"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on this month’s happenings:
Classic film screenings from around the world this April include:
Classe tous risques
Nostalghia
In New York City, New York, Film Forum is holding over Classe tous risques aka The Big Risk (1960, a New 4k Restoration) until Thursday, April 4, as well as Nostalghia (1983, a 4k restoration) until Thursday, April 4.
Also being presented is DELON: 11 films starring international icon ALAIN DELON from Friday, April 12 –Thursday, April 18.
For more information on Classe tous risques, Nostalghia, or the DELON series, click on the appropriate image above. For a complete calendar of all the films playing this month, click on the Film Forum banner.
In Berlin, Germany The Babylon Orchestra Berlin will present Metropolis (1927) with live musical accompaniment on Monday, April 1, Sunday, April 7 and Sunday, April 21.
Click on the above image for more information including other silent film to live concerts given by the same orchestra this month.
Marathon Man
Klute
The Manchurian Candidate
Titicut Follies
In Los Feliz (part of greater Los Angeles) California, The American Cinematheque Los Feliz 3 Theatre will present Marathon Man (1976, a 35mm print, as part of their CINEMATIC VOID series) on Monday, April 1, Klute (1971, a 35mm print, as part of their CINEMATIC VOID series) Monday, April 22, and The Manchurian Candidate (1962, as part of their CINEMATIC VOID series) on Monday, April 29.
In Hollywood (part of greater Los Angeles) California, The American Cinematheque Egyptian Theater will present Titicut Follies (1967, a 35mm print, as part of their THIS IS NOT A FICTION series, along with a Pre-recorded Virtual Q&A with filmmaker Frederick Wiseman. Moderated by Tim Grierson) on Sunday, April 14 at 12 pm only.
For more information specifically on each of these programmes, click on the corresponding image. To see the entire month of April’s programming including other films showing at The Los Feliz 3 Theatre in Los Feliz, The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, and The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica (also part of greater Los Angeles) click on the American Cinematheque banner.
In Auckland, New Zealand Academy Cinemas is presenting L.A. Confidential (1997) Tuesday, April 2, Strangers on a Train (1951, as part of their 30s & 50s Hitchcock series) Sunday, April 7, Blue Velvet (1986) Wednesday, April 10, The Manchurian Candidate (1962) Monday, April 15, Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989, a 35th Anniversary screening) Sunday, April 21, Network (1976) Tuesday, April 23, and Inception (2010) on Wednesday, April 24.
To obtain more information specifically on each of these programmes, click on the corresponding image. To see the entire month of April’s programming, click on the Academy banner above.
In London, United Kingdom The Prince Charles Cinema will present On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969, a 4k presentation, a 65th Anniversary screening) Tuesday, April 2 and Friday, April 12, Persona (1966, a 35mm print) Thursday, April 4, Easy Rider (1969, a 35mm print) Thursday, April 4, Amadeus [Director’s Cut] (1984, a 35mm print) Friday, April 5, The Good, the Bad & the Ugly (1966, a 35mm print) Sunday, April 7 and Monday, April 29, The Holy Mountain (1973, a new digital restoration) Sunday, April 7, Heat [Director’s Definitive Edition] (1995, a 4k presentation) Monday, April 8, Duck Soup (1933) Monday, April 8, The Magician (1958, a 35mm print) Wednesday, April 10 and Monday, April 22, Dr. Strangelove (1964, a 35mm print, a 60th Anniversary screening) Saturday, April 13, Strangers on a Train (1951, a 35mm print) Sunday, April 14, The Parallax View (1974, a 35mm print, a 50th Anniversary screening) Sunday, April 14 and Tuesday, April 30, Starship Troopers (1997, a 35mm print) Wednesday, April 17, Close Encounters of the Third Kind [Director’s Cut] (1977, a 35mm print) Thursday, April 18, To Live & Die in L.A. (1985, a 35mm print) Friday, April 19, Leon Morin, Priest ( 1961, a 35mm print) Wednesday, April 24, and Inception (2010, a 35mm print) on Saturday, April 27.
* Note: Some of the above showtimes are matinees only.
Click on the film’s respective image for more information. To see April’s complete programming, click on The Prince Charles Cinema banner above.
Paris, Texas
Mars Attacks!
In Bergen, Norway The Cinemateket i Bergen will present Paris, Texas (1984) Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3, and Mars Attacks! (1996, a 35mm print) on Monday, April 15.
For more information on this film’s showing, click on the movie image above. For further information on the other films being presented at The Cinemateket, click on the banner image above.
