CONEY ISLAND FILM SOCIETY - SCHEDULE 2011
presented by indiefilmpage.com & Coney Island USA
SATURDAY NIGHTS MAY 14TH - SEPTEMBER 17TH
at the Coney Island Museum 1208 Surf Ave.
between Stillwell Ave. and West 12th Street
Tickets $6. Doors open at 8pm. Pre-show at 8:15pm featuring classic drive in trailers, shorts, old commercials and more. Films
Travel directions, Click Here.
May 14th - The Girl Can't Help It
Directed by Frank Tashlin, 1956. Jayne Mansfield exudes glamour in this witty farce about a gangster who goes to great lengths to turn his seemingly untalented girlfriend into a star. Mobster Marty "Fatso" Murdock (Edmond O'Brien) hires slick press agent Tom Miller (Tom Ewell) to promote the singing career of Murdock's blond-bombshell moll, Jerri (Mansfield). When she proves that she indeed has talent but doesn't want a showbiz career, will there be a happy ending for all? Starring: Tom Ewell, Jayne Mansfield, Edmond O'Brien, Julie London, Ray Anthony, Barry Gordon, Henry Jones, John Emery, Juanita Moore, Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Fats Domino, Eddie Cochran, The Platters. 20th Century Fox; NR; 97 min.
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May 21st - 200 Motels
Directed by Tony Palmer and Frank Zappa, 1971. The Mothers of Invention arrive in Centerville, another stopover in an endlessly long tour where every stage is the same as the next: the hotels, the concerts, the search for groupies and the inevitable arguments within the band. Absurd and witty, 200 Motels is a mixture of musical, rock opera and sitcom portraying the catatonic state of any rock band on the road. An animated segment by Chuck Swenson called The Dental Hygiene Dilemma is included. Starring: Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa, Ringo Starr, Theodore Bikel, Keith Moon, Janet Neville-Ferguson, Lucy Offerall, Jimmy Carl Black, Martin Lickert, Dick Barber, Don Preston, Pamela Des Barres, Ruth Underwood; MGM/UA; Rated R; 98 minutes
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May 28th - Pink Floyd: The Wall
Directed by Alan Parker, 1982. Inspired by the album of the same name, director Alan Parker's revolutionary rock opera traces the troubled past of Pink (Bob Geldof), a depressed rock star at the end of his rope. With the wall as a metaphor for self-inflicted isolation, Pink is lost in despair, feeling trapped and desperately searching for a way out. The Wall's stylized blend of drama, music and Gerald Scarfe's brilliant animation earned the film instant cult status. Starring: Pink Floyd, Bob Geldof, Christine Hargreaves, James Laurenson, Bob Hoskins. Turner/MGM; Rated R; 95 minutes
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June 4th - Phantom of the Paradise
Directed by Brian De Palma, 1974. Writer-director Brian De Palma pumps 1970s decadence into The Phantom of the Opera story with a rock opera that replaces divas with pop stars. After being injured in a record factory, disfigured songwriter Winslow Leach (William Finley) haunts the Paradise -- the music house of the demonic Swan (Paul Williams), who ripped off Leach's tunes and idea for a pop masterpiece. Williams penned this campy cult film's Oscar-nominated score. Starring: William Finley, Paul Williams, Jeffrey Commanor, Archie Hahn, Jessica Harper, Harold Oblong. 20th Century Fox; Rated PG; 91 minutes.
