"Now Listen to Me... "
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Classic film screenings from around the world this August include:
FILM NOIR 2025
In Vancouver, British Columbia, The Cinematheque continues with
FILM NOIR 2025
The programme reads:
“Film noir, that uniquely American cycle of mid-century crime movies positively dripping with style and the depravity of human behaviour, returns for another cruel summer here at The Cinematheque. Last year’s season leaned into the first half of noir’s classic corpus, drawing the majority of its roster from formative 1940s fare. Our 2025 lineup offers a more generous distribution: a collection of eight exemplars from which to trace the trajectory of noir, from bedrock (1944’s Double Indemnity, in a glistening new restoration) to burial ground (1961’s Blast of Silence, arguably the agonal gasp of the original era). Along the way, we’ll be serving up some pearl-clutching premieres (including, gasp, our first ever 3D noir!), resurrecting a favourite or two long-unseen at The Cinematheque (Curtis and Lancaster punch-out Sweet Smell of Success anyone?), and, in the case of André de Toth’s pithy, pulpy Crime Wave, providing the exceedingly rare opportunity to experience a newly minted 35mm print. Oh, and bah-humbugs take note—there’s a surprising amount of Yuletide violence in the proceedings too.”
From July 31–September 4, 2025
Click on the respective image above for more information on this series.
For all of the films scheduled this month at The Cinematheque, click on the theatre banner above.
In London, United Kingdom The Prince Charles Cinema will present Ikiru (1952, a 35mm print) Wednesday, August 13, Heat (1995, a 35mm print) Friday, August 15 and Thursday, August 21, Vertigo (1958, a 35mm print) Sunday, August 17, and Five Easy Pieces (1970, a 35mm print) on Thursday, August 21.
* Note: Some of the showtimes are matinees only.
Click on the film’s respective image for more information. To see August’s complete programming, click on The Prince Charles Cinema banner above.
In Los Angeles, California The Beverly Cinema will present Marathon Man (1974, a 35mm print) on Wednesday, August 13, Thursday, August 14 and Friday, August 15.
Click on the poster image for more information on this presentation. To see the rest of August’s schedule, click on The Beverly Cinema banner above.
In Auckland, New Zealand, Academy Cinemas is presenting Frenzy (1972) on Thursday, August 14.
To obtain more information on any of this programme, click on the respective poster image. To see August’s complete schedule, click on the Academy banner above.
Umberto D
In Bergen, Norway The Cinemateket i Bergen will present Umberto D. (1952, a 35mm print) on Friday, August 15 and Thursday, August 21
For more information on this film’s showing, click on the respective movie image above. For further information on the other films being presented at The Cinemateket, click on the banner image above.
WOMEN IN ACTION
In New York City, New York, Film Forum is presenting:
WOMEN IN ACTION
Friday, August 15 – Thursday, September 4
The programme reads:
A forty-film festival of gun toting, bank robbing, alien blasting, and crimefighting badassss leading ladies in films spanning genres and decades from the silent era to the twenty-tens. Featuring Maggie Cheung, Pam Grier, Gena Rowlands, Michelle Yeoh, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, Tamara Dobson, Faye Dunaway, Jodie Foster, Uma Thurman and more!
Click on the film image for the programming of this series and on the Film Forum banner for other motion pictures playing this month.
In Como (part of greater Perth) Western Australia, The Revival House will present Wake in Fright (1971, a 35mm print) on Saturday, August 16 and Saturday, August 23.
Click on the poster image for more information on this screening. To see the other films showing this month, click on the theatre banner above.
The Elephant Man
In Valencia, Spain, Culturarts Generalitat IVAC – La Filmoteca at the 2025 Summer Film Library will be presenting The Elephant Man (1980, as part of their FOREVER LYNCH series) on Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17.
Click on the film image for more information on this screening. To discover more of August’s programming at the Summer Film Library, click on the banner image above.
Double Indemnity
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
In Santa Monica (part of greater Los Angeles) California, The American Cinematheque Aero Theatre will present Double Indemnity (1944) Saturday, August 16 at 3 pm only) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind [Director’s Cut] (1977, The American Cinematheque’s own newly struck 70mm print) on Friday, August 29.
