SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [29 OCT to 04 NOV 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

I’ve been leading these Screen Guides with recovery and reopening good news for the past several weeks, but it’s time to stay grounded with the following message from The Cinema Museum:

“The Cinema Museum nears the end game in its fight for survival. We have not given up and we mean to win this battle. We intend delivering our petition to ‘Save the Cinema Museum’ to the developers who own the wider site upon which the Museum sits, on November the 5th. Once delivered, a petition is essentially closed – so this is everyone’s last chance. We intend totally smashing our target of 60,000+ signatures and we are just a few hundred short. Please do what you can to help us over the line on this last shove – by signing and sharing on social media. Thanks very much everyone – this will mean so much to us.

Katharine, Martin, Ronald and the volunteers and trustees of The Cinema Museum.

Here’s the link. Please sign and share widely.

Across other news, it’s a great week for film festivals with the continuation of, amongst others, Doc’n Roll Film Festival (28 OCT to 14 NOV) and Raindance Film Festival (27 OCT to 06 NOV) followed by opening nights for French Film Festival (03 NOV to 15 DEC), London Korean Film Festival (04 to 19 NOV), and UK Jewish Film Festival (04 to 18 NOV). It’s also time for FrightFest Halloween (29 to 30 OCT), where you couldn’t plan to be scared witless by a nicer bunch of people. For bumps in the night, you can also dive into the ongoing Screamdance strand at Raindance, leading all the way to their screaming climax of a Closing Night Gala, Anita Rocha da Silveira’s Brazilian “horror-musical-comedy” MEDUSA at Genesis (06 NOV).

In seasons, Picturehouse embraces the scary season with a rush of screenings as part of their CULTURE SHOCK strand, including all three Japanese RINGUs at their Hackney branch. The BFI’s epic JAPAN 2021makes a dash for the darkness with a J-HORROR weekender (…which is selling out fast). Continuing the Japanese theme, we’ve also spotted some outstanding, free but not scary documentaries at Japan House London as part of their ongoing exhibition, TOKYO 1964: DESIGNING TOMORROW. Everything listed and linked below.

Needless to say, the Halloween theme continues across London’s one-off screen events too, with Screen25 offering both OLD (29 OCT) and CENSOR (03 NOV) and Cine-Real 16mm Film Club selling out their screening of DON’T LOOK NOW at The Castle Cinema (31 OCT). You can also catch Prano Bailey-Bond’s acclaimed film in a special late night screaming of CENSOR at newbie venue, ActOne Cinema (30 OCT), and there’s a pair of stalking terrors at ActOne’s big-sister, the Rio DER FAN + PERFECT BLUE (30 OCT). Deeper Into Movies presents a Hotel Of Horror extravaganza (31 OCT), and there’s a return to the lockdown delights of Zodiac Film Club’s digital scream-along, Zodiac House Of Horrors (31 OCT). World Wide Weird! follows the big day with a special screening of QUEENS OF EVIL (01 NOV), Wimbledon Film Club project THE LIGHTHOUSE (02 NOV) and Twickenham Cinema Club returns to public events with THE BABADOOK (04 NOV). Non-Halloween indie pleasures include Exploding Cinema returning to take over The Cinema Museum (30 OCT), Double Wonderful continuing to plough their own furrow with DRIB (02 NOV) and T A P E Collective bringing their But Where Are You Really From? short film touring programme to Kino Bermondsey (03 NOV).

For our Featured Attraction of the Week, I’ve chosen Pitshanger Pictures’ incredibly special screening of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (31 OCT), to be presented in St Barnabas Church, Ealing with a live, improvised church organ score by musician and choir leader Henry Tozer. Their last encounter with Lon Chaney – for a similar screening of the 1925 version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – simply blew me away between lockdowns last year:

“Feeling the Phantom’s spirit reverberate through you as Tozer’s epic sound filled the cavernous church, made this one of the most memorable film events of a remarkably strange screen year.”

RADIANT CIRCUS – Screen Diary.

