August Classic Film Screenings in Greater Boston

While my cinema highlight of the month will no doubt be the very special film festival of rare silents and early talkies in Rome, NY, (check out the Capitolfest website HERE), there will be again an abundance of big screen offerings locally.  I hope to take in a few.  Anyone want to join me?

Harvard Film Archive (HFA)
Great news!  Rouben Mamoulian - Reconsidered opens this month.  The HFA promises 'beautiful prints and recent preservations' to be focus of this complete retrospective of the talented studio-era director. Mamoulian worked with the best of the best, and excelled in many genres, although only directed a total of 16 films starting in the early 1930s.  His career included the stage as well, and he brought a theatrical sensibility combined with a love of and talent for technological innovations to his films.

Rouben Mamoulian

Fri Aug 12 7 PM APPLAUSE (1929)  Mamoulian's first film, an early sound musical featuring a back-stage drama.

Fri Aug 19 7 PM DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1931) This lauded film version of the classic horror film features Fredric March stunning in the lead roles, and Miriam Hopkins in a vulnerable role, with juicy elements of the 'pre-code' era.

Fri Aug 19 9 PM SUMMER HOLIDAY (1948) A 'sunny musical' starring Mickey Rooney, based on a play by Eugene O'Neill ('Ah, Wilderness!')

Sat Aug 20 7 PM LOVE ME TONIGHT (1932) Film version of the Rodgers & Hart musical, starring musical pros Jeanette MacDonald & Maurice Chevalier, with young pre-superstar Myrna Loy in a supporting role.

Sat Aug 20 9 PM THE GAY DESPERADO (1936).  This one sounds interesting a 'musical-gangster-comedy' set in Mexico. Starring Ida Lupino, Nino Martini & Leo Carrillo.

Sun Aug 21 5 PM BECKY SHARP (1935).  Film version of Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair', starring Miriam Hopkins in the lead role.  Said to be the first feature film using three-color Technicolor process.

Sun Aug 21 7 PM RINGS ON HER FINGERS (1942).  Great cast here: Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney, and terrific character actor Laird Cregar.  It's Mamoulian's only screwball comedy.

Fri Aug 26 7 PM GOLDEN BOY (1939).  Those interested in seeing William Holden's first starring role will not be disappointed with this melodramatic tale of a boxer, based on a play by Clifford Odets.

Fri Aug 26 9 PM CITY STREETS (1931).  Gary Cooper & Sylvia Sidney star in this gangster drama.  I'll have had a heavy dose of Cooper at Capitolfest, so I may just need this fix a week later.

Gary Cooper & Sylvia Sidney
CITY STREETS (photo from HFA)

Sat Aug 27 7 PM QUEEN CHRISTINA (1933).  Greta Garbo stars with former lover and silent star John Gilbert in this romantic period piece.

Sat Aug 27 9 PM WE LIVE AGAIN (1934). Another romantic period piece, this time in Russia, with Anna Sten & Fredric March.



Sun Aug 28 4:30 PM SILK STOCKINGS (1957).  Mamoulian's last film and Fred Astaire's last dance film, also starring Cyd Charisse.

Sun Aug 28 7 PM THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940).  With Tyrone Power.  What else needs to be said?

Ty Power as Zorro. (photo from HFA)

Mon Aug 29 7 PM  HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME (1937).  Randolph Scott, Irene Dunne and Dorothy Lamour star in this musical dose of Americana, seen as a follow up to SHOWBOAT.






The Robert Aldrich retrospective continues as well in August, and here are what remain in the program:

Aug 18, 7 PM  KISS ME DEADLY (1955) closes the retrospective.  It also opened it, on June 3.  I attended that one; well worth watching this classic later noir on the big screen.

Fri Aug 5 9:30 PM:  THE ANGRY HILLS (1959) with Robert Mitchum.

Sun Aug 7 4 PM: THE FRISCO KID (1979) with Gene Wilder & Harrison Ford.

Sun Aug 7 7 PM: EMPEROR OF THE NORTH (1973) with Lee Marvin, Keith Carradine, & Ernest Borgnine.

Mon Aug 8 7 PM:  VERA CRUZ (1954) ahead of its time leaning toward a revisionist Western tone, with Gary Cooper & Burt Lancaster.

Sat Aug 13 7 PM:  WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE, the classic schlocky thriller with Bette Davis & Joan Crawford.

Sat Aug 13 9:30 PM:  THE BIG KNIFE (1955) with Jack Palance & Ida Lupino.

Sun Aug 14 5 PM:  THE BIG NIGHT (1953).  This one was directed by Joseph Losey, but assisted by Aldrich.  Starring John Barrymore Jr., Preston Foster, & Joan Lorring.  The HFA site mentions it as an 'unsung gem', a modern-day Hamlet story, and includes Aldrich himself in a cameo.

