Just some thoughts on current happenings:

Happy New Year Everyone!

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 Valencia, Spain, Culturarts Generalitat IVAC – La Filmoteca at the Edificio Rialto will be presenting Evodkia (1971) Tuesday, January 4 and Wednesday, January 5, Sound of the Mountain aka Yama no oto (1954, a 35mm print) Tuesday, January 4 and Wednesday, January 5, Casque d'Or (1952) Friday, January 7 and Saturday, January 8, Summer Clouds aka Iwashigumo (1958, a 35mm print) Friday, January 7 and Saturday, January 8, The Big City aka Mahanagar (1963) Sunday, January 9 and Friday, January 14, Floating Clouds aka Ukigumo (1955, a 35mm print) Tuesday, January 11 and Wednesday, January 12, When a Woman Ascends the Stairs aka Onna ga kaidan wo agaru toki (1960, a 35mm print) Friday, January 21 and Saturday, January 22, and The Innocents (1961, a 35mm print) on Wednesday, January 26 and Sunday, January 30.

Click on the respective film’s image for more information on each screening. To discover the entire month’s programming, click on the banner image above.

In London, United Kingdom The Prince Charles Cinema will present The Quick and the Dead (1995, a 35mm print) Friday, January 7, Vertigo (1958) Saturday, January 8, Mulholland Drive (2001, a 35mm print) Saturday, January 8, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977, a 35mm print, the 137 minute Director’s Cut) Sunday, January 9, The Yakuza (1974) Monday, January 10, Dr. No (1962, as part of this film’s 55th Anniversary) Saturday, January 15 and Thursday, January 20, Killer’s Kiss (1955, a 35mm print) Monday, January 17, Taxi Driver (1976, a 35mm print) Tuesday, January 18 and Saturday, January 22, The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (1952, a 35mm print) Wednesday, January 19, City Lights (1931) Saturday, January 22, From Russia with Love (1963) Saturday, January 22 and Wednesday, January 26, and Goldfinger (1964) on Saturday, January 29 and Thursday, February 3.

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

In New York City, New York, Film Forum is presenting The Canterville Ghost (1944, a 35mm print) Sunday, January 9, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) Tuesday, January 11 with an introduction by Matthew Sturgis author of “Oscar Wilde: A Life” and a book signing to follow the screening and Wednesday, January 12 (screening only), and The Conversation (1974, a new 35mm print personally supervised by Francis Ford Coppola) on Friday, January 14 through to Thursday, January 27.

For information on any of the films in this series, click on the appropriate image above. For information on all of the films playing this month, click on the Film Forum banner above.

In theatres across the U.S. Flashback Cinema is presenting Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982, a 4K digitally restored director’s cut) Sunday, January 9 and Wednesday, January 12, and Gone with the Wind (1939) on Sunday, January 30 and Wednesday, February 2.

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

In Bergen, Norway The Cinemateket i Bergen will present Citizen Kane (1941) Thursday, January 13 and Sunday, January 16, Raging Bull (1980, a 35mm print) Thursday, January 13 and Tuesday, January 18, Woman of the Dunes aka Suna no onna (1964) Thursday, January 20 and Sunday, January 23, and Fantasia (1940) on Sunday, January 30.

For more information on each 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 Los Angeles, California Secret Movie Club is presenting at The Secret Movie Club Theatre Fort Apache (1947, a 35mm print) Wednesday, January 19, a double bill of The Wild Bunch (1969, a 35mm print) followed by Straw Dogs (1971) Friday, January 21, and a double bill of The Informer (1935, a 35mm print) followed by The Fugitive (1947, a 35mm print) on Saturday, January 22.

For more information on each of these special screenings, click on the above corresponding image. To discover other screenings organised by this group, click on the above theatre image.

Noir City 19 will take place in Oakland, California from January 20 - 23. Highlights will include a new 35mm restoration of a rare film from director Cy Endfield: The Argyle Secrets (1948). For more information including the complete schedule, click on the image above.

In Los Angeles, California The Beverly Cinema will present Jailhouse Rock (1957, a 35mm print) Saturday, January 22 and Sunday, January 23, and Magnolia (1999, a 35mm print) on Tuesday, January 25, Wednesday, January 26 and Thursday, January 27.

