Rapid Travel Chai

Tourists to NY make a beeline for Broadway, duking it out for the right to fork over gobs of cash.

Cinema events happen irregularly but are an unscripted delight worth investigating. Tonight The Rapid Traveler flashed his Movie Mogul card at BAMcinematek for a double feature of the New York premiere of Amy Heckerling‘s new film Vamps, and her classic Clueless. Q&A sessions after each film included Ms. Heckerling, Alicia Silverstone and character actor Wallace Shawn, particularly beloved for his role in The Princess Bride. Vamps is a wacky delight, Clueless is justifiably revered and the Q&As were trippy, from Mr. Shawn’s rambling answers to Ms. Heckerling’s sharp wit. Her vivid description of filming in Detroit’s downtrodden urban core included “dumpsters with cats living in them.” The general admission price for each showing was only $12, the regular ticket price.

The New Yorker has the most comprehensive listing of cinema events (from the events page, click ‘movies’ and scroll to ‘revivals, classics, etc.’), though tedious to pick out special events.

The following cinemas regularly hold events and their own sites have the most accurate information. Since these events are at the mercy of artists’ schedules and fancies it is best to reconfirm for any cancellations:

• Anthology Film Archives
• BAMcinematek (bonus that it is near the best cheesecake in NY at Junior’s)
• Film Forum
• Film Society of Lincoln Center
• IFC Center
• The Museum of Modern Art
• Museum of the Moving Image

And don’t discount the people watching value, especially when the oddball questions fly.