The Film Club meets the second Tuesday of the month and watches films from all genres and eras.
This month, join us for an October Old-Time Halloween Special!
Jacques Tourneur's masterpiece I Walked with a Zombie (1943) is adored by Martin Scorsese. Producer Val Lewton created a stunning series of atmospheric gothic horror films that involve no gore and minimal violence. One of the finest, I Walked with a Zombie is a retelling of Charlotte Bronte's beloved Jane Eyre set in the West Indies. Is it creepy? Yes, deliciously so. Is it explicit or shocking? By today's standards, not even a little bit. Join us as we revisit a gentler time when Lewton's horror classics fascinated and even amused audiences, and inspired critics to use adjectives like "sultry," "eloquent," and "poetic."
Screenings are led by Mark Holding, a film studies professor.
The screenings include a comprehensive handout, brief intro to the film, and end with a group discussion. Popcorn and cold drinks served. This is similar to a book club and a great group of people. Mark is very open to input on the films to screen.
The library holds a Swank Movie License.
About Mark:
For Mark, films create community and foster empathy.
Growing up in the UK, Mark’s frequent visits to ‘the pictures’ provided him with, among many other wonders, his first window into the New World and all things American. It was the beginning of a love affair. When he moved to New Hampshire in the early 80s, Mark began a lifelong career teaching English and Film Studies at three New Hampshire public high schools and at St. Paul’s Advanced Studies Program. Exploring and studying films with his students, Mark discovered film’s power as a cross-generational connection. When he retired, he collaborated with Carol Nelson at the Peterborough Community Theatre to host a popular weekly Film Club, where movie fans and film buffs shared their thoughts in post-viewing large-group discussions. He currently teaches an Introduction to Film Studies course at Keene State College’s CALL continuing ed. program. All these teaching/moderating experiences have confirmed Mark’s belief that discussion is the single most helpful way to a greater understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of film.
Peterborough Town Library, located downtown at the corner of Main and Concord/Rt 202, has a large meeting room, study rooms, classroom, and a board room available to the public.