That too was an event that saw the volunteer-driven film club return to public screenings after lockdown and it seems a fitting tribute to the indie cinema scene’s shared spirit of perseverance that we celebrate their achievements one more time.

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME d. Wallace Worsley, 1923 + Live organ score by Henry Tozer presented by Pitshanger Pictures at St Barnabas Church, Ealing W5 (31 OCT 19:30).

  • “A fantastic opportunity to experience this great silent film in the expansive environment of St Barnabas accompanied by the magnificent church organ played by Henry Tozer. A once in a lifetime experience.”

FRIDAY 29 OCT

  • AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON d. John Landis, 1981 presented by Filmscope.org at The Yellow (29 OCT 18:30 – FREE!).
  • CARRIE d. Brian De Palma, 1976 at The Cinema In The Arches (29 OCT 22:30).
  • GET OUT d. Jordan Peele, 2017 at Catford Mews (29 OCT 20:45).
  • GUARDIANS d. Mark A.C. Brown, 2017 presented by Loanhood at The Lab E20 (29 OCT 20:00 – FREE!).
  • LAST NIGHT IN SOHO d. Edgar Wright, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Everyman Screen On The Green (29 OCT 20:15).
  • OLD d. M. Night Shyamalan, 2021 at Screen25 Cinema at Harris Academy South Norwood (29 OCT 19:45).
  • PHIL LYNOTT: SONGS FOR WHILE I’M AWAY d. Emer Reynolds, 2020 for Black History Month at Irish Cultural Centre (29 OCT 20:00).
  • THE RESCUE d. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin, 2021 + Q&A with Chai Vasarhelyi, producer Thanet Natisri, and cave divers Rick Stanton & Jason Mallinson at ICA (29 OCT 18:30).
  • THE RESCUE d. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the directors and cave divers John Volanthen and Rick Stanton at Picturehouse Crouch End (29 OCT 20:30).
  • THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS d. Jonathan Demme, 1991 at Chiswick Cinema (29 OCT 21:15).
  • THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS d. Jonathan Demme, 1991 at Olympic Studios (29 OCT 21:20).

ONLINE

  • 3000 NIGHTS d. Mai Masri, 2015 + Discussion with the director presented online by BIMI (29 OCT 18:00 – FREE!/Watch film online beforehand then join the discussion).
  • The Haunting of the Rio Cinema (28 to 31 OCT).

SATURDAY 30 OCT

  • BLADE d. Stephen Norrington, 1998 at Kiln Theatre (30 OCT 20:10).
  • CENSOR d. Prano Bailey-Bond, 2021 + Recorded intro by the director & Q&A with producer Naomi Wright at ActOne Cinema (30 OCT 23:30).
  • Exploding Cinema short film programme, live music & psychedelic projections at The Cinema Museum (30 OCT 19:30).
  • Halloween Double Bill: DER FAN + PERFECT BLUE d. Eckhart Schmidt, 1982 + d. Satoshi Kon, 1997 presented by NTS at Rio Cinema (30 OCT 23:00).
  • LAST NIGHT IN SOHO d. Edgar Wright, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Picturehouse Central (30 OCT 19:30).
  • THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES d. Michael Rianda & Jeff Rowe, 2021 + Q&A with producers Phil Lord & Chris Miller presented by London ACM SIGGRAPH at The Soho Hotel (30 OCT 17:00 – FREE!).
  • GET OUT d. Jordan Peele, 2017 at Catford Mews (30 OCT 17:45).
  • SCREAM d. Wes Craven, 1996 25th Anniversary Screening at Olympic Studios (30 OCT 21:20).
  • SCREAM d. Wes Craven, 1996 25th Anniversary Screening at The Cinema In The Arches (30 OCT 22:00).
  • Simpsons Halloween Marathon presented by Deeper Into Movies at Signature Brew (30 OCT 13:00 – FREE!).
  • THERE IS NO EVIL d. Mohammad Rassoulof, 2020 preview presented by UK Iranian Film Festival at Ciné Lumière (30 OCT 19:00).

