Halloween horror: Vincentennial: A Halloween Tribute to Vincent Price Part 2

The Vincentennial event at the Portage Theatre was pretty fun. This was the first time I attended this elegant theatre, despite it being just a short bus ride from me.

The highlight of the evening was when Vincent's daughter, Victoria Price, gave a talk on her father while accompanied by a fan-created slide show of studio photos, home photos, and video clips of Victoria's much older brother adding some remembrances. She's been going around the country celebrating this once in a lifetime centennial. I'm sure you have heard what a very appreciative and nice person Vincent Price was, this was confirmed by his daughter, who said he always took time out to greet fans and acknowledge their major role in his career. She also told stories of how funny, sincere, hard-working and loving he was, as well as his diverse interests in later life with art collection, travel and as a gourmand.

Two films were also screened, the first was House on Haunted Hill. Price plays a rich man who buys the attendance of several strangers to join him and his wife, played by Carole Ohmart, in an overnight stay in a supposed haunted house. The typist who is invited keeps coming up against what she believes are ghosts, despite no one else witnessing these encounters. When the rich man's wife dies, it creates a tension that the group must suffer the rest of the night.

The second film was The Last Man on Earth. It is an apocalyptic film where Price plays a researcher hoping to find the cure for a plauge that has decimated the world. We see how his family has succumbed to the plague, and he now lives alone, tormented by zombielike vampires who threaten to burst in every night. This looked as if it was filmed in Italy and dubbed in English, and pretty low budget.

I saw a few people in attendance in Halloween garb but I don't think anyone specifically dressed as to a Vincent Price character or film. Several vendors were there with posters, buttons, photos and other memorabilia for sale. Victoria also did a meet and greet and signed autographs too.

Other little highlights were the additional screenings of two shorts that Vincent Price had a key role in. The first was the early TIm Burton short film Vincent, where a boy named Vincent Malloy wishes he were Vincent Price. In this film, you can already see Burton's signature gothic style of puppetry which featured in his stop-motion films the Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. Of course, Burton also had many animated stop-motion elements in other films such as Beetlejuice, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, and Mars Attacks! And certainly his gothic sensibilities has truly infused his career.

The other little highlight was the music video for Michael Jackson's song Thriller. This was directed and co-written by John Landis, a true "creature feature" director/fan who seemed to be the perfect partner to Jackson to create this short story out of a song. Price narrates a rhymed dialog in part of the video (it's listed as a "rap"). Seeing it on the big screen, I didn't realize how little of this was singing, and how much of it is a real narrative of a horror film.

Witchfinder General (The Conqueror Worm)

This is a late 1960s horror-ish British film about a man (Vincent Price) who supposedly sniffs out witches in the time of Cromwell. Typical of persecution stories, the witchfinder has abused his power and convinced others that he has the ability to determine who is a witch or not. Also common in films of this sort is the beautiful maid and her loyal beau, in this case he one of Cromwell's soldiers.

The Baron of Arizona

Although Vincent Price is probably best known for his work in horror films, he acted in many other dramatic roles, appearing in leading man romantic and dramatic roles earlier in his career.  Wanting to do more work of the character actor, he moved on later to villain types and the horror genre.

In the Sam Fuller-directed The Baron of Arizon, he plays a fictionalized version of James Reavis, known in history as a swindler. The film begins in Phoenix, during the early 1900s. Several businessmen and politicians are celebrating Arizona becoming a state, one mentions Reavis, and the film is told in flashback.

In the late 1800s, Reavis visits a hacienda, claiming abandoned orphan Sofia (Ellen Drew) is really a baroness. Over several years, he lays a foundation of bogus evidence so when her identity is "confirmed," it will give her (and him) the rights to a lot of land he wants, all of Arizona territory.  When she matures into a beautiful young woman, Reavis marries her, and returns to Phoenix to make his claim to the land. Officials believe his documents are forgeries, but need to inspect old Spanish charters to make sure, although they hope to buy him off with many millions of dollars.  Although Sofia says she wants him, she begins to think he is not as truthful as he says. Disgruntled citizens become enemies.

