Film Club

[elderford]

At work I'm about to be involved in setting up an afterwork film club.

This will involve having a bit of free money to buy films which we'll show one per week.

I am having one of those carte blanche failures of opinion, in that being presented with a choice of every I'm having trouble narrowing it down to where to start.

Should I theme it: comedy month, films with big explosions month, etc.

Should we show the Matrix?

Should we choose Apocalypse Now: Lux and Redux? or just the Diet version?

Will 16+ students actually sit through black and white films where people just act really well but don't get involved in gunplay or car chases (but dress funny).

Any suggestions would be welcome. It was launched last year and the person running it was completely artwank orientated, so there was lots of Peter Greenaway, Salvador Dali, Koyaanisqatsi, themed goings on.

We're going for anything goes, High and Popular culture, so for example I definitely wanna show Die Hard, Big Lebowski as well as the expected classy foreign films with subtitles (eg. Taxi and Taxi 2).

[king mob]

Wings of Desire & Pitch Black should be a good double bill.

[Vermschneid Mehearties]

Theming is a good idea. If they're just chosen one by one, a few people might get put off if for example there's movies which just aren't for them week by week.

If you do say, a 'Comedy Month', and 'Action Month', that'll maintain peoples interest and give the thing a bit of structure for comparison.

[jutl]

I've always fancied this idea - the only thing stopping me is that it's illegal... Actually it's the combination of illegal and the workplace that's the problem...

[Uncle_Z]

How many weeks is it running over?  Could do a short series from cultish companies eg. Handmade (gives you Withnail & I as a starter for ten and Cold Dog Soup which is a total gem).

[elderford]

I've always fancied this idea - the only thing stopping me is that it's illegal... Actually it's the combination of illegal and the workplace that's the problem...

I've always wonder how the copyright police check up on those oil rig workers who always get a special mention at the start of dvds (along with prisons, coaches, etc).

Work is condoning it, so no worries there, we do have an educational licence for the showing of films and stuff recorded of the tv.

[jutl]

I've always fancied this idea - the only thing stopping me is that it's illegal... Actually it's the combination of illegal and the workplace that's the problem...

I've always wonder how the copyright police check up on those oil rig workers who always get a special mention at the start of dvds (along with prisons, coaches, etc).

Work is condoning it, so no worries there, we do have an educational licence for the showing of films and stuff recorded of the tv.

They don't check - it's just that if there was a problem, they would try to extract payment from your place of work, and that could be dangerous for your employment.

[Uncle_Z]

Strictly you would have to get the films from a specialist disrtibutor like Filmbank which will cost you more than going to Blockbuster.

Copyright does give you a limited get-out for "educational use" but a film club seems like straighforward entertainment.  Have you looked into the possibility of getting the participants to write essays?

[elderford]

Have you looked into the possibility of getting the participants to write essays?

Nice try Uncle Z, but we're talking about Art students, perhaps if you had written:

Have you looked into the possibility of getting the participants to write text messages?

Your suggestion may well have been workable.

We're doing it under the guise of "value added". Some edu-speak for giving students a more total educational experience because it has had value added to it (plus I may well be in charge of 'looking after' the DVDs once they've been viewed, but this is pure altruism on my part).

[Santa's Boyfriend]

As I understand it, it's legal to show your vids or dvds, be they rented or bought, to an audience as big as you like, as long as they are nether being shown in a public place (which a work place is not), and you're not charging for entry.  A non-paying audience in a private place fits the category of a private screening, which means that it's entirely legal to set up a film club.  Even if you wanted to charge for other things like drinks or food, that'd be ok - as long as no-one is in any doubt that you're not charging for the film.

As for your audience, I'd start 'em of with the double bill of the original Solaris, followed by Andy Warhol's Sleep.

[The Region Legion]

Stick on My Wrongs once you get bored of being in charge of it.

[jutl]

As I understand it, it's legal to show your vids or dvds, be they rented or bought, to an audience as big as you like, as long as they are nether being shown in a public place (which a work place is not), and you're not charging for entry.  A non-paying audience in a private place fits the category of a private screening, which means that it's entirely legal to set up a film club.  Even if you wanted to charge for other things like drinks or food, that'd be ok - as long as no-one is in any doubt that you're not charging for the film.

I think that's a fairly liberal interpretation of the notion of 'public performance'... the PPL have this to say on the subject:

Although not specifically defined within current copyright legislation, the Courts have taken it to mean anything outside the strictly family or domestic circle.

from http://www.ppluk.com/ppl/ppl_cd.nsf/PDL/G1?OpenDocument

Under that definition, which is the current working one in UK law, I believe, showing a DVD at work is definitely a 'public performance'.

[daveytaylor]

Legally if you are only showing it to people involved in your workplace then who is going to know about it? And even if they found out. You are not making any money from it, and you are promoting the films of the distributors. I don't think they will really take much notice to be honest.

As for films then I think having themes is a good idea and if "art students" won't sit through a black and white film because it has no car chases then fuck them. Why would you even want to share a room with such closed minded cunts? One question though... will you be revealing the title of the film before you show it?

AS for what to show... well, I'd avoid any film that starts with T, ends with C and is directed by James Cameron. I'd hope you could introduce people to films they wouldn't normally see. Throwing on the likes of La Haine or Man Bites Dog should wake some people up.

I would also show Once upon a time in America - The DVD is the cut Leone showed at Cannes and well worth four hours of your time

I think it is a great idea and wish you ever success. If you are in or around Wolverhampton then I will happily participate.

[TOCMFIC]

Get "Hard Boiled", John Woo's finest hour.

If you wanted to get really anal, you could also show The Replacement Killers, which was executive produced by Woo, to compare the western vs eastern product. (The movie could kinda be called "Woo Lite" really. Don't get me wrong, I love the film, but it's a watered down version... Or maybe Wootered down is better:))

[Uncle_Z]

Ooh a Woo tipster.  Agree with you on both counts, just have something to add: the early years

Hand of Death

No doubt you've seen a kung fu film before so you already know the story.  Very nicely done though.  Cameo appearance from a young Woo himself too.

[dan dirty ape]

I think you should kick off with a double bill of 'Repo Man' and 'Summer Of Sam'. The latter has a much better talking dog than 'My Wrongs' and the former is the greatest film ever made.

[Utter Shit]

Scarface. Everyone loves Scarface.

Well, except the Diaz brothers.

(Fuck the Diaz brothers)

[hencole]

I help run patient film nights at the hospital I work at. It is illegal to do screenings at a workplace. You can buy a license to show a film at about £60 a pop, which causes us problems in that this is avoluntary thing for patients so no money is being raised which is a bit shit. But as has been said who's going to know?

[elderford]

What was intended as a fun "these are my fave ace films thread" quickly descended into all the legal brains giving it "you do realise that you will be liable for a 30 year prison sentence if you show films without written permission from David Blunkett don't you?" one.

You're such a bunch of grown ups, I'm going back to the Busted website forum.

On a serious note though, TOCMFIC mentioned Replacement Killers, starring the Cary Grant of the exit wound Chow Yun Fat. Keen eyed viewers will have spotted that in the nightclub scene after the Chowster has dispatched one of the bad guys, the blood stain on the mirror spells the name FAT.