a highly-opinionated selection of things happening around town, and sometimes out of town. this month's page here.
thu. may 4 the trial @ egyptian fri. may 5 touch of evil, the lady from shanghai @ egyptian after hours, the color of money @ aero sat. may 6 fancy space people @ hm157 orson welles rarities @ egyptian comediennes of the silent era @ spielberg @ egyptian the bitter tears of petra von kant, beware of a holy whore @ aero sun. may 7 citizen kane, f for fake @ egyptian world on a wire @ aero mon. may 8 agents of change 7 PM @ aero tue. may 9 mellow mud @ egyptian thu. may 11 mia doi todd, bart davenport @ zebulon fri. may 12 los angeles lovers 8 PM @ bob baker marionette theater infinite body @ coaxial sat. may 13 chinatown @ cinespia @ hollywood forever frankie and the witch fingers @ the offbeat goodfellas @ egyptian november 9:30 PM @ aero the abominable dr. phibes MIDNIGHT @ new beverly sun. may 14 flying hair @ echoplex thu. may 18 the music tapes, the orbiting human circus @ bootleg featherwolf @ zebulon nixon @ aero fri. may 19 hex horizontal @ smell joysticks, pinball summer @ egyptian u turn, natural born killers @ aero sat. may 20 cold beat @ echo diary of a lost girl, beggars of life @ egyptian heaven & earth, salvador @ aero the abominable dr. phibes 2:00 PM @ new beverly inherent vice MIDNIGHT @ new beverly sun. may 21 mimosas @ spielberg @ egyptian rear window @ aero the abominable dr. phibes 2:00 PM @ new beverly tue. may 23 who killed teddy bear?, krakatoa: east of java @ new beverly wed. may 24 crime in the streets, dino @ new beverly thu. may 25 five came back FREE (RSVP) @ aero crime in the streets, dino @ new beverly fri. may 26 jon brion @ largo brian wilson @ pantages seven samurai @ egyptian fargo @ aero pee-wee's big adventure 7 PM, ed wood @ new beverly sat. may 27 big search, sleepy sun @ hi hat brian wilson @ pantages one-word weird-a-thon @ aero pee-wee's big adventure 2:00 7:00 PM, ed wood 9:00 PM @ new beverly sun. may 28 jurassic park trilogy @ egyptian lawrence of arabia (70mm) @ aero pee-wee's big adventure 2 PM @ new beverly a new leaf 6:30 PM, ishtar @ new beverly mon. may 29 world war ii documentaries 3 PM FREE (RSVP) @ aero a new leaf, ishtar @ new beverly wed. may 31 sami blood @ egyptian i wanna hold your hand, used cars @ new beverly thu. jun. 1 i wanna hold your hand, used cars @ new beverly sat. jun. 3 wayne's world @ cinespia @ hollywood forever wed. jun. 7 laura 8 PM @ last remaining seats @ million dollar theatre fri. jun. 9 her FREE 8:30 PM @ union station dead meadow @ satellite sat. jun. 10 white fence FREE @ getty mon. jun. 12 low @ globe theatre sat. jun. 17 the usual suspects @ cinespia @ hollywood forever fri. jun. 23 fancy space people @ hm157 sun. jun. 25 air @ greek theatre thu. jun. 29 quintron & miss pussycat @ highland park ebell fri. jul. 7 melvins @ troubadour tue. jul. 25 levitation room @ bootleg thu. jul. 27 heron oblivion, steve gunn @ the observatory (OC) fri. jul. 28 heron oblivion, steve gunn @ echo sat. jul. 29 steve gunn FREE @ getty tue. aug. 22 melvins @ troubadour WHAT IT IS: MIMOSAS 2016, Grasshopper Film, 96 min, Spain/Morocco/France/Romania/Qatar, Dir: Oliver Laxe Director Oliver Laxe’s new film is a breathtakingly shot “Eastern Western,” which follows a caravan carrying a dying sheikh into the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. The elderly sheik’s last wish is to be buried with his loved ones in the village where he was born. But death does not wait, and without their leader, the company grows fearful and entrusts the body to two men who agree to bring it to its final destination. Meanwhile, in another world, a mysterious young man is chosen to find the caravan. Winner of the Nespresso Grand Prize at Cannes Critics’ Week 2016, among other international awards. Discussion after the feature with director Oliver Laxe. NOVEMBER 2017, 115 min, Estonia, Dir: Rainer Sarnet This adaptation of Andrus Kivirähk’s novel Rehepapp follows the lives of pragmatic farmers who co-exist with werewolves, ghosts and the plague in a strange, intriguing tale that boasts a very distinctive visual style. A mixture of magic and romantic comedy, NOVEMBER is making its North American premiere in the International Narrative Competition at the Tribeca Film Festival 2017. One-Word Weird-A-Thon SCREENING: * ROAR, 1981, Drafthouse Films, 102 min. Dir. Noel Marshall. “No animals were harmed in the making of this film. 70 cast and crew members were.” Anyone who thinks life with the lions is all BORN FREE bliss should watch this notorious adventure-horror film, shot over the course of a decade. Star of THE BIRDS and an animal rights-activist, Tippi Hedren plays a woman who brings her three children (including real-life daughter Melanie Griffith) to visit her husband’s California wildlife ranch - only to be attacked by its four-legged inhabitants. 