k e i t h e d w a r d p a u g h

– From The Basement

In this photograph of the Brattle Theatre circa 1953, you can see a sign that says “Opening Soon! Foreign Films.” The brilliant idea behind the sign belonged to Harvard classmates Cy Harvey and Bryant Haliday, without whom the Brattle Theatre would probably not be showing the eclectic array of films it does to this day; there would be no Janus Films, which Harvey and Haliday founded together in 1956; and there would be no Criterion Collection as we know it. Cy Harvey, the last surviving of the two Janus founders, passed away last week at the age of eighty-five. He was stylish, kind, courageous, and retained a deep love of cinema long after he left Janus Films in the mid 1960s. He will be deeply missed, and we thought we would share this image as a testament to his youthful vision, one that still sustains us all today.

– via

“Is it a Rorschach test? I don’t know, but there are enough people who are sort of convinced by what he shows us, that they first are willing, and later look forward to… how, how many times have I seen Au Hasard Balthazar? Oh, many many times because I like what it does to me. It’s like traveling. You go to a city where you like yourself. I think maybe to you go to a movie where you like yourself.”

– Donald Richie

“I’ve put my life into it. I’m fully aware that it’s my life. I don’t have parents– they’re gone. I don’t get another life. I’m 34 years old and this is it. My entire youth is gone and dedicated to this, so I care enormously. I meet lots of people who don’t realize that this is their only life.”

– James Murphy

I have long held 1984 as the “best year.” I remember how good it felt saying it was 1984. I remember how awesome my O.P. socks felt, and corduroy shorts looked. No evidence however, is more convincing of the year’s prowess than a simple list of movies from its 12 month period.

It’d be outstanding even if Breakin’ and its sequel hadn’t been released in the same year.

• Footloose (Feb 17)
• This Is Spinal Tap (Mar 2)
• Repo Man (Mar 9)
• Splash (Mar 16)
• Tank (Mar 16)
• Ice Pirates (Mar 16)
• Police Academy (Mar 23)
• Romancing The Stone (Mar 30)
• Breakin’ (May 4)
• Sixteen Candles (May 4)
• The Natural (May 11)
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (May 23)
• Once Upon A Time In America (Jun 1)
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Jun 1)
• Beat Street (Jun 8)
• Ghostbusters (Jun 8)
• Gremlins (Jun 8)
• Top Secret! (Jun 22)
• The Karate Kid (Jun 22)
• Canonball Run II (Jun 29)
• The Gods Must Be Crazy (Jul 9)
• The Muppets Take Manhattan (Jul 13)
• The Last Starfighter (Jul 13)
• Revenge of the Nerds (Jul 20)
• Purple Rain (Jul 27)
• The Philadelphia Experiment (Aug 3)
• Cloak & Dagger (Aug 10)
• Red Dawn (Aug 10)
• The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (Aug 10)
• Dreamscape (Aug 17)
• Amadeus (Sep 19)
• All Of Me (Sep 21)
• The Bear (Sep 28)
• Stranger Than Paradise (Oct 5)
• Stop Making Sense (Oct 19)
• The Terminator (Oct 26)
• The Killing Fields (Nov 2)
• Nightmare On Elm Street (Nov 9)
• Paris, Texas (Nov 9)
• Missing In Action (Nov 16)
• Supergirl (Nov 21)
• Beverly Hills Cop (Dec 5)
• Runaway (Dec 14)
• Starman (Dec 14)
• Dune (Dec 14)
• Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (Dec 19)
• Johnny Dangerously (Dec 21)

These are so good. Watch all 9 in HD here.