THE BALLY #166: What to see in London this week [12 to 18 AUG 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!

Getting to immediate grips with this week’s film clubs and special events, start your weekend with the first offering from 5to9 Film Club, Vera Chytilová’s SOMETHING DIFFERENT aka O Něčem Jiném at V.O. Studios. You can also join Black Ink Cinema for their opening night screening of Jordan Peele’s NOPE at Genesis, the concluding element of their ‘Jordan Peele Take Over’ event (both 12 AUG). Doc’n Roll presents the UK premiere of THE REST IS HISTORY – THE EARLY DAYS OF DRUM & BASS at Everyman King’s Cross (also 12 AUG), which you can also see on Sunday at ICA (14 AUG).

On Saturday, Wonder Reels return to The Cinema Museum with their signature mix of live music and film. This time, Maggie Nicols, co-founder of the Feminist Improvising Group in the 1970s, will play an improvised voice and piano set ahead of a screening of HAROLD & MAUDE (13 AUG). For those unable to get to last week’s premiere of the LUMINOUS PROCURESS (Restored Version) – our featured attraction of last week! – ICA has organised another screening on Sunday. It’s also a great day to be heading to BFI Southbank for their presentation of Julien Duvivier’s 1929 silent THE DIVINE VOYAGE aka La Divine Croisière including an intro by Bryony Dixon and piano accompaniment by John Sweeney. You can also support their screening of THERE IS NO EVIL aka Sheytan vojud nadarad, the first of two events this week in solidarity with Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa Aleahmad and in opposition to the oppression of artists in Iran (all 14 AUG). Jafar Panahi’s 3 FACES aka Se rokh completes the series on Wednesday (17 AUG).

On Monday, there’s another preview screening of Welsh-language horror show THE FEAST, this time at BFI Southbank. I know I mentioned this film last week, but this time around you get a Q&A with director Lee Haven Jones, producer/screenwriter Roger Williams and actor Annes Elwy (15 AUG). It’s a film I thoroughly enjoyed at last year’s BFI London Film Festival. Of course, if horror’s your thing, Julia Ducournau’s TITANE starts a limited engagement at Whirled Cinema today (15 to 21 AUG).

At risk of lingering too long on the South Bank, your Tuesday evening could well be spent with Vic Pratt introducing THE FROG from 35mm at BFI. There’s also another chance to see FADIA’S TREE with director Sarah Beddington giving good Q&A at Chiswick Cinema (both 16 AUG). On Wednesday, the splendid Pink Palace series at Rio Cinema continues with Laurent Micheli’s LOLA & THE SEA, and it’s great to see Pitshanger Pictures return to public screenings after a short break, with both THREE CAME HOME and CHRISTINE on the same day (all 17 AUG).

As often happens, Thursday is much busier with, amongst others, British Transport Films presented by Habitats & Heritage at Grove Gardens Chapel, Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club cranking up the projector for ON THE WATERFRONT from 16mm at The Castle Cinema, and Black History Studies discussing Menelik Shabazz’s doc PHARAOHS UNVEILED at The Lexi (all 18 AUG).

We’ve spotted three tribute screenings to Olivia Newton-John this week, with GREASE showing at Catford Mews (12 AUG), outdoors at Rooftop Film Club (13 AUG), and at Genesis Cinema (17 AUG). You might think you’ve had enough of the film (I did…), but then you’ll hear her voice and get prepared to fall in summer love all over again. RIP.

It’s not often that a major rep season erupts in the middle of a (very…) hot summer month, but PRE-CODE HOLLYWOOD: RULES ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN arrives at BFI Southbank fresh from the Watershed in Bristol as part of their Cinema Rediscovered on Tour. Christina Newland and Pamela Hutchinson will introduce several of the films in person (and on video!).

This week’s new releases include Robert Coe and Warwick Ross’ BLIND AMBITION, Jordan Peele’s long-awaited NOPE, and Ari Folman’s animation WHERE IS ANNE FRANK. Smaller-scale releases include lva Radivojević’s ALEPH exclusively at ICA, and EXPOSING MUYBRIDGE at Bertha DocHouse. Scroll down to the GRIND SHOWS section for venues!

I’ve chosen the 10th birthday celebrations for Tufnell Park Film Club as our Featured Attraction of the Week. They are showing some great films over the course of the week, but this is also a simple appreciation of their dedication and commitment to DIY/alternative screen culture, as well as an always-strong film programme. You have to be a member to attend, but Membership is only £20 a year and once you’re a member, entry to films is free. That’s a film every Tuesday for the price of a trip to one of the capital’s ’boutique’ venues… I know where I’d rather be. Nigel Smith and Wayne Gooderham, you are legends.

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF TUFNELL PARK FILM CLUB at The Lord Palmerston

• Including films chosen by the members & organisers: THE CONVERSATION d. Francis Ford Coppola, 1974 (15 AUG 20:00); BICYCLE THIEVES d. Vittorio De Sica, 1948 (16 AUG 20:00); 3 WOMEN d. Robert Altman, 1977 (17 AUG 20:00); Martin Scorsese Shorts Double Bill: ITALIANAMERICAN + LIFE LESSONS d. Martin Scorsese, 1974 + 1989, chosen by Wayne Gooderham (18 AUG 20:00 – main featured image!); MULHOLLAND DR. d. David Lynch, 2001, chosen by Nigel Smith (19 AUG 20:00); The return of the TPFC Summer quiz! (21 AUG 19:00).

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Full daily listings in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

PRE-CODE HOLLYWOOD: RULES ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for full listings): BLONDE CRAZY (aka Larceny Lane) Newly remastered d. Roy Del Ruth, 1931 (12 AUG 14:30 / 17 AUG 20:45); A FREE SOUL Newly remastered d. Clarence Brown, 1931 + Recorded intro by Christina Newland (12 AUG 18:10); JEWEL ROBBERY Newly remastered d. William Dieterle, 1932 + Intro by Christina Newland (12 AUG 21:00); RED-HEADED WOMAN Newly remastered d. Jack Conway, 1932 (13 AUG 16:00); BABY FACE Newly remastered d. Alfred E. Green, 1933 (14 AUG 13:00 / 17 AUG 14:30); BLONDE CRAZY (aka Larceny Lane) Newly remastered d. Roy Del Ruth, 1931 + Recorded intro by Christina Newland (15 AUG 18:30); A FREE SOUL Newly remastered d. Clarence Brown, 1931 (15 AUG 20:45); JEWEL ROBBERY Newly remastered d. William Dieterle, 1932 (16 AUG 14:30); RED-HEADED WOMAN Newly remastered d. Jack Conway, 1932 + Intro by Pamela Hutchinson (16 AUG 18:35); BABY FACE Newly remastered d. Alfred E. Green, 1933 + Intro by Pamela Hutchinson (16 AUG 20:50).

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

• What are we missing…?

More outdoor seasons in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

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. //.