One can be allowed be a bit wee cynical of department MoMA film. Yet isn’t it its big brother who should shoulder any blame for that? They (Film Dept) do a remarkable job given the expense accounts of big brother! Who cares any more is a question when one sees often rows of empty film screening seats. And yet, explain THIS. How come on a below freezing NY winter’s Sunday does the main MoMA Theater 1 reach capacity (not the smaller Theater 2 that has been sold out for all films) for an Argentine Noir series. ??? (as a very crafty totally plausible adjunct they screened the restored film version of Richard Wright’s 1951 Native Son (2012 NYFF). If THAT is not noir who knows what is!
The Sunday winter screening was of The Bitter Stems. Devil’s advocate here: but was the cinematography (Ricardo Younis) as great as every claimed? Well, it was very Greg Toland’esque ‘Citizen Kane’- lots of low angled ceiling shots. Yet- someone indeed was looking deep into the blacks (and inevitably whites (technical not political terminology). Plus at 90min contemporary Hollywood could learn a lot about storytelling brevity. Really, very little to fault in Fernando Ayala’s film. It faired slightly better to the elements of history than Si Muero antes de despertar (If I Should Die Before I Wake)-1952- that without the belief and research of film historians would very soon have disintegrated into celluloid vaults. Support the Film Noir Foundation- or start writing your own stock market noir!!!!!
Probably not a good idea to watch Noah Baumbach's While We're Young before MoMA's Doc Fortnight 2016 (not that you would, though I did but then if I were you I wouldn't be writing this website;) Bad pun on a Brit joke that there's no time to explain. It's hard to recommend anything that one hasn't seen. Suffice to say there are many Docs in my iCal. The critics are critics and oftentimes you will have a great surprise because you trusted your instincts. (Great film Noah btw- wasn't so keen on Margot and then you went beserkly even more talented and just about blew away any opposition.) Who just wrote that? Who is stealing my brackets? Not the N(Y)T): again! Mother of Mary. No critics named Mary anymore are there....
...a segue weird perhaps: have any of you actually listened to the late great Pierre Boulez conducting the 1976 New YorK Phil in Mahler's 9th? It is a Mahler doc in sound- quite unlike anything out there before or since-as much as I ....but there is nothing like documentary truth...
I lost a few friends I maybe made: so be it....
The 9th's finale isn’t a long drawn out (however brilliant) world weary (as many have spake) farewell: rather a hard won struggle of self-uttering hello upon entry to a brave new one.
The 10th Symphony is, perhaps, another story……
ok: perverse segue way time (sure to be seen uncredited on a website soon near you!)
always wondered if it would stay true…
