The All Staff Listicle: The Dog Days of Summer

The Cinematheque
August 16 (Friday)

I keep going back to the obvious titles: Do the Right Thing, Rear Window, Seven Year Itch, etc…

Kate

Purple Noon, 1960

It’s that time of year where we all seek refuge in the air-conditioned luxury of a theatre and Cinematheque staffers are no different. Read on as we share with you a list of films that epitomize the dog days of summer.
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Call Me by Your Name. I love love love this movie. The Italian summer heat is palpable and becomes the perfect backdrop for the romantic tension and coming-of-age drama in this film. The musical additions of artists such as Sufjan Stevens in the soundtrack add a strong layer of sad girl summer that I listen to on the regular.” —Thea

I have used this theme before for a home cinema screening day except with the added shared locale of New York City. My Hot Day in the City’ trifecta is: Dog Day Afternoon, Do the Right Thing, and Die Hard with a Vengeance. With the addition of Stray Dog and Cool Hand Luke for an extra hot summer viewing.” —Al

Whether it’s the explicit tagline in Jaws, Don’t go in the water!,’ or Bodhi pleading with Johnny Utah to Let me get one wave before you take me,’ in Point Break, bodies of water in film have always signified to me, the onslaught of hot summer days. What could be better than lounging next to the pool while Alain Delon swims laps (and stares at you with those cobalt-blue eyes) in La Piscine? Or hiding with Franck (equal parts terrified and excited) in the woods at the edge of the lake in Stranger by the Lake?? Nothing. Nothing is better than watching a cool, sweat-quenching movie on a hot summer’s day.” —Gerilee

For me, the summer movie is synonymous with Eric Rohmer. His penchant for staging talky tales of attraction against the backdrop of beaches, blue skies, and barely clad bodies can be found throughout his signature thematic series—with my favourite, 1986’s The Green Ray (Le rayon vert), appearing in the Comedies and Proverbs’ cycle. (It is the fifth installment.) It stars Marie Rivière (also co-writer) as a lovably pouty Parisian ditched by her friend on the cusp of summer vacation and now scrambling to make alternate plans before she returns to her ho-hum secretarial life. She’s insecure, somewhat introverted, and searching for signs—in playing cards and an atmospheric phenomenon—of love. (She’s also a vegetarian, an arrow through my heart.) The unforced naturalism, the plein-air photography, the fashion, my god, the fashion (if you don’t yet follow @rohmerfits on Instagram, fix that)—all hallmarks of a best in show’ Rohmer picture. But most germane to this listicle is the film’s irresistible notion of summer fate, of a romance that just might outlast the season.” —Shaun

Purple Noon has to be my top pick for the repressive, sweaty, dog days of summer. At times taking you through a frenzied panic, and at others, the heat-oppressed inability to even open your eyes in the effort to raise a cocktail to your lips. The crime thriller is carried by peak-hotness Alain Delon (yes, even hotter than he is in Le samouraï), through a 1960s-Amalfi Coast. For those who enjoyed Steven Zaillian’s Ripley series released this year, Purple Noon is a must-see original film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, and always worth a re-watch. Whether it actually cools you off … I can’t substantiate.” —Emma

Wages of Fear, 1953.” —Linton

Past Posts

Date Title Author
2024-Aug The All Staff Listicle: The Dog Days of Summer The Cinematheque
2024-Aug Opening Night: Catherine Breillat The Cinematheque
2024-Jun Experience Cinelab 2024! Learning & Outreach
2024-Jun West Coast Film Archive Presentation Liam Schell
2024-Jun Michèle Smith The Cinematheque
2024-Apr Intermissions The Cinematheque
2024-Apr Tales from the Silo: National Film Week ​’86 Gerilee McBride
2024-Mar Ongoing Series at The Cinematheque The Cinematheque
2024-Mar Presenting: Godzilla Stop-Motion Contest Films Learning & Outreach
2024-Feb Volunteer Spotlight: Marlon Wiebe The Cinematheque
2024-Feb AGM Notice: February 13 (Tuesday) 5:00 pm The Cinematheque
2023-Dec Merry Movies! The Cinematheque
2023-Dec Film Career Event: Watch Online! Learning & Outreach
2023-Nov Cinema Thinks the World Presents Learning & Outreach
2023-Nov The All Staff Listicle: Fall Film Festival Edition The Cinematheque
2023-Oct Ask Al: Digital Films and DCPs Al Reid
2023-Sep Volunteer Spotlight: Chris Ayers The Cinematheque
2023-Aug Owen Kydd Interviews Bruno Dumont The Cinematheque
2023-Jul Presenting: Early Cinema Filmmaking Workshop Films Learning & Outreach
2023-Jul Tales from the Silo Gerilee McBride
2023-Jun Opening Night: Lee Changdong The Cinematheque
2023-Apr Volunteer Spotlight: Jonathan Wells The Cinematheque
2023-Apr The All Staff Listicle: If Spring Were a Movie The Cinematheque
2023-Mar Volunteer Spotlight: Fiona Hu The Cinematheque
2023-Mar Ask Al: Adventures of a Projectionist Al Reid
2023-Mar Trailers, Tips & Tools: Editing with Music Emma Pollard
2023-Mar What is Learning & Outreach? Learning & Outreach
2023-Mar News from the Executive Director Kate Ladyshewsky
2023-Mar Welcome to Intertitles The Cinematheque