Olivia de Havilland - pictured below - believed that drinking champagne every day was the secret to eternal youth. Having lived to the age of 104 - passing away last Sunday - I'm inclined to believe that she was on to something. She was one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood's Golden Age; nominated five times for the Academy Award, two of which brought her the Oscar, for TO EACH HIS OWN(1946) and THE HEIRESS (1949).
As many of you may recall, film historian and Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne was also an owner of the Rose Theatre. On one of my last visits with him in New York before his passing in 2017, he told me that he phoned Olivia at her home in Paris every Sunday for 40 years to chat. It's so much fun imaging those memory-filled conversations; "So Olivia, what was it really like working with Errol Flynn?"
Memory is an appropriate word to describe the great Gordon Lightfoot documentary that begins streaming today, 7/29. The iconic musician is aptly served by directors Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni, as they delve into his career, his music and his remarkable influence on other musicians. "Every time I hear a song of his I wish it would last forever." -Bob Dylan
After decades directing narrative features, Oscar-winner Ron Howard has also been directing some impressive documentaries (THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK, PAVAROTTI). We debut his latest non-fiction feature this Friday, 7/31. REBUILDING PARADISE recounts the devastating firestorm that engulfed the city of Paradise, California, and how the community came together to move forward. "An empathic, thoughtful documentary." -Hollywood Reporter
With fewer than one hundred days before the 2020 general election, THE FIGHT is one of the most timely new films available. It streams via Rose, and nationally, beginning this Friday, 7/31. At this defining moment in American history, THE FIGHT follows a scrappy team of American Civil Liberties Union lawyers in an electrifying battle over abortion rights, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights and voting rights. "An engrossing and ultimately inspiring examination of ideals in action." -Washington Post
Ready for some levity after the above docs? LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTERshould do the trick. With more hijinks than you can shake a stick at, this black and white madcap comedy is an homage to 1950s B-movies, with an eccentric ship captain and his crew attempting to hunt down the wiliest creature of the deep. One showing only, Friday, 7/31. "Grab a bottle of rum (or two), gather together some of your friends, cast off your high brown cinematic pretensions, and cue up this 78 minutes of nonsensical nautical mayhem." -Film Threat
POP-UP POPCORN!! We'll be selling popcorn at the Rose entrance doors this Saturday, 8/1 from 3:00 to 6:00. Real butter (as usual) and most of the seasonings available. Masks required. See you there.
Cinematically Yours,
Rocky