Film / Previews
Event Cinema for September 2015
After a quiet August, September is positively heaving with outdoor screenings and sport/music/opera/theatre/ballet one-offs beamed by satellite to local cinemas. For your convenience, we’ve corralled the big ones here. For more information and trailers, see our detailed daily film listings starting here.
A new documentary from One Night in Turin director James Erskine and Senna/Man on Wire producer Victoria Gregory, tracing the origins of England’s success in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The screening will by followed by a live satellite Q&A with Clive Woodward, Johnny Wilkinson and Martin Johnson.
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Screening Sept 1: Cineworld, Vue Longwell Green, Showcase Cinema De Lux
Brad Pitt narrates this documentary about the battle for supremacy between six motorcycle racers. It follows the intense rivalry between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, and explores the friendship between Rossi and Marco Simoncelli, the rising star who perished on the track. Also included is rookie Marc Marquez, who survived the fastest ever MotoGP crash. The screening is followed by a recorded Q&A with director Mark Neale.
Screening Sept 2: Showcase Cinema De Lux, Vue Cribbs Causeway
Simon Godwin, who recently directed Ralph Fiennes in Man and Superman, revives George Farquhar’s restoration romp. Despite their ample reserves of charm, the eponymous beaux, Mr Aimwell (Samuel Barnett) and Mr Archer (Geoffrey Streatfeild), have wound up penniless and debt-ridden as a result of high living. So they hatch a plan to marry for money. Fleeing to provincial Lichfield, they pose as master and servant but encounter an insurmountable mountain of obstacles to wealth, including a crooked landlord, a fearsome highwayman, a fervent French Count, a maid on the make, a drunken husband, a furious butler, a natural healer and a strange, turbulent priest. Note that the Vue cinemas’ additional screenings on Sept 17 are in 4K.
Screening Sept 3: Showcase Cinema De Lux, Orpheus, Odeon, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Vue Longwell Green, Cineworld, Curzon
Encore screening Sept 17: Vue Cribbs Causeway, Vue Longwell Green
Pedal-Powered Cinema: Bicycle Thieves
Appropriate revival by Pedal-Powered Cinema of the Italian neorealist film that so often features on those all-time-great lists. So if you’ve never seen it, now’s your opportunity to catch up. It’s the deceptively simple story of an unemployed working class Italian who scours the streets of Rome with his son, looking for the stolen bicycle he needs for a new job. Vittorio De Sica’s unforced humanism, the naturalistic performances by his non-professional cast and strong undercurrent of social criticism secure the film’s ‘masterpiece’ status.
Screening Sept 4: Curzon
How to Change the World + Satellite Q&A
An inspiring documentary about the group of friends who founded Greenpeace in 1971 and kickstarted the modern environmental movement. Lots of previously unseen archive footage is promised, and the ace soundtrack includes Pink Floyd, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Brigitte Bardot (!), Country Joe & The Fish and Can. This premiere screening will be followed by a live satellite Q&A hosted by Mariella Frostrup. The panel features Vivienne Westwood (probably not answering questions about her tax affairs), director Jerry Rothwell, Robert Hunter’s daughter Emily Hunter, and others TBC.
Screening Sept 11: Showcase Cinema De Lux, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Watershed, Curzon
Opera Australia: Aida Live on Sydney Harbour
Handa Opera’s biggest ever production, staged against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Expect full-on operatic grandeur, including spectacular sets, big battle scenes and the famous ‘Triumphal March’, plus plenty of fireworks. For the uninitiated, Verdi’s Ancient Egyptian love triangle yarn has warrior Radames hoping to get jiggy with enslaved Ethiopian Princess Aida. Alas, Pharaoh’s daughter Princess Amneris also has the hots for our hero, making any attempted leogover politically tricky. Cue: much (operatic) wailing.
Screening Sept 15: Showcase Cinema De Lux, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Vue Longwell Green, Orpheus
If you’re simply unable to contain the urge to dress up and chuck rice around until next July, when Christopher Luscombe’s production of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show reaches the Bristol Hippodrome, here’s a chance to catch what’s billed as “the world’s favourite rock’n’roll musical” live from the West End. O’Brien himself returns to the role of the narrator for this cinema broadcast which is in aid of Amnesty International.
Screening Sept 17: Cineworld, Orpheus, Odeon, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Vue Longwell Green, Curzon
A BBC Radio 2 event from the team behind D-Day 70 Years On, screened as part of a day-long TV and radio commemoration. The blurb informs us that it will tell “the epic story of the greatest aerial conflict of the Second World War. Dermot O’Leary, Jeremy Vine and BBC News’ Sophie Raworth will be joined by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Rare archive footage from the conflict, modern day Royal Air Force personnel, guest singers and a cast of actors will bring those stories to life as we remember the men and women who took part 75 years ago.” All proceeds go to the Royal Air Forces Association, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and The Battle Of Britain Memorial Trust.
