Repertory Cinema Archives - blog.laemmle.com

“A pity party that has no business being so much fun,” UNA VITA DIFFICLE opens in the U.S. after a 62 year wait.

March 8, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore

The long-awaited U.S. premiere of Dino Risi’s Una Vita Difficile, starring one of the most beloved of all Italian actors, Alberto Sordi (Mafioso, Il Boom, Fellini’s The White Sheik and I Vitelloni, etc.), was greeted with big crowds and admiring reviews when Rialto Pictures opened its restoration in New York last month. Laemmle Theatres opens the film about a resistance fighter-turned-journalist and his wife (Lea Massari) navigating life in post-war Italy on Friday, March 17 at the Royal and Town Center and March 24 at the Monica Film Center and Laemmle Glendale.

The New York Times’ critic A.O. Scott hailed it as “a stellar specimen of commedia all’italiana.” In his review for Air Mail, Michael Sragow proclaimed, “Alberto Sordi triumphs at jet-black comedy…(he’s) Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in their prime, rolled into one.”

In Italy, Una Vita Difficile has long been cherished as a highlight of the 1950s and 60s golden age of Italian comedy, which also gave the world Big Deal on Madonna Street, Divorce Italian Style, Mafioso, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, and Risi’s own Il Sorpasso (made the year after Una Vita Difficile). While these and others were major arthouse hits in the U.S., Una Vita Difficile was inexplicably never released here…until now.

“A stellar specimen of commedia all’Italiana by a true maestro of the form. Pulsate[s] with the breathlessness and disorientation of a country simultaneously grappling with the past and speeding toward a confusing future…Belongs in the company of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and Risi’s Il Sorpasso. It also stands by itself as an exuberant bad time, a pity party that has no business being so much fun.” — A.O. Scott, The New York Times

“It sounds absurd to even contemplate: an unreleased 1961 epic romance starring the legendary Alberto Sordi that tackles the decades after WWII — a mixture of sentiment and grand historic sweep that the Italians always did so well — that’s somehow just getting a U.S. release.” — Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine

“Risi’s deft seriocomic panorama, from Mussolini’s fall to the rise of the postwar Roman oligarchy…Alberto Sordi triumphs at jet-black comedy when the antihero fails as an idealist, a husband, even as a sell-out. The closest America has come to Sordi is Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in their prime, rolled into one.” — Michael Sragow, Air Mail

“One of the most visually ravishing pictures of all time,” THE CONFORMIST opens February 3 at the Royal, February 10 at the Laemmle Glendale.

January 18, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Never has The Conformist been more timely. The new restoration of Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1970 masterpiece about a repressed Italian who becomes a fascist hitman is inspiring a lot of thoughtful journalism. “It’s not the ideology that attracts people to fascism,” writes Eric Alterman in the American Prospect. “It’s the permission it offers to ordinary people to behave like thugs.” In his recent New York Magazine/Vulture review, headlined “It’s Time to See The Conformist Again,” critic Bilge Ebiri describes the film as “one of the most visually ravishing pictures of all time.” Ebiri’s piece is well worth excerpting at some length:

“All great films, at some point, ask the question: Who am I? The greatest films go beyond asking this on a narrative level; through their very form, they embody the question of identity. And what makes Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Conformist (1970) the very greatest of movies isn’t just its staggering, legendary beauty, but its maze-like journey into its protagonist’s — and, by extension, its creator’s — mind.

“The Conformist has just been rereleased in a lovely new 4K restoration, which is certainly cause for celebration given that it’s one of the most visually ravishing pictures of all time. (It’s currently playing New York’s Film Forum, and will soon travel around the country.) There’s no real debate over Bertolucci’s achievement; this is one of those canonical titles whose place in history is a given at this point. You can see its influence in The Godfather series, in Taxi Driver, in movies as varied as Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, Dick Tracy, Call Me by Your Name, and Clueless — and yet, it remains as startling and revolutionary as it was upon original release, in part because few filmmakers nowadays are willing to embrace the sensuous and the monstrous at the same time. You never quite know what you’re supposed to feel at any given moment of The Conformist, because it asks you to feel everything.”

Some praise from past years:

“Bertolucci’s boldest and most expressive film.” – Calum Marsh, Village Voice

“It’s easy to overlook how stark The Conformist‘s political and allegorical message is because it’s just so damn beautiful.” – Aja Romano, Vox

“One of the greatest-looking movies ever made.” – Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader

“Bernardo Bertolucci is a master of turning harsh realities into free-flowing dreams and fantasies of sex and power into bracing, often uncomfortable moments of truth…The Conformist is perhaps his richest and most beautiful work.” – Max O’Connell, IndieWire

We are proud to open The Conformist at the Royal on February 3 and the Laemmle Glendale on February 10.

