Among local movie programmers, the good folks at Channel Zero stand alone, digging up nigh-unstreamable obscurities and projecting them on the big screen where they belong. On Friday, Channel Zero returns to the Somerville Theatre MicroCinema with “Flight for Freedom” (1943), a rarely screened gem of wartime propaganda cinema. Rosalind Russell plays Tonie Carter, a renowned aviator who announces plans to fly solo around the world, only to be recruited by the U.S. government to use her mission to spy on the Japanese. Similarities to the late Amelia Earhart, needless to say, are not coincidental: Carter’s involvement with the feds is based on a widely circulated theory about the real-life aviatrix’s disappearance, and the screenplay was even rumored to be based on a treatment written by Earhart’s husband, George P. Putnam! It’s a film you’re unlikely to see anywhere else. In other words, it’s a Channel Zero selection.
This week the Brattle Theatre continues to follow “The Stanton Rule,” its centennial tribute to the great character actor, Harry Dean Stanton. On Friday, Stanton plays the sleazy villain in Bertrand Tavernier’s underseen thriller “Death Watch” (1980) and a crotchety cop in John Carpenter’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “Christine” (1983). On Saturday, you can catch Stanton as Paul the Apostle (signature tough-talk accent and all) in Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1988), as well as a double feature of the sci-fi classics “Alien” (1979) and “Escape from New York” (1981), both of which masterfully deploy Stanton in supporting roles. Sunday sees Stanton as Molly Ringwald’s alcoholic father in the John Hughes-penned “Pretty in Pink” (1986), along with arguably his greatest performance as heartbroken drifter Travis Henderson in Wim Wenders’ arthouse masterpiece “Paris, Texas” (1984). The series concludes Monday with an encore screening of “Alien” and “Escape,” after which the Brattle shuts its doors for the remainder of the month for some much-needed refurbishing.
For those who prefer their movie stars made of felt, this weekend brings a pair of Muppetational favorites. On Friday, the Brattle’s programmers return to MIT Open Space to kick off “Movies on the Road,” their second biweekly series of free outdoor screenings, with “The Muppet Movie” (1979), Kermit and company’s joyous big-screen debut (it also serves as a continued celebration of the 100th birthday of Mel Brooks, who memorably appears as a mad scientist). Then, on Saturday, the Somerville Theatre presents a rare 70mm midnight screening of “The Dark Crystal” (1982), Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s still-mind-blowing all-puppet fantasy epic. Fads may come and go, but Henson and his creations will enchant kids of all ages for generations to come.
On Wednesday, the Somerville Ciné-Club reconvenes at the Somerville Public Library Central Branch for a free screening of Elaine May’s classic black comedy “A New Leaf” (1971). Walter Matthau plays Henry Graham, a once-wealthy playboy man-child, who devises a scheme to regain his fortune by marrying and murdering a dimwitted spinster botanist (May herself). “A New Leaf” is perhaps the quintessential example of May’s biting wit, and the rare eat-the-rich satire that succeeds in not making the affluent appear even slightly cool. The feature will be accompanied by a 16mm presentation of Edmond Séchan’s Palme d’Or-winning short film “The String Bean” (1962), a decidedly gentler bit of horticultural cinema, as well as a selection of trailers also featuring Matthau. To top things off, the screening will also feature a table of May-related merch from Pan + Scan Illustration (aka Brattle projectionist Alex Kittle). We might be deep in July, but there’s always time for May.
Also on Wednesday, the Kendall Square Cinema prepares for Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” with a screening of arguably the director’s most famous work. While “The Dark Knight” (2008) was the second of Nolan’s Batman films (following 2005’s “Batman Begins”), it’s the one that well and truly kicked off the continuing mania for superhero films. While many cape flicks of recent years have long passed their sell-by dates, “The Dark Knight” still packs a punch. Part of the reason is that, rather than lean on shared-universe gimmickry, Nolan crafted an immaculate crime thriller that owes as much to “The French Connection” (1971) and “Heat” (1995) as to its comic book source material, to the point that you almost forget that its lead detective is dressed like a giant winged mammal. Another part, of course, is Heath Ledger’s Joker, which was instantly cemented as one of the most iconic performances of the 21st century. When the dust has settled, and superhero movies are rendered as passé as the Hollywood western, I have a feeling “The Dark Knight” will still be with us.
A stronger
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