Reel To Read Film Screenings - December Events

The page meets the screen at Reel to Read, a curated series of independent and classic cinema. These free screenings, hand-picked by librarians, local authors, and film experts, include a Recommended Reads list based on the movie. Select Saturdays from 2-4 PM Saturday, 12/7/19 The Red Shoes Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger In this classic drama, Vicky Page (Moira Shearer) is an aspiring ballerina torn between her dedication to dance and her desire to love. While her imperious instructor, Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook), urges her to forget anything but ballet, Vicky begins to fall for the charming young composer Julian Craster (Marius Goring). Eventually Vicky, under great emotional stress, must choose to pursue either her art or her romance, a decision that carries serious consequences. USA | 1948 | 133 mins | NR | Warner Bros. Saturday, 12/14/19 Moulin Rouge Directed by John Huston Moulin Rouge, British dramatic film, released in 1952, that chronicles the life of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. José Ferrer’s performance as the legendary French artist was widely acclaimed. The John Huston-directed biopic traces the life and work of Toulouse-Lautrec as he worked in the bohemian subculture of Paris in the late 19th century, especially around the burlesque hall known as the Moulin Rouge. There he sketched the dancers as they performed, painted promotional posters for the establishment, and became a pawn of cruel women whose love he craved. To play the part of the artist, whose growth had been stunted by childhood accidents and for whom even walking was a painful challenge, Ferrer worked with Huston to design clever camera angles, costumes, and set devices. The actor even underwent a painful procedure that bound his legs behind him so he could walk on his knees. The role earned Ferrer an Academy Award nomination, and the set designs were highly praised for their replication of late 19th-century Paris (Source: Encyclopædia Britannica) Cast: José Ferrer, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Suzanne Flon, Claude Nollier, Colette Marchand UK/USA | 1952 | 123 mins | NR | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Saturday, 12/21/2019 Breakin’ Directed by Joel Silberg Kelly (Lucinda Dickey) is a classically trained jazz dancer who's tired of warding off her amorous teacher and hungry for a new outlet. When she befriends street dancers Ozone (Adolfo "Shabba-Doo" Quinones) and Turbo (Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers), she's blown away by their unique and original moves. She soon volunteers to help them defeat a rival group of street dancers, learning break-dancing skills along the way and sharing some moves of her own. Cast: Michael Chambers, Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Ben Lokey, Phineas Newborn III, Ice T USA | 1984 | 87 mins | PG | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Saturday, 12/28/2019 Take the Lead Directed by Liz Friedlander When internationally renowned dancer Pierre Dulaine (Antonio Banderas) takes a teaching job in a New York City public school, he meets ridicule from the street-wise students, who scoff at the notion of ballroom dancing. Far from being discouraged, he melds their hip-hop moves with his classical style, helping them create a dance form and, in the process, becoming their mentor. Cast: Antonio Banderas, Rob Brown, Yaya DaCosta, Alfre Woodard, Dante Basco USA | 2006 | 108 mins | PG-13 | New Line Cinema More Info below.