Film: The Badlands Collective presents Park Row (1952) on 35mm

About Film: The Badlands Collective presents Park Row (1952) on 35mm

“It’s a very important film for me for the use of the dolly and for the staging of action and violence. By creating such long sequences the emotional impact on the viewer is greater, giving him the sensation of being at the center of fury and anger” – Martin Scorsese

Long before he became one of Hollywood’s most distinctive writer-directors, Samuel Fuller was a newspaperman, working as a copyboy at the age of 12 and becoming a crime reporter in New York at 17. It was a world that always remained close to his heart, and one that he immortalised in Park Row, a deeply personal project that saw Fuller risk bankruptcy by financing the picture himself, rather than bowing to the studio’s demands for known stars and a colour production. In his typically forthright style, Fuller tells the story of two rival newspapers in 19th century New York, with their contrasting philosophies being embodied by The Globe‘s idealistic reporter Phineas Mitchell (Gene Evans) and The Star‘s unscrupulous publisher Charity Hackett (Mary Welch). Theirs is a tempestuous relationship in a world where the blood runs as freely as the ink.

Dedicated to American Journalism, Park Row is a stirring tribute to the newspapers of a bygone age, but it also resonates today with its themes of courage, idealism and the challenge of reaching people with honest journalism in an increasingly sensationalised and cheapened tabloid world. The film is also a prime example of Sam Fuller at his dynamic and punchy best, grabbing the audience by the throat immediately and immersing them into this world through his audacious camerawork and fast-talking characters. Park Row is an exhilarating and heartfelt picture from a filmmaker who was true original, and The Badlands Collective is proud to present this rare 35mm screening.

Doors open at 18.30, for a 19.30 start.

Refreshments will be available in our licensed cafe/bar.