Epilogue
In 2019, the Park Ridge Public Library Classic Film Series celebrated its tenth anniversary with World Cinema— a three-month, twelve-film series that showcased some of the great international films. In addition to highlighting key directors, the series examined important film movements, such as German Expressionism, Poetic realism, Italian neorealism, and the French New Wave. Beyond the films themselves, documentaries and interviews related to the films were shown before each screening. The following was the complete spring schedule:
March 7: Destiny (1921) Dir. Fritz Lang
March 14: The 39 Steps (1935) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
March 21: Alexander Nevsky (1938) Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
March 28: Rules of the Game (1939) Dir. Jean Renoir
April 4: A Canterbury Tale (1944) Dir. Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger
April 11: Bicycle Thieves (1948) Dir. Vittorio De Sica
April 18: Stray Dog (1949) Dir. Akira Kurosawa
April 25: Late Spring (1949) Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
May 9: La Strada (1954) Dir. Federico Fellini
May 16: The Seventh Seal (1957) Dir. Ingmar Bergman
May 23: Jules and Jim (1961) Dir. Francois Truffaut
May 30: Chimes At Midnight (1966) Dir. Orson Welles
This was the only foreign film series I will program at the Park Ridge Public Library. Given the first floor meeting room’s limitations in its design, I had to reduce the seating in order to provide better sightlines for those who attended. A large semi-circle arrangement may have been unorthodox, but it was better than a room filled with swaying heads– even with staggered seating. (In terms of the presentation of the subtitled films, Jules and Jim was a success. Since this film had a different aspect ratio compared to the older films in the series, the subtitles were elevated in the widescreen format.)
Some of the highlights included organist Jay Warren performing an accompaniment to Fritz Lang’s Destiny, which was the largest turnout of the season with 86 in attendance. This was an original score played on Jay’s digital organ. His music fits so well with the action on the screen you almost forget he’s in the room with us! We also ended on a high note with Orson Welles’s mash-up of Shakespeare histories, Chimes At Midnight. This was arguably the best film in the series; I wanted to end the program with an American master (since we bypassed Hollywood). To the regulars who came every Thursday night with their passports in hand, we are very grateful. These dedicated patrons realize that part of the enjoyment of discovery is experiencing the films with an audience.Their feedback and reactions made the program worthwhile. We appreciate all the positive comments that have been submitted to the library as a result.
With cinema arts organist Jay Warren (right).
World Cinema was a joy to put together and I feel I provided some of my best commentary with each introduction. I worked in some of my favorite directors including Fritz Lang and Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Last November, I had given a 75-minute Powerpoint presentation on Powell & Pressburger at the Northbrook Library, so I was excited to be able to present one of their lesser-known films at Park Ridge. In the series, I tried to avoid the magnum opus titles and instead chose several “next best” films which, in some cases, are more broadly accessible to audiences. Another consideration was the element of time. With only two hours to work with (7PM-9PM), films like Seven Samurai and 8 1/2 had to be excluded. (In the case of Fellini, La Strada is actually a better film to start with for new audiences.)
The films selected were, of course, a small sampling of international filmmaking. Although called “world cinema,” our series focused primarily on European and Japanese cinema. How could you profile only one French filmmaker or one Japanese filmmaker? But what we did not cover at the library we encourage our fans to discover on their own, including the films of Mexico’s golden age, Indian cinema, and all the other early classics to be found in Asia and the Middle East. (If you’re not sure where to start, just grab a copy of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.)
The Park Ridge Public Library Classic Film Series will return with its twelfth program in March 2020.
Matthew C. Hoffman
Program Host
