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I can still remember the last film I went to. By then, it was already accepted that COVID-19 might have reached NYC, but there were no reported cases yet. I didn't have a mask, but I was hand washing and hand sanitizing like crazy while grabbing a seat with an unoccupied 10-feet radius.

hearthesilence wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:25 pm (I ain't risking it until I'm vaccinated.)

I miss sitting in a movie theater as much as any lover of cinema, but that's where I am at. And, even after my two jabs it's going to take me some time to acclimate, and I'll probably still wear a mask well into 2022. I think the last film I caught in the theater was 1917.

hearthesilence wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:41 pm I can still remember the last film I went to. By then, it was already accepted that COVID-19 might have reached NYC, but there were no reported cases yet. I didn't have a mask, but I was hand washing and hand sanitizing like crazy while grabbing a seat with an unoccupied 10-feet radius.

Same. 13th of March, 2020. 35mm print of Claudia Weil's Girlfriends at the Fairfax Cinema, Los Angeles (now defunct)

I used to go to repertory screenings 2-3 times a week. I'm resigned to the fact that I will never be able to experience that again, as certain venues just won't exist
in the near future. I can die happy having seen a lot of 70mm and nitrate screenings, though.

I’ve been to the movies I think 4 times since the pandemic, and 3 of those times, there was 1 other person in the theater with me.

“The science” seems to indicate that a bunch of people sitting (more or less) silently, all facing the same direction, in a large indoor space is pretty safe. I don’t think many if any cases have been traced back to movie theatres. Safer than eating out, at least.

But that said ... I don’t really want to risk a show with an actual crowd. Sparse attendance is sorta my jam at the moment. And sitting in the back row is a requirement for me, at least.

I've only been once, but my experience has been like Brian's- there were two-three other people and they were all in the various corners of the theatre so we had at least 20-30 feet distance from each other (I was in the focal point at the center, luckily). I think I wore a mask but I don't remember, and my decision to go was entirely based on the timeline of my upcoming transition between jobs and how long I had health insurance before I had to go uninsured for three months. At this point, I'll wait two weeks post-second vaccine shot, which is what I'm hearing is the rough timeline of safety, but that's because my second shot is this week so I find myself being extra careful as I get closer to the light. I'll echo Brian that it felt way safer than being in crowded grocery stores and I haven't eaten in a restaurant since the pandemic started- which seems far more insane than going to a theatre, but that's just my perception.

For one week only, MoMA members can stream (at no charge) Lobster's new restorations of Louis Valray's only two features.

Like a reverse-Edward Yang, he left filmmaking afterwards and went into engineering, eventually dying in obscurity, but these two neglected films have been championed by both Dave Kehr (MoMA's programmer) and Jim Hoberman, who has written a review for the NY Times.

Pre-Code Fox Rarities from the MoMA Archive

Online from May 6 to 20, 2021, "new 4K digital reproductions of nitrate prints in MoMA’s collection, made possible by the Walt Disney Company."

TOMORROW (Thursday) on April 22 at 7 p.m. EST, Film at Lincoln Center will livestream a discussion with Charles Burnett.

Film Forum calendar for June/July... Distant Journey, (Alfréd Radok) 4k restoration, Janus films...Le Cercle Rouge new 4k restoration... And 15 Bogarts in 35mm and restored DCPs

Now that New York has hit 70% vaccination, MoMA is re-opening its theaters next week, although they do note:

"Indoor film screenings are open to vaccinated patrons only. Provide proof of vaccination with a New York State Excelsior Pass or a vaccination card from the CDC (physical vaccination card or legible digital photograph accepted), along with a photo ID that includes your name and date of birth."

First up is 35mm screenings of Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! and Spike Lee's Malcolm X, as well as the very first NYC theatrical screenings of Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods (though unfortunately, all screenings for all three films are on weekday afternoons at 3 p.m.):

"In this inaugural edition of our new screening series The Craft, which explores the work of artists and craftspeople whose visions bring films to life, we celebrate production designer Wynn Thomas. In his 40-year career, Thomas has crafted worlds alongside directors like Spike Lee, Tim Burton, Robert Townsend, Robert De Niro, and Ron Howard. Often recognized as the first African American production designer in American movie-making, Thomas got his start in the industry working with master designer Robert Sylbert on Francis Ford Coppola’s The Cotton Club, after years nurturing his talent for design in theater. He soon forged a relationship with Spike Lee, a collaboration that has spanned 35 years and 11 films. From She’s Gotta Have It to Da 5 Bloods, Thomas has designed the vibrant sets that define Lee’s most iconic films. Thomas’s body of work—from the campy, candy-colored sci-fi sets of Mars Attacks! to the clubs, prison, and homes where Malcolm X spends his days in Lee’s eponymous epic—showcases his power to meticulously craft a reality for characters to inhabit in any era. The series is accompanied by an in-depth conversation with Thomas.

