The following is a guest post by Jenny Paxson of the Packard Campus.
Friday, January 6 (7:30 p.m.)
Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941)
Directed by and starring Orson Welles, this film tells the life story of Charles Foster Kane (Welles), a newspaper tycoon who gains immense wealth at the expense of the ones he loves. The screenplay, written by Herman Mankiewicz and Welles, was inspired by the biography of real-life newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, and the film’s celebrated visual style, featuring stunning black and white cinematography ,was created by director of photography Gregg Toland. Although Citizen Kane received a lukewarm reception from audiences upon its initial release, it was applauded by critics and is today often considered the “greatest film of all time.” The movie, which also stars Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane and Ruth Warrick, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film was added to the National Film Registry in the Registry’s inaugural year of 1989.
Saturday, January 7 (7:30 p.m.)
Fargo (Gramercy, 1996 – *R-rated)
Produced, directed, written, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen, this film is a dark comedy set in snowy Minnesota that follows a quirky cast of characters, including a pregnant police officer (Frances McDormand), a manager of a car dealership (William H. Macy), and two hired criminals, involved in the committing and investigating of a crime. A critical and popular success, the film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. Fargo received seven Academy Award nominations, and McDormand took home a statuette for Best Actress and the Coen Brothers earned an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. A television series based on the film debuted in 2014. Fargo was added to the National Film Registry in 2006, the first year it became eligible. * No one under the age of 17 will be admitted without a parent or guardian.
Sunday, January 8 (2:00 p.m.)
The Princess Bride (20th Century-Fox, 1987)
A grandfather reads a fairy tale to his sick grandson about stable boy-turned-pirate, Westley, and his journey to rescue his true love, Buttercup, from the evil Prince Humperdinck. Directed by Rob Reiner and adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel, this family fantasy-adventure stars Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest and Mandy Patinkin. Though critically acclaimed, “The Princess Bride” was not a major box-office success on its initial release but became a cult classic after it hit the home video market. The film is highly quotable–Mandy Patinkin said that his most famous line (“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”) has been quoted back to him by at least two or three strangers every day of his life. The Princess Bride was added to the National Film Registry on December 14, 2016.
For more information on our programs, please visit the website at: www.loc.gov/avconservation/theater/.