the Youth of the Cineaste (1976-1987)

I was born in 1976.

I mention this since the year in which you were born determines a great deal about how you encountered film in your American youth. In my case, I was born at the dawn of the summer blockbuster, which I think still imparts a soft spot in me each year for the ultra-mega summer films.

I have hazy memories of the anticipation of the opening weekend of The Empire Strikes Back, as I was firmly under Mr. Lucas' spell at that time. The tickets were purchased in advance and pinned on the bulletin board next to the lone telephone in our Bayview rowhome. Seeing that the tickets had perforations similar to the ones in my activity books, I got up on a chair stacked with phone books and tore them. I was in big trouble then, but a call to the theater confirmed that we could still get in.

Well... at any rate, I spent my childhood in Baltimore city.

I mention this as Baltimore city did not have cable television available in the standard form until some time after my family moved just over the line into Baltimore county. Outside of occasional trips across that city/county line to "see a picture" at Golden Ring Mall, the television was the main way I encountered film. I harbor no cherished memories of the film palaces of Baltimore (which were firmly in decline at the time). Sorry.

Most of my "film on television" experiences came from broadcast television via the big three networks and the UHF affiliates. There were about seven channels to choose from, with a few more available if the DC stations were coming through on that particular day.

I harbor vivid memories of Kung-Fu Theater showing and re-showing terrible transfers of sub-Shaw Brother chop sockey flicks heavily edited to fit the running time, of midnight movie programs lulling me to sleep at slumber parties which gave the same rough treatment to the Universal Horror Creature Features and their attendant parodies, of WBFF TV45 having New Year's Eve marathons of Marx Brothers films. I am fairly certain I had more fun as a kid staying up watching old movies with my family on New Year's Eve than I do today running the Mount Vernon bar gauntlet.

Our "big screen" projection television was on almost constantly as my brother and sister and I played in the basement. My dad always insisted that he wanted to be able to "see what's on the television from the kitchen", and so we always had one of these monsters somewhere in the house. Despite the "big screen," these films on television were almost always poorly transferred, leading me to believe that the 1970s in America was a murky, badly-lit, washed out time in our nation's history. This was in sharp contrast to the eye-popping, sharply colored world of the 1980's situation comedy. Diff'rnt Strokes, indeed!

Despite our lack of standard cable at the time, we did have the outlet of VHS video rental and a Pay Television channel called SuperTV, which was sort of like being able to get just HBO. I remember waiting in vain for E.T. to come out on VHS, of watching and re-watching the Star Trek, Star Wars and Superman movies we had made copies of (my father, an electrical engineer, employed the system one used for making tape copies that defeated the Macrovision copy protection system). I used to leaf through the monthly SuperTV schedule booklet, looking for things to watch, wondering about the movies being listed, having no idea about the awesomeness of Z Channel and its then-unfolding impact on the world of "film on television" on the other side of the country.

It is clear from the outset of my existence that I liked watching movies. It was a part of what my family did together. Our tastes were admittedly mainstream, with the exception perhaps of my mother's love of all things musical theater-related. Those 90 to 120 minutes we spent together were often free of bickering and fights. I remember these times fondly but dimly, and consider them formative.

To be honest, things didn't get left-of-center for me in terms of my film tastes until we moved to the county. Because then we got cable.

More on that next time, after an update of films viewed in November. Until then, this is the Charm City Cineaste, signing off...

Films Viewed (October 2009)

The Informant!
The Baader Meinhof Complex
Big Fan
Leave Her to Heaven
Whip It
Dodes'ka-den
Touch of Evil
Where the Wild Things Are
Gate of Flesh
A Serious Man
Capitalism: A Love Story
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Vertigo

Key
The Charles
The Rotunda
The Landmark Harbor East
Other (Video Americain, suburban muliplex)
Total: 13 films (10 in theaters)

Notes: Well, I am prety much keeping up with my average, and ten films in theaters is a rarer event these days, but it's the time of the season for movies.

My absolute knocked-it-out-the-park favorite was The Baader Meinhof Complex. Finally, a big-budget action bloodbath suited to my sensibilities, Can blaring in background! As a political organ or as an accurate account it could be lacking, but as an adrenalized rush the film was most effective. After months of reading about Godard's sterile exercises in dialectical filmmaking, my inner-teenage radical dude was most pleased.

My underdog why-didn't-anybody-see this-movie favorite was Whip It, which was frothy fun but still worth watching. I don't know how true-to-rollergirl it is, but I had a good time. I would consider renting it when released to disc.

My dear-God-we're-all-screwed pick would be A Serious Man. One exiting filmgoer remarked that the film was "too dark" and was "like having surgery for two hours." I found the film's bleak sensibility and nervous-hand-wringing right up my alley.

