October 21st -23rd: Haunted Felines, Sweet Transvestites, and Monsters from the Id! Read On if You Dare!
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.
Well AhWooooooooooooooooooooooo Stockahz! The annual Fest o' da Dedski knowns as All Hallows Eve approacheth once more, which means kids worldwide eagerly pitching ideas for ever more elaborate costuming and strategic mapping of Treat-rich territories in order to procure maximum candyage. Oh, what an age, what bliss to skip down the sidewalk as one's fave horror/sci-fi character to cast spells that would conjure ghouls and ghosts from their always temporary slumber to wreak fright uponst one's home nabe. Oh, to be 42 again.
It is in this spirit that I dedicate this week's Picks to those screenings most Halloween-appropriate. And lord there's much to draw from thankfully. For those who find themselves drawn not to a holiday celebratd 3 months too early at Duane Reade, thre's plenty else to choose from. From those who can't get enough of the heebies and their accompanying jeebies, read on. New and continuing series this week include Kurosawa & Mifune at IFC Center, Modern Matinees: B is for Bogart , Breaking Bard: Shakespeare on Film and Tomu Uchida: A Retrospective at MoMA, the feline-festooned 13 Cats at BAM Cinématek, The Genre Terrorist: Lucio Fulci at Anthology Film Archives, Cabaret Cinema at the Rubin Museum, Old & Improved and Welcome to Metrograph: A to Z at the Metrograph, and the outside-the-box-monickered Film Forum Jr. At Film Forum. Let's roll.
Friday October 21st
IFC Center
STRAY DOG (1948) Dir; Akira Kurosawa
Film Forum
TAMPOPO (1985) Dir; Juzo Itami
MoMA
Modern Matinees: B is for Bogart
THE LOVE LOTTERY (1954) Dir; Charles Crichton
Breaking Bard: Shakespeare on Film
THE TEMPEST (1979) Dir; Derek Jarman
FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956) Dir; Fred M. Wilcox
KILLING IN YOSHIWARA (1960) Dir; Tomu Uchida
BAM Cinématek
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989) Dir; Hayao Miyazaki
HAUSU (1977) Dir; Nobuhiko Obayashi
THE TERRORIZERS (1986) Dir; Edward Yang
Anthology Film Archives
The Genre Terrorist: Lucio Fulci
THE NEW YORK RIPPER (1982) Dir; Lucio Fulci
MANHATTAN BABY (1982) Dir; Lucio Fulci
Rubin Museum
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1941) Dirs; Alexander Korda/Ludwig Berger/Michael Powell
Nitehawk Cinema
MANHUNTER (1986) Dir; Michael Mann
Today's Pick? Lots to choose from today, and while Mann's initial Hannibal Lecter screen-birth tempts at the Witching hour, as does Korda's still-mesmerizing THIEF, I simply cannot turn down a 35mm screeening of that most quintessential of 50's sci/fi horror, Fred Wilcox's seminal FORBIDDEN PLANET, unspooling at the venerable MoMA as part of that most scare-inducing series, Breaking Bard: Shakespeare on Film. Okay, it's not ideal, but you don't think Shakespeare's scary, boys and girls? You don't think iambic pentamater can kill someone? No of course it can't, that's a stupid thing to say. Okay, I'm done channeling Count Floyd.
Saturday October 22nd
IFC Center
STRAY DOG (1948) Dir; Akira Kurosawa
Nitehawk Cinema
GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) Dir; Ivan Reitman
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1958) Dir; Charles Laughton
MANHUNTER (1986) Dir; Michael Mann
Film Forum
TAMPOPO (1985) Dir; Juzo Itami
MoMA
UNENDING ADVANCE (1937) Dir; Tomu Uchida
BLOODY SPEAR AT MOUNT FUJI (1955) Dir; Tomu Uchida
THE OUTSIDERS (1958) Dir; Tomu Uchida
Breaking Bard: Shakespeare on Film
HENRY V (1989) Dir; Kenneth Branagh
Anthology Film Archives
The Genre Terrorist: Lucio Fulci
THE CONSPIRACY OF TORTURE (1969) Dir; Lucio Fulci
WHITE FANG (1974) Dir; Lucio Fulci
DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING (1972) Dir; Lucio Fulci
BAM Cinématek
THE TERRORIZERS (1986) Dir; Edward Yang
Tarrytown Music Hall
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) Dir; Jim Sharman
Today's Pick? It doesn't happen often, but whenever I get the chance to endorse this excelent just-outside-of-town venue I jump on the chance, as it's a magical time-transporting experience like few others. Tonight the antiquated, ornate Tarrytown Music Hall provides a haven for weary travellers seeking refuge from the storm that is NYC. Within its walls however, lurk Magenta Devine, Riff Raff, and the sweet transvestite that opened a million closet doors, Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Jim Sharman's THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW screens at the unusual hour of 11pm at the Hall, so the Metro-North might not even be running by the time the film's over. However, I'm told there's no lack of friendly castle-dwellers who'll put you up for the night.
