Death: Before, During and After
Yes, the headline’s a bit dark, but the reason will become clear as the column unfolds.
Let’s begin with the International Film Showcase’s selection of “Quisling: The Final Days,” on March 7. The film tells the story of Vidkun Quisling, a man rightly branded a traitor to his country for collaborating with the Nazis during the time of the Holocaust. Taking place shortly before his execution, we learn about the man and his crimes against his own people.
Films like this often only highlight the more dramatic parts of a person’s life, but here we have a welcome change of pace. There turns out to be plenty of time to learn everything we need to know about Quisling, the effect he had on those closest to him, and his ultimate fate.
This is a little-known chapter in Norwegian history but it is no less important. To learn more, visit internationalshowcase.org.
Next the mood lightens a bit with a very dark comedy, “Death at a Funeral.” This 2007 British film is directed by Frank Oz (of Muppets’ fame) and stars Matthew Macfadyen and Alan Tudyk.
It is one of those “if anything can go wrong, it will” movies and as the title implies, no subject is sacred. It’s all here: sex, drugs, awkward romances, crazy relatives, Peter Dinklage – and somewhere in there are a bunch of people trying to be respectful, given the occasion. Whether or not they ultimately succeed is for you to find out. It screens March 20 and admission is free.
And finally, what would this grim subject be without a film by Alfred Hitchcock? If you follow his work, you know “Strangers on a Train” is one of his great ones.
The premise is simple: Two men get to casually talking about the inconvenient people in their lives, and one of them suggests that if they each dispatch the other’s inconvenient person, it would be the perfect crime. One dismisses the idea as ridiculous. The other doesn’t and that’s where the trouble begins.
Needless to say, this one is a nail-biter with a fantastic climax at an amusement park. This is part of the Orinda Classic Movie Matinees, so this film, and some added surprises, screens March 25 at 1 p.m.
News at the Orinda Theatre
I’d also like to mention how fortunate we are to have movies to go to at all at the Orinda Theatre after this grand movie palace had to be closed for a time last month due to extensive water damage.
A great deal of thanks must go to Derek Zemrak and crew, who worked diligently to make sure we were not deprived of the pride of the Lamorinda area for too long.
Go to orindamovies.com for more information about additional concerts and events, and make sure to always veer towards those wonderful images made from sound and light – for that’s where the reel magic lies.
