Repertory: Best of Animation Block Party

By Liz Spikol
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted May. 26, 2009

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Best of Animation Block Party
The next Animation Block Party—New York’s premiere animation film fest—runs in July, but to get a taste of its sure-to-be weird offerings, hit this Philadelphia premiere that offers up some past greatest hits. If you haven’t seen Ben Meinhardt’s twisted “Perfectland” animations, that alone may be worth the trip: Imagine if the Teletubbies lived in the same world with King Kong’s robot brother and they had to fight over resources like unicorns and rainbow candy. It has the adorability of Cute Overload and the moxie of Fuck You Penguin. There’ll also be shorts by Breakfast animator Bob Fox, who mines an updated Beavis and Butthead vein and the Claymation Cooking 420 with Chef Barry by Chelsea Manifold. One recipe? “Oregano” brownies. Sat., May 30, 7pm, 9:30pm and midnight. $7. 941 Theater, 941 N. Front St. 215.235.1385. 941theater.com

Bye Bye Birdie
This has to be one of the goofiest musicals in history. It’s so sticky sweet, it makes Grease seem like a night out with Amy Winehouse. Standout tunes include “Put on a Happy Face,” and the quite insane cast includes Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margaret, Janet Leigh, Paul Lynde, Maureen Stapleton and, from ’round these parts, Bobby Rydell. Sun., May 31, 2pm. $4-$8. Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville. 610.917.1228. www.thecolonialtheatre.com

Rear Window
Think you know meta? You don’t know meta till you’ve watched Alfred Hitchcock’s most glorious mindfuck, for which he deliciously anticipated your watching the watcher. Probably a third of the film takes place in absolute silence—no music, no talking, just watching. It’s the way Hitchcock saw through the lens of the camera: smooth, endless image, later to be elaborated upon by the bothersome plot the studios required. Maybe. That’s my theory, but there are dozens of others surely more than a few doctoral dissertations. In his book The Art of Looking in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, film scholar Stefan Sharff wrote that the film is perfect for academic analysis because it “responds to the Pythagorean principle of aesthetics, demonstrating harmony, completeness and consistency.” That may be. It’s also perfect for a suspenseful good time. Sat., May 30, midnight. Ritz Bourse, 400 Ranstead St. 215.625.0300. www.landmarktheatres.com

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