Clearly Eddie's involvement with the festival is going to be confined to Friday for two films that showcase the FNF's intermittent interest in international noir, and a "ca-ching" moment Saturday morning for a book signing. (Saturday and Sunday's schedule look much more like what one would expect to see in Palm Springs, with a long overdue nod to the originator of the noir festival in the form of THE CRUEL TOWER--if it weren't for the Giants, Carl would definitely be there for this one!)
Here's what the FNF brain trust cooked up for those coming to the Coachella Valley next weekend:
Thursday October 21
WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS (1950) 7:30pm
scheduled special guest Susan Andrews (daughter of Dana Andrews)
Friday October 22
NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES (1948) 10:00am
THE BIG SLEEP (1946) 1:00 pm intro with Steven Smith, author of multiple volumes on notable film music composers
EL VAMPIRO NEGRO (1953, Argentina) 4:00pm
QUAI DES ORFEVRES (1947, France) 7:30pm
Saturday October 23
THE CRUEL TOWER (1956) 10:00am
ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES (1938) 1:00pm
HIGH WALL (1947) 4:00pm
VIOLENT SATURDAY (1955) 7:30pm with Mark Fleischer, son of director Richard Fleischer
Sunday October 24
PLAYGIRL (1954) 10:00am
THE LONG HAUL (1957, UK) 1:00pm with Victoria Mature
THE RECKLESS MOMENT (1949)
That belated attempt to "go classy" with Ophuls' beloved "Balboa noir" (the other one is, of course, THE BREAKING POINT) seems a bit out of place given the other Sunday fare--to stay "in the mood," we might recommend HIGHWAY DRAGNET, where Joan Bennett gets to do some slumming in the desert (returning the festival to an area not too far away, with that odd finish at the Salton Sea).
Prepare to shell out big city prices: $14.50 per single film. As is always the case, the "discount pass" barely registers—you are still paying over $12 for each film.
It's all bonkers enough to work in spite of itself. If you have to choose just one day, however, Friday's the ticket.
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