Jesse Hawthorne Ficks's Two Eyes

Since my own two eyes were not nearly enough to see and evaluate all the repertory/revival film screenings here on Frisco Bay, I'm honored to present local filmgoers' lists of the year's favorites. An index of participants is found here.

The following list comes from Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, who teaches Film History at the Academy of Art University and runs the MiDNites For MANiACS screening series:

1. SF International Film Festival's screening of Ted Kotcheff's Wake In Fright (1971) with the director IN PERSON giving perhaps the greatest story of tracking down a print I've ever heard. Did I also mention that the jaw-dropping exploitation film showcases one of the greatest performances ever captured on the screen by Donald Pleasance!?

2. SF Silent Film Festival's screening of the Complete Restored Metropolis at the Castro Theatre with the archivists IN PERSON!

3. MiDNiTES FOR MANiACS screening of Jennifer's Body @ The Castro Theatre with an 8-month pregnant Diablo Cody IN PERSON!

4. Another Hole in the Head's screening of Giorgio Moroder's 1984 synth-soundtrack version of Metropolis at the Viz the following week after the restored version! That is brilliant programming!

5. SF Symphony's Halloween screening of Buster Keaton's The Haunted House (1921) and John S. Robertson's Dr. Jeckyl & Mr. Hyde (1920) with a terrifying performance by John Barrymore and Dennis James playing the Ruffatti Organ!

6. PFA's tribute screenings of Kelly Reichardt's Ode and Old Joy with the director IN PERSON!

7. MiDNiTES FOR MANiACS screening of the restored unrated version of MANiAC with William Lustig IN PERSON!

8. Watching the uncompromised genius of Nobuhiko Obayashi's House, (a forgotten 1977 Japanese Horror) at a jam packed Saturday nite screening at The Castro Theatre.

9. Watching the uncompromised genius of Nobuhiko Obayashi's House, (a forgotten 1977 Japanese Horror) at a jam packed Saturday nite screening at The Red Vic Theatre.

10. The Roxie's double feature screening of Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant with Paul Schrader's Blue Collar.