Off-Broadway,
Bullet for Adolf, by Woody Harrelson and Frankie Hyman,
takes place in Houston in 1983. Two characters, based on the
playwrights, are working on a construction site for a German boss.
They flirt, speak and shout racial epithets, use vulgar language
constantly and hit one another violently. It is probably the nosiest
play in town. Take earplugs. The opening night party at Hurley's
attracted guests like Steve Guttenberg,, Stephenie J.
Block and Tony Danza.
For Sondheim
lovers, there is a surprise at the Delacorte Theater in Central
Park. Into the Woods, with an all star cast, which includes
Denis O'Hare, Amy Adams and Donna Murphy, will offer
you perfect setting for this fairy tale musical. Among the opening
night guests at the party in Belvedere Castle were Alan Cumming,
Cynthia Nixon, Joanna Gleason and Stephen Sondheim.
Mostly Mozart
continued with a program by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. The
orchestra, under the baton of Yannick Nezet-Segun, opened
with a solemn Overture to Don Giovanni, K. 527, by Mozart
and continued with the Concerto for violin and oboe in C minor,
by Bach, with two splendid soloists, Lisa Batiashvili
(violin) and Francois Leleux (oboe). They offered an
unaccompanied encore, a delightful Queen of the Night aria from The
Magic Flute, by Mozart, which was greeted with a thunderous
ovation. The two artists are exciting to listen to demonstrating a
superb technique. After the intermission, the program concluded with
a powerful interpretation of the Symphony No. 3 in A minor
("Scottish"), by Mendelssohn, with the full orchestra.
They produced a rich sound, especially in the brass section. It was
an impressive concert, and certainly one of the highlights of the
festival.
Film Society of
Lincoln Center is presenting Claude
Sautet: The Things of Life, August 1-9. Vincent,
Francois, Paul and the Others, France/Italy, 1974, is another
penetrating look at the frustrations in the lives of three
middle-aged friends. Yves Montand is a factory owner,
Michel Piccoli is a doctor and Serge Reggiani is a
writer. Financial, emotional, and family problems play a part in
this realistic drama. A young Gerard Depardieu plays an
amateur boxer, whose fight scene is quite realistic and thrilling.
It is an incisive view of upper middle class in France. Again
Sautet reveals his wonderful talent in this engrossing film.
A Simple Story, France/West Germany, 1978, is about a
middle-aged divorcee, a brilliant performance by Romy Scheider
and Sautet's muse in five of his films. Frustrated with her lover
and yearning to resume her former life with her ex-husband, we see
the problems she faces.
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We also see the domestic problems of her female friends, all suffering deep disappointments with their husbands and lovers. The director is a superb observer of male and female anxieties. But more than that, he shows the basic immaturity, selfishness, self absorption and irresponsible behavior of the middle class in France. I have seen five of this remarkable director's films and I am quite impressed.
Film Society of Lincoln Center presents the 50th New York Film Festival September 28-October 14. Each Tuesday a memorable film from each previous year is screened. Topsy Turvy, by Mike Leigh, UK, 1999, was shown in 1999. Seeing it again, i was impressed how brilliantly the period in which Gilbert and Sullivan created The Mikado is presented. The acting, especially by Jim Broadbent (Gilbert) and Allen Corduner (Sullivan), is wonderful, the costumes and sets are magnificent and the music is melodious. It is one of the best biopics I have seen. A splendid achievement.
MoMA is presenting A View from the Vaults, 2012: Recent Acquisitions, August 1-19. I attended two screenings. Rue Cases-Negres, by Euzhan Palcy, France, 1983, takes place in a small village in Martinique in the 1930s, where the villagers work in the sugarcane fields. A grandmother wants her intelligent grandchild to succeed in school and have a better life than toiling in the sugarcane fields. It is a charming, understated film, which reveals the difficult life of the inhabitants living in poverty, while offering hope for the younger generation. A group of mischievous children are a delight to watch.
Pineapple Express. by David Gordon Green, USA, 2008, is a stupid, idiotic film with no redeeming virtue. James Franco is drug dealer and Seth Rogen is a customer. The title refers to a unique drug they smoke. When one witnesses a murder by a drug gang, they attempt to flee, followed by members of the gang. It has car crashes, violence and vulgar language. The plot is so disjointed and unbelievable, that one wonders what the writers were thinking.
For Ellen, written and directed by So Yong Kim, USA, 2012, is about a punk rock musician, played by Paul Dano, who travels to a small town in New York to sign his divorce papers. While staying in a motel, he smokes weed, drinks, plays pool, listens to his rock music and wanders around aimlessly, finally being allowed a two hour visit with his adorable young daughter, played by a newcomer Shaylena Mandigo. He then realizes what he is losing in his family life. Dano is on camera throughout this slow moving film, and gives a realistic, remarkable performance as a lost soul suffering from the pain of divorce. It opens September 5-18 at Film Forum.
08-09-12
Cast
members
Marsha
Stephaie
Blake
(L)
and
Shamika
Cotton
at
the
opening
night
party
for
"Bullet
for
Adolf"
at
Hurleys's.
232
West
48th
St.
Wednesday
night
08-08-12 |