"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Classic film screenings from around the world this month include:
In New York City, New York, Film Forum will present a Martin Scorsese double feature on Saturday, September 1. Taxi Driver will be presented at 12:30pm, 5:05pm and 9:45pm. Mean Streets (a 35mm presentation) will show at 2:45pm and 7:30pm.
For more information, click on either of the two images above.
Throughout various locations in Australia, Event Cinemas will host Hollywood Classics On the Big Screen. This month's showings will include Rear Window on Monday, September 3, and Lawrence of Arabia on Monday, September 17.
For a list of the theatres hosting these films, and their complete schedule throughout the rest of the year, click on the image above.
In Kansas City, Missouri, The 25th Annual Buster Keaton Commemoration will present The Legacy of Buster Keaton & W.C. Fields As Seen by Family and Friends, a free event, which will take place Saturday, September 15. There will be relatives of both comedic talents present and live organ accompaniment provided by The Kansas City Theatre Pipe Organ Society which is sponsoring the event. Highlights include W.C. Fields' It's the Old Army Game, Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill, Jr. and The General.
For more details, click on the image above.
Also on Saturday September 15 in San Fransisco, California, as part of the San Fransisco Silent Film Festival, The Castro Theater will host Greatest Hits with the Club Foot Orchestra. The group will create modern music for a marathon of silent films including the masterpieces The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Metropolis and Nosferatu.
For more details, click on the image above.
Eddie Muller will host Noir City in Detroit, Michigan this month from September 22 - 23. Highlights include a special VIP event on Saturday night (6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the Redford lobby) with NOIR CITY host Eddie Muller, founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation and host of TCM's Noir Alley, a new digital restoration of I Walk Alone (1948), The Killing (1956), Taxi Driver (1976), Inside Detroit (1956) and No Man of Her Own (1950).
For more details, click on the image above.
There are 18 recommended films to watch on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. this month:
An American cinematic treasure, Double Indemnity stands at the top of noir's hierarchy and has been described as such in Opening Up a Treasure: Double Indemnity. One can "cash in their policy" Saturday, September 1 at 9am PST.
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 Saturday, September 1 at 11am PST.
Fans of film noir who haven't seen John Brahm's 1946 The Locket do not want to miss the opportunity to experience this hypnotically mesmerising drama.
Laraine Day, Robert Mitchum
The film’s similarities to Citizen Kane may not be apparent at first. Still, they are fascinating and worth noting. Both films were produced by RKO and are about individuals strongly influenced by childhood experiences sharing a past connection to highly cherished emblematic objects. In addition, the adults in both stories are described in a complex series of flashbacks through the perspectives of those who knew them. 1945’s film noir, a previous recommendation here, is a dream-like cinematic journey crying out to be discovered. The locket can be found in Eddie Muller's Noir Alley (updated) Saturday, September 1 at 9pm PST and again on Sunday, September 2 at 7am PST.
For those who enjoy the best in creative romantic comedy and missed last month's airing of Pillow Talk (reviewed here), TCM is having a repeat performance Monday, September 3 at 12:15pm PST.
Doris Day, Rock Hudson
One of film noir's most brilliant "must see" representatives is Fritz Lang's The Big Heat, previously recommended here. TCM will heat up Friday, September 7 at 5pm PST.
(In the forefront, left to right) Lee Marvin, Gloria Grahame, Glenn Ford
My next recommended film on TCM is jam-packed with noir goodness, Too Late for Tears, previously reviewed here. It's never too late to indulge in actress Lizabeth Scott's classic femme fatale portrayal which TCM will oblige in presenting Friday, September 7 at 7pm PST.
Immediately following Too Late for Tears is Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of accused wife-killer Vincent Parry, distressed due to his perilous circumstances. He's wrongfully convicted and on the run after escaping from San Quentin. His Dark Passage through the streets of San Francisco was previously reviewed as a Blu-ray recommendation here and will commence Friday, September 7 at 9pm PST.
Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall
As in the preceding recommendation, another film noir character, this time played by Edmond O'Brien, must make his "dark passage" through the streets of San Francisco in D.O.A. previously recommended here. His "dead man walking" will arrive on TCM Monday, September 10 at 1:15pm PST.
Those unfamiliar with filmmaker Gordon Parks' autobiographical debut film The Learning Tree do not want to miss this touching coming of age story. The film was previously lauded, along with its creator Parks, in an article entitled: Exploring the Artefacts #5: The Alchemist. Included are some clips of Parks' music compositions for The Learning Tree and Shaft's Big Score. The Learning Tree can be studied Tuesday, September 11 at 10:30pm PST.
