"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Classic film screenings from around the world is returning this month in a limited capacity. Due to the Corona virus pandemic, please contact the theatre of choice regarding any restrictions including vaccination requirements, masks, social distancing, limited seating or last minute cancellations.
In London, United Kingdom The Prince Charles Cinema will present The Exorcist (1973, The Extended Cut, a 35mm print) Monday, October 4, Tuesday, October 19, Saturday, October 23, Wednesday, October 27 and Sunday, October 31, The Innocents (1961) Wednesday, October 6 and Sunday, October 17, Eyes Without a Face [Les Yeux sans visage] (1960, a 35mm print), Thursday, October 7 and Sunday, October 24, The Keep (1983, a 35mm print) Monday, October 18 and Wednesday, October 27, Mulholland Dr. (2001, a 35mm print, as part of this film’s 20th Anniversary) Monday, October 18, Manhunter (1986, a 35mm print) Friday, October 22, and Dead Ringers (1988, a 35mm print) on Monday, October 25.
Click on the respective image for more information. To see October’s complete programming, click on The Prince Charles Cinema banner above.
In Los Angeles, California The Beverly Cinema will present Creature from the Black Lagoon 3-D (1954, a 35mm print) Saturday, October 9 (at 2pm only) and Sunday, October 10 (at 2pm only), a double bill of Eyes Without a Face (1960, a 35mm print) and Mad Love (1935, a 35mm print) Thursday, October 14 and Friday, October 15, and a triple bill of Calling Dr. Death (1943, a 35mm print), Weird Woman (1944, a 35mm print) and The Frozen Ghost (1945, a 35mm print) on Monday, October 18.
Click on the respective image for more information. To see the rest of October’s schedule, click on The Beverly Cinema banner above.
In New York City, New York, Film Forum will present The Panic in Needle Park (1971, a 4k DCP restoration, with director Jerry Schatzberg, cinematographer Adam Holender and actress Marcia Jean Kurtz in person, co-star Kitty Winn via Zoom and a post-film Q&A moderated by Bruce Goldstein) on Monday, October 11.
For more information on this special screening, click on the film’s image. For other screenings taking place at Film Forum, click on the banner image above.
In Los Angeles, California Secret Movie Club is presenting Les Diaboliques (1955, a 35mm print) Thursday, October 14 at their The Secret Movie Club Theatre.
For more information on this special screening, click on the above movie still.
To discover other screenings organised by this group, click on the above theatre image.
Noir City will take place in Washington D.C. from October 15 -28 for its first in-theatre event since 2019. Highlights include Armored Car Robbery (1950, a 35mm print, with an introduction by Eddie Muller), Desert Fury (1947, with an introduction by Foster Hirsch) Fly-By-Night (1942, a 35mm print, with an introduction by Eddie Muller), High Tide (1947, a 35mm print, with an introduction by Foster Hirsch), Jealousy (1945, a 35mm print, with an introduction by Eddie Muller), Moonrise (1948, with an introduction by Foster Hirsch), Sorry, Wrong Number (1948, with an introduction by Foster Hirsch), and Try and Get Me! aka The Sound of Fury (1950, a 35mm print, with an introduction by Foster Hirsch).
For more information including the complete schedule, click on the image above.
In Auckland, New Zealand Academy Cinemas is presenting The Good, the Bad & the Ugly (1966) Sunday, October 17, and Straw Dogs (1971) on Friday, October 22.
To obtain more information specifically on each of these programmes, click on the corresponding image. To see the entire month of October’s programming, click on the Academy banner above.
In Bergen, Norway The Cinemateket i Bergen will present Holiday (1938) Tuesday, October 19 and on Wednesday October 20.
For more information on this film’s showing, click on the movie’s image above. For more information on the other films showing at The Cinemateket, click on the banner image above.
In Palm Springs, California The Arthur Lyons’ Film Noir Festival will take place from Thursday, October 21 - Saturday, October 24 . The festival opens with Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950), featuring special guest Susan Andrews, daughter of Dana Andrews. Additional highlights include The Big Sleep (1946) with an Introduction by Steven C. Smith, author of “Music by Max Steiner, The Epic Life of Hollywood’s Most Influential Composer”, The Cruel Tower (1956, not available on DVD or Blu-ray), High Wall (1947, a 35mm print), Playgirl (1954, not available on DVD or Blu-ray), and The Long Haul (1957, with special guest Victoria Mature daughter of Victor Mature).
More information is available by clicking on the above image.
In theatres across the U.S. Flashback Cinema is presenting Vertigo (1958) Sunday, October 24 and on Wednesday, October 27.
