Gordon Willis Showcase
Harvard Film Archive (24 Quincy St, Cambridge)
Pennies from Heaven, The Parallax View, The Purple Rose of Cairo, The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Landlord
Through November 30
Last night, Bostonist had the pleasure of watching the Woody Allen classic Manhattan open up the HFA’s Gordon Willis series, featuring Willis live and in person. From dating a high schooler to dating his best friend’s mistress to quitting his job to write a book, Allen’s character (Isaac Davis) makes many missteps, but always offers sardonic insights along the way. The city, beautifully shot in long takes and low light by Willis, offers a subtle but vital backdrop to Davis’s neurotic wanderings through life and love, reduced to its essence in black and white. Whether it’s a mingler at the Met, early morning at the 59th street bridge, or shadow figures against the backdrop of the moon at the Hayden Planetarium, Manhattan gives its namesake a strong supporting role, welcoming even non-New Yorkers into the magic of the city. Willis’ masterful work in this film successfully hints at why he recently received Honorary Award from the Academy for his life's work, but if you want even more proof, check out additional films in the HFA over the next week or so.
For its showcase of Willis films, the Harvard Film Archive is billing him as The Man Who Shot the Godfather, and his proclivity for shooting in low light has earned him the name “The Prince of Darkness.” After listening to a Q and A session with Willis following the film, though, we might propose a new nickname: The Man Who Plays Peekaboo.

Boston Seventh Strangest City in U.S.
The Bruins won! Sure, they gave up a 2-0 first-period lead, and they allowed Atlanta to tie the game again, 3-3, in the final minute. But Patrice Bergeron beat Ondrej Pavelec in the shootout to give the B's their first win in like forever.


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