Tuschinski opens "Art" while Ghent opens Eyes and Ears. America travels Europe Conserved and Restored while Denver remains Tantalizing October 2000 Tuschinki Art House architects: Rappange & Partners photo courtesy MVSP Public Relations The Amsterdam scene is a cinema richer. A new Pathé "art" house opened last week on the centrally located Reguliersbreestraat. In fact, it's the refurbishment of Tuschinski 3 (also known to some as the old "Nöggerath" cinema). Adjacent to the magnificent art-deco theatre named after Abraham Tuschinski, the architect of the new venue has designed a delightful, modern foyer with spiraling staircase and combined it with sectioned edges of brick among the dark blue and terracotta plastered walls. The 3 intimate cinemas have a total capacity of 375 people and projection equipment as well as sound systems are hi-tech enough to take you away to another mental space. Although the venue is to center on art-house films (opening with "Dancers in the Dark" and already showing "Woman on Top" as well as the Dutch films "For My Baby," and "Wilde Mossels") other screenings planned during the first week include, oddly enough, such mainstream fare as "Nurse Betty, "Small Time Crooks," "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "Fantasia 2000." Time will tell. The Dutch Film Museum in Amsterdam has, in collaboration with the American Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (dir: Walt Disney) © Walt Disney Productions "American Beauties: The Millennium Film Preservation Tour" photo courtesy Netherlands Film Museum Embassy in The Hague, arranged screenings of several films that have been restored to their original (old) glory. "American Beauties: The Millenium Film Preservation Tour" is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State developed by the Library of Congress and supported by The Walt Disney Company, MGM Studio's, Warner Bros, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox. Considering the relentless aging process that both nitrate and acetate film undergo, the Filmmuseum has taken this opportunity (in association with the FIAF -Féderation International des Archives du Film) to focus the public's attention on the dire need for timely film restoration and conservation. Submarine (dir: Frank Capra) © Columbia Pictures Corporation "American Beauties: The Millennium Film Preservation Tour" photo courtesy Netherlands Film Museum Twenty classics from mainstream cinema will be touring a number of Europe's major cities. Included among the treats in store are the recently conserved 35-mm version of "Raging Bull" and the original version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Other flicks include: Frank Capra's "Submarine" (1928), Elia Kazan's "On The Waterfront", (1954), Billy Wilder's "Some Like it Hot" (1959), Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964) and Polanski's "Chinatown" (1974). Also on show, from the Filmmuseum's private collection, are John Ford's "Straight Shooting" (1917) and Vincente Minelli's "Ziegfeld Follies" (1946). A very special treat is the screening of F.W. Murnau's golden oldie "Sunrise" (1927). Not part of the tour, but added for the festival in Amsterdam is Hitchcock's "Rear Window" (due shortly for re-release through United International Pictures). In Holland, the program will be shown exclusively at the Nederlands Filmmuseum. "American Beauties: The Millennium Film Preservation Tour": October 5th through 18th, daily at 7 P.M. and 9:30 P.M. Also on Sunday, October 8th at 1 P.M., 3:30 P.M and 4 P.M. and Sunday October 15th at 3:30 P.M. (Full listing of specific showings available at:www.nfm.nl A forum about film conservation and the problems surrounding it will take place on Sunday afternoon, October 8th, under the chairmanship of museum staff member Mark-Paul Meyer. photo courtesy MVSP Public Relations The 27th edition of the International Filmfestival of Flanders (more than 1200 films)in Ghent, Belgium, which takes place from the 10th till the 21st of October, should prove to be the Belgian cinema event of the year. Representatives from Paris, London, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles and, naturally, Belgium will be in attendance. This festival always includes a special series of activities that focus on the use of sound in the cinema. This time around the theme is: "The Impact of Music on Film." Special events include a live concert with Hans Zimmer on October 10th, in which he will perform selections from his most notable works ("The Lion King," "Rainman," "The Thin Red Line," "Driving Miss Daisy," "Gladiator," Mission Impossible II," etc.) with the Flemish Radio Orchestra conducted by Dirk Brossé. The Philadelphia Story (dir: George Cukor) © MGM-UA "American Beauties: The Millennium Film Preservation Tour" photo courtesy Netherlands Film Museum An exhibition titled "Raoul Servais - portrait of a painter-cineast" at the Caermer Cloister will be concentrating on the work of this fascinating animator. His newest short film will also be enjoying a world premiere. Seven new feature length films by Belgian filmmakers (and more than 30 short ones) will also be screened. On Friday the 13th the official competition opens with the screening of Terence Davies' "The House of Mirth." Among the jury members this year are writer Christopher Hampton, composer Henny Vrienten, producer Sally Hibbin, producer Mace Neufeld, and actress Molly Ringwald. A new prize, instituted by UIP in association with the European Film Academy, will also be awarded for the Best European Short Film. The newest aspects of modern technology are held under a microscope annually by specialists in their fields at the "Digiforum" portion of the Ghent festival, this year taking place from the 18th till the 20th. In analyzing how digital instruments can both extend and expand the potentials of expression for filmmakers, four panel discussions will deal such questions as 1) What is the position of the storyline in the digital age? 2) What are the pros and cons attached to new technologies? 