I tried to get six Scott Pilgrim books into two hours. This is now the second attempt to do it in 60 seconds. Bravo.
This also manages to include what I failed to; a cameo from Simon Pegg!
Who is Jean? ‘s entry for the Jameson/Empire Done in 60 Seconds 2011 Competition. Featuring Simon Pegg! Originally posted here.
…and other notes from his appearance at Edgar Wright’s season at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles.
This a nice piece of my New Beverly season thus far from Stephen Saito at IFC.
Click the link for the original article. Enjoy.
Originally Posted on 01/27/2011 at 3:36 PM by Stephen Saito / @mfrushmore (Here)
DAVID LYNCH AND LAURA DERN ON THE SET OF “WILD AT HEART,” SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS, 1990
Even if you’re not in Los Angeles, you may have heard about “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World” director Edgar Wright’s “The Wright Stuff II” series happening at the New Beverly Cinema this week and if not, there have been some truly wonderful pieces about what’s been going on, whether it’s been Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule‘s Dennis Cozzalio’s breathless coverage of every evening of double bills Wright has shown, New Bev doyenne Julia Marchese‘s touching tribute to the repertory theater that has come full circle with Wright’s second round of programming, or Damon Houx and Peter Peel‘s reappraisals of “American Graffiti” and “Dirty Harry,” respectively, after watching them with a packed house and the tremendous lineup of guests Wright has pulled together on a nightly basis.
Quentin Tarantino appeared positively giddy in explaining the connection between “Dirty Harry” to the Tea Party, Steven Spielberg took the time to send an e-mail to introduce “Duel,” and Walter Hill looked so flabbergasted to see such a big audience for “The Driver” (which he joked was most people in the U.S. that had ever seen the film) that it’s no wonder he’s returning to do a rare Q & A for “The Warriors” later this week. Toss in the fact that Warner Archive announced shortly after an ultra-rare screening of the idiosyncratic and undeniably fun 1974 policier “Super Cops” that it would release the film on DVD for the first time and I’d say it’s been a pretty incredible week.
Yet even Wright didn’t completely know what was in store for his screening of “Wild at Heart,” David Lynch’s trippy love story with Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern as lovers on the lam. Wright had invited producer Steve Golin, which was enough to satisfy the die-hard cinephiles in the audience who knew him as the architect of Anonymous Content and Propaganda Films, but even without that, he charmed everyone with stories of Lynch’s good luck rituals before a film like checking license plates in a parking lot for his initials and how he had a lunch meeting with Lynch where moments after he said he wanted Nicolas Cage for the part of bad boy Sailor Ripley, Cage walked into the restaurant they were eating at. However, when Wright welcomed Dern to the stage as a surprise guest after the film ended, little did he know that the actress had a surprise guest of her own.
The moment David Lynch stepped out in front of the New Beverly crowd, he received a nearly-endless standing ovation and while he and Dern ultimately didn’t speak much about the film at hand, they certainly brought down the house. Dern spoke a lot about her family connections to the film, sharing two funny anecdotes: one about Cage freaking her out a little before shooting a scene by saying, “That’s your mother in there,” expressing a slight bit of disbelief that she would be acting against her real-life mom Diane Ladd, and another involving her late grandmother, who went to premiere of “Wild at Heart,” which courted an X rating at the time for its violence and featuring Dern in various states of undress, and patted Lynch on the shoulder after to tell him he made a great film.
For his part, Lynch wanted to commend Tarantino, who unfortunately wasn’t in the crowd, for helping to save the New Beverly from destruction a few years back and eventually dropped a few tidbits for fans when the audience got to ask a few questions. On the subject of the “lost” “Blue Velvet” footage that’s been recently uncovered, he recounted the same story he told to KCRW about discovering the missing outtakes in Seattle, but if there was news on the home video front, it was Lynch’s announcement that from now on, he’ll be including chapter stops on the DVDs and Blu-rays of his films, a reversal from his previous stance. As Lynch said, he wants audiences to watch a film the whole way through a first time, but recognizes the importance of going back to observe particular scenes after an initial viewing. Also, no one should hold out hope for a sequel to “Eraserhead” after the passing of its star Jack Nance, though Lynch said, “I would love to go back to that world.”
