Art Director Film Series at the American Cinematheque
For the third consecutive year, the Art Directors Guild (ADG) Film Society and the American Cinematheque (AC) are co-hosting a series of monthly screenings highlighting the work of legendary production designers, art directors, and set decorators. The screenings, beginning on March 29, will take place at both the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian (6712 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood) and the Max Palevsky Theatre at the Aero (1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica).
Among the feature films are:
- The Wolf Man (1941) and Gaily Gaily (1969), both designed by Honorary Oscar winner Robert Boyle (who’s turning 100 next October);
- the campy sci-fi capers Flash Gordon — both the 1936 serial and Dino De Laurentiis‘ 1980 flick, designed by, respectively, Ralph Berger and Danilo Donati;
- Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s 1945 classic Black Narcissus, designed by Alfred Junge;
- Ken Russell’s kaleidoscopic 1971 musical The Boy Friend, designed by Tony Walton;
- and clips from both the 1960s Star Trek TV series and the upcoming big-screen release (above).
The 2009 screening series schedule is as follows. All screenings start at 5:30 PM:
March 29, “Robert Boyle Centennial” (The Wolf Man and Gaily Gaily), Egyptian Theatre
The season kicks off with a double bill “Robert Boyle Centennial” as a tribute to the legendary and iconic production designer, who will celebrate his 100th birthday in October. The Wolf Man (1941) and Gaily Gaily (1969), two of Boyle’s most amazing examples of imaginative production design, will be shown. The Wolf Man, which stars Claude Rains, Lon Chaney, Jr., Warren William and Ralph Bellamy, is the classic story of a man’s transformation into a werewolf. The film is recognized as one of the iconic Universal monster pictures, taking place in classic old European castles, villages and misty forests, all accomplished within the studio lot.
Gaily Gaily, on the other hand, mixes both real locations and the backlot to seamlessly create turn-of-the-century Chicago. Starring Beau Bridges, the film is about an innocent young writer who learns the ways of yellow journalism while working for a top Chicago paper. Boyle’s sets include a revamp of the backlot, in which he added an elevated train, as well as a newspaper office, the entire stock exchange, and one of the most beautiful and opulent bordellos ever put on film. 2008 Academy Award® honoree Boyle will be personally present between the screenings to participate in a discussion to be moderated by Production Designer John Muto.
April 26, “Designing for World War II” (They Were Expendable), Aero Theatre
The April screening will focus on the theme “Designing for World War II” by showing John Ford’s classic film, They Were Expendable (1945) by art director Malcolm Brown and photographed in stunning black and white by Joseph H. August ASC, co-founder of the American Society of Cinematographers. Based on the book by William L. White and starring Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Ward Bond, and a classic ensemble of some of Ford’s favorite players, this classic naval war film is a dramatized account of the role of the American PT boats in the defense of the Philippines during World War II. Production Designer Tom Walsh will moderate a panel discussion following the screening.
May 24, “Designing for Science Fiction” (Flash Gordon), Egyptian Theatre
In May the series will look at “Designing for Science Fiction” by showing two versions of the same film created in different decades, Flash Gordon (1936 & 1980) and honoring art directors Ralph Berger and Danilo Donati, respectively. Based on the 1930s comic strip, the plot follows the adventures of Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Professor Zarkov, who travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyrant, Ming the Merciless, to save Earth. Art Director Steve Berger, son of the original FLASH GORDON Art Director Ralph Berger, will be present to participate in a discussion, along with a panel of distinguished film artists between the screenings, to be moderated by John Muto.
June 28, “Designing for Adventure” (Island at the Top of the World), Aero Theatre
Island at the Top of the World (1974) will be shown in June with a “Designing for Adventure” theme. Designed by Peter Ellenshaw, the film was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Art Direction. Starring David Hartman and Donald Sinden, the film tells the story of a father who puts together an expedition team to find his son, who vanished while searching for a long-lost Viking community somewhere in uncharted Arctic regions. A panel of distinguished film artists will follow, moderated by John Muto.