ONLINE

SUNDAY 31 OCT

  • AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON d. John Landis, 1981 + Quiz at Picturehouse Bromley (31 OCT 17:00).
  • BLADE d. Stephen Norrington, 1998 at Riverside Studios (31 OCT 14:00).
  • BODY & SOUL d. Oscar Micheaux, 1925 + Intro by Kevin Le Gendre & Live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand at BFI Southbank (31 OCT 14:20).
  • DON’T LOOK NOW 16mm d. Nicolas Roeg, 1973 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (31 OCT 19:30).
  • THE EVIL DEAD d. Sam Raimi, 1981 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Hackney Bridge (31 OCT 19:30 – FREE!).
  • GET OUT d. Jordan Peele, 2017 at Catford Mews (31 OCT 20:15).
  • Hotel Of Horror presented by Deeper Into Movies at The Standard, London (31 OCT 18:00).
  • THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME d. Wallace Worsley, 1923 + Live organ score by Henry Tozer presented by Pitshanger Pictures at St Barnabas Church W5 (31 OCT 19:30).
  • THE INVISIBLE MAN d. Leigh Whannell, 2020 presented by Catford Film at Ninth Life (31 OCT 20:00 – FREE/First come first served).
  • LAST NIGHT IN SOHO d. Edgar Wright, 2021 + Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (31 OCT 17:40).
  • THE OMEN d. Richard Donner, 1976 at Olympic Studios (31 OCT 17:00).
  • REAR WINDOW + VERTIGO d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1954 + 1958 at CRATE E17 (31 OCT 17:00 – FREE!).
  • SAINT MAUD d. Rose Glass, 2019 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green (31 OCT 19:30).
  • SOCRATES d. Alexandre Moratto, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (31 OCT 17:00).
  • SCREAM d. Wes Craven, 1996 25th Anniversary Screening at Electric Cinemas (31 OCT various).
  • THE SHINING d. Stanley Kubrick, 1980 at One Aldwych (31 OCT 12:30 – Includes three course meal, drink & popcorn).

ONLINE

MONDAY 01 NOV

TUESDAY 02 NOV

  • ANOTHER ROUND d. Thomas Vinterberg, 2020 at The David Lean (02 NOV 19:30).
  • ARCHIVE d. Tori Kudo, 2021 at Cafe Oto (02 NOV 19:30).
  • CONGO CALLING d. Stephan Hilpert, 2019 + Q&A with the director & guests at Picturehouse Finsbury Park (02 NOV 20:30).
  • DRIB d. Kristoffer Borgli, 2017 presented by Double Wonderful at Venue MOT (02 NOV 19:30).
  • HELL OR HIGH WATER d. David Mackenzie, 2016 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (02 NOV 20:00).
  • KNIVES OUT d. Rian Johnson, 2019 at The Prince Charles (02 NOV 15:30).
  • THE LIGHTHOUSE d. Robert Eggers, 2019 presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (02 NOV 20:30).
  • NOMADLAND d. Chloé Zhao, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (02 NOV 20:00).
  • Prison Isn’t Working: Personal stories of crime, punishment and redemption presented by Liberty Choir UK at Vue Regent Street (02 NOV 18:30).
  • RAW d. Julia Ducournau, 2016 at Catford Mews (02 NOV 21:15).
  • SUMMER OF SOUL d. Questlove, 2021 at The David Lean (02 NOV 14:30 HOH).

WEDNESDAY 03 NOV

  • An Evening of Shorts + Filmmaker Q&A presented by White Ermine Films at The Castle Cinema (03 NOV 18:30).
  • But Where Are You Really From? short film programme + Q&A presented by T A P E Collective at Kino Bermondsey (03 NOV 20:30).
  • CENSOR d. Prano Bailey-Bond, 2021 at Screen25 Cinema at Harris Academy South Norwood (03 NOV 19:45).
  • NOMADLAND d. Chloé Zhao, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (03 NOV 20:00).
  • PRESSURE d. Horace Ové, 1976 presented by Leytonstone Pop-Up Cinema at Leytonstone Library, Main Hall (03 NOV 19:45).
  • QUANT d. Sadie Frost, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Everyman Belsize Park (03 NOV 18:00).
  • THE ROOM d. Tommy Wiseau, 2003 at The Prince Charles (03 NOV 21:00).

