With his rough-hewn face and gruff demeanor, Warren Oates had the kind of offbeat, chameleon-like screen presence that could only have belonged to a star from the freewheeling New Hollywood of the 1960s and ’70s. During this period, he left an inimitable stamp on classics of the American New Wave and cult favorites alike, including Two Lane Blacktop, Badlands, and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (the last helmed by his close friend Sam Peckinpah). On the occasion of the rediscovery and new 4K digital restoration by Cinelicious Pics of Leslie Stevens’s long-thought-lost 1960 noir Private Property, which features Oates in his first significant screen role, the Film Society presents a retrospective of the actor’s work. Whether stealing scenes in a supporting role, or setting a gonzo tone in his all-too-rare turns as a leading man, Oates irradiated a blend of low-key intensity, impish charm, and innate cool that has made him a counterculture icon.

Organized by Florence Almozini and Dan Sullivan.

Special thanks to Monte Hellman.