July 26, “Designing for 3 Strip Technicolor” (Black Narcissus), Egyptian Theatre
The July screening focuses on “Designing for 3 Strip Technicolor” with a screening of Black Narcissus (1947), designed by Alfred Junge. Junge won an Academy Award® for his art direction in this film. Actresses Deborah Kerr, Flora Robson and Jean Simmons star in this film about a group of nuns who attempt to establish a religious community high in the Himalayas. Not only do they have to contend with suspicious locals and the elements, but their own demons emerge as well. The film is justly famous for its Himalayan scenery, every frame of which was photographed on the studio’s backlot and stages in England. A panel discussion will follow, to be moderated by Tom Walsh.
August 30, “Designing for the Backlot” (The Chase), Aero Theatre
“Designing for the Backlot” is the theme for the August screening, where the film The Chase, designed by Richard Day (My Gal Sal, A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront) will be shown. Directed by Arthur Penn, screenplay by Lillian Hellman from the play by Horton Foote, and starring Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, the film portrays how the escape of one man from prison, in one night, profoundly affects the inhabitants of a small Southern town. A panel discussion will follow with leading production designers who will further discuss the creation and use of backlots in film.
September 27, “Designing for Star Trek: Past and Future,” Egyptian Theatre
In September the theme of the screening will be “Designing for Star Trek: Past and Future.” Created by Gene Roddenberry, the original television series was nominated for five Emmy Awards® from 1967-1969. In mid-2009, Paramount Pictures will release a new Star Trek, starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana and Simon Pegg. Clips from the original television series and past feature films, as well as the 2009 film release, will be shown in tandem with a unique panel discussion amongst leading designers, effects artists and veteran alumni –both past and present– of this enduring cinematic franchise.
October 25, “Designing for Musicals” (The Boy Friend), Aero Theatre
The final film in the series, The Boy Friend (1971), designed by master production designer, Tony Walton, will focus on the art of designing musicals for the screen. Director, producer and screenwriter Ken Russell tells the story of an assistant stage manager (played by Twiggy) of a threadbare theatrical troupe, who has to take over for the injured leading lady at a matinee when a Hollywood director just happens to be scouting for actors. She also happens to secretly be in love with the leading man (Christopher Gable) – and she imagines a series of spectacular musical fantasy numbers starring the two of them. A distinguished panel of design and musical theatre professionals will participate in a discussion at the end of the screening.
Representing the ADG are president, Thomas A. Walsh and production designer, John Muto. Working with them are the American Cinematheque’s Gwen Deglise and Chris D. The series is in part sponsored by trade publication Below The Line.
General admission: $10. American Cinematheque members: $7. Students/Seniors with valid ID: $8. All screenings start at 5:30 p.m. 24-hour ticket information is available at 323-466-FILM (3456).
Foreign Language Film Oscar Nominees Symposium 2009
Animated Feature Symposium 2009
Oscar 2009: Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Symposium
Oscar 2009: Animated/Live-Action Shorts Screening
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Black Narcissus is a great looking movie. It’s the kind of movie that works best on the big screen, I think. The vistas, the sets are breathtaking. On TV you can’t quite get the scope of the film.
They are a great list of films. It is wonderful art directors are going through old films and learning from the brilliance of past directors and artists. The Art Directors Guild is a great accociation, the old John Wayne movies had some great dialogue, they come out again in the sci-fi movies as different species fight and go through conflicts over real estate across the galaxy. The Wild Space Bunch would be really great, especially with the learning gained through horror movies such as the Wolf Man.
I write a bit of sci-fi and have a novel called Doom Of The Shem.
I love the endless scenarios that space with its limitless depth can create in the imagination. There are so many wars and conflicts that food gathering species do to each other that take the concept of a peaceful universe to new extremes. One species exploiting another for food is considered not an immoral act till it is us that are on the dinning room table. This concept is quite common in writing and forms the basis for many very highly popular works of science fiction and fantasy writing. I hope you enjoy this small taste in science fiction writing.
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