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 100^th 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