We spun in classic film heaven at LACMA this weekend. The first installment of curator Ian Birnie’s final series — his last picture show – which is devoted to “audience favorites,” offered four stellar international films — one, each, by directors from Germany (Murnau), the U.K. (Powell/Pressburger), again Germany via France (Ophuls) and Italy (Antonioni). Quel tour de force~!
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All four movies are all de rigeur, but until you’ve seen “The Earrings of Madame de…” on the Bing Theater’s big screen, well, you’re missing a huge pleasure! And “L’Avventura.” And “Sunrise.”
LACMA’s classic film series expires on July 30, when it gets replaced by something, let’s face reality, that is sure to be worse. I therefore encourage you to spend an evening this July at the Bing.
This post dedicated to the memory of Robert Sklar.







eisenstadt,
gered mankowitz, photog, 1967





“the red danube” (1949)



Sad and disgusting.