Unveiling the Hidden Sides of Gena Rowlands: This Week’s Must-See Movies in L.A.!

Hey there! My name is Mark Olsen, and I’m your guide for today’s journey through the realm of Only Good Movies.

This week marked the official start of the autumn film festival season, with both the Venice and Telluride film festivals kicking off. The Venice festival was inaugurated with the premiere of Tim Burton’s sequel to his 1988 comedy, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”. Jenna Ortega joins the cast as the daughter of Winona Ryder’s character Lydia Deetz, while Michael Keaton reprises his role as the mischievous demon.

Winona Ryder, whose career has been revived through her role in “Stranger Things”, was recently interviewed by Esther Zuckerman. Ryder’s thoughts were consumed by the recent passing of her co-star Gena Rowlands from Jim Jarmusch’s 1991 film “Night on Earth”. In memory of Rowlands, Ryder sewed her name onto the jacket she wore during our interview, placing it right over her heart.

Ryder had high praise for Jenna Ortega due to the young actress’s enthusiasm for films. However, Ryder expressed a sense of worry that some of her “Stranger Things” co-stars don’t seem to share this passion for cinema.

“I hate to sound so pessimistic,” Ryder confessed. “There are a few who just don’t seem to care about films. The first thing they ask is, ‘How long is it?’”

Julie Huntsinger, the head of the Telluride Festival, spoke with Josh Rottenberg about this year’s lineup. The festival will feature world premieres of Edward Berger’s “Conclave”, RaMell Ross’ adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel “Nickel Boys”, and Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night”, which explores the creation of “Saturday Night Live”.

Political topics are explored in films such as Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary “Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid!” about Democratic strategist James Carville, and Errol Morris’ “Separated”, which focuses on the Trump administration’s family separation policies.

Huntsinger expressed optimism about the future of cinema, despite the current turbulence within the film industry and wider culture.

“Through the many films that are both entertaining and intelligent, I feel very encouraged,” she says. “Yes, the current climate is tumultuous and consensus is hard to find. But all of us involved in Telluride have a responsibility to advocate for the cinema and encourage people to partake in it.”

Next week, I’ll be joining The Times team at the Toronto International Film Festival, where even more films will be showcased.

A 12-film tribute to Gena Rowlands

In the past few weeks, you’ve probably noticed that Gena Rowlands has been frequently mentioned here. The outpouring of respect and admiration for her pioneering work has been a small comfort following her passing. The American Cinematheque has assembled a 12-film tribute that goes beyond her collaborations with her husband, actor and filmmaker John Cassavetes (although there’s plenty of that too).

On Friday evening, the Aero will host a 35mm screening of 2004’s “The Notebook,” which introduced Rowlands to a new generation of viewers. In this romantic drama directed by her son Nick Cassavetes, Rowlands stars alongside James Garner as older versions of characters played by Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling.

On Saturday, at the Egyptian, there will be a screening of John Cassavetes’ 1980 film “Gloria,” which challenges many stereotypes of the gangster film genre. In this film, Rowlands portrays a woman who is forced to protect a young boy.

In his original review, Charles Champlin wrote, “In ‘Gloria,’ Cassavetes has created the most surprisingly accessible and enjoyable film of his career, linked to his previous works primarily by the authenticity of its settings and the brilliant performance of Gena Rowlands. … This is unmistakably a Cassavetes film. It’s not meant to be taken too seriously, much like Graham Greene’s entertainments. It reflects darker matters and has a resonance and depth that are not entirely casual. It also stars the magnificent Gena Rowlands, which for many of us is all we need to know.”

On Saturday, there will also be a 35mm screening of Jim Jarmusch’s “Night on Earth,” a collection of vignettes involving taxi rides around the world. In one delightful segment set in Los Angeles, Ryder plays a taxi driver who picks up Rowlands’ character, a sharp Hollywood casting agent who can spot talent when she sees it.

Other films in the series include a 35mm screening of 2007’s “Broken English,” starring Parker Posey as Rowlands’ daughter in a story directed by one of Rowlands’ real-life daughters, Zoe Cassavetes. One of the more notable rarities in the series is Paul Schrader’s 1987 film “Light of Day” (also screening in 35mm), in which Rowlands plays the mother of Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett, both aspiring rock musicians.

In his original review, Michael Wilmington praised, “It’s Gena Rowlands who brings most of the spontaneity. She infuses her scenes with energy and power, resonant humanity. Rowlands gets her big moment here — one so captivating and stunning it almost redeems the entire movie — from a type of situation you’d think would make you groan: the mother’s deathbed blessing to her rebellious daughter.”

