Lost Weekends III: Addiction and Alcoholism in the Movies
7:00-9:30 PM
Host and discussion leader: Kurt Brokaw, MS, teaches at The New School and The 92nd Street Y
8-week Fall Film Series. Screenings/discussions of more classic/rare feature films.
By subscription only, series $100. NYSEC members special price $50. For additional information contact Gloria Chandler, at 212-874-5210, ext. 117. To register for this film series click here: registration form.
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| Oct. 7 | Introduction. View scenes/discuss Johnny Eager, A Star Is Born, Harvey, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Written On The Wind, Panic In Needle Park, The Verdict, When A Man Loves A Woman, and Andy Warhol’s ‘Trash. |
| Oct. 14 | Voice In The Mirror. Richard Egan, partnered by Julie London as his wife and Walter Matthau as his recovery doctor, tries to stop drinking in this lost 1958 alcoholism drama. Virtually unseen. |
| Oct. 21 | Abigail’s Party. Remember Jennifer Jason Leigh as the falling-down drunk hostess in Mike Leigh’s riveting Broadway play? This 1977 filming of the original English production–led by a ferocious Alison Steadman–is just as scalding. |
| Oct. 28 | Ironweed (1987). From William Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel of Albany low-life in 1938–Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, both superb as alkies facing long winter nights together on Skid Row. |
| Nov. 4 | Scarface. “Say hello to my little friend.” That’s the automatic weapon wielded by Tony Montana (Pacino’s greatest role) in Brian De Palma’s 1983 gangwar–still the most enduring drug epic of the 20th century. With Michelle Pfeiffer, F.Murray Abraham. |
| Nov. 11 | My Name Is Bill W. James Garner is Ohio surgeon Dr. Bob and James Woods is Wall Streeter Bill Wilson in this stirring 1989 biographical drama of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. With Jobeth Williams. |
| Nov. 18 | A Scanner Darkly. (2004) Richard Linklater refines his live action-with-animation-coating on Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder and Robert Downey, Jr., in Philip K. Dick’s autobiographical drug opus with a deft science-fantasy overlay. |
| Nov. 25 | Lou Reed’s Berlin. Reed’s 1973 concept LP of the 5’10” model Caroline, caught in a spiral of pills, speed and “the thrill of the needle.” Finally, brilliantly performed in 2006 in a Brooklyn warehouse with full band and chorus, artistically layered by director Julian Schnabel. |
