Fpurl

Last night the Northwest Film Forum had a line out the door with moviegoers eager for some classic European cinema. As previously mentioned, the Italian sex comedy Divorce--Italian Style (and its follow-up, Seduced and Abandoned) are showing in the small theater through tomorrow, leaving the big one to hold the main event, the NWFF's latest film series, Duel of the Cool.

In this corner, France's Jean-Paul Belmondo, former boxer (hence the big, oft-broken nose), perpetually pouty lip-rubber, Humphrey Bogart impersonator, and all-around unconventionally sexy man. And in the other corner, Italy's Marcello Mastroianni, the Latin lover, the insatiable romantic, and the elegant intellectual. The ladykillers face off for three straight weeks at the NWFF, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with films made the same year. The Duel kicked off last night with Belmondo in Godard's 1960 new wave classic Breathless and Mastroianni in Fellini's epic La Dolce Vita. So tonight's your last night to catch those two films (La Dolce Vita at 7pm and Breathless at 10pm). Next week brings Belmondo in Les Doulos and Mastroianni in 8 1/2, and the final week has Belmondo back with Godard in Pierrot le Fou and Mastroianni in Leo the Last.

It's Belmondo vs. Mastroianni in three rounds of classic cinema. The NWFF is giving out ballots, so after the films, you can vote on which actor deserves the title of "King of Cool." But the match-up doesn't stop there; even 12th Ave restaurants are getting into the act. It's also Cafe Presse vs. La Spiga. During the series' run, if you go to either of those establishments before or after the films, it's 20% off your bill. This is a democracy, so we vote with our wallets. The winning restaurant will be determined by the number of moviegoers who come in for food, which will be announced after the series is over.

Duel of the Cool // Northwest Film Forum // 1515 12th Ave // $8.50 per film, or series pass $25 NWFF members, $40 GA