Movies on Tuesdays at
the historic Union Chapel
in Oak Bluffs
Civil War
Film Series
with MV Museum
at KCT
Outdoor Films at Featherstone
Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs
Movie Museum
at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury
Gatherings After the Movies
Join
Us!
Become a member.
Suggest
A Film?
Contact Us
Movies
at Union Chapel - Tuesday Nights
The Film Society and International Film Festival present movies on six consecutive Tuesday nights beginning
July 12 (except August 8th which is a Monday) at the historic Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs (55 Narragansett Avenue and Circuit Avenue).
Films start at 8:00 PM
Doors open for admissions 45 minutes prior to show time.
Our 2011 summer film schedule:
THE CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS
July 12, 2011 (Tuesday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:15 PM for
admissions.
Following his previous documentary ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, iconic director Werner Herzog once again takes us deep behind the frontier of an extraordinary place. Having gained unprecedented access through the tightest of restrictions and overcome considerable technical challenges, he has captured on film, with specially designed cameras, the interior of the Chauvet Cave in southern France. This is where the world’s oldest cave paintings – hundreds in number - were discovered in 1994.
In the mesmerizing CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, he reveals to us a breathtaking subterranean world and leads us to the 32,000-year-old artworks. In that deeply moving moment of encounter, we come face to face with pristine and astonishingly realistic drawings of horses, cattle and lions, which for the briefest second come alive in the torchlight. In true Herzogian fashion, his hypnotically engaging narration weaves in wider metaphysical contemplations as we learn more about the Paleolithic art and its creators.
Through his understated and gently humorous voiceover, we are invited to reflect on our primal desire to communicate and represent the world around us, evolution and our place within it, and ultimately what it means to be human.
POSTER GIRL
July 19, 2011 (Tuesday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:15 PM for
admissions.
Nominated for 2011 Academy Award - Documentary
Filmmaker Sara Nesson and Ms. Murray will join us for Q&A afterwards
The story of Robynn Murray, an all-American high-school cheerleader turned “poster girl” for women in combat, distinguished by Army Magazine’s cover shot. Now home from Iraq, her tough-as-nails exterior begins to crack, leaving Robynn struggling with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Shot and directed by first-time filmmaker Sara Nesson, POSTER GIRL is an emotionally raw documentary that follows Robynn over the course of two years as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption, using art and poetry to redefine her life.
View Film Trailer
LE QUATTRO VOLTE (AKA FOUR TIMES)
July 26, 2011 (Tuesday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:15 PM for
admissions.
Winner, Best European Film, Cannes Film Festival
Special Introduction by famed Island Painter Rez Williams
An idyllic village in Italy's mountainous region of Calabria is the setting for LE QUATTRO VOLTE, an exquisitely filmed take on the cycles of life. Structured in four parts, per its title ("four times"), it opens with a shepherd tending his herd of goats, then shifts focus to one goat in particular, the tree under which he seeks shelter, and the industrialized fate of that plant.
A.O. Scott of The New York Times writes: "(Its) view of nature is among the most profound, expansive and unsettling I have ever encountered on film. There is virtually no dialogue, yet the film is far from silent: the rustling of trees, the sounds of agricultural labor, the barking of a dog and in particular the cries of goats supply a meaning that transcends words, while Mr. Frammartino's eye for both comedy and mystery produces compositions that are so strange and memorable that they seem to reinvent the very act of perception."
So full of surprises - nearly every shot contains a revelation, sneaky or overt, cosmic or mundane - that even to describe it is to risk giving something away.
CAPE SPIN:AN AMERICAN POWER STRUGGLE
August 2, 2011 (Tuesday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:15 PM for
admissions.
Sneak Preview- with introduced by filmmaker Robbie Gemmel and panel discussion afterwards.
Ten years ago, Jim Gordon proposed building a major wind farm in the middle of Nantucket Sound, a fabled playground of some of America's rich and famous. Dubbed “Cape Wind,” with 130 turbines standing 440 feet tall, Gordon billed the project as a clean, green power plant that should be welcomed by all. To his chagrin, Cape Wind became one of the decade’s most confounding political battles, cutting across party lines and making strange bedfellows.
Green-energy champions like the Kennedys allied with fossil fuel magnates like Bill Koch, Alaskan congressmen, everyday "joes", and a well-funded alliance of professional conservationists to oppose the project. Meanwhile, Greenpeace, labor unions, and national environmental groups led a counter attack, endorsing what would be the first offshore wind farm in the nation.
Embedded behind the battle-lines with both sides, Cape Spin: An American Power Struggle takes an entertaining and thoughtful look at this 21st century clash of titans. America’s energy future hangs in the balance.
Troubadours
August 8, 2011 (Monday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:15 PM for
admissions.
Special Guest Kate Taylor
It's a club whose name has become shorthand for a certain sound and a certain vibe: The Troubadour. The intimate West Hollywood club, since its opening in 1957, has introduced some of the world's most acclaimed singers and songwriters to Los Angeles, and the world.