DR. NO 60th anniversary screening & Bond Trivia Contest December 28 at the Royal.

December 21, 2022 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Laemmle Theatres and the Anniversary Classics Series invite you to ring out the old and ring in the New Year with a 60th anniversary screening of the very first James Bond movie, Dr. No. The film opened in London in October 1962 and launched the most successful franchise in motion picture history, still going strong today. After its successful British run, it opened in the U.S. in the spring of 1963, allowing American audiences to enjoy one of the most memorable introductory lines in movie history: “Bond. James Bond.”

This adaptation of one of the spy novels penned by former British intelligence officer Ian Fleming was by no means a guaranteed hit. The star of the film, Sean Connery, was a relative newcomer, and the supporting cast members were not that well known either. Producers Harry Saltzman and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli purchased the rights to Fleming’s novels and hired director Terence Young (who went on to direct two more Bond pictures, From Russia with Love and Thunderball). Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather wrote the screenplay.

The plot centers on an archvillain based in Jamaica who is plotting to disrupt a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Bond, however, is on the case, determined to foil the sinister plot. He is aided by the first of the “Bond girls,” Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, who makes a memorable entrance emerging from the sea in a yellow bikini with a large knife on her belt. The dastardly Dr. No is played by distinguished character actor Joseph Wiseman, who had made an impression in such films as Detective Story and Viva Zapata! as well as in many acclaimed plays in the New York theater. The supporting cast includes Bernard Lee as M and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, both of whom returned in many of the subsequent Bond pictures.

Behind the camera, Maurice Binder’s main titles and Monty Norman’s musical theme also became fixtures in the Bond series. Editor Peter Hunt also continued to work on the franchise, eventually graduating to the director’s chair with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Oscar-winning production designer Ken Adam went on to design Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds are Forever, The Spy Who Loved Me (for which he earned an Oscar nomination), and Moonraker. One of the wittiest touches that Adam included in Dr. No was his recreation of Goya’s famous painting of the Duke of Wellington, hanging on the wall of Dr. No’s lair. The painting had been stolen from the National Gallery in London the previous year and had not yet been recovered, so Adam’s decision to implicate Dr. No as the art thief was a sly inside joke.

The distributors had some concerns about whether the film would pass the censorship office. The opening sequence in Jamaica, set to a calypso rendition of “Three Blind Mice,” was unusually violent for a film made in 1962, and the sexual innuendoes were also bold for the era. Indeed the Vatican condemned the movie as immoral. But it received a seal of approval from the MPAA in the United States. It may have helped that President John Kennedy was a fan of the Fleming novels and even requested a private screening of Dr. No at the White House.

Critical response was generally favorable. Variety praised “an entertaining piece of tongue-in-cheek hokum.” Dilys Powell of the London Sunday Times wrote, “The first of the James Bond films…has the air of knowing exactly what it is up to, and that has not been common in British thrillers since the day when Hitchcock took himself off to America.” More recently, Kim Newman of Empire magazine declared, “With a debut like this, it’s no wonder that it spawned one of the biggest franchises ever.”

Join us to relive the birth of a legend. Before the screening, take part in a Bond trivia contest with some choice prizes! And a word of caution: Beware the deadly tarantula!

Join our tradition: SING-ALONG FIDDLER ON THE ROOF tickets are going fast!

December 21, 2022 by Jordan Deglise Moore

So few movies stand the test of time and can delight wildly different audiences even decades after their release. Fifty-one years later, Fiddler on the Roof is one of those few. All of which is to say that tickets for our Christmas Eve Sing-Along Fiddler on the Roof screenings at six of our seven theaters are going fast. There is still room for those who want to come out and celebrate, but act soon. Bring your Hanukkah menorah (and candles) to the theatre and help celebrate the miracles in our lives, not least of which is the “Wonder of Wonders” that Laemmle Theatres is still open after a year of closure and two years of halting recovery. Are brighter days ahead? Who knows. But I’m betting on yes. So buy a ticket, and I’ll feel as “If I Were a Rich Man” because there are still people who value the “Tradition” of seeing a movie in a movie theatre! ~ Greg Laemmle

“A gem of the Iranian new wave,” THE RUNNER opens Friday at the Royal & Town Center.

