MODERN CLASSICS AT THE CINEMA ARTS CENTRE

Click HERE to read the Interview with BILL FORSYTH in The New York Times

(Published April 15, 2010)

LOCAL  HERO

Starring BURT LANCASTER & PETER RIEGERT

“GENUINE fairy tales are rare; so is film-making that is so

original and unobtrusive.” - Janet Maslin, NY TIMES

Saturday, April 17 at 7:30pm

$12 Members / $16 Public   Active Membership Wil Be Checked

Includes Film, Discussion with Filmmakers, and Reception

Tickets can also be purchased at the box office during theatre hours or

by calling Brown Paper Tickets toll free at 1-800-838-3006. No refunds.

In Person: Co-star PETER RIEGERT

and, from Scotland, Director BILL FORSYTH

"My problem," director Bill Forsyth once lamented, "is that 40 per cent of me wants to make an entertaining film and 60 per cent of me wants to subvert the idea of movies." This dichotomy is never more apparent than in his 1983 masterpiece Local Hero, which challenges and confounds the viewer’s every expectation, whilst adding an undercurrent of wistful sentimentality and flinging a last-ditch lifeline to its protagonist.

Mac (Peter Riegert, Crossing Delancey) is a deal-broker for an American oil firm. When the firm's president (Burt Lancaster) decides to buy up a Scottish fishing village and plunder its natural resources, Mac is sent to sweeten up the residents. But anyone anticipating a straightforward story of redemption, in which our hero helps the plucky villagers to defeat the monolithic corporation, may be disappointed. All the villagers – bar one philosophical hermit – want to sell, while Mac is weak and deferential, with no intention of scuttling the deal.

The ensemble acting is flawless, while Lancaster’s performance is underscored by an unexpected humanity that makes his later scenes a treat.  Forsyth’s singular sense of humour is a joy, encompassing sight gags, whimsy and absurdity. And despite – or perhaps because of – Local Hero's resolute unconventionality, the film is incredibly affecting. The scenes in Scotland are shot, acted and scored with such tenderness that even without narration or flashback they play like Mac’s rose-tinted memories. There are few films that bring a lump to the throat with the very mention of their name.  Local Hero really is that special. - Rick Burin

Click HERE to view an interview with director Bill Forsyth

on BBC in honor of the 25th Anniversary of LOCAL HERO

Born in Glasgow, Bill Forsyth is considered one of Scotland's most important directors. Fims include That Sinking Feeling (1980), Gregory's Girl (1981), Local Hero (1983), Comfort and Joy (1984), Housekeeping (1987), and Gregory's Two Girls (1999).

A native of the Bronx, Peter Riegert first made a name for himself on stage (David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago) before making his feature film debut as Boon in Animal House (1978). Additional film and TV credits include Crossing Delancey (1988), Barbarians at the Gate (1993, Nominated: Emmy Award), Gypsy (1993), The Mask (1994), Traffic (2000, Winner: Screen Actors Guild Award), and The Sopranos (2001). As a director, Mr. Riegert was nominated for an Academy Award for his short film, By Courrier (2000) and earned acclaim for his feature film, King of the Corner (2004), starring Isabella Rossellini, Eric Bogosian and Beverly D'Angelo.