Philadelphia Weekly

Back to the Future
“The way I see it, if you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?” Thurs., July 9, 8:15pm. Free. Schuylkill Banks by the Walnut Street Bridge. schuylkillbanks.org

The Bed Sitting Room
This 1969 futuristic oddity was directed by Philadelphia native Richard Lester, who’s had a corkscrew-unpredictable career, doing everything from A Hard Day’s Night and Help! to Supermans I through III. The cast includes Ralph Richardson, Peter Cook, Spike Milligan, Dudley Moore and the whole affair is baffingly British. “If Monty Python’s Flying Circus had never existed,” wrote Roger Ebert, “Richard Lester would still have invented it.” Tues., July 14, dusk. Lawn Chair Drive-in, Liberty Lands Park, Third Street above Poplar St. lawnchairdrivein.com

The Birds
They’re coming at you from Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square, Malcolm X Park, Clark Park—all the pigeons in Philadelphia are about to home in on your head and then tear your eyes out. Yes, it’s that scary. Wed., July 8, 7pm. $5.75-$.8.75. County Theater, 20 E. State St., Doylestown. 215.345.6789. countytheater.com

The Blob Weekend
Phoenixville takes The Blob more seriously, perhaps, than most other towns, but the old-school Colonial Theatre is the perfect setting. Go to the website to learn about the BlobFest and other events. Sun., July 12, 2pm. $4-$8. Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville. 610.917.1228. thecolonialtheatre.com

Bus Stop
Makes sense that the fabulous Bus Stop Boutique would want to sponsor the showing of this 1956 Marilyn Monroe flick, about a saloon gal who falls for a cowboy. We haven’t seen the film, but we feel the best line has to come from the trailer: “Lock up your womenfolk, Phoenix. Here comes Bo Decker!” And then he gives a hearty “yee-haw!” Wed., July 8, 8pm. Free. Headhouse Square, Second and Pine sts. 215.413.3713. southstreet.com

Chinatown
This film has it all—Roman Polanski directed; Faye Dunaway, Jack Nicholson and John Huston starred; Robert Towne wrote a terrific script. It’s always great to see the film’s disturbing denouement play out on the big screen. Tonight’s bonus? You can walk around the corner after the movie to Triumph Brewing Co. at 117 Chesnut St., have a beer and listen to WHYY film critic Bill Wine dodge questions about Polanski and art-vs.-artist. Wed., July 8, 7:30pm. $9. Ritz East, 125 S. Second St. 215.253.3599. filmadelphia.org

City Lights
Here’s a Charlie Chaplin tale worthy of Dickens: A poor blind girl, who sells flowers to get by, meets the Little Tramp and thinks he’s rich. In order to be worthy of her love and get her an operation so she can see, the Tramp tries to get money any way he can, and adventures of the (mostly) silent variety ensue. Mon., July 13, 7pm. $5.75-$.8.75. County Theater, 20 E. State St., Doylestown. 215.345.6789. countytheater.com

Chocolat
PW’s Sean Burns wrote in 2001: “Getting on the soapbox to preach self-congratulatory lessons of ‘tolerance’ after spending two hours belittling the concept of a Lenten sacrifice, Chocolat reveals itself as ... an insidious exercise in exclusionary limousine-liberal posturing that validates gross baby-boomer self-indulgence.” Uh ... might it taste better with some coffee? Wed., July 8, 7pm. Free. Mugshots CoffeeHouse and Cafe, 2100 Fairmount Ave. 267.514.7145. mugshotscoffeehouse.com

Fire and Ice
Are you looking for the perfect way to celebrate Bastille Day without storming Eastern State? You’re in luck: I-House offers this French New Waver as its seventh annual observation of the holiday. And you can’t do much better than Romy Schneider, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Henri Serre in a thriller directed by Alain Cavalier and produced by Louis Malle. Though it was made in 1962, some political subtexts—like right-wing extremists fighting lefty pacifists. Interesting side note from imdb.com: “Louis Malle produced the film as a criticism of Jean-Luc Godard and other then-right wing nouvelle vague directors and their support for the French occupation of Algeria.” Sat., July 11, 7pm. $5-$7. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. ihousephilly.org

