCH unspools in a brand new DCP resto at BAM Cinématek as part of their waning Witches' Brew series. Coincidentally, boil boil toil and trouble is the exact popcorn recipe at BAM. And it's devilishly good. Okay I'll stop now. Boogah.
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 has 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!
