“Am I robot or am I geisha?” is the question posed by the heroine of Noboru Iguchi’s latest comedy/horror/kung fu/gore/robo feast, Robogeisha which plays tonight at midnight at the Egyptian as part of the Midnight Adrenaline program at the Seattle International Film Festival. Last week’s screening of Survival of the Dead brought out the Zombie Hipster Undead; will this week’s film bring out the Robotic Hookers of Aurora Avenue?
It’s gonna be a gay kinda day on Saturday at the Egyptian, after they clean up from the RoboHookers from the night before. Acclaimed French filmmaker François Ozon’s Hideaway screens at 1:45pm, and it’s the story of a pregnant woman who finds herself bonding with her dead lover’s gay brother and of course, like many Ozon films, it involves water and nubile French hotties in swimming suits…or, out of them as the case might be…You can always expect a lot of ennui and a bit of wee-wee in an Ozon film.
Then, at 3:45pm you can check out Beautiful Darling: The Life and Times of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar, which I think qualifies for the longest title at SIFF this year. (AND, this film also plays TONIGHT, FRIDAY, May 28 at 9:30pm at the Egyptian, as well!) “Darling” is a documentary look at Brooklyn boy James Slattery who transformed himself into 60’s Superstar model, muse, and actress Candy Darling who mesmerized not only Andy Warhol, at whose “Factory” Candy achieved her first taste of fame and notoriety, but she also inspired Lou Reed, Robert Mapplethorpe, Cecil Beaton and Tennessee Williams. One of the few “Factory” stars considered to actually have any acting talent, Candy’s career was cut short when she died of leukemia at age 29. Director James Rasin combines archival footage with reminiscences from surviving Superstars, including Jackie Curtis and Holly Woodlawn as well as including excerpts from Candy’s diary, read by actress Chloë Sevigny. As an added bonus, James Rasin is scheduled to attend both the Friday and Saturday screenings and a brief Q/A will probably be held after each show. (And, Beautiful Darling screens a third time, at SIFF Cinema, on June 13 at 6:15pm if you can’t make either one of this weekend’s screenings.) This is a must see film for fans of the 1960’s Pop Art movement, especially Andy Warhol and the artists associated with his “Factory”. Check this film out, then go see the Warhol show at the Seattle Art Museum, then go home and start your own “Factory”…
Also worth checking out on Saturday: the America Ferrara starring The Dry Land at Harvard Exit at 6:30pm; (she is scheduled to attend, with director and her male lead). Also at Harvard Exit, Luchino Visconti’s beautifully passionate ode to betrayal and lust, (in a 1950’s sort of way), Senso is screening at 1pm. The film stars gay actor, Farley Granger and Alida Valli but Visconti was hoping for Marlon Brando; the producer refused to pursue aquiring the actor much to Visconti’s chagrin. Even without the presence of Brando, it’s well worth checking out.
-Michael Strangeways
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
