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Bonnes vacances! Select French Cinema from Criterion ON SALE NOW

The holidays are upon us and with them comes a slew of appropriately themed films. Criterion will have last year’s critically acclaimed film  A Christmas Tale starring Catherine Deneuve available on December 1st. We’re celebrating its release and the gift-giving season with a sale on some of the greatest classics of French New Wave cinema ...

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What’s New for Stardate 11.17.09

If you’re one of those Star Trek fans who knows today’s actual Stardate, email us here at scarecrow@scarecrow.com and let us know and we’ll change it. And now, a list of the this week’s many New Releases: STAR TREK—J.J. Abrams reinvents the franchise with this highly enjoyable film peppered with enough nerd insider references to satisfy ...

Best Sellers for the week of 11/17/9

Here are the best selling titles at Scarecrow for the past month.  All Discs are available to purchase in our store and highlighted items are also available thourgh our website. 1.  Up 2.  Night of the Creeps 3.  Z (Criterion) 4.  Wings of Desire (Criterion) 5.  Wings of Desire (Criterion)(BluRay) 6.  Hardware 7.  Battlestar Galactica: The Plan 8.  Mad Men: Season 1 9.  Film ...

New to view: Not one but two new MacGuffin podcasts

Scarecrow Video is not only home to over 100,000 movies but also is the setting for the discerning film discourse of the MacGuffin Podcast. In the last two weeks, head MacGuffin podcaster Spencer and frequent guest John Portanova of Adler & Zenith fame have been chatting about everything from what drives you to buy a ...

