English movies

English movies

by Andrew Goodell

How often do you feel truly cultured after seeing the latestmainstream Hollywood movie?

The English Department has a remedy for those who feel like theyneed an alternative to what is shown in local movie theatres.Instructor of English, David Wolf and Professor Mel Wilk choseseveral movies to be shown in the BSC on Friday nights this termthat are intended to provide students and the public with an out ofthe ordinary cinematic experience.

One title that has been screened already is Rope from legendaryBritish director, Alfred Hitchcock. Wolf said that Rope “…was oneof Hitchcock’s experimental films.”

Another film that has already been offered by the EnglishDepartment was Robert Townsend’s Hollywood Shuffle. According toWolf, this film was shown last month because it provides animportant commentary on what it means to be an African-Americanactor in Hollywood.

Experimentation and social insight seem to be the overridingthemes when it comes to Wilk and Wolf’s selection of movies to beshown. Some future titles that the English Department wants to showinclude Mike Leigh’s Secrets and Lies, an Italian film called Breadand Tulips, and the French film Camille Claudel.

Many of these films were produced in foreign countries. Thismeans that any viewer who does not speak fluent French or Italian(for example), will need to read subtitles to understand the plotlines.

The idea of having to read subtitles does not hold a wide appealto most moviegoers. However, it is a small price to pay in order toexperience a worthwhile film.

Wolf said, “There is a lot of great stuff coming out ofdifferent cultures.”

Despite the fact that these films are intellectually stimulatingas well as free of charge, Wolf said that they have not been wellattended insofar. He said that no one came to see Rope and thatonly two people were there for the screening of HollywoodShuffle.

The low attendance issue is due, in part, to the fact that BSCis not a very accommodating venue according to Wolf. He said thatsome of the films are very lengthy and students need to feelcomfortable to enjoy them.

As a new activity associated with Stormy Nights, these moviesprovided by the English Department are not intended as competitionfor any other CAB event. Wolf said that inciting event conflict isnot one of the goals of his department.

For those who enjoy these foreign film events, there is more tocome from the English Department. Wolf said that there is already aworking list of films to be screened next fall.

When asked about what his favorite of all the movies to bescreened is, Wolf said, “They’re all quite different in theirappeal.”