Hey everyone! Here’s Draft I of next term’s schedule:
Few things to note:
The prints with a question mark by them we are still trying to check if they exist/aren’t pink/are gettable
One of Wonka/The Marvels/Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will definitely become a double, just waiting closer to release/deadline to get more info before deciding
FFMs will be decided later
Things we’d like feedback on:
Which 70mm titles do you like (trying to get 2 if possible)?
Which 35mm/DCPs below the schedule do you like?
Thoughts on running The Time That Remains as a charity screening and collabing with other socs?
Thoughts on the LGBT+ History Month films? We’re fairly happy with the top 3, are looking for maybe an older film, maybe a print, for the 4th (let us know if you like Philadelphia or any suggestions?)
Thoughts on the options for the International Women’s Day film, or any other suggestions?
Gonna perceive the schedule tomorrow but, off the bat, I wouldn’t touch this with a 20,000ft bargepole. I can’t lie I think my Private Life “in my own head there’s loads of nuance” politics back what I think you’re aiming for about as much as they possibly could and I know you and so I know the intent is noble, but I reckon there’s a sort of shared understanding amongst crew and idk probably all our members that this sort of Politics is not what FilmSoc is for and I think a film society trying to make any sort of statement on something like this when ordinary, reasonable people on all sides of the conflict right now are scared and hurting is going to, at best, alienate ordinary, reasonable people who we love and care about.
I personally back having Bottoms on a double in Week 1, I think there is enough hype around it to justify it.
Which 70mm titles do you like (trying to get 2 if possible)?
I would go with Lawrence of Arabia. It is one of those films a lot of people have in the back of their minds as one they would like to watch but just never get around to, and I think showing it on 70mm would support drawing in that crowd. Plus as it is one of the more reliable prints to get our hands on, I think it would be a safer bet.
Which 35mm/DCPs below the schedule do you like?
I think there is a great selection from what you put down, what I would like is a combination of “I wanna watch this” plus what I think will do well:
The Godfather - I think it would be a reliable hit with a wide audience but especially the ~film bros~
12 Angry Men - Personal favourite I will admit, but it is widely well-known and I think would bring in a good audience.
ClockWork Orange - Again, a well-known film which I think will have a solid draw
Reservoir Dogs - Tarantino films always tend to do well.
Whiplash - Has had a minor resurgence in popular culture it seems so would be a good opportunity to capitalise on that
Children of Men - Kinda because I just love the film and would love to see it on 35mm, but I think it would do well regardless.
As for the draft working from Monday to Sunday, honestly do not think it is that deep. You guys are coordinating the schedule so if that makes it easier to work off you both then I back it.
Will comment more stuff when I am in less of a falling unconscious mood, but as it stands I think it is a great first draft with some excellent choices for 35mm and DCP
SO, some pre-work thoughts (Sophie’s version)
Haven’t really read other’s thoughts atm and Ill deffo have more opinions in a bit
pls can you move it all to Sunday - its the way we all work (not just me from a pub perspective, which is also important that I get it right as early as possible, esp with another booklet)
70mms - after reading the meeting minutes from when I wasn’t there, id maybe suggest waiting until we have those conversations before getting tooooo carried away with selecting them?
Of the three you’ve mentioned for doubles, id say Wonka is the only one I can’t reeeeeally see being double worthy as is? plus we won’t know if its any cop really (gen audience) until after confirmation deadlines - I think the others might be decent? I’m seeing Marvels when it comes out so hopefully I can chime in asap but I feel like marvels have always been a double and maybe tradition isn’t everything BUT if we put Ant Man shittymania on a double then surely this deserves it too (even tho I have faith in my girl Iman)
IWD Picks.- at a glance, Lady Bird is dece, and im sure that’s echoed elsewhere - when was the last time we showed it? Plus, SURELY there’s more options - I can have a research if I have time - Pride Month - I don’t know too many of the picks bar recognising a few names but the vibes I would say are not varied enough? Quick glance gave me nothing for Femme but they all seem dark and broody - I know this was said last year but we need to make sure we can represent as wide a range of identities as possible AND also not make it all doom and gloom. - it was the same for BHM picks. - making sure there’s uplifting and lighthearted stuff too (See Pride last year that’s funny as fuck AND sad as fuck!). Maybe worth reaching out to PrideSoc or Plan for ideas/ potential collaboration.
