This week, the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque (11141 East
Blvd., 216.421.7450) kicks off a short series dedicated to Danish
filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer. While Dreyer is often
acknowledged as a groundbreaking filmmaker, 35mm prints of his films
are hard to come by. The Cinematheque, however, has procured archival
copies of three of his films that are currently touring the country.
They include Ordet, a drama about a rural family’s
crisis of faith (April 30 and May 1); the 1932 horror movie
Vampyr (May 8 and 9); and Gertrud,
Dreyer’s last film (May 8 and 10). The prints are on loan from
Copenhagen’s Danish Film Institute.

The Cedar Lee Theatre (2163 Lee Rd., 216.321.5411) continues its
efforts to promote high-definition screenings with a high-culture
series that begins in early May and runs through the end of summer.
First up, the theater will screen the Kirov Ballet’s Don
Quixote (May 6 and 10). Other ballets include
Stravinsky and Ballets Russes (June 3 and 7) and
Swan Lake (July 1 and 5). Hi-def operas include
Das Rheingold (May 13 and 17), Hansel und
Gretel (May 27 and 31); Viaggio A
Reims (June 10 and 14), Giulio Cesare (June 24 and 28), Eugene Onegin (July 8 and 12),
I Puritani (July 22 and 26), Lady Macbeth
of the Mtsensk District (August 5 and 9) and
Benvenuto Cellini (August 19 and 23). Ballet film
tickets will set you back $15; opera tickets are $20.

Former actor (and Cleveland School of the Arts alum) Bill
Marinella brings his Acme Casting Co. to town this weekend
to host a couple of events at the Agora Ballroom (5000 Euclid Ave.,
216.881.2221). Starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 2, he’ll spend the day
looking for castable actors, from kids to SAG members. Then, from 11
a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, he’ll hold a casting seminar. Seminar
tickets are $50. E-mail acmecastingofcleveland@yahoo.com for details and reservations.

Remember when Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd were funny? The folks
running the Cedar Lee (2163 Lee Rd., 216.321.5411) Cult Film Series do.
They’re showing Ghostbusters, a box-office smash
when it first came out 25 years ago, at 9:30 p.m. and midnight,
Saturday, May 2. It’ll be accompanied by a marshmallow-eating contest
(you have to sign up 30 minutes before each screening), with prizes
courtesy of Big Fun and Cleveland Cinemas. Tickets are $5.

jniesel@clevescene.com

This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2009.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.