The rest of the film are of the officials trying to catch him out. I was hoping the film would start him off with humble beginnings, small cons until he does this big one, but it starts when he plots this scheme.

The actress playing the adult Sofia doesn't show much emotion despite the major life events she lives through. She's supposed to be Spanish but doesn't portray her as such, and I don't get much Latin flavor from her, she actually seems too old for her character. (Reavis is supposed to be a lot older than her but he doesn't appear that old compared to her.)

Vincent Price as expected is his evilly best, infusing his character with natural charm.

CIFF 2011: Chico & Rita

I read about Chico & Rita some time ago and had planned to watch it if and when it came around to my town.  Seeing it on the film fest lineup, I was quick to include it to my schedule. This Spanish film is an animated memory tale, focusing on Chico, now an elderly man, thinking back on his younger years in 1940s-50s Havana when he was a jazz musician.  It was a time when jazz mixed successfully with Cuban and other Latin and African influences.  Chico sees and hears the lovely and sensual Rita, and they start a musical as well as a romantic collaboration.  After they win a music contest, Rita is signed to a lucrative contract that takes her to New York and Paris, leaving Chico behind.  It is a typical tale of stardom dividing lovers..

Neither of them are able to reconcile their romance to their careers, and Rita goes on to be a star while Chico continues to be a working musician with momentary fame.  The highlights of the film are its great soundtrack and the vivid, colorful depiction of Havana, along with name-dropping depictions of famous musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie and Tito Puente.  While the animation is not always fluid, the storyline itself is a classic story of heartbreak.  The romance between Chico and Rita comes full circle when Chico hears their old song on the radio and by chance discovers her again, giving us a fell-good yet bittersweet memory of the years lost between the two characters.

CIFF 2011: The Clown

This Brazilian film tells the story of Benjamin, a clown in a rag tag travelling circus who is hoping to discover his past. All Benjamin has of his history is a birth certificate and his father and fellow clown in the Circus Esperanca (Hope Circus). Their acts are well-worn but still tailored to each of the little towns they visit, creating happy distractions to the townsfolk.

Benjamin breaks away from his circus family to try to discover who his mother is (and for some reason, a portable fan). It's a sort of low rent Wizard of Oz quest, as Benjamin experiences the senseless outside world only to realize he belongs with the circus folk who valued him all along.

Many films about clowns portray the sentiment of "laughing on the outside, crying on the inside," and that is also the case here. When Benjamin is not performing, we see the despondency on his face, until his last realization that he should not be seeking something that doesn't want him, and instead go where he is wanted. There are slapstick clown routines which different members of the circus participate in, many of which feel like silent film humor, but through which we can see the circus' precarious existence. As a whole the film has a sensibility and visual style similar to that of director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen, City of Lost Children, Amelie).

CIFF 2011: Le Havre

Le Havre won top honors at CIFF 2011.  While I agree it was a fine film, I am not in agreement that it was the best film there this year. It's still an arthouse film that falls validly and easily into award territory.  This is another in a line of proletariat dramas from Finnish director Aki Kuarismaki (whose best work in my opinion is The Man Without a Past, a big prizewinner itself in 2003).  It is less bleak than some of his other films like The Match Factory Girl or Lights in the Dusk.  It tells the story of a aging shoeshine man who helps a young African refugee in the harbor town of Le Havre, France.

CIFF 2011: Kaidan Horror Classics

Japan horror is way out there. I think out of all the styles of Asian horror, Japan has tapped into making terrifying something that is based on realism, yet still making it way out of one's imagination so that we just want to hide from the potental terror it suggests. This program consisted of four teleplays, based on classic Japanese horror literature. These films had more of a dark, moody element rather than the shocking twists that we are used to.

