May 2016! Black Girl, Anna Magnani, and Restored Gems from the Universal Vault! Read On!

Well Howdy-Do, Stockahz! Thanks for being a patient soul as I prepped this month's overview. It's been a hectic couple of weeks but even though I let the first few days of May '16 slip past, there's still plenty of screenings and series to get to over the next lunar cycle. Plenty. Trust me, it proved an exhausting amount to collect in one calendar. So let's get exhaustive about it, shalln't we?

Those of you familiar with this site, y'know, the good ones out there, know that I like to award what I refer to as Big Dawg status to that series or screening I deem most unmissable over the 31 day unfold. Last month that most prized distinction went to Astoria's Museum of the Moving Image, and their positively fantastic Sidney Poitier Retrospective, a fitting and comprehensive trib to Hollywood royalty, a man who also helped move the needle on tolerance in our country at a time when that notion seemed impossible. All the man's greatest hits were on the bill as well as a couple of deeper cuts. Kudos to MoMI, they never get it wrong!

This month's Perro Grande goes to another fave from roughly the same era, an Italian import who, though never possessed of a classical beauty, managed to exude an attractive sexual prowess, one that cast a spell over millions and knew no borders. She was earthy and spicy, she displayed enormous grit and gave better than she got, but could turn on a dime and reduce you to a puddle with her vulnerability and heartbreak. She was integral to the works of Rossellini and De Sica, to the entire Noe-Realist movement really, then came to America and so charmed Tennessee Willams that he wrote an entire play specifically for her. She left the world way too soon, but before that tragic loss she crafted a magic legacy, one that captured her uniqueness for posterity. To which I say, grazie senora.

The Film Society's comprehensive trib to the legendary Anna Magnani, entitled La Magnani, begins on May 18th with Gennaro Righelli's PEDDLIN' IN SOCIETY and ends June 1st with the very same title. On the way we get to experience masterpieces like Jean Renior's THE GOLDEN COACH, Pier Paolo Pasolini's MAMMA ROMA, Sidney Lumet's THE FUGITIVE KIND, Daniel Mann's THE ROSE TATTOO, the aforementioned Williams script that also netted the star her Oscar for Best Actress, and, of course, the breakout role she's still most famous for; Rossellini's ROME, OPEN CITY. All titles save one screen in 35mm, and the exception, Goerge Cukor's WILD IS THE WIND, screens in 16mm. To those few who have yet to be touched by her powerful charms, this is your bona fortuna. The Film Society is located at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 W 65th street, and the Elinor Bunin Monroe Film Center, 144 W 65th st., in Manhattan.

This month's runner-up is unspooling at MoMA, an almost overwhelming 30-film salute to Universal Pictures, specifically centered around the era when its founder's son, Carl Laemmle Jr., was also its head of production. Universal Pictures: Restorations and Rediscoveries: 1928-37 kicks off with the reportedly ravishing new 4K spitshine of John Murray Anderson's KING OF JAZZ, an early 2-strip Technicolor musical featuring the Paul Whiteman Orchestra (performing the first filmed performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue). Other choice cuts in the series include restorations of Paul Fejos' BROADWAY and James Whale's THE ROAD BACK, the latter of which will be making its US premiere in its original director's version, as well as minor classics and forgotten gems like John Ford's AIR MAIL, William Wyler's A HOUSE DIVIDED & THE GOOD FAIRY, John M. Stahl's ONLY YESTERDAY & BACK STREET , Monta Bell's EAST IS WEST & UP FOR MURDER , as well as the production that ended Laemmle Jr.'s tenure as studio cheif, Whale's 1936 version of SHOW BOAT. The series runs til June 15th.

Also at MoMA this month their fantastic Modern Matinees series shines its Kliegs on legendary filmmaker Otto Preminger, specifically 15 of his efforts, starting on the 11th with 1953's THE MOON IS BLUE, wending it's way through the month with classics like 1955's THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, 1962's ADVISE AND CONSENT, 1965's IN HARM'S WAY, and, of course, his first masterpiece as a director, 1944's LAURA. The series runs til June 30th. MoMA is located at 11 W 53rd st. in Manhattan.

