Beaks here...
We all have gaps in our film viewing histories. It's actually one of the things that makes being a cinephile so much fun: there just isn't enough time to see everything. And discovery, as far as I'm concerned, is where it's at. I defer to Dustin Hoffman...
I've always had little patience for people who say, "There's nothing to see! There's nothing to read!" I say, "Fine! Do you know how many great films have been made in the last hundred years? Go get them! There are so many masterpieces, you won't be able to watch all of them!" And there are so many good books. Listen, we could stop art right now, and you wouldn't be able to read enough or see enough of the great stuff.
This December at The New Beverly Cinema, writer-director Edgar Wright is going to screen some of the great stuff he has yet to see, and he'd like your assistance in assembling the double bills.
Here's the deal: a couple of weeks ago, Wright asked his friends and fans to recommend movies they thought he might've missed over the last thirty or so. From this, he created a master list of frequently recommended films, and now it's time to pair them. Here's the staggeringly awesome list (keep in mind that Wright grew up in a VCR-less house; also, THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION will play alone at midnight, while GONE WITH THE WIND is only eligible as its own double bill due to length)...
ICHI THE KILLER
GONE WITH THE WIND (Suggested by Bill Hader)
THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKEROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION
CHUNGKING EXPRESS (Suggested by Greg Mottola, Daniel Waters & Bill Hader)
MODERN TIMES (Suggested by Bill Hader)
PRINCESS MONONOKE
THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (Suggested by Rian Johnson & Bill Hader)
THRONE OF BLOOD (Suggested by John Landis)
TOKYO DRIFTER
ALL ABOUT EVE
BARFLY (Suggested by Josh Olson)
HARVEY (Suggested by Joe Dante)
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Suggested by Bill Hader)
BREAKING AWAY (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
DEFENDING YOUR LIFE
SHERLOCK JR (Suggested by John Landis)
STALKER
SUICIDE CLUB (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
SUPERSTAR: THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
THE BAD NEWS BEARS (’76) (Suggested by Doug Benson & Bill Hader)
BATTLE OF ALGIERS (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
CUTTER’S WAY (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP
THE OLD DARK HOUSE (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
PORCO ROSSO
RAISE THE RED LANTERN
ROMAN HOLIDAY (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
STAR ‘80 (Suggested by Jason Schwartzman & Bill Hader)
TALK TO HER
2046
5000 FINGERS OF DR T. (Suggested by Harry Knowles)
THE AWFUL TRUTH
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (’46)
BOB LE FLAMBEUR
CAPTAIN BLOOD (Suggested by Harry Knowles)
CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER
F IS FOR FAKE
HIGH AND LOW (Suggested by Rian Johnson)
JULES AND JIM (Suggested by Bill Hader)
THE OTHER (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
TWO FOR THE ROAD
UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (Suggested by Joss Whedon & Bill Hader)
A FACE IN THE CROWD (Suggested by Bill Hader)
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
THE CHINA SYNDROME
CALIFORNIA SPLIT
CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT (Suggested by Bill Hader)
COME AND SEE (Suggested by Larry Karaszewski)
GET CRAZY (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino)
GOKE, BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES
HUD (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
IMITATION OF LIFE
KIKUJIRO
THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (Suggested by John Landis)
NIGHTS OF CABIRIA
PARK ROW (Suggested by Joe Dante)
POSSESSION (’81) (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
THE QUIET MAN (Suggested by Bill Hader)
RED BEARD (Suggested by Bill Hader)
SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE
THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY?
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD
THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG
THE UNKNOWN
BABY DOLL (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
THE BAD SLEEP WELL
THE COURT JESTER (Suggested by Joe Dante)
DOGS IN SPACE
FORTY GUNS (Suggested by Bill Hader)
KICKING AND SCREAMING (Baumbach) (Suggested by Joss Whedon)
KITTEN WITH A WHIP
KRAMER VS KRAMER (Suggested by Bill Hader)
THE LION IN WINTER
LOS OLVIDADOS (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN
THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN’S CREEK (Suggested by Bill Hader)
MIKEY AND NICKEY (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
A NEW LEAF (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
ONE, TWO, THREE (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
QUACKSER FORTUNE HAS A COUSIN IN THE BRONX
SAHARA (Suggested by John Landis & Harry Knowles)
SCARECROW (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
STEAMBOAT BILL JR – (Suggested by Judd Apatow)
TO BE OR NOT TO BE (Suggested by John Landis, Joe Dante)
TROUBLE IN PARADISE (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
ZABRISKIE POINT: NB – I have seen the final scene stoned many times.