The Arm tells the story of a man with a fetish for a woman's arm.  He is obsessed with its shape and beauty.  One night she comes to him and agrees to let him have it for the night, and detaches it. He spends time in his lonely room caressing the arm and speaking to it, until he is so enamored that he detaches is own arm and replaces it with the woman's arm. I think it was a mistake to start the program with this story, as its creepy premise seemed to turn some people off and several viewers walked out.  The other stories are more accessible so it would probably make sense to move this one further down in the program rather than having it as the introductory piece.

The Whistler. A young woman lies dying, while her sister, who cares for her, finds secret love letters. Both these women have longed for love but due to their situation, neither have had the love they hoped for. The sickly sister finally admits the truth about the letters, the well sister has seen her soldier lover off to war, a relationship her father disapproves of. This is more a story about unrequited love than real horror. Like the others though, it is heavy on mood.

The Nose tells the story of a hermit monk. Due to a hideous nose, he hides his face from the townsfolk. After an unsuccessful attempt to rescue a drowning boy, the monk feels guilty, which is further explained later in the story. While the town at first saw him as a pitiful monk, once they see his nose their superstition and hatred come forth. Although the monk is the "cause" of the drowning, it is hard not to sympathize with his treatment by the town and to understand his guilt.

The fourth story, The Days After, has a more straightforward plot. A couple receives visits from a boy they imagine and hope is the personification of their deceased son. They spend quality time with the boy, knowing he may leave at any moment. Their anguish is apparent, but after a time they realize they must let him go. This type of plot has been tried in other movies before. It just has a more Japanese sensibility here.

All the stories are slow moving, with an arthouse, low-budget feel to the stage direction and scenes. There is a minimum of dialogue, some choosing to supplement with first person narration or thoughts of the protagonist. I don't think this will turn anyone on to trying a Japanese horror film, but it may interest someone in picking up some Japanese horror stories instead.

Halloween horror: Ed Gein

Here's one to get you in the "holiday mood": Ed Gein aka In the Light of the Moon.

Ed Gein is a real life serial killer. He was supposedly the model for Norman Bates in Psycho, Leather Face of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill of Silence of the Lambs. He is played here by Steve Railsback, who also played Charles Manson in Helter Skelter. He was found out in the 50s, when most of this film takes place.

Halloween horror: Vincentennial: A Halloween Tribute to Vincent Price

Just spreading the word about an event, not free, but rather cool!  Really, how often can you celebrate one of moviedoms iconic actors, Vincent Price, with a centennial tribute?  And on Halloween weekend too!
Chicago's Portage Theatre, known for many screenings of silent, vintage, rare and beloved cult films, has a special program October 30, Vincentennial: A Halloween Tribute To Vincent Price.  Special guest is Vincent's daughter Victoria, who will be available for fan adoration.  She will present The House on Haunted Hill and The Last Man on Earth.  Intermission between the films will be a Q&A session with Ms. Price.  There is also a costume contest and memorabilia and other things for sale.


Vincentennial: A Halloween Tribute to Vincent Price
October 30
doors open at 1:00 p.m. (event ends about 7:00 p.m.)
Portage Theater
4050 N. Milwaukee Avenue
$15 at door for a double feature

Free event: March of the Penguins

Do you remember those Wild Kingdom animal documentaries on TV? I recall it was one of the few shows I and my non-English speaking parents and grandparents could all watch together. I am not sure if the reproductive lives of the animals were depicted in those old shows, but with works like Sundance Channel's randy series Seduce Me, animal behavior will always be a fascinating topic.

The documentary March of the Penguins continues in that path, showing emperor penguins mating and raising families.  Filmmakers must be really passionate to spend all that time out in the frigid cold to pursue film footage like this.

This is in French but subtitled. Register here for the movie.

March of the Penguins
Saturday, October 29
2:00 p.m.
Alliance Francaise
810 N. Dearborn St.

CIFF 2011: Cooley High

I remember, I think, watching Cooley High on tv many years ago. The film screened as part of the Black Perspective component of CIFF 2011, with the writer, the producer and some actors staying for a Q&A. They still had some vivid memories about filming here, working with the actors and crew, and the storyline.

