THIS WEEK: “The Iron Giant” At the Film Forum in NYC

By
on

Few viewers actually saw Brad Bird’s The Iron Giant when it had its theatrical run in 1999 so theatrical revivals are always welcome. The film has a special one-week engagement beginning today at the Film Forum in Manhattan. Screening times and more details here. It’s a shame that the revival has to be at the Film Forum, which has the rudest patrons and employees of any movie theater I’ve ever been to.

(Thanks, Joel Schlosberg)

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  • http://www.vitaminsteve.com Steve Flack

    With an always cold theater, uncomfortable seats, a pole in the middle of the theater, and a screen not much larger than my big-screen television, I’m more inclined to just watch the movie at home.

  • Mark

    What a shame the Film Forum doesn’t like the films they show as much as the people who’d like to see them on the big screen.

  • http://www.jinhienlau.com jinnaboy

    I just want this movie on BLURAY

    • AaronSch

      Brad Bird’s film, “The Iron Giant” is one of the films at the top of my high definition wish list. I feel privileged to have seen it in theaters upon its original release. The lukewarm response it received at the box office was a cryin’ shame. When Warner Bros. finally gets around to releasing it on Blu-ray Disc, I just hope they finally give the film the respect it deserves. Their “special edition” DVD release wasn’t really all that special.

  • Bob

    I’m lucky enough to have seen this when it came ot — it’s a beautiful and wonderful movie. I wish there were more like it!

    Re: Film Forum — yeah, yeah, I know all that. But it is still an oasis. Revival houses were everywhere in Manhattan at one time, and they are now down to a few. God bless Film Forum — I saw materworks there I would not see elsewhere!

  • David Levy

    I’m with you, Bob. We have to cherish these small revival houses, and besides the revivals, they also remain important venues to see new interesting films, two of which recently were the indie animated features A Town Called Panic and My Dog Tulip. And, one more reason to love Film Forum: The best popcorn in the city. No fooling!

  • http://www.fooksie.com Fooksie

    I miss those old revival houses myself.
    As for The Iron Giant, what a great movie! It’s a shame that so few movies are made now that are so original, not to mention well animated.
    I remember seeing it here in Atlanta when it opened, and there were few dry eyes at the end.
    Just a terrific picture.

    • Chris Sobieniak

      Count me among those that actually saw it too, in a room mostly filled with the typical moms and bratty kids 11 years ago.

  • http://www.animatress.com Ashanti

    This is still Brad Bird’s greatest film IMO. I am envious of all who were fortunate enough to have this film on their resume. May it live forever…

  • claus

    I can’t help wondering if you think this is a blog for current events or a personal journal… because this entry starts off as the former but ends as the latter in an otherwise headline-worthy post.

    That said, I’m glad The Iron Giant is getting at least some exposure.

  • http://thatssokraven.livejournal.com/ Kelly Tindall

    I saw it at a matinee in the worst theatre in Calgary for $1.25, and what a humiliating experience; blubbering like a baby at the end, with my roommate looking at me like my nose had turned into a corncob.

    What a great movie. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I saw it in a nice theatre.

  • http://robertkohr.com Robert Kohr

    I took my sister to see this in 1999 at my local movie theater. I hated it.

    Several years later I looked back at it again, now its one of my favorites. In retrospect I think I hated it because I only liked Disney and it wasn’t Disney, kind of a stupid reason but hey I was a teenager.

  • Paul N

    Wow – if Amid thinks the patrons and staff are rude… :0)

  • Peter Sanderson

    I’m surprised at all the negative comments about Film Forum. I’ve been there many times during my decades in New York and never experienced rudeness from either the staff or the audiences. The latter usually impress me as having better taste and manners than those in most NYC theaters. (I have encountered a few unpleasant people at Museum of Modern Art film screenings, but that’s another story.) Am I just lucky not to have had any bad experiences there? It’s one of my favorite places to see films, and I’m pleased they’re showing “The Iron Giant,” since they rarely show animation. I too first saw “The iron Giant” during its original theatrical run, and you really should see this title character on an appropriately big screen.

  • Jason R.

    I was fortunate enough to see “The Iron Giant” during its original release as part of a drive-in triple feature on what was then supposedly the largest permanent movie screen on the East Coast. I wasn’t as big a fan of animation then as I am now, but it certainly blew me away! Glad more people will have the opportunity.

  • Funkybat

    I am glad i got to see this on the big screen in ’99. First showing I went to was somewhat star-crossed; I drove 20 minutes to the theater, only to realize when I got there that I had somehow left my wallet and any cash/ATM cards at home. Drove back home and then back to the theater, only to have the film interrupted for about 19 minutes in the middle by a power failure due to thunderstorms! Got to see it properly during viewings #2 and #3 later that summer, I was impressed enough to pay 3 times, but then I’m a theater junkie. Until 46 inch LCD TVs, I considered watching movies at home a compromised, bastardized fallback plan to actually going to a theater.

    Iron Giant was probably the best animated film of the latter half of the 90s. Only the Toy Story films even share the same league. I knew it would be a box office disappointment, because it wasn’t being hyped up with happy meals and endless ads during afternoon and saturday morning cartoons 9which still kind of existed in ’99.) It was not an “established property” and despite it featuring a giant, friendly robot, it was not being turned into a toy line. I didn’t care about any of that because it looked like a well-animated retro romp. When I saw what a work of art it was, I was delighted and inspired. I’m glad Brad went on to do great things with Pixar, but I do hope that he someday helms a 2D animated project, if only a half-hour short or something.

  • greg m.

    I love to read these wonderful comments and feel honored to have been a part of the film! If Brad ever makes Ray Gunn you’ll all be in for a treat!