Another Reason I Love This City

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eature features by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0145336/">William Castle</a>. Kudos to Mr. Castle for casting Vincent Price who as the pathologist who discovers that the in states of extreme fear a parasite attached to the human spine “tingles”. The only hope for survival is to weaken the creature by screaming. Mr. Castle was a brilliant promoter and, when first screened in 1959, “The Tingler” climaxed with buzzing seats and a warning onscreen to “Scream! Scream for your life!!” as theater staff sent a rubber worm rocketing up and down the aisles. For Halloween 2013, Film Forum, screened this baby with all the promotional bells and whistles.</p><p id="b406">There are a couple of heart-breakers on my list: The Ziegfeld and Tribeca Cinema. What’s to say? New York City brutally crushes anything that’s not making enough money. Those two are but memories, but what memories I do have!</p><p id="ae3f">I went with Peter, you remember my buddy, Pete, to see the newly remastered “<a href="http://cinematreasures.org/blog/2002/9/16/newly-remastered-lawrence-of-arabia-to-bow-at-ziegfeld-dome">Lawrence of Arabia</a>” at the Ziegfeld back in 2002.</p><div id="da24" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/i-dont-delete-my-dead-23d14e7f57e3"> <div> <div> <h2>I Don’t Delete My Dead</h2> <div><h3>What Pete’s Missing</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*ZUMMDRrvyT191V0Fy5_ahg.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="953c">You want to talk <i>sublime</i>. It was nearly a religious experience to see that film in that theater. “Lawrence of Arabia” was made in 1962, had been initially remastered in 1989 for another theatrical run (that quite likely did not play in Cleveland) and was now, in the giddy days of the new millennia being screened in one of New York City’s iconic theaters. The first thing you need to know about the glorious Ziegfeld is that the screen was bigger than heaven. When the heavy velvet drapes began to open they seemed to spread forever. Another plus at the Ziegfeld: each bathroom stall had its own pedestal sink. Well worth living with rats, crime, subway delays, etc.</p><p id="727e">Speaking of Peter, I went with him and our friend <a href="https://www.serchukphoto.com/">Michele</a>, to see David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve, and Susan Sarandon in “<a href="https://www.filmlinc.org/films/the-hunger/">The Hunger</a>” at the Tribeca Cinema in, oh I’d say 2003 or so. I floated out of the theater that night and took the long way home so as not to disrupt the spell. And, yes, the Tribeca is long gone as well.</p><p id="1583">Ever hear of <a href="https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/1069-the-complete-jacques-tati">Jacques Tati</a>? We just missed seeing his masterpiece, “Playtime”, around the time AleXander first moved to Harlem to live with me and my cats. I’m still watching for the day that <a href="https://www.criterion.com/films/360-monsieur-hulot-s-holiday">Monsieur Hu

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lot’s Holiday</a> comes to one of my listed spots. The fact that it’s just a matter of time means I’m staying put in NYC. Well, yes, ok the rent-stabilized apartment plays a part as well.</p><p id="12f9">In addition to classic films that have long since been relegated to cable television or the bargain bin at K-Mart, another treat of New York City cinema is getting to see obscure foreign films that elicit blank stares from far too many otherwise seemingly intelligent people. Here are just a few:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.filmlinc.org/films/satantango/">Satantango</a>: Clocking in at just over seven hours, this breathtaking masterpiece by Hungarian film director, <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2019/10/bela-tarr-satantango-restoration-interview-1202182436/">Bela Tarr</a>, is a rite of passage which we saw this past autumn at Lincoln Center.</li><li><a href="https://www.criterion.com/films/1517-last-year-at-marienbad">Last Year at Marienbad</a>: Don’t even bother asking what this one is about, just get comfortable and go along for the ride masterfully directed by French New Wave filmmaker, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0720297/">Alain Resnais</a>, who adapted it from the novel by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0730237/">Alain Robbe-Grillet</a>. Absolutely stunning.</li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/movies/pain-and-glory-review.html">Pain and Glory</a>: This one by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000264/?ref_=tt_ov_dr">Pedro Almodóvar</a> is quite possibly hitting screens outside of New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. If it’s playing near you, do not miss it. Especially if you’re already a fan of Almodóvar. Don’t get all weird about subtitles; see this film.</li><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5222918/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_1">The Other Side of Hope</a>: The films of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0442454/?ref_=tt_ov_dr">Aki Kaurismäki</a> can be a bit of acquired taste. He’s beyond deadpan and there are times when you wonder if laughing is what you really should be doing in response to some of his scenes. He’s hard to pin down having made tinder-dry adaptations of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105750/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_31">La Boheme</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093139/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_39">Hamlet</a> (yes, that Hamlet) as well as minimalist and, it has to be said, kind of depressing explorations of working-class life in Finland.</li></ul><p id="5515">If you’re still with me, and I think a handful might be, rejoice! Thanks to technology you, too, can see nearly all these gems. It’s too bad you can’t necessarily see them on the Big Screen although today’s flat screens are certainly big enough to really enjoy a good foreign or classic movie. But keep an eye online and consider a trip to the city to see one of your faves that will probably never play in a cinema near you.</p><p id="54dd">Brian’s right, there’s nothing like sitting in a darkened room with a hundred (or six) strangers and being transported to another place in time via the magic of movies.</p><p id="a8fd">And scene!</p><p id="2b3a"><i>© Remington Write 2020. All Rights Reserved</i></p></article></body>

As if New York City gave a you-know-what!

