Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: The Naked Civil Servant

By: börek - January 1st, 2016  Filed under: Filmavond

TheNakedCivilServantSunday January 17th 2016, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: The Naked Civil Servant (1975). Directed by Jack Gold, 78 minutes. In English with English subtitles. Door opens at 8pm, film begin at 9pm. Free admission.

This is a extraordinary portrait, focusing on the story of Quentin Crisp, a gay man living in conservative England from the 1920s to the ’70s. This real-life story is simple but profound. It portrays how people lived in loneliness during those dark and desperate days, when homosexuality was illegal and still considered a mental illness. Gangs would go around beating up anyone in the streets who they suspected was gay. The effeminate Crisp refused to be intimidated, and wore make-up in public. He saw value in being an outsider, and he dedicated his life to living without compromise.

This movie stars John Hurt (The Elephant Man, Alien, 1984) in the lead role. Crisp was dressed with broad-brimmed fedoras and flowing scarves. He wore make-up so naturally that it’s difficult to imagine him any other way. He had a chequered life, sometimes even working as a rent-boy (male prostitute) in order to survive. He had an incredible resilience – he would never bat an eye when he was attacked publicly, and always responded with grace. He would raise to prominence only later in his life, through sheer flamboyance and wit. For example, he ended up playing the part of Queen Elizabeth in Sally Potter’s film Orlando. Since he was a terminal social outcast, he always defended otherness rather than inclusion. […Lees verder]

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Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Los Olvidados

By: börek - December 1st, 2015  Filed under: Filmavond

151213 Olvidados smSunday December 13th 2015, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Los Olvidados. Directed by Luis Buñuel, 1950, 80 minutes, In Spanish with English subtitles. Door opens at 8pm, film begin at 9pm. Free admission.

This is probably the most famous film made by Spanish director Luis Buñuel while he lived for several decades as an exile in Mexico. Less surreal than his European films, even almost documentary in its mood, it follows the story of several rough street kids in Mexico’s ghettos. Although the movie can feel visceral, and it indeed shocked audiences with its radical portrayal of street life and poverty, this beautifully crafted film also lyrically transcends its hard-hitting subject matter.

Luis Buñuel’s depiction of life in Mexico’s slums stunned audiences at the Cannes Film Festival in 1951, with Buñuel picking up the Best Director award, and relaunching the filmmaker’s career after a twenty-year hiatus. The film focuses on the story of an unloved teenage boy, Pedro, who fights to turn his life around against the circumstances of extreme poverty. Unflinchingly honest, at times surreal… and ultimately heartbreaking, Los Olividados is an original, game-changing piece of cinema from one of the medium’s true masters. Some of the images in this flick are more haunting than anything Hollywood has had to offer for the last decade. Really.

This is probably the most famous film made by Spanish director Luis Buñuel while he lived for several decades as an exile in Mexico. Less surreal than his European films, even almost documentary in its mood, it follows the story of several rough street kids in Mexico’s ghettos. Although the movie can feel visceral, and it indeed shocked audiences with its radical portrayal of street life and poverty, this beautifully crafted film also lyrically transcends its hard-hitting subject matter.

Luis Buñuel’s depiction of life in Mexico’s slums stunned audiences at the Cannes Film Festival in 1951, with Buñuel picking up the Best Director award, and relaunching the filmmaker’s career after a twenty-year hiatus. The film focuses on the story of an unloved teenage boy, Pedro, who fights to turn his life around against the circumstances of extreme poverty. Unflinchingly honest, at times surreal… and ultimately heartbreaking, Los Olividados is an original, game-changing piece of cinema from one of the medium’s true masters. Some of the images in this flick are more haunting than anything Hollywood has had to offer for the last decade. Really.

Film night at Joe’s Garage, cozy cinema! Doors open at 8pm, film begins at 9pm, free entrance. You want to play a movie, let us know: joe [at] squat [dot] net

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Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

By: börek - November 1st, 2015  Filed under: Filmavond

Johnny_Got_His_GunSunday November 15th 2015, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Johnny Got His Gun. Directed by Dalton Trumbo, 1971, 111 minutes. In English. High-definition screening. Free admission. Door opens at 20:00, Film starts at 21:00.

Yet another film that is threatened of being remade by Hollywood (that factory of uninspired dreams), taking this wonderful piece of committed art and castrating it into a typical, tired,  uninspired american formula, and therefore ruining yet another cinematic masterpiece for another generation of film goers…!

