By The TimesLedger
Astoria’s American Museum of the Moving Image presents a series of New York films running Feb. 23 to March 31. The six-wekend series, entitled “New York, New York,” will highlight films that focus on the greatest city in the world.
More than two dozen members of the New York Film Critics Circle will present their favorite films about New York City in the Museum’s third annual series with the critics, who will be on hand to introduce their chosen films.
The series opens with an extremely rare screening of Andy Warhol’s entire eight-hour epic “Empire,” one of the milestones of the 1960s underground cinema. The Empire State Building features prominently in the series, seen in the famous climax of “King Kong,” and as a key setting in Leo McCarey’s romantic drama “Love Affair.”
“The New York Film Critics Circle is the most prestigious and influential critics group in the country, and is one of the most important segments of New York’s vibrant film culture,” said David Schwartz, the Museum’s Chief Curator of Film. For the past three years, the Circle held its annual awards dinner at the top of the World Trade Center, at Windows on the World. “In the aftermath of September 11, this seemed like a fitting time to present a cinematic tribute to the city.”
Saturday, Feb. 23
1 p.m., Warner Communications Screening Room
Introduced by David Sterritt
“Empire,” Andy Warhol, 1964, 8 hours.
2 p.m.
Introduced by Owen Gleiberman
“Manhattan,” United Artists, 1979, 96 mins. Directed by Woody Allen.
4 p.m.
Introduced by Thelma Adams
“All About Eve,” Fox, 1953, 138 mins. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Sunday, Feb. 24
4:15 p.m.
Introduced by Terrence Rafferty
“Rear Window,” Paramount, 1954, 112 mins. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Saturday, March 2
2 p.m.
Introduced by Andrew Sarris
“Love Affair,” RKO, 1939, 87 mins. Directed by Leo McCarey.
4 p.m.
Introduced by Armond White
“Where The Heart Is,” Touchstone, 1990, 94 mins. Directed by John Boorman.
Sunday, March 3
2 p.m.
Introduced by Gene Seymour
“Force Of Evil,” MGM, 1948, 88 mins. Directed by Abraham Polonsky.
4 p.m.
Introduced by Michael Atkinson
“Pickup On South Street,” Fox, 1953, 80 mins. Directed by Samuel Fuller.
Saturday, March 9
2 p.m.
Introduced by Leah Rozen
“Nothing Sacred,” United Artists, 1937, 75 mins. Directed by William Wellman.
4 p.m.
Introduced by John Simon
“The Clock,” MGM, 1945, 90 mins. Directed by Vincente Minnelli.
Sunday, March 10
2 p.m.
Introduced by John Anderson
“King Kong,” RKO, 1933, 103 mins. Directed by Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack.
4:30 p.m.
Introduced by Jami Bernard
“The Cruise,” Artisan, 1998, 76 mins. Directed by Bennet Miller.
Saturday, March 16
2 p.m.
Introduced by Marshall Fine
“Bye Bye Braverman,” Warner Bros., 1968, 109 mins. Directed by Sidney Lumet.
4:30 p.m.
Introduced by A. O. Scott
“The Plot Against Harry,” New Yorker, 1969/1989, 80 mins. Directed by Michael Roemer.
Sunday, March 17
2 p.m.
Introduced by Andrew Johnston
“Taking Off,” Universal, 1971, 93 mins. Directed by Milos Forman.
4 p.m.
Introduced by Lisa Schwarzbaum
“I Like It Like That,” Columbia, 1994, 104 mins. Directed by Darnell Martin.
Saturday, March 23
2 p.m.
Introduced by Jonathan Foreman
“The Warriors,” Paramount, 1979, 93 mins. Directed by Walter Hill.
4:15 p.m.
Introduced by Dennis Lim
“Mixed Blood,” Cinevista, 1985, 98 mins. Directed by Paul Morrissey.
Sunday, March 24
2 p.m.
Introduced by J. Hoberman
“Underground Street Films” (a selection of short films)
“In The Street,” Helen Levitt, Janet Loeb, James Agee, 1952, 16 mins.; “Saturday Afternoon Blood Sacrifice,” Ken Jacobs, 1957, 5mins.; “Reverberation,” Ernie Gehr, 1969, 23 mins.; “She Had Her Gun All Ready,” Vivienne Dick, 1978, 27 mins.
4 p.m.
Introduced by Amy Taubin
“Mean Street,” Warner Bros., 1973, 110 mins. Directed by Martin Scorsese.
Saturday, March 30
1:30 p.m.
Introduced by Mike D’Angelo
“Dog Day Afternoon,” Warner Bros., 1975, 124 mins. Directed by Sidney Lumet.
4 p.m.
Introduced by Stephen Holden
“Network,” United Artists, 1976, 120 mins. Directed by Sidney Lumet.
Sunday, March 31
1 p.m.
Introduced by Godfrey Cheshire
“New York, New York,” United Artists, 1977, 155 mins. Directed by Martin Scorsese.
4 p.m.
Introduced by Matt Zoller Seitz
“All That Jazz,” Fox, 1979, 123 mins. Directed by Bob Fosse.
The museum’s gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Group tours by appointment, Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Screenings are free with Museum admission unless otherwise noted. Reservation privileges are available to Museum members only.
Call 784-0077 or go to www.ammi.org
