Oh dear, it seems as if this may be my last column. I’m sure this comes as a relief to most readers, who after a fit of excitement in late August over the highly anticipated Cine-Files 07-08 edition, found themselves quickly turning the page in search of Ed Klein. I do have my fans though—my own mother, Molly, for instance, commented, “Why don’t you have them change that horrible photograph of you? You’re much better looking than that!”

This year has been full of particularly memorable film series moments and events, but it’s not over yet, and coming up we have an as-yet unannounced Wesfest event, and several great end-of-the-year films. Let that irresistible vernal breeze pick you up by the delicates and sweep you from Usdan to the film series at 7:30 this week. You won’t regret it, and I certainly won’t go anywhere without my delicates and a vernal impetus.

As always, this has been desperately unfunny and ignored by millions, but in general the films are also damn good, which is the whole point anyway.

FRIDAY THE 13TH
USA, Dir: Sean S. Cunningham. 1980
TONIGHT, April 4, 7:30 p.m.
$4

Anybody who saw “The Exorcist” this fall knows the power and excitement of seeing a seriously scary movie on an enormous screen with a full house. Movies like “Friday the 13th” and the early Wes Craven and John Carpenter films remain highly popular, but for folks of our generation, they are known as video shelf selections rather than marquee attractions. The possibility of seeing these films in 35mm far outweighs the excitement of watching a crummy VHS copy at [insert friend’s name here]’s house while doing/having [insert name of vice here] in the basement. Actually I’m not totally convinced of that last point, but we’re not in high school anymore so it’s really not an option anyway. Also, it’s important not to forget the message of this movie, which is if you had sex at summer camp, you’re lucky to be alive.

PANDORA’S BOX
Germany, Dir: G W Pabst. 1929
SATURDAY, April 5, 7:30 p.m.
$5

This is a very special event (hence the $5 admission) of the silent classic with live organ accompaniment. This type of exhibition is something we strive to provide when showing silent films, because it gives a sense of the multi-media event that the film-going experience once was, and hopefully it will entice some viewers toward the often avoided but highly rewarding silent cinema. “Pandora’s Box” is a particularly relevant silent film because it presents a mature and uninhibited attitude toward sexuality. And while the film is about the downside of opening such a can of worms (a can of sexual worms?) it is in no way aggravatingly ignorant or patronizing. This is a no-lose situation. Come for the impressive accompaniment or come for the film itself, but this is not one to miss.

AGUIRRE THE WRATH OF GOD
West Germany, Dir: Werner Herzog. 1972
WEDNESDAY, April 9, 7:30 p.m.
$4

Our apologies to those in New German Cinema this semester, but I don’t think the other 2,780 of you mind much. Werner Herzog is a campus favorite and there is no better introduction to his work than “Aguirre.” Starring Herzog’s signature leading man, the maniac Klaus Kinsky, “Aguirre” is a Conrad-invoking low budget epic set in the jungle on the Orinoco River. Predating the similar “Apocalypse Now” by several years, the film has been considered an art-house classic since its release, and its influence is wide-spread. As stated, it’s a grand introduction to Herzog, and if you’ve seen the film and are already a fan, why not come renew your vows?

JUDSON FRAGMENTS: POSTMODERN DANCE ON FILM
THURSDAY, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
Free

In the 1960s a group of dancers, choreographers and musicians held a series of groundbreaking performances at the Judson Church in Greenwich Village. The group came to be known as the Judson Dance Theater and included Robert Rauschenberg, Claes Oldenburg and Robert Morris as active members. “Judson Fragments: Postmodern Dance on Film” looks at how the Judson Dance Theater took apart the intellectual underpinnings of “choreography,” and in the process came close to the strategies of minimalist and conceptual art as well. This program of shorts includes film and video by Judson pioneers, by artists who flourished in the generation after Judson and by contemporary artists such as Bruce Nauman. This is an exciting special event co-sponsored by the dance department with a panel discussion. This is the type of program that film series has never had before, and it is a unique addition to our calendar.