Having said that, I don’t reeeeally have any suggestions at present.
Specific film Notes
Random Bladerunner 2049 - how did he get there? what’s the relevance pls? Ik it did soooooooooooooooooo bad when we showed it last as part of the double bill. What’s changed in the film sphere since then? Definitely not a double in my eyes, if it even should be on schedule at all
Napoleon - this is just me bitching tbh. I have such a strong aversion to it and idk so im not sure I agree with it being a double but I don’t know what other doubles id suggest at current time.
Schindlers List is verrryyyy long so idk if double is the move - esp bc the vibes are quite harrowing and im not entirely sure people would a) wanna be up at 10pm until morning watching OR projing it- pls correct me if im wrong tho 35mm girlies!!
Suggestions
Mean Girls the Musical the Movie - I think there’s a market for this? AFAIK its out early Jan? and we showed mean girls t1 so cOhEsiOn
Dicks the musical - MEGAN THEE STALLION - its a24? could be a vibe but I just wanna see Meg on the screen tbf
14th Feb- Val day! can we put something on that relates to this?!?!?!
Agree with Kieran with The Time That Remains not being an area which WSC should broach, I sort of feel like however good the film seems I sincerely doubt it would have ever been put on a schedule without current contexts and so it just reads as WSC going political in a way that is veryyy different to Black History Month of LGBTQ+ History Month screenings
I think Wonka and new Hunger Games could be both doubles, I think Schindler’s List is too long to be a double and I really don’t see the point of playing Blade Runner 2049 (especially on a double!) when Dune II will be on the schedule anyway and fill that niche. I also think Ferrari has double potential but not too fussed where that one goes.
Not going to go comment on 35mm/70mm specifically until after Exec discussion
Absolutely agree with Sophie about more fun films for lgbtq+ history month (all four of these choices are heavy-handed films - would back Dog Day Afternoon over Philadelphia for a classic lgbt film, or maybe some John Waters)
I back Lady Bird but there could be loads more options for IWD, might be a bit obvious? Although on the flipside the documentary seems a bit too obscure
(I’ll go through the schedule more in-depth before the programming meeting)
I think all the above comments are excellent – as a Statistics-enjoyer (yup!) I’m pro-Wonka on a double, as well as all the other things mentioned – so I don’t feel the need to repeat them but I also wanna endorse them bc I think these threads have a bit of a pattern where people don’t repeat a point because it’s already been well-made and then it ends up not being apparent that Consensus exists. The weekday ordering is driving me bats I simply cannot lie.
With Schindler’s List, this is one I’ve wanted to do for ages (caveat: I’ve never seen it) and, if we’re doing 35mm, maybe it’s worth noting that this is one of the handful of 35mm prints where the only digital audio on it is DTS and realistically only we’d be going to the effort of playing it (NB. – NOT as a flashy tech demo. Idk, maybe this is a very ‘me’ way of looking at the world but I kinda reckon you show respect to a film and its subject matter by putting in the effort to Do It Right when there’s a challenge to be taken on, y’know). I’m guessing it’s intentional that it’s on Holocaust Memorial Day but I kinda wonder if maybe it… shouldn’t be? Idk I know I’m not best placed to comment but the Chaplaincy does a memorial service for it every year, I think co-led by JSoc but also with contributions from other groups who were victims of the Nazis and other instances of genocide and I think I maybe I feel uneasy about effectively going up against this as a rival event. Even if it doesn’t properly clash, the time I went left me kinda broken and I’m not sure I think I’d have fancied (or been capable of) a fun, lighthearted trip to watch Schindler’s List afterwards, y’know. I think the vibes are again maybe quite different from things like IWD and maybe we should just Back Off for the day?