Frenzy
If the week’s four other Hitch films aren’t enough for you, try this creepy 1972 number about a London serial killer with a thing for ties. Thurs., July 9, 7pm. $5-$9.50. Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610.527.9898. brynmawrfilm.org

Italian Flesh Eaters Double Feature
I suppose every generation gets the monster it deserves, and Exhumed Films feeds the never-ending beast that is our cultural obsession with zombies. This time it’s Cannibal Apocalypse aka Invasion of the Flesh Hunters directed by Antonio Margheriti about a Vietnam vet who has some horrible flashbacks. Exhumed calls it “a rare early-80s Italian gore classic.” The second feature is Terror-Creatures from the Grave aka Cinque tombe per un medium by Massimo Pupillo, which has an ancient castle stalked by the souls of deceased plague victims. Both screened in 35 mm. Fri., July 10, 8pm. $10. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. ihousephilly.org
 

Point Blank/Hit Man/Midnight Heat
It’s thrills and kills this month at Andrew’s Video Vault, starting with Lee Marvin in 1967 as a hitman in an adaptation of a Donald E. Westlake novel. Then there’s 1972’s Hit Man with foxy Pam Grier, and the last feature, from 1983, about a contract killer who’s trapped by his own actions. Thurs., July 9, 8pm, free. Andrew’s Video Vault at the Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St. armcinema25.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. 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 a suspenseful good time. Wed., July 8, 7pm. $5-$9.50. Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610.527.9898. brynmawrfilm.org

Repo! The Genetic Opera
With its purchased tongue firmly in borrowed cheek, this rock opera takes place in a future when organs can be repossessed by a Sweeney Todd-like equivalent of Emilio Estevez. Such repo men—including Anthony Stewart Head, of Buffy—are lorded over by Paul Sorvino, seen too little these days, who plays the devil of the future: a pharma guy. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, III and IV), this Rocky Horror wannabe features Paris Hilton in a Razzie Award-winning turn. Sat., July 11, 11:59pm. $9. Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead St. 215.925.7900. landmarktheaters.com

The Secrets
Two young ultra-Orthodox Jewish women (Ania Bukstein and Michal Shtemler) who have come to a small town to study meet up with a strange older woman (Fanny Ardant) who’s the town pariah. One of the girls is serious, studious; the other is more funky and open-minded. As they spend time ministering to Ardant, they are drawn closer to each other, and closer to Ardant’s story. Ultimately, they all get involved in some Kabala, but not the Madonna kind. Directed by Israeli filmmaker Avi Nesher, the film features a romantic relationship between girls that might be less shocking to Orthodox Jews than the mysticism. Fri., July 10, 8pm. Little Theatre, 7141 Germantown Ave. 215.247.3020. mtairyvideolibrary.com

Twentieth Century
Aw, come on. You really need a reason to see this one? Howard Hawks directs John Barrymore and Carole Lombard in a screwball comedy about a fallen director who can’t face career mortality. His only shot at success? Another go with Lombard, who was once his meal ticket (and gal pal). He tries to woo her back, and the zingers are legendary. Good fun. Thurs., July 9, 7pm. $4.75-$8.75. Ambler Theater, 108 E. Butler Ave., Ambler. 215.345.7855. amblertheater.org

Vertigo
The first half of this creepy confessional is a masterfully daffy red herring, while the remainder—in which Jimmy Stewart’s heights-phobic private dick systematically remakes Kim Novak No. 2 into Kim Novak No. 1—is a twisted meditation on the relationship between creator and creation. (Matt Prigge) Tues., July 14, 4pm and Wed., July 15, 7pm. $5-$9.50. Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610.527.9898. brynmawrfilm.org