The Cinematheque Shows Bad Movies

[Press release from the Cleveland Cinematheque.]

This is not an April Fool’s joke.

The eighth annual “Cleveland Cult Film Festival” at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque (April 1-8) has a sub-title: “The Return of the Reviled.” The quartet of films constituting this year’s festival, and showing between April 1 and 8 at Cleveland’s year-round temple of high-art cinema, include four Hollywood features (from four different decades) that are widely regarded as four of the worst movies ever made (though, as with all cult films, each has a coterie of fans). They are MOMENT BY MOMENT, ISHTAR, SHOWGIRLS, and GIGLI.

In true Cinematheque fashion, each of these reviled revivals will be shown in a gorgeous 35mm print or a new digital restoration. According to Cinematheque Director John Ewing, “The Cinematheque bucks and questions conventional wisdom all the time, so I think these four maligned ‘mistakes’ deserve second (or first) viewings that might lead to re-evaluation—and maybe even rehabilitation—of their reputations. Besides, we get tired of showing great movies all the time.”

All four films will screen in the Peter B. Lewis Theater inside the Cleveland Institute of Art at 11610 Euclid Avenue. Admission to each film is $11; Cinematheque members and those age 25 & under $8. A second film on the same day costs an additional $8. Free parking for filmgoers is available in two Institute lots accessed from E. 117^th Street and Euclid Avenue: Lot 73 and the Annex Lot. For further information, visit cia.edu/cinematheque, call (216) 421-7450, or send an email to cinema@cia.edu.

CLEVELAND CULT FILM FESTIVAL 8: THE RETURN OF THE REVILED

SAT        4/1         7:00 PM                MOMENT BY MOMENT

SAT        4/1         9:05 PM                ISHTAR

SUN       4/2         6:30 PM                ISHTAR

SUN       4/2         8:35 PM                MOMENT BY MOMENT

FRI          4/7         7:00 PM                SHOWGIRLS

FRI          4/7         9:30 PM                GIGLI

SAT        4/8         7:00 PM                GIGLI

SAT        4/8         9:20 PM                SHOWGIRLS

Saturday, April 1, at 7:00 pm &

Sunday, April 2, at 8:35 pm

Cleveland Cult Film Festival 8

Film Classics in 35mm!

MOMENT BY MOMENT

USA, 1978, Jane Wagner

At the start of his movie career, John Travolta had a three-film contract with the Robert Stigwood Organisation. His first two pictures were Saturday Night Fever and Grease. Moment by Moment, film #3, has largely been forgotten. This is not surprising given its disastrous reception by critics and the public in 1978. The movie is a love story in which lonely, unhappily married Beverly Hills socialite Trisha Rawlings (Lily Tomlin!) falls in love with a young drifter and car valet named Vick Sunset (Travolta). Sunset’s unfortunate nickname is “Strip” (get it?); thus, whenever Trisha calls him, it sounds like she’s giving him a sexy command! Not on video or DVD. “This truly terrible movie might have been made by HAL in his most maudlin ‘Bicycle-built-for-two’ mood, as the plugs were being pulled out.” –Gilbert Adair. Color & scope print from the Universal Pictures studio archive. 102 min. Special admission $11; members, CIA & CSU I.D. holders, and those age 25 & under $8; no passes, twofers, or radio winners.

Saturday, April 1, at 9:05 pm &

Sunday, April 2, at 6:30 pm

Cleveland Cult Film Festival 8

New Digital Restoration!

ISHTAR

USA, 1987, Elaine May

Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, Isabelle Adjani, and Charles Grodin in a $51 million comedy written and directed by Elaine May and shot by the great Vittorio Storaro—what could possibly go wrong? Plenty, if you believe the film critics of 1987. Beatty and Hoffman play untalented, unsuccessful lounge singers who accept a gig in Morocco. Soon they find themselves involved with CIA political intrigue—and even regime change!—in the neighboring (fictional) republic of Ishtar. Despite its reputation, this folly and flop has many ardent admirers—among them Quentin Tarantino, Lena Dunham, and Martin Scorsese. Cleveland natives Jack Weston and Carol Kane co-star. “If all of the people who hate Ishtar had seen it, I would be a rich woman today.” –Elaine May. DCP. 105 min. Special admission $11; members, CIA & CSU I.D. holders, and those age 25 & under $8; no passes, twofers, or radio winners.

 

Friday, April 7, at 7:00 pm &

Saturday, April 8, at 9:20 pm

Cleveland Cult Film Festival 8

Film Classics in 35mm!

Original, Uncut NC-17 version!

SHOWGIRLS

USA, 1995, Paul Verhoeven

A young drifter (Elizabeth Berkley) rises from lowly lap dancer to Vegas headliner in this sleazy maybe-satire directed by Paul Verhoeven (Elle) and written by NE Ohio’s Joe Eszterhas (Basic Instinct). A critical and financial fiasco when first released, Showgirls has become a hugely profitable cult film with defenders ranging from Jim Jarmusch and Quentin Tarantino to Jacques Rivette. With Kyle MacLachlan and Gina Gershon. No one under 18 admitted! Scope. 131 min. Special admission $11; members, CIA & CSU I.D. holders, and those age 25 & under $8; no passes, twofers, or radio winners.

Friday, April 7, at 9:30 pm &

Saturday, April 8, at 7:00 pm

Cleveland Cult Film Festival 8

Film Classics in 35mm!

GIGLI

USA, 2003, Martin Brest

Everybody knows that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck star in this notorious stinker. But how many know that Al Pacino and Christopher Walken are also in it? Or that writer-director Martin Brest previously directed such hits as Scent of a Woman, Beverly Hills Cop, and Midnight Run? Surely it’s time to take another look at this much derided romantic comedy. Larry Gigli (Affleck) is a lackey in the L.A. mob who is ordered to kidnap the brother of a federal prosecutor. But he is offended when a woman—and a lesbian, no less (Lopez)—shows up to supervise the operation. 35mm. 121 min. Special admission $11; members, CIA & CSU I.D. holders, and those age 25 & under $8; no passes, twofers, or radio winners.