Sun Aug 14 7 PM: HUSH ...HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964) a sort-of follow up to BABY JANE, this one pairing Olivia de Havilland with Bette Davis & Joseph Cotten.



The Coolidge Corner Theatre
On tap in their fun 'Big Screen Classics' we have THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY kicking off the month of August.  I need to see this, as one of the most iconic 'revisionist Westerns,' although the way my week is shaping up I doubt I will make it.  It's showing on TCM soon so I'll set my DVR.
Monday Aug 1, 7 PM:

Monday Aug 22, 7 PM:  Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 (1963)-- I'm super excited about this one, as I haven't yet seen it; "One of the greatest films ever made about film."  Starring the charismatic Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale.

Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Jules Dassin (right) is in trouble in his heist film RIFIFI

The MFA has a nice theater open to the public, and features classics, foreign films and often hosts film festivals.  Next month they have scheduled several screenings of a new digital release of the French film noir classic  RIFIFI, by blacklisted Hollywood director and actor Jules Dassin, who has a minor role in the film.  It's a terrific one!  Sun Aug 7, 11:30 AM; Thurs Aug 11, 5:00 PM, Sat Aug 13 2:00 PM

How cool is Paul Newman in COOL HAND LUKE?

Somerville Theatre
The Somerville has a fun Thursday evening series in August called "Play it Cool", featuring some of the best of Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and their partners in cool from the 1960s and 70s, in 35 mm prints. For a mere $10, you get two films. Almost like it was in the good old days!

Aug 4 starting at 7:30 PM it's Paul Newman night:  COOL HAND LUKE & CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (1958)

Aug 11, 7:30 PM: In GET CARTER (1971) & POINT BLANK (1967), we get Lee Marvin & Michael Caine.

Aug 18, 7:30 PM: OCEAN'S 11 (1960), with Rat Packers Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin, & THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, with Steve McQueen & Faye Dunaway.

Brattle Theatre
Kudos to the Brattle for continuing their year-long celebration of Film Noir with the 6th part in the series focusing on FEMMES FATALE.  Double features presented both Mondays and Tuesdays as follows, with 'femmes fatale' highlighted:

DETOUR -- Tom Neal and Ann Savage.

Aug 1 & 2 Peggy Cummins GUN CRAZY (1950).  This movie is all kinds of crazy.  Also with John Dall.

Claire Trevor BORN TO KILL (1946) Also with Lawrence Tierney.

Aug 8 & 9
Lizabeth Scott DEAD RECKONING (1949) Also with Humphrey Bogart.

Lizabeth Scott TOO LATE FOR TEARS (1946) Also with Dan Duryea and Burt Lancaster.  This is a recent restoration by the Film Noir Foundation--an excellent one.

Aug 15 & 16
Barbara Stanwyck: DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944).  Considered by many to be the top of the genre, in the very least, top of the early noir era.  Also with Fred MacMurray and Edward G. Robinson.
Ann Savage DETOUR A 'poverty row' noir that is held up as a good example of what innovative direction (Edgar Ulmer) and inspired acting can do with a low budget.  Also with Tom Neal.

Aug 22 & 23
Rita Hayworth GILDA Also with Glenn Ford.  See it for Rita Hayworth's luscious hair and her 'Put the Blame on Mame' musical number.
Rita Hayworth THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI Also with Orson Welles.  Welles directed his then-wife Rita in this superior noir.  Rita's hair here is controversially blond and short, compared with her long red locks in GILDA.

Aug 29 & 30
Gene Tierney LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN  Lovely Gene Tierney isn't such a lovely person in this noir melodrama.
Rosamund Pike GONE GIRL  This neo-noir was a big hit in 2014.  Also with Ben Affleck and Neil Patrick Harris.

VARIETÉ: The Berklee Silent Film Orchestra & Coolidge Corner Theatre World Premiere Partnership

From the final scene of SUNRISE

On a Monday night in 2010, this budding classic film fan showed up at the Coolidge Corner Theatre for a screening in The Sounds of Silents ® program. I didn't know what I was in for, but the buzz in the sold-out crowd was energizing.  The film was SUNRISE, and the music consisted of a brand new score commissioned by the theatre, and composed, conducted, and performed by students from the Berklee School of Music Film Scoring program.  At the end of the film the crowd leapt to itscollective feet and cheered wildly; my heart was still pounding with the emotion of the final scene of the film. The theatrical experience I had at this screening is in my top five of all time, and I've attended most of the films in the program since.  As the latest Coolidge-Berklee commission is getting ready for its world premiere on May 2, I had the opportunity to speak with the program's co-founder, Dr. Martin (Marty) Norman, as well as attend a fascinating in-person 'master class' by Berklee's Prof. Sheldon Mirowitz, both of which illuminated the fascinating process of scoring and screening silent film for a modern cinema audience.

