This is a film still from BRIEF ENCOUNTER d. David Lean, 1945 presented by Habitats & Heritage at Grove Gardens Chapel, Richmond TW10 (16 FEB 20:00).

THE BALLY #188: What to see in London this week [10 to 16 FEB 2023]

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

This is an advertising graphic promoting the new BAR TRASH season of cult film events in London - TRASH OR TREASURE? Resurrecting "The Worst Films of All Time" at Genesis Cinema and Rule Zero.
BAR TRASH presents… TRASH OR TREASURE? Resurrecting “The Worst Films of All Time” – BOOKING NOW!

Welcome to another screen week!

Love is in the air, so there’s a lot of screenings of ROMAN HOLIDAY and CASABLANCA across town (amongst many other choices!). Different promoters take different approaches, so make sure you scan both the daily listings and the film seasons section of this week’s Screen Guide to get across all of London’s loved-up happenings (that I could find…).

In this week’s film seasons, the JAPAN FOUNDATION TOURING FILM PROGRAMME comes to an end at ICA, Sight & Sound continues their countdown of the “100 greatest films of all time” at BFI, and Everyman Screen on the Green starts a new 35mm season dedicated to the Cohen Brothers. I’ll be continuing my TRASH OR TREASURE? season resurrecting “the worst films of all time” at Genesis with William Castle’s THE TINGLER (15 FEB). If you’re into that kind of thing, I’ll be trying to recreate the original 1959 release’s shocking seat system, PERCEPTO! (with no budget and a lot of well-meaning stupidity…). See you there…?

In new(ish) releases, DECISION TO LEAVE returns for a one day ‘special event’ screening of the film plus recorded Q&A with director Park Chan-wook (13 FEB various cinemas – see this week’s daily listings for details). Previews continue for Lukas Dhont’s CLOSE and Georgia Oakley’s BLUE JEAN gets the widest release across London’s indie screens this week. You can see both directors and their collaborators at different Q&A dates across town (browse the daily listings for details). Other openings include Sarah Polley’s WOMEN TALKING and the anniversary 3D re-release of James Cameron’s wet epic, TITANIC. Head right to the end of the Screen Guide for those details and more.

I’ve chosen Habitats & Heritage’s presentation of BRIEF ENCOUNTER (16 FEB) at the Grove Gardens Chapel in Richmond as my Featured Attraction of the Week. Partly because it’s a cracking film and I love travelling to new venues for familiar titles. But also because the directions on how to get there make it sound even more like cruising than the title alone: 

“The main cemetery gates close at 5pm. Access to the chapel is made via small path which crosses Grove Road Gardens and leads to the Chapel entrance. The entrance to Grove Road Gardens can be found where Greville Road meets Lower Grove Road. Be aware that there is another chapel in close proximity.”Habitats & Heritage

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – I haven’t overlooked that Spike Lee is in town to receive his BFI Fellowship before appearing on stage at BFI Southbank ‘in conversation ‘, but that event pretty much sold out straight away. Hover over the BFI website for returns (more common than you might think…) or grab one of the last few tickets for SUMMER OF SAM which the filmmaker will introduce later the same evening… that’s where I’ll be! (both events 13 FEB).

BRIEF ENCOUNTER d. David Lean, 1945 presented by Habitats & Heritage at Grove Gardens Chapel, Richmond TW10 (16 FEB 20:00).

“Join Habitats & Heritage at the atmospheric Grove Gardens Chapel on Thursday 16th February for a Valentines Day treat! See the 1945 classic romance, starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson, a former resident of Richmond Hill. Entrance to the Chapel will cost £15 and all proceeds will help to support Habitats & Heritage. The admission fee covers access to the Chapel, popcorn and soft drinks. Booking is required.” (Habitats & Heritage)

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FRIDAY

Musical Fridays: GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES d. Howard Hawks, 1953 at The Garden Cinema (10 FEB 21:00).

SATURDAY

HEROIC PURGATORY dir Yoshishige Yoshida, 1970 (11 FEB 20:15) / Part of TONY PALEY’S GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME at Close-Up Film Centre.

This is a film still from HEROIC PURGATORY dir Yoshishige Yoshida, 1970, showing at Close-Up Film Centre (05 & 11 February 2023).

SUNDAY

WHO’S AFRAID OF VAGINA WOLF d. Anna Margarita, 2013 + Intro by the director + Short: HOPE d. Jade Winters, 2022, presented by Sapphic Utopia at The Cinema Museum (12 FEB 14:30).

MONDAY

SUMMER OF SAM d. Spike Lee, 1999 + Intro by the director at BFI Southbank (13 FEB 20:35).

TUESDAY

My Twisted Valentine: CRASH d. David Cronenberg, 1996 at Barbican (14 FEB 20:45).

WEDNESDAY

PITFALL aka Otoshiana dir Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1962 presented by Electric Frog Film Club at ArtHouse Crouch End (15 FEB 19:00).

This is a film still from PITFALL aka Otoshiana d. Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1962 - presented by Electric Frog Film Club at ArtHouse Crouch End (15 February 2023).

THURSDAY

SIGHTSEERS d. Ben Wheatley, 2012 + Intro/Q&A with Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, presented by Deeper Into Movies x Weird Walk at Rio Cinema (16 FEB 20:30).

Full daily listings in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.
POETIC JUSTICE 35mm d. John Singleton, 1993.

VALENTINE’S at The Prince Charles 

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

BLUE JEAN dir Georgia Oakley, 2022

WOMEN TALKING dir Sarah Polley, 2022

More new releases in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

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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. //.