ONLINE

  • SPILLOVER d. Nobunye Levin, 2021 + Performance/Q&A with the director & collaborators presented online by Screenworlds & BIMI (03 NOV 17:00 – FREE!/Watch film online beforehand then join the Performance/Q&A).

THURSDAY 04 NOV

  • 20-22 OMEGA d. Thierry Loa, 2021 at BFI Southbank (04 NOV 18:10) / Part of Green Light: An immersive focus on Climate Change.
  • THE BABADOOK d. Jennifer Kent, 2014 presented by Twickenham Cinema Club at The Venue at Heatham House (04 NOV 19:00).
  • Taste Film presents: BEETLEJUICE d. Tim Burton, 1988 immersive food experience at Everyman Maida Vale (04 NOV 20:00).
  • THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM d. John Chester, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (04 NOV 20:00).
  • NOMADLAND d. Chloé Zhao, 2020 at The David Lean (04 NOV 14:30 & 19:30).
  • NORTH BY NORTHWEST d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1959 presented by Hitchcock Film Club at Fontaine’s Bar (04 NOV 20:00 – FREE!).
  • PASSING d. Rebecca Hall, 2021 + Recorded Intro by the director at BFI Southbank (04 NOV 17:50) / Part of Woman with a Movie Camera.
  • RAW d. Julia Ducournau, 2016 at Catford Mews (04 NOV 18:45).

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 version’ (29 OCT 20:20 / 02 NOV 14:30).

100 YEARS: SIMONE SIGNORET, THE POLITICAL STAR – PART I at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE CRUCIBLE aka Les Sorcières de Salem d. Raymond Rouleau, 1957 (31 OCT 14:00 / 02 NOV 17:50).

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

A TRIBUTE TO JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO at Close-Up

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: WATCHING THE DETECTIVES at BFI Southbank

BLACK FEMME FILM PRESENTS: MOVIES THAT MADE US at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): WAITING TO EXHALE d. Forest Whitaker, 1995 + Intro (29 OCT 20:45 – The Ritzy).

CULTURE SHOCK at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): RINGU d. Hideo Nakata, 1998 at Picturehouse Hackney (29 OCT 21:30); BLADE d. Stephen Norrington, 1998 (29 & 30 OCT various); SCREAM d. Wes Craven, 1996 25th Anniversary Screening (30 OCT various); RINGU 2 d. Hideo Nakata, 1999 at Picturehouse Hackney (30 OCT 21:15); HOCUS POCUS d. Kenny Ortega, 1993 (31 OCT various); RINGU 0: BIRTHDAY aka Ringu 0: Bâsudei d. Norio Tsuruta, 2000 at Picturehouse Hackney (31 OCT 20:50).

DAVID CRONENBERG at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): CRASH d. David Cronenberg, 1996 (01 NOV 20:45).

EDGAR WRIGHT’S LONDON AFTER DARK at BFI Southbank

EXPERIENCE THE FLAVOURS OF JAPAN at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): YOJIMBO d. Akira Kurosawa, 1961 (04 NOV various).

FATAL FEMMES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE CRAFT d. Andrew Fleming, 1996 (30 OCT 17:45).

FRIGHT NIGHT CINEMA at Rivoli Ballroom

  • Includes (check festival for full listings): HOCUS POCUS d. Kenny Ortega, 1993 (29 OCT 17:00); THE SHINING d. Stanley Kubrick, 1980 (29 OCT 20:00).

