The in, the out, the ultraviolence; upcoming Oaks movies

[illusionofjoy]

This weekend, joi_division and I returned once more to The Oaks Theater for another film in their midnight movie series. This week was A Clockwork Orange, Stanley Kubrick's take on Anthony Burgess' novel about free will versus free society.

The first time I ever saw this movie, it haunted me for days afterwards and immediately became one of my favourite films. To put it bluntly: to me, this is a perfect movie: it is unrelenting, it makes you think and every shot is in it's right place. From the moment Kubrick's lens focuses on Malcolm McDowell's face in the first frame, slowly panning back, to the final debauched scene where Alex intones, "I was cured alright," not a single shot is extraneous or superfluous.

Aside from the cinematography, the music is no less than glorious - the protagonist's near-obsession with Ludwig Van Beethoven rendered in both full orchestras and synthesizers. Despite the obvious 70s dating of the synths, I can't help but be floored by the sound they make every time; that sound being so much more important than the technology. The synths are tense and seething - ominous and ready to burst forth at any minute...

Seeing it in the big screen was no less than incredible. Better yet, they show this film at The Oaks every year.

Forthcoming this year: on Halloween, they will be showing a new print of Richard Elfman's (yes, he is related to Danny Elfman) Forbidden Zone, an early 80s cult film that has little in the way of a discernible plot, but is an important gem for Oingo Boingo fans. Sometime before that (September 24^th, specifically), will be the release of the new John Water's movie A Dirty Shame. Also coming in the fall is Gypsy 83, a film advertised as a "Goth" movie with a strange obsession with Fleetwood Mac (sounds like an ex of mine). Avoid the website if you don't want spoilers - I feel a little let down that so much of the film is given away online, leaving me without a clean slate with which to view it.

Comments

[evilkellychan.livejournal.com]

i really want to see "ghost in the shell 2: innocence" when it plays at the oaks. in general, i totally am in love with that theatre but the seats are a nightmare on your ass... my ass hurts like hell whenever i see a movie there... but, in general, the oaks is the best theatre... i love it there! :)

[illusion-of-joy.livejournal.com]

Just seeing the previews, the film simply looks beautiful. Still, I have this feeling that I should see the first movie before jumping into the sequel.

There are solutions to the sore tushy issue... ;)