800 BULLETS (Suggested by Larry Karaszweski)
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
BALL OF FIRE
THE BANK DICK (Suggested by Judd Apatow & Bill Hader)
BLACK MAMA WHITE MAMA
BURN (Suggested by Daniel Waters & Larry Karaszweski)
THE CABIN IN THE SKY (From Harry Knowles)
THE CONFORMIST (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
DESPERATE (Suggested by Joe Dante)
DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE (Suggested by Daniel Waters, Larry Karaszweski & Greg Mottola)
ELITE SQUAD
FADE TO BLACK (Suggested by Julia Marchese)
FEAR IS THE KEY
THE GAMBLER
HE WHO GETS SLAPPED
HOLIDAY
HOW THE WEST WAS WON (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
JUDEX
THE KREMLIN LETTER
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (’34) (Suggested by Rian Johnson)
MONGOL (Suggested by Harry Knowles)
MR. VAMPIRE
LA NOTTE (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER
THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (’63) (Suggested by Doug Benson)
OUR HOSPITALITY
PATTON (Suggested by Larry Karaszewski)
THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino)
THE RED SQUIRREL
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR
SHARK SKIN MAN AND THE PEACH HIP GIRL
SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER (Suggested by Bill Hader)
SILVER STREAK (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
SON OF FRANKENSTEIN
STRAY DOG (Suggested by Bill Hader)
THE TALL T
TERROR OF TINY TOWN
THAT SUMMER
TIMES SQUARE (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
TOPSY TURVY
UNDERWORLD U.S.A
URGH! THE MUSIC WAR (Suggested by Jason Schwartzman)
VENUS IN FURS
WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER?
A COLT IS MY PASSPORT
THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (Suggested by Joss Whedon & Joe Dante)
BEDLAM (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
THE BIG GUNDOWN
BIG JAKE (Suggested by Larry Karaszewski)
BONJOUR TRISTESSE
THE CHALLENGE
CODE UNKNOWN
THE COWBOYS (Suggested by Josh Olson)
CRAZED FRUIT
DANCING OUTLAW
DAYS OF BEING WILD
DEPARTURES
DON’T MAKE WAVES
THE DREAMLIFE OF ANGELS (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
FEMALE CONVICT: 701 SCORPION (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
FORTRESS (’85)
THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE
GOING IN STYLE (Suggested by Josh Olson)
GUNGA DIN (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
HICKEY AND BOGGS (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino & Daniel Waters)
HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL
HOUR OF THE WOLF
INHERIT THE WIND
THE INFORMER (Suggested by Bill Hader)
INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5TORY OF THE 5ECRET 5TAR 5YSTEM
IRMA VEP
IT’S A GIFT (Suggested by Joe Dante) NB: Have seen this, but want to see it again!
IVAN’S CHILDHOOD
JOHN AND MARY (Suggested by Larry Karaszewski)
KING OF MARVIN GARDENS (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
KWAIDAN (Suggested by Guillermo Del Toro & John Landis)
LANDSCAPES IN THE MIST
THE LATE SHOW (Suggested by Daniel Waters & Josh Olson)
LAST SUMMER (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
LIQUID SKY
LOLA (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
MAN’S FAVOURITE SPORT
MAUVAIS SANG (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
MATADOR
MEET JOHN DOE
THE MIRACLE WORKER (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
MIRAGE
MOROCCO (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino)
NIGHTMARE ALLEY (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER
NINOTCHKA (Suggested by Bill Hader)
OPENING NIGHT (Suggested by Jason Schwartzman)
PEPI, LUCI, BOM
THE PUMPKIN EATER (Suggested by Greg Mottola & Daniel Waters)
QUAI DES ORFEVRES
RED RIVER (Suggested by John Landis & Bill Hader )
ROAD HOUSE (’48)
THE SCHOOL OF HOLY BEASTS (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
THE SERVANT
THE SHANGHAI GESTURE (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
SOME CAME RUNNING (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
TESIS (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
TOPKAPI (Suggested by Harry Knowles)
TO BE TWENTY
TWENTIETH CENTURY (Suggested by John Landis)
VAMPIRE CIRCUS
THE WAR GAME
BEAT THE DEVIL
EASTERN CONDORS (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino)
EL DORADO (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino)
FORCE OF EVIL
GIANTS AND TOYS (Suggested by Greg Mottola)
THE GIRL CAN’T HELP IT (Suggested by Joe Dante)
THE IN LAWS (’79) (Suggested by Doug Benson)
J.W.COOP
KISS ME STUPID
LORD LOVE A DUCK (Suggested by Daniel Waters)
ON DANGEROUS GROUND (Suggested by Joe Dante)
THE PROFESSIONALS (Suggested by Harry Knowles)
RETURN FROM THE ASHES (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino)
THE WESTERNER (Suggested by Quentin Tarantino)
... and the talkback below (or the comments section at Edgar's site) is where you can suggest your ideal double bills. Edgar's only got four nights, so try to stick within those parameters (the agony of excluding movies you love or are desperate to see is part of the fun). Here are my four evenings of celluloid ecstasy (with links to my reviews if I've written at length about 'em)...
Pitch-Black Screwball Comedies
TO BE OR NOT TO BE
UNFAITHFULLY YOURS
(Two of the greatest comedies ever made from the two greatest comedy directors.)
1970s Neo Noir
HICKEY & BOGGS (which I've never seen!)
THE LATE SHOW
Spaghetti & Boetticher
THE TALL T
THE BIG GUNDOWN
Day of the Blue Collar Underdogs
THE BAD NEWS BEARS
BREAKING AWAY
And if I were permitted a fifth night, I'd recommend...
Boozers and Losers
BARFLY
CALIFORNIA SPLIT
Kills me to exclude TROUBLE IN PARADISE... and A NEW LEAF... and CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT... and SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR...
And now it's your turn! Program away!
