Capital Celluloid - Day Nine: Sunday Jan 9, 2011

Scarface: BFI Southbank, 6.30pm NFT2

In true London bus style you can wait days for a great movie to come along and then three come at once. If I was free to spend a whole day on the capital's repertory cinema circuit today I would start at the Rio in Dalston, a movie house which admirably maintains the wonderful tradition of the double bill.

This afternoon (1.45pm) the inspired choice is the hilarious Rita Sue and Bob Too and The Arbor, a fascinating 'documentary' about the author of the former film, Andrea Dunbar. The Arbor is anything but hilarious - it's a grim portrayal of Dunbar's life and the mess she left behind her. I saw The Arbor at last year's London Film Festival and the innovative feature is an honest and moving portrayal of a complex woman. Dunbar's plays and films were anything but comfortable and Clio Barnard's piece is as disturbing and rewarding as her subject's work. 

The ICA is showing the Giallo homage Amer and have doubled it with Dario Argento's Tenebrae (1982) at 4pm. Amer's directors Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani will be interviewed on-stage by Italian horror expert Alan Jones.

The Howard Hawks season continues at BFI Southbank and one of the highlights is the brilliant director's 1932 gangster film Scarface (6.30pm). I haven't seen this for 20 years but I remember an exhilarating blend of black comedy and fast-paced action and I cannot wait to see it again.

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