Golden Anniversaries, which is co-presented by Cinema St. Louis (CSL) and the St. Louis Public Library, features classic films celebrating their 50th anniversaries. This third edition of the event will highlight 14 films from 1970, including two double bills.
Because in-person screenings remain problematic during the pandemic, Cinema St. Louis will hold free online conversations on the films, with people watching the films on their own but gathering virtually to discuss them.
Film critics, film academics, and filmmakers will offer introductory remarks and then participate in discussions about the films. Those conversations will be offered as free live streams at 7:30 PM every Monday from Aug. 10-Oct. 26. Participants will need to register for the live streams on the CSL website.
In addition to a fine selection of St. Louis critics, Golden Anniversaries will feature a quartet of experts from elsewhere, including David Edelstein, chief film critic of New York magazine (“M*A*S*H” on Aug. 10); AJ Schnack, director of such documentaries as “Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns),” “Kurt Cobain About a Son,” “We Always Lie to Strangers,” and the recent “Long Gone Summer” (double bill of “Gimme Shelter” and “Woodstock” on Sept. 7); Charles Taylor, author of “Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s” (“Beyond the Valley of the Dolls” on Sept. 21); and Novotny Lawrence, author of “Blaxploitation Films of the 1970s: Blackness and Genre” (double bill of “Cotton Comes to Harlem” and “The Watermelon Man” on Sept. 28).
The discussions with the presenters will be facilitated by Cliff Froehlich, CSL’s executive director. Audience members will be able to ask questions and make observations on the films through the chat function of the live stream; those queries and comments will be relayed to the presenter by CSL.
The introductions and discussions will also be recorded and archived on CSL’s YouTube channel. Essays on many of the films will appear on The Lens, CSL’s blog.
For more information, please visit cinemastlouis.org/golden-anniversaries.
FILMS
For full info on films, see CSL’s website.
7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 10
M*A*S*H
Robert Altman, U.S., 1970, 116 min.
Intro and discussion by David Edelstein, chief film critic for New York magazine (currently on furlough), commentator on “CBS Sunday Morning,” and former film critic for NPR’s “Fresh Air,” Slate, New York Post, Village Voice, and Boston Phoenix.
7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 17
Patton
Franklin J. Schaffner, U.S., 1970, 172 min.
Intro and discussion by Andrew Wyatt, editor of and film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ blog, The Lens.
7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 24
Husbands
John Cassavetes, U.S., 1970, 131 min.
Intro and discussion by Lynn Venhaus, film critic for the Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS (550 AM).
7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 31
The Conformist
Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy, 1970, 113 min., Italian
Intro and discussion by Diane Carson, professor emerita of film at St. Louis Community College at Meramec and film critic for KDHX (88.1 FM).
7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 7
Gimme Shelter
Albert Maysles, David Maysles & Charlotte Zwerin, U.S., 1970, 91 min.
Woodstock: The Director’s Cut
Michael Wadleigh, U.S., 1970, 224 min.
Intro and discussion by AJ Schnack, director of the documentaries “Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns),” “Kurt Cobain About a Son,” “We Always Lie to Strangers,” and “Long Gone Summer.”
7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 14
Claire’s Knee
Eric Rohmer, France, 1970, 105 min., French
Intro and discussion by Robert Garrick, attorney and former contributor to the davekehr.com film blog.
7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 21
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Russ Meyer, U.S., 1970, 109 min.
Intro and discussion by Charles Taylor, author of “Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s” and former film critic for Salon.
7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 28
Cotton Comes to Harlem
Ossie Davis, U.S., 1970, 97 min.
The Watermelon Man
Melvin van Peebles, U.S., 1970, 100 min.
Intro and discussion by Novotny Lawrence, associate professor at Iowa State University, author of “Blaxploitation Films of the 1970s: Blackness and Genre,” editor of “Documenting the Black Experience,” and co-editor of “Beyond Blaxploitation.”
7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 5
Five Easy Pieces
Bob Rafelson, U.S., 1970, 98 min.
Intro and discussion by Calvin Wilson, theater critic and former film critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 12
The Traveling Executioner
Jack Smight, U.S., 1970, 95 min.
Intro and discussion by Kayla McCulloch, film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ blog, The Lens.
7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 19
Wanda
Barbara Loden, U.S., 1970, 102 min.
Intro and discussion by Cait Lore, film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ blog, The Lens.
7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 26
Performance
Donald Cammell & Nicolas Roeg, U.K., 1970, 105 min.
Intro and discussion by Robert Hunt, former film critic for The Riverfront Times.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.