FilmNite: Cheapo Tuesdays

Many thanks to the five people who came along to the excellent talk by
RICHARD DYER @ NFT on VINCENTE MINNELLI and subsequently wined &
dined with me at Piz Xcess.Total cost: film + meal = £17.00. My apols
for notifying you so late in the day. As a consequence I append below
the programme for the rest of the month of April - all on tuesdays @
NFT.

Tuesday 10th April NFT2 LATE SPRING Ozu (1949) Japan 6.10pm
Some of you will recall us seing TOKYO STORY a few terms back. LATE
SPRING is often thought to be Ozu's best film so I am really looking
forward to seeing it again.It stars the amazing Setsuko Hara who
played the dutiful daughter -in- law in TOKYO STORY. In this she plays
the daughter of a widower reluctantly pressed into marriage.
Resistance, secretness, holding back was central to Ozu's domestic
dramas and Hara (tagged as the 'perennial virgin in Japanese cinema')
often its fulcrum. TOKYO STORY was instrumental in opening the eyes of
Western film critics to Japanese cinema with its subtle focus on
family life coupled with low angle camera shots.

Tuesday 17th April LA GRANDE ILLUSION Renoir (1937) France 6.30pm
Newly restored for its 75th anniversary, Renoir's classic about WW1
prisoners of war is one of the most comprehensively beautiful films
made about friendship and freedom, respect & responsibility. The son
of the famous painter Auguste, Renoir is generally considered to be
the father of French cinema and this film together with LA REGLE DU
JEU are considered to be true masterpieces of cinema. Those of you
present when I gave a presentation on L'ATALANTE will recall the
extract from LA GRANDE ILLUSION that featured Dita Parlo who of course
was the star of Vigo's 1933 film.Other scenes of note include the
performance of Erich Von Stroheim, and the show put on by the
prisoners.  Renoir's lateral fluid camerawork together with a refusal to
deal with heroes & villains makes for a film of immense humanity.

Tuesday 24th April THE BAD & THE BEAUTIFUL minnelli ( 1952) USA 6.10pm
Minnelli is famous for his musicals and his melodramas.The Bad & the
Beautiful is a melodrama par excellence and has to be seen (many times
if possible) to be believed. Winner of a clutch of oscars it has gone
on to become one of the most enjoyable movies Hollywood made about
itself.Kirk Douglas plays down on his luck producer Jonathan Shields
who wants to work once more with the director, star & writer whose
careers he had helped foster. Shields is loosely (some say not so
loosely) based on David O Selzsnik, Orson Welles, and even producer
extraordinaire John Houseman who actually produced this film
himself. Interesting that Richard Dyer in his presentation on Minnelli
screened the very same extract that I recently screened at a Film Nite
class. You know the one that includes the line, "To be a great
director you need humility. Do you have humility Mr Shields?"

CHEAPO TUESDAYS
I started this last summer and it has proved to be a great success. It
is FREE and open to existing, former and future Film Nite members.
It's purpose is to take advantage of the cheap £5.00 (£6.50 to non-NFT
members) admission to the NFT on Tuesdays, AND to give you the
opportunity to catch definitive films that you need to see in order to
take full advantage of Film Nite presentations. They are films that
both myself and guest speakers will be referencing by screening a
relevent extract. Cheapo Tuesday gives you the opportunity to see and
enjoy a new print of the film in its entirity on the big screen.
It is your responsibility to book your ticket and bring along a
current discount voucher that you can download from the PIZZA EXPRESS
website. This keeps the price of the evening down, and it goes without
saying that that we just order the main course & a drink. Obviously
the meal is optional but it u are def coming then please let me know
because if there are more than 10 of us then the restaurant will
accept a reservation which makes everything a little more convenient.

NEXT TERM
starts up on Tuesday 2nd October 2012 @ SohoHouse.
Already I have booked British Comedy expert RICHARD DACRE and author
of the definitive book on Norman Wisdom, to give a presentation on
Norman Wisdom's very funny film THERE WAS A CROOKED MAN on 9th Oct.

SUMMER
Now the warm weather is with us I will organise a few Sunday walks to
keep us fit and healthy.

Hope you are all keeping well,
All best wishes,

Vincent