The story takes place in the 60s in Chicago, and is filmed on location. Its central character is Leroy "Preach" Jackson (played by Glynn Turman), a highschooler who has dreams of being a writer or a poet. Being a black teen from a housing project, this aspiration is unusual, unsupported and unfulfilled. He hangs out with his best friend Richard "Cochise" Morris (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), who, like Preach, doesn't get a lot of adult guidance. They spend their days cutting from school, and nights partying, flirting, or drinking.

Past seven days

Even though I watched seven movies, it felt like a light week.  I did have some fun experiences.  The highlight without a doubt was a secret prevew screening hosted by the local Music Box Theatre.  It was Young Adult, a film to be released in December, written by Diablo Cody, directed by Jason Reitman, and starring Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, and Patrick Wilson.  Cody, Reitman and Oswalt all attended and hosted a very funny Q&A.  Audience members also got a neat, limited edition posted that was exclusive to this Chicago audience (preview screenings they are hosting in other cities have their own limited edition poster).  The Music Box rocks!

While the re-release of Ghostbusters didn't entirely hold up to my memory of it, it was fascinating to note that the majority of the audience were probably younger than the movie itself.  Some fans showed up in t-shirts with the ghost and I saw one girl also had a pin with the ghost emblem.

I also took in another program at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, which had a big focus on France this year. 

Creme of the Crop II--animated French shorts program
Dream House
Ghostbusters
Real Steel
Tales of the Night
Texas Killing Fields
Young Adult

Halloween Horror: God Told Me To

I saw this at a midnight screening a couple years ago. While the ending premise of the film is pretty wild, I think it shows how our culture relates religious fervor to mental instability, but then gives us yet another explanation. Many times it's hard to distinguish between the two. I don't claim to be any kind of expert in either topic, but my knee jerk summation is "crazy" when I hear someone claiming to talk to any god or see some religious icon on a toasted on a tortilla.

In God Told Me To, Tony LoBianco is a New York cop, Pete, who is trying to get to the bottom of random murders where the criminals all say "God told me to" do it. None of the criminals seem to have any connection to their victims, so Pete, a devout Catholic, really begins to believe that God HAS told these people, for some reason, to carry out the killings.

CIFF 2011: Snowtown

A predator joins an Australian family, turning a teen into a fellow killer. Snowtown is based on real murders in 1990s Australia. A divorced mother with several sons trusts a neighbor look after them but finds he had taken nude photos of them. This includes those of the teen Jamie (Lucas Pittaway), the middle brother. The kids pretty much fend for themselves and when their mother finds a new man, John (Daniel Henshall), he seems to be a stable and encouraging father figure to the boys.

Free event: The Shining

Dress for the weather, I believe this is screened outdoors.  Or bring someone to cuddle up with!

The Shining
Wednesday, October 26
6:00 p.m.
Chicago History Museum
Uihlein Plaza
1601 N. Clark St.

CICFF 2011: Tales of the Night

Not to be confused with the recent Chicago International Film Festival, Tales of the Night was one of the programs in the Chicago International CHILDREN'S Film Festival this weekend. This French movie is a compilation of television shorts made into a film through connecting segments of a theatre troupe thinking up story ideas. There are three characters in the troupe, a young man and young woman, who take on the roles of lovers in the folk tales they spin; the other character, an older man, help them form their basic story plots of six folk/fairy tales. The characters are shown in silhouette in front of vividly colored backgrounds. The film was created by Michel Ocelot, whose previous films have similar folk tale themes and visual presence.

All This in Tea

There are a couple people I know who are mad about tea. Tea probably does not get the love that coffee does in America, despite being a much older and more widely enjoyed drink internationally.

This documentary is about a Westerner, David Lee Hoffman, who travels to China often to buy tea directly from small farmers for his premium tea store.  Hoffman has cultivated his expertise over many years of visiting China, able to smell a bag of tea leaves and determine if it has taken up the chemical odors of fertilizer or pesticides.  He seems to have made quite a lucrative business, paying out several hundred yuan for a big bag of tea that I'm sure in the grand scheme of things, are worth several thousands in the West. 

