The Silver Screen Oasis

The San Francisco Symphony will screen The Wizard of Oz in three performances December 20-21. Why the Symphony? The orchestra will accompany the movie, playing the entire soundtrack! Bizarre and beautiful!

Below is a link to the program for the New York Film Festival (Sept. 28-Oct 14, 2007), which includes a calendar schedule.

NOTE: Drums Along the Mohawk and Leave Her to Heaven will both be screened as part of Martin Scorcese's focus on Technicolor on Friday, Oct. 12th.

http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/program.html

Hollywood! How's this for a night at the theatre? On October 3, the American Film Institute is going to screen eleven movies simultaneously -- each one personally introduced by someone connected with the film. They are:

Spartacus - presented by Kirk Douglas
The Birds - presented by Tippi Hedren
The Sound of Music - presented by Julie Andrews
Bonne & Clyde - presented by Warren Beatty
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - presented by Jack Nicholson
Rockey - presented by Sylvester Stallone
Star Wars IV (a special edition) - present by George Lucas
When Harry Met Sally - presented by Billy Crystal & Rob Reiner
Beauty and the Beast - presented by Angela Lansbury
Unforgiven - presented by Clint Eastwood
The Shawshank Redemption - presented by Morgan Freeman

The screenings sold out immediately, of course. I wonder which one I would choose? Jack Nicholson is bound be the most eccentric presenter, though Billy Crystal would be probably be very entertaining too. How many more chances would we have to hear Kirk Douglas speak? But I would love to hear what Tippi would say about her work with the great Hitchcock.

Moraldo, for once I am glad I'm stuck in Texas. I don't think I could choose just one. I can think of a good reason to see all of them.

The Autry National Center in Los Angeles, will have a rare screening of the 1958 NBC TV special Wide World: The Western which documents the history of the genre and features interviews with John Wayne and John Ford on the set of director Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo. Senior curator Michael Duchemin will host lively discussion among noted film buffs after the screening. It all takes place today between 1-3 PM (sorry for the late notice).

Sidney Lumet is appearing at a tribute to him this Thursday in New York.

Randy Jones will be appearing at a revival of Can't Stop the Music at San Francisco's Castro Theatre on December 22.

The month of November sees a Frank Capra Festival at the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, California featuring mainly his works from the 1920's and 1930's.

Albert Maysles will appear at a showing of his classic documentary, Grey Gardens at the Detroit Film Institute on Saturday, October 20.

George Cukor's The Women will be shown FREE at Dallas' Magnolia Theatre on October 22.

Hitchcock's The Birds will be screened at Tucson's Fox Theatre on October 27; and Minnelli's Gigi will be there on the 24th.

Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein plays at the Pix in Albany, Oregon; Tuesday, October 16.

Never thought I'd say this, but I sorta wish I lived in a city. Out here in the 'burbs, especially in Ohio, there's not a lot of opportunity to see old films on the big screen, unless you want to go all the way to Columbus or Cleveland. Of course, the Victoria Theatre in Dayton ran a series of old films this summer and I missed them. I will definitely be watching for them next year.

John Wayne's Hondo has been restored in its 3-D format and will be shown in a special screening by the Academy on November 13. I hope Kyle and/or Lynn will be able to attend and tell us about this special evening.

How cool is this, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City is paying tribute to this blonde darling of the movies with a retrospective of some of her films. If you're in town, stop in and smile with Joan awhile.

More info here:

http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/film_ex ... screenings

MissGoddess wrote:How cool is this, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City is paying tribute to this blonde darling of the movies with a retrospective of some of her films. If you're in town, stop in and smile with Joan awhile.

I just checked the schedule, Miss Goddess. Wow. Simply, Wow.

I have to agree. I would be tempted to take a vacation for that if it wasn't right in the middle of Christmas. Bah.

San Francisco's Castro Theatre* is presently showing a tribute to Miklos Rosza. I attended Friday night to see a double-bill of The Strange Love of Martha Ivers and Madame Bovary. Rosza's score seemed a little over-the-top for the film's introduction, but fine for the rest. It was good to know what had become of Jerry's daughter, Tina. Bovary is Rosza's [and Minnelli's] masterpiece. I always look forward to that intoxicating ballroom scene. And was pleased that the audience in the theatre was inspired to cheer and applaud and the end of this segment.

The festival continues with Ivanhoe, Knights of the Round Table, Time After Time, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Double Indemnity, The Lost Weekend (Theremin!), Diane, The Story of Three Loves, and Julius Caesar.

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* Rumored to be up for sale. I'm praying that someone who loves classic movies will buy it. David Packard, are you interested?

The Brooklyn Academy of Music is screening three Peter Lorre films, next Wednesday and the Wednesday after: first The Verdict, then the week after, The Face Behind the Mask, and The Stranger on the Third Floor. Not likely I'll be able to make any of the screenings, which start in the early evening. Darn! Why can't they show them on a Saturday or Sunday?

Nevertheless, I hope there is a good turnout, and that a new audience (that neighborhood is full of young professionals) will discover the joys of Laszlo.

Lincoln Center is honoring Charles Boyer with a festival of his films, coinciding with a parallel tribute to Jennifer Jones:

http://www.filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale/char ... ogram.html

What an embarrassment of riches contained in the lineup! I hardly know which ones to go to! I wish I could see them all.

Hey Gang!

I'll be in New York next week. The Boyer/Jones Fest doesn't quite fit for me, and I don't see anything at the Film Forum that's calling my name. I see some Maya Deren films will be at MoMA. What other venues should I check into for good movie?

[I'm actually going to NY so that I can see the opening of Sex and the City in the City of its origin. If anyone else will be at the Loews Cinemplex at Lincoln Center on Friday, May 30 -- let me know!]