3) How wide is the divide between traditional and new media? The fourth panel, chaired by Raoul Servais, will focus on the digital future of animation. "Digifest," an extra portion of this program, offers a selection of short and feature length films as well as documentaries, animation, and experimental work that illustrate the possibilities available in modern technology. Some like it Hot (dir: Billy Wilder) © Warner Bros, MGM-UA "American Beauties: The Millennium Film Preservation Tour" photo courtesy Netherlands Film Museum Shooting began in September and will wrap in October for the new Dutch musical comedy "Babs," the story of a criminal romance, starring cabaret artist Brigitte Kaandorp in the title roll. Babs' life changes the minute she finds a shoe on the street that turns out to belong to Juan Carlos, an attractive nightclub owner with a Spanish accent. The roll of eight-year-old Geert (Babs' daughter) will be played by newcomer Naomi Colombaioni. Following in the footsteps of two previous Lowlands' childrens' films and box-office successes ("Abeltje" and "Kruimeltje") released over the past few years, this should be something to keep our eyes open for. Twelve new songs by Ferdi and Rob Bolland have been written for the production and noted jazz singer Matilde Santing is included among the cast. Release scheduled for December 7th. Shooting has also commenced on the new film of Harry Mulisch's 900-page, 65-chapter book "The Discovery of Heaven." Max Delius, astronomer and womanizer, and Onno Quist, linguist and introvert, are the best of friends. When a woman is added into the formula their relationship changes. Max becomes seriously involved for a period with the cellist Ada Brons. Once this affair ends, she begins a relationship with Onno. As the result of a car accident, Ada becomes comatose and her child, Quinten, is born by Caesarian section. The two men are left confused about which one of them is the actual father. The gifted boy sees an angel in a dream that gives him the task of retracing the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments and returning them to Heaven. Jeroen Krabbé directs Stephen Fry in a Shooting Star Film production. One can only hope that the film will be as fantastic as the novel is. On several Thursday evenings (and one Friday evening) from October 12th until November 9th a series of films will be screened at the Goethe Institute (Herengracht 470, Amsterdam) which were shown earlier this year at the "International Filmfestspiele Berlin 2000. The five films include "Wege in die Nacht" (12 Nov.), "Gespräch im Gebirg" (19 Oct.) "Neustadt, Stau - Der Stand der Dinge" (2 Nov.), "Die Unberhührbare" (3 Nov.), and "Sonnenallee" (9 Nov.). Further info available: www.goethe.de/amsterdam Dr. Strangelove (dir: Stanley Kubrick) © Columbia Pictures "American Beauties: The Millennium Film Preservation Tour" photo courtesy Netherlands Film Museum Casablanca (dir: Michael Curtiz) © United Artists "American Beauties: The Millennium Film Preservation Tour" photo courtesy Netherlands Film Museum Choke, choke. Last months "Shagadelic Feast" at the Amsterdam Studios turned into a millennium version of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (nose, throat and other orifices). When the smoke machine erupted into clouds that proved surprising to the most experienced Dutch house-party goer, everyone headed toward exits that proved less than satisfactory. Several visitors suffered from inhalation problems and two had to be sped off to the hospital. The glitterati were asked to leave the premises earlier than expected and the nighttime parking lot was filled with sequins searching for their way home. It seems that the premises had not been inspected properly by the fire department before the event. Was Dr. Evil at work with his dastardly deeds? As Austin would probably readily admit, "Nay, baby." Preview performances of Peter and Edward Hall's production of "Tantalus" have begun (September 15th through October 19th) at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. It is an epic cycle of new plays based on the Greek myths Tantalus Robert Petkoff (as Achilles) with members of the Ensemble in Peter Hall's production of Tantalus, written by John Barton. photo courtesy The Denver Center for the Performing Arts surrounding the Trojan War. The mythical sweep of this powerful drama of war, family, and destiny unites talents from all over the globe (British and American actors, a Greek designer and Japanese lighting designer, an Irish composer) under British directors and a choreographer from Broadway. The production, organized by Donovan Marley, artistic director of the Denver Center, in association with Adrian Noble, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, promises to become one of the most memorable stage productions of the decade. It is an adaptation of an original 10-play cycle by John Barton with additional text by Colin Teevan. (Hall and Barton have united their forces once before in the memorable "The Wars of the Roses," back in the 1980's, with incredible success.) This shortened version of 10 hours and 30 minutes (which has been in rehearsal for four months) makes it Tantalus Alyssa Bresnahan (as Thetis) in Peter Hall's production of Tantalus, written by John Barton. photo courtesy The Denver Center for the Performing Arts possible to be performed in two days instead of three. Director Sir Peter Hall has said, "We anticipated that 'Tantalus' would run longer than it does. We were wrong. We estimated the playing time prior to the start of rehearsals, which is not unusual for a new play, let alone a cycle of new plays that that is being tooled and shaped as it is being staged." Donald Seawell, chairman of the Denver Center is more than pleased with this development which "more people can now see 'Tantalus' with less inconvenience and cheaper tickets." Tickets for the performances in Denver during the period from October 21st until December 2nd run from $240 to $280, depending on whether one opts for the one-day festival (with catered lunch and dinner) or the two day performance (which includes a catered dinner on the first day). Great theatre, as you might surmise, hasn't died; it's just become more expensive. Special discounts are available for groups of 8 or more, students, seniors and faculty members. More information available at: www.denvercenter.org/ The British tour of the production, which has now been confirmed, will be seen in five venues beginning January 2001 and reaching London for a four week performance schedule in April. More information about this production will soon be appearing on The Green Hartnett site under reviews. Needless to say, this will be a tantalizing treat. "Apocalypse - Beauty and Horror in Contemporary Art" (what an inviting title) opened on September 23rd at the Royal Academy of Art in London and will run until the 15th of December. © 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett