The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ?Do The Right Thing? (1989) at 8pm on Thursday, 21 April 2016, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. Spike Lee?s breakthrough film and all too relevant today, Do The Right Thing is a powerful look at a multi-cultural community around Brooklyn in which a seemingly trivial dispute escalates into a full-blown race riot. Described as a comedy drama, Do the Right Thing is a milestone in black cinema making. With Lee himself as Mookie, the delivery boy whose dismissal from his job by a bigoted boss Sal (Danny Aiello) sparks a night of rioting, it attracted massive controversy when first released,on the basis it might incite copycat behaviour. Packed with insight, the film examines a cross-section of US society in all its foibles and frailties and is no one-sided polemic. It is not simply about a race riot, but shows the concatenation of events during a sizzlingly-hot 24 hours starting with the death of a young black man, Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), at the hands of the police and leading to the destruction of Sal?s pizzeria. Deemed culturally significant by the Library of Congress it is one of only six films selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry in its first year eligibility, yet it was famously snubbed by the US Academy at the time of its release. In November 2015 Spike Lee was awarded an honorary Oscar to rectify this. Director/writer: Spike Lee, with Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Lee, Richard Edson, Bill Nunn, Giancarlo Esposito, John Tururro, Samuel L Jackson USA 119 minutes. Cert 18A. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/351051 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

There will be some tickets available on the door tonight for 'The Hidden Fortress'. The film starts at 8pm.

George Lucas on 'The Hidden Fortress':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ?The Hidden Fortress? (1958) at 8pm on Thursday, 17 March 2016, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. Winner of the Best Director Award 1959 Berlin Film Festival and regarded as one of Kurosawa?s finest films, The Hidden Fortress has been acknowledged as the inspiration for Star Wars. Set in 16th century Japan, The Hidden Fortress effortlessly intertwines action, drama, and comedy in the story of a defeated general, Rokurota (Mifune), who is charged with guarding a feisty princess (Misa Uehara) during the Japanese clan wars across enemy territory. Faced with having to do this alone, Rokurota enlists the help of two oafish peasants, Tahei (Chiaki) and Matakishi (Fujiwara). Greedy and conniving, but far too spineless to stand up to Mifune's battle-hardened soldier, the peasants are spurred on only by their love of the gold. Intercutting the drama with comedy and action set-pieces, Kurosawa finds time to reflect on the different motives that drive the members of this disparate group; avarice, honour, and duty. Director: Akira Kurosawa, writer: Akira Kurosawa, with Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, Ryuzo Kikushima, with Toshiro Mifune, Minoru Chiaki, Misa Uehara, Kamatari Fujiwara, Takashi Shimura, Susumu Fujita Japan 138 minutes. Cert PG. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/351050 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

Here's a trailer for 'X + Y':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?X + Y? (2014) at 8pm on Thursday, 18 February 2016, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. A socially awkward teenage math prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad. This is a film to savour very clever and imaginative. X + Y is tender and perceptive - and intelligent enough to find a wealth of dramatic riches buried under well-trod narrative ground. This heart-warming and life-affirming story follows the unconventional and hilarious relationship between student and teacher - whose roles are often reversed - and the unfathomable experience of first love - even when you don't understand what love is. Directed by Morgan Matthews with Asa Butterfield, Rafe Spall, Sally Hawkins 111 mins. Cert 12A. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/336179 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

There will be some tickets available on the door for ?Phoenix' on Thursday, 21 January 2016.

Here's a trailer for 'Phoenix':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?Phoenix? (2014) at 8pm on Thursday, 21 January 2016, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. A disfigured concentration-camp survivor (Nina Hoss), unrecognizable after facial reconstruction surgery, searches ravaged postwar Berlin for the husband (Ronald Zehrfeld) who might have betrayed her to the Nazis. A masterful complex mystery of disguise and deceit. Nina Hoss is amazing. Tense, complex, and drenched in atmosphere, Phoenix is a well-acted, smartly crafted war drama that finds writer-director Christian Petzold working at peak power. A spellbinding mystery of identity, illusion, and deception unfolds against the turmoil of post-World War II Germany in the stunning new film from acclaimed director Christian Petzold (Barbara, Jerichow). Nelly (Nina Hoss), a German-Jewish nightclub singer, has survived a concentration camp, but with her face disfigured by a bullet wound. After undergoing reconstructive surgery, Nelly emerges with a new face, one similar but different enough that her former husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld), doesn't recognize her. Rather than reveal herself, Nelly walks into a dangerous game of duplicity and disguise as she tries to figure out if the man she loves may have been the one who betrayed her to the Nazis. Evoking the shadows and haunted mood of post-war Berlin, Phoenix weaves a complex tale of a nation's tragedy and a woman's search for answers as it builds towards an unforgettable, heart-stopping climax. Directed by Christian Petzold with Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Nina Kunzendorf 98 mins. Cert 12. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/336178 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

Here's a trailer for 'The Philadelphia Story':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?The Philadelphia Story? (1940) at 8pm on Thursday, 10 December 2015, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, CK Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due both to his drinking and to her overly demanding nature. As Tracy prepares to wed the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard), Haven, quite clearly still in love, gets prickly journalist Macaulay Connor (James Stewart) and his photographer, Elizabeth Imbrie (Ruth Hussey), to gatecrash the ceremony posing as cousins. Amiable chaos ensues. The fun and wit rise like champagne bubbles as, unclear about her feelings for all three men, Tracy must decide whom she truly loves. Directed by George Cukor with Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart 112 minutes. Cert 12A. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/329928 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