While 'The Sounds of Silents®' program was started in 2007 by Coolidge board member Dr. Norman, and Becki Norman, the collaboration with the the Berklee school started a few years later.  In our conversation, Dr. Norman first explained that the goal of the program for the Coolidge was simple: to present classic silent films in the way they were meant to be seen.  As a silent film aficionado for many years, Dr. Norman said "while there are great single musicians out there accompanying silent films, I've always felt that having an ensemble or orchestra, provided they have the right talent, enriches the theatrical experience of the film, and I make that a priority for the Coolidge."  He reached out to the Berklee school because, he said, it's a local university and just happens to possess the only undergraduate program in film scoring, with exceptional students from all over the world.  He found a willing partner in Emmy-nominated Mirowitz (go here for his website and bio).

To date, I believe I've only missed one of the so-far nine screenings with scores that have had their world premieres at the Coolidge from the now-named Berklee Silent Film Orchestra (BSFO).  They are branching out -- just last year they performed their score for F.W. Murnau's THE LAST LAUGH at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, and performed their new score for NOSFERATU with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on Halloween night.  Fortunately for those of us in the area, they continue their partnership with the Coolidge, at least in part because of the historic nature of the theatre, the educational experience for the students, and the educated and appreciative hometown audiences.

Prof. Mirowitz from
Berklee School of MusicWebsite

That brings us to May 2, 2016, when the BSFO will premiere at the Coolidge their new score for VARIETÉ (1925), recently restored by the F.W. Murnau Foundation. (I'm taking a red-eye flight back from the TCM Film Festival just to get back to Boston in time to attend).  This film was directed by E.A. Dupont, and stars Emil Jannings as a former trapeze artist turned carnival barker,who gets in trouble after falling for a much younger exotic dancer.  (Jannings was a celebrated silent film actor, who also is the star of THE LAST LAUGH, from FW Murnau, and THE LAST COMMAND by Von Sternberg, among others.)   In June, the BSFO will go on the road to perform their score for the 7:15 PM Friday evening (June 3) screening of the film at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

VARIETÉ

On the evening of April 21st, Professor Mirowitz came to the Coolidge to deliver a 'master class' in silent film scoring, and shared fascinating insights about Berklee's process.  First, he explained that scoring a silent film requires so much work that he engages a team of six students each semester for the task.  The six students are chosen as the top student composers from over 400 film scoring majors at the Berklee.  The students meet for 15 weeks, and each student is assigned what roughly corresponds to a 'reel' of film.  Often Prof. Mirowitz develops the initial musical themes for the main characters or situations that occur in the film, and then students then compose with and around those themes to bring out the 'story' of the film.  As Prof. Mirowitz explained, he "knows the music works if it makes the story better.  We don't decorate the picture."  He shared his musical themes associated with the characters in the VARIETÉ:  Boss, the girl, the family, and the villain, which all were compelling to listen to on their own, but when combined in unique ways to bring out the drama, the result was sublime.  The students learn in class by critiquing each other's work during the semester, and create up to 12 revisions of each section before the score is finalized.  The process then of syncing the music with the film can be complicated, and a set of cuing techniques is used for the conductors.  In performance, each composer will conduct the orchestra for their composed segments and seamlessly transition the baton to the next composer.  [Watch the 12-minute fascinating documentary "Punches and Streamers", showing the technical challenges tackled by the BSFO in its collaboration with the Coolidge, for SAFETY LAST:]

Prof. Mirowitz mentioned that, when needed, sound effects to accompany the action (a salute, for example, with a whistle) are scored directly.  He mentioned that he learned from Carl Davis that Davis's orchestra usually just performs the effect live rather than writing it into the score.  "Why didn't I think of that?" he quipped.  At the end of this fascinating evening came a stunning piece of news: Kino Lorber has contracted with the BSFO to record their score for an upcoming DVD release of VARIETÉ, and has also bought the rights to their score for THE LAST LAUGH.  There is no other example known of a group of university students composing, performing, and recording scores to silent film.  But this is no ordinary group of college musicians -- elite, indeed.

BSFO rehearsing for SAFETY LAST
at the Coolidge (from the Emerson
College doumentary "Punches & Streamers")

I can't overstate the thrill of attending one of these screenings in my own neighborhood.  It's a true two-fer: you get a brilliant piece of new music in its first public performance along with classic work of cinema that is nearly 100 years old. I asked Dr. Norman the best way of supporting the program, and he encouraged communicating directly with the Coolidge with statements of appreciation, and any other way of spreading the word to build audiences for these screenings.

When comparing writing a score for a silent film vs. a modern one, Prof. Mirowitz said the bar is low for the former -- "anyone can use a movie to make music, but we aim to create the music to make the movie."  I expect on May 2nd the audience will understand exactly what Prof. Mirowitz meant.