Hoffman tells us he prefers to go with small farmers instead of factory farms, as they have better quality and cheaper prices. Unfortunately he has to deal with a lot of China's red tape and bureaucracy, and being a Westerner, he finds that part quite a chore. Sometimes he's annoyed to have to play the game even though he knows he has to, with bribes for instance.

While the film shows how he is supporting small farms with his patronage, the tea-selling also feels exploitative in many small ways, for both buyer and seller.  But it does let us in to parts of China that we don't often see, reinforcing images about Chinese bureaucracy that persist today.

CIFF 2011: Cairo 678

I think the best intent of an international film festival is to screen films from countries that bring to light a topic fairly unique to that country yet still identifiable to people around the world. Cairo 678 is such a film. It involves the actions taken by three different women in Egypt in their attempt to fight their society and culture's views of women and the harassment they face on a daily basis.

Texas Killing Fields

The story is loosely based on real events--bodies of dead girls and young women have been turning up in a boggy area of Texas City, known as the "killing fields," for nearly three decades. The latest killings are being investigated by three police detectives, Brian Heigh (Jefferey Dean Morgan) and his partner Mike Souder (Sam Worthington), and Mike's ex wife from another jurisdiction, Pam Stall (Jessica Chastain). Due to where bodies are being found, both Heigh/Souder and Stall call on each other to help although it is against regulations to work in each other's jurisdiction. But the three seem very passionate about solving these crimes, understanding the urgency of getting this solved.

Abel Raises Cain

If Borat had a father, it would be this guy. Abel Raises Cain!

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

This film is not easily put into one or two genres. I saw it during a non-holiday season (and although this is about the Santa Claus figure, it is not a holiday film in the traditional sense). It contains bits of a family drama, an action film, a science fiction/fantasy premise, as well as some horror elements.

The story takes place in a Finnish mountain town. The townsfolk learn of archaeologists doing some digging further up the mountain, who have been blasting apparently for seismic experiments. The small village's main source of income is from reindeer meat and one day some citizens, including the protagonists, the boy Pietari and his father, have discovered all the reindeer dead by the fence restricting access to the mountain. They are angry of course, believing the scientists' explosives have scared the wolves out of their habitat and the wolves are attacking the deer. Pietari's father protects his property from wolves by building a wolf pit with stakes. They catch something, but instead of an animal it is an old man.

CIFF 2011: Love Actually...Sucks!

Filmmaker Scud returned to the fest with his latest work, Love Actually...Sucks! (and hopes to return again next year with another one he said). This film portrays several different relationships of casually associated people. Stories are intertwined, and begin at a wedding where they are all guests. The wedding reception ends unhappily, as a tribute video to the happy couple turns out to be an explicit film of the groom--and his male lover! This set up gave the audience an idea of what to expect of the rest of the film as the stories began to develop.

Free Event: The Conversation

I love the city!  I think it is pretty easy to find a free film screening for almost every day of the year.
The latest offering is once again from Transistor, the music shop and art gallery.  The Conversation, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman in the lead role, is about a surveillance expert who hears a conversation but its meaning is ambiguous.  The expert believes one thing, but it is about something else.  He tries to understand the true meaning of the conversation while putting off giving the evidence to his client.  Costars include Robert Duvall, John Cazale, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, and Frederic Forrest.

The Conversation

Monday, October 24
8:00 pm

Transistor

5045 N. Clark Street

Sweeney Todd (2006)

This BBC television version of Sweeney Todd I think is much more human and realistically portrayed than the Tim Burton version or even the musical stage play. It is a straight historical drama (although Sweeney Todd has not been proven to be a real person, just based on or suggested by historical characters). I recommend you give it a try if you haven't yet.

CIFF 2010: Amphetamine

Chinese filmmaker Scud (real name Danny Cheng Wan-Cheung) presented a new film at CIFF 2011, so here is a quick review of his earlier film which I attended in 2010.  In Amphetamine, two young men wrestle with their sexual lives and their new relationship together.

