High up on my wish list of indulgences I want but will never be able to afford on my meager salary would have to be last year's Criterion release Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films. With a hefty price tag of $850, the collection features 50 of the most celebrated films that distributor Janus Films brought stateside between 1930 and 1980, introducing Americans to the awesomeness of classic foreign films like Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal, Roman Polanski's Knife in the Water, Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon and Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game. A dream come true for any cinephile, the boxed set is a who's who of foreign film history. Thankfully, for those of us who can't afford the whole shebang, Magnolia at the Modern is bringing us a 10 day festival featuring 14 works selected from the collection, including Saturday's 5 p.m. screening of Francois Truffaut's Jules and Jim, the story of one of the most memorable love triangles of all time. All films will be presented in newly restored 35mm prints as they are screened Thursday though Sunday, August 19 at the Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth, 3200 Darnell St. Tickets are $7.50, $5.50 for Modern members. Call 817-738-9215 or visit themodern.org for a complete schedule.
Aug. 9-19