| Special One Night Events &
Limited Engagements, Sneak Previews in September:
http://www.myspace.com/americancinematheque
Saturday, September 5 - 7:30 PM
Back by Popular Demand! LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF, 2003, 169 min. Dir.
Thom Andersen. Voted Best Doc of 2004 by The Village Voice. A must see for Los
Angeles history buffs and cinema enthusiasts who will marvel at the hundreds of archival
and film clips revealing an almost secret history of the City of Angels! "This
cinematic essay focuses on the discrepancy between the lived in urban reality of Los
Angeles and its various century-deep cinematic mythologies, the movie is about more than
just what the movies get wrong. It’s about the way the imaginary space of cinema
intrudes upon the actual space of our lives, so that the L.A. of the movies becomes a kind
of separate urban reality unto itself." – Toronto Star. See it now on the
big screen. It will never be on DVD!
Sunday, September 6 - 7:30 PM
Director In-Person! LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF, 2003, 169 min. Dir.
Thom Andersen. A must see for Los Angeles history buffs and cinema enthusiasts who will
marvel at the hundreds of archival and film clips revealing an almost secret history of
the City of Angels! "This cinematic essay focuses on the discrepancy between the
lived in urban reality of Los Angeles and its various century-deep cinematic mythologies,
the movie is about more than just what the movies get wrong. It’s about the way
the imaginary space of cinema intrudes upon the actual space of our lives, so that the
L.A. of the movies becomes a kind of separate urban reality unto itself." –
Toronto Star. [See description 9/5.] Discussion following with
director Thom Andersen. Scene featuring the Bradbury
Building | Los
Angeles Times Review:
Wednesday, September 9 - 7:30 PM
Sneak Preview! NO IMPACT MAN, 2009, Oscilloscope Laboratories, 90 min.
Dirs. Laura Gabbert & Justin Schein. An environmentalist who could no longer avoid
pointing the finger at himself, Colin Beavan left behind his liberal complacency for a vow
to make as little environmental impact as possible for one year. Laura Gabbert (SUNSET
STORY) and Justin Schein’s film provides a front-row view of the familial strains and
strengthened bonds that result from Beavan’s struggle with this radical lifestyle
change. Discussion following with co-director Laura Gabbert. Trailer | Official Website
SOLD OUT!
Thursday, September 10 - 7:30 PM
Los Angeles Premiere! THE LEGEND OF PANCHO BARNES AND THE HAPPY BOTTOM RIDING
CLUB, 2009, 64 min. This colorful documentary profiles Florence "Pancho"
Barnes. One of the top aviatrixes of the 1920s, Pancho shattered Amelia Earhart’s
air-speed record and became Hollywood’s first female stunt pilot. Later, her Happy
Bottom Ranch hosted many of the great pilots of the "Right Stuff" era. Features
interviews with astronaut Buzz Aldrin, test pilot Chuck Yeager and many others. Narrated
by Tom Skerritt, with Kathy Bates as the voice of Pancho. Writer-producer
Nick Spark (REGULUS: THE FIRST NUCLEAR MISSILE SUBMARINES) and director Amanda Pope will
host a silent auction of aviation related items to benefit the production. Discussion
following with Nick Spark and Amanda Pope. Limited seating. Trailer
| Official Website
Friday, September 11 – 7:30 PM
THE RIGHT STUFF, 1983,
Warner Bros., 193 min. Dir. Philip Kaufman. Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Barbara
Hershey, Dennis Quaid, Fred Ward and Jeff Goldblum head the stellar cast of THE RIGHT
STUFF, based on Tom Wolfe’s best-selling book chronicling the exciting early years of
the United States’ race to conquer the final frontier, and the daredevil test pilots
who ultimately became the first Americans in space. Trailer | Roger Ebert’s Great Movies"
Sunday, September 13 - 7:30 PM
Don Knotts Tribute: THE LOVE GOD?, 1969, Universal, 107 min. Dir. Nat Hiken.