Halloween horror: Coffin Joe: At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul

Did I grab you with that title? This is an early horror movie about Coffin Joe aka Ze, the charismatic but feared undertaker that serves a Brazilian town. Although he has his own woman Lenita, he lusts after Terezina because he has yet been unable to bear an heir through his wife. His disappointment in Lenita brings him to get rid of her, and he insinuates himself on Terezina after getting rid of her boyfriend. Terezina commits suicide, swearing to come back to haunt him. Once she is dead, Joe sets his eyes on the barmaid. None of the men in town are brave enough to stand up to him, allowing him to continue his lustful ways as well as his serial killing and maiming of citizens.

Free event: The Last Pullman Car

Train history buffs, here's an event for you!  Why are we so fascinated with trains?  The Last Pullman Car is being screened at the Pullman State Historic Site this Saturday.  It is being hosted by South Side Projections and the Bronzeville /Black Chicagoan Historical Society.  There will be a Q&A, and best yet, FREE PARKING!


The Last Pullman Car
Saturday, October 22
4:00 p.m.
The Pullman State Historic Site
11057 S. Cottage Grove Avenue

Past seven days

The Chicago International Film Festival winds down this week.  It closes with the award winner The Artist, a French film that sounds like A Star is Born mashed up with Singin' in the Rain.  A silent film star in 1927 mentors a beautiful new actress just when sound film comes into vogue.  It stars Jean Dujardin, who was hilarious in the James Bond spoofs OSS 117 and its sequel.

A final highlight for me was last night's special program An Evening with David Robinson.  Mr. Robinson is the director of Le Giornate del Cinema Muto aka Pordenone Silent Film Festival, in Pordenone, Italy.  It is in its 30th year and he came with some selected silent film shorts to show us.  He told us of the establishment of the film festival:  many years ago, after an earthquake devastated the area, some local citizens saw that people now living in tents and shacks needed some distraction in their long, dark nights.  They went around to the various temporary camps and showed films to help people escape their lives for a short time.  This evolved into the film festival.  The films Mr. Robinson selected were funny, creative and imaginative, none of which I have seen or heard of before.

I even managed to squeeze in a few feature films that are not part of the fest, such as The Ides of March and Margaret.

Here is my list from this past week.  Suffice it to say there were some long days of film watching.

A Lonely Place to Die
Almanya
Blackthorn
Cairo 678
Chico & Rita
Chronicle of My Mother
CineYouth Winners-Shorts Program
City & State-Shorts Program
The Clown
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
An Evening with David Robinson-Silent Films Shorts Program
Fireflies in the Garden
Goodbye
The Ides of March
The Kid Who Lies
King of Devil's Island
Margaret
Midnight Mayhem-Shorts Program
My Best Enemy
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
Snowtown
The Thing
Top Floor Left Wing
Volcano
The Whisperer in Darkness

CIFF 2011: Azhagarsamy's Horse

I haven't watched a lot of true Indian movies, and many of the ones floating around are of the Bollywood musical type, or action movies with not much plot--basically, I find them of poor quality. Every now and again there is a crossover hit like Monsoon Wedding or Slumdog Millionaire (is that "Indian" if directed by a Brit?) and of course there are the old classics like the Apu trilogy by Satyajit Ray. Newer films such as The Darjeeling Limited or Bride & Prejudice are trying to inject Indian flavor into a western storyline. Indian actors are appearing in more mainstream fare, but none has really hit it big yet, at least not that I can see.
Azhagarsamy's Horse doesn't fit any of those categories other than "true Indian movie." It is a story of a rural town whose religious icon of a horse goes missing, believed to be the steed of their god Azhagarsamy, just as they are preparing for a festival to pray for rain to return to their area. When a real horse shows up the village elders believe it is the horse incarnate, and chain it up to save it for the festival. But then its real owner, also named Azhagarsamy (played by a comic actor named Appukutty), comes to claim it. This young man is bullied and disgraced, and it is apparent he and the horse belong to each other, though he has no choice but to succumb to the mob and wait until the festival is over to reclaim his horse. As the townsfolk continue to argue about the ownership of the horse, and accuse each other of theft, we learn why the Azhagarsamy needs the horse so badly.

