Hudson Valley Crucial Viewing: April 11- April 25

Hello once again! I apologize for this email being a day late; to be frank, I’ve been running behind recently. Lots of exciting stuff, nothing to complain about, but when you have a young child and a young arts organization in your care, the to do list can get quite long. I do want to say that I truly appreciate all the enthusiasm that’s out there for Kingston Film Foundation, for this newsletter, and for going to the movies in general! Your patience and ability to ignore any typos that may lie beneath is also greatly appreciated.

Speaking of which, some Foundation news: We just announced our first screening at a new venue- Holding Space, at 34 Broadway in the Rondout. Really excited to be partnering with them for a free screening of Agnès Varda’s The Gleaners and I on April 27! Next week we announce our Shades of Summer series at Headstone Gallery in Uptown, which kicks off on May 11. Keep an eye on our Instagram and our website for the details.

Alright, without further ado…

Hal Ashby's HAROLD AND MAUDE
Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale – Thursday, April 11, 7:00pm & Friday, April 12, 4:00pm

A cult classic existential comedy pairing disillusioned, death-obsessed 20 year old Harold (Bud Cort) and manic pixie dream septuagenarian Maude (Ruth Gordon) to spectacular effect. A life-affirming celebration of human quirks and eccentricities that reminds us of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of seizing each moment with unbridled enthusiasm. Plus the whole thing is set to an incredible Cat Stevens soundtrack. The perfect antidote to doomscrolling.(1971, 91min)

George Stevens' SWING TIME
Starr, Rhinebeck – Saturday, April 13, 7:00pm

There aren’t many opportunities these days to see the duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance and sing on the big screen. Of the ten films they made together, this one’s often considered the best. Werner Herzog cited it as one of his favorite films, saying “The stories of these films are always very insipid, and Fred Astaire is a man who has a real foolish face, and yet I love him. He has this magic that only can be found in cinema.” Indeed, this is not a film you see for the plot, which is admittedly thin and dated, but rather for spectacle, and the spectacle is marvelous. This screening also includes a chat with film scholars Imogen Sara Smith & David Weir. (1936, 103min)

David and Nathan Zellner's SASQUATCH SUNSET
Orpheum, Saugerties – Opens Friday, April 19

This calendar is normally devoted to second-run films, but this one is destined to be a cult classic. Early returns suggest that this is a movie you will either love or walk out of, with no in-between. Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough star, but are barely recognizable, in extremely lifelike Sasquatch costumes, with no dialogue, doing nothing but eating and grunting and pissing and fucking. It is supposedly funny, and touching, and definitely different than any new movie you’ll see this year. (2024, 89min)

Errol Morris' THE THIN BLUE LINE
Bardavon, Poughkeepsie – Thursday, April 25, 7:30pm

A bold and innovative documentary that spawned a thousand imitators, The Thin Blue Line is the Minutemen; every Netflix true crime documentary is the Chili Peppers. This was clearly made in an era where people were less aware of themselves as public figures; it’s hard to imagine powerful people answering questions this frankly today. The reenactments are beautifully shot, with an incredible score by Philip Glass accompanying. Another freebie as part of the Bardavon’s Game Changers series. (1988, 103min)

Pedro Almodovar's VOLVER
Taconic Ridge Farm, Hillsdale – Thursday, April 25, 6:30pm

This is a special dinner-and-a-movie screening put on by Boondocks Film Society, featuring a Spanish-inspired menu. As for the film itself, Almodovar said, “The film is about three generations of women who survive the wind, the fire, the madness, the superstition and even death based on kindness and boundless vitality.” A beautiful, wonderful, magically realistic melodrama, with ghost farts included. Uplifting, heartwarming, and uniquely Almodovar. (2006, 121min)