A scrumptious set of three enriching and diversified films jumpstarts the spring presentation of the Webster University Film Series. The series caters to both film connoisseurs and interested collegiate students looking for a good time as Breath Control: The History of the Human Beat Box and Il Conformista will be playing on Feb. 2 and 3 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Moore Auditorium at Webster, respectively, while The Rutles: All You Need is Cash will be playing on Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. at Schlafly Bottleworks.
Since 1979, the Webster U. Film Series has been lauded by audiences as one of the foremost, if not the most prominent alternative film series in St. Louis, screening retrospective, classic, independent and foreign films in an ongoing series intending to elucidate film as an art-form, not simply a platform for sensational blockbusters.
Upholding this standard, Breath Control: the History of the Human Beat Box, the first film of the spring season, investigates the essence and major contributions of this fascinating phenomenon toward hip-hop music with appreciation and pleasing depth. The film series’ Web site says the 2002 film “brings the important ingredient of Hip Hop’s identity into a large universal perspective.”
Fans of hip-hop and exhilarating performance art alike will love director Joey Garfield’s documentary which features thrilling exhibitions and informative interviews with many contemporary and classic beat boxers, such as the veteran Doug E. Fresh and member of the Roots, Rahzel.
Cinema aficionados will surely appreciate Bernardo Bertolucci’s foreign classic, Il Conformista, which offers the tale of a policeman entrenched in Mussolini’s Italy attempting to harmonize his beliefs in the state with conflicting childhood memories. Bertollucci, director of films such as Last Tango in Paris and The Dreamers, shot this stylish film in 1969. Il Conformista is a testament to skillful cinematographic design and is characterized by common Bertolucci themes, such as drawing links between sex and violence.
Although Il Conformista is an Italian film with English subtitles, is a considerable piece of filmmaking that everyone should take the time to watch.
Eric Idle and Gary Weis’ 1978 film The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash is a mockumentary take-off of schmaltzy documentaries concerning the Beatles. It is jointly offered by the Webster U. Film Series and another film series entitled “Strange Brew: Cult Films” sponsored by Schlafly Bottleworks.
In the film, the camera follows the epic ups and downs of the catchy boy band known as the Rutles. Idle meshes together some of his Monty Python humor and Christopher Guest’s now trademark style throughout. Audiences should love Rutles’ candid humor.
For those people who have never had the pleasure of viewing a solid mockumentary, this film is a must-see classic, with appearances by Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner and cameos by famous rock musicians such as Mick Jagger and Paul Simon.
The series’ program director Mike Steinberg, who works for many of film festivals within and around St. Louis, says Rutles is a “really, really funny film . one of the great send-ups of Beatle mania.”
All in all, this film series is great for those with a keen intention in gaining a greater insight into the all-encompassing art form of filmmaking. These first three assorted films, also offer a relatively inexpensive and amusing event for the St. Louis socialite.
Admission tickets are $6 for Breath Control and Il Conformista at Webster There is a special admission price of $4 for the showing of Rutles at Schlafly’s Bottleworks, where drinks are available to the 21-and-up crowd.