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• Yikes! Thanksgiving crept up on us quickly. This weekend is an excellent opportunity to head in to Scarecrow and get all the fixings for a cinematic feast. It's healthier to overindulge in film than food & beverage, right? While you're here, get a jump on your holiday shopping with our extensive selection of NEW & USED movies for sale. We have everything from the big new stuff (STAR TREK would make an great gift for just about everyone, especially if they've got Blu-ray capabilities) to older classics, box sets, TV series and much more. If you don't find what you're looking for on our shelves, we can special order anything in print. Remember, ALL our DVDs for sale are at least 10% OFF the suggested retail price and you get a FREE RENTAL with each new DVD you buy, making it easy for you to save money and support a local indie business. In theaters this weekend, SIFF Cinema continues the NEW ITALIAN CINEMA series and has a benefit screening of the Oscar buzzed A SINGLE MAN starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. Grand Illusion Cinema hosts the docu-fest BURNING FUSE FILM FESTIVAL and GUMS, "the most incredible and unbelievable JAWS rip-off ever made," in the Late Night spot. Over on the Hill, Northwest Film Forum, there's STINGRAY SAM, the new western musical from Cory McAbee (AMERICAN ASTRONAUT), a screening of silent films made as part of a challenge to local moviemakers called SILENCE IS GOLDEN, the chilling heath care documentary MONEY DRIVEN MEDICINE, and their excellent 69 series continues with Ingmar Bergman's THE PASSION OF ANNA. You can kick off your Sunday shoes tonight at Central Cinema with their 80's MOVIE ANTHEM SING-ALONG, then sit prim and proper with Jean Renoir's THE RULES OF THE GAME. I'll be fighting the yawns to stay up for the Midnight Movie at The Egyptian, one of my favorite films ever:A HARD DAYS' NIGHT. And just to quench the rampant rumors, we closed early on Thursday night for a staff meeting, NOT to attend a screening of TWILIGHT: NEW MOON. That's what we're going to do for our holiday party... #
• November is in full swing and now is as good time to start in on your holiday shopping. We've got an incredible selection of new DVDs & Blu-ray titles at competitive prices. We always take at least 10% off the suggested retail price of any title we have for sale, something the big chains don't always do, especially if you're in the market for a film that didn't just come out yesterday.  Head in and browse our selection and if you don't see what you're looking for, remember we can special order anything in print. We've already kicked off a big sale on French New Wave films from Criterion for your the discerning cinemaphile on your list. While you're out and about this weekend, there's plenty of theatrical goodness in town. The Blue November MicroFilm Festival is over at the Upper Crust in Greenwood with a mix of film, music and performance. Down south, the Olympia Film Festival draws to an end with the ever popular, world famous horror fest ALL FREAKIN' NIGHT  hosted by our colleagues and  Stranger Genius Award Shortlisters Kevin Clarke and Travis Vogt. Closer to home, Grand Illusion has a brand spankin' new 35mm print of LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN starring Gene Tierney and DEVIL'S EXPRESS (aka GANG WARS) in the Late Night spot. Northwest Film Forum continues the AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD: THE CINEMA OF LISANDRO ALONSO series---you can read Sean Axmaker's excellent overview of  the Argentine filmmakers work over on The Stranger's website. Mr. Alonso will be in attendance at several of the screenings as well, check their schedule for details. SIFF Cinema has YOUSSOU N'DOUR:  I BRING WHAT I LOVE, a documentary on the Senegalese pop star's album "Egypt," which he wrote as a response to negative perceptions on Islam.  Keeping with that theme, we highly recommend visiting our Senegal section and checking out any of the works of director Ousmane Sembene, especially BLACK GIRL and MOOLAADE. SIFF Cinema also has a special screening of Kenji Mizoguchi's THE DOWNFALL OF OSEN on Sunday, November 15th, featuring live musical accompaniment by the Aono Jikken Ensemble--and the  NEW ITALIAN CINEMA FESTIVAL next week. We also feel you should know that ROAD HOUSE is the Midnight Movie at the Egyptian.  Enjoy! #
• There appears to be a break in the bluster as I write this,  so now is an ideal time to head out and stock up on your weekend viewing options.  UP comes out on DVD on Tuesday, so you may want to prepare with a Pixar marathon.  If you've been using a certain popular search engine in the last couple days, you may know that next week marks the 40th anniversary of SESAME STREET. Have you seen OLD SCHOOL SESAME STREET? Volume 1 features episodes from 1969-74, Volume 2 covers 1974-1979, and both may cause heavenly nostalgia overload. If you're headed to see the fancy new A CHRISTMAS CAROL in theaters, get POLAR EXPRESS and make it a 3-D Zemeckis double feature. Also in theaters this week is THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor (with an American accent!), directed by Grant Heslov (who you may remember as the sidekick in THE SCORPION KING). Grand Illusion Cinema has a gorgeous new 35mm print of Carol Reed's ODD MAN OUT starring James Mason. SIFF Cinema is showing the 1962  French thriller LE COMBAT DANS L'ILE.  The new Claire Denis film 35 SHOTS OF RUM is at Northwest Film Forum.  Central Cinema has a musical tribute to THE BREAKFAST CLUB (speaking of which, did you see this today?) And NOT in theaters this weekend is COUCH FEST, which we told you all about in this post.  Monday night the SILENT MOVIE MONDAYS series continues at the fabulous Paramount Theater with 1926's  animated achievement THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED, based on stories from 1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS.  The combination of the amazing visuals and live musical accompaniment should make for a memorable cinematic experience. Ok, it just started thundering & raining again. Time to get some movies and stay inside for the rest of the night... #
• Halloween weekend is here! While you're in the store  getting those last-minute scary films for Halloween night, grab some SWEET, SWEET CANDY on the front counter. We've found a sugar rush really helps propel you through the browsing process.  If you're looking to haunt the theaters this weekend, your best bet for frights is at  Grand Illusion Cinema. Tonight at 8pm they're hosting The Sprocket Society's SPOOKSHOW SPECTACULAR:  "Join us on our journey into the strange, dark world of the SUPERNATURAL as we try to make contact with the other side and invite the diabolical denizens of the spectral realms into our theater. You will see a GHOST! But you may not SURVIVE!" We've heard rumors of ghouls and dancing skeletons. Go and see it for yourself...IF YOU DARE! Halloween night at 8pm is the SUPER SECRET TRIPLE CREATURE FEATURE which promises a trio of monster terror.  What films, you ask? Here's a hint:  "a classic of human transformation horror and two modern day cautionary tales of cosmic terror!" Elsewhere in town, Central Cinema is hosting the LOST BOYS QUOTE-ALONG ("You'd better get yourself a garlic T-shirt, buddy, or it's your funeral") on Halloween night at 7pm (for the all ages crowd) and 9:30pm (for the 21+ folks).  At Benaroya Hall, Tonight and tomorrow night, The Seattle Symphony is screening Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO with a live performance of the soundtrack. SIFF Cinema has ACT OF GOD, " an elegant cinematic meditation on the metaphysical effects of being struck by lightning" by MAUNFACTURING CONSENT director Jennifer Baichwal.  BEESWAX, the new film by Andrew Bujalski that's being called a mumblecore masterpiece, is playing at Northwest Film Forum (and check out Bujalisk's FUNNY HA HA and MUTUAL APPRECIATION here in the Independent Comedy section).  There's also the performance art spectacular of  DEGENERATE ART ENSEMBLE's SONIC TALES on Friday & Saturday night at the Moore Theater. Whatever you choose to view, have fun, stay safe, and don't forget to turn your clocks back an hour before you head to bed Halloween night. #
• Halloween is fast approaching! Prepare yourself this weekend with some selections from our Halloween and/or Kids Halloween sections. We also just put out a new round of STAFF PICKS, including ALIEN, BATTLE OF ALGIERS,  John Cassavettes' HUSBANDS,  ROLLERBALL, STUNT ROCK and about  150 other titles we hope you'll enjoy.  If you're looking to get spooked up in theaters, Central Cinema has Peter Jackson's DEAD ALIVE, Fremont Outdoor Cinema moves inside for a special Halloween kick-off with DARK SIDE OF THE RAINBOW, and Grand Illusion Cinema has brand new 35 mm prints of  THE CAT AND THE CANARY and THE GHOST BREAKER starring Bob Hope, along with the Late Night movie SLIME CITY.  In non-Halloween realted film, the SEATTLE LESBIAN & GAY FILM FESTIVAL wraps up this weekend with many excellent movies, including a WEST SIDE STORY sing-a-long at the Cinerama and Sunday's Closing Night film HANNAH FREE, with director Wendy Jo Carlton, producer Tracy Baim and star Sharon Gless in attendance. SIFF Cinema hosts the NORDIC LIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL with films from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland such as the Opening Night's EVERLASTING MOMENTS.  Northwest Film Forum has the new R.E.M. documentary THIS IS NOT A SHOW which features performances and backstage footage from their "working rehearsals" at Dublin's Olympia Theatre before the release of their latest album ACCELERATE. I'll be the one dancing in the front during "Supernatural Superserious". #