Akira Kurosawa turned two classic European stage plays into Japanese films in 1957. But while the first of these adaptations, Throne of Blood, is exciting, action-packed, and expressionistic, the second, The Lower Depths, is dialog-heavy and relentlessly realistic. I was also going to call it low-key, but I realized that wasn’t quite accurate. There’s a … Continue reading Kurosawa Diary, Part 13: The Lower Depths
The Oscars
Hey, didn’t I predict last week that Cameron would lose to Bigelow? Really, the give-away was that Avatar wasn’t even nominated for Best Original Screenplay. Just as the Best Picture winner usually takes Best Director, it also generally gets one of the two screenwriting awards. Although my favorite nominee was actually Precious, I’m delighted that … Continue reading The Oscars
What’s Screening: March 5 – 11
Cinequest continues through Sunday, and the Asian American Film Festival starts Thursday. Oscar Night, Sunday evening (exact times vary from one theater to another). Don’t want to be alone as you watch James Cameron lose to his ex-wife? Join a live Oscar screening party at the Balboa, Cerrito, Lark, Rafael, or Roxie. Many are encouraging … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 5 – 11
A Couple of Quick Updates
Totally unconnected to each other: A new, 35mm print of The Red Shoes plays the Castro this Wednesday and Thursday night. I didn’t mention this in the newsletter because I haven’t seen this movie in decades, and didn’t really appreciate it then (I suspect I’d like it more, now). But even if you don’t care … Continue reading A Couple of Quick Updates
What’s Screening: February 26 – March 4
Cinequest continues down in San Jose. Balboa Birthday Bash, Balboa, Sunday, 7:00. The anniversary celebration will include a new, silent short subject shot at the Balboa, magician James Hamilton, singer Linda Kosut, a birthday cake, and a screening of the 1926 haunted house comedy The Cat and the Canary, accompanied live by Dave Miotke. A … Continue reading What’s Screening: February 26 – March 4
SFIFF: James Schamus to Receive Screenwriting Award
I’ve just received a press release regarding the upcoming San Francisco International Film Festival (April 22 - May 6). Frequent Ang Lee collaborator James Schamus will receive this year’s Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting. In addition to writing or co-writing most of Lee’s films, Schamus also runs Focus Features, making him a art-house studio … Continue reading SFIFF: James Schamus to Receive Screenwriting Award
What’s Screening: February 19 – 25
IndieFest closed last night, but if you live near or are willing to drive to San Jose, Cinequest starts on Tuesday. A+ The Seven Samurai, Stanford, Saturday through the following Friday. If you think all action movies are mindless escapism, you need to set aside 3½ hours and watch Kurosawa’s epic masterpiece. The basic story–a … Continue reading What’s Screening: February 19 – 25
Best Films You Can Finally See
Near the end of both 2006 and 2008, I wrote Top Ten lists of very little value (you’ll find them here and here). They listed the best new films I saw at festivals over the past year that hadn’t received regular releases. These were, in a sense, lists of the best films of the year … Continue reading Best Films You Can Finally See
Kurosawa Diary, Part 12: Throne of Blood
Between 1952 and 1965, Akira Kurosawa make eleven films, and even the worst of these were near-masterpieces. His 1957 Macbeth adaptation, released in the United States as Throne of Blood, is among the most popular of those films. But for me, it’s among the least great of these films. Although Throne of Blood (or Spider-web … Continue reading Kurosawa Diary, Part 12: Throne of Blood
Coming Attractions
Just a quick note to share some upcoming events. The Stanford will start a Kurosawa festival this Saturday. The schedule has yet to be announced, but it will tentatively start with Seven Samurai. Check here for more information. And The San Francisco Silent Film Festival made an exciting announcement about their summer festival (July 15-18). … Continue reading Coming Attractions
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