Behind the Scenes

Program Type:

Movie

Age Group:

Adults

Program Description

Event Details

More than entertaining stories to be viewed from a sofa and then benignly forgotten, cinema is an art form rich in expression and worthy of our time and attention.

Join Brandon for a fun discussion of a variety of films from John Wayne to Shirley Temple. Each month, we'll discuss two thematically-paired films and look "behind the scenes" to unpack each their historical significance, stylistic choices, and meanings.

You may laugh, you may cry, you may even raise an eyebrow and wonder "What was that?", but you'll certainly be affected. They don't call 'em moving pictures for nothing!

This month's selections: Real Life and Videodrome
Theme: "TV Movies"

Real Life (1979) 

Filmmaker Albert Brooks wants to create a documentary that will get to the very heart of what it means to be an American family.  To that end, he persuades the Yeagers (played to perfection by Charles Grodin and Frances Lee McCain) to let him and his camera crew document virtually every moment of their waking lives. What's supposed to be a cinematic presentation of reality, however, soon becomes something quite different, as Brooks can't stop himself from interfering in their lives for the sake of entertainment.

Videodrome (1983)

As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn (James Woods) is desperate for new programming to attract viewers.  When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel.  However, after his girlfriend (Deborah Harry) auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.

Copies available at the library! Reserve yours by calling 412-882-6622 or e-mailing Brandon at taperb2@whitehallpubliclibrary.org