March 31st 2016. Pecks 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 the opening day of Bring Me the Head of Sam Peckinpah at the Film Society, and Her Man: A Forgotten Masterwork in Context at MoMA. The Marching orders be thus;
Film Forum
BLUE VELVET (1986) Dir; David Lynch
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Bring Me the Head of Sam Peckinpah
THE DEADLY COMPANIONS (1961) Dir; Sam Peckinpah
THE KILLER ELITE (1975) Dir; Sam Peckinpah
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY (1962) Dir; Sam Peckinpah
THE WILD BUNCH (1969) Dir; Sam Peckinpah
MoMA
Her Man: A Forgotten Masterwork in Context
THE SPIELER (1928) Dir; Tay Garnett
HER MAN (1930) Dir; Tay Garnett
Today's Pick? Let's kick this lamb out like a real lion. The troubled, combative, yet undeniably gifted Sam Peckinpah gave the world cinematic a good deal of its best offerings, one or two may even be deemed game-changers. His hard living contributed to his limited output, but that output proved as influential in its time as the works of Kubrick and Antonioni and Godard. In other words, he was one of the few filmmakers working within the Hollywood system to prove successful at the box office while leading the garde avant, a distinction from foreign filmmakers like Antonini and Godard and ex-pat Kube. He's a compelling figure who bridges the collapse of the studio system and the advent of the New Hollywood. He was an ex-Marine, who witnessed the last Great War, who then injected his projects with the base and brutal horrors he'd experienced, much like Sam Fuller. He was a child of the final days of the real Old West, who carried some of those sensibilities over into his work while debunking the myths as well, following in the spiritual footsteps of Delmer Daves and the genre's Pappy, John Ford.
He dared to explore the poetry of violence, of brutality, on a big budget scale, something Kubrick would run with in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. In the chaotic climate of the late 60's and early 70's, Peck intentionally offered no answers, but he decidely offered release. A venting, as it were, for the frustrations of the era. He is much more, however, than the simple release a celluloid bloodletting may offer. For such I would direct you to the 80's. No, Peckinpah delved into complicated territory, implicating his fellow man and his routine reliance on our so-called Lizard Brain in matters that require means more democratic. His views were decidedly cynical, and yet the fact that he never shied away from such a cynical position in some ways prove optimistic. The bold desire to display the atrocities of the world as you see it is, I believe, a secret desire to see a next generation change such circumstance for the better. Most exploitation filmmakers hoist ultra-violence to the fore as a titillating device, to ultimately appeal to the audience's basest instincts and consume thier spendable cash. Sam Peckinpah employed those tactics in the service of a greater dialogue. And he got it.
Bring Me the Head of Sam Peckinpah begins today at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. It seems slightly sad to say that entire filmakker's career can be fit into one week, especially when we're talkin' bout a filmmaker of this magnitude, but such is the consequence of a life spent fighting for your vision. Special discounts are available for multiple screenings, so definitely take avantage of the deal. Today you got the 4-fer of Pecks' debut THE DEADLY COMPANIONS, his follow-up, and what some consider his masterpiece RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, 1968's THE WILD BUNCH, what MOST consider his masterpiece, and his lone collaboration with mega-star James Caan, THE KILLER ELITE. Liquor, smokes and gambling not provided. If you want the 4D experience today you know where to go. Loser.
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!