The "grab bag" revivals at the Charles have continued, all over the map. The prints have been stellar. It was interesting to realize that most of my vivid childhood memories of the Universal monster movies came not from the originals but from a gentle spoof of them. I guess that was all I was allowed to watch as a kid.

Speaking of which, I plan to finally launch into the story of how I got into this mess in the first place later this month. Stay tuned...

Film Exhibition in Baltimore (October 2009)

First, it should be noted that this week marks the two year anniversary of this blog. Others have come and gone, but the Cineaste abides.

In that light, it is a good time to check in on the "big three." The Senator has become a sad mess of karaoke and one-off screenings. Although it has been possible to see films there occasionally, I will officially remove it from the "key" this month. I wash my hands of this business, and will try to avoid any more than the most minimal reporting on the next round of shenanigans. Does the Rotunda have its own website yet?

In terms of the other two, it seems like a things have stabilized. The Landmark Harbor East spends most of its time playing whatever will make the most money. This seems to be the settled mission of the chain in this area. In DC, things skew way more "arthouse" for the chain and the LHE seems more than happy to let the Charles handle that business locally, especially if the subject matter is controversial or LGBT (Milk, Bruno, and Capitalism: A Love Story being recent examples).

Could this be how things stay? What does the future hold? There may be little to report on this front for some time, although with the precarious state of the economy, one never knows.

Perhaps it is time to quit the monthly updates on the state of things in general and focus more on specific film-going experiences. I have also toyed with the idea of explaining just how I came to my affliction via this blog. Maybe it is time.

Up next, films viewed in October, a month that still affords viewing opportunities. Until then...

Films Viewed (September 2009)

Teorema
Le Doulos
Sugar
The September Issue
Fists in the Pocket
Bright Star
Tetro
Notorious (2009)
Heavy Metal Parking Lot
The Decline of Western Civilization, Part II: The Metal Years
Lorna's Silence

Key
The Charles
The Senator
The Landmark Harbor East
The Rotunda
Other (Video Americain, Enoch Pratt Free Library)
Total: 10 films, 1 short film (7 in theaters)

Notes: For me, a slow month. The films I did view (save one) have already exited the big screen. This is perhaps symptomatic of the month, which is filled with summer leftovers and odd ducks. The two standouts for me were Teorema and Tetro, which I suspect are not for many viewers. Teorema channeled a deep Catholic vein in a highly theoretical and unconventional way, and Tetro was perhaps too operatic to cross over. I enjoyed both.

It was also good to catch a decent-quality digital screening of two underground classics, Decline... Part II and Heavy Metal Parking Lot, both of which are bootlegger's delights (although it is true the HMPL has received a proper DVD release in recent years). As I lived through the era and was babysat by many Heavy Metal enthusiasts, it is sometimes interesting to look back. My life and choices may have taken me far away from that world, but I will never forget where I'm from.

So, that is that. The new Dardenne brothers film was brutal but moving, Notorious was Biggie-sized, and Le Doulos was good but not "big-g" Great. Up next, film exhibition in Baltimore in general.

Film Exhibition in Baltimore (September 2009)

It is a little hard to expend more words on the Senator. Even the City Paper has deemed it "Best Local Issue We're Sick Of" in their recent Best of Baltimore issue. At this moment, the City of Baltimore can presumably accept request-for-proposals for the property. There are excited whispers among those who are hoping for the best from this situation, the best presumably being a non-profit dedicated to showing films taking over at the location. The Baltimore Development Corporation is now officially in the mix. At the moment, the new Tyler Perry film is playing, and the next scheduled event is Jokes and Jazz. Things, as usual, seem far from resolved.

The Landmark Harbor East, having run out of summer blockbuster wares to hawk, is switching tracks, heading for more rom-com/odds and ends territory, dutifully changing with the seasons, grabbing anything with instant legs or big stars or perceived heat. In my attendance of matinees at this leather-seated movie palace, I am often by myself. I imagine the opposite is true on a Friday evening. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to try to find parking down there.

The Charles has adopted a "throw it to the wall" theory, seeing if mixed-review indies or odd docs or sci-fi movies or foreign fare or second run will stick. Doesn't stick? End it Thursday! This week, almost everything is ending to make way for the next great hope(s). Having seen Bright Star in previews and having thorougly enjoyed it, I would say to check it out (after it opens Friday) if you really liked the recent Pride and Prejudice or if you were an English Major in college. Before then, try to catch Tetro is you are interested in seeing an old master return to form.

The Rotunda seems to be getting the hang of things, switching up their offerings on a more regular basis. I have always enjoyed the echoing emptiness of the Rotunda Mall, and never have a problem visiting thanks to its ample parking and roomy theater chairs. I hope that it continues to be a viable option. I will forgive its' missteps for the time being.

Up next, what is looking to be a scant September of Films Viewed. The back to school time of the year has a tendency to do that to me...

