This is a film still from THUNDERCRACK! (1975), screening at BFI Southbank this week (21 AUG).
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SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [20 to 26 AUG 2021]

Our RADIANT CIRCUS guide to what’s on in London this week across DIY, indie & alternative cinema, including one-off screen events, film seasons, film festivals & new releases.

By RADIANT CIRCUS // Twitter @radiantcircus / Instagram @radiantcircus

BOOKING NOW: Event sponsored by our monthly subscribers at Patreon to help indie exhibitors #ReviveTheDark.

Whirled Cinema‘s reopening date is now confirmed as 06 SEP following their own brushes with COVID-19 (welcome back guys!). Programme announcements are expected w/c 23 AUG. That just leaves a few still-absent screens across London’s indie landscape including The Cinema Museum and the David Lean Cinema, and let’s not forget Deptford Cinema is still looking for a permanent new home (in their nomadic state, they project DO THE RIGHT THING at Deptford Lounge on 21 AUG). Returning from their own travels, we also welcome Ciné Lumière back from their summer hols this week (from 25 AUG).

There’s some epic science fiction for you outdoors this week, with WALL-E showing at both Archlight Cinema‘s outdoor venue on the Coaling Jetty (24 AUG) and Stow Film Lounge‘s free Cycle-In-Cinema popup at Pimp Hall Park (20 AUG). The Stow Film guys then put serious peddle power into a special screening of Douglas Trumbull’s SILENT RUNNING which comes complete with an intro by podcast guru Stuart Wright (also 20 AUG). Rooftop Film Club join in with INTERSTELLAR (22 AUG, Stratford East) and David Lynch’s DUNE (24 AUG, Peckham). Whilst we’ve got our cagoules on, we should also make mention of the Barbican‘s outdoor season which opens this week in their Sculpture Court with one of the finest ‘dance on film’ films of all time, Wim Wender’s PINA (24 AUG, sadly not in 3D…). Full links and details below.

I don’t know about you, but I’m just confused by the Mayor of London’s “get people back into the cinema” campaign BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN… which seems to want to achieve its goals by erecting a temporary cinema in Trafalgar Square and offering free tickets for a handful of films you’ve already seen (probably…). It’s an undoubted win for touring exhibitors The Luna Cinema (what a location!), but does it have anything to do with getting nervous people to actually pay to go back inside cinema buildings…? Perhaps organisers see the great outdoors as a staging post for further re-entry into the West End? I’m not convinced (or maybe I’m just getting old, more of that in a bit…). Runs 26 to 29 AUG and opens with the otherwise entirely wonderful ROCKS (d. Sarah Gavron, 2019).

In festivals this week, Everyman Music Film Festival and S.O.U.L. Fest continue at venues across town. Then FrightFest opens at Cineworld Leicester Square (26 to 30 AUG).

As last week, so this… we are blessed with new rep seasons coming to our screens (scroll down for full programme details). Genesis Cinema adds cheekily titled French season SANS BAGUETTE to their roster, and ICA launch the timely AFGHANISTAN ON SCREEN. We’ll let them explain more:

“In an attempt to shape further conversations on the devastating events taking place in Afghanistan, the ICA presents Afghanistan on Screen, a curated selection of outstanding contemporary works by female filmmakers from and on Afghanistan. A percentage of the profits from the series will be donated to NGOs working on the ground to support people in need.”

ICA

As to our Featured Attraction of the Week, the choice is simple… I celebrate a significant birthday this week, and so I’m dragging some of my friends to BFI Southbank on Saturday to see THUNDERCRACK! (“A delicious, high-camp celebration of sexuality, soundtracked by thunder”) introduced by the glorious Jane Giles of Scala Cinema fame. I hope they’ll all still talk to me afterwards…

In the spirit of birthday generosity, I’m also sending this full SCREEN GUIDE as a gift to everyone who has kindly signed up for its smaller sibling, THE BALLY. None of this blogging lark would be possible without the support of everyone who has gotten behind RADIANT CIRCUS over the years, from our generous monthly subscribers to our followers across social media and, of course, everyone on our mailing lists. I owe a huge debt to you all.

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS.

THUNDERCRACK! d. Curt McDowell, 1975 + Intro by Jane Giles at BFI Southbank (21 AUG 17:00).