"Presented as a series of live conversations and screenings throughout the year, The Craft honors some of the extraordinary—yet often unsung—talents working behind the scenes in cinema today. We hope to demystify the process of making movies while also preserving its magic, as costume designers and casting directors, producers and PR agents, editors, composers, stunt doubles, special effects supervisors, and various other industry professionals share unique perspectives, illuminating experiences, and secrets of the trade."

Um, Da 5 Bloods played for four weeks at the IFC Center as well as a single show at the Paris.

Ribs wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 2:22 am Um, Da 5 Bloods played for four weeks at the IFC Center as well as a single show at the Paris.

Not sure why MoMA says this then: "Though the film was released on Netflix in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the first opportunity in New York City to see Da 5 Bloods on the big screen." I guess they copy-and-pasted the information from previously-used publicity that hadn't been updated.

Film Forum’s August-September calendar includes such inspired programming to feature rare screenings of Do the Right Thing, Goodfellas, and Breathless in weeklong runs.

(Two of those movies have played in at least two seperate theaters in the city post pandemic already)

Ribs wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:20 am Film Forum’s August-September calendar includes such inspired programming to feature rare screenings of Do the Right Thing, Goodfellas, and Breathless in weeklong runs.

(Two of those movies have played in at least two seperate theaters in the city post pandemic already)

Yeah, I made chit chat with the person at the ticket window yesterday when I went to see Blue Collar in 35mm. She confirmed for me what I suspected, which is that with the looming threat of another potential lockdown, difficulty sourcing prints far in advance, and the cost of 35mms being higher than DCPs, it sure seems like the current state of cinema in NYC is what we see / what we will get for a while. It's nice to see some of these restorations on the big screen instead of buying another blu ray (Le Circle Rouge and La Haine this week for me), but agreed that unfortunately the post-pandemic life has been very dull in NYC cinemas. Also, what gives with Metrograph seemingly doing a pivot to apps?

Metrograph has had some serious difficulties over the past year but are going to be back around labor day by their current plans - not every theater was ready to go with new filtering systems and the like as soon as the word was given and some had to figure out how to finance things like thag in order to be open. I am hopeful that with FLC’s NYFF that never was program wrapping up as well as Metrograph opening (and other exciting things like Alamo getting 14 new screens when their new location opens in the Fall) that things will be a lot more normal in the “spoiled for choice” sort then it has been.

FWIW, I haven't gone back to the theater just yet, but I've been renewing my memberships just to help them out in a way that's affordable. (Even pre-pandemic, memberships were kind of desirable way for theaters to shore up reliable funds.)

I too haven't gone back. But will head over to the FF next week to catch The Big Sleep during their 2 week run of Bogart films.

Ribs wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 3:04 am Metrograph has had some serious difficulties over the past year but are going to be back around labor day by their current plans - not every theater was ready to go with new filtering systems and the like as soon as the word was given and some had to figure out how to finance things like thag in order to be open. I am hopeful that with FLC’s NYFF that never was program wrapping up as well as Metrograph opening (and other exciting things like Alamo getting 14 new screens when their new location opens in the Fall) that things will be a lot more normal in the “spoiled for choice” sort then it has been.

Saw that! What kind of difficulties? Just the engineering you're describing?

I think it was just general financial difficulties and that has made them less in a position to do refurbishment they need as quickly as they wanted to. Everyone was hurt by the shutdown obviously I just think they particularly have a lack of funds at the moment. They make a lot of money as a private event space via their attached restaurant also and while those are definitely happening at some places that will not be really going in earnest with any regularity until the Fall.

Yes, makes sense. Always got the impression that the fact that prestige films/Netflix films have premiered there with events was a way for them to underwrite their great programming.

Yeah, I can see Metrograph being slow or reluctant to do any refurbishments. When they first opened, the acoustics sucked because they had nothing on their walls. It was basically painted cinder blocks - no curtains, panels or anything. They eventually added something that helped, but I always got the feeling that it was never going to be that state-of-the-art, though to be fair, one big appeal of Metrograph is their ability to screen a lot of vintage films correctly, even something as tricky as Andy Warhol's Chelsea Girls.

I'm in New York for the summer - apart from the Film Forum, the Roxy, MoMA, MoMI, and Lincoln Centre, what other repertory houses should be on my radar?

BAM in Brooklyn, Light Industry also in Brooklyn for really, really obscure and hard-to-find films (always great guests too), and I believe Anthology Film Archives is re-opening soon.

Also check out cultural centers like FIAF (French Institute Alliance Française) and Japan Society, they used to screen a lot of films and may be re-opening their film exhibitions as well.

Great, thank you. It was a real pleasure to go and see La Piscine at the Film Forum the other week, only the second time I've been to the cinema since the pandemic began (I managed to see Tenet during one of England's brief re-openings last summer) and it felt great to be back.

The Paris will be reopening next month also with an actual rep series - which I don’t think has been formally announced yet but should be soon. But they’re committed to 35mm or 70mm (they got a 70mm projector when they renovated for some reason) for their rep showings.