Just some thoughts on current happenings:

Happy New Year Everyone!

Classic film screenings from around the world this month include:

In Vancouver, British Columbia, The Cinematheque continues with Viva Varda! The Films of Agnès Varda.

For more information about the titles and showtimes, click on the top image above. To learn more about this and other film series at The Cinematheque, click on the theatre banner above.

In London, United Kingdom The Prince Charles Cinema will present Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Saturday, January 4 as well as a special £1 Member’s screening Thursday, January 9, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969, and celebrating the film’s 50th Anniversary) Saturday, January 4, El Topo (1970, a new digital restoration and celebrating the film’s 50th Anniversary) Friday, January 10 through Thursday, January 16, Strangers on a Train (1951, a 35mm print) Saturday, January 11, The Red Shoes (1948, a 35mm print) Sunday, January 12 and Thursday, January 16, The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) Monday, January 13, Duck Soup (1933) Saturday, January 18 and Thursday, January 23, Faces (1968, a 35mm print) Sunday, January 19 and The Holy Mountain (1973, a new digital restoration) on Friday, January 24 through Thursday, January 30.

Click on the respective image for more information. To see January’s complete programming, click on The Prince Charles Cinema banner above.

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In Hollywood, California, The American Cinematheque Egyptian Theatre will present “A Conversation with Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro” featuring a 45-minute discussion between the two Oscar winners about their longstanding collaboration followed by a screening of their latest film The Irishman (2019) Saturday, January 4. A double bill of Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Other (1972) will be shown Saturday, January 11. A double bill of Deliverance (1972, a 35mm print) and Wake in Fright (1971) will be shown Sunday, January 12. A double bill of One-Eyed Jacks (1961, an IB Tech 35mm print) and The Hired Hand (1971, an IB Tech 35mm print) will be shown on Saturday, January 18.

For more information specifically on each of these programmes, click on the corresponding above image. To see the entire month of January’s programming for both The Egyptian and Aero Theatre (the latter in Santa Monica) click on the American Cinematheque banner.

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In Los Angeles, California The Beverly Cinema will present Mean Streets (1973, a 35mm print) on Saturday, January 4 at 12 midnight only, In the Heat of the Night (1967, a 35mm print) Wednesday, January 8 at 2pm only, Re-Animator (1985, a 35mm print) Friday, January 10 at 2pm only, Taxi Driver (1976, a 35mm print) Saturday, January 11 at 12 midnight only, The African Queen (1951, an I.B. Technicolor 35mm print) Wednesday, January 15 at 2pm only and Network (1976, a 35mm print) on Wednesday, January 29 at 2pm only.

Click on the respective image for more information. To see the rest of January’s schedule, click on The Beverly Cinema banner above.

In Stockholm, Sweden, The Swedish Film Institute Cinemateket at the Filmhuset (Filmhouse) theatre will begin an Alfred Hitchcock retrospective of 55 of the master’s films. This month’s showings are The Birds (1963) Wednesday, January 8, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) Thursday, January 16, The 39 Steps (1935, a 35mm print) Thursday, January 23 and Notorious! (1946, a 35mm print) on Thursday, January 30.

For more information on each individual screening, click on the respective image above. For information on the series, click on the image of Alfred Hitchcock above.

In theatres across the U.S. Flashback Cinema is presenting Blade Runner (1989, The Final Cut made in 2007) Sunday, January 12 and Wednesday, January 15, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Sunday, January 19 and Wednesday, January 22 and Gone with the Wind (1939) on Sunday, January 26 and Wednesday, January 29.

Click on the respective image for more information. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Flashback Cinema banner above.

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In Bergen, Norway The Cinemateket i Bergen will present Les diaboliques (1955) the first of a series of films directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot entitled “Your Next Obsession: Henri-Georges Clouzot” Sunday, January 12 and again on Tuesday, January 14.

