11/2 @ 8pm Craig Baldwin: Culture Jammer Co-Presented by L.A.
Filmforum
In the age of YouTube remixes and phantom edits, everyone with access to a computer (i.e. everyone) is blithely challenging the notion of copyright, one mash-up at a time. But before there was safety in numbers, there were Culture Jammers: artists pushing legal limits with their puckish reworkings of mass media in order to critique it. Inspired by the works of Bruce Conner and the French Situationist movement, filmmaker Craig Baldwin emerged as one of the primary figures in this movement, collaging mountains of found footage into provocative and viciously entertaining filmic essays, alternate world histories, and narratives. Baldwin will appear in-person to discuss the theories and history of culture jamming, using favorite clips from other jammers and selected cuts from his filmography: some of his early intense montages, music videos made for inspired cage-rattlers Negativland, and the feature-length essay Sonic Outlaws, which profiles the infamous lawsuit aimed at Negativland by lawyers for the rock group U2, as well as other culture jammers like "plunderphonics" pioneer John Oswald and the performance group Emergency Broadcast Network. Tickets - $12
11/10 @ 8pm The Passion of Joan of Arc (w/ live score by In The Nursery)
Utilizing a unique symphonic style, twin brothers Klive and Nigel Humberstone have been providing original electronic/industrial scores for silent films since their band In The Nursery began their acclaimed Optical Music Series in 1996. Their live score for The Passion of Joan of Arc, a mixture of classical film music over military rhythms, reflects the film's dramatic highs and lows--from the emotional close-up photography of the trial sequences, through to the fevered final scenes surrounding Joan's death. Widely considered one of the best European silents, Joan of Arcdetails the 15th-century trial and execution of the title character (brilliantly played by Rene Falconetti in her only screen role), a young maiden who died for God and France. Dreyer recreates these historical events with extraordinary authenticity, and will be brought new, powerful life with this modern, experimental score.
Dir. Carl Dreyer, 1928, digital presentation, 82 min. Tickets - $14
11/18 @ 8pm & 10pm
Decampment (w/ live score by ADULT.)
Of the innumerable electro-techno acts to arise from Detroit during the 1990s, ADULT. may be the most unique, instantly recognizable for their grim visual style as well as their anxiety-ridden music style. These veteran musicmakers will be screening the L.A. premiere of their new silent-experimental-horror short film Decampment here at the Cinefamily, accompanied by a live performance of their own peculiar electronic horror music scored especially for the film. Written, produced and directed by the band in early 2008, the film follows a women’s transmigration from her “normal” life into a new society of deceit. Filmed entirely in Michigan, Decampment explores ADULT.’s obsession with an often overlooked and distinctive aesthetic that they call “midwestern horror”. The band will accompany the screening with a live performance of their score consisting of all brand-new music, written in their instantly recognizable style--a mixture of stark, angular rhythms and other chilling irregularities. Decampment is not available online or as a home video release, so this screening might be your only chance to see it!
Tickets - $13
8pm
10pm
11/24 @ 8pm Pop Levi: You Don't Gotta Run
British-born, L.A.-based musical enigma Pop Levi, acclaimed for his unique brand of robot glam and freak folk, will be live at the Cinefamily to premiere his first film, You Don't Gotta Run, a surreal concotion of mannequins, jetlag, spotlights, boogie boards and sushi-time. The 37-minute film, shot by director/bandmate Lucky Beaches entirely on cell phones and pocket cameras, follows Levi's 2008 European press trip through Berlin, Paris and London (via LA) as he is interviewed about his childhood, Marvin Gaye's funeral, filmmaking and his latest record, "Never Never Love"w. You Don't Gotta Run also features unreleased music produced by Pop Levi and is an ever-warm psychedelic fuzz-montage of one man and his mission. Both Pop and Lucky will be in attendance to introduce the film, and will perform a live set after the screening. Tickets - $12
11/30 @ 7pm, 9:30pn & Midnight An Evening With Don Hertzfeldt
At the young age of 32, Don Herzfeld has amassed a body a of work unparalleled in modern animation. His meticulously crafted hand-drawn and -animated shorts, produced without the use of computers, continues to amaze and inspire audiences globally, and on Nov. 30th, Herzfeld will be in-person at the Cinefamily to introduce the L.A. premiere of his latest short, I Am So Proud Of You. His longest piece to date, the 22-minute film was nearly two years in the making, as its special effects were meticulously created directly on film, using traditional double exposures, in-camera mattes, and innovative experimental techniques. This film is also the eagerly-anticipated second chapter to Everything Will Be OK, winner of the Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Award in Short Filmmaking and named by many critics as one of the "best films of 2007". The screening will be immediately followed by a live on-stage interview and audience Q&A with Hertzfeldt.
