Goings On: Wyler, Huston, and More
New York.Gothi(c), a series running throughout December at the Metrograph, “traces the cinematic evolution from the Gothic (represented by such films as Bride of Frankenstein and Rebecca, both showing Sunday, and Jack Clayton’s The Innocents, based on a Henry James novella and showing Dec. 9) to the more irreverent goth stylings of Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark, Dec. 15) and David Lynch,” writes Ben Kenigsberg in the New York Times.
Also, More Than Meets the Eye: William Wyler, running at the Quad through December 11, is “billed as the most complete Wyler retrospective in New York in fifteen years.” That’s Wyler up there at the top, goofing around on the set of The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).
Kenigsberg also spotlights William Fox Presents . . . , which offers a “handful” of films at Film Forum this month and next, marking the publication of Vanda Krefft’s new book, The Man Who Made the Movies: The Meteoric Rise and Tragic Fall of William Fox.
Back to the Metrograph, where a new restoration of Ken Russell’s Women in Love (1969) screens through Thursday. “Russell’s adaptation masterfully compresses Lawrence’s excessive, quasi-philosophical pedantry by visually foregrounding the erotic splendors that are left as mere suggestions throughout [D.H. Lawrence’s 1920] novel,” finds Andrew Ward at the Film Stage.
“Described as a ‘live-action cartoon,’ Sadie Benning’s Flat is Beautiful [1998], playing [tomorrow] at the Film Society of Lincoln Center as part of their The Non-Actor series, tells the story of Taylor, a gender nonconforming 11-year-old living with their single mother Peggy and attempting to navigate the dangerous waters of gender norms as a budding adolescent,” writes Dana Reinoos at Screen Slate. “The film is the first time that Benning, noted painter, video artist, and music video director (as well as an original member of Le Tigre), used third-person narrative and actors (or, non-actors) in their film, as well as incorporating illustrations, animations, and stop-motion sequences to create a patchwork of queer expression.”
San Francisco.Playtime, “an ambitious exhibition of three recent video installations by award-winning British artist Isaac Julien,” is on now view at the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture through February 11.
Portland. “One of the most historically renowned pre-code films, Baby Face is the type of film Warner Bros. was so good at churning out during the 1930s and beyond: an efficient, gritty, quick anti-morality tale.” The Northwest Film Center presents a 35 mm print of Alfred E. Green’s 1933 film starring Barbara Stanwyck tomorrow night.
Austin. On Wednesday, the Film Society presents a 35 mm print of John Huston’s The Dead (1987), adapted from the James Joyce story and starring Huston’s daughter, Anjelica. The screening will be introduced by Richard Linklater, who’ll take part in a post-screening discussion as well.
Knoxville. Also on Wednesday, the Public Cinema presents Flicker & Wow: Delphi Falls, a “program of six recent short films by American women,” including Jesse McLean and Jodie Mack.
Berlin. From today through Wednesday, the Arsenal presents New French Cinema, “five outstanding works of French cinema from 2013-17 made by artistically uncompromising female filmmakers: Pascale Breton, Léonor Serraille, Claire Simon, Rebecca Zlotowski, and Valérie Massadian.” Meantime, Magical History Tour: Make Them Laugh – Laughing in the Cinema, Laughter in Film runs throughout the month.
Europe. The second ArteKino Festival is now streaming ten films for free in forty-five countries, and several of them are screening in theaters across the continent, too. Artistic director Olivier Père’s selection includes new work by Athina Rachel Tsangari, Radu Jude, and Thomas Arlsan. Fabien Lemercier has details at Cineuropa.
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