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June 11th - Tommy
Directed by Ken Russell, 1975. The Who made history with this campy cult classic -- the first-ever filmed "rock opera" -- which tells the tale of Tommy (Roger Daltrey), a boy who loses the ability to hear, speak and see after the tragic death of his father. Despite his losses, Tommy becomes a pinball champion and religious messiah, only to have his followers betray him. Tina Turner, Elton John and Eric Clapton all turn in performances in this outlandish production. Starring: Oliver Reed, Ann-Margret, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, John Entwistle, Paul Nicholas, Jack Nicholson, Robert Powell, Pete Townshend, Tina Turner; Columbia Pictures; Rated PG; 110 minutes
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June 18th - No Screening
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June 25th - Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Directed by John Cameron Mitchell, 2001. After a botched sex-change operation, East German glam rocker Hansel (John Cameron Mitchell) becomes Hedwig and travels across the United States with a stage show, following her ex-boyfriend (and former band mate) and telling her life story. Hedwig's offbeat show slays audiences -- but in diners not clubs. Mitchell also wrote and directed the comedy, which won at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for several Independent Spirit Awards. Starring: John Cameron Mitchell, Michael Pitt, Miriam Shor, Stephen Trask, Theodore Liscinski, Rob Campbell, Andrea Martin, Alberta Watson, Maurice Dean Wint, Michael Aronov; New Line Cinema; R; 95 minutes
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July 2nd - Hairspray
Directed by John Waters, 1988. Ample teen Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) wants nothing more than to be on the hip local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show" -- and when her dream comes true, her lively moves and bubbly personality meet with unexpected popularity. But after witnessing firsthand the terrible state of race relations in 1960s Baltimore, Turnblad becomes an outspoken advocate for desegregation. John Waters's comedy inspired the Broadway musical of the same name. Starring: Ricki Lake, Divine, Sonny Bono, Deborah Harry, Ruth Brown, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Michael St. Gerard, Leslie Ann Powers, Clayton Prince, Jerry Stiller, Mink Stole, Ric Ocasek, Shawn Thompson. New Line Cinema; Rated PG; 92 minutes
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July 9th - Rock N' Roll High School
Directed by Allan Arkush, 1979. Everyone's high school fantasy is played out in this wild, rocking movie about clever, rebellious teens who battle their militaristic principal and literally blow their high school to pieces. P.J. Soles is the leader of the rebellion who brings her favourite rock group, The Ramones, to Vince Lombardi High in Southern California. The fast moving, satirical anarchy is punctuated by The Ramones and music by Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, Devo, Alice Cooper and others. Starring: P.J. Soles, The Ramones, Vincent Van Patten; Concord New Horizons; Rated PG; 93 minutes
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July 16th - This is Spinal Tap
Directed by Rob Reiner, 1984. Rob Reiner's cult satire about a fictional heavy metal group named Spinal Tap spoofs nearly every facet of rock 'n' roll -- from vacuous modern songwriting and half-baked album promos to pyrotechnic concerts. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer portray the washed-up, aging British rockers whose tresses and egos outstrip their talent, with Reiner appearing as the filmmaker who's chronicling the band's calamitous comeback tour. Starring: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Kimberly Stringer, Chazz Domingueza, Shari Hall, R.J. Parnell, David Kaff, Tony Hendra, Fran Drescher, Bruno Kirby, Billy Crystal, Fred Willard, Ed Begley Jr.; MGM; Rated R; 83 minutes
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July 23rd - Rock, Rock, Rock! - Hosted by Vlad & Creighton of Ghoul A-Go-Go.
Directed by Will Price, 1956. Spunky teen Dori Graham (Tuesday Weld) becomes a banker -- of sorts -- to earn enough money to buy a prom dress after her dad closes the family charge accounts to teach Dori a lesson in this 1950s musical showcase. A slew of popular musicians make appearances, including Chuck Berry, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Moonglows, the Johnny Burnette Trio, La Vern Baker and the Flamingos. Connie Francis dubs Weld's singing parts. Starring: Chuck Berry, Valerie Harper, Tuesday Weld, Teddy Randazzo, Alan Freed, Frankie Lymon, La Vern Baker, Johnny Burnette Trio, Jack Collins, Carol Moss, Eleanor Swayne, David Winters, Lester Mack, Fran Manfred, Flamingos, Jim Cavallo and the House Rockers, Teenagers, Moonglows. Not Rated; 85 minutes

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The film will be preceded by an Episode of Ghoul A-Go-Go.
