March 11th 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 continuing series this day include IT Girls: Flappers, Jazz Babies and Vamps! at Film Forum, Happy Birthday Mr. Lewis: The Kid Turns 90 at MoMA, the third leg of Anthology Film Archives' trib to American International Pictures, and the perennially chill Cabaret Cinema at the Rubin Museum. The 4-perf foofaraw be thus;
Film Forum
IT Girls: Flappers, Jazz Babies and Vamps!
GIRLS ABOUT TOWN (1931) Dir; George Cukor
TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932) Dir; Ernst Lubitsch
MANTRAP (1926) Dir; Victor Fleming
Metrograph
THE STUDENT NURSES (1970) Dir; Stephanie Rothman
MoMA
Happy Birthday Mr. Lewis: The Kid Turns 90
THE GEISHA BOY (1958) Dir; Frank Tashlin
THE BELLBOY (1960) Dir; Jerry Lewis
Anthology Film Archives
American International Pictures, Part Three
BLACULA (1972) Dir; William Crain
BLACK CAESAR (1973) Dir; Larry Cohen
Landmark Jersey Loews
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946) Dir; Tay Garnett
Rubin Museum
LOVE IN THE CITY (1953) Dirs; Lizzani, Antonioni, Risi, Fellini, Lattuada
IFC Center
EL TOPO (1970) Dir; Alejandro Jodorowsky
GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH (1989) Dir; Joe Dante
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
ENTER THE DRAGON (1973) Dir; Robert Clouse
Today's Pick? The Italian omnibus flick at the Rubin has heretofore gone unseen by these peepers, so that's a powerful draw. Never seen Lewis' minor masterpiece THE BELLBOY on a large screen either, so I'm officially torn. I've attended screenings of several masterpieces today, ranging from Lubitsch's PARADISE to Dante's 2, so I don't feel a stronger pull regarding these unspoolings. It really comes down to a pair of special screenings; the first being Stephanie Rothman's THE STUDENT NURSES, which will be attended by none other than the filmmaker herself at the 7pm showing. The other, well, it snags my Pick.
Tay Garnett's THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, an ace adap of the essential noir novel by James M. Cain, unspools in glorious 35mm at one of the Tri-State area's last functioning movie palaces from a bygone era, the essential Landmark Jersey Loews, the pivotal factor in my choosing this day. The fact that this venue still stands, let alone the additional fact that it still serves as a viable movie theater, is one of the miracles of our rapidly changing urban culture. Proof that art and its romantic defenders may still make a difference, so reload your Metrocard and head to the nearest PATH station. If you get the urge to swim, trust me. Bad idea.
For more info on these and all NYC's rep film screenings in March '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 loosened on our fair metropolis, but milder weather aside 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!