Not surprisingly, Wright put it best the morning after on Twitter by writing, “Was too starstruck to note that when David Lynch appeared from the curtain as a surprise last night, it was like The Wizard Of Oz joined us,” a reference that could apply either to “Wild at Heart”‘s recurring “Oz” motif or the fact he left an entire crowd spellbound on what turned out to be a magical evening.
* A last chance to see The Wright Stuff II – final double bill this evening at 7:30pm
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Sunday the 30th to introduce the films.
*The Sunday show is now SOLD OUT. Any tickets that become available will be sold on a first come first served basis to those waiting in a stand by line the night of the event.
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Sun: TBA; Mon: 7:30
Miami Blues Sun: TBA; Mon: 9:45
Edgar says: Two fantastic crime films, both with legendary, beloved actors, neither of which as are well known as they should be. I aim to change this with this double bill.
Michael Cimino’s Thunderbolt & Lightfoot is a buddy movie classic, with the amazing combination of Clint Eastwood in his prime and Jeff Bridges in one his earliest starring roles. This handsome duo head up a tough, funny and frequently insane heist movie. I dearly love this movie. With Bridges now attaining the same legend status as Clint himself, it will be great to watch this again with a crowd.
Edgar says: George Armitage’s Miami Blues is another film slightly ahead of its time. In 1990 its combination of tough, funny noir and flashes of shocking violence seemed to bemuse audiences. Only five years later would Tarantino turn what was once for cult appreciation only into a global smasheroo. This very entertaining Miami lowlife romp has at its heart two great badass performances, the grizzled Fred Ward as Hoke Mosely and the frequently shirtless and impressively hairy Alec Baldwin as the charming psychopath Junior. This film is a little gem of broken fingers, lost digits and missing teeth. Anyone who has seen my amateur film Dead Right will know that I stole a joke from Miami Blues. I am willing to be shamed by screening it now.
Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Friday the 28th to introduce the films.
Star James Remar will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, to discuss the film on Friday the 28th!
The Wanderers Fri / Sat: 7:30
The Warriors Fri / Sat: 9:50
Edgar says: 1979 was a clearly a banner year for gang culture, as these two movies are the best of the genre. I showed these movies as a double bill in Toronto and they complemented each other beautifully. One is hugely underrated, the other is a cult phenomenon, both are amazing movies.
Phil Kaufman’s The Wanderers is a bruising, funny knuckleduster of a movie, a rites of passage set among the warfare and initiations of 60’s New York’s neighbourhood gangs. There’s so much from this film that has stayed with me, Perry’s haymaker punches, the fog bound streets where the Ducky Boys lurk, Ken Wahl belting out Dion, the apocalyptic football game. I love this movie.
Edgar says: Walter Hill’s The Warriors is rightly celebrated as a cult phenomenon beyond even its origins as a movie; dialogue, sounds and images have entered into the consciousness in music, fashion and videogames. At the heart is still a barnstorming late night rumble of a film, another classic all-in-one-night tale as our heroes perform a lethal A to B in the dark terrain of a New York long forgotten.
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Wednesday the 26th to introduce the films.
Tickets still available for the 27th here!
Wild at Heart Wed / Thurs: 7:30
True Romance Wed / Thurs: 10:00
Edgar says:Two lovers on the lam movies, two stone cold cult classics. Both equally beloved, both wildly entertaining, both frequently brutal and brutally funny.
David Lynch’s amazing Wild At Heart was released at the height of his network TV success with Twin Peaks, but does not pull any punches whatsoever. I vividly remember watching this on first release and being blown back into my seat by the outrageous opening; the combination of Im Abendrot, Powermad and a man’s head being bashed into a pulp was like nothing I’d ever seen. It remains a singular experience over twenty years later.
