I took Sunday morning off from movie-watching, and got to the Castro in time to see the last three screenings of the festival. A- Man with a Movie Camera: I read about Dziga Vertov’s 1929 surreal documentary in college, but I didn’t see it until yesterday. The genre was actually fairly common in the late … Continue reading Silent Film Festival Report, Part II
Category: Festivals
Silent Film Festival Report
Four days of silent films, spectacularly presented with live music at the Castro, is too much even for me. I left before last night’s screening of Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages and, as I type this, am missing Amazing Tales from the Archives: First the Bad News...then the Good! I plan to miss The Shakedown, … Continue reading Silent Film Festival Report
Silent Film Festival Opening Night
Last night I attended the San Francisco Silent Film Festival opening. The movie: John Ford’s first big-budget western, The Iron Horse. I had seen it once before on television. It was much better on the Castro’s very big screen. Ford biographer Joseph McBride introduced the film, comparing it to Jaws in the effect it had … Continue reading Silent Film Festival Opening Night
Jewish Film Festival Preview
I've now seen five movies that will screen at the upcoming Jewish Film Festival. Here they are, from the best to the worst. B+ Scarface (1932 version), Castro, Sunday, July 25, 10:00; Roda, Wednesday, August 4, 9:15. The best of the three films that started the 1930’s gangster genre, Scarface tracks the rise and demise … Continue reading Jewish Film Festival Preview
What’s Screening: June 25 – July 1
Frameline continues through Sunday, and the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival runs this weekend (Friday through Sunday). A- Howl, Castro, Sunday, 7:30. What did you expect–a conventional biopic? Would that do justice to the Allen Ginsberg epic poem with which the film shares its name? Like the poem, Howl is challenging, cutting-edge, and unconventional. By … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 25 – July 1
The Ultimate Festival Movie
Check out the Current Festivals section in the right panel of this page, and you’ll see a lot of activity this summer. Playing right now or opening soon, we’ve got festival for the LGBT community and another for Jews. There’s a festival of horror films, another of comedies, and two of silent films. So here’s … Continue reading The Ultimate Festival Movie
Jewish Film Festival Announced
Proud of its diversity, the Bay Area hosts a lot of what I call identity film festivals—geared around a particular way people identify themselves, whether it’s ethnic, religious, gender, or sexual identity. And the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, now celebrating it’s 30th year, started the trend. Being Jewish, this event has more meaning for … Continue reading Jewish Film Festival Announced
Another Hole in the Head
The Bay Area hosts so many film festivals this time of year that it’s scary. It’s not only scary, but it’s also weird. And bizarre. And fantastic. We need another bloody film festival like we need a hole in the head! So it’s appropriate that Indiefest’s Another Hole in the Head film festival is scary, … Continue reading Another Hole in the Head
Frameline Preview
I’ve managed to preview three films that Frameline, the Bay Area’s main LGBT film festival, will be screening in the coming weeks. Here’s what I thought of them, from the best to the worst. A- Howl, Castro, Sunday, June 27, 7:30 (closing night). What did you expect--a conventional biopic? Would that do justice to the … Continue reading Frameline Preview
Upcoming June Festivals
United Film Festival In theory, United Film Festivals exists to bring filmmakers together into a “united film community.” I’m not sure how it does this, but it results in yet another excuse to see some (hopefully) excellent independent movies you’re not going to see elsewhere. This one starts with a comedy called How to Make … Continue reading Upcoming June Festivals
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