Just as William Klein, etc. are winding down, the PFA begins its long-awaited Ermanno Olmi--Julien Duvivier death match. I've seen only a smattering of works by either auteur, but, to adapt Spencer Tracy's observation re. Katharine Hepburn's physique in Pat and Mike, what I've seen is cherce! In the Olmi corner, The Tree of Wooden Clogs, Il posto, and I fidanzati (The Fiancés) are all major works and/or masterpieces in the Rossellini tradition. Pépé le Moko, off hand the only Duvivier picture I can remember having seen, is a really quite excellent example of the French Underworld genre. I remember something to the effect of the original Cahiers knitting circle making squawks about Monsieur Julien belonging to the "Tradition of Quality", or some such, and hence no artiste, but Pépé at least seemed as personal and organic a work as, say, a Sam Fuller picture -- and of course that's saying a lot... But what do I know? I ain't no Frenchie, and have barely seen anything to judge by, so perhaps, as usual, I'm talkin' outta my over-sized hat... Anyway, all these assorted Olmis and Duviviers are most enticing, and I exhort each and every one of you to let yourselves be enticed. As an added attraction, two of Julien's films this week are silent (including Sun's matinee of La vie miraculeuse de Thérèse Martin) and presented with the never-less-than brilliant improvisatory piano accompaniment of the without-a-doubt soon-to-be-legendary Judith Rosenberg -- worth the price of admission alone!... The first time I saw Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark, I was bowled over by its audacious cinematic mastery and the intensity of a dark, punk-inflected vision brilliantly welded to a genre framework. As the years have passed, and her works (including the recent Hurt Locker) have been disseminated at an almost Kubrickian pace with variable results, I've always been impressed by the consistency of her vision, daring, and ambition. We are all to be thankful that Jesse Ficks, with his ususal weird wisdom, has programmed her debut solo directorial effort this very (Fri) midnite! Get thee to the Castro! ...Before concluding, let me just say a few words in passing about our mysterious mustachioed friends of Mustache Cinema. I've had my eye at a distance on this extremely intriguing apparent collective for a little while now, tho I've yet to become an attendee. On the 1st Wed of each month, they present a superbly programmed show of experimental works at El Rio on the inner lip of the outer Mission, and this 1st Wed is no exception -- on the 7th we'll be offered a short and sweet program of relatively early George Kuchar possible masterpieces. If I remember accurately, they form a triple-layer-cake of Kodachromey ecstasy, and with drink in hand, good weather out back (where I assume the show will be) and your fellow viewers all ensconced behind bristly pairs of handlebars and the like, you are guaranteed of, at minimum, low-key orgasmic frenzy. As of yet, I've not been able to determine just who lurks behind this Residents-like collective identity, but as their website promises an interview to be aired on pirate radio this Mon, perhaps details will be forthcoming... At any rate, I hope to make this week's show, but I'm not sure I can grow a mustache quite that fast...
And now,
to
PFA: The Whirlwind of Paris OTI Poil de Carotte OTI
Castro: Near Dark @11:59p.m. MW
PFA: Il posto MW/PM I fidanzati MW
Yerba Buena: Inferno MW
PFA: La vie miraculeuse de Thérèse Martin @4p.m. OTI Cammina Cammina OTI
Yerba Buena: The Mother of Tears OI
El Rio: Mustache Cinema presents George Kuchar's Hold Me While I'm Naked, Eclipse of the Sun Virgin, Knocturne MWs/PMs All
PFA: Pépé le Moko MW In & Out of Fashion OI
Yerba Buena: Ecstasy of the Angels OI
SFMOMA: San Francisco Cinematheque presents Films of Robert Beavers Program 1 OI