Edgar says:Tony Scott’s True Romance also felt somewhat ahead of its time and though not a huge box office bonanza, has become one of the most influential Quentin Tarantino scripts. The film foretells the age of the geek hero by at least ten years and sparked a fire for an entire genre of meta madness, my films included. Given that he didn’t direct it, it’s ironic that it feels like Tarantino’s most personal film. Its still a joy to watch, still apparently Tony Scott’s favorite film of his own and my god, what a cast.
Kudos to Kial Natale and Dylan Innes for this 60 second fan made version of ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs The World’ that whipped up for a film festival competition.
Amazing what they managed to pack in and an incredible amount of work must have gone into it. Am hugely flattered.
Achievement Unlocked.
(P.S. This should come with a SPOILER ALERT as it pretty much lays out the whole movie. But if you’re on my blog and you haven’t seen it, sort that shit out and thank me later.)
PLEASE VOTE TO GIVE US A SHOT AT $10,000!
Scott Pilgrim vs 60 Seconds is an official entry in the Virgin Radio Fake Film Festival contest. Inspired by Bryan Lee O’Malley’s amazing comic series and Edgar Wright’s wonderful film, this “speed run” tells the epic tale of love in only 60 seconds. Please vote for us here!
Directed by Kial Natale and Dylan Innes
Sound & Music by Aaron Kelsh and Dylan Innes
Scott – Chad Rimmel
Ramona – Jodii Grono
Knives – Michelle Lee
Gideon – Kial Natale
Stills – Ace Dixon
Todd/Twins – Aaron Kelsh
Patel – Lee Majdoub
Kim – Natasha Wehn
Wells – Nicholas Porteous
Lamp operator – Adam Suliman
Art Design – Tyler Nicol
Additional Music by Ace Dixon
Very special thanks to Petr Salaba and Nancy Shaw
And to all of our viewers for your support!
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Monday the 24th to introduce the films.
Director Walter Hill, star Bruce Dern & associate producer Frank Marshall will appear IN PERSON to discuss the film with Edgar Wright, schedules permitting, on Monday the 24th.
Tickets are available here now! NB. Monday’s show is now standby line only.
The Driver Mon / Tues: 7:30
Duel Mon / Tues: 9:25
Edgar says: Walter Hill’s spare, gritty neo noir, The Driver one of my favorite crime films; a gear crunching spin of Melville’s Le Samourai and a great snapshot of 70’s downtown LA. I love the stripped down dialogue, the lack of character names, the terse cat and mouse games and brutal bursts of violence.
Equally spare, Steven Spielberg’s debut feature film Duel is as great a sign of things to come as one could wish for. Not many first time directors could pull off something this effective and thrilling on such a low budget and short schedule. Not many directors have the word ‘masterful’ thrown around for their debut. Spielberg did. Film students take note, this is how you do it.
Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON with Bill Krohn, Hitchcock expert & author of the book Hitchcock at Work, schedules permitting, on Saturday the 22nd to discuss.
AND
Star of Dressed to Kill, Keith Gordon, will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Saturday the 22nd to discuss!
Frenzy Sat: 7:30; Sun: TBA
Dressed to Kill Sat: 9:45; Sun: TBA
Edgar says:
Late period Hitchcock and golden period De Palma, together at last. Both fantastic thrillers, breathtaking technical exercises and coal black comedies.
Frenzy had a mixed reception when first released as some were disappointed that Hitch finally showed in graphic detail what he had only hinted at before. I say this ruthless atmosphere only strengthens this grimly funny tale of a man wrongly accused of being a serial killer. As a Brit myself, I personally love the early 70’s grubbiness of the tale, murder among the fruit stalls and potatoes. Lovely!
Dressed To Kill opens with a dream sequence, but the nightmare never ends. De Palma conjures a dark cloud of doom over his ensemble and creates opera from terror. The technique in this film is absolutely incredible, one of those movies that is a mini film school in itself.
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, to discuss.
