Richard Shepard’s Favorite Movies From High School, Including ‘The King Of Comedy’ and ‘Staying Alive’
20.09.2023 - 17:41
/ variety.com
Richard Shepard Richard Shepard’s latest project, a documentary titled “Film Geek,” will premiere on Sept. 22 at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles. Ahead of the doc’s debut, Shepard spoke with Variety’s Executive Vice President of Global Content Steven Gaydos to detail the films that spoke to him the most during his high school years. In 1983, I was a senior in high school in New York City, and already a certified/certifiable Film Geek.
I worked part-time at the Criterion movie theatre on 44th Street and Broadway, and through a secret usher code of honor, it allowed me two tickets to any movie in the city at any time. I took full advantage — skipping classes and seeing movies 24/7. Serious films, horror films, art films or revivals, if it was screening, I was there.
“‘Blood Beach’ at 3 p.m. at the Loews 86th Street? Great. I’m in.
Just as soon as “Pauline at the Beach” at the Lincoln Plaza lets out…” Here is a list of 10 films I watched in my senior year of high school that I think, 40 years on, still have a knockout punch. Director: Penelope Spheeris A balls-to-the-wall punk rock explosion of sound and desire, this documentary opened my virgin eyes and blew out my tender eardrums. The film was a scuffed-up, Doc Marten boots-on-the-ground view of a strange, loud, musical underworld I knew I needed to explore.
Spheeris went deep behind the scenes with several legendary LA punk rock bands, introducing us to their music, rage, lovers and lifestyles. It’s a grubby, grungy, alternative world, full of out-of-tune chords and noisy feedback dreams. Director: Bob Fosse
Dark as midnight, Bob Fosse’s unnerving docudrama exploration of the murder of Playboy bunny Dorothy Stratten feels as startling today as it did when it
.