April 28, 2017

Lorre Double-Feature at Castro Theatre

At the Castro Theatre, in San Francisco, California, it’s a “Double Bogie and Huston” night on Sunday, April 30, 2017 – but it’s also a “Double Lorre” night, with showings of The Maltese Falcon (1941) and the restored Beat the Devil (1954).

Beat the Devil begins at 5:05 pm and 8:55 pm.

The Maltese Falcon will be shown at 7 pm.

The newly-restored version of Beat the Devil was shown earlier this year at the Film Forum in New York City, Feb. 17 to 23, 2017, and discussed here on the Peter Lorre News blog. The restoration has gone back to the original 35mm camera negative, as well as other sources, to re-create the longer uncensored – and never seen – version to be shown at the Castro.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $9 for seniors age 62 and older, and $9 for children age 12 and younger. Tickets may be purchased at the Castro box office.

The Castro Theatre is located at 429 Castro Street, in San Francisco, California.

Parking is available in two small lots and on the street near the cinema. The Castro is also well-served by both bus and street car. Public transportation options, as well as directions to the Castro, can be found on the cinema’s website.

For more information, please call the Castro at 415-621-6120.

Arthur Lyons Noir Fest Includes Lorre

Among the many film noir movies in Peter Lorre’s credits are two films adapted from Cornell Woolrich novels – Black Angel (1946) and The Chase (1946). Both are scheduled for this year’s Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, to be held in Palm Springs, California, from Thursday, May 11 to Sunday, May 14, 2017.

Founded in 2000 by the late mystery writer Arthur Lyons and now produced and hosted by film noir expert Alan K. Rode, the festival includes movies, events, special guests, and post-screening discussions. The full schedule is available on the festival’s website. Both Lorre films will be shown on Friday, May 12 ~
  • The Chase – 10 am
  • Black Angel – 7:30 pm
Following Black Angel will be an on-stage discussion with Richard Duryea, the son of Dan Duryea, who partners with June Vincent to find out who killed Duryea’s ex-wife, a murder that leads to the trial and conviction of Vincent’s husband.

Tickets for The Chase and Black Angel may be purchased for $13 each. A fee of $1.71 will be added for each ticket ordered on-line.

An All Access Pass may also be purchased for $125, with a fee of $7.87 added to each pass purchased through the festival’s website. The All Access Pass includes all screenings and events, as well as the Opening Night Party on Thursday, May 11, 2017.

More information about tickets is available on the festival’s website.

All movies will be shown at the Camelot Theatres, located in the parking lot of the Palm Springs Mall at 2300 E. Baristo Road, between Farrell Street and Sunrise Avenue, in Palm Springs, California. Parking is available in front of the cinema, in the mall parking lot. Directions to the cinema are available on the Camelot Theatres website.

As of this writing, April 28, 2017, the official hotel for the festival has not yet been announced.

In the pages of The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, Stephen D. Youngkin discusses the making of Black Angel and The Chase, including interviews with June Vincent, who plays the female lead in Black Angel

The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre is available in paperback and hard-cover, as well as the Kindle and Nook.

Purchase The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre from Amazon.

April 5, 2017

TCM Film Fest 2017 Schedules More Lorre Films

Turner Classic Movies has announced the full schedule for their annual Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, California, over Thursday, April 6, to Sunday, April 9, 2017 – and Lorre fans attending the event will be treated to showings of five of Peter’s movies, including ~
  • Thurs., April 6 – The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) – 9:30 pm, Egyptian Theatre
  • Fri., April 7 – The Maltese Falcon (1941) – 9 am, Chinese Multiplex House 1
  • Fri., April 7 – Beat the Devil (1954) – 11:15 am, Chinese Multiplex House 6
  • Sat., April 8 – Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) – 9 am, Chinese Multiplex House 4
  • Sun., April 9 – Casablanca (1942) – 7:30 pm, TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX
"Make 'em Laugh: Comedy in the Movies" is this year’s theme, but the festival includes many other special showings, such as nitrate prints and movies numbered among the Essentials, as well as special guest speakers. The full schedule is available on the festival’s website.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) – Peter Lorre's first English-speaking role is among several movies to be shown at the festival in their original nitrate form. Director Martin Scorsese will host the showing, with special guest Deborah Stoiber, who has worked for most of her career to preserve nitrate prints.

The Maltese Falcon (1841) – Peter’s first movie with Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, and director John Huston is considered one of the "Essentials" on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Special guest Eddie Muller, the “Czar of Noir” and founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation, will host the showing.

Beat the Devil (1954) – Peter’s final movie with Bogart and Huston is among the “Movie Spoofs” on the festival schedule. Special guests hosting the showing are Angela Allen, who worked on Beat the Devil on Continuity, and documentary filmmaker Cari Beauchamp.

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) – Peter’s second movie at Warner Bros. is among the films described as “Dark Comedy” on the festival schedule.

Casablanca (1943) – Considered one of the "Essentials" at TCM, this wartime classic celebrates its 75th anniversary at the festival. Peter’s performance as Ugarte, the racketeer who sells exit visas eager to leave Casablanca, won the actor a contract at Warner Bros., the studio he would become most associated with during his decades-long career.

Passes are still available in these three categories – The Palace, The Classic, and the Spotlight – but quantities are limited and may be purchased through the festival website.

Individual tickets may also be available for most films.

Venues for the various events include the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX (formerly known as Grauman’s Chinese), The Egyptian Theater, and the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres multiplex – all within an easy walking distance along Hollywood Blvd.

In the pages of The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, Stephen D. Youngkin discusses the making of these movies scheduled during the TCM festival, including interviews with many of the actors and crew who worked with Peter throughout his career. The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre is available for the Kindle and Nook, as well as hard-bound and soft-bound editions.

Purchase The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre from Amazon.

April 2, 2017

Kirk Douglas Centennial Includes Lorre

In honor of actor Kirk Douglas’ 100th birthday in 2016, the American Film Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland, continues its Douglas film fest with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) on Sunday, April 2, 2017.

The movie will begin at 12:30 pm in the AFI Silver 1 theater.

Tickets are $13 for general admission; $10 for seniors 65 and older, students, and the military (with proper ID), and $8 for children 12 and under. For AFI members Two-Star level and higher, admission is $9.50.

Tickets may be reserved on-line through the AFI Silver website. Click the show time of 12:30 pm on the page for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Tickets reserved on-line must be claimed at the box office with the same credit card used to make the reservation. The AFI Silver accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. A nominal fee will be charged for all tickets reserved on-line.

Tickets may also be purchased at the AFI Silver box office, which opens 30 minutes before the first film of the day.

The Kirk Douglas Centennial festival, which began Friday, March 10, continues until Sunday, April 23, 2017. The complete schedule is available on the AFI website.

The AFI Silver Theatre is located at 8633 Colesville Road, at the intersection of Colesville Road and Georgia Avenue, in Silver Spring, MD.

Parking is available in several public parking decks close to the theater. Most convenient is the Wayne Avenue garage, located at 921 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring, MD. Parking at the Wayne Avenue garage is free on weekends and after 8 pm on weekdays.

Directions to the cinema, as well as information about parking and public transportation, may be found on the AFI Silver website.

In the pages of The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, Stephen Youngkin discusses the making of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea through interviews with Kirk Douglas and art director Harper Goff, who had Peter in mind for the role of Conseil, apprentice to Professor Aronnax (Paul Lukas), while reading the Jules Verne novel.

The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre is available on the Kindle and Nook, as well as hard-back and soft-bound.

Purchase The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre from Amazon.