Seated right down the street from the Hopkins Homewood campus, Charles Theatre offers a cinematic escape for students to experience when they’ve had enough studying. Besides still playing many of the critically acclaimed and award-winning/nominated films like Selma, Birdman and Inherent Vice, Charles Theatre will continue its Revival series into the Spring 2015 semester.
Showtimes are Saturdays at 11:30 a.m., Mondays at 7 p.m. and Thursdays at 9 p.m. Here are the theater’s upcoming films:
Jan. 31, Feb. 2, 5 The Night of the Hunter
(1955 Charles Laughton)
This dream-like, absurd thriller follows Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), a sex-crazed and self-proclaimed soul saver, and his devoted wife (Shelley Winters) as their children try to make their escape.
Feb. 7, 9, 12 Rolling Thunder
(1977 John Flynn)
When Major Charles Rane (William Devane) comes back from the war as a hailed hero, a group of thugs steal his gifts, kill his wife and son and destroy his hand. He then enacts his revenge with an old war buddy (Tommy Lee Jones).
Feb. 14, 16 The Best Years of Our Lives
(1946 William Wyler)
Staring Fredric March and Dana Andrews, this film follows three WWII veterans as they return home. However, the men are faced with realistic challenges like disillusionment, hopelessness and indifference.
Feb. 19 Out of the Blue
(1980 Dennis Hopper)
Written and directed by and starring Dennis Hopper, this film presents a true feeling of alienation. Hopper plays an alcoholic truck driver who crashes into a school bus and kills children inside. His troubled daughter Cebe (Linds Manz) tries to find comfort in Elvis Presley and punk music. This captivating drama will only be shown once at 9 p.m.
Feb. 21, 23 Detour
(1945 Edgar G. Ulmer)
This classic film noir thriller features simplistic camera work, but is well-loved by critics. Al, a dissatisfied piano player (Tom Neal), works in a New York nightclub and follows his girlfriend Sue (Claudia Drake) to Hollywood by hitchhiking across the country.
Feb. 26 Burroughs, The Movie
(1983 Howard Brookner)
This documentary tells the life of beat generation writer William S. Burroughs.
Feb. 28, March 2 A Canterberry Tale
(1944 Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger)
Just like its title, this film loosely takes on the themes of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. A group of young travelers — a U.S. Army Sergeant (John Sweet), a British Army Sergeant (Dennis Price) and a “land girl” (Sheila Sim) — cross wartime Britain and depict a strange pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral.
March 5 Giuseppe Makes a Movie
(2014 Adam Rifkin)
This is a documentary tribute to film auteur Giuseppe Andrews. It attracted many hipster film lovers during its premier at Toronto’s HotDocs film festival. Giuseppe was a unique filmmaker due to his use of a low quality video camera and his decision to film a rather motley crew in less-than-ordinary environments. One of his more well-known films is Garbanzo Gas, which was released in 2007. Rifkin’s DI film has received good reviews and is said to be quite hilarious.
March 7, 9, 12 Point Blank
(1967 John Boorman)
Point Blank is a neo-noir crime film based on the pulp novel The Hunter by Donald Weslake. In the film, two thieves steal a great sum of money. One of the thieves, however, betrays his friend and shoots him, assuming he is dead.
The shot friend recovers and years later wants his revenge. Point Blank received positive reviews, and film critic Roger Ebert offered the film three out of four stars. Those who enjoy films like Chinatown or Mulholland Drive may enjoy Point Blank.
March 14, 16, 19 Rope
(1948 Alfred Hitchchock)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope was released in 1948 and, like most Hitchcock films, is a thriller. The film is partly well known because it appears to have been filmed in one continuous shot due to the editing techniques used. There are no cutaways nor are there any breaks in the action, and shots last up to 10 minutes. The murder in this film occurs immediately before a dinner party.
Two young men strangle a friend of theirs to death with a piece of rope. They hide the body in the apartment and continue to host the dinner. What appears to be a perfect crime does, however, go wrong. Fans of Hitchcock’s other films will surely find Rope just as captivating.
Tickets for these, and other films playing at the Charles Theatre, are on sale for $7.50 Matinees (before 6pm) and $9.50 evenings. Interested students can also check out about films playing at the Charles by visiting the theater’s website: thecharles.com.