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In Los Angeles, it's important to take advantage of the film culture that surrounds us. First-run theaters have all but abandoned celluloid, so the repertory theater circuit is often our only hope for seeing films on 35mm—the way they were meant to be. As a testament to the breadth of the repertory film scene in LA and of filmmaking in general, this week we spotlight a modern American classic, avant-garde works, and a heavy metal documentary. So if you're not too into the idea of seeing Captain America: The Winter Soldier, here is your guide to the film events happening this week.
The trailer for Nashville
THE DAMNEDEST THING YOU EVER SAW: UCLA's Film & Television Archive returns this spring quarter with a Robert Altman retrospective so comprehensive that film nerds in L.A. may as well clear out their calendar until the end of June. What better way to kick it off than with his most famous film of all, 1975's Nashville, an examination of America through a sprawling masterpiece of comedy, tragedy, politics, and country music. Its reputation has only grown through the years; it's been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry and lands a spot in the AFI's Top 100 American films. In person will be Altman's widow Kathryn, music supervisor Richard Baskin, and actors Ronee Blakley and Elliott Gould.
Nashville screens Friday, April 4th, 7:30 PM at the UCLA Film & Television Archive's Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd. Tickets: $9.
Luther Price discusses his work
POETRY OF THE FOUND: Enigmatic experimental filmmaker Luther Price returns to L.A. for the first time in at least a decade, holding rare screenings at three different venues over the weekend. The Echo Park Film Center, LA Film Forum, and REDCAT each have the privilege of hosting Price as he presents his latest work, "films drawing upon found footage to create amazing meditations on life, pain, beauty, and art." Price owns the only copies of his work, and none of it is ever available for viewing outside of screenings—so it's now or never.
Luther Price's works will be screened this weekend at The Echo Park Film Center (Saturday, 8 PM), The Spielberg Theatre at the Egyptian (Sunday, 7:30 PM), and REDCAT (Monday, 8:30 PM). Check each theater's site for details.
A scene from The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years
SPINAL TAP, BUT REAL: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences features documentary filmmaking in their ongoing residency at LACMA, with a new 35mm print of Penelope Spheeris' long unavailable The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. This second installment of her Decline series focuses on the heavy metal scene in Los Angeles of the mid-80s, and is thought to have been one of the final blows that took down the scourge of glam metal and ushered in a grimier era of thrash and grunge. The Metal Years features performances from the likes of Faster Pussycat, London and Megadeth and also includes appearances from Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper. This screening will feature a panel with Spheeris, Rikki Rockett from Poison, and two members of the band London. Don't forget to catch the other two installments of the Decline trilogy on the 18th.
The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years screens Friday, April 4th 7:30 PM at the Bing Theatre at LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. Tickets: $5