For more information on these programmes, click on the appropriate film image above. To see the entire month of August’s programming including other films showing at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, The Los Feliz 3 Theatre in Los Feliz (also part of greater Los Angeles), and The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood (also part of greater Los Angeles), click on the American Cinematheque banner.
The Sixth Sense
The Third Man
In Sydney, Australia The Ritz Theatre will present The Sixth Sense (1999, a 35mm print, as part of their ‘This is Celluloid: a Year of 35mm and 70mm Screenings’) Friday, August 22, and The Third Man (1949) on Saturday, August 23 and Monday, August 25.
* Note: Some of the showtimes are matinees only.
Click on the respective film image for more information on either of these screenings. For other films playing at The Ritz Theatre, click on the banner above.
MERYL STREEP
In Lyon, France the Institut Lumiere is presenting
MERYL STREEP a series of films with the iconic star Thursday, August 28 to Sunday, October 5, 2025.
Click on the respective image above for more information on this series. Click on the Institut logo for all of the films showing this month.
In theatres across the U.S. Flashback Cinema is presenting Jaws (1975, a 50th Anniversary Screening) starting Friday, August 29.
Click on the poster image for more information on this screening. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Flashback Cinema banner above.
8 1/2
In San Francisco, California, The Roxie Theatre will present 8 1/2 (1963, a 35mm print) on Friday, August 29, Saturday, August 30, Sunday, August 31 and Monday, September 1.
* Note: Some of the showtimes are matinees only.
For more information on this film’s showing, click on the appropriate movie image above. For more information on the other films being presented at The Roxie, click on the theatre picture.
These are the reviewed films showing on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. this month:
These first three films noir hit hard and fast and consist of a Sterling Hayden triple-header.
Hayden does not portray the criminal mastermind (that honour goes to actor Sam Jaffe) in this first TCM recommendation: The Asphalt Jungle, previously recommended here. His role, however, in a bold and daring jewel heist, is crucial both as a participating character and to the drama itself. The score will take place on TCM Thursday, August 14 at 3 pm PDT.
(From left) Sam Jaffe, Sterling Hayden, Anthony Caruso, James Whitmore
Immediately following The Asphalt Jungle is Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing, a former Blu-ray recommendation here. This time Hayden does star as the criminal mastermind who arranges for the titular incident to occur on TCM Thursday, August 14 at 5 pm PDT.
Unlike the hardened criminals he portrays in the first two recommendations, Crime Wave's Hayden has him playing hardened cop Detective Lt. Sims. Previously reviewed here, Crime Wave will hit Thursday, August 14 at 6:45 pm PDT.
(From left) Phyllis Kirk, Timothy Carey, Gene Nelson, Mack Chandler, Sterling Hayden
Anthony Mann’s laser-like focus on his characters’ deep-rooted psychological clashes of will makes this film noir western exhilarating, tension-filled and one of extreme efficiency and excellence. 1953’s The Naked Spur, previously reviewed here, will be shown on Friday, August 15 at 1 pm PDT.
(From left) Millard Mitchell, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, Ralph Meeker
“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.”
Still another Hitchcock artistic triumph 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 Friday, August 15 at 5 pm PDT.
This next TCM recommendation is, for many experts, the final film noir released during the classification's classic time period (1940 - 1959), Orson Welles' stylistically aggressive 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 Friday, August 15 at 7 pm PDT.
The next TCM recommendation has been reviewed in Opening Up a Treasure: The Night of the Hunter. This highly expressionistic Grimm-like fable, released in 1955, appears as if conveyed from a child's point of view. The "hunter" will call Monday, August 18 at 7 pm PDT.
Robert Mitchum
Then there is the wonderful Guys and Dolls (1955), a previous TCM recommendation here. Both will show at TCM Friday, August 22 at 5 pm PDT.
Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons
A top of the line screwball comedy released the same year as Sullivan’s Travels and, even more remarkably, from the same writer (co-writer here along with Monckton Hoffe) / director is The Lady Eve (1941) reviewed here. See for yourself on Sunday, August 24 at 9 am PDT.
(From left) Charles Coburn, Barbara Stanwyck, and Henry Fonda
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 (1965) well worth seeing. Afterwards, I'd be truly appreciative if readers had a look at my review here. This epic scale romance will begin on TCM Tuesday, August 26 at 1:30 pm PDT.
Omar Sharif, Julie Christie
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 musicals ever produced. Singin' in the Rain, reviewed here as a Blu-ray recommendation, will dance its way onto TCM Thursday, August 28 at 5 pm PDT.
When affairs of the heart are so well integrated with thoughts of murder, as they are in the Humphrey Bogart starrer Conflict (1945), we have the makings of an exceptional film noir. This is because the emotional cause behind the actions infuses motive into these types of films and thus absorbs the viewer on a deeper level. Conflict, previously reviewed here and a former visitor to Eddie Muller's Noir Alley, will present itself Friday, August 29 at 7 pm PDT.
Humphrey Bogart
After directing the stylish and innovative 1956 heist film The Killing, Stanley Kubrick, with the assistance of Producer James B. Harris, turned his extraordinary talents to more relevant material with Paths of Glory, previously reviewed here. The results were astonishing. U.S. TCM subscribers can discover for themselves (updated) Saturday, August 30 at 11 am PDT.
Ace in the Hole (1951) is Billy Wilder's scathing examination of American opportunism and moral depravity via cocky newspaper reporter Chuck Tatum, portrayed with unrelenting cynical ferociousness by Kirk Douglas. This motion picture was previously reviewed here. Both director and actor will play their hand Saturday, August 30 at 7 pm PDT.
Kirk Douglas
TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on any of the above TCM related images. To confirm the correct Pacific Daylight (West Coast) showtime information, subtract 3 hours from the Eastern Daylight (East Coast) showtime listed on TCM’s schedule.
This month's Happy Birthday shout-out goes to beloved actor Elliott Gould who turns 87 on August 29th.
His most impressive characterisations can be found in such notable motion pictures as Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), M*A*S*H* (1970), Little Murders (1971), The Long Goodbye (1973), Busting (1974), California Split (1974), A Bridge Too Far (1974), The Silent Partner (1978), Bugsy (1991), American History X (1998), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Contagion (2011), and on television shows such as Ray Donovan (2013 - 2016), The Kominsky Method (2018), and The Lincoln Lawyer (2022 - 2024).
August's Soundtrack recommendation is Jerry Goldsmith's breathtaking score to 2002's The Sum of All Fears.
Some might conclude the real “sum of all fears” was casting Ben Affleck in the title role. Turns out he’s bland but serviceably earnest. What’s truly insipid is the token “romance” between Ryan and his girlfriend in what is otherwise a fairly solid thriller. Particularly impressive are the ensemble supporting performers (Liev Schreiber and Alan Bates among the standouts), their distinct characterisations and intense interactions. There’s also the captivating build up to what becomes the story’s “shock and awe” big event: an occurrence typically prevented in scenarios of this type. Unfortunately, the episode’s aftermath is a detriment due to the devastating destruction and, what is sure to be, six figure casualty number being dramatically underplayed.
Legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith has provided one of his most grand and gripping orchestral scores especially considering this assignment came late in his career. It’s highlighted by a soaring opening theme that perfectly compliments the visuals’ commanding strength while imposing a heavenly temperamental overview of its own. Goldsmith’s fearless “take charge'“ approach is evident throughout, providing an ecstatic listening experience with the film or separately on c.d.
La-La Land Records, Paramount Pictures and WEA are presenting an expanded and remastered 2-CD re-issue of Jerry Goldsmith’s score. This limited release (only 3,000 units produced) is currently available from La-La Land Records by clicking on the accompanying image.
Conflict is this month’s former TCM, and current Blu-ray, recommendation, previously reviewed here.
Click on the video image below for more information on this superb Region Free release from Warner Archive available from Amazon.com
A.G.