July was filled with lots of classics seen on the big screen, lots of silent films – including the glorious four days that was the San Francisco Silent Film Festival – and a handful of westerns. I saw nine films at the Castro Theatre (not counting the 35 features and shorts I saw during the SFSFF) – two of which I had never seen before. Before you freak out at the costs – most of those were double features (so two for $10). At the Red Vic I saw five films – again, two of which I had never seen before. Sadly on July 25th the Red Vic closed its doors for good. Lastly I saw The Red Shoes at the Balboa (a theatre I can’t wait to get to know better). I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, but there is just nothing like seeing a film – whether it is classic or modern, new-to-you or an old favorite – on the big screen. It is just magical. Also in July I found myself falling in love with classic westerns. I grew up watching Clint Eastwood westerns as a child, but I never thought I would find myself so drawn to these other classics, most of which starred either John Wayne or Henry Fonda (in one case, both!). I’m so glad I gave them a chance, because most of the ones I’ve seen have been fantastic. But enough intro, the full list is after the cut.

1. The Marrying Kind
2. Her Cardboard Lover (1942)
3. Cops (1922)
4. Convict 13
5. The Scarecrow
6. The Goat
7. The Haunted House
8. Hard Luck
9. The ‘High Sign’
10. The Tin Star
11. Broadway Melody of 1938
12. Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)
13. She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
14. The Docks of New York
15. The Racket (1928)
16. Camille (1936)
17. Red River
18. Something Wild (1986)
19. Queen Kelly
20. The Pope of Greenwich Village
21. Streets of Fire
22. Kakushi-toride no san-akunin (The Hidden Fortress)
    
23. Phffft!
24. Gold Diggers of 1933
25. Taxi!
26. The Strawberry Blonde
27. The Hearts of Age
28. What’s Up, Doc?
29. Love Story
30. Why Husbands Flirt
31. Upstream (1927)
32. I Was Born, But… 
33. The Great White Silence 
34. The Origin of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata 
35. Il Fuoco
36. Disney’s Newman Laugh-O-Gram reel
37. The Four Musicians of Bremen
38. Puss In Boots (1922)
39. Cinderella (1922)
40. Goldilocks and the Three Bears (1922)
41. Jack The Giant Killer (1922)
42. Alice’s Wonderland
43. Scoring Silent Newsreels
44. The Blizzard
45. The Goose Woman
46. Chumming With Chipmunks
47. Mr. Fix-It
48. Die Frau, nach der man sich sehnt (The Woman Men Yearn For)
49. Tribune-American Dream Picture
50. Shoes (1916)
51. Dream of a Rarebit Fiend
52. Le Spectre Rouge
53. The Acrobatic Fly
54. The Thieving Hand
55. Princess Nicotine, Or The Smoke Fairy
56. Arthème Swallows His Clarinet
57. The Cameraman’s Revenge
58. Dream of a Rarebit Fiend: The Pet
59. Filmstudie
60. Life and Death of 9413, A Hollywood Extra
61. Chess Fever
62. The Nail In The Boot
63. He Who Gets Slapped
64. Pather Panchali
65. The Last Waltz
66. Under Capricorn
67. Masculin féminin
68. Rio Grande
69. The Quiet Man
70. Fort Apache
71. A Delicate Balance
72. Top Hat
73. Frozen Alive
74. Dementia 13
75. The King of Comedy
76. 30 Minutes of Less
77. Captain America: The First Avenger
78. Things Change
79. A Thousand Clowns
80. Letty Lynton
81. The China Syndrome
82. Daughters of the Dust
83. The Front Page
84. The Spanish Prisoner
85. We’re Not Dressing

1900s: 6
1910s: 6
1920s: 29
1930s: 12
1940s: 6
1950s: 8
1960s: 4
1970s: 5
1980s: 5
1990s: 2
2000s: 0
2010s: 2

Like I said, I fell in love with classic westerns and this month two of them made it onto my favorites. Actually, I think I’d rather call this section “featured” because picking just five “favorites” each month keeps getting harder and harder. Also, two of the films I’m featuring I saw for the first time on the big screen (neither of which are 2011 releases).

The Tin Star, 1957 (dir. Anthony Mann)

This film contains some of the best black and white cinematography I’ve ever seen. It’s just so crisp and beautiful. Henry Fonda and Anthony Perkins are so great, both when they share the screen and when they are apart. True to Anthony Mann’s spirit, the film deals with themes way beyond your average western.

The Pope of Greenwich Village, 1984 (dir. Stuart Rosenberg)

I saw this at the Castro Theatre as part of Midnite for Maniacs’ tribute to the summer of 1984 (I only saw this film and Streets of Fire – which is also great – but the mini-festival featured eight films over two days). The film stars Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts in two of their best and most complex roles. It also features an Academy Award-nominated performance from Geraldine Page – who is only on-screen for two scenes. This is truly an actor’s showcase type film.

What’s Up, Doc?, 1972 (dir. Peter Bogdanovich)

This is Bogdanovich’s tribute to classic screwball comedies with a touch of slapstick. I saw this at the Red Vic and I laughed non-stop through the whole film. Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal are absolutely fantastic together and the film contains an uproariously madcap chase through the streets of San Francisco. If this film doesn’t make you laugh as well, you probably don’t have a soul.

Rio Grande, 1950 (dir. John Ford)

My favorite of the several Ford/Wayne collaborations that I watched this month. It also features a spitfire Maureen O’Hara. Wayne and O’Hara made several films together and their chemistry is off the charts. I must say I have never found myself attracted to John Wayne before, but boy was I in this. It must have been his mustache.

The China Syndrome, 1979 (dir. James Bridges)

Starring Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas and Jack Lemmon, the film is about an accident at a nuclear power plant that is narrowly avoided. However, a larger problem with plant is revealed. The film’s three leads are on fire and the tension of the film never lets up for a moment. This is definitely one of the most thrilling films I’ve ever seen.