Sunday, December 30, 2012

My Year in Repertory Cinema



For as long as I can remember, I have been deservedly derided by my friends for having seen so few classics, despite being such a huge movie person. This was the year I decided to start to change that.  Slowly, of course – it’s an uphill battle at this point. Plus, it’s harder for me because I fail miserably at watching movies at home.  It’s just not my ideal environment – too many tempting distractions, and I cannot abide watching films with distractions.  That leaves me with theatrical experiences. But, I’m in luck; I live in the best city in the world for seeing older films.    
 
I wound up seeing around 42 “older movies” in theaters this year – mostly at the IFC Center, but also The Film Forum, Museum of the Moving Image and MoMA.


To be fair, I also saw Goodfellas and The Game this year, but not in a theater. Loved them both, especially the latter.  Oh, and I also watched Ghostbusters for the first time.  Twice!  It’s hard to appreciate a movie like that as much as I know I would have if I’d seen it as a kid – but I do at least totally “get” what the fuss is about.

I took advantage of some awesome programming from local movie houses – my favorite of which being the Universal 100 this summer at the Film Forum, where they showed multiple double features in honor of Universal’s 100th anniversary. I saw my first, second and third Douglas Sirk films as a part of that. Such good stuff.

 
But, the IFC Center also spoiled me by showing a different Alfred Hitchcock film every weekend at 11 AM for months in a row. Of his notable ones I missed Rope, The Birds, Dial M for Murder and The Man Who Knew Too Much.

I want next year to be an even better year for me in terms of catching up on classics.  Also, I’m going to make an effort to improve my watch-at-home habits. And also to improve my keeping track of my watch-at-home habits. 


Here are a few notable “bests:”

Best Hitchcock (of the 11 I saw for the first time in 2012): Vertigo

Most Embarrassing Confession:  This was the year I finally saw Back to the Future 1 and 2

“What’s the Big Deal” Award: American Graffiti. Meh!


Most Fun: Miami Connection


Top Five Overall

5. Wake in Fright
4. Annie Hall
3. Imitation of Life
2. Vertigo
1. Three Colors: Red

Also amazing were Life is Sweet, The Conversation, Psycho, L’Enfant, Nashville, Oldboy, The Battle of Algiers, To Catch a Thief, Rebecca, Rosemary’s Baby

Here's the full list of older movies I saw theatrically in 2012:


Zelig
L'Enfant
Life is Sweet
Marathon Man
Annie Hall
The Conversation
Nashville
Oldboy
Funny Face
Murder!
The Battle of Algiers
Cape Fear
Shadow of a Doubt
Saboteur
Psycho
To Catch a Thief
The 39 Steps
Rear Window
Lifeboat
Hello, Dolly
Imitation of Life
American Graffiti
Vertigo
Baraka
Magnificent Obsession
Written on the Wind
Rebecca
Big River Man
Wake in Fright
Miami Connection
Robocop
The Spy Who Loved Me
Gasland
Torn Curtain
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Rosemary's Baby
ExistenZ
Three Colors: Red
Annie   
Back to the Future
Back to the Future 2
Ninotchka


5 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooh - I'll play! Keeping mine to big-screen first-timers only...

    Best Hitchcock (of the 6 I saw for the first time in 2012): NOTORIOUS

    Most Embarrassing Confession: Despite owning ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE in some form or another for fourteen years, I only saw it for the first time this year (on a big screen at least)

    “What’s the Big Deal” Award: PICNIC. The titular picnic is indeed epic, but what the hell?


    Most Fun: Tie - ZARDOZ and ROBOCOP


    Top Five Overall

    5. WILD AT HEART
    4. A MAN ESCAPED
    3. BREATHLESS
    2. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM
    1. PICKPOCKET

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm so glad you saw Annie hall! one of my favorites. definitely my favorite woody Allen movie.

    have you seen the godfather series and falling down? two of my other favorites. oh and scarface!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Seeing ANNIE HALL in the theater way back when (I think it was a 1983 or 4 re-release) was just beautiful.

    ReplyDelete