December 14, 2022 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Featuring one of the finest cinematic performances by a child actor (Madjid Niroumand) and a peer to classics like Truffaut’s The 400 Blows, De Sica’s The Bicycle Thief and Luis Buñuel’s Los Olvidados, Amir Naderi’s The Runner (1984) has been beautifully restored by Rialto Pictures. We are proud to open the film this Friday, December 16 at the Royal and Town Center.

“A gem of the Iranian new wave…crisply restored with improved subtitles…admirably lean and remarkably well-constructed…the light is often dazzling; the array of bottles floating in the harbor is bewitching… has a subtle fairy tale quality.” — J. Hoberman, The New York Times

“To say that the 1984 movie doesn’t seem at all dated is almost an understatement. I can’t think of any 2022 film that radiates so much joy in the act of filmmaking, or that can serve as such an electrifying inspiration to younger artists.” ~ Godfrey Cheshire, RogerEbert.com

“Niroumand gives a remarkable performance, thoroughly uninhibited and completely engrossing.” ~ John Anderson, Newsday

“A work of astonishing power and simplicity, reminiscent of the finest Italian neo-realist films.” ~ Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

“One of the best films in town right now.” ~ Derek Malcolm, Guardian

“The film uses stylization and photographic compositions of remarkable beauty (the director of photography was Firooz Malekzadeh) without ever compromising the tough reality of the lives of these undaunted young outcasts.” ~ David Robinson, Times (UK)

“[Amiro’s] unguarded exuberance hits you with unexpected force. It stays with you.” ~ Hal Hinson, Washington Post

“Like Bunuel, Naderi shows a keen understanding of children’s camaraderie and determination.” ~ Ted Shen, Chicago Reader

“If The Runner is tentatively optimistic, it is also drenched in a mood of yearning lyricism.” ~ Stephen Holden, New York Times

“Young Nirumand gives a performance to make Rossellini weep, and the soundtrack is a joy.” ~ Pierre Hodgson, Time Out

FIDDLER is back! Sing along with Tevye and his family this Christmas Eve at our Sing-Along screenings of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.

December 7, 2022 by Jordan Deglise Moore

LAEMMLE THEATRES ANNOUNCES ITS 14TH ANNIVERSARY “FIDDLER ON THE ROOF” SING-ALONG SCREENINGS

When: Saturday, December 24, 2022, 7 pm (Christmas Eve)

What: Screening of classic musical film “Fiddler on the Roof.” It’s our program’s 14th anniversary.

Where:

– Glendale, 207 Maryland Ave., Glendale, CA 91206

– Town Center, 17200 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91316

– Claremont, 450 W Second St., Claremont, CA 91711

– NoHo 7, 5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601

– Newhall, 22500 Lyons Ave., Santa Clarita, CA 91321

– Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025

Tickets: Purchase at Laemmle.com/Fiddler. Prices this year start at $18 for General Admission, $15 for seniors and children, and $15 for Premiere Card Holders, $12 for Premiere Card seniors.

A tradition we began in 2008, Christmas Eve sing-along FIDDLER ON THE ROOF screenings have been a hit that has inspired similar screenings in other parts of the country. We’re showing Norman Jewison’s beloved 1971 Oscar-winning musical at four of our theaters, so you don’t even have to venture too far from your shtetl. Song lyrics on screen, in case you don’t know ’em by heart.

Song highlights include the iconic “TRADITION”, “IF I WERE A RICH MAN”, “TO LIFE”, “MATCHMAKER”, “SUNRISE SUNSET”, “DO YOU LOVE ME?” and “ANATEVKA”, among many others.

Jewison’s 1971 screen adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical is a treasured movie classic. It stars Israeli actor TOPOL in the unforgettable role of TEVYE the milkman, a character besieged not just by a bevy of five daughters but by modernity itself. Co-stars include NORMA CRANE as GOLDE, Yiddish theater legend MOLLY PICON as YENTE, and LEONARD FRAY as MOTEL. The film won three OSCARS in 1972 for Best Sound, Best Music, and Best Cinematography, and was nominated for five more, including Best Director and Best Picture.

EXPERIMENT IN TERROR 60th Anniversary Screening with co-star Stefanie Powers in person December 7

November 16, 2022 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Laemmle Theatres and the Anniversary Classics Series present the 60th anniversary of director Blake Edwards’ neo-noir suspense thriller Experiment in Terror, one of the noteworthy films from the milestone movie year 1962. Stefanie Powers, who has a key supporting role, will appear for a Q&A after the film. The one-night-only screening will play at the Laemmle NoHo theater on Wednesday, December 7 at 7 PM.

