Sunday Night Film Club - Boston

On August 7, 1974 a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between New York's Twin Towers, then the world's tallest buildings. After nearly an hour dancing on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation and brought to jail. Petit spent eight months in New York planning the execution of the coup. Aided by a team of friends and accomplices, he had to find a way to bypass the World Trade Center's security; smuggle the heavy steel cable and rigging equipment into the towers; pass the wire between the two rooftops; anchor the wire and tension it to withstand the winds and the swaying of the buildings. The rigging was done by night in complete secrecy. At 7:15 AM, Philippe took his first step on the high wire 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan. James Marsh's documentary brings Petit's extraordinary adventure to life through the testimony of Philippe himself, and some of the co-conspirators who helped him create the unique and magnificent spectacle that became known as "the artistic crime of the century." Music by Michael Nyman.

Posted by grahams at 12:13 PM | Comments (0)

August 20, 2008

Special Screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark at the Coolidge

The Coolidge Corner Theatre will launch a brand-new season of its popular Science on Screen series on Monday, September 1 at 7:00 p.m. with a special presentation of Steven Spielberg’s classic adventure tale, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Before the film, archeologist Curtis Runnels will speak about the realities of archeology versus how it is portrayed in the movies.

Harrison Ford stars as Dr. Jones, a world-renowned professor of archaeology hired by the U.S. government to track down the Ark of the Covenant, a supremely powerful (and deadly) Biblical artifact. With his trusty leather fedora and all-purpose whip, Jones sets out on a journey across the continents. But he isn't the only one after the Ark. With a little help from his friends and his old flame, Marion (Karen Allen), Jones must fend off unscrupulous SS officers eager to get their leather-clad mitts on the Ark and harness its power for their evil cause.

Curtis Runnels is professor of archeology at Boston University. He taught at Stanford University from 1981 to 1987 before moving to BU, where he is also editor of the Journal of Field Archaeology. He has carried out archaeological research in Greece, Turkey, and Albania since 1973 and has published numerous articles and books.

With Science on Screen, the Coolidge Corner Theatre presents a feature film or documentary with a basis in science along with exciting introductions by notable figures in scientific fields. This monthly series is co-presented by the Museum of Science, Boston and New Scientistmagazine.

All Science on Screen programs are $7.75 for students and Museum of Science members and $9.75 regular admission. Events are free for Coolidge Corner Theatre members. Tickets are available in advance at the box office or online at www.coolidge.org/science.

The Coolidge Corner Theatre is located at 290 Harvard Street in Brookline. For more information, visit www.coolidge.org or call 617/734-2500.

Posted by grahams at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)

August 13, 2008

"Tropic Thunder" - Aug 17th

Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Aug 17th at 7:05pm for Tropic Thunder at the Regal Fenway Stadium 13 . Look for Sean wearing a nametag in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.