Hoppng the F train down to the W 4th st stop we then stumble over to that shining cinematic temple on W Houston, NYC's very own Film Forum, which is LOADED with activity this month! Already in progress is their brand spankin' new DCP of Jean-Luc Godard's BAND OF OUTSIDERS, which is joined by the concurrently screening Anna & Jean-Luc, celebrating the other 6 collaborations between husband Godard and wife Karina. Beginning on the 13th we get a weeklong trib to the sublime and sophisticated, intellectual gin Martini known as Nöel Coward, featuring films that came from his pen as well as simple acting appearances. First up is his acting-only star turn in Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur's THE SCOUNDREL (no kiddin'!), and continues with scribe-only fare like Ernst Lubitch's DESIGN FOR LIVING, David Lean's BLITHE SPIRIT & BRIEF ENCOUNTER, Frank Lloyd's CAVALCADE, Sidney Franklin's PRIVATE LIVES, and Stewart Walker's TONIGHT IS OURS. Work in which he contributed both quill and mug include Terence Fisher's THE ASTONISHED HEART, and Lean's directorial debut; the 1942 propaganda piece IN WHICH WE SERVE. The series runs til the 19th.

Other fare at the Forum this month include shorter series like the 3-film trib to the work of Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett, subtitled Hollywood's Happiest Couple, bringing us Lubitsch's NINOTCHKA and Wilder's THE LOST WEEKEND on the 15th, and Wilder's SUNSET BLVD, his last collaboration with screenwriter Brackett, on the 16th. A 5-film trib to one of the most important independent filmmakers from the era that spawned that scene, Robert Downey (for you youngsters, IRON MAN's dad), features titles like CHAFED ELBOWS, GREASER'S PALACE, TWO TONS OF TURQUOISE, and what remains his greatest critical and commercial work, the incredeibly influential PUTNEY SWOPE. New restos of Fritz Lang's DESTINY and Carol Reed's THE FALLEN IDOL get a week apiece, the former May 20th-26th and the latter the 27th to June 2nd. Sunday the 29th Reed's IDOL is joined by his other two noir gems, 1947's ODD MAN OUT, ad what I maintain is the greatest film evr made, 1949's THE THIRD MAN. And of course, the wildly popular hook-'em-while-they're-young series Film Forum Jr. continues this month, offering titles diverse as George Stevens' I REMEMBER MAMA, Randal Kleiser's GREASE, and Jacques Prevért's THE KING AND THE MOCKINGBIRD. All films in the series screen at 11am. Sheesh. Film Forum is located at 209 W Houston st. in Manhattan.

Stone-skipping across the East River we find ourselves at BAM Cinématek, who this month present two wholly enticing prospects, one a series, the other a singular resto. Labor of Love: 100 Years of Movie Dates gives us just that; a century of Essence du L'amour as repped by the 4-perf format! We get early classics like Clarence Badger's IT! and Dorothy Arzner's THE WILD PARTY, arthouse gems like Stephen Frears' MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDERETTE and Max Ophüls' LA RONDE, grindhouse fare like Stephanie Rothman's THE STUDENT NURSES , iconic musicals like Howard Hawks' GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES and Vincente Minnelli's GIGI, and fringe candidates like William Friedkin's CRUISING and Mary Harron's AMERICAN PSYCHO. The hot tub massagery runs til the 17th.

Also at BAM this month comes a brand-new DCP spitshine of perhaps the most seminal film from the birth of modern African cinema. Ousmane Sembène's BLACK GIRL put the continent on the map as a cinematic voice, embracing the Neo-realism of postwar Italy in much the same way Satyajit Ray did in birthing the modern Indian film scene. It is a damning indictment of colonialism and chauvinism, and has lost none of its formidable power lo these last 50 years. It's unmissable stuff, perhaps more relevant today then whence released. Screens for a week from the 18th to the 24th. BAM Is located at the Peter Jay Sharp building at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn.

Dilly-dallying north and slightly west we find ourselves in follically festooned BillyBurg, at my fave movie theater in the 5 boroughs, the fabulous Nitehawk Cinema, home of the finest root beer n' tater tots combo look if you've at all followed this site over the last few years you already get where I'm going with this. Brunch and Midnight screenings include Richard Lester's THE BED-SITTING ROOM, Val Guest's THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE, and Tim Burton's PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE for the Bellini-besotted, while Witching Hour fare includesAlan Ormsby's DERANGED: THE CONFESSION OF A NECROPHILE and Ralph Bakshi's WIZARDS. Do yourself a favor and avail yerself of this cinematic treasure trove. And y'know the root beer n' tots I'm just sayin'. The Nitehawk Cinema is a short skip & hop away from the Bedford Ave L trin stop at 136 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn. #RootBeerTots!