The story deals with vicious criminal Red Garland (Ross Martin), who terrorizes San Francisco bank teller Kelly Sherwood (Lee Remick), forcing her to steal $100,000 for him. Although he threatens to kill her and her teenage sister Toby (Stefanie Powers) if she goes to the police, Remick contacts the local FBI office, where agent John Ripley (Glenn Ford) undertakes a manhunt for Garland. To ensure Kelly’s full cooperation, Garland kidnaps Toby and a race against the clock ensues. Filmed on location in San Francisco, the film notably climaxes in the Bay City’s mid-century landmark, Candlestick Park.

Blake Edwards, known primarily as a comedy specialist, followed the biggest hit of his early career, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, with a complete change of pace in this taut suspenser adapted by the Gordons from their novel “Operation Terror.” He took advantage of the genre change by utilizing a full range of stylistic flourishes, superbly assisted in exploring the neo-noir format by cinematographer Philip Lathrop, filming appropriately in sharp-edged black and white, and composer Henry Mancini, contributing a striking, eclectic score. Edwards, Remick, Lathrop, and Mancini would all reunite later in the year for the memorable drama Days of Wine and Roses.

Critics of the day appreciated the investigative protocol, mystery elements, and the convincing, unsentimental acting and storytelling. Later reviewers embraced Edwards’ directing approach, with Time Out stating, “Edwards’ classical feel for pure cinema remains unalloyed.” Emmanuel Levy noted, “this stylish noir thriller is one of Edwards’ best films and one of the genre’s highlights.” The movie also greatly influenced filmmaker David Lynch, particularly his acclaimed Twin Peaks. Richard Brody, film critic of The New Yorker, wrote in 2015 that Experiment in Terror is “a movie about movies, a very early American reflection of the methods and moods of the French New Wave, realized as a mainstream Hollywood film…the exaltation of the ordinary into something extraordinary by means of the power of cinema itself.”

Our special guest Stefanie Powers is still actively enjoying her seventh decade in show business, starting as a teenager under contract for Columbia Pictures at the end of the studio era. In 1962 she co-starred in three popular movies, If a Man Answers, The Interns, and Experiment in Terror. Later in the decade she starred on television as The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., followed by over 200 appearances on weekly TV series and miniseries, culminating in the hit show Hart to Hart (1979-84), in which she co-starred with longtime friend Robert Wagner. In 1982 she founded the William Holden Wildlife Foundation in Kenya after the 1981 death of her life partner Holden. She remains involved in wildlife conservation and environmental activism in addition to her acting career.

Ingmar Bergman’s PERSONA 55th Anniversary screenings December 13 at Laemmle Glendale, Newhall & Royal

October 26, 2022 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Laemmle Theatres and the Anniversary Classics Abroad Series present the 55th anniversary of Ingmar Bergman’s Persona (1967) on December 13 at three Laemmle locations. The intense, provocative psychological drama was one of the keystone films of the late-period golden age of the art-house in the 1960s and energized the “Film Generation” that came of age in that seminal decade.

The story concerns an actress (Bergman newcomer Liv Ullmann) who stops speaking in the middle of a performance and refuses to communicate. She is placed in the care of a nurse (Bergman regular Bibi Andersson) and they retreat to the isolation of a beach house for her recovery. As their relationship progresses, it takes fascinating twists and turns. Some have compared their relationship to that of a psychiatrist and patient, with Ullmann paradoxically playing the role of the psychoanalyst whose silence prods the nurse into revealing some of her innermost secrets and deep-seated anxieties. Andersson’s confessions include one vivid memory of an uninhibited sexual encounter that critic Pauline Kael described as “one of the rare truly erotic sequences in movie history.”

Swedish auteur and all-time film titan Bergman was one of the directors at the center of the international film explosion that captivated moviegoers during that era. College students and engaged moviegoers debated long into the night, trying to decipher all the mysteries of this utterly compelling but sometimes puzzling film, not unlike the reaction to Alain Resnais’ enigmatic Last Year at Marienbad earlier in the decade. Andrew Sarris, the influential film critic of The Village Voice, noted that the film “seems to bewitch audiences even when it bewilders them.” Michael Wilmington in the Chicago Tribune cited it as “one of the screen’s supreme works and perhaps Ingmar Bergman’s finest film.” Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian called it “sensually brilliant, an endlessly questioning and mysterious disquisition on identity. Persona is a film to make you shiver with fascination, or incomprehension, or desire.”

Persona plays one night only, Tuesday, December 13 at 7:00 PM at three Laemmle locations: the Royal (West Los Angeles), Glendale, and Newhall (Santa Clarita).