Free event: Le Notti Bianche

Le Notti Bianche is based on a Dostoyevsky story, White Nights. It is about a man (Marcello Mastroianni) who meets a lonely woman (Maria Schell) with an unrequited love (Jean Marais). This is being hosted tonight by the Italian Cultural Institute.


Le Notti Bianche
Tuesday, October 18
6:00 p.m.
Italian Cultural Institute
500 N. Michigan Avenue, #1450

Free event: International, Intimate

The University of Chicago has another free screening of films of Aleksandr Medvedkin and Chris Marker (which the University also hosted last week). Looks like there are no more spaces available for this week's show, but check out the lineup. If you are interested maybe they will come around again somewhere else.


Vision and Communism: The Films of Aleksandr Medvedkin and Chris Marker
Wednesday, October 19
7:00 p.m.
University of Chicago
Film Studies Center
5811 South Ellis Avenue

Fireflies in the Garden

Michael (Ryan Reynolds) is a successful novelist, now working on an autobiographical novel about his family.  When he was a child, his domineering father Charles (Willem Dafoe) bullied and belittled him and his mother (Julia Roberts). In the present, Michael and his family converge after a tragedy.

Blackthorn

Blackthorn is a fictionalized "what if" story. The story supposes that Butch Cassidy, believed to have died in the early 1900s against the Bolivian army, actually survived and disappeared.

Chicago International Film Festival 2011 Wrap-Up

I still have a couple films to watch in these last few days of the Fest, but overall I think this past week included a lot of varied topics.  The quality though, was very consistent--I don't think I rated any less than 3.5 out of 5 stars, with many being a 4 or higher for me.  Somehow this year I didn't catch a lot of comedies.

Free event: The Silence of the Lambs

Word association: fava beans and chianti = ??  The Silence of the Lambs of course.  I'm not sure what connection it has with Chicago history, but it is being screened by the Chicago History Museum as a lead up to Halloween.  Perhaps the association with history is that the killer in the book the movie is based on, was based on several real life serial killers.

The screening takes place apparently outdoors so be sure to dress for evening weather.


The Silence of the Lambs
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

6:00 p.m.

Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark Street

Past seven days

This has been a busy past seven days during the Chicago International Film Festival!  It's harder than going to work (although easy to figure out which one I'd rather be doing).

Azhagarsamy's Horse
Cooley High
Fat, Bald, Short Man
Kaidan Horror Classics
Le Havre
Love Actually...Sucks!
The Way
Tomboy

CIFF 2011: Fat, Bald, Short Man

The title (mostly) describes the main character, middle-aged Antonio Fanfar (Alvaro Bayona), who works in a notary public's office in Colombia.  The film uses rotoscope animation to depict its characters, with muted background images.  Antonio is shy and meek, and during the course of the story, stands up for himself in small ways.

CIFF 2011: Tomboy

**You have another chance to catch Tomboy if you missed it at CIFF.  It is playing at Reeling, the Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival.**

Kicking off my CIFF schedule is a French film written and directed by Celine Sciamma.  Tomboy is about a girl who is mistaken for a boy, and decides to continue this deception amongst some new friends.

Free event: La Strada

Although I've certainly heard of Federico Fellini's La Strada before, I haven't seen it myself.  This screening is hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute, who is celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy with events in Washington DC and elsewhere this year.

La Strada
Tuesday, October 11
6:00 p.m.
Italian Cultural Institute
500 N. Michigan Avenue, #1450

Free event: Unknown Origin (The Alien Within)

Unknown Origin is also known as The Alien Within.  I haven't seen it before (or heard of it for that matter).  Nor have I visited Delilah's.  This event isn't listed on their page as the website doesn't seem to have many updates for October, although older calendar pages do consistently list free movie nights.


