Anyone who was there is probably still reeling from Saturday night’s electrifying midnight screening of The Wiz (as part of BAMcinemaFEST’s All Night movie marathon/party). I got all goose-bumpy when MJ’s name hit the screen and the place erupted in cheers. And when a close-up of a turkey being removed from an oven triggered similarly enthusiastic applause, I knew all was well on planet Earth. (In contrast to director Aaron Katz, who I bumped into in the bathroom after the screening and who sheepishly, almost shamefully, confided that he had decided to watch Look Who’s Talking Too instead, as he’d never seen that before). Unfortunately, the second half of the “Diana Ross Coming Out” program got in my way of socializing and partaking in the dance party. But thankfully, that second half, Mahogany, was an experience of Avant-Retardian proportions, with a montage so legendary that its maker got a deserved full credit in addition to the film’s editor. Mahogany must be seen to be unbelieved, but what genuinely stunned me was the panoramic, widescreen imagery on display. If you get a chance to see this film on the big screen, do it.
While the new movie portion of BAMcinemaFEST appears to have run its course, there is still an exciting week of rare showings and other exciting events for the taking in the BAMcinematekalogue sidebar. The festivities start with a hearty bang tonight, as I will be seeing Franticek Vlacil’s legendary Marketa Lazarova for the very first time (go here for details).
Tuesday night brings the one-two punch of Marco Bellochio’s (Sorelle) Sisters and Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard.
Wednesday night, the great Arnaud Desplechin (Kings and Queen, Esther Kahn, A Christmas Tale) will be on hand to introduce and discuss The Royal Tenenbaums and Mississippi Mermaid.
The festival concludes on Thursday night with Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man (for my money, Jarmusch’s masterpiece) and Yuen Chor’s Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan.
As if the first BAMcinemaFEST hadn’t already proven itself to be a truly vital addition to the NYC landscape, the BAMcinematekalogue sidebar makes it all the more relevant and well-rounded.
— Michael Tully
