Film Studies for Free explores fan culture, and so can you!

We love Film Studies for Free, a blog that curates links to openly accessible scholarly film resources. You might notice them in the blogroll on the right-hand side of this page (they’re a little below the Music Library… keep looking!) We wanted to highlight a particularly good recent posting from FSFF about researching fan culture. … Continue reading “Film Studies for Free explores fan culture, and so can you!”

We love Film Studies for Free, a blog that curates links to openly accessible scholarly film resources. You might notice them in the blogroll on the right-hand side of this page (they’re a little below the Music Library… keep looking!)

We wanted to highlight a particularly good recent posting from FSFF about researching fan culture. So much scholarly ink is spilled over movie-making we often forget how integral fan and media reactions can be in the film world too. FSFF’s index is quite comprehensive, focusing primarily on print film publications but also research methods for studying fan culture.

This isn’t exactly easy reading, but it’s a valuable guide for anyone interested in researched film fan and media culture. Maybe you didn’t even know that was something you could research until now!

The Farce is strong with this video: old blooper reel from Star Wars unearthed

It’s nearly customary at this point for movies to include gag reels, either as a bonus during the credits or as a special feature on the DVD release. Hilarious as they may be, outtakes from The Avengers are very much expected. That’s why it’s so unique that this new blooper montage from the original Star … Continue reading “The Farce is strong with this video: old blooper reel from Star Wars unearthed”

It’s nearly customary at this point for movies to include gag reels, either as a bonus during the credits or as a special feature on the DVD release. Hilarious as they may be, outtakes from The Avengers are very much expected.

That’s why it’s so unique that this new blooper montage from the original Star Wars recently appeared on the web. The movie is 36 years old, and we’re still finding footage from discarded takes to put online. None of the cast or crew likely expected that this would ever see the light of day, so it’s fun to see their candid reactions – especially Alec Guinness’s panicked reaction upon realizing he’s in a movie with a Wookie. The highlight is easily the botched Stormtrooper invasion that ends with a significant chunk of the set being destroyed.

No doubt that more of these clips will be unearthed from the Lucasfilm archive as the release of the next movie in the franchise approaches. Enjoy this fun little piece of film history!

See Dallas Buyers Club early on Tuesday

Matthew McConaughey shocking physical transformation for his portrayal of AIDS patient Ron Woodroof has made Dallas Buyers Club one of the most anticipated films of the year. Despite an early screen presence characterized by mediocre romantic comedies like Failure to Launch, McConaughey’s career has dramatically rebounded with the help of serious and popular films including … Continue reading “See Dallas Buyers Club early on Tuesday”

Matthew McConaughey shocking physical transformation for his portrayal of AIDS patient Ron Woodroof has made Dallas Buyers Club one of the most anticipated films of the year. Despite an early screen presence characterized by mediocre romantic comedies like Failure to Launch, McConaughey’s career has dramatically rebounded with the help of serious and popular films including Mud and The Lincoln Lawyer. DBC could be his chance to cement himself as a top-notch actor.

Dallas Buyers Club premieres on November 1st, but we have tickets to see an advance screening TOMORROW!

The movie screens tomorrow at 7pm at the E Street Landmark Theater. Tickets seat up to two people. Visit us to pick up a pass and get a chance to see a potential landmark movie days before everyone else.

(As always, passes are available in-person at the desk only. Seating is available on a limited basis, so you are encouraged to show up early.)

Killer cars? Flying fish? Notable directors with unusual starts

The most recent batch of Academy Award contenders to come out – 12 Years a Slave, The Contender, Gravity, etc. – all come from renowned or at least established directors. Except for perhaps Neil Blomkamp and Benh Zeitlin, few directors can claim that their first films received Oscar nods. Where, then, did these acclaimed directors … Continue reading “Killer cars? Flying fish? Notable directors with unusual starts”

The most recent batch of Academy Award contenders to come out – 12 Years a Slave, The Contender, Gravity, etc. – all come from renowned or at least established directors. Except for perhaps Neil Blomkamp and Benh Zeitlin, few directors can claim that their first films received Oscar nods. Where, then, did these acclaimed directors get their starts?

It’s probably not surprising that many had inauspicious starts. The folks at mental_floss put together a surprising and entertaining list of first major works by notable film figures. Though Christopher Nolan got his start in dark, psychological thrillers early in his career, others like James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola were slumming it with movies like Piranha II: The Spawning. If anything, this proves that you should never judge a director by their first work… unless, like Stanley Kubrick, they decide to destroy it.

For the curious, most of these films are available in Media Services. Maybe this weekend you’ll want to watch an early Spielberg movie about killer trucks!

THX 1138 – HU DVD 1401
Shallow Grave – HU DVD 1910
Fear and Desire – HU DVD 2675
The Squaw Man – HU DVD 3701
Following – HU DVD 3886
The Duellists – HU DVD 5368
Dark Star – HU DVD 6517
Duel – HU DVD 7047
Dementia 13 – HU DVD 864

How digital film changes the racial politics of cinematography

Many filmmakers have reacted negatively to the industry’s transition from physical film to digital recordings. For all its benefits – immediate playback, easier editing, color correction – some argue that digital filming loses some the warm qualities that make physical film prints enticing. They aren’t convinced of the benefits, so physical film still has a … Continue reading “How digital film changes the racial politics of cinematography”

Many filmmakers have reacted negatively to the industry’s transition from physical film to digital recordings. For all its benefits – immediate playback, easier editing, color correction – some argue that digital filming loses some the warm qualities that make physical film prints enticing. They aren’t convinced of the benefits, so physical film still has a number of adherents; even the new Star Wars movie will use 35mm film.