(From left) Kyle Johnson, Alex Clarke
"Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape." These words come from the deteriorating and increasingly pressurised mind of a New York City insomniac in Martin Scorsese’s intoxicating Taxi Driver released in 1976. TCM will present this landmark film, previously reviewed as a Blu-ray recommendation here, Monday, September 17 at 9:15pm PST.
Robert De Niro
The next 4 TCM recommendations are all showing on Tuesday, September 18, and covey the photographic artistry of Nicholas Musuraca, beginning with Boris Ingster's 1940 Stranger on the Third Floor, often recognised as cinema's first identifiable film noir.
Noir photographic artistry care of Nicholas Musuraca
One can glean just how many of noir's stylish traits are inherent in this film by reading my previous TCM recommendation here. If you're a noir fan and have never seen this little RKO gem, be a stranger no more Tuesday, September 18 at (early morning) 3:15am PST.
Rarely does an atmosphere of such overpowering dread subsume a cinematic story so completely as it does in 1943's The Seventh Victim.
Kim Hunter, Lou Lubin
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 Tuesday, September 18 at 7am PST.
"And then I saw her - coming out of the sun. And I knew why Whit didn't care about that 40 grand."
Out of the Past, is one of film noir's finest and most highly recommended here. She will arrive Tuesday, September 18 at 8:15am 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."
Alexis Smith, Richard Egan
I've written this before when introducing Split Second, a film noir that presents some rather unlikely occurring, but fascinating situations. See for yourself Tuesday, September 18 at 3:30pm PST.
John Dall and Peggy Cummins
“These two go together like Smith & Wesson” in Gun Crazy, previously reviewed here. This blast from the past will empty all chambers on Monday, September 24 at (late evening) 12am PST.
Anthony Mann’s low-budget, up close and personal foray into the war genre is an artistic triumph of the highest order, 1957’s Men in War, previously reviewed here. One can "see action" Tuesday, September 25 at 1pm PST.
(From left) Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray
Despite its ridiculously hard to follow plot, this film's wildly entertaining detective yarn is worth waking up for. Previously reviewed here, The Big Sleep will awaken Saturday, September 29 at 9am PST.
My final TCM recommendation is 1947’s low-budget film noir The Gangster, with Barry Sullivan in the title role, as uncharismatic a noir protagonist as you’re ever likely to encounter. Previously recommended here, this cheap hood will make his way down Eddie Muller’s Noir Alley Saturday, September 29 at 9pm PST and again on Sunday, September 30 at 7am PST.
Belita, Barry Sullivan
TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on any of the above 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 talented actor Ben Cooper, mostly known for his roles in western films and TV series, who turns 85 on September 30th.
He made some striking appearances in the films Johnny Guitar (1954, as Turkey Ralston), The Outcast (1954, as The Kid), The Last Command (1955, as Jeb Lacey), The Rose Tattoo (1955, as Seaman Jack Hunter), Outlaw’s Son (1957, as Jeff Blaine), Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1963, as Carter), Arizona Raiders (1965, as Willie Martin) and Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971, as Colorado). He also had strong roles in the TV series’ The Rifleman (1961), The Twilight Zone (1961, Still Valley, Season 3 Episode 11), Bonanza (1960 - 1961), Gunsmoke (1961 - 1965), Combat! (1963 - 1965) and The Fall Guy (1981 - 1983). In addition, Cooper has acted on radio and the Broadway stage.
The Soundtrack recommendation this month is John Barry's majestic and emotionally stirring score to King Kong (1976).
Barry adds as much dignity, feeling and grandeur as is possible to this otherwise fairly camp version of the legendary tale. Its farcical leanings reach their zenith when Lange tries to guess the big Ape’s zodiac sign. The film was produced by Dino De Laurentiis and stars Jeff Bridges and (introduces) Jessica Lange (the latter garnering the most photographically flirtatious interest since von Sternberg discovered Dietrich) both with severely superficial parts, and stodgily directed to boot. The music is therefore probably best appreciated on its own, especially for those fans of the composer’s lush, melodically rich and romantic compositions. This 2 CD deluxe edition issued by Film Score Monthly can be sampled, read about and ordered from Screen Archives Entertainment by clicking on the image.
September's Blu-ray selection is the prior TCM recommendation Pillow Talk, newly released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (North America Region A). One can receive additional information and order from Amazon.com in the U.S. by clicking on the accompanying image.
A.G.