Another highlight of the series will be a screening of John Cassavetes’ 1971 romantic tale “Minnie and Moskowitz,” starring Rowlands and Seymour Cassel as an unlikely couple. (The recent film “Between the Temples” deliberately referenced the poster for “Minnie” in its own promotional materials.)

As Charles Champlin wrote at the time, “Miss Rowlands is simply amazing, perfectly embodying the career woman who waits and waits, like a self-imposed princess in a tower.”

Jokermen on ‘The T.A.M.I. Show’

On Thursday, Mezzanine will host a 16mm screening of “The T.A.M.I Show,” presented by Evan Laffer and Ian Grant of the “Jokermen” podcast. (Devoted readers will remember “Jokermen” hosted a screening of the Bob Dylan film “Masked and Anonymous” last year.)

Directed by Steve Binder, who would later direct Elvis Presley’s 1968 comeback special, “The T.A.M.I. Show” captures the Teen Age Music International Show, a two-night event held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1964. Featured performances include the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Leslie Gore, and an unforgettable performance by James Brown.

“ ‘The T.A.M.I. Show’ is an incredible record of a pivotal moment in music culture, charting the shift from ‘rock and roll’ to ‘rock’ that took place in the mid-sixties,” said Grant via email. “Chuck Berry starts the film with fiery audacity, but by the time the Rolling Stones close the show with a jittery, menacing performance, we’ve entered a new era. Rock has triumphed, and there’s no turning back.”

As “Jokermen” is currently focusing on the career of the Beach Boys, they are particularly interested in the band’s contribution to the show.

“They’re part of the new wave, but their songs bridge the gap between the simple joys of rock and roll and the darker, deliberately artistic ambitions of rock,” said Grant. “Brian Wilson is still just a kid from the South Bay wearing a striped shirt. … This film is a priceless record of the band’s early days: guys who couldn’t surf singing songs about surfing.”

Laffer added, “While the film is undoubtedly an important piece of history, ‘The T.A.M.I. Show’ is also a concentrated blast of the life force that fuels culture. Today’s youth may not scream like this for this music anymore, but that energy still exists in the world. It’s a reminder of what pure, unadulterated passion looks and sounds like. I’m convinced that if this music had existed in the Middle Ages, it would have been a hit with teenagers then too. But it happened in 1964.”

Points of interest

‘Heathers’

In related Winona Ryder news, Vidiots will host a 35th anniversary screening of “Heathers” on Sunday. Director Michael Lehman, screenwriter Daniel Waters, and actress Lisanne Falk (who played one of the titular Heathers) are all expected to attend.

This satirical take on teenage life revolves around four Ohio teenagers, including Ryder’s Veronica Sawyer and three girls named Heather, one of whom is played by Shannon Doherty. Their lives are thrown into chaos by the arrival of a dark and enigmatic outsider, played by Christian Slater.

Times critic Sheila Benson was unyieldingly critical of the film, saying, “No amount of production polish or acting talent can justify the film’s cynical morality or its spiteful cruelty.”

In a delightful profile of Ryder from the same period, in which she and writer Patrick Goldstein roam around looking for an abandoned house to hang out in, the then 17-year-old actress demonstrated her shrewdness by saying, “I read all the negative things your critic said. I thought it was great. It’s exactly the kind of review that would make you rush out and see the movie.”

Ryder defended the film by saying, “The film is clearly exaggerated, but I think it rings true. And anyway — isn’t that the whole point of being a teenager? It’s a time when everything in your life is amplified — every emotion, every event.”

Also in the news

Surprise guests at ‘Showgirls’ and ‘Miami Vice’

Last weekend, two events reaffirmed the very basis of this column, as film screenings turned into enlightening experiences with unexpected surprises that made getting out of the house worthwhile.

On Friday at Vidiots, a 35mm screening of Paul Verhoeven’s “Showgirls” featured Max Minghella previewing his own upcoming film and surprise introductions from Kristen Stewart and Elizabeth Berkley, the star of the evening’s featured film.

On Saturday at the Egyptian Theatre, filmmaker Michael Mann made a surprise appearance to discuss his 2006 film “Miami Vice” after a 35mm screening.

Minghella was scheduled to introduce the Vidiots screening of “Showgirls”, but he also presented the opening scene from his forthcoming film “Shell,” which will have its world premiere at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival and features Berkley in a minor role.

