Film society complements liberal arts
Michal Elseth
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: Arts
Studying the liberal arts at Hillsdale means studying great literature, history, art, music and the sciences, but one group on campus would argue one art has been conspicuously absent from the repertoire: film.
The Hillsdale Film Society meets weekly to watch films considered great because of directing style, screenplay or cinematography, or revolutionary in their time for the message they promoted.
They show classic Hollywood, foreign and offbeat modern movies, but all share a common trait: They tell a story through art, like living literature.
"We think they're just as important as the great books," said junior Julienne Burns, the society's president.
Several of the films shown this year have been important for their exploration of culturally misunderstood themes, such as "Palindromes," a 2004 film about a young teen attempting to get pregnant, Burns said. They also look for films based on artistic merit rather than shock value. She cited artists such as Monet and Debussy - both known for causing riots with their impressionistic art, yet later hailed as virtuosic - as models for what the society seeks to accomplish.
Burns restarted the club last semester with help from Dean of Women Diane Philipp and the society's former co-president, senior Natalie Scarlett, after administration shut it down a year earlier as penalty for showing the first mainstream pornographic film. This time around, Burns said she's still showing edgy films but considers preferences of the student body as well.
"The nature of society is to place greater interest in those things that are forbidden," she said. "We don't attempt to stretch boundaries of comfort zones," she added, "but we are committed to excellent films."
Burns keeps a paperback copy of "The Director's Vision: A Concise Guide to the Art of 250 Great Filmmakers" on her shelf, a glossy book on classic Hollywood, foreign and independent film directors and how they conveyed their most important artistic themes. Following every film, the officers lead a discussion which is often philosophical do to some films' avant-guarde ideas. They also consider directing style, editing choices, cinematography and how those elements contribute to the film's main themes.
The Hillsdale Film Society meets weekly to watch films considered great because of directing style, screenplay or cinematography, or revolutionary in their time for the message they promoted.
They show classic Hollywood, foreign and offbeat modern movies, but all share a common trait: They tell a story through art, like living literature.
"We think they're just as important as the great books," said junior Julienne Burns, the society's president.
Several of the films shown this year have been important for their exploration of culturally misunderstood themes, such as "Palindromes," a 2004 film about a young teen attempting to get pregnant, Burns said. They also look for films based on artistic merit rather than shock value. She cited artists such as Monet and Debussy - both known for causing riots with their impressionistic art, yet later hailed as virtuosic - as models for what the society seeks to accomplish.
Burns restarted the club last semester with help from Dean of Women Diane Philipp and the society's former co-president, senior Natalie Scarlett, after administration shut it down a year earlier as penalty for showing the first mainstream pornographic film. This time around, Burns said she's still showing edgy films but considers preferences of the student body as well.
"The nature of society is to place greater interest in those things that are forbidden," she said. "We don't attempt to stretch boundaries of comfort zones," she added, "but we are committed to excellent films."
Burns keeps a paperback copy of "The Director's Vision: A Concise Guide to the Art of 250 Great Filmmakers" on her shelf, a glossy book on classic Hollywood, foreign and independent film directors and how they conveyed their most important artistic themes. Following every film, the officers lead a discussion which is often philosophical do to some films' avant-guarde ideas. They also consider directing style, editing choices, cinematography and how those elements contribute to the film's main themes.
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