my library pick for this week was the fascinating documentary on henri langlois: 'phantom of the cinematheque'. so good!
'... for 40 years, henri langlois presided over the cinematheque francaise with absolute commitment & unwavering passion.beginning in 1936, langlois' beg, borrow & steal hustling preserved the priceless treasures of an artform then still too new to be recognized as such. through ad hoc screenings in paris apartments, hallways & stairwells, the young langlois shared his love for film art with the enthusiasm of an aesthetic epicure. under nazi occupation, langlois went underground rescuing & secretly screening banned films under the noses of the s.s. during the calcyon 60's langlois battled bureaucrats, championed auteurs, & ushered in a new golden age of cinema..."