Unknown Origin
Saturday, October 8
6:00 p.m.
Delilah's
2771 N. Lincoln Ave.

Horror movies in Chicago

Crain's Chicago Business is providing an interesting look at horror movie consumption in Chicago.  My neighborhood is on the low end.  Does your neighborhood reflect your love of horror movies or not?

Free event: Inside Job

Due to my attendance at the film fest this week I am unable to attend any of these free screenings I'm posting about, but a a noteworthy documentary topic is discussed in Inside Job, hosted by DePaul University Art Museum.  I learned about this screening at a third party site and am unable to find a listing on the DePaul University or their Art Museum site.  Caveat emptor!

Inside Job
Thursday, October 13
7:00 p.m.
DePaul University Art Museum
2350 N. Kenmore Avenue or 935 W. Fullerton Avenue

Free event: Manhattan Murder Mystery

Manhattan Murder Mystery is a Woody Allen movie I haven't seen. It is being screened by Transistor, a bookstore/art gallery/record shop.  They have many events going on, so be sure to check out their calendar.

Manhattan Murder Mystery

Monday, October 10
8:00 pm

Transistor

5045 N. Clark Street

A Canterbury Tale: The Way

The Way is a new film by director Emilio Estevez. It is about a man who walks El Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) when his somewhat estranged son dies doing the same.  El Camino is an old, established pilgrim's route leading to where St. James is believed to be buried.

Free event: The Film Train

The Film Train is a program of short Russian films from the silent era.  They were made by Aleksandr Medvedkin in the 1920s and 30s, which influenced Chris Marker in the late 60s.  Marker is probably best known to American audiences as the maker of La jetee, the film which Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys was based on.

Most of Medvedkin's film have a political/revolutionary slant.  The program also includes one film by Marker, which was probably influenced by the work represented in The Film Train.

The event is free but sign up here.

The Film Train

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

7:00pm

University of Chicago

Film Studies Center

5811 South Ellis Avenue

CIFF 2010--A Screaming Man

The lead actor in A Screaming Man won the "best actor" award at the Fest last year, and the film won "best screenplay" as well.  It comes from France, Belgium and Chad.

Aging pool attendant Adam, known as the Champ for his previous swimming awards, has to deal with the backdrop of war and his age.

Past seven days

It was a light week for movies--but I was watching some TV shows on DVD too.

Koyaanisqatsi
Machine Gun Preacher
Something Wild
The Housemaid
The Whole Wide World
Tron: Legacy

CIFF 2010--R U There

This next film from 2010 CIFF comes from The Netherlands and is directed by Shanghai-based Dutchman David Verbeek. As noted by the title of the film, this has internet relationships as its theme. 

CIFF 2010--The Matchmaker

Another film from 2010 CIFF, this is an Israeli coming of age story. A man remembers his youth after a matchmaker he worked for dies and leaves him all his possessions.

Arik was a teenager in the late 1960s, when several things happened one summer. A matchmaker, Yankale, an old friend of his father's from "those" days (WW2 concentration camps) offers to find matches for those who need help--peculiar people, meek people, the deformed. At first Arik and his friends trick him but Yankale is actually more savvy than that and hires Arik to be a sort of spy for him. When he has a client whose story sounds shady, he sends Arik to tail them to find out if their intentions are sexual or really for a love match.

Yankale is helped by a lady friend, Miss Clara, who has also suffered during the war, and now has to fend for herself as well. Arik is concerned they have a black market business because he likes them.

Another event is his best friend's Americanized (and sexy) female cousin visits. 

CIFF 2010--Asleep in the Sun

Asleep in the Sun is an Argentinian film, with a slightly scifi premise.  It is reminiscent of Cold Souls and maybe even a little Being John Malkovich, which might give you some idea of what this film is about. 

CIFF 2010--How I Ended This Summer

Another stellar film I saw at CIFF 2010 was How I Ended this Summer. It won the "best film" award in this Fest.