Tuesday night I visited the Castro for a special San Francisco International Film Festival event: Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. SFIFF has a tradition for daring silent movie accompaniment. They bring in a local musician or group, one with a significant following, and have them accompany a silent feature or a collection of … Continue reading SFIFF: Getting Down and Staying Down at the Castro
Category: First-person Report
Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
I attended opening night, and managed to get to one movie Friday night, but Saturday was my first full day at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. Oddly, I didn't see a single feature-length film that day. But here's what I did see: Dolby Labs: The Sound of Movies In this Master Class at … Continue reading Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival Opening Night
This year's San Francisco International Film Festival officially opened last night at the Castro, with a screening of The Two Faces of January. It was, as you'd expect, a packed and festive occasion. But it got off on a bad note, and an all too common one at festival big nights at the Catro. Almost … Continue reading San Francisco International Film Festival Opening Night
Rare Lubitsch in New York
I'm in New York City right now, visiting my son and daughter-in-law. This evening, we went to an art house cinema I didn't know existed to see a Ernst Lubitsch film I had never heard of. The theater is the Antohology Flm Archives in lower Manhatan. The movie was Broken Lullaby, also known as The … Continue reading Rare Lubitsch in New York
The Producers & Take the Money and Run at the PFA
Friday night I saw a disappointing print of a great movie, and a great print of a disappointing movie. Guess what! I'd rather see a great movie than a great print. I attended a double bill of late 60's comedies by first-time American directors, both of whom would become major filmmakers--Mel Brooks and Woody Allen. … Continue reading The Producers & Take the Money and Run at the PFA
Quick Opinions on The Past and Dallas Buyers Club
I know. I haven't been writing much lately aside from the weekly newsletter. I've been busy. But I have managed to get to a couple of current films. And I chose well. I really loved both of these pictures, although The Past is definitely the best of them.. A The Past Between this new film … Continue reading Quick Opinions on The Past and Dallas Buyers Club
Noir is a French Word: Two French Films at Noir City
On Saturday, the Noir City festival honored the nation that first recognized Film Noir as a genre, and gave that genre a name. Unfortunately, my wife and I were only able to attend the first two films. A- Pépé Le Moko You can't talk about this 1937 thriller without talking about star power. This is … Continue reading Noir is a French Word: Two French Films at Noir City
Crime on both sides of the border: Saturday at Noir City
I spent Saturday at the Castro, taking in the first full day of the Noir City festival. It was a long day--a triple-bill matinee, a short dinner break, and a double-bill evening show. Mexico was the common theme. Technically speaking, only the matinee had a Mexican theme. It started with a Hollywood thriller about illegal … Continue reading Crime on both sides of the border: Saturday at Noir City
Noir City Opening Night
My wife and I arrived at the Castro more than 30 minutes before curtain time. It was already packed. A trio, the Fly Right Sisters, entertained us with songs from the 40s (or there abouts). The singers, along with many in the audience, were dressed appropriately. Right from the beginning, I knew it was going … Continue reading Noir City Opening Night
Duck Soup Revisited
I watched Duck Soup Sunday at the Pacific Film Archive. Great fun. I don't remember when I saw it last on a big screen with a real audience. Certainly more than 20 years ago. That's all very odd, because I just may have seen Duck Soup theatrically more often than any other movie. I first … Continue reading Duck Soup Revisited
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