Bouncing off this - housemate Euan said there’s a new one coming out called “Zone of Interest” that surrounds Auschwitz but a) I haven’t looked too much into it politics/plot wise and also again wanna question how appropriate it may be. - maybe getting in touch with the Socs that understand this better might be a good move if we wanna pursue it?
I feel like Zone of Interest should be on the schedule by its own merit anyway, it did very well at festivals and Jonathan Glazer has a reputation for making intriguing films after Under The Skin (also HMD definitely isn’t a let’s-go-to-the-cinema-and-watch-a-movie-about-the-Holocaust event, watching Schindler’s List to commemorate the Holocaust on HMD just isn’t a thing and could easily come across as insensitive even if it means well) - long story short, I back Schindler’s List and Zone of Interest in their own right just not as a specific HMD showing (plus neither of them make sense as a double regardless)
I think Wonka is a good choice for a double… It’s Lil Timmy Tim, would certainly draw an audience. Schindler’s List can’t really be a double, but should be on the schedule tho. I agree with Kieran and Daniel though that maybe showing it on HMD isn’t the best idea.
Blade Runner:2049 might not do well but it has had a sort of resurgence especially after the first Dune movie. Maybe it can be swapped for another Villeneuve film, incendies maybe? Also, can Dune 2 really be on the schedule given that it releases on 15th March?
IWD: I would echo what Sophie said basically. Lady Bird is very good but we can surely go for something else
Also agree with Sophie on fun films for lgtbq+ history month, and a collaboration will be a good idea
I second Jay’s idea of doing a bollywood film. i feel like we do a fair number of international films, but there is a lack of south-asian/south-east asian films. Does not need to be overdone but 1 per term or maybe the year could work. Bollywood is also full of hits that would draw in crowds, such as Jawaan maybe, especially because of Shah Rukh Khan. Lots of indie options too if we want to do that.
I think we’ve all loved for a long time the idea of doing this but as I’m sure Dillan and Zain and before them Josh and Aryan will tell you, it can be a bit of a nightmare to organise in the UK (I know cinemas in the UK do them, but finding someone who wants to deal with little 'ole us hasn’t often been easy). Probably even harder now Eros in the UK (who were great – love Bhavna) has gone into administration. I reckon it’s still well worth doing though so perhaps it’s worth settling on a Bollywood/South Asian list to chase up before the schedule is finalised?
@dillan@ZainMothupi any idea from autumn if this is still with Trinity () or whether theatrical is also now with 101 Films?
i can put in some suggestions for the bollywood list at the programming meeting. I guess it’s worth chasing them and if we can’t arrange them, then it is what it is
Scattered generalised thoughts -
1 - Absolutely to Zone of Interest - loads of buzz and acclaim around that one, feel like Under The Skin’s well enough known for a new one to stoke interest in people (Same with Perfect Days, the new Wim Wenders - big comeback from a respected director could be good)
2 - Back Kieran and Daniel’s thoughts on Time that Remains
3 - Honestly, kinda just echo everything Daniel said
4 - Thinking maybe stick to just one 70mm screening this term?
5 - Pride month/Women’s day - Pride picks are all, as said above, a bit heavy - maybe something more celebratory - celebration of LGBTQ+ art and culture, like how we did Pride and But I’m A Cheerleader last year
IWD - Lady Bird feels kinda obvious, dunno what i’d replace it with but maybe something more centred on women than just a woman, with Lady Bird being as specific in story and setting as it is it maybe doesn’t fit the theme too well either?