Then Stewart, who had previously discussed the influence of “Showgirls” alongside director Rose Glass while promoting “Love Lies Bleeding” earlier this year, came out to praise the film and Berkley’s performance. Despite being a notorious failure upon its initial release, Berkley’s career was sidetracked for years due to the reaction to the film, in which she plays Nomi Malone, an ambitious dancer in Las Vegas.

“How can you even quantify what this movie has done for everyone?” Stewart said of Berkley’s performance and the film’s transformation into a symbol of empowerment.

“Imagine being the girl who put that much f—ing effort into a movie,” said Stewart, referring to one of Berkley’s most infamous scenes. “And not having any friends to reassure you, ‘You were right. Every decision you made was the right one and you’re the best thing about this movie. And yes, it was someone else’s idea, but you’re the reason it has endured.”

Stewart added, “On the nights when we’ve gone too far and gone home full of doubt — ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have, maybe I should never have been anything.’ — this movie f— barrels through that.”

Then Berkley emerged to a thunderous applause from the audience.

“If my 21-year-old self had known that this would ever be possible, that people would continue to gather and enjoy and draw inspiration from this,” Berkley said, “whether it’s entertainment to you or a rite-of-passage or permission to be your most authentic self, whatever you draw from Nomi and this movie, I hope it gives you exactly what you need.”

Addressing Stewart, she said, “Kristen, that was such a surprise and so beautiful, from an actress who is so bold. You are so bold in your work, fearless, vulnerable. And I didn’t have women championing me in any way when this movie first came out. It was a very lonely time.

“Think about the ’90s, we didn’t have that support,” Berkley added. “It made no sense to me because I grew up when women supported each other. So it was a very strange, isolating time. So again, my 21-year-old self, to have an introduction like that from someone like you is very healing.”

Berkely added, “I didn’t go to film school, I went to Vidiots,” pointing out that before her first meeting with Dutch director Verhoeven, she rented his international films from the original Vidiots location in Santa Monica.

On Saturday, as part of the American Cinematheque’s second “Friend of the Fest” series, where podcasters select films, “Miami Vice” was screened at the Egyptian, selected by Blake Howard and Katie Walsh, hosts of the “Miami Nice” podcast, which is dedicated to the film.

Presenting the movie, they urged the audience to stick around for a surprise. When writer-director-producer Mann was introduced after the film, the audience erupted in excitement.

The film has become a cult favorite, rivaling even Mann’s “Heat,” as audiences connect with the movie’s moody romanticism and innovative visual style in its portrayal of two Miami undercover cops, played by Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx.

Mann revealed that the romantic subplot involving Farrell’s character falling for a drug lord’s financial advisor, played by Gong Li, was based on a real undercover DEA agent Mann knew. The agent was on an operation to catch money launderers in Hong Kong and fell in love with the sister of his target.

“And that’s not supposed to happen,” Mann said casually to a great response from the audience before adding that the agent would eventually be indicted and then walk in front of an 18-wheeler as a character played by John Hawkes does in the film.

Mann added, “But that romantic, transcendent, fleeting conviction that I’ve met someone and this is the love of my life and I want nothing more than to be with them, to sacrifice everything. And yes, I’ve lost my sense of direction. And there are no red lights, no green lights, no traffic lights. I’m just going through this. So that’s very much the heart of this thing for me.”

While discussing the low-key comedy of a scene in which a criminal middleman played by Eddie Marsan is hassled by a team led by Farrell and Foxx, Mann pointed out something serious in a moment when Farrell looks out a window at the ocean.

“My goal for it was that you would sense that he’s searching for something,” Mann said. “That’s all, not what he’s looking for, it’s just that he’s looking for something, a sense of a man who’s introspective, a moment of introspection, and he’s searching. That’s all. And I just wanted to establish that somehow, establish that void that is then filled by Gong Li as Isabella. It’s rewarding when people ask me about that shot. You never know if something’s going to actually convey your intention or not. It’s rewarding because it did.

In response to Walsh’s observation that the heroes of several of Mann’s films also like to look at the sea, Mann said, “That’s my own personal affliction. When I’m trying to figure something out, I like to look at the sea.”

Mann also mentioned how the actors actually rehearsed by doing practice runs through shipping lanes outside Miami at night as seen in the film and that Farrell received smuggled drugs at an undercover DEA storefront operation.

“If you want to truly capture the intensity of what it is to do this kind of work, when you put yourself in a real situation, it’s a wonderful thing to do,” Mann said. “It’s so detailed, it’s so specific, and has so many nuances to it. I’m a big believer in doing that kind of work with the actors and it becomes an adventure for us.”