The 1997-1998 academic year marks Dartmouth's 25th year of coeducation. The Dartmouth Film Society is contributing to the celebration with "Shattering the Ceiling: Unconventional Women in Cinema," the '97 Fall film series.
The series offers a wide variety of films, from documentaries to silver screen classics to modern day sci-fi thrillers.
The films being shown in Spaulding this Fall are united by strong defiant women as main characters.
"These women of the screen tend to be proactive rather reactive, like most roles we see them portray," said Marc McDonald '96, DFS president.
The series began with a double feature, the 1988 film "Working Girl" and last year's "Courage Under Fire." Melanie Griffith and Meg Ryan, the stars of these films, pose challenges to the traditionally male-dominated worlds of business and the military.
Next on the itinerary is the soon-to-become-a-classic "Thelma and Louise," about two women who break free of a male dominated society using the very things traditionally considered the sole dominion of men: guns, cars and violence.
Ridley Scott, director of "Thelma and Louise," is notable for successfully inserting women into action films. Scott also directed "Aliens."
A film not to miss in the triple feature Friday, Sept. 26 is "La Femme Nikita," about a young waif recruited as an assassin by the French Secret Service. This film spawned a ridiculous cable television series and an over-produced American version starring Bridget Fonda, both of which fall far short of the original.
Jodie Foster's latest big screen success, "Contact," kicks off October. Although this film ends with a whimper and is rife with simpering Robert Zemeckis sentimentality, Foster pulls through with a strong performance that makes the film entertaining.
Kevin Smith of "Clerks" fame directs "Chasing Amy," a film about how wacky, kooky and confused all of us members of "Generation X" really are. "Chasing Amy" plays Oct. 8.
Actresses rightfully protest that there are few strong roles for women in Hollywood scripts. Meryl Streep, the subject of another double feature, has had an opportunity denied to most actresses to portray resilient and courageous women on the big screen. "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Sophie's Choice" are two gripping films that highlight Streep's career.
Although Steven Speilberg's performance-driven adaptation of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" earned 11 Academy Award nominations, no one in the cast won the coveted Oscar. Nonetheless this film, playing October 22nd, is not to be missed.
Fans of silent films will not want to miss "Rosita," accompanied by live piano. Mary Pickford, star of this film and one of the original Hollywood matriarchs, plays a rebellious lower class woman in love with a destitute member of the gentry.
"The Piano," starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel and a haunting soundtrack, won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival in 1993. A stark contrast to "Thelma and Louise," Hunter's character breaks out of traditional female roles through music.
The last film in the series is "Gas Food Lodging." Not only does this film contain strong women characters, but it was directed by a strong woman, independent film maker Allison Anders.
According to McDonald, focusing on strong women in cinema this term also helps Dartmouth to break out of its traditional stereotypes.
"We are able to show 29 films that have women breaking stereotypical roles in their own way, very much like the women of Dartmouth who have not only broken society's stereotype of the typical female, but also the stereotype of Dartmouth as a collection of conservative male WASPs."
A membership pass for entry into all films costs $12.00 for Dartmouth students and $18.00 for the general public.
"Shattering the Ceiling" was the brainchild of DFS member, Sarah Johnston '97.
The film series in the Loew Theatre this term will highlight life in 18th-century France. Titled "Couriers & Commoners," cinematic pieces include Oscar nominated, "Ridicule" and "Dangerous Liasions" featuring Glenn Close and John Malkovich.
