June 11th 2016. Pick of the Day.
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One of these days it's gonna feel once and for all that Summer '16 has finally arrived. Yes, the local Icee man has bellowed 'bout his wares, desirable all. Yes, baseball is entering its second do-mester, and I don't care if that's not a word. And yes, outdoor screenings are afoot, and they arrive now earlier and earlier it seems. But really, we need a sweltering, macadam-liquidifying heat wave for it to really feel like a NYC summer has taken hold of us. Most likely this is to come, but til then these 55 degree evenings are just throwing me off my clock. You hear me, climate change! I blame YOU!
New and continuing series this day include Classic IFC Center & Stephen King on Film at IFC Center, Genre is a Woman at Film Forum, the exult over Brian De Palma at the Metrograph, Universal Pictures; Restorations & Rediscoveries, 1928-37 at MoMA, and the essential The Silent Clowns Film Series at the Library for the Performing Arts. Let's go to the 35mm!
IFC Center
LOVES OF A BLONDE (1965) Dir; Milos Forman
PET SEMETARY (1988) Dir; Mary Lambert
TAXI DRIVER (1976) Dir; Martin Scorsese
PURPLE RAIN (1984) Dir; Albert Magnoli
EL TOPO (1971) Dir; Alejandro Jodorowsky
Nitehawk Cinema
BLUE COLLAR (1977) Dir; Paul Schrader
Film Forum
NOT WANTED (1949) Dirs; Ida Lupino & Elmer Clifton
GROUP MARRIAGE (1973) Dir; Stephanie Rothman
THE STUDENT NURSES (1970) Dir; Stephanie Rothman
Metrograph
SCARFACE (1983) Dir; Brian de Palma
DRESSED TO KILL (1979) Dir; Brian de Palma
BLOW OUT (1980) Dir; Brian de Palma
MoMA
Universal Pictures; Restorations & Rediscoveries, 1928-37
REMEMBER LAST NIGHT (1935) Dir; James Whale
THE LAST WARNING (1929) Dir; Paul Leni
THE ROAD BACK (Long Version - 1937) Dir; James Whale
Mid-Manhattan Library
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? (1988) Dir; Robert Zemeckis
Library for the Performing Arts
AN ATYPICAL TAKE ON LAUREL & HARDY (1927-28) Dirs; Various
Syndicated
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977) Dir; John Badham
Today's Pick? There's really not much of a choice for me here. Again the Forman film is mighty high on my cinematic Bucket List, but, alas, 11am is not. I've just hoisted the Universal Pictures series at MoMA as recently as yesterday, so as I abhor the double-dip, I say nyeh. And anyone who knows me knows that both surnames De Palma & Zemeckis are as appealing to me, for the most part, as the Zica virus. I would very nearly choose what I deem Paul Schrader's lone masterpiece both as scribe an helmer, but again that early hour scares the beejezus outta yours ruly. So I have only one recourse today. And it's a damn good one.
The Silent Clowns, a devoted team of film fanatics who've done a great deal to maintain interest in the era before talking pictures became the norm, have yet another program unspooling, and I mean that literally, this afternoon. They've been celebrating the work of Hal Roach, and all the innovative comedy that resulted at his hand as producer, at Lincoln Center's Library for the Performing Arts. Today they spotlight a quartet of silent shorts that perhaps haven't gotten the same amount of love as their talking pics; three form 1927 (WHY GIRLS LOVE SAILORS, THE SECOND HUNDRED YEARS, & PUTTING PANTS ON PHILIP) and one from the following year (1928's EARLY TO BED). The fun starts at 2:30pm today, and the doors open considerably earlier, amd as this wonderful series has only grown exponentially larger each month my advice to you is to get there exceedingly early, lest you wind up a standing fire hazard. Steve Massa, Bruce Lawton, and Ben Model make up the Clowns Car, with Model providing live piano accompaniment to the unfurl. I can't say I've made it up there every month, but when I have it's been a truly magical experience. If you've never been I urge you to attend. It'll leave you transformed, trust me. It's what Stan & Ollie would want.
For more info on these and all NYC's rep film screenings in June '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. Summer seems to have finally graced 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!