Run Lola Run Sat: 11:59pm (Midnight)
Edgar Says: Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run is the kind of movie I wish I’d directed; there’s such a joyful explosion of ideas and techniques, such great momentum and perpetual motion. When I first saw this it made me want to direct another movie more than ever, I remember dragging friends to see it, including Simon Pegg & Jessica Hynes. Indeed it had an influence on my favorite Spaced episode Gone (2.5). It will be great to see this again with a crowd, it’s like a great party mixtape of a movie.
January 20th & 21st
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Thursday the 20th to introduce the films.
Animal House director John Landis and editor George Folsey will appear IN PERSON, schedules permitting, on Thursday the 20th!
American Graffiti Thurs / Fri: 7:30
Animal House Thurs / Fri: 9:45
Edgar says: Two 70’s box office smashes for Universal. Two fantastic jukebox soundtracks. Two great movies set in 1962. Both hugely influential.
George Lucas’ last non Star Wars directed movie is still as fresh and funny as when it was first released. It’s still the daddy of the ‘all in one night’ genre which spawned films like Dazed & Confused and Superbad. And its nostalgic look at the 60’s created a retro revival that never went away.
American Graffiti is a treat to watch, seeing all these young actors and film-makers working on something so funny, effortless and yet truly poignant.
Now imagine that Richard Dreyfuss’ character leaves for college at the end of one movie and arrives at Faber College…
Then we arrive at John Landis’ Animal House, a raucous behemoth of cinematic comedy that truly changed the landscape. This film made careers, created a new genre of adult comedy and continues to be imitated to this day.
January 18th & 19th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Tuesday the 18th to introduce the films.
SUPER COPS star David Selby & co-writer Lorenzo Semple Jr. will now appear IN PERSON on the 18th to discuss with the film with Edgar.
And also a special mystery guest to talk ‘Dirty Harry’ too. Do not miss.
Tickets can be purchased here!
Dirty Harry Tues / Wed: 7:30
The Super Cops Tues / Wed: TBA
Edgar says: Dirty Harry is still the classic cop film. I’ve been unhealthily obsessed with it since I was 11, It has both Don Siegel & Clint Eastwood at the peak of their powers, the greatest villain of all time in Andy Robinson’s deranged Scorpio and one of my very favourite scores by Lalo Schrifin. I can tell you how many times I’ve seen it, ripped it off, been wowed by it. For me the Warner Brothers logo is forever linked with the crime ridden San Francisco of this movie.
Edgar says: The Super Cops is a rare treat on the big screen. I first saw this on TV at a very young age an was taken with the story of the real life Batman & Robin of New York; beat cops Greenberg & Hantz. I saw the film again recently and it did not disappoint. It’s an unsung buddy classic, mostly down to the unlikely badasses that are Ron Liebman and David Selby. I defy you to not come out of this movie loving this pair. I’m excited to watch this utter gem with you on the big screen again.
(Worth noting that the Batman & Robin connections don’t end with Greenberg & Hantz’s nicknames, the film is also written by Batman’s TV screenwriter, Lorenzo Semple Junior.)
January 16th & 17th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, Sunday the 16th to introduce the films along with ace director and fellow Brazil fan Richard Kelly!
Tickets for the 17th available here!
Brazil Sun & Mon: 7:30pm
Delicatessen Sun & Mon: 10:05pm
Edgar says: There are not many film fans that are not profoundly affected after watching ‘Brazil’ for the first time. After scoring a worldwide hit with ‘Time Bandits’, Terry Gilliam spent his box office chit in the most crazily ambitious way possible. ‘Brazil’ is a film so bold and brilliant, that it nearly didn’t see the light of day and was almost regulated to an Orwellian film vault never to reach general audiences. But it escaped, to inspire all who see it.
Edgar says: I saw Delicatessen on its initial release at the age of 17. My teenage mind could barely process this wild debut; brimming with style, bold of palette, mixing black hearted humor with the sweetest comedy. It’s an insane piece of work by two amazing artists, Jeunet & Caro. You’ve seen it ripped off in a million ways, by music video and commercial directors, by my good self and by the directors themselves. See it back on the big screen and applaud one of most influential comedies of the last few decades.
