If you could think of twenty movies you would really like to see this term what would they be? Well, the Dartmouth Film Society as usual tries to answer just that question and this term comes up with an unusually interesting selection, addressing provocative issues of race, sex, nationality and experience in a series named "Border Crossings."
"Civilization is, and always has been, divided by a series of boundaries," claims the Film Society in it's description of the Winter term film calendar. And in that vein, they have attempted to choose a collection of films which in one way or another represent social borders.
Unlike the socially forgettable films in last fall's "Fun Series" like "School Daze" and "The Firm,'' "this term's series presents films which are intended to promote discussion", states Jeff Middents '93, director of the DFS.
"West Side Story," a 1961 cinematic classic lauded for its integration of choreography and narrative, started off the series on Monday and "embodies the series' concept," claims Middents.
While "West Side Story" to contemporary viewers may seem anachronistic and racially stereotypical in its presentation of Puerto Rican and white relations in an urban setting, the movie remains an accurate commentary on the deep seated hatred and stereotype that still flourish in the inner city between a variety of races and nationalities as was recently illustrated in the L.A. riots.
On moving on to "Joy Luck Club" which is being shown today, DFS explores the plight of being a female Chinese American and grappling with both discrimination and tradition in modern society. Despite its rather bitter portrayal of males, "Joy Luck Club" hits home with some poignant awareness of the trauma of life.
The rest of the series is not presented in a particular progression, however, there are three sets of double features to be shown in February, including heavy hitters like "Native Son" and "Cry, the Beloved Country" which touch closely on black relations to commemorate Black History Month.
Other notables include "M Butterfly," "Guess Who's coming to Dinner," "Deliverance" and "The Gods Must Be Crazy," all of which were picked because of their treatment of social issues, according to Middents.
The Hopkins Center Thursday night series in Loews which typically has an academic theme and presented Japanese cinema in the Fall, continues its social awareness with films celebrating "Jewish Identities" this winter. According to Middents, the Loews series, while seperate from the DFS is also formulated in conjunction with local societal concerns.