HALLOWEEN at Backyard Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): HOCUS POCUS d. Kenny Ortega, 1993 (until 13 NOV various); THE LOST BOYS d. Joel Schumacher, 1987 (29 OCT 16:00); SCREAM d. Wes Craven, 1996 (29 OCT 20:00); BEETLEJUICE d. Tim Burton, 1988 (30 OCT 16:00 / 31 OCT 20:30); THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW d. Jim Sharman, 1975 (30 OCT 20:30); CANDYMAN d. Nia DaCosta, 2021 (30 OCT 20:00 / 31 OCT 20:00).

HALLOWEEN SPECIALS at The Exhibit

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE OMEN d. Richard Donner, 1976 (29 OCT 20:00 / 30 OCT 17:00 / 31 OCT 20:00); THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA d. Joel Schumacher, 2004 (31 OCT 15:30).

HORROCTOBER at The Prince Charles

JAPAN 2021 at BFI Southbank

JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO LE MAGNIFIQUE at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BREATHLESS aka A bout de souffle d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1959 (31 OCT 17:55); L’HOMME DE RIO aka That Man from Rio d. Philippe de Broca, 1964 (01 NOV 18:35).

J-HORROR WEEKENDER at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): RING aka Ringu d. Hideo Nakata, 1998 (29 OCT 18:10); DARK WATER aka Honogurai mizu no soko kara d. Hideo Nakata, 2002 (29 OCT 20:30); CURE aka Kyua d. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 1997 (30 OCT 18:00); PULSE aka Kairo d. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2001 (30 OCT 20:40); AUDITION 35mm aka Ôdishon d. Takashi Miike, 1999 (31 OCT 15:20); ICHI THE KILLER aka Koroshiya 1 d. Takashi Miike, 2001 (31 OCT 18:00).
  • Part of: JAPAN 2021.

MIKE LEIGH at BFI Southbank 

  • Includes (check venue for listings): WHO’S WHO d. Mike Leigh, 1979 (30 OCT 14:00); GROWN-UPS d. Mike Leigh, 1980 + Q&A with the director (30 OCT 17:15); NUTS IN MAY d. Mike Leigh, 1976 + Q&A with the director, Alison Steadman, Roger Sloman, Anthony O’Donnell, Stephen Bill & Sheila Kelley (31 OCT 11:20); HOME SWEET HOME d. Mike Leigh, 1982 + Q&A with the director (01 NOV 17:50); HIGH HOPES d. Mike Leigh, 1998 + Q&A with the director, Ruth Sheen & Phil Davis (02 NOV 18:45); ALL OR NOTHING 4k d. Mike Leigh, 2002 (03 NOV 20:30); LIFE IS SWEAT d. Mike Leigh, 1990 (04 NOV 18:15).

MIKE LEIGH’S CHOICES at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for listings): THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS aka L’Albero degli zoccoli d. Ermanno Olmi, 1978 (29 OCT 13:30).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

STEPHEN KING at The Prince Charles

TOKYO 1964: DESIGNING TOMORROW at Japan House London

WEREWOLF FILMS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): TEEN WOLF d. Rod Daniel, 1985 (02 NOV 18:15).

WIM WENDERS ON 35MM at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): WINGS OF DESIRE 35mm aka Der Himmel über Berlin d. Wim Wenders, 1987 (03 NOV 18:00).

WONG KAR WAI at BFI Southbank

FRIGHTFEST HALLOWEEN at CineWorld Leicester Square (29 to 30 OCT)

SCREAMDANCE at Raindance Film Festival (27 OCT to 06 NOV)

  • Includes (check festival for full listings): WHERE’S ROSE d. John Mathis, 2020 at Genesis Cinema (01 NOV 21:05); THE WELDER d. David Liz, 2021 at Genesis Cinema (02 NOV 21:00).
  • Some titles also available online at Curzon Home Cinema.

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO d. Edgar Wright, 2021.

PASSING d. Rebecca Hall, 2021.

SEVEN SAMURAI aka Shichinin no Samurai d. Akira Kurosawa, 1954.

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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. //.