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Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
If a theater wants to test the fidelity of its projector, speakers and audience, there’s still nothing like Lawrence of Arabia.
Screening at Cinemagic on April 26, David Lean’s iconic epic conveys a vastness basically unmatched in the 60 years since: oceans of sand, armies of brass, hundreds of camels, four hours, a proper intermission, and arguably the best “match” cut of all time.
Lawrence of Arabia’s gargantuan scope both burnishes and questions the myth of history as told through the lens of one heroic man. That man is British army major T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), who helps marshal an Arab uprising against Turkish forces in World War I.
But everything about O’Toole’s performance complicates his “great man” status. He plays Lawrence as an eccentric from the moment we meet him, and becoming hard-bitten by war only warps the eccentricities. He slouches, whispers, quotes the Quran, abhors violence, then gets sort of addicted to violence, believes in the liberation of the Arab people, and thinks way too highly of himself in the process.
But is Lawrence of Arabia still relevant today, you ask? Well, it’s pretty suspicious of Western militaries wreaking havoc in the Middle East when really they care mostly about shipping lanes.
There is nothing new under the sun. Great movies included.
Also Playing:
5th Avenue: If a Tree Falls (2011, April 24–26. Academy: Close-Up (1990), Excalibur (1981) and Smiley Face (2007), April 22–23. Dazed and Confused (1993), April 23. Cinemagic: Wayne’s World (1992) and Charlie’s Angels (2000), April 22. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) and Reservoir Dogs (1992), April 23. Clinton: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), April 25. Cult Classics: Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996), April 26. Hollywood: As Above, So Below (2014), April 24. Waiting for Guffman (1996) and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), April 25. RRR (2022) and The Psychic (1977), April 26. Tomorrow: Band of Outsiders (1964), April 23. Once a Braided River (2023), April 26.
