Nathaniel BellSunday, Aug. 19
Nicolas Winding Refn, Danish-born enfant terrible of cinema, has been getting lots of good press lately over the successful launch of his multimedia website, byNWR.com. One of the films featured on this “unadulterated expressway for the arts” is a little movie called Night Tide, starring a young Dennis Hopper as a love-sick sailor who falls for a sideshow “mermaid” who might actually be the real thing. Directed with an aesthete's touch by Curtis Harrington, this melancholy tribute to Edgar Allan Poe and Val Lewton features some striking, impressionistic views of a long-vanished Southern California beatnik culture, with its neglected boardwalks, faded amusement park rides and crumbling edifices. Refn bought and restored the original negative on his own dime, and the film is free to stream on his website. However, if you're the old-fashioned type, you might prefer to watch this sparkling new DCP on the big screen. The Egyptian Theatre is pairing it with Easy Rider as part of a four-night tribute to Hopper. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sun., Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m.; $12. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.
Flesh and the Devil; Credit: Paramount Pictures
The Silent Society, still one of L.A.'s best-kept secrets, is a nonprofit that screens classic silent films (usually on 16mm) at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills. If you drive out to this National Park attraction, you'll be treated to a guided tour of the old Western town that served as a location for countless TV series and B Westerns. Settle in for a leisurely picnic dinner while you wait for the sun to set and the show to begin. The 2018 season of Silents Under the Stars concludes this month with Flesh and the Devil, the 1927 MGM romance featuring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert at their steamiest. The whole setup is family-friendly and extremely good-natured, but be sure to bring lawn chairs, blankets and flashlights for the most comfortable viewing experience. Paramount Ranch, 2903 Cornell Road, Agoura; Sun., Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m.; $6 ($3 for kids under 12). hollywoodheritage.org.
Elvis Presley's &rsquo'68 Comeback Special hits the big screen.; Credit: NBC
Monday, Aug. 20
Tired of his movie star persona, Elvis Presley made a triumphant return to live performance with what became known as the '68 Comeback Special. Fathom Events will rerelease this iconic piece of media history to participating theaters for its 50th anniversary. The event includes the special itself, plus an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary featuring director-producer Steve Binder and other satellites in Presley's orbit. Various theaters; Mon., Aug. 20, 7:30 p.m.; $15. fathomevents.com.
The Makioka Sisters; Credit: Janus Films
Wednesday, Aug. 22
The Makioka Sisters, Kon Ichikawa's magisterial adaptation of Junichiro Tanizaki's sweeping novel, returns to Laemmle's screens for its 35th anniversary. The dense, richly colored saga of a well-to-do Japanese family's transition at the dawn of the Second World War has all the stuff of a classic Hollywood melodrama, plus an obsessive attention to gesture, performance and sensual detail. This five-course meal for the eyes and intellect will show at three locations simultaneously. Laemmle Royal (also at the Playhouse 7 and Town Center 5), 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A.; Tue., Sept. 12, 7 p.m.; $13. (310) 478-3836, laemmle.com.
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