Don Knotts plays a Hugh Hefner-esque stud (!) in this hilarious comedy from Nat Hiken, the
creator of Sergeant Bilko. Co-stars include Anne Francis, Edmond O’Brien and James
Gregory. Great score by Vic Mizzy ("The Addams Family"). Clip
THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN,
1966, Universal, 90 min. Dir. Alan Rafkin. Don Knotts is Luther Heggs, an aspiring
journalist who scores a big scoop by spending the night in a haunted house. Dick Sargent,
Joan Staley and Skip Homeier also star in this comedy classic for the whole family. Hosted by Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood, The People vs. Larry Flynt).
Discussion in between films with comedian Dana Gould ("The Simpsons"), daughter
of Don Knotts, actress Karen Knotts, Joan Staley (THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN), Maureen
Arthur (THE LOVE GOD) and Al Checco (HOW TO FRAME A FIG, THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN, THE
RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT). More guests to be announced. Clip
Wednesday, September 16 - 7:30 PM
DIED YOUNG, STAYED PRETTY, 2009, 95 min.
Dir. Eileen Yaghoobian. A candid look at the underground indie-rock poster subculture in
North America that was reborn, post-punk, with the launch of groupie Clayton Hayes’
website Gigposters.com. With original music by Mark Greenberg and visual effects by Pete
Dionne, DIED YOUNG, STAYED PRETTY features posters for Radiohead, White Stripes, Arcade
Fire, The Flaming Lips, The Melvins, Nick Cave, Broken Social Scene and Ween, as well as
legends Bob Dylan and Marianne Faithful. Discussion following
with director Eileen Yaghoobian. Check out this great slide show of posters | Trailer | Official Website
Thursday, September 17 - 7:30 PM
Sneak Preview! THE INFORMANT! 2009, Warner Bros., 108 min. Dir. Steven
Soderbergh. Matt Damon stars as Mark Whitacre, the highest-ranking executive ever to turn
corporate whistleblower. Based on Kurt Eichenwald’s 2000 book, "The
Informant!" follows the bipolar, Ivy League Ph.D. executive at giant food
conglomerate Archer Daniels Midland who exposed the company’s price-fixing tactics.
Steven Soderbergh reunites with OCEAN’S ELEVEN collaborator Damon for another blend
of populist entertainment and docudrama along the lines of the director’s ERIN
BROCKOVICH. Discussion following with actor Scott Bakula,
screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and producers Gregory Jacobs and Jennifer Fox. Trailer
Sunday, September 20 - 7:30 PM
Technicolor Cast Reunion: AMERICAN GRAFFITI, 1973, Universal, 110 min. In the
middle of the Vietnam War and Nixon-obsessed days of the early ’70s, director George
Lucas and producer Francis Ford Coppola switched gears radically with this tender,
nostalgic look at drive-ins, drag races and the death of doo-wop in a northern California
town in 1962. Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul LeMat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy
Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford head a cast of newcomers. Discussion following with actress Candy Clark and other guests to be
announced. More I.B. Technicolor at the
Egyptian this month! Trailer | Roger
Ebert Review
Wednesday, September 23 - 7:30 PM
ITVS Documentary Series: D TOUR, 99 min. Dir. Jim Granato. Pat Spurgeon has big dreams of
making it as an indie rock musician. Just as his career is about to take off, he suffers
an incredible setback as one of his kidneys begins to fail. Pat embarks on an emotional
search for a living organ donor while trying to balance his health with his rock
’n’ roll lifestyle.Trailer
Free admission! RSVP to CommunityCinema@gmail.com for priority
seating. Panel discussion following with participants to be announced. About
ITVS Community Cinema: Community Cinema, produced by the Independent
Television Service, is a free monthly screening series in nearly 60 cities across the
U.S., featuring films from PBS’ Emmy Award-winning series "Independent
Lens." www.communitycinema.org |