Click on the poster image for more information. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Flashback Cinema banner above.
In theatres across the U.S., TCM and Fathom Events are presenting a double bill of The Invisible Man (1933) and The Wolf Man (1941) on Saturday, October 30 as part of Universal’s 90th Anniversary Classic Monsters celebration.
Click on the poster image for more information. To see this month’s entire schedule, click on The Fathom Events banner above.
There are 18 recommended films to watch on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. this month:
“I run to death, and death meets me as fast, and all my pleasures are like yesterday.”
Rarely does an atmosphere of such overpowering dread subsume a cinematic story so completely as it does in 1943's The Seventh Victim.
Jean Brooks
A young woman (portrayed as a fetching innocent by Kim Hunter) goes searching for her missing sister (enigmatically played by Jean Brooks) in New York City's Greenwich Village and stumbles upon a satanic cult of devil worshipers putting both of their lives at risk. Mark Robson, who directed a number of these Val Lewton produced gems, is himself at the peak of his considerable creative powers. This devilishly striking combination of horror and film noir was a previous TCM recommendation and reviewed here. The fate of both sisters will be determined Monday, October 4 at 1:30 pm PDT.
“I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.”
Be sure to tune in for Nicholas Ray's character study In a Lonely Place with Humphrey Bogart perfectly cast as Dixon Steele whose unpredictable explosions of anger make him a prime suspect for the killing of a young ingénue. This highly probative film noir, previously recommended here, is scheduled to arrive Tuesday, October 5 at 3:15 pm PDT.
(From left) Humphrey Bogart, Don Hamin
“What a story! Everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end.”
All About Eve is really all about the spoken word and is a prior TCM recommendation here. She will make her appearance Wednesday, October 6 at 5pm PDT and again on Friday, October 15 at 8:45 pm PDT.
(From left) Anne Baxter, Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, George Sanders
“Imagine a dish like this married to a mug like Benny McBride... the naked and the dead.”
Next up is Richard Fleischer’s little powder keg of a film noir, Armored Car Robbery, previously recommended here and set to explode Saturday, October 9 at 7 pm PDT.
Charles McGraw, Adele Jergens
“I don't think you fully understand, Bigelow. You've been murdered.”
My next recommendation is one of film noir's finest and boldest: D.O.A. reviewed here. This "dead man running" will arrive on TCM Monday, October 11 at 12pm (noon) PDT.
(From left) Frank Gerstle, Edmond O'Brien
“How does it feel to be a decent, respectable married man?”
Dick Powell’s Everyman faces a mid-life crisis, including a far more considerable threat to his well being in the form of Raymond Burr’s jealous contractor, in Pitfall, previously recommended here. Pitfall will occur Wednesday, October 13 at 9:30 am PDT.
Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott
“Fresh air couldn't get in here with a permit.”
Director John (The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape) Sturges, who helmed some film noirs like 1951’s Jeopardy, made another nifty entry in the genre, 1950's Mystery Street reviewed here. This CSI noir with a ‘Hitchcockian’ twist can be investigated Wednesday, October 13 at 10:45 pm PDT.
(Crossing the street) Marshall Thompson, Jan Sterling
“You will have a real face.”
Now comes France's finest entry in the horror genre, 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, October 14 at 1:45 pm PDT.
“Old age. It's the only disease, Mr. Thompson, that you don't look forward to being cured of.”
The next recommendation is Citizen Kane.
This is one of our Top Ten films of all time. Any serious student of the humanities cannot see this cinematic spectacle enough. Citizen Kane contains an enormous wealth of profound thought on human relations, not to mention a dazzling display of innovative storytelling techniques without peer. Ultimately, it’s that magical synchronicity of character and plot development that places it rightfully alongside art’s highest achievements. This American motion picture masterpiece is scheduled to show on TCM Friday, October 15 at 6:30 pm PDT.
Cinematography by Gregg Toland
"What do I need manners for? I already got me a wife."
Make way for the rapturous Stanley Donen directed musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, reviewed here, Saturday, October 16 at 3 pm PDT.
“… but what the hell, a hole is a hole is a hole as they say.”
Viewers who dare to have their imaginations stretched considerably should be rewarded Where Eagles Dare, previously reviewed here and appearing on TCM’s radar Saturday, October 16 at 5 pm PDT.
(From left) Clint Eastwood, Richard Burton
“Yes, I can be very cruel. I have been taught by masters.”
Olivia de Havilland is The Heiress, previously reviewed here and appearing again on TCM Monday, October 18 at 3 pm PDT.
