William Friedkin followed up his wildly successful film The Exorcist with a taut thriller, a remake of the Henri-Georges Clouzot film Wages of Fear. Sorcerer follows four criminal outcasts holed up in a remote Latin American jungle as they are enlisted in a dangerous mission involving the dirty business of the oil industry. The multilingual, globe-trotting production was eclipsed by the box office success of Star Wars in the summer of 1977 and was deemed a failure for a director whose previous film had contributed to the rise of the Hollywood blockbuster. Decades later, Sorcerer has earned cult status along with its mesmerizing soundtrack by Tangerine Dream. This screening is part of Lightbox Film Center’s new series, Shimmering Synths: The Film Music of Tangerine Dream.

The film score embodies the harmonious relationship between music and visual art forms. The interaction between the two has become an integral part of art theory and history, especially since the 20th century. Composition in Concert will accompany Lightbox’s film series Shimmering Synths: The Film Music of Tangerine Dream as an exhibition open daily from July 9 – September 20, showcasing visual artwork informed by or in conversation with music. Join us on Tuesday, July 9 from 6-7pm for a free opening reception with food, drinks, and a chance to hear from the artists in the exhibition. The opening will also include a short program of films by John Whitney, author of Digital Harmony: On the Complementarity of Music and Visual Art.

The contemporary American auteur Michael Mann’s bold artistic sensibility was already fully formed when he burst out of the gate with Thief, his debut feature. James Caan stars in one of his most riveting performances as a no-nonsense, ex-con safecracker planning to leave the criminal world behind after one final diamond heist—but he discovers that escape is not as simple as he’d hoped. Finding hypnotic beauty in neon and rain-slick streets, sparks, and steel, Thief effortlessly established the moody stylishness and tactile approach to action that would also define such later iconic entertainments from Mann as Miami Vice, Manhunter, and Heat. This screening is part of Lightbox Film Center’s new series, Shimmering Synths: The Film Music of Tangerine Dream. Join us prior to this screening at 6pm for Lightbox’s Back Porch Beer Garden – free with your film ticket!