Press release: 'A Space Program'

Date: Nov. 29, 2016

To: All media for immediate release

Re: Screenings of “A Space Program”

From: The Bijou Film Center

In its screening room at 304 E. Broad St. the Bijou Film Center will present a fictional documentary, “A Space Program,” Dec. 8 through Dec. 11.

Admission: $9 (students $5). No advance tickets.

Thursday show time: 7 p.m.

Friday show times: 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

Saturday show times: 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

Sunday show times: 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

“A Space Program” (2016): Color. 72 minutes. Directed by Van Neistat. Written by Tom Sachs and Van Neistat.

Note: In this rather offbeat documentary Sachs, an internationally acclaimed artist, takes his audience on a journey to Mars, sort of. The film provides a penetrating look into Sachs' studio and mind-boggling methods.

What the reviewers say:

“Ingenious! A radically DIY fictional space-documentary about a trip to Mars—think Michel Gondry directing Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” with John Carpenter writing the script.” – Mandalena Munkonge, Dazed.

“'A Space Program' is rich in the core elements that have always propelled humanity’s flights of fancy: imagination and the right tools.” – Daniel M. Gold, New York Times.

“In addition to being a funny, invigorating and inspirational ode to being the cleverest kid in the room, it’s a remarkable testament to the suspension of disbelief.” – Jordan Hoffman, The Guardian.

The trailer is here.

Beer, wine and soft drinks will be for sale.

Press release: 'Don't Look Back'

Date: Nov. 23, 2016

To: All media for immediate release

Re: The screening of “Don't Look Back”

From: The Bijou Film Center

In its screening room at 304 E. Broad St., Dec. 1-4, the Bijou Film Center will present the new 4K restoration of a classic documentary about a 1965 Bob Dylan concert tour – “Don't Look Back.” Naturally, interest in Dylan has snowballed with the announcement of his 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature and his controversial reaction to it.

Admission: $7. No advance tickets.

Thursday show times: 7 p.m.

Saturday show times: 4:50 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:10 p.m.

Sunday show times: 2:45 p.m., 4:50 p.m.

"Don't Look Back” (1967): B&W. 96 minutes. Directed by D.A. Pennebaker. Cast: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Albert Grossman, Bob Neuwirth, Alan Price, Tito Burns, Donovan.

Note: This is the newly restored version of D.A. Pennebaker's groundbreaking documentary film about a 1965 Bob Dylan concert tour in England. It features live performances, as well as some remarkably revealing behind the scene footage. Remember, when this film was made, no template for how to make rock 'n' roll docs existed. In 1998 “Don't Look Back” was designated as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Consequently, it has been preserved by the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.

Review: Roger Ebert: “Although the film is arranged in loose chronological order, there is little obvious editing within each scene. This takes advantage of cinéma vérité's strong point – its ability to show exactly what happened, moment by moment, the bad along with the good.”

More background on “Don't Look Back” is here.

The original trailer is here.

A trailer with comments from Pennebaker and Neuwirth is here.

Note: A special thanks goes out to our friends at Don't Look Back, at 2929 W. Cary St., for sponsoring The Bijou's timely presentations of Pennebaker's “Don't Look Back” (1967). For more information click here.

Beer, wine and soft drinks will be for sale.