By Pat Greene
Pat Greene is Bungalower Media’s first sponsored resident writer. Greene will be joining our team as our Arts and Culture Correspondent for the next quarter, supported by the efforts of Interstruct Design + Build, an award-winning Orlando-based design and build firm.
If you need help planning your Saturday, I can help.
The Enzian Theater (Website) has been a mainstay of Central Florida culture for nearly 40 years. It is the longest-running and most consistent art house cinema in the area—as far as I know, it’s the only one now. And this Saturday at noon they happen to be screening one of my favorite films by one of my favorite directors – Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Samourai, starring Alain Delon.
It is the story of a dashing, laconic hitman who lives in what could either be called Spartan conditions or squalor. Everything he owns can be carried. Critic David Thompson wrote- “Delon is not so much a good actor as an astonishing presence.” It is a beautifully shot film, and Delon’s presence keeps the viewer’s attention.
Melville, who embraced American culture while keeping it French, was a big fan of our country’s film noir. He may have been the best at working the genre, and he is also my favorite New Wave filmmaker. Melville, whose birth name was Jean-Pierre Grumbach, changed his name to Melville to honor the 19th-century American novelist. Jean-Pierre was known in 1960s Paris to drive big American cars and wear a cowboy hat.
Tickets are $11 and available for purchase HERE. The screening starts at noon.
After your afternoon break, you should head over to Zymarium Meadery (Website). The Meadery opens at noon on Saturdays. The building was the site of what was Julio Lima’s Say it Loud! in the Mills 50 district.
Ginger and Joe Leigh recently opened the beautifully designed space (that Ginger designed). Joe is the mastermind behind the mead, which is all made there.
Full disclosure: I am not much of a drinker. I tasted a few samples, and they were excellent but I was particularly interested in Ginger’s art gallery, RīZōM, in the back room.
I have been familiar with her and her work for about ten years. Her artist name is Synthestruct (Instagram). Her work consists of new media sculptural installations, which she has shown throughout the world.
The current display is a light and sound installation called “Intraspection,” which was shown in 2020 at Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens – as a part of Creative City Project’s IMMERSE arts festival in downtown Orlando. “Intraspection” has dreamy audio composed of modular synths and the intricate lighting works in tandem with the audio.
After the initial viewing of the installation, it becomes part of the viewer’s environment, and not in a reductive background music way.
After having a couple of meads and checking out RīZōM, head over to the Nook on Robinson (Instagram). The Nook is a great neighborhood bar with the coziness of a coffee shop. Owners Mary McWin and Matt Duke are a big part of what makes the place comfortable.
One of my favorite monthly events is this Saturday. Movie Trash is presented and curated by Josh Martin, one of my favorite approachable curmudgeons. Josh has an encyclopedic knowledge of cinema. He sees value in the very low to high brow and much of what’s in between.
He will show something I have never seen or heard of this Saturday at 8 p.m.-ish or when it gets dark enough, called “Tiptoes.” Matthew Bright directed it. He also directed “Freeway 1” and 2. I’ll take Josh’s word that these are great films, but I haven’t seen them. Based on Josh’s recommendations, I am recommending something I haven’t seen, but the film has a great cast including Matthew McConaughey, Kate Beckinsale, Gary Oldman, Peter Dinklage, and Patricia Arquette.
It’s a romantic comedy. Gary Oldman plays a little person who is Mconaughey’s twin brother and If that alone doesn’t intrigue you, it’s free. If you want to tip Josh, that would be great.
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