Castro Theater's July 2016 Calendar

A little late this month but there are still a number of films playing at the Castro Theater in July which appeal to me. I have already seen four films at the Castro this month:

When We Were Kings and The Greatest on July 6 and American Psycho and Less Than Zero on July 8.

The 2016 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is at the Castro for the final 8 days in July.  I haven't really studied the program.  Before the SFJFF starts, two films interest me.

Mulholland Drive (July 13) - as Lynchian a film as David Lynch film has made to date.  I was a little befuddled by it when it came out in 2001 but I'm in the mood to reexamine the film.

Blow Out and Phantom of the Paradise (July 20) - for some reason I thought Brian De Palma recently died so I also thought this was a tribute double feature.  However, De Palma is still with us.  I confused De Palma with Michael Cimino.  I hope the Castro will program some Cimino films in August in tribute.  The Deer Hunter is the obvious choice and I would like to see it on the big screen.  I recall being impressed with Year of the Dragon (1985) when it came out but I was still in high school then.  I'm curious about Heaven's Gate which I have never seen.  It bombed at the box office and with critics and derailed Cimino's career.

Back to De Palma - I saw Blow Out at the Castro not so long ago.  Many consider it De Palma's best film (I'm still partial to Body Double but everyone has their favorite - Scarface, Carrie, The Untouchables, Dressed to Kill, etc.).  A couple days ago, I watched a little of Casualties of War on television.  It was strange to see a young John C. Reilly.  Otherwise, I was more impressed with the film than I was when it was released in 1989.  Blow Out beckons but it's the backhalf of the double bill which is the main draw for me.  I think the Castro has screened Phantom of Paradise 3 or 4 times in the past 2 years.  I keep missing the screenings.  I remember seeing Phantom as six or seven years old.  It had a PG rating but gave me horrible nightmares.  I can vaguely remember the the record pressing machine crushing Paul Williams face.

I should also note that the 2016 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF as opposed to SFJFF) is screening from June 23 to 31 at the Viz (I'm probably the one person who still calls it the Viz).  The Sacramento Japanese Film Festival is playing at the Crest Theatre next week (July 15-17).  I've seen three of the seven films on the schedule so I'm not sure if I'll make the trip.

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Castro Theater Calendar - July 2016