Climbing the great wall, the best wall, the huuuuuuuge wall sealing the border between Kings and Queens counties we arrive at Astoria's impressive, beloved Museum of the Moving Image. Rep activity is limited this month but two screenings loom large. The Museum's Terence Davies trib offers up his feature debut, 1988's DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES in sparkling 35mm. And for one very spesh eve screnwriter Hampton Fancher attends a screening of his lasting legacy, Ridley Scott's BLADE RUNNER. Not many of us are alowed passage within the exclusive community of Astoria, so if you're one of the privileged few, don't iss these screenings. and hey, put a good word in for me, willya? Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35th avenue in the aforementioned Palm Springs of NYC.

Cloud surfing our way back to the civilized side of the estuary we land at NYC's newest and perhaps most enticing rep film venue, the L.E.S.' Metrograph Theater. As part of two of their ongoing series we get Clint Eastwood's THE GAUNTLET, Frank Tashlin's HOLLYWOOD OR BUST , and Akira Kurosawa's HIGH AND LOW as part of the yearlong unfold entitled Welcome to Metrograph: A to Z, and David Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS, arguably the filmmaker's masterpiece, as well as Charles Barton's ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEETS FRANKENSTEIN as part of the series Old & Improved. The Commissary, Metrograph's eatery, is about to open, making this joint even more of an enticing proposition. I've yet to make my visit, a procrastination I'll be correcting shortly. The Metrograph is located at 13 Ludlow st. in Manhattan.

Hitching a ride in the Ectomobile we find ourselves at the NYC rep film lover's fave haunted house, the slwoly disintegrating Anthology Film Archives, which this month brings us the excellent examination of J.G. Ballard and the Cinema! Titles is this eclectic series regarding this eclectic author include Peter Wier's THE CARS THAT ATE PARIS, Val Guest's WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH, Steven Spielberg's EMPIRE OF THE SUN, and the crown jewel of the lot, George Miller's THE ROAD WARRIOR. Other notable screenings include Jean Cocteau's THE BLOOD OF A POET, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and ORPHEUS. AFA is located at 32 2nd ave in Manhattan.

The pride of our Avenue of the Americas, the regal IFC Center, provides a continuous supply of rep film relief this month with several series. Stephen King on Film brings us Mark L. Lester's FIRESTARTER & Stanley Kubrick's THE SHINING. Classic IFC Center offers up Billy Wilder's ACE IN THE HOLE, Robert Aldrich's WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, and Francis Ford Coppola's THE GODFATHER. And Becoming Meryl Streep unspools Robert Benton's KRAMER VS. KRAMER, the obvious inspiration for Zack Snyder's latest abomination, with filmmaker Benton on hand for a Q&A. IFC Center is located at 323 6th avenue at W 3rd st. in Manhattan.

Pickin's be slim beyond those series. The newly-minted Syndicated in Bushwick, a kindred spirit to the Nitehawk Cinema and spirit animal Alamo Drafthouse in terms of mixing films with food n' booze, brings us Amy Heckerling's FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, Ridley Scott's THELMA AND LOUISE, and Kubrick's DR. STRANGELOVE.

The eternally swank Cabaret Cinema series at the Rubin Museum brings us an encore screening of Scott's BLADE RUNNER.

The Thursday Classics series at the BowTie Chelsea Cinema offers up Joseph L. Mankiewicz's SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER, Mike Nichols' WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? , and Robert Aldrich's HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE.

The Library for the Performing Arts brings us an afternoon of Hal Roach's silent OUR GANG films as part of the Silent Clowns Film Series.

The Mid-Manhattan Library screens Michael Curtiz's THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD and David Butler's THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS.

And finally, the New York Historical Society presents Agnieszka Holand's EUROPA EUROPA and Big Al's THE 39 STEPS. And that, as they say, is that.

And that's that, Stockahz, your NYC rep film sked for May '16! I should mention that schedules are subject to change, and god knows they do, so be sure to check back with the site's interactive calendar to keep current. And also please follow yours truly via the Facebook page, the Twitter acc't, the Instagram doings, the Tumblr & Vine doohickery oh hell just hide under my bed whydontch'ya?!? As always, thanks for choosing Nitrate Stock for your rep film lowdown, and I look forward not only to keeping you informed of its doings but joining you for its screenings. Excelsior, Knuckleheads!

-Joe Walsh

JoeW@NitrateStock.net