BIG MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN

FILM LECTURE SERIES - WEDNESDAYS, JULY 8 - AUGUST 5, 2015 - 1:00 p.m.

It hardly seems as though summer is almost here, it's been so cool lately.

But we all know that it's only a matter of time before summer takes up residence, bringing with it heat and humidity.

Why not leave the stifling midday heat for the air-conditioned comfort of the library's auditorium, to enjoy some outsized films the way that they were meant to be experi-enced: on a large screen, with immersive sound that will place you right in the middle of the action.

Feel the rush of adrenaline as Charlton Heston is pitted against Stephen Boyd in the heart-pounding chariot race that is the centerpiece in Ben-Hur.

Watch rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks fight to defend their New York turf, while lovers Tony and Maria play out their ill-fated romance on back alley fire escapes, in the musical West Side Story.

Join the enigmatic T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) as he leads the Arabs' revolt against the Turks in the expansive Arabian Desert during World War I, in director David Lean's epic Lawrence of Arabia.

Experience, along with (fictional) couple Jack and Rose (Leonardo Di Caprio Jr. and Kate Winslet), the fateful night in April 1912 when the S.S. Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage, in James Cameron's blockbuster Titanic.

Finally, be swept up in the heartwarming story of the bond between a young man and his horse, and the separation that they must endure when the horse is consigned to the British Cavalry during World War I, in Steven Spielberg's War Horse.

As usual, I'll provide you with brief pre-film commentary to help you better appreciate the pictures that we'll be watching together.

But wait!!--
Because these movies are rather epic in scope (and length!), they are better enjoyed with an intermission. These breaks will give you a chance to stretch your legs, go to the powder room, and absorb what you've experienced during each film's first half. During these 15-minute intermissions, complimentary light refreshments will be served. Enjoy a cool drink and an edible goody before settling back in for the remainder of the movie.

I hope that you'll enjoy this experience as much as I am looking forward to presenting it to you.

Doug Swiszcz
Librarian & Film Enthusiast

Here's the lineup (all running times include my pre-film commentary and the 15-min. intermission):

July  8 - Ben-Hur (1959 - Color - 4 hrs., 15 min. - Rated G)

July 15 - West Side Story (1961 - Color - 3 hrs., 15 min. - Unrated)

July 22 - Lawrence of Arabia (1962 - Color - 4 hrs., 15 min. - Rated PG)

July 29 - Titanic (1997 - Color - 4 hrs. - Rated PG-13)

Aug. 5 - War Horse (2011 - Color - 3 hrs. -Rated PG-13)