Screening Sept 18: Orpheus, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Cineworld
The ’50s-set musical that dominated 1978, with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta frugging fruitily. The screening takes place at Salthouse Field, a stone’s throw from the Curzon cinema, as part of the Clevedon Tides Festival. It all kicks off at 8.30pm and tickets cost £25. For more information and to book, go here.
Screening Sept 18: Salthouse Field, Clevedon
Movies’n’nosh specialists Cannoli & Gun serve up Martin Scorsese’s brilliant adaptation of Nicholas Pileggi’s Wiseguy. Pleasingly, the film benefits from 246 uses of the word ‘fuck’. Most of these are by Joe Pesci, who was the only member of the cast to win an Oscar in a year when Dances with Wolves dominated the awards ceremonies. This screening takes place on the exact 25th anniversary of the film’s original US release. Naturally, Vincenzo’s will be serving that traditional Mafia feast of spaghetti and meatballs. Advance tickets are available here, price £11. They’re £13 on the door.
Screening Sept 21: Vincenzo’s, Park Street
Royal Ballet: Romeo and Juliet
Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet was premiered at the Royal Opera House in 1965 and has been a staple of the Royal Ballet repertoire ever since, clocking up more than 400 performances. It’s an evergreen treat for hoofing newcomers and aficionados of 20th century ballet alike, skilfully matching Prokofiev’s score to the bard’s timeless tale of star-crossed lovers. Note that the ballet will be screened in cinemas on Tuesday 22 Sept, with an encore screening at some venues on Sunday 27 Sept. There’s also a free screening in Millennium Square on Tuesday 22 Sept. See our news story here for more details.
Screening Sept 22: Millennium Square, Showcase Cinema de Lux, Odeon, Orpheus, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Vue Longwell Green
Encore screening Sept 27: Showcase Cinema De Lux
Arcade Fire: The Reflektor Tapes
A documentary about the making of Arcade Fire’s international chart-topping album. The somewhat over-excited blurb tells us that it “recontextualizes the album experience, transporting the viewer into a kaleidoscopic sonic and visual landscape.”
Screening Sept 24: Showcase Cinema De Lux, Vue Cribbs Causeway
Loki himself (that’s Tom Hiddleston, non-Marvel fans) takes the title role of the proud warrior who proves ill-equipped for politicking in the Bard’s still-pertinent revenge tragedy. Mark Gatiss is cast as Patrician Menenius in Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Josie Rourke’s acclaimed 2104 production, which returns to cinema screens by popular demand.
Screening Sept 24: Showcase Cinema De Lux, Orpheus, Odeon, Curzon, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Vue Longwell Green, Cineworld
Scalarama: Shorts on the Steps
An outdoor screening organised by Twentieth Century Flicks for the month-long Scalarama film festival. The evening will be divided into three half-hour segments beginning at 8pm. Expect silent shorts with musical accompaniment, the winning films from a local competition, and a selection of work by invited local filmmakers. To add to the party atmosphere, booze will be available from the Bristol Cider Shop and Twentieth Century Flicks will be selling popcorn, crisps, soft drinks and chocolate from 7pm. In addition, the Beatroot Café are setting up a barbecue at the top of the steps. You’re invited to bring your own cushions. Go here for more on Scalarama.
Screening Sept 25: Christmas Steps
Backyard Cinema: The Dark Knight
This outdoor screening of Christopher Nolan’s splendid batflick takes place at the suitably bat-friendly Arnos Vale Cemetery and is organised by Backyard Cinema. Tickets, price £13/£8.50 (nippers aged 12-15) are available here.
Screening Sept 26: Arnos Vale Cemetery
Bristol Sunset Cinema: Flash Gordon
Bristol Sunset Cinema presents a 35th anniversary outdoor screening at the Clifton Observatory of this camp classic. It’s a reworking of those Buster Crabbe adventures from the 1930s, in which our hunky American Football player hero Flash (Sam Jones, whom younger punters will recognise from the Ted movies) and chums travel to Planet Mongo to do battle with Ming the Merciless (Max Von Sydow) to save the Earth. Watch out for a winged and bellowing Brian Blessed as Hawkman Prince Vultan and a pre-Bond Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin. Tickets are on sale here, priced at a very reasonable £10/£5 (under 10s). See our news story here for more information.
Screening Sept 26: Clifton Observatory
Roger Waters’ 2010-2013 tour of The Wall was the first time the classic Pink Floyd concept album had been performed in its entirety since 1990. It proved to be a massive commercial success, knocking Madonna off her pedestal to become the biggest earning concert tour ever by a solo artist. Unveiled at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, this concert film is interspersed with Waters’ quest to find the grave of his grandfather, who was killed at Anzio in 1916. The live footage was shot at various concerts around the world, but, alas, does not include the moment at the O2 in London when Waters was joined by David Gilmour and Nick Mason for Comfortably Numb. However, Mason will be joining Waters for The Simple Facts – a short satellite conversation after the screening in which they promise to answer fans’ questions, ‘When are Pink Floyd getting back together?’ presumably not being among them.
Screening Sept 29: Showcase Cinema De Lux, Vue Cribbs Causeway, Vue Longwell Green, Orpheus, Curzon, Odeon, Cineworld
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