Presented by the Times Square Alliance, "Times Square Centennial Film Festival: From the Streets & Stage to the Screen" is curated by the Museum of the Moving Image and runs through April 4 at the Loews State Theater located — where else, but — in Times Square.
The first-ever film festival celebrating Times Square features landmark works (some originally plays that were seen in the surrounding Broadway Theatre District) that have captured the world's well-known intersection offered to the public for rare screenings. Creative filmgoers can also take advantage of a special offer that gives free admission to "the first 50 audience members that come in a costume representing the film they are attending. And, if someone attends in drag, they get two free tickets."
The series opened Feb. 14 with a special "Valentine’s Day: West Side Love Affair" featuring the movie versions of 42nd Street and West Side Story. Feb. 21 celebrated "Presidents' Day: First Ladies of Broadway" with "Carmen Jones" (starring Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte), "My Fair Lady" (Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison) and "Funny Girl" (Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif). Following events included "Taxi Driver," "Shaft," "Midnight Cowboy" and the triple-threat teen drama "Fame."
The upcoming lineup (subject to change) will play on Mondays as follows:
March 14 - "Backstage on Broadway"
"Vanya On 42nd Street" - Wallace Shawn, Julianne Moore, Andre Gregory and more star in the 1994 Louis Malle-directed film in which actors rehearse a stage adaption of Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya in a run-down Broadway theatre. "All About Eve" - Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders and Marilyn Monroe are in the cast of the 1950 Joseph L. Mankiewicz movie set in the world of Broadway theater where aspiring actress Eve Harrington manipulates star Margo Channing to get what she wants. March 21 - "Fosse's Finest "
"Cabaret" - Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey play out the story of a seedy 1930s Berlin dive under the direction of the legendary Bob Fosse. The 1972 adapted film earned eight Academy Awards, including Best Director (Bob Fosse), Best Actress (Minnelli) and Best Supporting Actor (Grey). "Chicago" - Speaking of Oscar winners, the 2002 Academy Award winning Best Film directed by Broadway's Rob Marshall features Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellwegger as the merry murderess and Richard Gere as their lawyer of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Fosse's 1975 Broadway musical. March 28 - "50s Classics: For Love or Money"
"Sweet Smell Of Success" - Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis are the publicity hounds in the 1957 Alexander MacKendrick film. The work was recently adapted for the stage as a musical starring John Lithgow and D' Arcy James. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" - Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell dazzle in diamonds as golddigger Lorelei Lee and her friend search for "a girl’s best friend" in the 1953 film adaptation of the popular Broadway show. April 4 - "Broadway to the Big Screen"
"A Streetcar Named Desire" - Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando smolder in the 1951 film take of Tennessee Williams' play set in New Orlean's French Quarter. "The Miracle Worker" - Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke reprise their Broadway roles as tutor Anne Sullivan and her student in the 1962 film based on William Gibson's Broadway play, also directed by Arthur Penn, about the true story of Helen Keller. Tickets to the "Times Square Centennial Film Festival: From the Streets & Stage to the Screen" series at Loews State Theater, 1540 Broadway (in the Virgin Records between 45th and 46th Streets), can be purchased at $9 (general), $7 (senior/student) at the box office or online at Fandango.
For more information, visit timessquarenyc.org or ammi.org.