Kiddin'. Metro-North runs pretty much all night. Where do you think we are? New Jersey?
Sunday October 23rd
IFC Center
STRAY DOG (1948) Dir; Akira Kurosawa
Film Forum
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1924) Dir; Raoul Walsh
TAMPOPO (1985) Dir; Juzo Itami
Nitehawk Cinema
GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) Dir; Ivan Reitman
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1958) Dir; Charles Laughton
MoMA
STRAITS OF HUNGER (1964) Dir; Tomu Uchida
THE HORSE BOY (1957) Dir; Tomu Uchida
Breaking Bard: Shakespeare on Film
KING LEAR (1971) Dir; Peter Brook
Metrograph
DOUBLE DOOR (1934) Dir; Charles Vidor
MARKETA LAZAROVA (1967) Dir; Frantisek Vlàcil
BAM Cinématek
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989) Dir; Hayao Miyazaki
THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964) Dir; Roger Corman
THE TERRORIZERS (1986) Dir; Edward Yang
Mid-Manhattan Library
DEVOTION (1946) Dir; Curtis Bernhardt
Anthology Film Archives
The Genre Terrorist: Lucio Fulci
CONTRABAND (1980) Dir; Lucio Fulci
A STRANGE TYPE (1962) Dir; Lucio Fulci
MASSACRE TIME (1966) Dir; Lucio Fulci
Today's Pick? What would October be without a Roger Corman flick or two? Tonight, what many regard as the best of his Edgar Allan Poe adaps, indeed perhaps his finest two hours behind the bullhorn, unspools in magnificent 35mm. BAM Cinématek presents Corman's THE TOMB OF LIGEIA as part of their terrifying tabby trib 13 Cats. Personally, I've always felt the demonization of cats and their thoughtless utilization as horror fodder a shameless, lazy act, casting decades, nay, centuries of suspicion and outright fear upon or wonderful, 4-legged pals. On the other hand, if something brushes against my leg during the screening I'm gettin' the HELL outta there. Tell the Chicago Cubs cats are harmless!
Other notable screenings this week include CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE BEYOND, unspooling in glorious, garish 35mm on Monday as part of Anthology Film Archives' trib to Lucio Fulci; the perverse dinner & a movie matchup featuring Jonathan Demme's SILENCE OF THE LAMBS on Tuesday, as part of the the Nitehawk Cinema's monthly series Film Feasts; an always welcome unspooling of Tobe Hooper's haunted house classic POLTERGEIST, Wednesday night at Brooklyn's Syndicated; and what I still consider the scariest friggin' movie I've ever seen, William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST, Thursday evening at Cinépolis in Chelsea.
So there ya have it, my advice for your weekend's best time expenditure, and some here's and there's regarding the ensuing days, til we check in again a week from now for the purposes of once more rummaging through the reels and making the tough yet wonderful choices regarding our chosen love. Til then be sure to follow me on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, and be SURE to catch my new YouTube channel, Nitrate Stock TV, where I'll be checking in at screenings all over the city and giving my 2 cents on the film, the venue, the audience, any damn thing that comes to my mind. Which, as some of ya know, can be quite entertaining. Til next time Stockahz, remember: be safe, be sound, and make sure the next guy and gal are too. Excelsior!
- Joe Walsh
P. S. As you know I like to beat the drum for what I consider worthwhile causes. Lately the strain of xenophobia which, sadly has always been present in our countyr, mostly dormant, but at times very awoken and tangible. Sadly, the latter is the present case, and the subject of Syrain refugees has become a veritable powderkeg. To those of you who believe we can aid these people, our fellow human beings who are desperate for our help, I suggest the heroic efforts of the good men and women at www.DoctorsWithoutBorders.org. They're providing boots-on-the-ground relief, everything from surgery and medicine to clean water. It's a small something to be sure in this maelstrom of madness, but is is just that: something.