Watch Don Hertzfeldt's Oscar-nominated short Rejected!
Tickets - $13
7pm
9:30pm
Midnight
12/02 @ 8pm
Dot & Line Festival
Co-Presented by L.A.
Filmforum and Iota Center
Here at Cinefamily, one of our favorite genres of experimental film, or any film for that matter, is "Visual Music"--abstract films that find the synaesthetic union of visuals and audio, an effect both delightful and exciting for the eye and the ear. The Dot and The Line (Punto Y Raya) is a traveling film festival continuing this tradition of experimental animation by compiling some of the very best contemporary works in the genre, made by artists from Germany, Japan, Spain, the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. The competition accepts any film under nine minutes containing lines and dots but avoiding all figuration and narrative, with plain (or plane!) colored backgrounds, and using any kind of illustration or animation technique. From the pen to the stylus, from the analogical·dot to the digital·pixel, even charcoal, chalk and crayon are considered. You'll be shocked how diverse and fun these dancing dots and vibrant lines can be--come experience one of the! purest pleasures of cinema! Tickets - $12
12/07 @ 8pm Dublab presents
Secondhand Sureshots
In 2006, our friends at Dublab sent four Los Angeles-based beatmakers (Daedelus, J.Rocc, Nobody and Ras G) on a secret mission to create new musical magic from the dusty remains of thrift store vinyl. Secondhand Sureshots documents their exciting process, detailing their obsessive record shopping habits, their first reactions after listening to the raw material, and the sculpting of the final tracks. The film offers fresh insight into the thrill of the hunt, that elusive search for the perfect breakbeat--as well as giving us a sharp portrait of four of L.A.'s most charismatic beatmakers. This special unveiling of Secondhand Sureshots will also feature a bonus music video screening, and live performances in the conceptual spirit of the film. Tickets - $12
12/13 @ 8pm
Nicky Katt's Smackum-Yackum Saturday
We've discussed in the past the mutual maniacal movie mono-focus of one Nicky Katt, and one Cinefamily movie organization. And if you don't remember, what Nicky and us like to do is get together and watch a freakin' big load of movies, preferably of the mug-melting variety. In the past, our only complaint has been that it's taken us weeks to recover from these movie benders. Luckily, we're about to take a vacation, so what better way to end the Cinefamily calendar year than with the biggest movie orgy we can concoct--that means movies on 35mm, 16mm, bootleg VHS, and an ever-ready grill to cook your meat on. BYOHD: Bring Your Own Hot Dogs. Come at six, leave when you wimp out--we're staying all night, and when we wake up the next morning, we're even gonna watch a kiddie matinee of William Witney's incredible The Golden Stallion. If you just wanna see The Golden Stallion and have your children stare at our hungover faces, come by on Sunday at 1PM, and enjoy the hangover ! special (free coffee)! Join the Cinefamily's Facebook profile, for hints at what we'll be showing throughout the night. Tickets - $12
12/25 @ 8pm Mondo Xmas (featuring Christmas Evil)
When December comes, connoisseurs of cracked cinema have reason to be jolly, for 'tis the season for holiday schlock to flood the TV screen and choke the movie theaters. Once again, Cinefamily is going to spoil you rotten with all kinds of goodies, including verité footage of department store Santas, misguided movie tie-ins, exhumed cartoons and aborted holiday specials. Finally, we'll unwrap Christmas Evil, which John Waters calls "the greatest Christmas movie ever made". This oddball mixture of whimsy and anti-corporate rage follows one extremely unfortunate holiday in the life of Harry, a toy factory worker forever warped after injuring himself while watching his parents copulating with the aid of a Santa outfit. Harry has taken Christmas to frightening extremes, even compiling his own naughty-or-nice neighbors list--with nasty punishments in mind! Director Lewis Jackson will be in attendance, with rare outakes and his very own 35mm print which he's going to retir! e after this screening. Last call! Come celebrate the holidays with the only family that knows what you really want--the Cinefamily. Yule be glad you did. Tickets - $12
Craig Baldwin: Culture Jammer
The Passion of Joan of Arc (w/ live score by In The Nursery)
Decampment (w/ live score by ADULT.)
Pop Levi: You Don't Gotta Run
An Evening With Don Hertzfeldt
Mondo Xmas (featuring Christmas Evil)
