Also this issue: Wide Open Spaces Frederick Wiseman's documentaries give reality time to breathe. -Sam Adams Web Pierce Spider delves into a madman's mind, but leaves the door open a crack. -Sam Adams Interview: David Cronenberg -S.A Backwards Thinking Irréversible's reverse philosophy undoes the logic of vengeance. -Cindy Fuchs Screen Picks -Sam Adams New Continuing Showtimes

March 13-19, 2003

repertory film

Send repertory film listings to lori@citypaper.net.

ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES19th St. and the Parkway, 610-649-5220 Europe’s Wild Gem -- Iceland (1997, Canada, 82 min.) Film by wildlife cinematographer John Wilson of Canada, from the fjords to the seabirds to the capital of Reykjavik. Presentation of the Geographical Society of Philadelphia. Wed., March 19, 2 and 7:30 p.m., $5-$10.

THE BALCONY 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE Escape from New York (1981, U.S., 99 min.) Kurt Russell stars as a criminal offered freedom if he can rescue the president from the clutches of terrorists. Mon., March 17, 8 p.m., free.

CHESTNUT HILL LIBRARY 8711 Germantown Ave., 215-901-3771, www.armcinema25.com/chfg.html The Spirit of the Beehive (El Espíritu de la Colmena) (1973, Spain, 97 min.) Story of childhood in rural Spain, set immediately after the civil war. Tue., March 18, 7:30 p.m., free.

COUNTY THEATER 20 E. State St., Doylestown, 215-345-6789, www.countytheater.com

Metropolis (1927, Germany, 124 min.) Fritz Lang's silent film about classism in a futuristic society. Sun., March 16, 2:15 p.m.; Mon., March 17, 7 p.m., $5.25-$7.75. 2003 Black Maria Film Festival More than 10 animated, experimental, narrative and documentary short films (mostly 5-10 minutes in length) introduced by Festival Director John Columbus. Mon., March 17, 7 p.m., $7.75. Ararat (2002, Canada, 116 min.) Atom Egoyan's story of the attempted genocide of Armenians in Turkey in 1915, told through the eyes of a filmmaker. Wed., March 19, 4:30 p.m.; Thu., March 20, 4:30 p.m. Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1994, U.S., 111 min.) Animated version of the tale of Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves. Sat., March 15, 1:30 p.m., $3-$4.

EXHUMED FILMS @ Broadway Theatre, 43 S. Broadway, Pitman, N.J., 856-589-7519, www.exhumedfilms.com

Evil Dead

(1982, U.S., 85 min.) Sam Raimi's cult horror classic starring Bruce Campbell as the only one of five friends who find The Book of the Dead who makes it out alive. Shown with

Equino

x (1970, U.S., 80 min.) Horror film with a plot stunningly similar to that of Evil Dead. Fri., March 14, 9 p.m., $8. See Screenpicks p. 32.

GERSHMAN Y 401 S. Broad St., 215-446-3033 The Case of Jonathan Pollard (2002, U.S., 57 min.) Documentary about imprisoned spy Jonathan Pollard, in jail for the last 15 years, and the struggle of his supporters to free him on the basis that he was merely following his moral convictions. Preceded by Kibitz Room (2002, U.S., 18 min.) Jared Cowan's snapshot of the history and art of the Jewish delicatessen. Sat., March 15, 8 p.m., $10; Sun., March 16, 2 p.m., $8; Mon., March 16, 7:30 p.m., $7. The Case of Jonathan Pollard filmmakers Eran Preis, Amiram Amitai and Jonathan Pollard's relatives Morris Pollard and Carol Pollard, and Kibitz Room director Jared Cowen are guests at the Saturday night screening; Preis, Amitai and Cowen will also speak at the Sunday and Monday screenings.

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE 3701 Chestnut St., 215-895-6575 French Wednesdays The Dinner Game (1998, France, 80 min.) Francis Veber's César award-winning film about a group of wealthy friends whose weekly entertainment is a contest to see who can bring the biggest idiot to dinner. Wed., March 19, 7:30 p.m., $5-$6.

MARATHON GRILL 1839 Spruce St., 215-731-0800 Cry-Baby (1990, U.S., 85 min.) Johnny Depp and Amy Locane are star-crossed lovers in 1950s Baltimore in this John Waters' film. Wed., March 19, 9 p.m., free.

N. 3RD 801 N. Third St., 215-413-3666 Flix @ N. 3rd Local filmmakers screen their short films at this Northern Liberties watering hole. Tue., March 18, 7 p.m., free.

PRINCE MUSIC THEATER Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., 215-569-9700 Fox and His Friends (1975, Germany, 123 min.) See Screenpicks p. 32. Wed., March 19 and Thu., March 20, 7 p.m., $8.50.

SECRET CINEMA @ Sedgwick Cultural Center, 7135 Germantown Ave., 215-248-9229 The Million Eyes of Su-Muru (1967, U.K., 95 min.) In honor of Women's History Month, Secret Cinema presents this sci-fi/spy film about a group of sexy female super-agents who plot world domination with their high-tech gadgets, martial arts moves and eye-popping pantsuits. Features Shirley Eaton, Klaus Kinski, George Nader and Philly's own Frankie Avalon. Fri., March 14, 8 p.m., $6.

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY 800 Lancaster Ave., 610-519-4750, www.culturalfilms.villanova.edu ¡Ay Carmela! (1990, Italy/Spain, 102 min.) During the Spanish Civil War, a husband-and-wife vaudeville team accidentally take their show into fascist territory, where after they are arrested, a commander offers them their freedom if they'll do a propaganda show glorifying Hitler and Mussolini. Sat., March 15, 7 p.m., Sun., March 16, 3:30 and 7 p.m.; Mon., March 17, 7 p.m. (Monday speaker: Heidi Rose on "Performance and Political Repression in ¡Ay Carmela!"), $3-$4.