For more information on this specific film showing, click on the film’s image above. For more information on the other films directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, click on the series banner above, and for information on the other films/film series showing at The Cinemateket, click on the banner image above.

In Tokyo, Japan CineConcerts together with The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra will present The Godfather (1972) with live musical accompaniment featuring Nino Rota’s iconic score on Sunday, January 12.

Click on the image for more information.

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In theatres across the U.S., TCM and Fathom Events are presenting An American in Paris (1951) on Sunday, January 19 and Wednesday, January 22.

Click on the film’s image for more information. To see this month’s entire schedule, click on The Fathom Events banner above.

Noir City will take place in San Francisco, California from January 24 - February 2. This year’s festival marks a 6 year return to “Noir City-International” featuring films noir from around the world. Highlights will include two of the latest restoration projects of the Film Noir Foundation from Argentina: La bestia debe morir aka The Beast Must Die (1952, a 35mm print) and El vampiro negro aka The Black Vampire (1953, a digital restoration) both of which will be presented on opening night Friday, January 24.

For more information including the complete schedule, click on the image above.

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In Auckland, New Zealand Academy Cinemas will present A Summer with Monika (1953) on Friday, January 31.

For more information on this programme, click on the film’s above image. To see the entire month of January’s programming click on the banner above.

In Honolulu, Hawaii The Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra will present Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) with live musical accompaniment featuring John Williams’ spectacular score on Friday, January 31 and Saturday, February 1.

Click on the image for more information.

There are 18 recommended films to watch on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. this month:

You’ll have to get up pretty early in the morning to catch this delightfully romantic cinematic story: Ernst Lubitsch's The Shop Around the Corner.

Beneath an inventive situation comedy veneer, however, there is a serious underlying message concerning relationships and how concepts often get in the way of a more fulfilling union based on care and concern for one another. The Shop Around the Corner, previously praised here, will open Saturday, January 4 at (early morning) 3am PST.

Speaking of awakening, this next TCM recommendation’s wildly entertaining detective yarn is also worth getting up for. Previously reviewed here, The Big Sleep will enliven host Eddie Muller’s Noir Alley Saturday, January 4 at 9pm PST and again on Sunday, January 5 at 7am PST.

Many film noir aficionados and academics feel that Orson Welles’ 1958 Touch of Evil officially closed out the the category’s classic time period. If so, the creative and flamboyant director certainly did so with a bang! I’ve previously written about this exhilarating film noir with a focus on its various “versions” and how they came to be in Exploring the Artefacts #11: Main Title Inspirations No. 2 Touch of Evil. Viewers can feel Welles’ Touch of Evil Saturday, January 4 at (late evening) 1am PST.

My next TCM recommendation is like a blow from a blackjack, swift and brutal, with an equally “no messing around” title, Armored Car Robbery. This lean and mean little cinematic machine, is as efficient and meticulous as the planning of the heist itself.

Few actors could ooze as criminally deranged and menacing a persona as William Talman, playing the ringleader: a cautious perfectionist but also an adulterer, murderous sociopath, even his crew’s worst nightmare. He’s up against Charles McGraw, the toughest of noir’s law enforcement, whose determination to apprehend the perpetrators is further strengthened after losing his partner during the initial hold-up. This situation and McGraw’s resulting bitterness are practically identical occurrences in 1952’s The Narrow Margin, the same star and director’s (Richard Fleischer) follow up noir, also noted for its rapid verisimilitude. Contributing mightily to this film’s sordid sensibility is Adele Jergens as a gang member’s two-timing wife, and a surprise finale which fascinatingly foreshadows the climax to Stanley Kubrick’s own honourable homage to the heist genre, The Killing (1956). There have been plenty of films involving an armoured truck takedown, including Criss Cross (1949), Kansas City Confidential (1952), Heat (1995) and The Town (2010) all of which, like their shared objects of interest, are sturdy and formidable. None, however, are carried out in a faster and more furious fashion than Armored Car Robbery. This is one robbery that would be criminally amiss if left unchecked, especially for fans of concise and stimulating films noir. The caper will come off (updated) on TCM in Eddie Muller’s Noir Alley Saturday, July 6 (2024) at 9:15 pm PDT and again Sunday, July 7 at 7 am PDT.

TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on any of the above TCM related images. For those who live in parts of the U.S. other than the western region, the time zone can be adjusted in the upper right-hand corner of TCM's programme.

Next is Sam Peckinpah's Ride the High Country. The famous director's love for his characters and the Western frontier they inhabit greatly enriches this compelling tale (metaphorically suggested by the film's title) of moral redemption. The casting is inspired, not only of the actors but the technical crew as well. This is Top Ten Western #4 and has been previously reviewed here. It airs Saturday, January 11 at 3:15pm PST.

(From left) Randolph Scott, Ron Starr, Joel McCrea

One of David Lean's more ambitious projects may have turned out less artistically accomplished than its director intended. Still, it has many attributes making Doctor Zhivago well worth seeing. Afterwards, I'd be truly appreciative if readers had a look at my review here. This epic scale romance will begin Wednesday, January 15 at 9am PST.

Anyone wanting to improve their acting skills could benefit by studying the naturalistic film performances guided by the late Ulu Grosbard. The director’s True Confessions, previously reviewed as a Blu-ray recommendation here, offers such an opportunity. This is also an insightful character study of two brothers and a murder investigation that results in a tragic and consequential rift between them. TCM will make a rare showing of True Confessions available Thursday, January 16 at 10pm PST.

(From left) Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall

1944’s Laura is director Otto Preminger’s slick and assured amalgamation of mystery (whodunnit) and film noir (obsessive desire, gruesome murder etc) elements. This film was briefly reviewed here. Included is a comparison between the detective played by Dana Andrews and James Stewart’s retired investigator in Vertigo. Laura will come to life on TCM Saturday, January 18 at 9am PST.

Despite a rather tepid relationship at this story’s centre, film noir fans shouldn’t cheat themselves out of seeing The Man Who Cheated Himself, recently restored by The Film Noir Foundation and UCLA Film & Television Archive and a previous Blu-ray recommendation here. TCM will air this nifty little noir Saturday, January 18 at 10:45am PST.

All About Eve is really all about the spoken word and is a prior TCM recommendation here. She will maker her appearance Sunday, January 19 at 5pm PST.

(From left) Anne Baxter, Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, George Sanders

Another TCM recommendation for the month is Hidden Gem #61, Hal Ashby's very personal and special 1970 directorial debut film The Landlord. He'll pay you a visit Monday, January 20 at 8:45pm PST.

Immediately following The Landlord, The Tall Target has what some (unlike myself) consider a disqualification for being a bona fide film noir: a story that takes place during an earlier time period from when the film was made. Either way, Anthony Mann's 1951 “period noir”, a prior recommendation here, is well worth checking out. Viewers should set their sights on The Tall Target Monday, January 20 at 11pm PST.

(From left) Ruby Dee, Marshall Thompson, Dick Powell, Paula Raymond

Once again, TCM will air the beloved Casablanca, previously reviewed here. This is a film I have been less enamoured with than most film enthusiasts and critics, although while watching, I too succumb to its many charms. Writing about it afterward is a different story altogether. Lastly, I'm not out to diminish anyone's enthusiasm over this film. It's only a perspective on offer, designed to stimulate thoughts, not change them, written in part because of the many accolades this film has understandably received over the years. TCM will air Casablanca Wednesday, January 22 at 1pm PST.

Brace yourself for the next film in Eddie Muller’s Noir Alley: Try and Get Me! a.k.a. The Sound of Fury. The film’s cumulative effect is one of emotional annihilation. Restored in 2012 by the Film Noir Foundation, Hidden Gem #24 has been reviewed here and will make its TCM debut Saturday, January 25 at 9pm PST and repeat Sunday, January 26 at 7am PST. Proceed with caution.

