Cinemateca, May 25–31, 2009
José Luis Pick’n’tip

The Pick

The Overture (2005)

Based on the life of Luang Pradit Pairoh (Sorn Silapabanleng), the most revered traditional Thai music master who lived during the reigns of Kings Rama V to VIII,  the movie traces the life of Sorn, who picked up the ra-nad ek (Thai xylophone) mallets as a small child and played all his life.

The Tip Important: In order to provide the best viewing experience, the show times for some movies may be adjusted to accommodate their length. Be sure to check the schedule carefully. I also want to remind you of our new ticket price: 60 pesos and discount cards buy 12 shows for 550 pesos. Starting Monday, after 11am, buy your tickets in advance for any movie or show of the week. If you have a discount card, collect your pass to secure a seat; don’t take the risk of being locked out. Would you like to receive this info by email? Write to José Luis at alephamour@hotmail.com.  Thank you.


The Movies

Swann in Love (1984) Un Amour de Swann Monday, May 25 at 3pm Wednesday, May 27 at 5pm Drama, French with English subtitles, 110 minutes Director: Volker Schlondorff Starring: Jeremy Irons, Ornella Muti

This ambitious attempt to film a portion of Marcel Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past stars Irons as Charles Swann, a Jewish intellectual who has managed to overcome growing anti-Semitism in nineteenth-century France and travels in an elite social circle. But Swann has become obsessed with Odette (Muti), a courtesan who cares more for money than Swann’s passion for her. In time they marry, but Swann soon realizes his desire for her is based purely on physical lust for someone with whom he has no rapport, or even much affection, and the relationship begins to erode the social acceptance Swann struggled to achieve. Un Amour de Swann was praised for its production design and the cinematography of Sven Nykvist, though many felt director Schlondorff failed to capture the novel’s narrative depth and complexity.

Match Point (2005) Monday, May 25 at 5pm Friday, May 29 at 3pm Crime, drama, romance, English, 124 minutes Director: Woody Allen Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Tennis pro Chris Wilton takes a job as a instructor and hits it off immediately with one of his students, wealthy young Tom Hewitt. Tom introduces Chris to his family and Chris falls quickly into a romance with Tom’s sister Chloe. Despite the growing certainty that Chris and Chloe will marry, and the advantages that come Chris’s way through his relationship with the Hewitt family, Chris becomes increasingly intrigued and eventually romantically involved with Tom’s fiancée, Nola Rice, a struggling American actress. Their passionate trysts leave Chris in danger of losing the wealth and position he has now come to enjoy. The only solution to the dilemma seems unthinkable.

The Brave One (2007) Monday, May 25 at 7pm Wednesday, May 27 at 2pm Crime, drama, thriller, English, 122 minutes Director: Neil Jordan Starring: Jodie Foster, Jane Adams

Radio host Erica Bain (Jodie Foster) is living a wonderful life in New York City. One night she and her fiancé, are brutally attacked by three thugs in the park while being recorded by one of them. David is killed and Erica is beaten badly, traumatized to a point where she cannot sleep and will not leave her apartment. To work past this tragedy, Erica buys a gun roams the streets at night looking for revenge on the men responsible for killing her one true love. Erica protects herself in a convenience store shooting and later dispatches two would-be rapists on the subway. New York is fascinated by the vigilante killer and Detective Mercer (Terrence Howard) is on the case. Erica befriends Mercer, who faces a dilemma when she finds the three men. 

The Overture (2005) Hom Rong Tuesday May 26 at 3pm Friday May 29 at 5pm Biography, drama, Thai with English subtitles, 103 minutes Director: Ittisoontorn Vichailak Starring: Chumphorn Thepphithak, Pongpat Wachirabunjong

The backdrop to Sorn’s life tale is the story of Thailand’s classical music from its golden age during the reign of King Rama V to near extinction after the end of the absolute monarchy when the government banned it as uncivilized in the thirties, a time when Field Marshall Plaek Pibulsongkram tried to push the Kingdom into the modern era. The film shifts back and forth from the time when Sorn was a young man, playing in a xylophone duel with the intense Kun In, to the forties, when Thailand was under Japanese occupation and Sorn’s playing would provide some inspiration to the oppressed citizenry.

Harakiri (1962) Seppuku Tuesday, May 26 at 5pm Thursday, May 28 at 2pm Drama, Japanese with English subtitles, 133 minutes Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Rentaro Mikuni Director: Masaki Kobayas

Peace in seventeenth-century Japan causes the Shogunate’s breakup of warrior clans, throwing thousands of samurai out of work and into poverty. An honorable end to such fate under the samurai code is ritual suicide, or harakiri (self-inflicted disembowelment). An elder warrior, Hanshiro Tsugumo (Nakadai) seeks admittance to the house of a feudal lord to commit the act. There, he learns of the fate of his son-in-law, a young samurai who sought work at the house, but was forced instead to commit traditional harakiri barbarically. In flashbacks, the samurai tells the tragic story of his son-in-law and how he was forced to sell his sword to support his sick wife and child. Tsugumo thus sets in motion a tense showdown of revenge against the house.



The History of Mexico 
Thursday, May 28 at 5:30pm
Poetic-visual-chronological narration, English, 60 minutes
Director-producer: Murray Kamelhar
Cast: Cleo Stevens, Gary Whare, Lilia Trapaga, José Luis Mendoza 

For the past 10 years, this final version has been presented to full houses at Teatro Santa Ana. Through the voices of the actors and the beautiful visuals, The History of Mexico brings to life the struggles, defeats and victories of its people. The poetry, the art, the color and craft of their culture are also part of their story. A reporter for The New York Times said, “This story should be required viewing by all who enter Mexico.” 



Kids Movies: Cartoons
Saturday, May 30 at noon