“As you were leaving the room, you turned at the door, didn't you? And you said, ‘For a moment, I thought...’ What did you think? What did you think? Did you think that Dr. Jekyll was falling in love with you? You, with your cheap little dreams? Or did you think, perhaps - that in him, you saw a bit of me, Hyde?”
The more psychologically disturbing (than monstrously horrifying) 1941 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has Spencer Tracy in the title role. This was previously analysed here. The Dr. will begin his transformation Saturday, October 23 at 9 am PDT.
Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman
“Besides, what does a dame like you want with a guy like me?”
One of film noir’s most undervalued entries benefits most from its original source’s author having performed a major noir infusion in expanding her own screenplay. 1948’s Sorry, Wrong Number can be read about (without spoilers) as a Blu-ray recommendation here and witnessed Sunday, October 24 at 12:45 pm PDT.
“When Man entered the atomic age, he opened a door into a new world. What we'll eventually find in that new world, nobody can predict.”
This will be a really bad day for anyone who encounters Them! (the giant mutant ants that is). The motion picture, however, is an exhilarating creature feature, previously reviewed here. Them! will march on TCM Tuesday, October 26 at 3:15 pm PDT.
“Now it isn't that I don't like you, Susan, because, after all, in moments of quiet, I'm strangely drawn toward you, but - well, there haven't been any quiet moments.”
Director Howard Hawks excelled at capturing the exciting elements in all genres: gangster films (Scarface, 1932), film noir (The Big Sleep , 1946) and westerns (Red River , 1948) just to name a few. Offering further proof of this, is the hilarious screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby, previously reviewed here. The antics will begin on TCM Thursday, October 28 at 5:15 am PDT.
“We may not enjoy living together, but dying together isn't going to solve anything.”
One of the horror genre’s most influential entries has to be George A. Romero’s 1968 cult classic Night of the Living Dead, a previous TCM recommendation here. The night to watch out for is Friday, October 29 at 7 pm PDT.
“The mattress is soft and there're hangers in the closet and stationary with "Bates' Motel" printed on it in case you want to make your friends back home envious.”
My final TCM recommendation and most appropriate for this last day of the month, was at the time (including throughout its primary creator’s career) the most audacious cinematic assault ever perpetrated on the movie going public or the Motion Picture Production Code for that matter. 1960's Psycho was previously reviewed here. The terror will begin Sunday, October 31 at 5 pm 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.
This month's Happy Birthday shout-out goes to the Chicago born, distinguished character actor Brian Doyle-Murray who turns 76 on October 31st.
His resume of distinctive characters includes those seen in the films Caddyshack (1980, as Lou Loomis), The Razor’s Edge (1984, as Piedmont), Legal Eagles (1986, as Shaw), Scrooged (1988, as Earl Cross), JFK (1991, as Jack Ruby), Wayne’s World (1992, as Noah Vanderhoff), Groundhog Day (1993, as Buster), Waiting for Guffman (1996, as Red Savage), As Good as It Gets (1997, as a Handyman), Stuart Little (1999, as Cousin Edgar), Snow Dogs (2002, as Ernie), Getting Hal (2003, as Phil) and The Three Stooges (2012, as Monsignor Ratliffe).
The Soundtrack recommendation for the month is composer John Ottman's resplendent score to 2008's Valkyrie.
This lavishly mounted and precisely measured historical thriller concerns the July 20th, 1944 plot by German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and subsequently enact Operation Valkyrie as an emergency plan to take governmental control. Most impressive is how the conspirators are delineated with such individualised might and motivation. The participants’ complex reasoning as they deal with the ongoing seismic shifts in potential outcomes engrosses the audience further in the action and adds poignancy to their final defeat. Also of great assistance to enhancing the immediacy of the events depicted, as well as an emotional investiture in the results, is director Bryan Singer’s frequent collaborator John Ottman who once again pulls double duty as both editor and composer, resulting in a unique, opportunistic and harmonious fusion of audio/visual aesthetics. His music is bold and upfront, full of vigour and intensity, reminiscent of the polished proficiency of big cinema’s bygone days. Particularly admirable is Ottman’s stunning compositional lamentation written for the film’s conclusion, bookended on this CD with “They’ll Remember You” being the first track and “Long Live Sacred Germany” the last. The soundtrack was issued by Varese Sarabande and can be accessed on Amazon Music by clicking on the image provided.
October’s Blu-ray, as well as this month’s former TCM, recommendation is Eyes Without a Face on the Criterion label (Region A locked). This horror classic can be ordered from Amazon.com by clicking on the cover’s image.
A.G.