THE BALLY #140: What to see in London this week [11 to 17 FEB 2022]

Welcome to THE BALLY where we help you find what to see in London this week across DIY, indie & alternative cinema events, online, outdoors & in venues.

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

Welcome to another screen week! Let’s plunge you deep into the darkness…

It’s LGBT History Month, Valentines/Galentines/Palentines AND half term all in one heady week, so prepare for a smorgasbord of delights. We’ve been fans of Kung Fu Cinema at the Genesis since they started, so we hope you already know about their plans for your Friday night with WARRIORS TWO (plus a whole load of fighting and music in the venue bar beforehand). NO PLACE FOR FOOLS plays at Pushkin House on the same night and offers a startling insight into contemporary Russia, YouTube culture, and a whole thorny set of issues about pride, politics and disability (both 11 FEB).

Saturday is brimming with queer delights with Stanley Arts’ THE BRITISH GUIDE TO SHOWING OFF as part of their Queer+ Season, Brad and Tom getting fruity on film at Barbican with INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, and the return of Wonder Reels’ music and film nights at The Cinema Museum with Jean Cocteau’s dreamy ORPHÉE 35mm which includes a lineup of talented musicians (all 12 FEB). On Sunday, Natalia Almada’s doc USERS at Bertha DocHouse would make a good pairing with NO PLACE FOR FOOLS, offering “a cinematic journey to reassess our relationship with tech and its impact on our planet”. T A P E and Invisible Women present their programme of shorts Touched at BFI Southbank, and there are two tempting options for food andfilm from Paper Tank Collective and Spanish Marks (see listings for 13 FEB).

Then there’s Valentine’s itself, including preview screenings of CYRANO and PARIS, 13TH DISTRICT at various venues, and pansexual programming ranging from one-off events to seasons that should suit a variety of tastes (depending on how deep your pockets). If you’re not IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE at Olympic Studios or Close-Up, then maybe Deeper Into Movies can tempt you with “the romantic comedy” SALÒ, OR THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM at Farr’s Dalston (all 14 FEB). Of course, you could avoid the big day entirely and just LOVE YOURSELF TODAY with Irish Film London and guests at Kiln Cinema, or get punch-drunk with Tufnell Park Film Club’s presentation of “perhaps the most poetic and fatalistic of all boxing movies” (Christina Newland), THE SET-UPat The Lord Palmerston (both 15 FEB).

Wednesday is an epic day, starting with the Rio’s classic matinee screening of FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE before embracing Newham Community Cinema and WOFFF’s presentation of STEELERS – THE WORLD’S FIRST GAY RUGBY CLUB and the restoration launch of THE PROPOSITION 4K complete with cast & crew at BFI Southbank (all 16 FEB). There are even more tough choices to end your week. My eye’s taken by the Sydenham Arts showing of Yorgos Lanthimos’ THE LOBSTER at The Grove Centre (which might sort out your dating dilemmas…), and a special fund-raising presentation of THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN in support of his once temporary home, The Cinema Museum (both 17 FEB).

We’re smack in the middle of the month for SEASONS, so most rep programming continues as scheduled. I forgot to mention the return of the almighty ESSENTIAL CINEMA strand at Close-Up last week, so a belated shout-out to them. And we’ve added romantic seasons at Everyman, Genesis and the Prince Charles if you’re still looking for love. For this week’s new releases, I’ve highlighted Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated FLEE (which seems to have been previewing forever), PETROV’S FLU by Kirill Serebrennikov, and Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s WHEEL OF FORTUNE & FANTASY (which, at 2hrs, might be a more comfortable journey than his DRIVE MY CAR…).

Given that I’m in the mood for some queer horror nights, I’ve chosen Barbican’s ‘My Twisted Valentine’ screening of INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE from 35mm (12 FEB) as my Featured Attraction of the Week.

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – My friends at Last Frame Club and I have announced the first of our Queer Horror Nights, James Whale’s subversive masterpiece, FRANKENSTEIN at The Castle Cinema (27 FEB 17:00). We’d love to see you there…

My Twisted Valentine: INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE 35mm d. Neil Jordan, 1994 at Barbican (12 FEB 18:30):

“In contemporary San Francisco, a glum 200-year-old vampire, Louis (Brad Pitt), shares his life story with a reporter (Christian Slater). Louis’ tale begins in 18th-century New Orleans, where he first encounters the decadent Eurotrash vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise). In one of the movie’s steamiest scenes, Lestat introduces Louis to blood-sucking and immortality with an ecstatic bite to the neck. But Louis does not take eagerly to the diet and lifestyle and is tormented with guilt over his new nature.

At over 25 years’ distance, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE looks more than ever a wondrous time capsule: the leads at the height of their smouldering good looks, a supporting cast including Antonio Banderas and (a very young) Kirsten Dunst, and some magnificent 90s hair. It is also, indisputably, an absolute hoot.” (Barbican)

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Full daily listings in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

LOVE STORIES at Genesis Cinema

• Includes (check venue for listings): MOONLIGHT d. Barry Jenkins, 2017 (12 FEB 21:00); CASABLANCA: 80th Anniversary d. Michael Curtiz, 1942 (13 FEB 15:30); THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER d. Peter Greenaway, 1989 (13 FEB 20:30); TRUE ROMANCE d. Tony Scott, 1993 (14 FEB 18:20); JULES ET JIM aka Jules and Jim d. François Truffaut, 1962 (15 FEB 21:00); THE WATERMELON WOMAN d. Cheryl Dunee, 1996 (16 FEB 21:05).

More rep seasons listed in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

We’ve got nothing… what did we miss?

More new releases in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

• 
  Sine Screen presents Vulnerable Histories at Close-Up & The Garden Cinema (19 to 26 AUG 2023)
• 
  Lost Reels presents 16mm & 35mm screenings at The Cinema Museum & ICA (19 & 31 AUG 2023)
• 
  The Duke Mitchell Film Club presents DukeFest 2023: A Brave New World (13 to 16 AUG 2023)
• 
  Cinema Mentiré launches with OLHAR PERIFERICO season (AUG 2023)

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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. //.