For a perhaps needed change of pace, there's the hilarious Bringing Up Baby previously recommended here. The antics will begin on TCM Monday, January 27 at 1pm PST.

France's finest entry in the horror genre is Georges Franju's Les yeux sans visage aka Eyes Without a Face.

This is also a previous TCM recommendation here. Although the subject matter is as gruesomely shocking as can be imagined, it rises far above your common slasher flick. Gore is kept to a minimum. Its main characters' tragic desires, along with their feelings, are the focus. Eyes Without a Face depicts its events in a mature, elegant and refined fashion. The resulting contrast between the horrific choices and their resulting victimised subjects along with the shadowy surroundings and resigned sadness of our title character, create a most unsettling and lasting impression. This artistic masterwork can be seen with one's own eyes Thursday, January 30 at (early morning) 3am PST.

"Complaining about the far-fetched circumstances in films noir is like objecting to the lack of realism in a Picasso painting. What I mean is that lovers of these criminally rich cinematic delights oughtn’t to bother picking out the implausibilities, since they are practically a hallmark of noir's style."

I've written this before when introducing Split Second, a film noir that presented some rather unlikely occurring situations and it certainly applies to my next recommendation as well, starring Humphrey Bogart: Dark Passage. This wildly engrossing yarn combines the best of romance with the best of noir in the best location for both: San Francisco. Previously endorsed as a Blu-Ray release here, Bogart will make his dark passage on TCM Thursday, January 30 at 6:15am PST.

Concluding my TCM recommendations for the month, as well as a trio of main characters who all plan to have their faces surgically altered, is Nora Prentiss. This formidable film noir, previously reviewed here, will make its striking impression when revealed Thursday, January 30 at 8:15am PST.

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TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on any of the above TCM related images. For those who live in parts of the U.S. other than the western region, the time zone can be adjusted in the upper right-hand corner of TCM's programme.

A Happy Birthday shout-out to the talented actor Jonathan Banks, who turns 73 on January 31st.

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He is best known for his Emmy nominated portrayal of former police officer turned deadly fixit man Mike Ehrmantraut in the TV series’ Breaking Bad (2009 -2012) and Better Call Saul (2015 - ) the latter of which will begin its fifth season showing next month. He also made a strong impression in the TV series Wise Guy (1987 - 2009). Banks can be seen in the motion pictures Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Boiling Point (1993), Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995), Dark Blue (2002), Reign Over Me (2007), Mudbound (2017), The Commuter (2018) and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019), amongst others. He is also an accomplished stage actor.

My Soundtrack recommendation for the month of January is composer David Newman’s dramatically sweeping score to the 1992, and now topical, biopic Hoffa.

The film as a whole, although admirable in many respects, fails to tell us much about the private Jimmy Hoffa and dig deeper for the truer motivations behind his actions.

The score, however, lends dignity and scope to the proceedings, possessing majestic grandeur and memorable themes which, interestingly enough, can be heard in other movie trailers since the film’s release. La La Land Records and 20th Century Fox are presenting a remastered and expanded limited edition release (2000 units only) featuring 30 minutes of additional music compared to the 1993 soundtrack CD. More information including international ordering can be obtained from Screen Archives Entertainment by clicking on the soundtrack image.

January’s recommended DVD is to the above reviewed Armored Car Robbery, issued as part of a set of important films noir from Warner Home Video that includes Cornered (1945), Desperate (1947), The Phenix City Story (1955), Deadline at Dawn (1946), Crime in the Streets (1956), Dial 1119 (1950) and Backfire (1950). 8 films noir in total, all worth owning especially at their current per unit price. Film noir fans can order through amazon.com in the U.S. by clicking on the accompanying image.

A.G.

The Cinema Cafe

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