Harvard Film Archive Includes M in Lang Fest

As part of their series “The Complete Fritz Lang”, the Harvard Film Archive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will show M (1931) on Friday, July 25, 2014. M was the first sound film of both the lead actor, Peter Lorre, and the director Fritz Lang.

The movie begins at 7 pm. The print is courtesy of Kino International, which has in circulation a restored print of M.

Ticket prices are $9 for regular admission; $7 for Non-Harvard students, Harvard faculty and staff, and Senior Citizens; and $12 for special events. Harvard students with a valid photo ID may be admitted free to all regular HFA screenings. Discounts are available for HFA members.

Tickets may be purchased 45 minutes before showtime at the cinematheque on the lower level of the Carpenter Center. The HFA does not sell tickets in advance. More information about tickets may be found on the HFA website.

The Harvard Film Archive is located at 24 Quincy Street, in the lower level of the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Parking is available at meters on Broadway and Harvard streets, as well as Harvard Square. Parking is free after 8 pm. HFA is also well-served by public transportation, particularly the MBTA Red Line. Directions to HFA, as well as parking information, are available on HFA website.

The “Complete Fritz Lang” film festival runs from Friday, July 18, to Monday, Sept. 1. The complete schedule is available on the HFA website. On Sept. 1, the final day of the festival, an encore showing of M will be presented at 7 pm.

In the pages of The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, Stephen D. Youngkin discusses the making of M, including an interview with director Fritz Lang. The Lost One is available in soft-bound and hard-bound editions, as well as the Kindle and Nook.

Peter Lorre Fest on GetTV, July 25

Lorre fans who have the new channel GetTV on their cable or satellite system can tune in tonight, Friday, July 25, for a Peter Lorre triple feature, beginning at 7 pm EST.

The Lorre fest gets underway with Crime and Punishment (1935) at 7 pm, followed by Island of Doomed Men (1940) at 9 pm, and ending with The Face Behind the Mask (1941) at 10:30 pm.

As “Icon of the Week”, Peter Lorre also gets a special page on the GetTV site.

And there’s a fun “Peter Lorre Trivia Quiz”, too – although among the 15 questions are a couple of questionable items, considering that Peter did not “intern” anywhere upon arriving in Hollywood in 1934 and neither did he study under Sigmund Freud.

GetTV is the latest home for classic Hollywood movies, shown 24 hours a day. Not sure if the channel is available in your area? A list of markets, organized by State, is available on the GetTV website.

Miss any of the films in the Lorre mini-fest? Crime and Punishment will also be shown on Tuesday, July 29, at 5:20 am EST.

Surf’s Up! Muscle Beach Party On-Screen

As part of the “Popcorn Flicks in the Park” movie series, Enzian Theater and the City of Winter Park will show Muscle Beach Party (1964) outdoors in Central Park in Winter Park, Florida, on Thursday, July 24, 2014.

The program is scheduled to begin at 8 pm, but the movie may not start until sunset for optimum viewing.

Due to Florida’s unpredictable weather, the showing may be cancelled. If a cancellation is necessary, notice will be posted to the Enzian Theater's Facebook page 30 minutes before the set screening time.

Admission is free and open to the public. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs, and a picnic supper.

Central Park is located at 251 Park Avenue South, in Winter Park, Florida.

Parking is available on the streets around Central Park.

For more information, please call the Enzian box office at (407) 629-1088, extension 230.

Muscle Beach Party was the penultimate movie Peter Lorre made. It was playing in theaters in late March, 1964 – on the very day newspapers reported Peter’s passing on March 23. Although his participation was kept secret before the movie’s release, he does receive a special “Thank You” in the closing credits.

Peter Lorre’s life story is told in the pages of The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, by Stephen D. Youngkin. The Lost One is available in hardback and soft-bound editions, as well as the Kindle and Nook.