Great Films, Tour of mid-century Modern development, and much more from September 6-October 30

FILM NOIR at the

Lisa's Note: The following films are a few samples of what's playing. Not to be missed! Link to film schedule below.

Gloria Grahame (as Vicki Buckley) in Fritz Lang's HUMAN DESIRE (1954), screening September 23 at Museum of the Moving Image, as part of the film series "Fritz Lang, King of Noir," September 8-30, 2007. Photo: Columbia/Photofest. Courtesy of Museum of the Moving Image.

Bennett (in portrait) and Edward G. Robinson in Fritz Lang's THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW (1944), screening September 15 at Museum of the Moving Image as part of the film series "Fritz Lang, King of Noir," September 8-30, 2007. Photo: RKO Radio Pictures, Inc./Photofest. Courtesy of Museum of the Moving Image.

Ray Milland in Fritz Lang's MINISTRY OF FEAR (1944), screening September 9 at Museum of the Moving Image, as part of the film series "Fritz Lang, King of Noir," September 8-30, 2007. Photo: Paramount Pictures/Photofest. Courtesy of Museum of the Moving Image.

Shown from left: Robert Malcolm (as Policeman), Edward G. Robinson (as Christopher Cross), and Joan Bennett (as Kitty March) in Fritz Lang's SCARLET STREET (1945), screening September 15 at Museum of the Moving Image, as part of the film series "Fritz Lang: King of Noir," September 8-30, 2007.
Photo credit: Universal Pictures/Photofest.
Courtesy Museum of the Moving Image.

‘FRITZ LANG, KING OF NOIR’ 
FILM SERIES CELEBRATES LANG AS BOTH PRECURSOR TO AND PRACTITIONER OF FILM NOIR, SEPTEMBER 8-30, 2007

Film noir was an American genre, yet it had an unmistakable German pedigree. Its poetic roots can be found in the stylized, shadow-filled psychodramas of silent-era German Expressionism. But it wasn’t just the style that was imported; among the directors and cinematographers who fled the Nazis and came to Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s, none were as deeply in tune with the philosophy of noir as Fritz Lang. From September 8 through 30, 2007, the Museum of the Moving Image will present Fritz Lang, King of Noir, a fifteen-film series featuring Lang’s genuine films noir as well as important precursors to the genre.



The series features all of Lang’s 1940s and 1950s noirs including his masterpieces Scarlet Street and The Big Heat; the German crime thrillers M and The Testament of Dr. Mabuse; and his early American films Fury and You Only Live Once. “Fritz Lang’s dark fatalism, fascination with modern urban life, and his penchant for intricate, spiraling narrative structures all had a major influence on the genre,” said David Schwartz, the Museum’s Chief Curator. “David Cronenberg, whose film A History of Violence was clearly influenced by The Big Heat, is just one of many directors, including Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers, who were inspired by Lang.”



Famous for his expressionistic silent films, Fritz Lang fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s. In the United States, Lang learned to combine his expressionism with a grittier realism that grounded his favorite themes of revenge, obsession, and disillusionment in stories of everyday people. These films, such as Fury and his lovers-on-the-run romance, You Only Live Once, proved crucial precursors of film noir, both in their stories of criminal desperation and deceit, and in their sinister, shadowy look.

The 1940s and 1950s found Lang mastering the genre he helped invent and introduce, while broadening his range of themes and tones. While Scarlet Street features Edward G. Robinson as an apron-wearing schlub, The Big Heat is a hard-boiled story of machismo gone awry. House by the River rediscovers Lang’s fairy-tale roots, and Clash by Night and Human Desire effortlessly use location shooting to find visual metaphors for tortured psyches. Yet in all these films, fantastic things happen to the commonest people as conspiracies consume their victims and members alike. Such cynicism nearly defines noir, but in his protean approaches, Lang’s message seemed to be not only that everything and everyone must fail, but that there are countless ways in which we are free to do so.

 SCHEDULE FOR ‘FRITZ LANG, KING OF NOIR’
 SEPTEMBER 8-30, 2007 
Series organized by Chief Curator David Schwartz. All films directed by Fritz Lang.

MUSEUM INFORMATION
Hours: Wednesdays & Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fridays, 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Tuesday, school groups only by appointment.)
Film Screenings: See above for schedule.
Museum Admission: $10.00 for adults; $7.50 for persons over 65 and for students with ID; $5.00 for children ages 5-18. Children under 5 and Museum members are admitted free. Admission to the galleries is free on Fridays, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Paid admission includes film screenings (except for special ticketed events).
Location: 35 Avenue at 36 Street in Astoria.
Subway: R or V trains (R or G on weekends) to Steinway Street. N or W trains to 36 Avenue.
Program Information: Telephone: (718) 784-0077; Website: www.movingimage.us

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Lisa's Note: This was sent to me by Monty, a dear friend living down in Baltimore, Maryland with his partner Steve. If you're headed to Baltimore this weekend or know someone down there click below for tour information.