6 - Don’t back Schindler’s List as a double but also don’t back Fight Club - just because it’s well-known doesn’t mean it would do well and I don’t think it would, you’d attract some people maybe but it’s not the sort of cultural phenomenon where people are drawn to see it to understand it if that makes sense? Same with BR2049 - don’t back that being on the schedule at all, hasn’t done well historically so seems pointless. Wonka’d be a good double, as would Hunger Games
7 - R.E. 35mm Koyaaniquatsi could be interesting? Decently well-known for an experimental film, possibilities for collaboration - at the very least it would provide the sort of variety of programming that we aspire towards
8 - Of the listed 70mm options, i’d vouch for Last Crusade or ma-a-aybe Titanic?
9 - In terms of outside suggestions i back Jay and Hashir suggesting a Bollywood film (Edit: nevermind just saw Kieran’s point about it being a pain to acquire), also potentially that Stop Making Sense rerelease? Again, very well-known and acclaimed and such, would draw a fair crowd i feel and Offbeat pres said he’d do a collaboration for it
10 - Also think we should program something for Valentine’s Day specifically - some beloved romcom/romance movie, When Harry Met Sally/Moonstruck/Pride & Prejudice kinda thing on the 14th - think that’s a wednesday but can do a special wednesday screening for that? Even though it’s reading week we’d still attract good numbers i think
Since I am Aged, my gay canon of stuff like Beautiful Thing and Get Real doesn’t mean anything to The Youf of Today does it? My Beautiful Laundrette maybe (caveat: haven’t seen it!) but I guess it’s still very cis gay man. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is possibly like if you asked your nan to name a gay film isn’t it, maybe? Do people still like Paris is Burning/consider it to be representation or do people have Jennie Livingston ick?
Conversely, though, does that wide a spread of people wanna watch romance films Alone on Valentine’s Day if they’re not in a relationship (tbf I would, and I guess from context you would, so maybe they do?) and if they are, maybe they’re planning to spend it somewhere nicer than L3? I don’t think we’ve ever really tried any anti-programming (and I know it’s kinda juvenile if you think you’re being Clever by doing it, but I think True Romance could be fun if you’re in on the joke that it’s a naff joke). Although, Four Weddings and a Funeral got Covid-ed so we could do Justice?
Don’t shout the K-word too loudly because the 2019 generation have trauma over this, but I backed it then against Popular Opinion and I still do (I don’t necessarily know whether I think anyone will come, but, y’know).
Probably worth bearing in mind that most/all of the options are Not Cheap either to hire or to transport here, even just at SU mileage rate in the car. Doing Oppenheimer and 2001 in a term is probably a different conversation financially from what might be being looked at for T2, ig? (fwiw I’m more than willing to do my bit for this if Filmsoc backs it, though idk how free Alex is)
Aaaand, back to Schindler’s List (sorry I’m aware this should have probably been all one post) – if we do wanna do it, probably worth having a chat with Universal sooner than later because 2023 is the 30th anniversary so they might have it on moratorium (and it’s on the Filmbank list).
Random thought: can we have Stop Making Sense on the schedule, think it will do well and adds some more variety (a concert film we can probably actually get!)
Also didn’t realise it was Dune 1 and not Dune 2, honestly don’t back it especially as it’s just before Dune 2 comes out so might confuse people and might be too soon before release - but maybe we can market it to make it work I’m not sure
Unfortunately, this doesn’t have a uk release date yet.
Having more fun movies is a good idea. Dog Day Afternoon was initially gonna be on the schedule but PC said the print of it had gone pink (I am double-checking this though as there seemed to be some hesitation) but would be happy to still show the DCP if people want?
Our main hesitation with putting Zone of interest on the schedule at the moment is that it comes out late-ish in term 2 and so the only way we could realistically play it would be in week 10 which would it’s 5th week of release and A24 are notorious for not being able to confirm when they can take single-day bookings for films until really late. Dillan has been chasing them up on this though so hopefully will get an answer.
It is with 101 films now.
I’d back this as well, will have a think about some more relevant films
I agree the Marvels is definitely worth considering for a double and can discuss further in the meeting. Ant-Man 3 didn’t get a double though so we already broke tradition so don’t think that’s too big of a factor to consider.
) or whether theatrical is also now with 101 Films?