50th Anniversary Of An Auteur Classic

Film Forum in New York is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of one of seminal art films ever made. LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD (1961), French director Alain Resnais’ legendary arthouse sensation, written by Alain Robbe-Grillet and starring Delphine Seyrig in her feature debut, will run at Film Forum from Friday, December 23 through Thursday, December 29. A rather unlikely Christmas film is one of the holiday gifts of the season, with aficionados and those new to the film able to discover the wonders of its existential despair in a rare big screen showing. Set in the legendary spa resort, Resnais uses dizzying time shifts and flashbacks, real or imagined, to create the ultimate puzzle film. The last half century has not dimmed its visual virtuosity, supplied by a luscious black and white cinematograph by master lensman Sacha Vierney, nor its definitive organ score, composed by Francis Seyris, the actress’s brother….. not to mention the chi chi costume design provided by none other than Coco Chanel herself. The film, included on many Top Ten Films Ever lists, was nominated for an Oscar for Robbe-Grillet’s evocative script and won the Golden Lion at the 1961 Venice Film Festival. For sheer visual power and dramatic restraint, it is an unmatched auteur classic. For more information, visit: www.filmforum.org

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