Henderson Community College presents the Spring 2013 Film Series

Dealer’s Choice: Our Favorite Films

Films will be shown at 6:30 p.m. in Room STC 310 and admission is free

Silverado                                                                                                                                                             Feb. 14

A lavishly filmed western with sets and photography surpassing the quality of John Ford, Silverado offers an undercurrent of comedy while following four men who fight corruption and crooked lawmen in a wild-west town.  Will they prevail, or will lawlessness win?  This film was nominated for two Oscars, and is sure to please any audience member who enjoys beautiful landscapes, action, and quality horsemanship.  (1985, 129 minutes; directed by Lawrence Kasdan; starring Kevin Costner, Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, Scott Glenn and Brian Dennehy.)  Discussion led by Mike Knecht.

From Here to Eternity                                                                                                                                     Feb. 28

An Oscar powerhouse, From Here to Eternity was nominated for 13 Oscars and won 8, including “Best Picture” and “Best Director.”  The film follows the loves, passions, frustrations, and personalities of America’s peacetime soldiers in Hawaii during the last days before Pearl Harbor.  A splendid cast and sharp cinematography created iconic visual moments and rebooted a few acting careers. (1953, 118 minutes, black & white; directed by Fred Zinneman; starring Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, and Ernest Borgnine.)  Discussion led by Kevin Reid.  

Pan’s Labyrinth                                                                                                                                                                March 14

A hugely successful Spanish film, Pan’s Labyrinth tells the tale of a lonely girl in fascist Spain who escapes the despair of daily life through a complex and haunting dream world.  Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film, this picture won Oscars for Art Direction, Cinematography and Makeup.  (2006, 118 minutes, subtitled; directed by Guillermo del Toro; starring Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, and Sergei Lopez.)  Discussion led by Katie Griffis.

Kwaidan                                                                                                                                                              March 28

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Kwaidan, which means "ghost stories" in Japanese, is typically listed as a horror film.  Genre notwithstanding, this isn’t a “slasher pic,” rather it is a suspense story adapted from four traditional Japanese tales.  A lavish production with artificial sets and colors, Kwaidan has a fairytale-like quality that makes it, "one of the most meticulously crafted supernatural fantasy films ever made."  (1964, 161 minutes; subtitled, directed by Masakai Kobayashi; starring Rentaro Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama, and Misako Watanabe.)  Discussion led by Cary Conley.

Arthur                                                                                                                                                                   April 11

Nominated for four Oscars (winning 2), Arthur is a romantic comedy.  Arthur, a spoiled rich heir must marry the proper woman that his parents want or lose his inheritance.  The problem is that Arthur meets someone unsuitable, but falls in love with her.  Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli turn in sensitive and compelling performances as the star-crossed lovers.  (1981, 97 minutes; directed by Steve Gordon; starring Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, and John Gielgud.)  Discussion led by Bill Dixon.