Above poster art Courtesy of DKNG Studios www.dkngstudios.com/ – Purchase Information TBC
The tickets go on sale for the opening triple today. I will be there both nights, with some special guests to potentially join on the Saturday night triple. Both nights will be epic, with handpicked vintage trailers and perhaps some giveaways. See you there.
This event is now Sold Out – Standby Line only!
Image Credit: Lloyd Stas – see the full blog post about these posters here.
January 14th & 15th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, Friday & Saturday to discuss!
Location: New Beverly Cinema, 7165 W Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036
Shaun of the Dead Fri / Sat: 7:30
Hot Fuzz Fri / Sat: 9:30
Scott Pilgrim versus the World Fri / Sat: 11:59pm (Midnight)
Edgar says: How hardcore are you? Enough to deal with my last three movies in one marathon night? If so, I will see you there!
Triple Bill Trailers
In honour of our amazing visual effects team making the next stage of selection for the VFX Academy Award here again is a clip of the Visual Effects Breakdown from the Scott Pilgrim extras, where Frazer Churchill from Double Negative explains all.
*Originally posted November 2nd, 2010
The long promised Blu-Ray and DVD hit stores in the US and Canada a week from today.
So let me tease you with some more behind the scenes science. This VFX breakdown narrated by our Visual Effects Supervisor Frazer Churchill shows you the painstaking work done by the wizards at Double Negative, along with my big brother Oscar who helped design some of the graphics.
If it exhausts you thinking about the work that went into these few seconds, imagine a whole movie of the same.
Hats off to these boffins!
More of this on the upcoming Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Blu-ray/DVD.
Find more videos at NBC Universal’s YouTube channel here.
I have Lloyd Stas from Nottingham to thank for this beautiful set of posters.
I had better make some more films so he can make some more prints.
View the full set on Flickr, visit Lloyd Stas online and on twitter
It’s been three years since I was at the New Beverly in Los Angeles for the first Wright Stuff season.
Now I’m finally back for round two of some of my work and a whole of my favourite films in mouth watering double bills. Many of these I’ve never seen on the big screen or certainly not with a big crowd, so this will be a lot of fun. Special guest announcements to come, so keep your eyes peeled.
See you there. Will be reasonably epic.
Prepare yourself Los Angeles for the return of filmmaker Edgar Wright as he descends on The New Beverly with his epic screening series The Wright Stuff II. Mark your calendars because Mr. Wright will be delivering a double dose of features, special guests, and more surprises starting January 14th and continuing through January 31st, 2011.
Keep checking back for further details as they become available. In the meantime, check out the line-up and thank us for answering your prayers.
* Be sure to check with The New Beverly for any last minute time and/or schedule changes.
** Keep up to date with The New Beverly and the events as they are posted on twitter and facebook.
*** Guests are TBC be sure to check back and watch twitter for updates.
January 14th & 15th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, Friday & Saturday to discuss!
Both dates SOLD OUT!
Shaun of the Dead Fri / Sat: 7:30
Hot Fuzz Fri / Sat: 9:30
Scott Pilgrim versus the World Fri / Sat: 11:59pm (Midnight)
January 16th & 17th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, Sunday the 16th to introduce the films!
16th SOLD OUT
Remaining Tickets Available Here!
Brazil Sun: TBA; Mon: 7:30
Delicatessen Sun: TBA; Mon: 10:05
January 18th & 19th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Tuesday the 18th to introduce the films.
Remaining Tickets Available Here!
Dirty Harry Tues / Wed: 7:30
The Super Cops Tues / Wed: TBA
35mm print courtesy of the BFI. SUPER COPS star David Selby & co-writer Lorenzo Semple Jr. will now appear IN PERSON on the 18th to discuss with the film with Edgar.
Edgar says: Dirty Harry is still the classic cop film. I’ve been unhealthily obsessed with it since I was 11, It has both Don Siegel & Clint Eastwood at the peak of their powers, the greatest villain of all time in Andy Robinson’s deranged Scorpio and one of my very favourite scores by Lalo Schrifin. I can tell you how many times I’ve seen it, ripped it off, been wowed by it. For me the Warner Brothers logo is forever linked with the crime ridden San Francisco of this movie.