36th Anniversary! * NUKIE, 1987, 95 min. Dirs. Sias Odendaal, Michael Pakleppa. In this ludicrous E.T. knockoff, aliens Nukie and Miko are buzzing Earth when they’re pulled in by the planet’s gravity, and land in Africa and America, respectively. As Miko is captured and subjected to U.S. government tests, Nukie sets out to rescue him, using telepathic powers to befriend human allies. With Steve Railsback and Glynis Johns. 30th Anniversary! * R.O.T.O.R., 1987, Park Circus/MGM, 90 min. Dir. Cullen Blaine. When things go wrong at Robotic Officer Tactical Operation Research, a robot motorcycle cop developed as a prototype emerges from the lab and begins executing people for minor traffic infractions. From its stiff performances to its continuity errors and cheesy synth soundtrack, this is among the most gloriously inept movies the ’80s had to offer. 30th Anniversary! * CONGO, 1995, Paramount, 109 min. Dir. Frank Marshall. When Congo explorers searching for a rare blue diamond vanish, colleague Laura Linney leads a search party; helping her navigate the jungle is a gorilla capable of communicating with humans. Adapted by writer John Patrick Shanley from the Michael Crichton novel, this box office hit costars Dylan Walsh, Ernie Hudson, Grant Heslov and Tim Curry. 22nd Anniversary! * THINGS, 1993, Severin Films, 81 min. Dirs. Dennis Devine, Eugene James, Jay Woelfel. In this horror anthology, a woman kidnaps her husband’s mistress and forces her to listen to two gore-filled tales about creatures birthed by the evil of men: “The Box” and “Thing in a Jar.” “A horrific and sexy romp in the dark.” - Joe Bob Briggs. 24th Anniversary! * Fantasy Horror Film to be announced! 40th Anniversary! * MATILDA, 1978, Park Circus/Exclusive, 92 min. Dir. Daniel Mann. Noted author Paul Gallico wrote the book upon which this family film was based but didn’t live long enough to see it reach the screen … and that’s probably for the best! Promoter Elliott Gould thinks he’s struck gold when he discovers a boxing kangaroo capable of knocking out the heavyweight champion - but a crime boss wants a piece of the action. Robert Mitchum, Roy Clark (of TV’s “Hee Haw”) and Harry Guardino costar. 39th Anniversary! SAMI BLOOD 2016, Nordisk Film AB, 110 min, Sweden/Norway/Denmark, Dir: Amanda Kernell Fourteen -year-old Elle Marja (talented newcomer Lene Cecilia Sparrok) is a reindeer-herding Sámi girl growing up in the 1930s. Exposed to the era’s racial biology examinations at her boarding school, she starts dreaming of another life - but to achieve it, she will have to break all ties with her family and culture. “A moving, classically rendered coming-of-age tale set against the scarring social prejudices of the 1930s, this handsome debut feature from Swedish- Sámi writer-director Amanda Kernell robustly blends adolescent fears that resonate across borders and generations with a fascinatingly specific, rarely depicted cultural context.” - Guy Lodge, Variety. Discussion following with director Amanda Kernell. World War II Documentaries Join us for a Memorial Day presentation of historic WWII documentaries made by the directors profiled in the new Netflix film FIVE CAME BACK: Frank Capra, John Ford, William Wyler, George Stevens and John Huston. Films include: * “Prelude to War” (1942, 52 min. Dir. Frank Capra) The first of seven films in the “Why We Fight” series commissioned by the U.S. government rallies support for the war effort by showing the threat posed by the Axis powers. A Best Documentary Oscar winner. Followed at 4:00 PM by: * “How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines” (1943, 62 min. Dir. John Ford) This long-classified training film, made for the OSS (the precursor to the CIA), teaches best practices through a narrative about two undercover operatives. Director Ford makes a rare onscreen appearance as a secret agent’s supervisor. * “The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress” (1944, 45 min. Dir. William Wyler) The Memphis Belle was a Boeing B-17 heavy bomber that safely completed 25 missions in Europe; this color documentary shows its crew at work on one of the last of these sorties. Followed at 6:00 PM by: * “Nazi Concentration Camps” (1945, 59 min. Dir. George Stevens) Shot by Allied military cameramen shortly after the liberation of Europe, this camp-by-camp depiction of Nazi atrocities was used as evidence in the Nuremburg trials. Followed at 7:00 PM by: * “Let There Be Light” (1946, 58 min. Dir. John Huston) Narrated by the director’s father, Walter Huston, this striking documentary follows WWII combat veterans undergoing treatment for psychological trauma. The film was suppressed for decades by the Army over concerns that it was demoralizing, but has since been named to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry for its historical significance. TOTAL RUNNING TIME 276 minutes.