BIG SMASH!

A new weekly series of music films that aims to enlighten as much as entertain, BIG SMASH! MUSIC SCENE traverses broad musical terrain: baroque pop, country, metal, punk, soul & funk, folk and outsider music – all for a discounted admission of $5. Although in some cases premieres of popular films may hold over for longer runs, the series will focus on niche artists and the work of independent directors, with one-night-only screenings. Series curated by Kier-La Janisse with promotional assistance from MARIA and Into The Music.

BIG SMASH! MUSIC SCENE
every Thursday at the CINEMATHEQUE
100 Arthur St. (in the Artspace Building)
www.winnipegfilmgroup.com

Here are the upcoming events:

Thurs. March 13 - 9:30pm
JOE STRUMMER: THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN
Dir. Julien Temple UK 2007 / 123min. / 35mm / Music Documentary

Filmmaker Julien Temple (THE GREAT ROCK N’ ROLL SWINDLE) chronicles the transformation of a self-described "mouthy little git" into an anti-establishment icon known to the world as Joe Strummer. In his latest documentary, Temple uncovers the myth behind the frontman of the seminal punk band the Clash. Through previously unearthed interviews with Strummer himself and recollections of those who knew him best, Temple reveals a complex man who used his music as a bullhorn for his conscience--as well as a means to educate others about the injustices of the world. The film includes live concert footage spanning Strummer's career and tapes of his BBC radio program, all of which provide a fitting soundtrack to his distinctive and storied existence. (Sundance Film Festival)

Thurs. March 20 - 9:30pm
LA BRUNE ET MOI
Dir. Philippe Puicouyoul France 1979 / 60min. / Video / Music Drama

Shot in Paris in 1979 on borrowed gear, LA BRUNE ET MOI- a play on the French title for the American 50s rock 'n' roll film THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT ("La Blonde Et Moi") - was shot in one week and a Saturday. The film stars scenester Anoushka as a young woman who aches to be a "punk rock star" and actor Pierre Clementi (BELLE DE JOUR) as the man who wants her enough to try to make it happen. Like its American counterpart, the story is a gloriously thin prop in grand rock film tradition for the rockin' performances of amazing New Wave French bands Ici Paris, Artefact, Astroflash, Edith Nylon, The Questions, The Party, Marquis de Sade, Dogs, Go-Go Pigalles, Taxi Girl, Les Prives and more! An unbelievably rare opportunity to experience punk rock Paris - brought to North America courtesy of west-coast DJ and filmmaker Pink Frankenstein!

Thurs. March 27 - 9:30pm
THE OLD, WEIRD AMERICA: HARRY SMITH’S ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC
Dir. Rani Singh USA 2006 / 90min. / BETA SP / Music Documentary

"I'm glad to say my dreams came true. I saw America changed by music."

Artist, avant garde filmmaker, friend of the Beats, musicologist: Harry Smith liked to collect things. Ukrainian Easter Eggs. Paper airplanes. And music, lots of music.
Harry Smith's compilation of 78s of 1920s and 30s folk music was released on Folkways Records in 1952. This Anthology of American Folk Music was instrumental in helping inspire the urban folk revival of the 1960s, influencing Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger and Joan Baez among others. Its influence has never gone away.
Rani Singh was Harry's assistant until his death in 1991 and her wonderful documentary captures Harry's eccentric personality, his passion for experimental filmmaking, and charts the impact his Anthology continues to have on modern music. With interviews and performances from the likes of Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Philip Glass, Sonic Youth, Beck and Lou Reed.

Thanks to THE WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL for additional promotional assistance on this film!

Thurs. April 3 - 9:30pm
WAYNE NEWTON’S VEGAS BIRTHDAY PARTY!

We’re big fans of Mr. Las Vegas here at the Cinematheque. Well, at least one of us is. Join us for a shakin’ Vegas shindig as we celebrate Wayne Newton’s birthday with champagne, birthday cake (which we promise not to leave out in the rain), DJ Wayne “Rob Vilar” Newton on the turntables, and a rare screening (on 16mm film!!) of the best Vega$ episode EVER, “Dead Ringer”, which stars Richard Lynch (GOD TOLD ME TO) as a delusional, homicidal Wayne Newton impersonator! The real Wayne Newton shows up with his slick black hair and fiery fists to set the record straight and to help Dan Tanna catch the killer. One of the finest hours in television history. Be there! (Kier-La Janisse)

Thurs. April 10 - 9:30pm:
GEORGE CLINTON: TALES OF DR. FUNKENSTEIN
Dir. Don Letts UK 2007 / 60min / BETA SP / Music Documentary

The inimitable punk film legend Don Letts returns with the latest in his series of portraits of iconoclastic figures in black music. This time Letts examines the undisputed Godfather of Funk, George Clinton. Employing a bewildering array of guises and personas, Clinton has stayed relevant for decades, stretching from early doo-wop and Motown-influenced soul to the defining Seventies madness of Parliament/Funkadelic and his enormous influence on hip hop through its use of his samples. A probing and often hilarious documentary driven by Clinton himself, also featuring testimony from several P-Funk veterans and various disciples, including Andre 3000, Macy Gray and Shock G from Digital Underground.

Thurs. April 17 - 9:30pm
UNAUTHORIZED AND PROUD OF IT: TODD LOREN’S ROCK N’ ROLL COMICS
Dir. Ilko Davidov USA 2005 / 80min. / BETA SP / Music Documentary / True Crime

A chronicle of Todd Loren, the controversial publisher of unauthorized comic book biographies of rock stars. Despite his success, Loren's inconsistent and frequently insufferable behavior created legions of enemies. At the height of his success, Loren was murdered.

Despite Rock 'n' Roll Comics being largely derided by others in the comic book industry and hated by the music business for its "Unauthorized and Proud of It" motto, Loren won a landmark court case that established First Amendment protections for comic books. UNAUTHORIZED inter-splices Rock 'n' Roll Comic art, original music by Elvis Costello and Mojo Nixon, interviews with Alice Cooper, Cynthia Plaster Caster and others, to show this story through the eyes of those who lived it.

Thurs. April 24 - 9:15pm
GLOBAL METAL
Dir. Sam Dunn and Scot McFayden Canada 2007 / 93min. / 35mm / Music Documentary

A globe-spanning and superior sequel to the wildly successful METAL: A HEADBANGER’S JOURNEY, continuing that film's anthropological exploration of the sprawling underground tribe of heavy metal fans. This time we follow metal anthropologist Sam Dunn across five continents as he explores the nuances and social impact of metal culture in Brazil, Indonesia, China, India, Israel, Iran and elsewhere. Along the way Sam encounters several stalwarts of the scene, including metal legends such as Metallica, Sepultura and Iron Maiden who continue to gather the faithful in ever-expanding locations. The film places particular emphasis on the complex role of metal culture within globalization, and also as a form of resistance within repressive societies.