 1983
Screenings:
Tuesday: Room A1, University.
Wednesday: Museum Theatre
FilmsMarch 8, 9 SERIE NOIRE
Director: Alain Corneau (France 1978) An Indirect homage to film-noire and the American detective movie. Based on a novel by Jim Thompson, but moving In the direction of modernistic pathology tinged by derision and demystification. A nod towards "Dirty Harry" and "Dog Day Afternoon".
March 15, 16 ADOLESCENTE
Director: Jeanne Horeau (France 1979) A young woman's awakening to womanhood on the eve of World War II. Exquisite or embarrassing, depending on your taste. Nostalgic rather than accurate, heart-shaped rather than mind-made.
March 22, 23 CONTRACT
Director", Krzysztof Zanussl (Poland 1980) Made during the early days of Solidarity. Although not directly about the new revolutionary events It does put the Polish psyche under the microscope. Although "the contract" Is a wedding contract the film refers to the modern contracts between people and classes which are constantly broken through hypocrisy and self-interest.
March 29, 30 LA FEMME QUI PLEURE (The Woman Who Cries)
Director: Jacques Doilion (France 1979) A painter, Just reaching success, loves both his wife and his mistress and sees no reason why he can't move backwards and forwards between them. A rather trite theme but Doillon makes a minor success out of It by concentrating on the emotions of the characters rather than merely telling a story of dissolving relationships.
April 5, 6 LE SUCRE
Director: Jacques Rouffio (France 1978) A modern day fable In a Moliere tradition. A rather farcical tale about the cornering of sugar on the stock market and how It relates to two men who become Involved.
April 12, 13 THIS SWEET SICKNESS
Director: Claude Hiller (France 1977) Based on Patricia Highsmith's suspense novel. A frightening story of a seemingly normal young man whose obsessive love for a woman he has not seen for some years leads to death and destruction.
April 19, 20 IN SPRING ONE PLANTS ALONE
Director: Vincent Ward (New Zealand 1980) An aged Maori woman lives In a near destitute manner with her adult son who is holly dependent on her. Also: JACK WlNTER'S DREAM And: JAMES K. BAXTER
April 26, 27 LUCIA
Director: Humberto Solas (Cuba 1969) A trilogy, each segment documenting a woman's role during various struggles for liberation, the years 1895, 1932 and 1960. A big, splashy virtuoso piece of film-making - three love stories (In different styles) In three revolutionary situations. .
May 3, 4 LES ANGES DU PECHE (Angels of the Streets)
Director: Robert Bresson (France 1943) Bresson's first feature film. Set in a convent which accepts both young girls straight from their families and ex-convicts from prison. The film deals with the relationship between a girl from each of the two areas. A film of grave, ascetic beauty.
May 10, 11 CAT PEOPLE
Director: Jacques Tourneur (USA 1943) A much praised low-budget thriller produced by Val Lewton which builds up mounting suspense. Allegedly the first monster film to refrain from showing the monster.
May 17 (Room Al only) TO BE ARRANGED
May 18 (Museum Theatre only) SNOW WONDER
Director: Walter Brown An exciting and outstanding New Zealand skiing film In the Walter Brown tradition.
May 24, 25 KING KONG
Directors: Ernest SChoedsack/Herian Cooper (USA 1933) "And 10, the Beast looked upon the face of Beauty. And It stayed Its hand from killing. And from that day It was as one dead" (original opening title).
May 31, June 1 THE LlFE AND TIMES OF ROSIE THE RlVITER
Director: Connie Field (USA 1980) Delightful feminist documentary, using interviews and newsreel footage to expose the gap between truth and propaganda in the legend of how America's "housewives" kept the assembly lines going during World War Two.
June 7, 8 LOOKS AND SMI LES
Director: Ken Loach (UK 1981) A low key sympathetic study of Sheffield dole queue kids, Disco scuffles, teen romances, illusions of "escape". A necessary antidote to "Chariots of Fire".
August 9, 10 ZAGREB FILMS. (Yugoslavia 1956-1980) A collection of outstanding cartoon films from the Zagreb studios, The reluctance of NZ distributors to screen cartoon films made outside the Tom and Jerry and Pink Panther Idiom has meant that New Zealand has, until this programme, been unable to see films such as these, An amazing collection!
August 16, 17 SALT OF THE EARTH
Director: Herbert Blberman (USA 1954) Broadly based on a 1951 strike In New Mexico, A dispute over safety In a zinc mine leads to conflict between management and labour, This spreads out to conflict between husbands and wives during which the women find a new Identity for themselves through the struggle,
August 23, 24 STEAMBOAT BILL JNR
Directors: Charles Reslner/Buster Keaton (USA 1928) A foppish student (Keaton) returns to his father's old Mississippi River Boat and after many misadventures ends up marrying the daughter of his father's rival, the owner of a new boat,
August 30" 31 L' ARGENT DES AUTRES (Other People's Honey)
Director: Christian de Chalonge (France 1978) Starring J,-L, Trintignant and Catherine Deneuve, An exciting thriller set In a Kafkaesque world of high finance: one man against a bank,
September 6, 7 LA DROLESSE
Director: ,Jacques Ooillon (France 1979) The tale of a 20 year old country boy who kidnaps an eleven year old girl and keeps her In the garret of the farmhouse where he lives with his boorish mother and stepfather,
September 13, 14 HANTHAN (The Churning)
Director: Skyam Benegal (India 1976) A young urban group headed by a veterinarian Is sent to a poor village to help start a milk co-operative where they clash with vested Interests and exploiters who wish to see It fail. Related with humour and charm,
September 20, 21 L'HORLOGER DE SAINT-PAUL (The Clock-maker of Saint-Paul)
Director: Bertrand Tavernier (France 1973) A widowed clock-maker learns that his son has killed a man and run away vi with a girlfriend, Left wing-right wing poll tics and understanding/lack of understanding between father and son,
September 27, 28 PASSE TON PAC D' ABORD (Graduate First)
Director: Maurice Pialot (France 1979) A group of young people In a small French city who are in their last year at high school - not necessarily the "best years of their lives", Their shows of sophistication are contrasted with their Insecurities and encroaching boredom ,
October 4, 5 PLEURE PAS LA BOUCHE PLElNE (Don't Cry With Your Mouth Full! Spring Into Summer)
Director: Fascal Thomas (France 1973) A slice of family life-In a provincial French village lazing its way through summer, A roll In the hay, slothfully titillating, ticklishly funny, sweetly bawdy, |