ARIA (1987) — WORLD PREMIERE of New 4K Restoration!

7th House is proud to present the theatrical WORLD PREMIERE of the new 4K restoration of  a singular curiosity of late-’80s cinema: ARIA (1987), an audacious, eclectic, and rarely screened anthology that invites ten visionary directors to interpret ten operatic arias as pure cinema. Featuring work by Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Altman, Nicolas Roeg, Charles Sturridge, Julien Temple, Bruce Beresford, Franc Roddam, Ken Russell, Derek Jarman, and Bill Bryden, the film gathers a remarkable cross-section of international auteurs, each bringing their own visual language to music that has echoed across centuries.

Imagine that ten of the world’s most well-known, highly regarded filmmakers were given a free hand to bring their visions of legendary operatic arias to life. Aria is the one-of-a-kind result of that experiment. Conceived by producer Don Boyd and built on the idea that opera’s emotional intensity could be liberated from the stage and translated into image, gesture, and dream, the film unfolds as a sequence of short works set to some of the most beloved and dramatic pieces in the operatic canon. Sensual, provocative, thought-provoking, and often darkly funny, it pairs each aria with a distinct cinematic sensibility, resulting in a dazzling patchwork of styles that range from lush romanticism to biting satire, surreal reverie to pop-art spectacle. Featuring Bridget Fonda’s film debut, a revealing and breathtaking performance from Elizabeth Hurley, and Theresa Russell as the trigger-happy King Zog of Albania, humorous turns by Buck Henry and Beverly D’Angelo, and a stirring performance by John Hurt, Aria remains a singular meeting point of opera and cinema at their most adventurous.

Rather than presenting opera as heritage or museum piece, ARIA revels in its capacity for excess, sensuality, humor, and emotional extremity. The film becomes a playful yet sincere meditation on performance, artifice, and the ways music can conjure worlds both intimate and operatically grand. At once irreverent and reverent, extravagant and experimental, ARIA is less a conventional narrative film than a cinematic concert hall of the imagination—a space where image and music collide in a spirit of bold invention.

Decadent, eccentric, and wholly unique, ARIA remains an underseen artifact of 1980s international art cinema: a lavish, mischievous celebration of the operatic form and the boundless possibilities of film as a medium for visualizing sound. Join us as we dim the lights and let these ten imaginings unfold—ten arias, ten worlds, one unforgettable cinematic spectacle.

Followed by a Q&A with producer Don Boyd and executive producer Arnie Holland, recorded especially for this screening.

Various dirs., 1987, 90 mins, UK, Rated R (Adult Audiences Only), Digital.

Special thanks to Lightyear Entertainment.

Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.

ADVISORY DISCLAIMER

With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].

CONTENT DISCLAIMER

The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.

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