Alex Cooper, drummer of Katrina and the Waves (?Walking on Sunshine?, ?Love Shine a Light? winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1997) will be giving a Q&A after the film, 'Whiplash', on 19 November 2015. Here's 'Walking on Sunshine':

Here's a trailer for 'Whiplash':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?Whiplash? (2014) at 8pm on Thursday, 19 November 2015, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. Andrew (Miles Teller) is a talented, dedicated 19-year-old drummer at the fictional Schaffer Conservatory of Music in New York City. Fletcher, his ruthless teacher, uses any means possible to push students to achieve more than is expected of them. Andrew is desperate to win the approval of Fletcher. He yearns to be one of the ?greats? but regards his teacher as the only arbiter whose opinion he can trust. Fletcher is endlessly cruel and sarcastic - and has a tremendous knack for vicious, expletive-filled put-downs. The more time Andrew spends with Fletcher, the more he takes on his affectations. He is even prepared to ditch his long-suffering girlfriend (Melissa Benoist), because she will get in the way of his career. As in all such Oedipal tales, the only way the student can emerge as a musician in his own right is by destroying the father figure. Directed by Damien Chazelle with Miles Teller, JK Simmons, Melissa Benoist 107 minutes. Cert 15. All tickets ?7. Alex Cooper, drummer of Katrina and the Waves (?Walking on Sunshine?, ?Love Shine a Light? winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1997) will be giving a Q&A after the film. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/329927 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

Here's a trailer for 'The Big Lebowski':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?The Big Lebowski? (1998) at 8.30pm on Friday, 13 November 2015, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. Special event - a free White Russian on arrival, themed food, dressing gowns optional, raffle and a bowling alley. Jeff Bridges plays Jeff Lebowski who insists on being called ?the Dude?, a laid-back, easygoing burnout who happens to have the same name as a millionaire whose wife owes a lot of dangerous people a whole bunch of money - resulting in the Dude having his rug soiled, sending him spiralling into the Los Angeles underworld. 1 hr 59 mins. Cert 18. All tickets ?9. Drinks at 7pm. Film showing at 8.30 Tickets ?9 from WeGotTickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/334680 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

There will be tickets available at the door for 'Force Majeure' tonight, 15 October 2015. The film will start at 8pm.

Here's a trailer for 'Force Majeure':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?Force Majeure? (2014) at 8pm on Thursday, 15 October 2015, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. This wickedly funny and precisely observed psychodrama tells the story of a model Swedish family - handsome businessman Tomas, his willowy wife Ebba and their two blonde, pre-teen children - on a skiing holiday in the French Alps. The sun is shining and the slopes are spectacular but, during lunch at a mountainside restaurant, an avalanche turns everything upside down. With panicked diners fleeing in all directions, Ebba calls out for her husband as she tries to protect their children. Tomas, however, makes a decision that will shake the family's world to its core. Although the anticipated disaster fails to occur, his marriage now hangs in the balance as he struggles to reclaim his role as family patriarch. The film portrays the clash between our attempts to control nature, whether of landscapes or feelings, and the inevitability with which the world, and our own fallibility, confound and leave us stranded. Directed by Ruben ?stlund, with Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Clara Wettergren 119 minutes. Cert 15. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/329926 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

Here's a trailer for 'Pride':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?Pride? (2014) at 8pm on Thursday, 17 September 2015, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. The smash culture-clash comedy tells the incredible true story of the creation of campaign group ?Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners?, and their encounters with the inhabitants of a Welsh mining village as they join forces during the miners' strike of 1984. The achievement of Matthew Warchus?s joyous film is to marry a warm and engaging story with a significant and highly relevant slice of social history, brought to life by a remarkable cast with a wonderfully evocative soundtrack and great attention to authentic period detail. This is a feel-good history lesson like no other. Director Matthew Warchus with Ben Schnetzer, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Billy Nighy, Freddie Fox, Andrew Scott 119 minutes. Cert 15. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/329925 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

Here's the trailer for 'Au Revoir Les Enfants':

The Bigger Picture film club will be showing ? ?Au Revoir Les Enfants? (1987) at 8pm on Thursday, 20 August 2015, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern. Re-released to mark Holocaust Memorial Day earlier this year, this heartbreaking story based on events from writer-director Malle?s own childhood is a subtle, precisely observed tale of courage, cowardice, and tragic awakening. Set in a provincial Catholic boarding school in Nazi-occupied France, the story follows two boys who enjoy true camaraderie until a devastating secret is revealed. Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian writes: 'It remains breathtakingly good. There is a miraculous, unforced ease and naturalness in the acting and direction; it is classic movie storytelling in the service of important themes, including the farewell that we must bid to our childhood, and to our innocence ? a farewell repeated all our lives in the act of memory.' Written and directed by Louis Malle 105 minutes. Cert PG. All tickets ?7. Bar opens from 7pm. Film at 8pm. Tickets ?7 from WeGotTickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/308189 The Bigger Picture website: http://www.thebiggerpic.co.uk/ The Bigger Picture Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thebiggerpic?ref=tn_tnmn Location: Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern 1 Lordship Lane London SE22 8EW Rail: East Dulwich; Buses: P13, 37, 185, 176, 40, 484

Tickets will be available on the door tonight (16 July 2015) for 'Belle'. The film starts at 8pm, Upstairs at East Dulwich Tavern.

I believe the paperback is ?20.