Fahrenheit 451
The Professionals
A Man Called Horse
Mississippi Mermaid
Casablanca
Saint Jack
In Valencia, Spain, Culturarts Generalitat IVAC – La Filmoteca at the Edificio Rialto will be presenting Fahrenheit 451 (1966, a 35mm print, as part of their "FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT. THE FILM LOVER series) Thursday, April 4 and Sunday, April 7, The Professionals (1966, as part of their CONTEMPORARY WESTERN series) Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6, A Man Called Horse (1970, as part of their CONTEMPORARY WESTERN series) Wednesday, April 10 and Friday, April 13, Mississippi Mermaid (1969, as part of their "FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT. THE FILM LOVER series) Friday, April 12 and Wednesday, April 17, Casablanca (1942, as part of their PHILOSOPHY AND CINEMA VI: FILMS ARE A CONSPIRACY series) Wednesday, April 17 and Saturday, April 20, and Saint Jack (1979, as part of their PHILOSOPHY AND CINEMA VI: FILMS ARE A CONSPIRACY series) on Wednesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 25.
Click on the film’s image for more information on each screening. To discover more of April’s programming including other films playing in Valencia, Spain at the Edificio Rialto, Castelló, Spain at the Paranimf of the Universitat Jaume I, and Alicante Spain at the Arniches Theatre, click on the banner image above.
In Los Angeles, California The Beverly Cinema will present a double bill of Five Easy Pieces (1970, a 35mm print) and The King of Marvin Gardens (1972, a 35mm print) Friday, April 5, Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, a double bill of On the Waterfront (1954, a 35mm print) and The Wild One (1953, a 35mm print) Tuesday, April 9, and Wednesday, April 10, and a double bill of In a Lonely Place (1950, a 35mm print) and The Big Heat (1953, a 35mm print) on Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26.
Click on the respective image for more information. To see the rest of April’s schedule, click on The Beverly Cinema banner above.
In theatres across the U.S., Fathom Events is presenting Gone with the Wind (1939, an 85th Anniversary screening) on Sunday, April 7, Monday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 10.
Click on the film’s poster image for more information. To see this month’s entire schedule, click on The Fathom Events banner above.
In theatres across the U.S. Flashback Cinema is presenting The Godfather (1972) Sunday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 10.
Click on the poster image for more information. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Flashback Cinema banner above.
Somewhere in Time
In Culpeper Virginia, The Library of Congress at the Packard Campus Theater is presenting Double Indemnity (1944, a 35mm print, an 80th Anniversary screening) Thursday, April 11, and Somewhere in Time (1981) on Friday, April 19.
Click on the poster image for more information on each film’s screening. To see the rest of April’s schedule, click on the Packard Campus image above.
In Detroit, Michigan The Redford Theatre will present a THREE STOOGES FESTIVAL on Friday, April 12.
Click on the top image for more information. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Redford Theatre banner above.
In Melbourne, Australia The Astor Theatre is presenting Interview with a Vampire (1994, a 35mm print, a 30th Anniversary screening) on Monday, April 15.
Click on either poster image for more information on this screening. To see the rest of April’s schedule, click on The Astor Theatre banner above.
In Hollywood (part of greater Los Angeles), California TCM is having its annual Classic Film Festival Thursday, April 18 to Sunday, April 21.
For the complete schedule, sans any last minute additions, click on the image above.
Vivre sa vie
The Red Balloon
In Vancouver, British Columbia, The Cinematheque will be present Vivre sa vie (1962, a 35mm print, as part of their JEAN-LUC GODARD FOREVER series) Saturday, April 20, Sunday, April 21, Friday April 26, Sunday, April 28, and Wednesday, May 1, and as part of their FILM CLUB matinee series, a double bill of 2 shorts by Albert Lamorisse The Red Balloon (1956) and White Mane (1953) on Sunday, April 21 starting at 10:30 am only.
For more information about the individual screening mentioned, click on the appropriate image. For all of the films scheduled this month at The Cinematheque, click on the theatre banner above.
There are 23 reviewed films to watch on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. this month:
Besieged with production problems, and sometimes wrongfully criticised because of them, this next TCM recommendation is, nevertheless, an accomplished and splendorous piece of dramatically dynamic adventure storytelling: the 1962 version of Mutiny on the Bounty, reviewed here and showing on TCM Wednesday, April 3 at 7:30 am PDT.
(From left) Marlon Brando, Trevor Howard
Immediately following the above selection is another film starring Marlon Brando that also happens to be one of my “Top Ten Guilty Treasures.”
John Huston's Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967) is a film I have mixed feelings about. The rather strange inhabitants of these southern Gothically-tinged surroundings may remain underdeveloped but the performances from its superbly chosen cast compensate by genuinely conveying their characters' frustrations and desires making this an engrossing film-watching experience. It is a previous TCM recommendation here, and is worth eyeing Wednesday, April 3 at 10:45 am PDT.
