Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With Octopussy
The American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and Aero Theatre in Santa Monica will host a nearly month-long tribute to the great John Barry later in March, including (unsurprisingly) many spy films. The retrospective, entitled "Scorekeeper: A Tribute to Composer John Barry," runs from March 3-30 and includes the Bryan Forbes duo Seance on a Wet Afternoon and The Whisperers at the Aero on Thursday, March 3, Out of Africa at the Aero on Friday, March 4, The Man With the Golden Gun and Octopussy at the Egyptian on Thursday, March 17 (along with "rare John Barry interviews courtesy of EON Productions"), From Russia With Love and Diamonds Are Forever on Friday, March 18 (also including rare Barry interviews), Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice on Sunday, March 20, Midnight Cowboy and the quirky take on Sherlock Holmes They Might Be Giants on Friday, March 25, Dances With Wolves on Saturday, March 26, a Michael Caine double feature of The Ipcress File and Deadfall on Sunday, March 27, and finally Nicholas Roeg's Walkabout on Wednesday, March 30. All screenings begin at 7:30. Wow! What a line-up!
Personally, I'm most excited about Octopussy, because it's one of the only three Bonds I've never had the chance to see on the big screen (after this screening, it will only be A View To a Kill and Never Say Never Again), The Ipcress File (because it's the only Harry Palmer I haven't seen on the big screen) and They Might Be Giants. I'll definitely be attending all of those screenings. Frankly, I could do without Goldfinger since nobody ever does a Bond festival without it, but I can never pass up You Only Live Twice. I do wish there were one more Bond night with A View To A Kill and The Living Daylights, since I think Barry's last two Bond scores were also two of his best, but you can't really complain about this line-up. I'm glad that John Barry is getting proper recognition by the Cinematheque, since the stupid Academy chose to reduce his tribute in the Oscar memorial reel to a little tiny box only visible over Celine Dion's shoulder. (It makes me so mad! The whole reel should have played out to the five-time Oscar winner's music, with nobody singing. At least the BAFTAs got it right.)
Tickets can supposedly be ordered through Fandango, although I don't think I've ever actually had any luck getting Cinematheque tickets that way. It always says sold out, even when the movie isn't sold out. You're probably better off purchasing at the theater box office. For more information on "Scorekeeper: A Tribute to Composer John Barry," visit the Egyptian's website or the Film Score Monthly boards, which for some reason seem to have more details.
Another spy movie playing at the Egyptian this month, on Saturday, March 12, is 1973's Scorpio starring Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon (paired with The Mechanic—the original version). Director Michael Winner will be on hand in person for the double feature.
