SoCal classic movies, May 22-29: Memorial Day, ‘Star Wars’ times nine, ‘Godzilla,’ Bob Dylan and more
SoCal classic movies, May 22-29: Memorial Day, ‘Star Wars’ times nine, ‘Godzilla,’ Bob Dylan and more
Classic films, film festivals, event screenings, restorations and revivals
Welcome to the latest edition of TV or Not TV’s curated guide to classic movies, events and revivals, film festivals and more screening in LA and OC this week. I’m Matt Cooper, former listings coordinator for the Los Angeles Times’ Calendar.
Roll ’em!
‘Dead Poets Society’ English teacher Robin Williams inspires his young students and ruffles some faculty feathers at an elite all-boys boarding school in 1950s Vermont in Peter Weir’s 1989 drama. With Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles and Robert Sean Leonard. Laemmle Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. $16. laemmle.com
‘Miller’s Crossing’ A salute to the Coen brothers continues with the duo’s noirish 1990 crime fable set during Prohibition. Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, John Turturro, Jon Polito and Marcia Gay Harden star. Brain Dead Studios at the Silent Movie Theater, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A. 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. $12. studios.wearebraindead.com
‘North by Northwest’ Cary Grant has a plane to catch — or rather, to escape from — plus other obstacles to surmount in 65th anniversary screenings of Alfred Hitchcock’s monumental 1959 espionage thriller. James Mason and Eva Marie Saint co-star. Fathom Events, various local theaters (see website). 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. $18, $20. fathomevents.com
‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ A black-clad Henry Fonda plays the heavy in Sergio Leone’s epic 1968 spaghetti western. With Charles Bronson, Jason Robards and Claudia Cardinale. Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Blvd., Los Feliz. 3 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, May 22-23. $12.50, $15. vistatheaterhollywood.com
‘Pulp Fiction’ The house that Quentin Tarantino rebuilt — a.k.a. the New Bev — offers 30th anniversary screenings of the filmmaker’s Palme d’Or-winning 1994 crime tale starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman. New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., L.A. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 2 and 7 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 22-26. $10, $13; advance purchase recommended; limited tickets available at the door. thenewbev.com
‘Sex, Lies and Videotape’ The camera doesn’t lie but the camcorder just might in Steven Soderbergh’s Palme d’Or-winning 1989 romantic drama starring James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher and Laura San Giacomo. Alamo Drafthouse, 700 W. 7th St., downtown L.A. 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 22. $18. drafthouse.com
‘The War of the Worlds’ The Martians are coming! The Martians are coming ... in a new 4K restoration of this effects-laden 1953 adaptation H.G. Wells’ sci-fi thriller; the program also includes a selection of producer George Pal’s classic “Puppetoons” plus special guests. Regency Westwood Village Theater, 961 Broxton Ave., Westwood. 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. $9-$30. sci-fi.biz
‘Audition’ A lonely widower’s efforts to find a new wife take a very dark turn in Takashi Miike’s torturous 1999 terror tale. In Japanese with English subtitles. Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. 10:30 p.m. Friday, May 24. $10. (310) 473-8530. landmarktheatres.com
‘Giant’ Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean are livin’ large in 1920s Texas in George Stevens’ epic 1956 big-screen adaptation of Edna Ferber’s 1952 novel. Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Blvd., Los Feliz. 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 24-26. $12.50, $15. vistatheaterhollywood.com
‘Grease’ John Travolta’s got chills — and they’re multiplying — thanks to Olivia Newton-John in this tune-filled 1978 adaptation of the 1950s-themed stage musical. Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán, 1615 Vine St., Hollywood. 8 p.m. Friday, May 24. Single: $20; loveseat: $50. themontalban.com
Also at the New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., L.A. 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, May 25-26. $10; advance purchase recommended; limited tickets available at the door. thenewbev.com
‘Star Wars’ Series Three trilogies equals nine films equals three days’ worth of screenings of George Lucas’ space saga, in its entirety and in chronological order: “The Phantom Menace” (1999) and “Attack of the Clones” (2002), 7 and 10 p.m. Friday, May 24; “Revenge of the Sith” (2005), “Star Wars” (1977) and “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), 2, 5:15 and 8 p.m. Saturday, May 25; “Return of the Jedi” (1983), “The Force Awakens” (2015), “The Last Jedi” (2017) and “The Rise of Skywalker” (2019), 12:30, 3:45, 7 and 10:15 p.m. Sunday, May 26. Fine Arts Theatre, 8556 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. $12.50. fineartstheatrebh.com
‘Masked and Anonymous’ with ‘The Last Waltz’ An 83rd birthday salute to Bob Dylan sees the music legend playing a Dylan-like music legend in Larry Charles’ star-studded 2003 dystopian fantasia and then sharing the stage with The Band, et al. in Martin Scorsese’s star-studded 1978 concert doc. American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 24. $8, $13. americancinematheque.com
‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ Three American servicemen attempt to readjust to civilian life after returning home from World War II in William Wyler’s multi-Oscar-winning 1946 drama starring Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright and Myrna Loy. Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El Segundo. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26. $10, $12. (310) 322-2592. oldtownmusichall.org
‘Godzilla’ History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men in Ishirō Honda’s original 1954 creature feature that introduced the kaiju of all kaiju to audiences around the world. In Japanese with English subtitles. Vidiots Eagle Theatre, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd., Highland Park. 4:15 pm. Sunday, May 26. $9-$12. vidiotsfoundation.org
‘Se7en’ What’s in the box? That is the question in David Fincher’s unnerving 1995 thriller about the hunt for serial killer. With Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey. Cinespia at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. 8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26. $22. cinespia.org
‘Saving Private Ryan’ Tom Hanks stars as a U.S. Army captain heading up a squad tasked with locating a single soldier on the battlefields of WWII-era France in Steven Spielberg’s epic 1998 drama. With Matt Damon. American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 27. $8, $13; free for active-duty military, veterans, reserves and National Guard. americancinematheque.com
‘From Russia With Love’ The name’s Bond, James Bond: Sean Connery took his second turn as Ian Flemming’s unflappable British super-spy Agent 007 in Terence Young’s 1963 action thriller; Lotte Lenya and Robert Shaw also star. Includes a pre-screening Q&A with film music historian Jon Burlingame. Laemmle Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 28. $16. laemmle.com
Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival The 23rd edition of this annual showcase for films from all around the U.S. and Latin America includes features, shorts, etc. plus industry panels, mixers and more. TCL Chinese 6, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, and Regal Cinemas at LA Live, 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown L.A. Various showtimes, May 29 thru June 2. Single tickets, $15; galas and receptions, extra; all-access passes, $750. laliff.org
‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’ … and I don’t feel so good myself in writer-director Tom Stoppard’s 1990 adaptation of his 1966 meta-play about the two ill-fated minor characters from Shakespeare’s classic tragedy “Hamlet.” With Gary Oldman and Tim Roth. American Cinematheque at the Los Feliz 3, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 29. $8, $13. americancinematheque.com