Autumnal Cinema 2011

After whining about some films I wanted to see having disappeared from Sundance's schedule, Mr. Burns up at The Daily Page looks that the fall Screening Room calendar.

It begins with two of the greatest living documentarians: Errol Morris and Werner Herzog. If you missed Tabloid last fall when Morris was in town, here's your chance. I was surprised to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams on the list as I e-mailed Sundance a few weeks ago to ask if they had plans to show it and was told that they didn't because they couldn't screen 3D films. I never bothered to ask why the 2D version wasn't good enough. Check out the full listing.

Rob Thomas of 77 Square has posted a run-down of the fall Cinematheque schedule. The program is being expanded with flicks showing Friday-Monday on most weeks and at new venues as well - the theatre at the new Union South and the one at the soon-to-be-opened Chazen expansion.

Jim Healy is the new director of Cinematheque and he comes out swinging when he describes the new Premiere Showcase: "Not long ago, Madison was a place where one could expect to see the latest independent and foreign films regularly screened in theaters with an appreciative audience. But in recent years, nearly all of Madison's arthouse cinemas have either shuttered or sacrificed their programming space to Hollywood blockbusters, leaving local cinephiles stuck waiting for new films (many of which are modern masterpieces) to arrive on DVD." What does he mean "nearly all"? There are no arthouses left here.

Looking at the Cinematheque schedule I see that November weekends are full when there is usually a space reserved for the Madison Polish Film Festival. I don't know if this means there won't be one this year or if it will just be moving from its usual digs in Vilas Hall.

I also see that MMoCA's Spotlight Cinema returns next month with The Interrupters about former gang members in Chicago hitting the streets of their communities attempting to prevent violence. That screens on the 22nd with the rest of the schedule to be announced later.

Lastly, how does the Orpheum stay in business? They abandoned showing films, much to my dismay, and now there are only a handful of concerts on the calendar. (Including the suckiest band ever - Primus.) Is everything still in the air while the ownership/liquor license issues play out or has anyone heard something I haven't? I'd love for them to start showing films again. And I'd love for them to do midnight movies. Beer and Hobo With a Shotgun at midnight? Perfect.