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

In theatres across the U.S., TCM and Fathom Events are presenting Casablanca (1942, as part of this film’s 80th Anniversary) on Sunday, January 23 and Wednesday, January 26.

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

There are 15 recommended films to watch on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. this month:

Bonnie and Clyde is a seminal gangster saga heavily influenced by the French iconoclast Jean-Luc Godard. A prior review here includes a special contribution from Bob DiMucci who informatively reports on some of the film's critical responses at the time of its release. Following that, are my personal recollections at the age of 12 upon seeing this radically-new expeditious approach to American cinematic storytelling. The Barrow Gang will strike Thursday, January 6 at 6:30 pm PST.

(From left) Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty, Michael J. Pollard

Director Howard Hawks was known for his confident, straight-forward westerns like Rio Bravo, El Dorado and Red River, this last of which is perhaps his finest. Selected and reviewed as one of the Top Ten (#6) westerns here, the story concerns the opening of the Chisholm Trail, used after the Civil War to drive cattle from Texas to Kansas. John Wayne plays one of his darker, least heroic characters most earnestly. The drive will begin Friday, January 7 at 5 pm PST and repeat again Saturday, January 29 at 2:30 pm PST.

My next TCM recommendation is 1955's modern-day take on the American Western, Bad Day at Black Rock, previously reviewed here. This exceptional suspense-thriller's day will begin Saturday, January 8 at 1:30 pm PST and again on Monday, January 24 at 6:15 am PST.

Next, is a cinematic portrait of a powerful historical female leader, Cleopatra (1963), previously reviewed here. Her reign will begin Saturday, January 15 at 5 pm PST.

From the same director who brought us Citizen Kane comes another kind of cinematic hero (of sorts). Michael O'Hara, like the deeply flawed Kane, is flawlessly played by his creator Orson Welles. Unlike Citizen Kane however, this film fell under its producer Harry Cohn's butchery with considerable footage lost and destroyed forever. Nevertheless, what survives is vastly entertaining and not to be missed. The Lady from Shanghai was also previously recommended here and will reappear on TCM Saturday, January 15 at 11:30 pm PST.

Next up is the remarkably understated albeit compelling racial drama Intruder in the Dust released in 1949. Still deserving of more critical acclaim, this filmed adaptation of literary giant William Faulkner’s novel will grace TCM Monday, January 17 at 5 am PST and is reviewed as a previous DVD recommendation here.

The multi-talented Gordon Parks made his directorial debut at age 57 with 1969's The Learning Tree based on his semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. This touching coming of age story 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 Monday, January 17 at 11:15 am PST.

Next is one of neo-noir’s finest The Friends of Eddie Coyle reviewed as a Blu-ray recommendation here. Eddie and his “friends” will show at TCM Tuesday, January 18 at 7 pm PST.

(From left) Richard Jordan, Robert Mitchum

In the mid-60s, independent filmmaker Monte Hellman directed a couple of extremely low-budget but highly distinctive westerns made back to back, The Shooting and my next TCM recommendation Ride in the Whirlwind, previously reviewed here. The whirlwind will pass through TCM Wednesday, January 19 at 7 am PST.

Patterns is Hidden Gem #54 with Ed Begley as a displaced executive whose shameful bullying at the hands of his superior corporate officer (Everett Sloane) is slowly starting to anger Begley's younger ally and (unbeknownst to himself) replacement, played by Van Heflin. All three male leads exhibit voracious appetites for their Rod (The Twilight Zone) Serling created dynamic parts. The dramatic fireworks are set to explode Thursday, January 20 at 1:45 pm PST.

Ed Begley (Far left), Everett Sloane (Centre), Van Heflin (Centre on the right)

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 Saturday, January 22 at 5 pm PST.

This next TCM selection, 1968's cold war espionage thriller Ice Station Zebra, comes with enough strong reservations I’m wondering if this film should really be recommended at all.