Films Viewed (August 2009)

Bigger than Life
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Amelie
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
Eloge De L'Amour (In Praise of Love)
Bicycle Thieves
GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Nollywood Babylon
Daytime Drinking
Paper Heart
Children of Paradise
The Cove
Funny People
Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg!
Inglourious Basterds
A Place in the Sun
In the Loop
District 9
Summer with Monika

Key
The Charles
The Senator
Toronto-area Theaters
The Landmark Harbor East
The Rotunda
Other (DVD, DC E Street Landmark, On Demand)
Total: 21 films (19 in theaters)

Notes: As is often the case, August was a month spent avoiding the heat by taking in as many films as possible. My count was boosted by my trip up north, which I covered in my last post.

Looking back over the list, I am pleased by the diversity of high and low, the hard to see and the widely available. Two films that were direct hits on my sensibilities were District 9 and In the Loop, the former of which hearkened back to my early love of Robocop dystopias and grimy gritty special effects. the latter of which spoke to my love of British people insulting each other and Dr. Strangelove-style political black comedy.

Sadly, I have not gotten on board with the Basterds. In discussion, it seems as if I am the only one of my friends who did not enjoy it thoroughly. The best analogy that I can come up with would be that Tarantino's films were revelvatory, magical experiences during my initiation into film culture. Now, for some reason, the magic is gone. Perhaps it is because I have changed, more films viewed, my pallette tweaked. All I know is all that lengthy dialogue leading up to a brief violent payoff isn't doing it for me, even when said dialogue is delivered brilliantly by Christoph Waltz.

Otherwise, it was early Bergman, teen wizards, uneven mis-fires, and excellent enviro-docs that deserved more local screentime. Up next, film exhibition in Baltimore in general.

Film Exhibition in Toronto (August 2009)

No, that's not a typo...

As I have just spent a week in Toronto, I thought it would be interesting to document my impressions of the film exhibition landscape there, especially since the landscape back home has had only one troubling proposed addition to its fragile ecosystem and is otherwise the same. In my time up north, I had the opportunity to see six films at five different theaters (and yes, I did other things as well).

I caught Amelie and Bicycle Thieves at the Bloor Cinema, a single-screen older theater that ran arthouse and second-run films, varying what was shown each day. There was something nice and comfortable about the Bloor, and I felt right at home. I didn't go and watch a film from the balcony, perhaps due to my culture shock over the Canadian candy situation (I kept defaulting to Coffee Crisp since the Kit-Kats looked different and the other choices seemed exotic... European). It was sort of like if the Senator was run like the Charles.

After reviewing all their impressive screening options, I settled on seeing In Praise of Love at the Cinemateque Ontario. This hard-to-see Godard film's screening was packed. To read the chapter about the film later that evening as I finished up my summer reading added a nice rejoinder to this rare opportunity. The theater's screening room, which is attached to the Art Gallery of Ontario, was nothing amazing, but the quality of the films they were offering (thorough retrospectives of European filmmakers and movements via rare, restored, and archival prints) was extremely impressive. Apparently, the Cinemateque is slated to move to some sort of movie-themed luxury condo site and to become the official home of the Toronto International Film Festival in the future.

I had great hopes that seeing GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra in Canada would offer some difference from seeing it at a multiplex stateside, but there wasn't one that I could detect in the crowd at the AMC Younge. The decor of this multiplex was focused on "great" films and directors (like Steven Speilberg and Ron Howard), which made me wonder if it is used for TIFF screenings.

The oddest experience for certain was a digital screening of Zatoichi meets Yojimbo at the Cineforum, which is located in Reg Hartt's house. Reg is a long standing film buff and archivist, and he held forth before the screening in a scattershot but welcoming matter before a videotaped introduction to the film by a "guest lecturer." Warm sake was offered as well.

As was also the case at the Bloor, you paid more for your first screening at Cineforum in order to become a member of "the club." Future screenings are then offered at a reduced rate. Was this some sort of Canadian scam or a viable model for a film club in Baltimore? In the case of myself and my traveling companion, we did not have a chance to truly utilize our memberships.

I got to view a film I missed at the 2009 Maryland Film Festival, Nollywood Babylon, which was engaging on several levels. The screening was held at the National Film Board of Canada's Mediatheque, which offered private screening rooms in which you could watch thousands of films (the catch: they were all NFBC-affiliated ventures). Something about the whole experience felt like the efforts of the uncool kids to be cooler, but this could be based on an inferiority complex that Canadians sometimes regretably possess in regard to certain aspects of their home culture.

All in all, I left Toronto very impressed with the diversity of their film exhibition landscape, and can only imagine what the same landscape looks like in the grips of TIFF. To be in a city that looks at things through a more European prisim was a welcome break from things back home, and allowed me to return to a familar landscape with a fresh perspective.