Julie Christie in Fahrenheit 451. 1966. Great Britain. Directed by Francois Truffaut
These notes accompany screenings of Francois Truffaut’s </em>Fahrenheit 451</a> on April 2, 3, and 4 in Theater 3.</p>
By the mid-1960s, I had already made up my mind that Francois Truffaut (1932–1984) was my favorite of the French New Wave directors, who had transcended their roots as film critics.
Raven’s End. 1963. Sweden. Directed by Bo Widerberg
These notes accompany screenings of Bo Widerberg’s </em>Raven’s End </a> on March 26, 27, and 28 in Theater 2.</p>
Bo Widerberg (1930–1997) was confronted with the dilemma of carving out his own niche in Swedish cinema as the anti-Ingmar Bergman.
Paul Newman and Piper Laurie in The Hustler. 1961. USA. Directed by Robert Rossen
These notes accompany screenings of Robert Rossen’s </em>The Hustler</a> on March 19, 20, and 21 in Theater 3.</p>
Robert Rossen, whose 106th birthday would have been this week, was a victim of the blacklisting witch-hunt of the 1950s, an experience that apparently contributed to his early death at 57.
Nothing but a Man. 1964. USA. Directed by Michael Roemer
These notes accompany screenings of Michael Roemer’s </em>Nothing but a Man</a> on March 12, 13, and 14 in Theater 3.</p>
This is being written a few days after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded its Best Picture Oscar to 12 Years a Slave, directed by Steve McQueen, the first black person to ever be so honored by the Academy.
The Servant. 1963. Great Britain. Directed by Joseph Losey
These notes accompany screenings of Joseph Losey’s </em>The Servant</a> on March 5, 6, and 7 in Theater 3.</p>
Joseph Losey (1909–1984) was the most interesting director to come out of the American left, except possibly for Constantinople-born Elia Kazan.
Echoes of Silence. 1965. USA. Written, directed, and photographed by Peter Emmanuel Goldman
These notes accompany screenings of Peter Emanuel Goldman’s </em>Echoes of Silence</a> on February 26, 27, and 28 in Theater 3.</p>
As Peter Emanuel Goldman has graciously informed me, accounts of his death (as Mark Twain said of his own in 1897) have been greatly exaggerated.
Woman in the Dunes. 1963. Japan. Directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara
These notes accompany screenings of Hiroshi Teshigahara’s </em>Woman in the Dunes</a> on February 19, 20, and 21 in Theater 3.</p>
Hiroshi Teshigahara (1927–2001) was a latecomer to the movement known as the Japanese New Wave (like his French counterparts, he began as a film critic), preceded by Susumu Hani, Nagisa Oshima, and Shohei Imamura.
Catherine Deneuve in Repulsion. 1965. Great Britain. Directed by Roman Polanski
These notes accompany screenings of Roman Polanski’s </em>Repulsion</a> on February 12, 13, and 14 in Theater 3.</p>
Although his first feature, Knife in the Water</a>, was something of an international success, Roman Polanski’s career plans remained uncertain.
Black Girl. 1965. Senegal. Written and directed by Ousmane Sembene
These notes accompany a program of films by Ousmane Sembene screening on February 5, 6, and 7 in Theater 3.
Ousmane Sembene (1923–2007) of Senegal is considered “the father of African film,” and the two films in this program are among his earliest works. By the time he came to film, at age 40, he had a checkered past ranging from deep immersion in tribal religion to Communism, and from military service to being a longshoreman in Marseille.
These notes accompany screenings of Alfred Hitchcock’s </em>The Birds</a> on January 29, 30, and 31 in Theater 3.</p>
Tippi Hedren and a feathered friend in The Birds. 1963. USA. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock In his seminal study of Alfred Hitchcock, critic Robin Wood focuses on the director’s career-long apprehension that civilization rests precariously on a very thin layer of what we accept as reality, but which covers a foreboding, underlying chaos.
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