World-renowned American film director Martin Scorsese came to campus Friday evening to inaugurate the recently completed Center for Film Studies building. He was selected to celebrate the opening by the film majors and faculty of 2000-2001, who first conceived of the center’s construction.
The doors of the new Film Studies building opened at 5:30 p.m. to a line of students that had started to form at noon. A few students were turned away when the 412-seat state-of-the-art theater filled to its capacity.
“We had class [in the Film Studies building] until noon, so we thought we’d spend the afternoon waiting for Marty,” said Katie Walsh ’05.
The event began with a screening of Scorsese’s choice, “America, America,” a film by the legendary director Elia Kazan. Kazan was a mentor to Scorsese and also inaugurated Wesleyan’s first film building, the CFA Cinema, in 1972.
“To say that [Kazan’s] films impacted me profoundly would be putting it mildly,” Scorsese said in a talk he gave at the conclusion of the film. “I saw ‘America, America’ when I was in college, and I think it’s one of Elia Kazan’s greatest films because it’s his most personal film. It tells about his roots. It’s not sentimentalized. It’s about the struggle to survive.”
The two hour and 50 minute movie tells a moving story about the plight of an early twentieth-century immigrant who is intensely determined to find opportunity in America.
Chair of the Film Studies Department Jeanine Basinger, who organized the event, introduced Scorsese with some laudatory remarks and looked back at the development of the University’s film program through her own career at Wesleyan.
“How lucky am I that 33 years ago I welcomed Elia Kazan, and I’m still on my feet and now I have the privilege to welcome Marty,” Basinger said. “[His work] speaks to your generation and to my generation. He links us.”
Before the screening, some students waiting outside discussed how Scorsese’s visit received relatively little publicity.
“Yesterday, I was getting coffee at the Science Center and I saw the poster,” said Nick Thomas ’05. “I thought, Martin Scorsese, that’s a pretty big name, possibly the biggest director of our time. But I only heard about this within the last 24 hours.”
According to Basinger, announcements of Scorsese’s visit were made at the first screening in the new theater on Sept. 6 and at screenings of Film Series movies. The event was also posted on the Film Studies website and posters were put up around campus three days prior to the event.
Scorsese’s visit was not confirmed until three days before he arrived.
“I had been planning [Scorsese’s visit] for ages, but a person like Scorsese, who is working on a $100 million movie, won’t commit,” Basinger said. “I had to wait until he said, ‘Absolutely, I’m coming.’”
Basinger asserted that once it was certain Scorsese was coming, the event was well publicized on campus. She also acknowledged that she wanted to keep it reserved primarily for students.
“This was not for publicity,” Basinger said, “This was not for the public of Connecticut or for New York City people, it was for students. It was my ideal audience. They were all wildly appreciative, polite, patient–’America, America’ was not ‘Caddy Shack.’”
Two of Scorsese’s children, his five–year old daughter and Domenica Cameron-Scorsese ’98, who majored in Film Studies, were also there.
Scorcese, who has an honorary degree from the University, spoke to the captivated audience about the pros and cons of advancement in film technology.
“Do we need 26 sounds for cigarette burning?” Scorses asked. “Because I’m gonna have to make a choice.”
He also warned of confusing greater film appreciation with greater film consumption and then thanked Wesleyan for honoring him with the dedication of the new building.
“To study film is really a privilege, so it’s an honor for me to be here to inaugurate this, [particularly] at a time when most universities have no screening facility whatsoever,” Scorsese said.
Following his talk, he answered questions from the audience. He left the crowd at 10:30 p.m.
“He’s a vibrant, feisty little dude, and he wasn’t talking down to us,” said Shane Lynch ’07.
Elia Kazan’s widow, Frances, was also present at the inauguration.
“I was very touched by [the screening],” Kazan said. “I know that my husband would be delighted about this because he loved Wesleyan.”