This is the second of four weeks of the inaugural season of the Fugard Theatre Bioscope Classic Winter Film Festival.
The schedule for Week 2, from 27 June — 2 July 2011, will see A Season of Classic Political Thrillers. The four week Fugard Bioscope Winter Classic Film Festival, which is presented in Association with Thelema Mountain Vineyards, have four different themes. The film screenings start at 20:00 every night, with hot soup, fresh garlic bread and Thelema Wines on sale, and a warm atmosphere awaiting patrons at the Fugard Theatre from 19:00 each night. The theatre has recently been fitted with new cinema-style seats, full digital cinema quality projection and surround sound systems which will make this a unique cinematic experience inside one of the most beautiful theatres in the country. Come and re-live some of the best Classics ever made on an 8 meter wide screen! The Classic Film Festival has been programmed by Fugard Theatre founding producer Eric Abraham who also produced the Academy Award-winning film Kolya. The schedule for Week 2 is as follows: Monday 27 June: Seven Days in May (Multi-Award Nominee. Recipient of the Golden Globe Award for: Best Supporting Actor). Starring: Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Ava Gardner. Directed by John Frankenheimer (1963). At the height of the cold war, a weakened President and a popular four-star general face off in a battle for control of the US government. Tuesday 28 June: The Day of The Jackal (Multi-Award Nominee. Recipient of BAFTA Award: Best Editing). Starring Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale. Directed by Fred Zinneman (1973). An assassin known only as “The Jackal” is hired by disgruntled ex-French Foreign Legion Commanders to assassinate French president Charles de Gaulle. Edward Fox gives his best performance as the dispassionate “Jackal” and the conviction of his actions and dedication to the role makes him one of the greatest screen bad-guys; someone who is unwilling to waver from their task and for whom mercy is not an option. Wednesday 29 June: The Conversation. (Multi- Award Nominee. Recipient of BAFTA Award: Best Editing). Starring Gene Hackman and John Cazale. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola (1974). Arguably the greatest paranoid thriller of all time, “The Conversation” follows Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a freelance surveillance expert who believes his taping of a conversation has lead him to uncover a conspiracy that will lead to murder. Thursday 30 June: Three Days of the Condor (Multi-Award Nominee. Recipient of the Motion Picture Sound Editors Award: Best Sound Editing). Starring Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway. Directed by Sydney Pollack (1975). Of all the paranoid, cold-war influenced thrillers of the 1970’s, “Three Days of the Condor” remains one of the most revered films in the genre. Robert Redford is a CIA analyst who happens to be out of the building when all his colleagues are murdered and he goes on the run while being pursued by the ever terrifying Max von Sydow. Faye Dunaway provides romantic support, but manages to make her role integral to our understanding of Redord’s Joseph Turner (Code Name: Condor.) The film is an absolute must-see for all lovers of the spy genre. Friday 1 July: All The President’s Men (Multi-Award Nominee. Recipient of Academy Awards for: Best Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, And Best Screenplay. New York Film Critics Circle Awards for: Best Director, Best Film & Best Supporting Actor). Starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. Directed by Alan Pakula (1976). The film follows Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and Bob Woodward (Robert Redford), the two journalists who uncovered the Watergate Scandal that lead to the resignation of Richard Nixon as President of the United States. Saturday 2 July: Network (Multi-Award Nominee. Recipient of Academy Awards for: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Best Screenplay. Recipient of Golden Globe Awards for: Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay). Starring Peter Finch, William Holden and Faye Dunaway. Directed by Sidney Lumet (1976). “Network” was so ahead of its time that, upon its release, audiences failed to see the relevance of the film’s main premise (television’s ability to exploit). It is also recognized as one of director Sidney Lumet’s greatest works and the script by Paddy Chayefsky remains one that is studied all over the world. The dense plot involves a disgruntled news anchor who becomes a raging prophet of the airwaves and the effect he has on those around him. Tickets for the screenings are R40 per night, and bookings can be made on www.computicket.com, or by phoning the Fugard Theatre Box Office on 021 461 4554. Friends of the Fugard qualify for a 25% discount About the Fugard Theatre: The 280-cinema style seater Fugard Theatre is located within the historic Sacks Futeran building in Cape Town’s District Six, with the renovated Congregational Church Hall in Caledon Street as its entrance. Construction of The Fugard Theatre was underwritten by its founding producer Eric Abraham, and is named in honour of Athol Fugard, South Africa’s greatest playwright. All seating is now reserved and can be booked on line at www.computicket.com or the box office on 021 461 4554.