Considered by many to be the best anti-war film ever made (its been called the holy-grail of 70s anti-war films), this is cinema at its most revelatory – the entire film actually takes place in a single room in which a soldier is dealing with his injuries. Through memories and thoughts we witness the re-construction of his life, mixed with dreams and fantasies.

This film was skillfully directed by Dalton Trumbo, who also wrote the best-selling book this movie is based on. Many big name directors wanted to make this film, but they also wanted to change things in the script. Trumbo wouldn’t give in, so in the end he directed this brilliant film himself… and thankfully for us he did.

Its difficult to think of another film which is as deep and sincere as this gem from the 70s. What can I say about the profound impact of this film? For the cinema of fake sensationalism, of hyper entertainment, this is a movie which moves, through its razor-sharp honesty. Theerfore it certainly blows every film that is playing now downtown in the Pathe away! Starring Timothy Bottoms, the excellent cast also includes Jason Robards and Donald Sutherland (as Christ).

This will be a high-definition screening of this riveting cult classic.

Film night at Joe’s Garage, cozy cinema! Doors open at 8pm, film begins at 9pm, free entrance. You want to play a movie, let us know: joe [at] squat [dot] net

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Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Taxi Blues (1990)

By: börek - October 1st, 2015  Filed under: Filmavond

TaxiBluesSunday October 11th 2015, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Taxi Blues (Такси-блюз) directed by Pavel Lungin, 1990, 110 minutes. High-definition screening. Free admission. Door opens at 20:00, Film starts at 21:00.

This film explores many aspects of modern Russian life by centering on the lives of two very different people, and what happens when their destinies intersect. Ivan is a tough hard-working Moscow taxi driver who is nostalgic about the days of Communism. One night he picks up Lyosha who belongs to the new generation of Russians… he is pessimistic, westernized, an alcoholic jazz saxophonist and totally irresponsible. Because of the turn of events, a long-term connection is formed between the two that is a bit like a bizarre love-hate relationship, and its fascinating to watch it twist and turn, develop and unfold, die down and explode.

The movie is wonderfully shot, both bleak and passionate… and beyond being only a story about two polar opposite men, it is also a moody piece of work about Russia during the latter stages of Perestroika… and the collision of old Russian values against the new Russia. The film stars Piotr Mamonov who is the leader of the new wave band Zvuki Moobut… but he is also a poet and performer. The lush but desolate free-jazz music score for this film is by Vladimir Cherkasin.

Taxi Blues is considered by many to be one of the central masterpieces of contemporary Russian cinema, and it won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1990. And, like usual, this is an extremely rare screening of this haunting movie.

Film night at Joe’s Garage, cozy cinema! Doors open at 8pm, film begins at 9pm, free entrance. You want to play a movie, let us know: joe [at] squat [dot] net

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Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: White Dog (1982)

By: börek - September 1st, 2015  Filed under: Filmavond

white_dogSunday September 13th 2015, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: White Dog (1982). Directed by Samuel Fuller, 90 minutes, in English. High-definition screening. Free admission. Door opens at 20:00, Film starts at 21:00.

Back in the 80s this was a piece of cinematic dynamite. Just the premise of it sent shock waves through the film industry. Whats it about? It centers on a young girl who injures a stray dog, and takes it home to bring it back to health. Although its a beautiful dog, it does act strange at times. Soon she finds out that it is a “white dog”- a dog which has been programmed into attacking black people by a previous racist owner. That is the premise and the movie then goes into how to deal with the situation.

Adapted from a book by Romain Gary (to whom the picture is dedicated) and it based on a real life event that happened to his wife Jean Seberg. Originally Roman Polanski was signed up to direct it, but then he was forced to escape America after he was charged with a sex crime. So finally, six years later, it fell into the hands of the maverick director Samuel Fuller.

Once it was finished the studio felt it was too volatile and it was shelved (basically banned) so it wasn’t allowed to be screened in America. Director Fuller was pissed off and moved to France and never made another movie in America. It splits audiences like crazy… is it a well-made film or not? Is it racist or anti-racist? Its a controversial film that stirs up a wild discussion in any event. The music score is by Ennio Morricone. […Lees verder]

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Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Dom zły (Wojciech Smarzowski, 2009)

By: börek - July 1st, 2015  Filed under: Filmavond

Sunday July 12th 2015, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Dom zły (The Dark House, directed by Wojciech Smarzowski, 2009, 106 minutes). In Polish with English subtitles. Free admission. Door opens at 20:00, Film starts at 21:00.