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July 30th - Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
Directed by Julien Temple, 2007. Joe Strummer, the late lead singer of the legendary punk-rock band the Clash, narrates this music-lover's documentary of his own life courtesy of collected interviews and tapes from his BBC radio show. The film features rare footage of the rock hero, from his childhood to his later days playing with the Mescaleros, and includes interviews with Strummer fans such as Bono, Johnny Depp, John Cusack and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers., IFC Films; NR; 125 minutes
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August 6th - The Blues Brothers
Directed by John Landis, 1980. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd lay waste to Chicago as the title characters, a pair of two-bit crooks on a quest to save the Catholic orphanage where they were raised by reuniting their former band for a charity gig. Along the way, the duo runs afoul of Illinois state troopers, a neo-Nazi leader (Henry Gibson) and a vindictive ex-girlfriend (Carrie Fisher). Musical turns by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and James Brown punctuate the frenetic action. Starring: Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, James Brown, Steven Spielberg; Universal Pictures; Rated R; 133 minutes
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August 13th - Heavy Metal
Directed by Gerald Potterton, 1981. In this animated extravaganza based on the graphic magazine of the same name, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Harold Ramis and others provide the voices for a series of linked stories revolving around a menacing meteorite thought to be the root of all evil. A thumping heavy metal soundtrack from Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Devo and Stevie Nicks and sci-fi renderings from hundreds of animators have made this film a cult classic. Starring: Rodger Bumpass, John Candy, Jackie Burroughs, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks, Martin Lavut, Marilyn Lightstone, Eugene Levy, Alice Playten, Harold Ramis; Columbia Pictures; Rated R; 92 minutes
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August 20th - Sid & Nancy
Directed by Alex Cox, 1986. This gritty biopic portrays the relationship and downward spiral of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and his junkie girlfriend, Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb), from their first meeting soon after Vicious joined the iconic punk band to the tragic end of their story. Hole front woman Courtney Love plays Nancy's friend, Gretchen, and music from the Clash's Joe Strummer, the Pogues, the Circle Jerks and others is included on the soundtrack. Starring: Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, Drew Schofield, David Hayman, Debby Bishop, Warner Bros; Rated R, 111 minutes
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August 27th - Bob Dylan Don't Look Back
Directed by D.A. Pennebaker, 1967. In 1965, just months before Bob Dylan's controversial sound-switch from folk to electric guitar, D.A. Pennebaker documented the musician's British concert tour. The result is one of the most acclaimed music films of all time. Shot with a handheld camera in black-and-white, the film follows Dylan from limo to hotel room as he relaxes with friends, antagonizes the press and deals with managers. Joan Baez, Donovan and Alan Price make appearances. Starring: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Donovan, Alan Price; Artistic License Films; NR; 96 minutes
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September 3rd - True Stories
Directed by David Byrne, 1986. Talking Heads front man David Byrne co-wrote, composed, directed and stars in this quirky musical journey into the odder side of small-town America. The residents of Virgil, Texas, are a motley crew -- from the woman who's too lazy to get out of bed (Swoosie Kurtz) to the shy man who must advertise for a wife (John Goodman). Byrne serves as our tall-hatted tour guide through the town's sesquicentennial "Celebration of Specialness.". Starring: David Byrne, John Goodman, Swoosie Kurtz, Spalding Gray, Tito Larriva, Annie McEnroe, Pops Staples; Warner Bros.; Rated PG; 89 minutes
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September 10th - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band with Live piano accompaniment by Liz Magnes
Directed by Michael Schultz, 1977. Sgt. Pepper is a unique contemporary fantasy told through the memorable lyrics and music of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison -- about a hometown rock band's rise to stardom and their simultaneous battle to defeat a fiendish plot aimed at eliminating all love and joy from the world. Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees are the star-struck musicians in this all-singing musical film which also features Steve Martin as Dr. Maxwell Edison, George Burns as the celebrated Mr. Kite, Alice Cooper, Billy Preston, Aerosmith, and Earth, Wind & Fire. The Beatles' music performed by these great stars . . . a splendid time is guaranteed for all! Starring: Peter Frampton, Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Frankie Howerd, Paul Nicholas, Donald Pleasence, Sandy Farina, Dianne Steinberg, Steve Martin, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Billy Preston, Max Showalter, The Bee Gees. Universal; Rated PG; 96 minutes
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September 17th - Purple Rain
Directed by Albert Magnoli, 1984. In his semi-autobiographical film debut, Prince plays a hip Minneapolis club musician known as The Kid who struggles with a tumultuous home life and his own smoldering anger. He takes refuge in his music and in a budding relationship with a beautiful young singer, Apollonia (Apollonia). Winner of both an Academy Award and a Grammy for Best Original Musical Score, Purple Rain also stars Clarence Williams III and Morris Day. Starring: Prince, Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day, Olga Karlatos, Clarence Williams III, Jerome Benton, Billy Sparks, Jill Jones, Charles Huntsberry. Warner Bros.; Rated R; 104 minutes
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