THE FILM SOCIETY
at the CROWLEY Arts Centre
Now in residence at the Crowley arts center, this cultural group dedicated to the art of cinema since 1992 is proud to present a series of Sunday night screenings of classic and important works. Open to all, we invite cinéphiles to come and enjoy our big screen offerings.
September 11 – NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955, U.S., 93 min.) Charles Laughton.
A serial killing preacher terrorizes two young children on the run. A visually innovative and stunning masterwork, this is actor Charles Laughton’s sole directorial effort and reveals that his brilliant talent extended to behind the camera as well. His collaboration with cinematographer Stanley Cortez (MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS by Orson Welles) resulted in a striking cinematic work that will haunt you for weeks.
September 25 – DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944, U.S., 107 min.) Billy Wilder.
Adapted from a James M. Cain novel by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, Double Indemnity represents the high-water mark of 1940s film noir urban crime dramas in which a greedy, weak man is seduced and trapped by a cold, evil woman amidst the dark shadows and Expressionist lighting of modern cities. Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) seduces insurance agent Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) into murdering her husband to collect his accident policy. The murder goes as planned, but after the couple's passion cools, each becomes suspicious of the other's motives. The plan is further complicated when Neff's boss Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), a brilliant insurance investigator, takes over the investigation. Told in flashbacks from Neff's perspective, the film moves with ruthless determinism as each character meets what seems to be a preordained fate. The three seasoned leads give some of their best performances and Wilder’s cynical sensibility finds a perfect match in the story's unsentimental perspective. All is heightened by John Seitz's hard-edged cinematography, best appreciated on our theatrical big screen. This “film noir” was rated top 29th film of all time by the American Film Institute.
BONUS: Live singer Melissa Furlotte will perform a short set of “film noir" tunes. (Coordinator, Jongleur Vocal Arts Performance School)
October 9– SUNRISE (1927, U.S., 103 min.) F.W. Murnau.
A married farmer falls under the spell of an urban siren who convinces him to drown his wife. Murnau’s first American film has been hailed as “the last high peak of German silent cinema.” In the 1950s, the French magazine Cahiers du Cinema named “Sunrise” as the “greatest film ever made.” In various international polls, “Sunrise” features prominently among the best and most significant films ever made.
For your unique pleasure, this silent-era masterpiece will be accompanied by live music.
Pianist: Simon Sloutsker (Educational director, Jongleur Vocal Arts Performance School)
October 23 – A NIGHT AT THE DRIVE-IN :
THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT (1975, U.S., 90 min.) + THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT (1977, U.S., 90 min.)
A double bill of tales by Edgar Rice Burroughs; Explore a land where the prehistoric past and present collide amongst molten lava, dinosaurs, a U-boat, a flying machine, warring tribes and a merciless death cult! Plus: Drive-in trailers and vintage poster display. Let’s all go to the lobby for popcorn, soft drinks and hotdogs for only $1 at intermission!
November 6 - SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952, U.S., 103 min.) Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly.
Pauline Kael, the late, great film reviewer for the New Yorker magazine, wrote in her review of the film that, “This exuberant satire of Hollywood in the late 20s is probably the most enjoyable of all American movie musicals.” The American Film Institute’s list of America’s 100 Greatest Movies lists “Singin' in the Rain” as #10 . . . the highest ranking for any musical.
Offered is a very rare vintage print made in the original Technicolor process that will leave you breathless. A truly unique experience not to be missed!
November 20 WAGES OF FEAR (LE SALAIRE DE LA PEUR) (1953, U.S., 145 min.) H.G. Clouzot.
Three men must travel over 300 miles of rough terrain in a truck carrying volatile explosives. Although there is a psychological element to Wages of Fear, this is primarily a visceral thriller. It's aimed more at the pit of the stomach than at the head. To be sure, the film has a smart, savvy script and Clouzot toys with a variety of thematic material, but, in the end, the purpose of Wages of Fear is to keep viewers on the edges of their seats. And the mechanism for this is constantly building tension, not unexpected plot twists. One of the all-time greatest thrillers. English subtitled version.
Doors: 7 p.m. Film: 7:30 p.m.
Admission: 8$, 6$ (students & 65+)
5325 Crowley Avenue (corner Décarie) Vendôme metro
www.crowleyartscentre.org