Rainy Days and Mondays … and Tuesdays
There is a sense of urgency present that threatens to spoil a month that has the reputation for being merry, namely the increasingly dire situation the Orinda Theatre finds itself in.
Due to the ever-increasing cost it takes to just keep the lights on, this Grand Lady has been forced to shutter her doors on Mondays and Tuesdays, with more dark days to follow should things not improve.
It is therefore of great importance that we band together and attend as many movies as we can, as often as we can. Fortunately, there is a trio of special showings that will motivate all serious cinephiles to hie their way to this premier movie palace and keep the wolves at bay.
We start out with the International Film Showcase gifting us with a much-needed farce. “Bonjour Switzerland” (“Bon Schuur Ticnio”) is a film that pokes fun at a nonsensical edict that comes down from on-high and the equally nonsensical reactions to it.
Thanks to the No Bilangue referendum, it is decreed that there should be only one language spoken, and that language should be French. As one might guess, this does not go over well, especially for one police officer whose job it is to make sure this law is actively put into action.
This film gives a new meaning to the term French Resistance. Never has the language barrier been funnier. It runs May 10 – 16. For more info and trailers, visit internationalshowcase.org.
Then no sooner does that farce leave us than it’s replaced with an entirely different sort of film. “Rear Window” often gets short shrift mainly because many movie buffs single out “Vertigo” as quintessential Hitchcock, but to my mind, this film is better constructed with a stronger, more grounded and plausible premise. Are invalid Jimmy Stewart’s suspicions correct? Will the lovely Grace Kelly survive, confirming said suspicions? Find out on May 16 and admission is free.
Another thing the Orinda Theatre is doing to increase revenue is the welcome return of the matinee. They’re kicking that program off with another suspenseful masterpiece. Though he has been crowned the Master of Suspense, not many people realize Hitchcock, in many ways, is also the originator of the modern action film.
One need look no further than “North by Northwest” as proof. It has everything: chase scenes, intrigue, romance, betrayal, explosions, Cary Grant – and all directed by Sir Alfred himself. It shows at 1 p.m. on May 28. For more information on these two classics, visit orindamovies.com.
So, I leave you once more, hoping that I’ve provided enough encouragement for you to wend your merry way to the Orinda Theatre. Derek Zemrak and crew would really appreciate it, and also remember to veer toward those wonderful images made out of sound and light – for that’s where the reel magic lies.