This is one of the most renowned and popular films from contemporary Poland, and its director is recognized as one of the country’s leading independent artists. The story of this devastating little drama follows an investigation into the murder of a family on a farm in 1978, but the real meaning of the film lies elsewhere in the background. As the police investigation unfolds, the movie becomes an exposé… a dark journey into communist Poland’s past. As the lead character Lieutenant Mróz tries to deduce who the murderer is, he soon discovers that the authorities have absolutely no interest in solving the crime. He’s looking for the truth, and he is told “there is no such thing.”

This is an inventive, but harsh and confronting film that explores the depths of the human soul. Its been described as “An atmospheric Polish horror film set in the communist era.” Like I said, in Poland this riveting and moody gem was a hit… but everywhere else it wasn’t even given a chance outside festivals. […Lees verder]

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Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Kamikaze 1989 (Wolf Gremm, 1982)

By: börek - June 1st, 2015  Filed under: Filmavond

kamikaze_1989Sunday June 7th 2015, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: Kamikaze 1989 (Wolf Gremm, 1982). In German with English subtitles. Free admission. Door opens at 20:00, Film starts at 21:00.

Set in the not-so-distant future, this film depicts a brave new world where illness has been eliminated, culture has been dumbed-down, there is no unemployment and a single conglomerate controls all the mass-media. Rainer Werner Fassbinder (in his final acting role) stars as the off-beat police lieutenant Jansen who is assigned to investigate a string of murders, but the deeper he digs the more complex and twisted the situation becomes. This is not the sort of film that leads you by the hand into a dystopian future, but a movie which dumps you in total alienation and a convoluted cultural anarchy- it’s Eurotrash, camp, arthouse and over the top.
Based on the 1964 novel Murder on the Thirty-First Floor by Per Wahlöö, this “West German cyberpunk thriller” features Fassbinder who was on his last legs when he starred in this crazed film. He is wildly dressed in a gaudy leopard-print suit, chain-smoking, sweating, and as one person said he is “lumbering around like a wounded walrus”. But that also adds a lot of flavor to the chaos. The decor and costumes are stuffed full of sci-fi kitsch, and that also adds to its nostalgic charm. The color scheme is gaudy, and the cinematography is by Xaver Schwarzenberger who shot Berlin Alexanderplatz along with most of Fasbinder’s last films. Besides Fassbinder the film also features Günther Kaufmann and Franco Nero. An extremely rare cult film from the Germany punk scene of the 80s with a vision of the future as an insane, senseless, labyrinthine junk world.
[…Lees verder]

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Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)

By: börek - May 1st, 2015  Filed under: Filmavond

How_to_Get_Ahead_in_AdvertisingSunday May 10th 2015, Can Dialectics Break Bricks Cinema: How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989). Directed by Bruce Robinson, 95 minutes. In English with English subtitles. Free admission. Door opens at 20:00, Film starts at 21:00.

Radical cult film by the wild British director Bruce Robinson (Withnail & I)…. a Kafkaesque black comedy which is a scathing attack on the commercialization and trivialization of our lives. This movie is an all-out assault on both the mind and senses (along with the advertising world), as it follows the story of pent-up advertising executive Dennis Bagley, whose life becomes so stressful that his body starts to react in a surreal way. This aspect makes it almost like a Cronenberg film, with Bagley’s repressed inner demon bursting to the surface. Director Bruce Robinson is a sort of cinematic equivalent to a rampaging Hunter S. Thompson, and in his gonzo rage he decries a world of cheap tricks, gimmicks, misrepresentation and hidden marketing agendas. And like Hunter, Robinson does so with scathing absurdism and humor.

Richard E. Grant (Withnail & I) stars in this mad, out-of-control Grand-Guignol that lampoons rampant capitalism and the modern business world. And although this film is certainly skeptical of that advertising industry, director Robinson said it was a mistake to think that was the main message… what this film is about for him is about selling fear, and using fear to promote everything. “The real fear I have is that our whole political system is evolving into an optical illusion whose currency is fear.” The expansion of both the commercialization of our lives, and the use of fear tactics to manipulate us, makes this film even more relevant than ever before. […Lees verder]

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