Edgar says: The Super Cops is a rare treat on the big screen. I first saw this on TV at a very young age an was taken with the story of the real life Batman & Robin of New York; beat cops Greenberg & Hantz. I saw the film again recently and it did not disappoint. It’s an unsung buddy classic, mostly down to the unlikely badasses that are Ron Liebman and David Selby. I defy you to not come out of this movie loving this pair. I’m excited to watch this utter gem with you on the big screen again.
(Worth noting that the Batman & Robin connections don’t end with Greenberg & Hantz’s nicknames, the film is also written by Batman’s TV screenwriter, Lorenzo Semple Junior.)
January 20th & 21st
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Thursday the 20th to introduce the films.
January 20th SOLD OUT – Remaining Tickets Available Here!
American Graffiti Thurs / Fri: 7:30
Animal House Thurs / Fri: 9:45
Animal House director John Landis and editor George Folsey will appear IN PERSON, schedules permitting, on Thursday the 20th!
Edgar says: Two 70’s box office smashes for Universal. Two fantastic jukebox soundtracks. Two great movies set in 1962. Both hugely influential.
George Lucas’ last non Star Wars directed movie is still as fresh and funny as when it was first released. It’s still the daddy of the ‘all in one night’ genre which spawned films like Dazed & Confused and Superbad. And its nostalgic look at the 60’s created a retro revival that never went away.
American Graffiti is a treat to watch, seeing all these young actors and film-makers working on something so funny, effortless and yet truly poignant.
Now imagine that Richard Dreyfuss’ character leaves for college at the end of one movie and arrives at Faber College…
Then we arrive at John Landis’ Animal House, a raucous behemoth of cinematic comedy that truly changed the landscape. This film made careers, created a new genre of adult comedy and continues to be imitated to this day.
January 22nd
Run Lola Run Sat: 11:59pm (Midnight)
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, to discuss.
Remaining Tickets Available Here!
Edgar Says: Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run is the kind of movie I wish I’d directed; there’s such a joyful explosion of ideas and techniques, such great momentum and perpetual motion. When I first saw this it made me want to direct another movie more than ever, I remember dragging friends to see it, including Simon Pegg & Jessica Hynes. Indeed it had an influence on my favorite Spaced episode Gone (2.5). It will be great to see this again with a crowd, it’s like a great party mixtape of a movie.
January 22nd & 23rd
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Saturday the 22nd to discuss.
Remaining Tickets Available Here!
Frenzy Sat / Sun: 7:30;
Dressed to Kill Sat / Sun: 9:45;
Edgar says: Late period Hitchcock and golden period De Palma, together at last. Both fantastic thrillers, breathtaking technical exercises and coal black comedies.
Frenzy had a mixed reception when first released as some were disappointed that Hitch finally showed in graphic detail what he had only hinted at before. I say this ruthless atmosphere only strengthens this grimly funny tale of a man wrongly accused of being a serial killer. As a Brit myself, I personally love the early 70’s grubbiness of the tale, murder among the fruit stalls and potatoes. Lovely!
Dressed To Kill opens with a dream sequence, but the nightmare never ends. De Palma conjures a dark cloud of doom over his ensemble and creates opera from terror. The technique in this film is absolutely incredible, one of those movies that is a mini film school in itself.
January 24th & 25th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Monday the 24th to introduce the films.
Remaining Tickets Available Here!
The Driver Mon / Tues: 7:30
Duel Mon / Tues: 9:25
Director Walter Hill, star Bruce Dern & associate producer Frank Marshall will appear IN PERSON to discuss the film with Edgar Wright, schedules permitting, on Monday the 24th.
Edgar says: Walter Hill’s spare, gritty neo noir, The Driver one of my favorite crime films; a gear crunching spin of Melville’s Le Samourai and a great snapshot of 70’s downtown LA. I love the stripped down dialogue, the lack of character names, the terse cat and mouse games and brutal bursts of violence.