(From left) Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Brian Keith
"Shoot a man for sleeping with someone's wife? That's silly. Half the town'd be wiped out."
My next TCM and previous Blu-ray recommendation also happens to star Marlon Brando. It is 1966's The Chase (reviewed here) happening Wednesday, April 3 at 10:45 pm PDT.
Marlon Brando
In my review of Casablanca (1942), I made some criticism regarding its emotionally underwhelming Parisian flashback. Prior to this film, however, Casablanca's producer Hal Wallis and one of its contributing writers, Casey Robinson, made Now, Voyager (1942) where the romance witnessed from start to finish comes alive with fervour, maturity and elegance. Previously reviewed here, Now, Voyager will set sail Friday, April 5 at 1 pm PDT.
If I was in charge of choosing a single film noir for someone only willing to see one in the entire canon, I would select Double Indemnity (1944) as its most fulfilling and accomplished representative. It has been previously reviewed in Opening Up a Treasure: Double Indemnity. Thoughts of adultery, greed and murder will manifest themselves on TCM Friday, April 5 at 5 pm PDT.
Just missing out on my list of Top Ten Westerns (in favour of another Bud Boetticher directed/Burt Kennedy scripted film The Tall T) was Ride Lonesome (1959), a highly distinctive and concise story told with a strong sense of purpose and sophistication. This must-see film starring Randolph Scott was previously reviewed here and will arrive on TCM Saturday, April 6 at 1:15 pm PDT.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) has Humphrey Bogart portraying perhaps his darkest and most psychologically troubled character. Watching his slow transformation from an honest and idealistic adventurer to a tormented, paranoid psychotic is one of the art's most stunning, dramatically forceful experiences, perfectly matched to a magnificent and fatalistically ironic conclusion. My further thoughts on this film are here. This cinematic treasure can be discovered Saturday, April 6 at 2:45 pm PDT.
(From left) Walter Huston, Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt
Rarely does an atmosphere of such overpowering dread subsume a cinematic story so completely as it does 1943's The Seventh Victim. 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, April 9 at 10:30 pm PDT.
Jean Brooks
David Lean’s magnificent 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia will be presented on Wednesday, April 10 at 5 am PDT. I wrote a brief review here in response to some members of our chat room (all readers are encouraged to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/902349343110685) who also shared their thoughts on this important film.
Peter O'Toole
The Missouri Breaks (1976) previously reviewed here is another film I found, dramatically speaking, highly underwhelming. Nevertheless, it stars Marlon Brando, who provides its one redeeming feature and will air Thursday, April 11 at (early morning) 12:30 am PDT.
Kathleen Lloyd, Jack Nicholson
MGM's 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain was not adapted from a theatrical production, though the film was later turned into one, being first presented on stage in 1983. Its abundant creativity, innovation and driving energy place this film at the top of all cinematic musicals ever produced. Singin' in the Rain has been reviewed as a past Blu-ray selection here and will joyously dance its way onto TCM Saturday, April 13 at 9 am PDT and again on Monday, April 15 at 5 pm PDT.
Make way for the rapturous Stanley Donen directed musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), reviewed here, Saturday, April 13 at 11 am PDT.
My next TCM recommendation for the month is, for many experts, the final film noir released during the classification's classic time period (1940 - 1959), Orson Welles' stylistically assertive Touch of Evil.
(From left) Orson Welles, Charlton Heston
I have previously written about how there came to be several different versions of this noir extravaganza especially as it concerns the ingenious opening sequence in Main Title Inspirations No. 2 Touch of Evil. Viewers can compare the introduction's bold visual display to the equally superlative use of sound at this film's conclusion when Touch of Evil airs Tuesday, April 16 at 6 am PDT.
Another musical worth checking out is Guys and Dolls, previously reviewed here. Both will arrive at TCM Wednesday, April 17 at 5 pm PDT.
Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons
From 1947 comes a story that takes place during the Christmas Holidays, the film noir Lady in the Lake reviewed here, Saturday, April 20 at 1:30 pm PDT.
Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter
One of director 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 (1965) well worth seeing. Afterwards, I'd be appreciative if readers had a look at my review here. This epic scale romance will begin Monday, April 22 at 7:15 am PDT.
Omar Sharif, Julie Christie
My enthusiasm for the next film immediately following Doctor Zhivago may be “icier” than say Howard Hughes’, however, viewers may find enough intrigue, suspense and supportive factors to make the journey to Ice Station Zebra (1968), previously reviewed here and commencing at TCM Monday, April 22 at 10:45 am PDT, worth their while.