  • “‘Come with us into a world of degradation, a house of shame and secret guilt; an ecstasy so great that all heaven and hell becomes one Shangri-la!’ Four men, three women and a gorilla descend on a remote ranch house where they’re feverishly spied upon by their neurotic, drunken host. The sex flows increasingly freely as the tall tale twists and turns to its hysterical, melodramatic climax. Curt McDowell subverts the ‘old dark house’ vibes of yore with knowing, trashy, camp deliciousness while George Kuchar provides the totally OTT script. A film of considerable notoriety – and once a regular fixture at the iconic Scala Cinema in London’s King’s Cross – this monochrome masterpiece has been criminally absent from cinema screens for too long.”

FRIDAY 20 AUG

  • CENSOR d. Prano Bailey-Bond, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Curzon Soho (20 AUG 18:20).
  • FIRST COW d. Kelly Reichardt, 2021 at Screen25 Cinema at Harris Academy South Norwood (20 AUG 19:45).
  • JAWS d. Steven Spielberg, 1975 presented by Crofton Park Pictures at Rivoli Ballroom (20 AUG 19:30).
  • LIMBO d. Ben Sharrock, 2020 + Live oud performance by Rihab Azer at Archlight Cinema (20 AUG 18:10).

ONLINE

SATURDAY 21 AUG

SUNDAY 22 AUG

  • CENSOR d. Prano Bailey-Bond, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Riverside Studios (22 AUG 17:30).
  • MANDABI d. Ousmane Sembene, 1968 at Electric Cinema Portobello (22 AUG 14:00).
  • MATTHEW BARNEY’S CREMASTER CYCLE: CREMASTER 3 at Picturehouse Cinemas (22 AUG various).
  • NOW, VOYAGER d. Irving Rapper, 1942 at Genesis Cinema (22 AUG 14:00).
  • PULP FICTION 16MM d. Quentin Tarantino, 1994 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (22 AUG 13:45).
  • QUO VADIS, AIDA? d. Jasmila Zbanic, 2020 at Electric Cinema White City (22 AUG 14:30).
  • WHERE DOES A BODY END? d. Marco Porsia, 2019 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Moth Club (22 AUG 19:30).
  • WHITE ON WHITE d. Viera Čákanyová, 2020 at Bertha DocHouse (22 AUG 16:00).

MONDAY 23 AUG

TUESDAY 24 AUG

  • CHRONICLE OF ANNA MAGDALENA BACH d. Jean Marie Straub & Daniele Huillet, 1967 presented by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sands Films Studios (24 AUG 20:00 – Free!).
  • THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER d. Peter Greenaway, 1989 at Olympic Studios (24 AUG 20:40).
  • DEFENDING YOUR LIFE d. Albert Brooks, 1991 at The Prince Charles (24 AUG 17:45).
  • POSSESSION d. Andrzej Zulawski, 1981 curated by Prano Bailey-Bond at the Prince Charles (24 AUG 20:30).
  • SOUAD d. Ayten Amin, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (24 AUG 18:00) / Part of Woman With A Movie Camera.
  • SOUAD d. Ayten Amin, 2021 at Picturehouse Cinemas (24 AUG various).
  • SWEAT d. Magnus Von Horn, 2020 at Watermans (24 AUG 19:00) followed by online discussion with Michael Brooke (25 AUG 20:00).

WEDNESDAY 25 AUG

ONLINE

  • SWEAT d. Magnus Von Horn, 2020 at Watermans (24 AUG 19:00) followed by online discussion with Michael Brooke (25 AUG 20:00).

THURSDAY 26 AUG

  • DR TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS d. Freddie Francis, 1965 at BFI Southbank (26 AUG 20:40).
  • LET THE RIGHT ONE IN d. Tomas Alfredson, 2009 + Intro/Salon with Nick Walker presented by the Cult Classic Collective at Genesis Cinema (26 AUG 18:15).
  • PULP FICTION 16MM d. Quentin Tarantino, 1994 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (26 AUG 19:30).
  • Surprise Film at Picturehouse Cinemas (26 Aug various).
  • UNDER THE VOLCANO d. Gracie Otto, 2021 + Q&A with music producer Chris Kimsey at Olympic Studios (26 AUG 20:20).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 70MM d. Stanley Kubrick, 1968 ‘unrestored print’ (21 AUG 20:15 / 22 AUG 17:15 / 25 AUG 20:00).