Equally spare, Steven Spielberg’s debut feature film Duel is as great a sign of things to come as one could wish for. Not many first time directors could pull off something this effective and thrilling on such a low budget and short schedule. Not many directors have the word ‘masterful’ thrown around for their debut. Spielberg did. Film students take note, this is how you do it.
January 26th & 27th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Wednesday the 26th to introduce the films.
January 26th SOLD OUT – Remaining Tickets Available Here!
Wild at Heart Wed / Thurs: 7:30
True Romance Wed / Thurs: 10:00
Edgar says: Two lovers on the lam movies, two stone cold cult classics. Both equally beloved, both wildly entertaining, both frequently brutal and brutally funny.
David Lynch’s amazing Wild At Heart was released at the height of his network TV success with Twin Peaks, but does not pull any punches whatsoever. I vividly remember watching this on first release and being blown back into my seat by the outrageous opening; the combination of Im Abendrot, Powermad and a man’s head being bashed into a pulp was like nothing I’d ever seen. It remains a singular experience over twenty years later.
Edgar says: Tony Scott’s True Romance also felt somewhat ahead of its time and though not a huge box office bonanza, has become one of the most influential Quentin Tarantino scripts. The film foretells the age of the geek hero by at least ten years and sparked a fire for an entire genre of meta madness, my films included. Given that he didn’t direct it, it’s ironic that it feels like Tarantino’s most personal film. Its still a joy to watch, still apparently Tony Scott’s favorite film of his own and my god, what a cast.
January 28th & 29th
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Friday the 28th to introduce the films.
Remaining Tickets Available Here!
The Wanderers Fri / Sat: 7:30
The Warriors Fri / Sat: 9:50
Edgar says: 1979 was a clearly a banner year for gang culture, as these two movies are the best of the genre. I showed these movies as a double bill in Toronto and they complemented each other beautifully. One is hugely underrated, the other is a cult phenomenon, both are amazing movies.
Phil Kaufman’s The Wanderers is a bruising, funny knuckleduster of a movie, a rites of passage set among the warfare and initiations of 60’s New York’s neighbourhood gangs. There’s so much from this film that has stayed with me, Perry’s haymaker punches, the fog bound streets where the Ducky Boys lurk, Ken Wahl belting out Dion, the apocalyptic football game. I love this movie.
Edgar says: Walter Hill’s The Warriors is rightly celebrated as a cult phenomenon beyond even its origins as a movie; dialogue, sounds and images have entered into the consciousness in music, fashion and videogames. At the heart is still a barnstorming late night rumble of a film, another classic all-in-one-night tale as our heroes perform a lethal A to B in the dark terrain of a New York long forgotten.
January 30th & 31st
* Edgar Wright will appear IN PERSON, schedule permitting, on Sunday the 30th to introduce the films.
Remaining Tickets Available Here!
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Sun: TBA; Mon: 7:30
Miami Blues Sun: TBA; Mon: 9:45
Edgar says: Two fantastic crime films, both with legendary, beloved actors, neither of which as are well known as they should be. I aim to change this with this double bill.
Michael Cimino’s Thunderbolt & Lightfoot is a buddy movie classic, with the amazing combination of Clint Eastwood in his prime and Jeff Bridges in one his earliest starring roles. This handsome duo head up a tough, funny and frequently insane heist movie. I dearly love this movie. With Bridges now attaining the same legend status as Clint himself, it will be great to watch this again with a crowd.
Edgar says: George Armitage’s Miami Blues is another film slightly ahead of its time. In 1990 its combination of tough, funny noir and flashes of shocking violence seemed to bemuse audiences. Only five years later would Tarantino turn what was once for cult appreciation only into a global smasheroo. This very entertaining Miami lowlife romp has at its heart two great badass performances, the grizzled Fred Ward as Hoke Mosely and the frequently shirtless and impressively hairy Alec Baldwin as the charming psychopath Junior. This film is a little gem of broken fingers, lost digits and missing teeth. Anyone who has seen my amateur film Dead Right will know that I stole a joke from Miami Blues. I am willing to be shamed by screening it now.