(From left) Patrick McGoohan, Rock Hudson
A film well worth seeing is Network (1976), previously reviewed here. This “mad as hell” exposé of just how far some TV executives will go to exploit for profit a former news anchor’s severe “on the air” mental breakdown, will itself air on TCM Tuesday, April 23 at (early morning) 12:45 am PDT.
Ned Beatty
Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 magnum opus Apocalypse Now has reached legendary status for its mesmerising opening alone: one of the most impressive and captivating in the history of cinema. Uninitiated viewers can be blown away when Apocalypse Now make its highly impressionable appearance Wednesday, April 24 at 5 pm PDT.
Apocalypse Now [The Theatrical Version] is also April’s 4K UHD selection and will be reviewed at the conclusion of this column toward the end of the month.
Martin Sheen
One of Alfred Hitchcock’s more uncustomary, yet distinguished, offerings is 1953’s I Confess previously reviewed here, featuring a fervent, introspective performance from Montgomery Clift. This highly engrossing confessional can be heard (and seen) Friday, April 26 at 4:45 am PDT.
Anne Baxter, Montgomery Clift
Dustin Hoffman’s breakthrough role occurred in 1967’s The Graduate, reviewed as a previous Blu-ray recommendation here. This young man’s trials and tribulations can be observed Friday, April 26 at 9:15 pm PDT.
Dustin Hoffman
TCM is showing Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) on Sunday, April 28 at 3 pm PDT. This is a film I’ve been rather dismissive of in my brief review which can be read here. On the plus side, all of the able-bodied cast members deliver solid performances.
Sidney Poitier, Katharine Houghton
"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 (1947) is one of film noir's finest and most highly recommended here. She will arrive Tuesday, April 30 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.
A Happy Birthday shout-out to the multi-talented actress, comedian, film director, playwright, and screenwriter Elaine May who turns 92 on April 21st.
As a comedian she rose to fame after forming, together with Mike Nichols (See: End Credits), “Nichols and May”. A recording of their Broadway debut "An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May” won the 1962 "Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album". "Nichols and May" sold-out shows in New York City. In addition, the comedy duo made popular appearances in radio and television. After ending their partnership, May began her solo career as a playwright. She directed her most successful play "Adaptation" (1969) which won the 1969 "Outer Critics Circle Award” for Best Director. May made her debut as a film director with the black comedy A New Leaf (1971, pictured) which was a critical success and later became a cult classic. She went on to direct the romantic comedy The Heartbreak Kid (1972), the gangster film Mikey and Nicky (1976), and as a screenwriter, co-adapted Heaven Can Wait (1978) and, on her own, the screenplays for The Birdcage (1996, a remake of the European comedy La Cage aux Folles) and Primary Colors (1998, an adaptation of the novel "Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics"). As an actress she has made memorable appearances in Enter Laughing (1967), A New Leaf (1971), California Suite (1978), Small Time Crooks (2000), the TV mini-series Crises in Six Scenes (2016) and the TV series The Good Fight (2021, as Chief Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg).
The Soundtrack recommendation of the month is Christopher Young's other-worldly score to 1995's sicence fiction curio Species.
There’s no question that without the composer’s significant contribution of celestial wonder combined with determinative force, this whole affair would resemble rather silly camp. Perhaps it comes across that way regardless since even the actors playing a select team in charge of recapturing an escaped, wildly promiscuous half extraterrestrial/ half human, in terms of role commitment, appear to have “one foot out the door.” That’s understandable since this rag tag bunch of “experts” seem almost as alien as the creature they’re after. How seriously viewers take this whole “The Hunt for Sil in Heat” will probably determine the film’s engagement factor. There are worthy themes touched upon concerning the human cost of scientific experimentation and a few of the relationships depicted more than scratch the genre surface. In addition, some striking visuals arise both domestic (care of Natasha Henstridge as Sil) and foreign (courtesy of H.R. Giger, he of Alien fame). Certainly Christopher Young, by providing his magnificent underscore, has proven his 100% down-to-earth dedication.
Intrada Records has recently released this 2-CD expanded reissue of Christopher Young's sci-fi/horror score to the 1995 MGM film Species. For more information including ordering from Screen Archives Entertainment, click on the accompanying image.
Apocalypse Now [The Theatrical Version] is April's 4K UHD recommendation. A review will follow at the end of the month.
Click on the image below for more information on this Lionsgate / Studio Canal 40th Anniversary 4K UHD (Region Free) release currently available from amazon.co Your purchase goes to help our friends at DVD Beaver.
A.G.