Screening #4: "The Dark End of the Street," West Newton Cinema, May 21, 6:45 pm

After making one of the best Boston independent dramas, 1979's Billy in the Lowlands, Cambridge writer-director Jan Egleson was able to secure much of the funding for the follow-up from WGBH, which had aired Billy after its local theatrical run (and had been able to get some of the glory when the movie won a New England Emmy award). Like its predecessor, 1981's The Dark End of the Street is set in the world of the Cambridge working-class youths Egleson had met at The Group School. Although DEOTS has a more complex story, it sacrifices none of the decidedly un-Hollywood rawness of Billy. This time Henry Tomaszewski's Billy Shaughnessy is still around, but his girlfriend Donna (Laura Harrington) is the center of attention. Once again, it's a story of a "project kid" trying to find a better way in life, and there is no "Hollywood ending." I'm thrilled to be able to present the movie at West Newton Cinema, at 6:45pm on May 21. This very entertaining and significant Boston movie has never come out on home video and has not shown locally since 2001, and Jan Egleson will be joining me at the screening. Oh, and did I mention a little blond 8-year-old named Ben Affleck plays the heroine's little brother? That's him in the photo, with Harrington (left) and Janice Brown (sporting a nifty Group School t-shirt). Ben, we'll save you a seat...