October at the Castro Theatre picks up with a combined salute to Alfred Hitchcock and Brian De Palma, beginning with a recently completed De Palma bio. This month's slate of films also offers an orgy of treats for horror-film fans.
Vertigo (1958) Of all Alfred Hitchcock's top-drawer material, this chilly San Francisco-lensed thriller may be the hardest to sassy up to, but also may pay the biggest dividends to those who make the effort. Jimmy Stewart in his fourth and final outing for Hitch (Rope, the 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much, Rear Window) is Scotty, a retired detective whose fear of heights leads to the death of a fellow officer and his own early retirement.
Stewart becomes obsessed with an old pal's estranged wife (Kim Novak). The delight occasioned by shots of Stewart driving around Nob Hill is matched by Bernard Herrmann's addictive score. Hitchcock makes deft use of a comic subplot where Stewart must fend off the attentions of a female friend, the tomboyish Barbara Bel Geddes, to ratchet up the tension of the main story, where Scotty must overcome his fear and go to a terrifying place. Novak is chilling as the young woman who permits Scotty to make her over to match his obsession. With Tom Helmore, Henry Jones, Ellen Corby, Raymond Bailey and Lee Patrick. (10/13-16, playing with:)
De Palma (2016) This newly completed bio-pic traces De Palma's career from his agit-prop Vietnam-era comedy-dramas protesting the draft (Greetings, Hi Mom ) to his early acclaim as a Hitchcock imitator (Carrie, Obsession, Dressed to Kill, Body Double) to his mature work (Casualties of War, Carlito's Way ). (10/13)
Obsession (1975) De Palma's version of Vertigo is Hitchcock askew (courtesy of a screenplay co-written by Paul Schrader) with music by Herrmann and performances from Cliff Robertson, Genevieve Bujold and John Lithgow. (10/14)
Dressed to Kill (1980) Perhaps the defining work in the De Palma canon. A killer is stalking two women, a housewife and a hooker. The prostitute joins forces with the first woman's young son (director-to-be Keith Gordon) to catch the killer. (10/15)
Body Double (1984) Melanie Griffith shines as a porn actress in this De Palma homage to Hitchcock. With Craig Wasson, Gregg Henry, Guy Boyd, Dennis Franz and Deborah Shelton. Not for everyone, but a great illustration of De Palma's ability to both mimic and subvert his creative betters. (10/16)
Dead Man (1995) A young and comely Johnny Depp is a bashful accountant lured to a dangerous frontier town, launched on a journey where he will cross paths with an eccentric Indian (Gary Farmer) who believes him to be the reincarnated spirit of poet William Blake. In B&W with a one-of-a-kind supporting cast: Iggy Pop, Billy Bob Thornton, Crispin Glover, John Hurt, Gabriel Byrne, Alfred Molina, and Robert Mitchum. Directed by Jim Jarmusch, with music by Neil Young.
Ghost World: The Way of the Samurai (1999) Forest Whitaker is a gangster's servant who must stand up to the cruel violence of his employer and reaffirm the ancient Samurai codes. (both 10/19)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920/2014 restoration) Classic German Expressionist horror film has been restored and finds a perfect venue at the Castro.
M (1931) Peter Lorre is mesmerizing as a recently released child molester who becomes the object of a search by not only the police but also by Berlin's criminal underground. Lorre, among others, would soon be fleeing a greater set of monsters in the Third Reich. (both 10/20)
El Topo (1970) A Mexican-American Western written, scored, directed by and starring Alejandro Jodorowsky. A mix of bizarre characters, including maimed and dwarf actors, combined with Christian symbolism and Eastern philosophy, it concerns a violent, black-garbed gunslinger who's pursuing enlightenment.
Blindman (1971), also known as Il pistolero cieco (The Blind Gunfighter ), is an Italian spaghetti Western directed by Ferdinando Baldi. It's achieved cult status mainly for the casting of one-time Beatle drummer Ringo Starr as the character Weight. (both 10/21)
The Exorcist (1973) William Friedkin's director's cut of William Blatty's bestselling novel walks a fine line between belief and skepticism. Linda Blair is a young Catholic girl possessed by the Devil. The veracity of the girl's exorcism is enhanced by a top-drawer cast including Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow, Jason Miller and Lee J. Cobb.
Poltergeist (1982) Tobe Hooper (director) and Steven Spielberg (producer) project this horror classic about a family invaded by hostile spirits against the backdrop of a misleading suburban bliss. With Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Richard Lawson and James Karen. (both 10/22)
Sing-Along Annie (1982) John Huston directed this musical classic co-starring Albert Finney and Carol Burnett. (10/23)
One Eyed Jacks (1961) A Western directed by and starring Marlon Brando that unfolds between California's Central Valley and the Sonoran Desert. Brando is bank-robber Rio, who seeks revenge from an ex-partner-in-crime. With Karl Malden, Ben Johnson, Katy Jurado and Pina Pellicer.
The Missouri Breaks (1976) Jack Nicholson heads up an 1880s outlaw gang pursued by Brando's eccentric bounty-hunter. Directed by Arthur Penn, with Harry Dean Stanton, Randy Quaid, Frederic Forrest and John P. Ryan. (both 10/23)
Dawn of the Dead (1978) George Romero's memorable sequel to his low-budget horror classic Night of the Living Dead.
Trailer Apocalypse! Redux (2016) Sequel to Grindhouse's 2014 compilation of movie trailers. (both 10/27)
Rosemary's Baby (1968) Roman Polanski directs a modern horror classic. Pregnant Mia Farrow (Rosemary) suspects her actor hubby (John Cassavetes) is in league with evil powers and her baby is not a glad tiding. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for her neighbor lady/witch. A great example of a film that lets viewers believe what they wish, and further evidence of the loss to the American film world from the persecution of Polanski. Also an example of mediocre source material resulting in a singular film experience.
The Sentinel (1976) A worrywart fashion model (Cristina Raines) moves into a Brooklyn brownstone only to discover a case of severely bad ju-ju. This creepy horror entry stars Chris Sarandon, Burgess Meredith, Ava Gardner and Eli Wallach. (both 10/30)
Multiple Maniacs (1970) John Waters and Divine, in their second collaboration, present a funny if seedy side of America's favorite dysfunctional town, Baltimore, MD. A great way to experience the thrill of cult movie-making before the filmmakers found their followers. (10/31)
Info: castrotheatre.com