(From left) Patrick McGoohan, Rock Hudson

Ice Station Zebra was reportedly Howard Hughes’ favourite motion picture: the mogul had it shown repeatedly at the Las Vegas TV station he owned, so the film must have something to offer. There is a capable cast: Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine and especially the charismatic Patrick McGoohan (in-between television’s The Prisoner episodes) playing a temperamental British intelligent agent as only he can but none of the actors are given much to work with. Beyond travelling to the titular location, they have nowhere to go. The screenplay is adapted from an Alistair MacLean novel so the objective should be to build on the intrigue leading to a conflict worthy of the suspense it generates to get there. The most excruciatingly suspenseful, as well as being a MacLean signature sequence, in the book, namely Carpenter (changed to Jones for the film) and four of the submarine’s crew walking through a blizzard to the base, was completely jettisoned for the movie version. In addition, the filmmakers have, unfortunately, not delivered on the payoff. At the conclusion, what we’re left with is exposition too dramatically deflated and muddled for any narrative surprise to take effect. ***Spoiler Alert*** Everyone walks away, more or less, which doesn't allow the participants to capitalise on their identities or substantiate much meaningful concern. In addition, not enough attention is paid to the reality of the environment. The final stage bound setting looks as cold as a Savannah sauna and less real than what one might expect at a second-rate theme park. Santa Claus replete with cardboard reindeer might as well be set up nearby. This is unfortunate as the mystery is fairly well established by director John Sturges, there is a politically admirable, albeit dull, final reconciliation, a rousing score from Michel Legrand and some enlivened events and cinematography by Daniel L. Fapp and second unit cameraman John M. Stephens in and around the en route submarine. TCM will journey to Ice Station Zebra (updated) Monday, April 22 (2024) at 10:45 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.

An American cinematic treasure, Double Indemnity stands at the top of noir's hierarchy and is described as such in Opening Up a Treasure: Double Indemnity. One can cash in their noir policy Thursday, January 27 at 7:15 pm 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 Friday, January 28 at 8:30 am PST.

In honour of gonzo filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr. (he passed away last year), TCM is showing the legendary Putney Swope, a no holds barred satire that’s completely insane. Putney Swope is a former Top Ten Guilty Treasure reviewed here and can be met Friday, January 28 at 11 pm PST.

(From left) Arnold Johnson, George Morgan

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 character actor, director and writer Stuart Margolin who turns 82 on January 31st.

Films he’s made his distinctive presence in include Kelly’s Heroes (1970, as Little Joe), The Stone Killer (1973, as Lawrence), Death Wish (1974, as Aimes Jainchill), The Gambler (1974, as Cowboy), The Big Bus (1976, as Alex), Days of Heaven (1978, as Mill Foreman), S.O.B. (1981, as Gary Murdock) and Arbitrage (2012, as Syd Felder). He is probably best known for playing his Emmy Award winning character "Angel" Martin in the TV series The Rockford Files (1974). Stuart has also appeared in and directed various TV episodes and made-for-TV movies.

The Soundtrack recommendation for the month is Bernard Herrmann's iconic, other worldly score to 1951's sci-fi marvel The Day the Earth Stood Still.

The opening main theme, full of awe and wonder, perfectly captures the commanding essence of the story with some of the most unusual orchestrations (performed by the composer) ever encountered in a film score or classical composition for that matter. This is film scoring at its highest, most communicative, level, delivering all of the emotional underpinnings and social importance of each and every timeless moment in Robert Wise’s classic film. The compact disc limited release (only 3000 units made) has been produced by La-La Land Records, 20th Century Fox and Fox Music, beautifully remastered with stunning audio fidelity and is currently available from La-La Land Records by clicking on the accompanying image.

January's DVD selection is The April Fools.

Often wrongly identified as a “romance” film, The April Fools is more accurately described as a prelude to romance: a modest, subtly evolving, affectionate and sincere blossoming of endearment. Howard and Catherine (warmly embraced by Jack Lemmon and Catherine Deneuve) are both married to another person. These other commitments invoke realistically mature and considered emotional responses not only from our main couple but from their respective spouses as well. There is an underlying theme of rejecting narcissism and materialistic values but this too is not overt or overplayed. It’s a subject gently explored like the central pair’s feelings which provides the audience a chance to discover rather than being pandered to by the storytellers. The alternately serious and comedically eccentric supporting characters and situations, unlike those in so many contemporary films that come across as forced and exaggerated, are here, more naturally spontaneous and integrated into the narrative. Burt Bacharach's title song and Marvin Hamlisch's underscore add charm and sweetness to this unassuming little gem of a film. Stuart Rosenberg directed from a screenplay by Hal Dresner.

The Paramount DVD can be ordered from Amazon.com by clicking on the image below.

A.G.

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