Add another benefit to that list. A recent article from The Washington Post highlights how digital filmmaking has allowed cinematographers to capture a wider and deeper range of skin tones. The physical nature of film historically posed a challenge for capturing non-white faces. Now, post-production and higher-quality digital cameras, it’s is less of a problem. This has been a boon for films by and about African-Americans; the Post cites 12 Years a Slave in particular. It’s all a little technical to read, but it’s fascinating to see how technology can inform the politics of film.

(This great article comes to us courtesy of AU film professor Jeff Middents. Thanks Professor!)

Reminder: Closing early today at 9pm

Because of scheduled campus-wide power outages, the library will close at 9pm tonight. Please keep this in mind if you’re planning to watch movies in the library… or even watch movies on your own! Many of the residence halls will not have power for several hours.

Because of scheduled campus-wide power outages, the library will close at 9pm tonight. Please keep this in mind if you’re planning to watch movies in the library… or even watch movies on your own! Many of the residence halls will not have power for several hours.

Win a FREE 1TB HARD DRIVE for coming to the New Media Center!

Midterms season is in full swing, and students are starting work on their big end-of-year projects. But where do you store your giant video project? If only you could get a new flash drive or hard drive for free… Good news: our friends at the New Media Center are giving them away! If you attend … Continue reading “Win a FREE 1TB HARD DRIVE for coming to the New Media Center!”

Midterms season is in full swing, and students are starting work on their big end-of-year projects. But where do you store your giant video project? If only you could get a new flash drive or hard drive for free…

Good news: our friends at the New Media Center are giving them away!

If you attend a New Media Center training session between now and November 15th, you could win a 32 GB flash drive or a 1 terabyte hard drive! Simply show up to any of the New Media Center’s training sessions to enter.

Good luck. This is a prize worth winning!

Brave our Halloween giveaway and you might win a free movie!

We’ve been getting into the Halloween spirit for a while now. Time to share some of it with you! In preparation for everyone’s favorite terror-based holiday, we’re giving away digital copies of True Blood Season 4, Hitchcock, and Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2, Which one will you get? It’s random! Maybe that’s the scariest part. … Continue reading “Brave our Halloween giveaway and you might win a free movie!”

We’ve been getting into the Halloween spirit for a while now. Time to share some of it with you!

In preparation for everyone’s favorite terror-based holiday, we’re giving away digital copies of True Blood Season 4, Hitchcock, and Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2, Which one will you get? It’s random! Maybe that’s the scariest part.

For a chance to win, simply leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite horror movie villain. Next Wednesday, we’ll pick three random winners from our blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and in-person entries to get a free movie.

Good luck!

Is “cinema” having a crisis? Not quite, says A. O. Scott

A. O. Scott is one of the most notable film writers who actively engages questions about the future of the moving image medium. His articles, though controversial, always offer a unique and thoughtful perspective on the impending and foreboding issues facing the film industry. Scott is deeply familiar with the exodus of creative talent away … Continue reading “Is “cinema” having a crisis? Not quite, says A. O. Scott”

A. O. Scott is one of the most notable film writers who actively engages questions about the future of the moving image medium. His articles, though controversial, always offer a unique and thoughtful perspective on the impending and foreboding issues facing the film industry.

Scott is deeply familiar with the exodus of creative talent away from Oscar-winning films to prestigious television shows. In this most recent New York Times column, he tackles the similar issue of whether “the church of cinema” is facing cultural irrelevance in an age of seeming digital omnipotence.

Those foreseeing the end of film, the author argues, have not paid attention to how the medium has historically reacted to new changes. Many expected the advent of home media to demolish the theater; instead, it led to the rise of super-popular blockbusters. Even further back, some scholars expected that the advent of the paperback would destroy literature. Both these developments instead led to democratization, in which those beyond the cultural elite could enjoy media more easily. “To worry that [film will die],” Scott argues, “is to risk sliding into a reactionary, wrong-side of history mind-set.”

The article is a worthwhile read for anyone on the Soderbergh side of the fence. The future of film may be filled with more energy and innovation than previous projections.

Be the first for Last Vegas!

Summer movie season may be over, but that’s not stopping us from giving out movie passes! This time around, we’ve acquired passes to Last Vegas, the new comedy film in which Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, and others essentially play themselves having a bachelor party. We’re never ones to turn down an opportunity to hang … Continue reading “Be the first for Last Vegas!”

Summer movie season may be over, but that’s not stopping us from giving out movie passes!

This time around, we’ve acquired passes to Last Vegas, the new comedy film in which Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, and others essentially play themselves having a bachelor party. We’re never ones to turn down an opportunity to hang out with Michael Douglas, and neither should you.

The movie screens tomorrow at 7pm at the Regal Theater in Gallery Place. Because it’s so soon, we have very few passes to give out this time. Come to Media Services to pick up your passes now!

(Passes are available in-person at the desk only. Seating is available on a limited basis. Get there early!)