Our review of new to the National Film Registry and “old” continues with this week’s screening of two very different but equally fine films, one brand new to the Registry, added just last month.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11 @ 7:30 p.m.
Dinner at Eight (MGM, 1933)
***NEW TO THE REGISTRY***
Director George Cukor has many works on the National Film Registry and the racy, pre-Code comedy/drama “Dinner at Eight” illustrates why. Cukor knew how to adapt plays into film, removing their staginess to make them work well on film and adding wit. This ensemble film about high society features an all-star cast, arguably one of the greatest assembled to that point in cinema history, and it became a major attraction and event in the early sound era. Frances Marion and Herman J. Mankiewicz adapted the George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber play for the screen. Black & white, 113 minutes. Plus selected short subject.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12 @ 7:30 p.m.
Monterey Pop (Leacock-Pennebaker, 1968)
Added to the National Film Registry in 2018
This seminal music-festival film captures the culture of the time and performances from iconic musical talent. “Monterey Pop” also established the template for multi-camera documentary productions of this kind, predating “Woodstock.” Performers include Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, The Who, and Jefferson Airplane. Pennebaker decided to shoot and record the film using five portable 16mm cameras equipped with synchronized sound recording devices, while producers Lou Adler and John Phillips (Mamas and Papas) sagely had the whole concert filmed and recorded, and further enhanced the sound by hiring Wally Heider and his state-of-the-art mobile recording studio. Color, 79 minutes. Plus selection from “Don’t Look “Back” (Leacock-Pennebaker, 1967) featuring Bob Dylan.
For more information on LC screenings, see this link.