Part of Cinema Explorations, a wintertime community-curated film series.

Martin Scorsese first encountered the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger as a child sitting in front of the family TV. When The Archers logo came up on screen, Scorsese says, “You knew you were in for fantasy, wonder, magic—real film magic.” He tells the story of his lifelong love-affair with The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, The Tales of Hoffmann, and others. Scorsese says, “As you grow older, they grow deeper. I’m not sure how it happens, but it does. For me, that body of work is a wondrous presence, a constant source of energy, and a reminder of what life and art are all about.” Drawing on a rich array of archive material, Scorsese explores in full the collaboration between the Englishman Powell and the Hungarian Pressburger—two romantics and idealists, who thrived in the face of adversity during World War II, but were eventually brought low by the film industry of the 1950s. Scorsese celebrates their ability to create “subversive commercial movies.” Intercutting scenes from his own films, Scorsese shows how deeply their films have influenced his own work.

Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes

MPA Rating: Not Rated

Cost: Free and open to all, ticket reservations encouraged.

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