MATT'S CINEMA DIARY: 12-18 October
Matt Micucci's personal experience at various screenings throughout the week. Less about the film, more about the personal experience. This week, THE ASSASSIN, YOUTH, BLACK SOULS, I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING and D.W. GRIFFITH retrospective.
12 October
THE ASSASSIN by Hou Hsiao-Hsien @ Kino Lucerna, 20.45 (Be2Can screening)
I was originally supposed to go to a Czech documentary on the dangers of sugar, SUGAR BLUES, at KINO SVETOZOR but opted instead for LUCERNA, which is just across the street, after seeing the length of the line at the ticket desk. I also knew that THE ASSASSIN was playing at around the same time, which further encouraged this choice.
This was the second time watching the film, which was and still is one of my favourites of the year. Because I knew of the meditative and near damn soothing power and charge of the film, I was happy that I only had one cup of coffee the whole day, and refrained to have a cigarette before the screening despite the cravings to really fall into some sort of a sensual and mystic peace whilst watching the film, only to be occasionally abruptly startled and excited by the tease of the spectacular ballet like martial arts sequences.
I had, however, disregarded one thing and really should have known better - night screenings in LUCERNA are often disturbed by the sounds coming from the music bar downstairs from it. So, after the first moments of silence, in comes the dreadful disturbance of bass, drums and guitar over the controlled silence and beautifully solemn sound landscape of THE ASSASSIN. This would go on for the film's entire duration.
To make matters worse, the guy sitting beside me was falling asleep. I have a personal rule of never walking out of any screening unless I am dragged out by force. After the first half hour I contemplated asking for a refund, worried that my memories of watching this film in CANNES would forever be taunted by this insignificant screening experience.
13 October
YOUTH by Paolo Sorrentino @ Kino Svetozor, 18:00
I had intended going to a later screening of this film in order to also watch the Be2Can screening of Panahi's TAXI, which won the Golden Bear at this year's BERLINALE. But the tickets were sold out, so I agreed to go to the 18:00 screening of the film with my friend Lubomir at KINO SVETOZOR.
Again, big line at the ticket desk, and when it was finally almost my turn to go, I realized that I had forgotten to stop by the ATM. This meant I had to give up my spot and run to the closest one, take out some cash and join the queue from the end once again. I was afraid I wouldn't get the tickets, but relieved that the popular screening at that time was for a documentary about food followed by a talk. So, luckily I got in just in time to catch the endless number of trailers and ads that screen before the movie at SVETOZOR.
I met up with Lubomir after the film and we had a chat about the film over a few pints at Lucerna Kavovarna, which is a nice spot run by an awful owner, like most good bars in Prague. We both admired the poetry in the film, and the depth at which it examined its various themes. Himself being a cinematographer, we spoke at length about the visual wonders of YOUTH, and praised the work of LUCA BIGAZZI.
Click here to read my full length review of YOUTH by PAOLO SORRENTINO
14 October
ANIME NERE by Francesco Munzi @ Kino Lucerna, 18:30 (Be2Can screening)
I had missed this screening on several occasions at several festivals, but decided I would make sure to catch it today. All this despite the bad news of the photography exhibition I was curating being postponed to January, thanks to the awful owner of the KAVOVARNA, and other bad news I had received throughout the day - as well as an impending cold and thoughts of my meeting later on that night with the photographer friend of mine whose exhibition was postponed.
The screening was in the small room of the LUCERNA, where the seats have faces of classic cinema stars. I was assigned MARILYN MONROE's seat, right at the back, and sitting beside a chatty lady who just couldn't understand that I do not speak Czech.
ANIME NERE (BLACK SOULS) is great and intense, and I really enjoyed it despite my runny nose and said lady reacting outrageously to everything that happened on screen. I think at some point she even tried to hold my hand for comfort. Bless her though, I always like viewers who really get into the film, but not necessarily sitting right beside them at the back row of any screening room.
15 October
I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger @ Kino Ponrepo, 17:30
I love PONREPO, the cinema of the Czech archives because I guess I have a film archive fetish. They play original copies of classic films and occasionally host riveting and more modern programs. I would be in POPREPO every day, if it wasn't for the fact that I do not speak Czech and am restricted to really watching the English friendly screenings.
Earlier in the week, however, I had a meeting with some of its organizing team to try and come up with a plan to encourage the international audience to go to PONREPO more. As a result of this new partnership, I am now entitled to free tickets at PONREPO, which means that I may take in more screenings whether they are English friendly or not.
This was the second POWELL and PRESSBURGER film I watched in PONREPO, after THE RED SHOES last week, which I went to with my friend Lucien, who was very thankful afterwards. I had already seen I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING, and loved it, especially the sequence on a train, with that titular song and the cute dreamy scene in which the leading character imagines her immediate future.
Rediscovering a classic on the big screen in a great and solemn setting like that of PONREPO is really special! However, I remembered also why I do not like this particular film by POWELL and PRESSBURGER. The reason is personal and perhaps very naive, but there are too many hunting and fishing references in the script. Hey, man, everyone fights their own battles.
D.W. GRIFFITH RETROSPECTIVE @ Kino Ponrepo, 20:00 (D.W. Griffith: Birth of a View)
One thing I forgot to mention was that on the 15th of October I was also officially sick with a flu for the first time in over a year. I had stayed out late the night before, already suffering from a cold, and paid for the consequences today with shakes and coughs. But I perversely decided to take in a retrospective of one of my hands down favourite filmmakers of all time D.W. GRIFFITH, that paid tribute to the father of American cinema through a program of early short films accompanied by live piano.
Why?
Because in my near delirious state, I anticipated that attending this screening would have a particular drug-like effect on me and indeed it did.
Hearing the sounds of the projector, the prisitine condition of the prints themselves straight from MoMA, just repeatedly sent chills down my spine. Especially with one of my favourite works of GRIFFITH, A CORNER IN WHEAT in the scene where the figures remain still at the bread line near the end. Or when LILLIAN GISH looks right into the camera for a few moments in THE MOTHERING HEART, maddened by her discovery of her beloved's infidelity.
I found myself whispering "whoa!" a lot during this fantastic event and was surprised to find that my favourite moment was when each short film was over, the reel would be changed, the piano would stop playing and the room would fall into this absolute pitch darkness. And that, my friend, is why it is indeed better to watch films at the cinema.