Audiences really love Jeff Goldblum.
We’ve known that to be true since at least "The Fly," and certainly since "Jurassic Park," but that alone undersells it, of course. They don’t love this idiosyncratic character actor like your run-of-the-mill movie star but with the sort of fervent enthusiasm reserved only for the very few true pop cultural icons.
The Quad Cinema on Friday launches The Goldblum Variations, a retrospective showcasing the one-of-a-kind actor and his brand of sly, charming wit mixed with just the right sense of mischievous weirdness. It will culminate with a revival beginning Feb. 22 of "Between the Lines," a rarely-seen 1977 film about the day-to-day lives of the staffers at a Boston alternative newspaper, starring Goldblum and a first-rate ensemble ranging from Bruno Kirby to Marilu Henner.
You can catch "Jurassic Park," "The Lost World," "The Fly" and "Independence Day" at the Quad over the next couple weeks. You don’t need us to tell you about them. But these are some of the other movies worth seeking out. The full schedule can be found at quadcinema.com.
"Into the Night"
After the enormous amount of effort required to come to fruition, most movies arrive only to be immediately forgotten, slipping into the cinematic graveyard never to be seen again. That’s even true for films as star-packed as this 1985 John Landis-directed L.A. noir, starring Goldblum as a regular guy on the run with Michelle Pfeiffer. There’s a B.B. King soundtrack, appearances from the likes of David Bowie and Dan Aykroyd, and much more. Feb. 12, 16, 17
"Earth Girls Are Easy"
This is a deeply weird, kitschy movie from 1988, starring Goldblum, a pre-superstardom Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans as furry aliens who arrive in the San Fernando Valley in search of human women. There, they crash-land into the life of a hairstylist played by Geena Davis, who gives them a makeover. Feb. 9, 14, 23
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
Goldblum’s magnetic charisma is on full display in this 1978 Philip Kaufman remake, which once again tells the famous story of the pod people taking over in San Francisco. He plays the co-owner of a mudbath and an aspiring writer, who is a part of the group besieged by the duplicates that also includes (among others) Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams. Feb. 9, 17, 22
"Thank God It’s Friday"
What could be better than Goldblum and disco? Not too much, we’re sure, and so you’ll want to make a point to check out this 1978 movie, in which the star owns an L.A. nightclub. Sure, the movie (best known for winning an Oscar for Donna Summer’s "Last Dance") is not exactly fondly regarded by critics, but it’s Goldblum and it’s disco, for heaven’s sake. Feb. 15, 18
"The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou"
It’s easy to see why Goldblum and Wes Anderson have an enduring partnership. They are similarly whimsical figures, able to craft quirky style into an art form rather than relying on it for its own sake. In this picture about Murray’s oceanographer, Goldblum is hilariously effete as his chief rival. Feb. 14, 15, 21, 24
If you go: The Goldblum Variations runs at the Quad Cinema from Friday through Feb. 28. 34 W. 13th St., quadcinema.com