1971: THE YEAR HOLLYWOOD WENT INDEPENDENT at ICA

1971: THE YEAR HOLLYWOOD WENT INDEPENDENT at Riverside Studios

AFGHANISTAN ON SCREEN at ICA

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): WOLF AND SHEEP d. Shahrbanoo Sadat, 2016 (20 AUG 20:35 / 22 AUG 16:45 / 25 AUG 18:30); THE ORPHANAGE aka Parwareshghah d. Shahrbanoo Sadat, 2019 (21 AUG 18:10 / 24 AUG 16:30 / 25 AUG 16:30 / 26 AUG 20:50); THE PRINCE OF NOTHINGWOOD d. Sonia Kronlund, 2021 (21 AUG 20:30 / 24 AUG 20:40 / 26 AUG 18:40); THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL aka Les Hirondelles de Kaboul d. Zabou Breitman & Eléa Gobbé-Mevellec, 2019 (22 AUG 18:45).

ANDREI TARKOVSKY at ICA

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): NOSTALGHIA d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1983 (20 AUG 16:00); SOLARIS d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972 (22 AUG 13:30).

ANDREI TARKOVSKY at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): NOSTALGHIA d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1983 (22 AUG 14:30).

ANIME SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

AN INTRODUCTION TO KRYSZTOF KIESLOWSKI at Genesis Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THREE COLOURS: RED d. Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1994 (24 AUG 21:00).

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

A TERRIFYING UPRISING at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): CENSOR d. Prano Bailey-Bond, 2021 (daily 20 to 26 AUG various); SAINT MAUD d. Rose Glass, 2019 (23 AUG).

BEST OF CÉSAR 2021 at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BYE BYE MORONS aka Adieu les cons d. Albert Dupontel, 2020 (25 AUG 16:20 / 26 AUG 18:15).

BETTE DAVIS: HOLLYWOOD REBEL at BFI Southbank

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: TOGETHERNESS at BFI Southbank

CHARLIE CHAPLIN at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MODERN TIMES d. Charles Chaplin, 1936 (21 AUG 11:45).

EARL CAMERON at BFI Southbank

ENNIO MORRICONE at BFI Southbank 

FEMALE LEADS at Everyman Broadgate

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): JACKIE BROWN d. Quentin Tarantino, 1997 (21 AUG 21:00).

THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS at Bertha DocHouse

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SABAYA d. Hogir Hirori, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the director (20 AUG 18:20); SABAYA d. Hogir Hirori, 2021 + (daily from 21 to 26 AUG various).

THE FILMS OF ÉRIC ROHMER at The Prince Charles

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): INHERENT VICE 35MM d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014 (23 AUG 20:30).

THE IRISH FOR HOPE at Rio Cinema & Bertha DocHouse

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE 8TH d. Aideen Kane, Lucy Kennedy & Maeve O’Boyle, 2020 at Rio Cinema (21 AUG 16:15); SHORT FILM FEELING HOPEFUL short film programme at Rio Cinema (22 AUG 15:45).

JAMES BOND 007 at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SPECTRE d. Sam Mendes, 2015 (21 AUG 17:00).

L.A. NIGHTS at Backyard Cinema

  • Continues at Capital Studios (check venue for listings).

MIAMI BEACH at Backyard Cinema

  • Continues at Capital Studios (check venue for listings).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

SANS BAGUETTE at Genesis Cinema

STUDIO GHIBLI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SPIRITED AWAY d. Hayao Miyazaki, 2001 (22 AUG 11:30 – SUB).

TALES OF TOMORROW: SCI-FI SELECTIONS at The Prince Charles

TEEN MOVIES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MEAN GIRLS 35MM d. Mark Waters, 2003 (20 AUG 18:40).

WONG KAR WAI at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): CHUNGKING EXPRESS aka Chung Hing sam lam d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (daily 20 to 26 AUG various).