40th Anniversary of Bolton Square
Saturday Sept. 8th - 1-5PM

This mid-century modern residential development in Bolton Hill, was recently designated a Baltimore City Landmark.

Bolton Square featured in October STYLE Magazine
Turn to page 45 to see a photo of their house.


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Lisa's Note: Maria Pusateri was first introduced to me last year by my friend Karen Gedney, when Vito After was released and posted on my blog last September. (check out my archives)

CWNY Screens Presents

FREEHELD
the Laurel Hester story

A new documentary from CYNTHIA WADE

Special Jury Prize, 2007 Sundance Film Festival
Special Jury Prize, 2007 Seattle International Film Festival
Audience Award, Documentary Short, 2007 Outfest
Best Documentary Short Award, 2007 Newfest
Social Action Through Cinema Award, Denver Film Society, 2007

Please join us for an inspirational evening -- a screening of the award-winning short documentary FREEHELD, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Cynthia Wade. If you have never heard Cynthia Wade speak, now is your chance to listen to her sharp, honest and memorable perspective on being a Sundance director, a successful video production business owner and professional camerawoman. This 90-minute program will be followed by an after-party downstairs at the Den of Cin.

When: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 at 7:00 pm

Where: Two Boots Pioneer Theater
155 E. 3rd Street, near corner of Avenue A

Tickets: Gen. Pub. $10.00 / Students, Groups & CWNY* $6.50

Purchase online at www.twoboots.com/pioneer
or call 212-591-0434

*CWNY DISCOUNT TICKETS: a limited supply of 25 tickets at $6.50 are available to members & non-members by reservation only. Please RSVP to screenings@cinewomenny.org for this special offer.

Lieutenant Laurel Hester is dying.

All she wants to do is leave her pension benefits to her life partner - Stacie, so Stacie can afford to keep their house. Laurel is told no; they are not husband and wife.

After spending a lifetime fighting for justice for other people, Laurel - a veteran New Jersey detective - launches a final battle for justice. Knuckle-biting, dramatic Freeheld chronicles a dying policewoman's bitter fight to provide for the love of her life.

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CYNTHIA WADE is a NYC-based documentary filmmaker. Her short documentary "Freeheld" won a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, and her award-winning HBO documentary "Shelter Dogs" was broadcast in seven countries. Wade directed the 1999 Cinemax Reel Life documentary "Grist For The Mill", which The Hollywood Reporter called "a delight" -- "full of quirky moments and clever humor" and Variety called "a jewel" -- "extremely comical." She was co-producer and principal verite cinematographer for the 1998 PBS documentary "Taken In: The Lives of America's Foster Children", which won a duPont-Columbia Award for Excellence in Journalism. Wade has been a Director of Photography for PBS, HBO/Cinemax, Bravo, AMC, MTV, A&E, Discovery, TNT, Oxygen, LOGO and The History Channel. She received a BA cum laude from Smith College and an MA in Documentary Film Production from Stanford University. Wade runs a video production company and teaches advanced digital cinematography at the New School.

CWNY SCREENS
Programming Director: Maria Pusateri
Curators/Programming: Maria Pusateri, Vicki Vasilopoulos, Myra Sito Velasquez
Guest Curators: Jessica Burstein, Kelly Shindler, Louise Fleming, Alison McMahan
Intern: Julie Praetzel

email: screenings@cinewomenny.org
www.cinewomenny.org

Maria Pusateri
DreamSlate Productions
Director/Producer
see VITO AFTER
Sept 5, 2007, 7:00pm
NewFilmmakers at Anthology Film Archives
www.newfilmmakers.com

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Lisa's Note (no pun intended): Marsha Heydt is one very talented musician! I know Marsha and am posting this media alert for all you jazz lovers to add Marsha to your collection.

CD Review:

MARSHA HEYDT
One Night: Candy Dulfer has been our main saxy lady for quite sometime, but Heydt gets special coming out of nowhere points for her groove packed cover of "Mercy Mercy Mercy" which la Dulfer has yet to flash her chops on and is a proving ground for any swinging musician. Enough of an ace to share space with aces like Grover Washington, Randy Brecker and others, her updates on classics and standards will have you wondering where
she's been all your life. Tasty stuff you're sure to enjoy. (Blue Toucan)

Featuring Marsha Heydt- Alto & Soprano and Flute
Norman Pors-piano, Marc Schmied-bass, Vito Laschek-drums, Sheryl Bailey-guitar, Marlon Simon-per, Todd Schwartz-trumpet & FlhHn, Carla Cook-vocals, Erik Friedlander-cello, Rob Thomas-violin, Anne Marie Bedney-viola, Nioka Kim Workman-violin

www.marshaheydt.net

(Sorry about the italics. I seem to be experiencing technical difficulties. —Lisa)