Dudley House Classic Movies
“There is really no such things as an “old” movie – just wonderful pictures you may not have discovered yet.” -- Peter Bogdanovich
Friday Evenings On the big-screen TV in the Graduate Student Lounge – all welcome! Contact Susan Zawalich (zawalich@fas.harvard.edu) for more information.
September 19 – Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin: Classic Comics of the Silent Screen
Join us as we enjoy two of the greatest, most brilliant films ever made. The amazing physical dexterity, creativity, and imagination of Keaton and Chaplin have truly never been equaled.
6 p.m. Sherlock, Jr. (1924, 45 min.). One of Buster Keaton's true masterpieces. Our hero is a film projectionist who really wants to be a detective. Falling asleep at the reel, he enters his film world to solve his real world problems. Breathtaking moments abound.
7:15 p.m. City Lights (1931, 87 min.). Charlie Chaplin's classic portrayal of The Tramp making his way through a hostile city in shaky economic times. As relevant today as in 1931, and full of wonderful scenes, physical comedy, and moving revelations.
October 3 – The Muppets Visit Dudley
6 p.m. We'll start with a couple choice episodes of The Muppet Show with Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, and Special Guest Stars.
7 p.m. The Muppet Movie (1979, 95 min.). The Muppets journey west to try their luck in Hollywood. A highlight is Kermit's rendition of “The Rainbow Connection.”
Other songs and delightful performances by the Muppet crew make this Jim Henson film a real treat for all ages.
October 17 – Woody Allen: Agent and Chameleon
6 p.m. Broadway Danny Rose (1984, 84 min.) Woody plays a long-time Broadway agent who may have finally found a client to make him a success, after a lifetime of shepherding rather sad acts. A beautifully written and acted study of loyalty, betrayal, and the complications of human relationships…and also very funny.
7:45 p.m. Zelig (1983, 79 min.). Certainly one of the great “mockumentaries” in American cinema, this is the story of Leonard Zelig who had such low self-esteem that he developed an amazing ability to “become” anyone he was with…thus earning the nickname of “The Human Chameleon.” A wonderful study of conformity and redemption and a brilliant piece of filmmaking. With Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, and cameo “documentary” appearances by many famous people of the 1930s.
November 7– Strangers in a Foreign Land
6 p.m. Babette's Feast (1987, 102 min.). This exquisite Danish film tells the story of the impact a French domestic has on the lives of simple people in a small, isolated Danish village in the 19 th century. Based on a story by Isak Dinesen, the film beautifully explores the importance of community, openness to the world, and … food! In Danish with English subtitles.
8 p.m. A Room With a View (1985, 117 min.) This is the Merchant/Ivory film version of the E. M. Forster novel about the coming of age of a young English woman who visits Florence with her very proper chaperone. The film features beautiful cinematography and delightful performances by a wonderful British cast including Helena Bonham-Carter, Maggie Smith, Simon Callow, Judi Dench, and Daniel Day-Lewis (who gives an amazing performance as an upper-class prig…very different from some of his other more flamboyant portrayals).
Holiday Film Evenings:
Friday, November 21 – 6 p.m. Annual Classic: The Sound of Music
Crisp apple strudel, Julie Andrews, Captain von Trapp, nuns, nazis, alps, a scheming baroness…and all those children! Irresistible for so many of us…we can't help it. Great fun for everyone! (1965, 174 min)
Tuesday, December 16 -- 6 p.m. Love, Actually
Prepare for the holidays ahead by watching this lovely film, following the stories of various couples as they explore the heartbreaks and the possibilities of relationships. A great cast includes Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, and Keira Knightly. (2003, 135 min.)