What to Watch on IFC in April

Monday, March 31, 2008 | 10:58 AM

Lots going on in April here at IFC. Big, BIG, BIG (did we say big?) premieres and themed nights to keep your visuals satisfied. Where to begin? How about Raging Bull, since it should've given Martin Scorsese his first Best Director Oscar back in 1980, not 27 years later for a film that failed to match this one's worth. Thankfully, Robert DeNiro did get honored with the grand prize for his outstanding performance as a violent boxer who can't control his emotions in or outside of the ring. Raging Bull premieres Sunday, April 6th, on a night of true-to-life films dedicated to people who just can't seem to shake trouble i.e. gambler Stu Ungar in High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story, and Michael Alig, club kid turned murderer, in Party Monster.

Also this month, the World War II drama The Pianist makes its debut on IFC. Adrian Brody won the Oscar in 2002 for his role in the film as a gifted musician trying to flee Nazi-occupied Warsaw, as did director Roman Polanski (though the latter, unable to enter the U.S., had to give his 'thanks' via a statement days later.)

A new genre emerged in the 1970s, when urban filmmakers began taking movies into their own hands to target black audiences. What resulted were some seriously bad ass characters followed around by some of the coolest, funkiest soundtracks to mimic their life. The fiery Foxy Brown, Coffy, Black Caesar, and Brotherhood of Death, are all on IFC. To get a history on how these and other films in the genre were made, tune into the IFC Original Doc Baadasssss Cinema, airing on the same night - Thursday, April 3rd.

And, for all you horror fiends, break out the umbrella for April Splatters. The screams, the blood, the gore, the girl in the shower that you know is about to get whacked. It all comes down Saturday, April 12th with Halloween, Dahmer, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.