Archlight Outdoor Cinema on the Coaling Jetty, Battersea

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA d. David Frankel, 2006 (23 AUG 17:30); CHINATOWN d. Roman Polanski, 1974 (23 AUG 20:15); WALL-E d. Andrew Stanton, 2008 (24 AUG 17:45); ROCKETMAN d. Dexter Fletcher, 2019 (24 AUG 20:15); SOME LIKE IT HOT d. Billy Wilder, 1959 (25 AUG 17:30); BRIDESMAIDS d. Paul Feig, 2011 (25 AUG 20:15); MAMMA MIA! d. Phyllida Lloyd, 2008 (26 AUG 17:45); TOP GUN d. Tony Scott, 1986 (26 AUG 20:30).

Cycle-In-Cinema presented by Stow Film Lounge

  • Includes (check promoter for full listings): WALL-E d. Andrew Stanton, 2008 at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (20 AUG 15:30+ – FREE!/No booking required); SILENT RUNNING d. Douglas Trumbull, 1972 + Q&A with Stuart Wright at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (20 AUG 18:30+ – FREE!/No booking required); BABE d. Chris Noonan, 1995 at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (21 AUG 15:30+ – FREE!/No booking required); MYSTERY FILM voted for by the public at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (21 AUG 18:30+ – FREE!/No booking required); SECRET GARDEN d. Agnieszka Holland, 1993 at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (22 AUG 15:30+ – FREE!/No booking required); MISBEHAVIOUR d. Philippa Lowthorpe, 2020 at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (22 AUG 18:30+ – FREE!/No booking required); THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD d. Armando Iannucci, 2019 at Forty Hall Gardens EN2 (25 AUG 19:30+).

Deeper Into Movies at Dalston Roof Park

  • Includes (check promoter for full listings): COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK d. Brett Morgen, 2015 at Dalston Roof Park (23 AUG 20:00).

Film & Food Fest South London at Beckenham Place Park

The Luna Cinema at various venues

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): GREASE d. Randal Kleiser, 1978 at Chiswick House (20 AUG 20:15); THE GREATEST SHOWMAN d. Michael Gracey, 2017 at Chiswick House (21 AUG 20:15); MOULIN ROUGE! d. Baz Luhrmann, 2001 at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre (22 AUG 20:15).

Outdoor Cinema at Barbican Sculpture Court

Rooftop Film Club, Peckham

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): LÈON: THE PROFESSIONAL d. Luc Besson, 1994 (20 AUG 20:30); AMÉLIE d. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001 (21 AUG 20:30); CHEF d. Jon Favreau, 2014 (22 AUG 20:30); PRETTY WOMAN d. Garry Marshall, 1990 (23 AUG 20:00); DUNE d. David Lynch, 1984 (24 AUG 20:00); ZOLA d. Janicza Bravo, 2020 (25 AUG 20:00); MAGIC MIKE d. Steven Soderbergh, 2012 (26 AUG 20:00).

Rooftop Film Club, Stratford East

Sunset Screening Sessions at The Homestead Cafe at Beckenham Place Park (02 JUL to 06 AUG):

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): WITHNAIL & I d. Paul Morrison, 1987 (20 AUG 20:00).

A SONG CALLED HATE d. Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdóttir, 2020 at Bertha DocHouse (daily 20 to 26 AUG).

This is a film still from CENSOR at The Prince Charles (19 AUG 2021).

CENSOR d. Prano Bailey-Bond, 2021 (daily 20 to 26 AUG).

PIG d. Michael Sarnoski, 2021 (daily 20 to 26 AUG).

Hold the date: WunderKammer Live networking event at the Filly Brook (17 SEP 18:30+) // Free! // Booking opens soon.
Hold the date: BITE ME! A Queer Horror Double Bill at the Filly Brook (19 SEP 16:00+) // Free! // Booking opens soon.

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*THE SMALL PRINT: Opinions author’s own. // As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any errors. Updates & corrections will be made to the online version only. // Event dates/times/formats are subject to change by the venue/organiser. Events may already be sold out at the time of posting, so please click quickly. // We try to list as many original format screenings as we can (8 to 70MM), but sometimes formats change due to age of the print, availability, logistics etc, so please check ahead with your venue if the format is your thing. // All images are used in the spirit of fair use for reporting & review – no ownership is implied or intended / unless otherwise credited to RADIANT CIRCUS as the original rights holder. We will remove any images immediately upon request – just get in touch. // We don’t filter our listings by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should therefore be 18+. // Finally, we always try to follow The Carny Code by “not screwing up anyone else’s game”, but everyone can make mistakes… If something does go wrong, we will always do our best to put it right. //.