When I wrote this in late January, our friend, the virus had already set its sights on this side of the planet and was making a beeline over here. Now there are no cinemas open or restaurants or museums or dumb little boutiques specializing in rhinestone-studded clutch purses shaped like Betty Boop. Yet I’m still finding reason after reason for loving this city. Here are some of the old ones in the meantime.

Tip of the hat to Brian Rowe for this idea. He recently wrote about why he still chooses to see movies in a theater even with all the other options available.

As I was reading about his travails in his local multiplex to get to see a movie I was reminded of several amazing features of movie-watching in New York City.

One of the great and lasting pleasures of living in New York City that has nothing to do with rats, traffic, crime, subway delays, political corruption, or obscene rents is getting to see favorite classic movies on the Big Screen. And I’ve seen some real gems at every one of the above-listed theaters.

One of the earliest classics I got to catch on the big screen here was “Midnight Cowboy”. Previously I had only seen this movie on late-night television and due to key important scenes being cut by those alert guardians of Midwest morals, the damned thing made no sense. Maybe you’ve only seen this stunning classic on television so you don’t know about the gay-bashing, the rape scene, the gay sex hookups and not knowing any of that, yeah, it’s a very different movie. But I did get to see it at Lincoln Center and it was sublime.

From the sublime to the ridiculous. Remember “The Tingler”? It’s one of the stand-outs of the 1950’s creature features by William Castle. Kudos to Mr. Castle for casting Vincent Price who as the pathologist who discovers that the in states of extreme fear a parasite attached to the human spine “tingles”. The only hope for survival is to weaken the creature by screaming. Mr. Castle was a brilliant promoter and, when first screened in 1959, “The Tingler” climaxed with buzzing seats and a warning onscreen to “Scream! Scream for your life!!” as theater staff sent a rubber worm rocketing up and down the aisles. For Halloween 2013, Film Forum, screened this baby with all the promotional bells and whistles.

There are a couple of heart-breakers on my list: The Ziegfeld and Tribeca Cinema. What’s to say? New York City brutally crushes anything that’s not making enough money. Those two are but memories, but what memories I do have!

I went with Peter, you remember my buddy, Pete, to see the newly remastered “Lawrence of Arabia” at the Ziegfeld back in 2002.

You want to talk sublime. It was nearly a religious experience to see that film in that theater. “Lawrence of Arabia” was made in 1962, had been initially remastered in 1989 for another theatrical run (that quite likely did not play in Cleveland) and was now, in the giddy days of the new millennia being screened in one of New York City’s iconic theaters. The first thing you need to know about the glorious Ziegfeld is that the screen was bigger than heaven. When the heavy velvet drapes began to open they seemed to spread forever. Another plus at the Ziegfeld: each bathroom stall had its own pedestal sink. Well worth living with rats, crime, subway delays, etc.

Speaking of Peter, I went with him and our friend Michele, to see David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve, and Susan Sarandon in “The Hunger” at the Tribeca Cinema in, oh I’d say 2003 or so. I floated out of the theater that night and took the long way home so as not to disrupt the spell. And, yes, the Tribeca is long gone as well.

Ever hear of Jacques Tati? We just missed seeing his masterpiece, “Playtime”, around the time AleXander first moved to Harlem to live with me and my cats. I’m still watching for the day that Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday comes to one of my listed spots. The fact that it’s just a matter of time means I’m staying put in NYC. Well, yes, ok the rent-stabilized apartment plays a part as well.

In addition to classic films that have long since been relegated to cable television or the bargain bin at K-Mart, another treat of New York City cinema is getting to see obscure foreign films that elicit blank stares from far too many otherwise seemingly intelligent people. Here are just a few:

Satantango: Clocking in at just over seven hours, this breathtaking masterpiece by Hungarian film director, Bela Tarr, is a rite of passage which we saw this past autumn at Lincoln Center.

Last Year at Marienbad: Don’t even bother asking what this one is about, just get comfortable and go along for the ride masterfully directed by French New Wave filmmaker, Alain Resnais, who adapted it from the novel by Alain Robbe-Grillet. Absolutely stunning.

Pain and Glory: This one by Pedro Almodóvar is quite possibly hitting screens outside of New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. If it’s playing near you, do not miss it. Especially if you’re already a fan of Almodóvar. Don’t get all weird about subtitles; see this film.

The Other Side of Hope: The films of Aki Kaurismäki can be a bit of acquired taste. He’s beyond deadpan and there are times when you wonder if laughing is what you really should be doing in response to some of his scenes. He’s hard to pin down having made tinder-dry adaptations of La Boheme and Hamlet (yes, that Hamlet) as well as minimalist and, it has to be said, kind of depressing explorations of working-class life in Finland.

If you’re still with me, and I think a handful might be, rejoice! Thanks to technology you, too, can see nearly all these gems. It’s too bad you can’t necessarily see them on the Big Screen although today’s flat screens are certainly big enough to really enjoy a good foreign or classic movie. But keep an eye online and consider a trip to the city to see one of your faves that will probably never play in a cinema near you.

Brian’s right, there’s nothing like sitting in a darkened room with a hundred (or six) strangers and being transported to another place in time via the magic of movies.

And scene!