By ELLIOT WALTERS
For The News-Letter
The Charles Theatre, located in Station North, boasts a phenomenal line-up all year including an elegantly selected Revival Series. The recently announced Revival Series list, covering the films showing from late September to mid-December, is a great chance for Hopkins students to engage in not only the unexpected and avant-garde films that always play at The Charles but also the beautiful historical canon of cinema.
Listed below are some recommendations across genres to encourage you to hop on the JHMI, grab a bite to eat and engage in the age-old ritual of sitting in a dark room to watch the magic happen. Bring friends or don’t; it’s perfectly acceptable at The Charles to enjoy the experience alone.
It is worth noting that the matinee showings are $2 cheaper ($7.50 versus $9.50). A comprehensive list of the Revival Series and their show times can be found on The Charles Theater Facebook page.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver starring Robert DeNiro was nominated for best picture in 1977. Featuring a cast of complex characters, ad lib De Niro scenes and the gritty side of New York City, it’s a solid choice for the skeptical Revival Series-goer.
Key Words: suspense, conspiracy, concrete jungle
Similar to: Apocalypse Now, Repo Man, Raging Bull
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Somewhat of an underdog, Mad Max: Fury Road is not for those who seek Hollywood’s typical formulaic trend.
Fury Road is difficult to compare to anything else. It boasts beautiful cinematography and an odd involvement of the protagonist. The big positives for this film are that the production quality is obviously more in line with millennial expectations and, of course, Charlize Theron kicks ass.
Key Words: dystopian, bloody, fast-paced
Similar to: The original Mad Max Trilogy, Jurassic Park, Kill Bill
The Misfits (1961)
Marilyn Monroe is entirely underrated. She’s often seen only as the sex symbol in The Seven Year Itch. It’s well worthwhile to watch this beauty who dazzled America in a somewhat more complex role and judge for yourself.
Key Words: Western, Americana, Clark Gable
Similar to: The Unforgiven, Bus Stop, Gone with the Wind
Foreign Film: Last Tango in Paris (1972)
Everything about Last Tango in Paris is stunning: cinematography, costuming and setting. The film makes an interesting statement, showing that there is a medium between dreamy, pure love as in L’Atalante and the over exaggeration of sex for the sake of ticket sales as shown by many of its contemporaries. But this sex isn’t without a purpose nor is it without surprisingly sweet moments that balance the brutal, odd and random sex portrayed.
The film questions the innate repulsion to adulthood and the question of monogamy. Like most French films, particularly of the era, it is shocking and dark. It discusses escapism and the moments that catapult a person into adulthood and strength.
Key Words: nudity, confliction, loneliness, simplistic decadence
Similar to: The Piano Teacher, The Graduate
