Mission Mission

Tonight Oddball Films presents Elswhere: Gypsies, Vagabonds and Refugees, a series of archival short films all about what really gets people moving.

[frame of Buster Keaton in Railrodder]

The Hitch-Hiker (1950), a rather racy instructional film on how to get a ride; Railrodder (1965), wherein an aging Buster Keaton traverses the Canadian National Railway in style; Madeline and the Gypsies (1959), the film adaptation of the classic tale by Ludwig Bemelman; The Greenie (1942) a touching bit of WWII propaganda about a young polish refugee; San Francisco Earthquake and Fire (1906), or how Oakland got its start; Thumbs Down (1974), a cautionary educational film featuring real-life Los Angeles hitchers; Story of the Hungarian Refugees (1956), a U.N.-produced piece regarding the perils of border-crossing; and Riff Raffy Daffy (1948), on one unlucky duck’s run-ins with the Pigs! …Plus: Newsreels, Wobblies, Navajos, + “Wild & Bully.”

Arrive early for Clowns, Henry Miller in Paris, Donuts and special surprises!

Sounds pretty cool. The show is tonight (Thursday, July 31st) at 8:00pm. Oddball Films is at 275 Capp Street (btwn 17th & 18th). Admission is $10 and you can RSVP to RSVP@oddballfilm.com or (415) 558-8117

Every generation acts like they invented hilarious cat videos. Newsflash: cats and videos have been around for decades! To prove this point, next Saturday May 29th, Oddball Films is showing their picks from two years of screenings, including this gem, which would almost certainly result in a lawsuit today:

The Cat Who Drank and Used Too Much (1988) A wacky anti-drug film about the effects of alcohol and drug on the most purrrfect test subject, a cat. That darn cat!

More info after the jump.

P.S. What’s your favorite cat video? I’ve seen ‘em all, and I keep going back to this one.

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Oddball Films is screening two documentaries this Friday 1/15 on the original graffiti/hip hop/break dancing scene in NY in the early ’80s: Style Wars and the uber rare Electric Boogie. More info here and check out the trailer after the jump.

Guest Curator Pete Gowdy and Oddball Films present two cult documentaries focused on the emerging Hip Hop culture in New York. “Style Wars” (1982) has reached near legendary status for its documentation of the exploding sub culture of Hip Hop, and it’s a great film to boot- winning the Grand Prize for best documentary at the 1984 Sundance Film Festival.  “Electric Boogie” (1983) is the rarely screened and virtually unavailable film about four young friends who break dance their way through the South Bronx.  Plus, the anti-vandalism short “Graffiti”, hosted by a post-Capt. James T. Kirk/pre-Sgt. T.J. Hooker William Shatner.

Ah, the ’80s: when wearing pastels and tight jeans was considered tough. When rap songs described in clear, concise english how you were supposed to dance to them. When holding a boom box over your shoulder was the iPod. What a time!

Best of all, Pete has kindly offered a pair of tickets for you and yours! How do you get them? Post a comment with your mission breakdancing name and leave a real email address. Best one takes them after an almost completely arbitrary judging process!

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