"Troubadours," a new documentary about one of the most important partnerships to blossom at the club in the late 1960s and early 1970s, between musicians James Taylor and Carole King, premiered at 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Morgan Neville, the film is subtitled "The Rise of the Singer Songwriter," and provides a look into the Laurel Canyon and West Hollywood scenes that gave rise to artists ranging from Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell to Jackson Browne, Elton John and Harry Nilsson, among many others.
The film features interviews with important musical voices of the era, including former Times pop music critic Robert Hilburn; producer/visionary Lou Adler; actor/banjo player/comedian/writer Steve Martin; Kris Kristofferson; J.D. Souther; and Elton John.
A BIRD OF THE AIR
August 16, 2011 (Tuesday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:15 PM for
admissions.
Sneak Preview - Filmmaker Margaret Whitton will be on hand to discuss this unique romantic story of a sassy parrot and a free-spirited librarian that upend the well-ordered life of a solitary man.
A sassy parrot and a free-spirited librarian upend the well-ordered life of a solitary man.
Lyman (Jackson Hurst) is a loner, working the graveyard shift for the Courtesy Patrol. When a green parrot flies in to his trailer he becomes obsessed with finding its owner, which leads him to Fiona(Rachel Nichols). She has been eyeing Lyman from a distance and decides to help with his parrot search, whether he wants her to or not. Along with her basset hound, they set out on a quest to find the bird’s previous owners and Fiona begins to unravel the mysteries of Lyman's past. But when Fiona joins Lyman on his nightly rounds, she witnesses a reality more intense than the romantic version she had envisioned.
Civil War Film Series
at the Katharine Cornell Theatre
Civil War Film Series - Complementing the
MV Museum's exhibit, We Are Marching Along:
Martha's Vineyard and the Civil War, this series of film classics is presented in collaboration with the MV Museum - more details visit www.mvmuseum.org.
Each film will be introduced by Sheldon Hackney, former Provost of Princeton, President of Tulane and Univ. of Penn and Chairman of the National Endowment of the Humanities. Mr. Hackney is a well-recognized scholar of 20th century American history.
Join us Monday nights.
Movies begin at 8:00 pm, door opens 30 minutes prior for admissions
Tickets are $8.00 for Adults, $5.00 for children under
12, or $5.00 for members
GLORY
June 27, 2011 (Monday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:30 PM for
admissions ($8.00/$5.00)
Director Edward Zwick tells the story of Robert Gould Shaw as he leads the U.S. Civil War's first African American volunteer company, the 54th Massachusetts Voluntary Infantry, in the battle at Antietam. This historical war drama details Shaw fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates. Former University of Pennsylvania president and professor of history, Sheldon Hackney, will introduce the film and follow it with a question and answer session.
USA * 1989 * 122 mins. * Drama/War * Rated R
The Red Badge of Courage
July 11, 2011 (Monday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:30 PM for
admissions ($8.00/$5.00)
Based on author Stephen Crane’s novel, John Huston’s war thriller features a young recruit who overcomes initial fears and shame to become a hero on the battlefield. Known for its close-up framing, Huston brings a psychoanalytic intensity to the terrified young soldier's inner turmoil as he takes part in four Civil War battles. Former University of Pennsylvania president and professor of history, Sheldon Hackney, will introduce the film and follow it with a question and answer session.
Shenandoah
July 25, 2011 (Monday) at 8 PM, doors open at 7:30 PM for
admissions ($8.00/$5.00)
Andrew V. McLaglen introduces us to Charlie Anderson, a farmer in Shenandoah, Virginia, who finds himself and his family in the middle of the Civil War. He decides not to get involved because he believes that it is not "his" war, but when the North takes his youngest son prisoner, he is left with no choice. Former University of Pennsylvania president and professor of history, Sheldon Hackney, will introduce the film and follow it with a question and answer session.
Screenings at the historic Katharine Cornell Theatre, 54 Spring Street, Vineyard Haven. Doors open 30 minutes prior to screening time for admissions. Admissions is $8 and $5 for film society members.
A short introduction precedes each screening. For more information visit www.mvfilmsociety.com or call 508-696-9369.
Summer
"Drive-In" Movies
at the Featherstone Center for the Arts 
A new island tradition continues this summer with
outdoor film screening at the Featherstone Center for the Arts. "Drive-in"
and set up your blanket and/or lawn chairs, bring a picnic and enjoy movies
under the stars.
Join us Wednesday nights.
Movies begin at dusk (approx. 8:30 pm), and gate opens for admission at
7:30 PM
Tickets are $6.00 for Adults, $4.00 for children under
12, or $15.00 for a family of four (no hiding in the trunk).
The Featherstone Center for the Arts is located on Barnes Road, approx.
1/4 mile from the blinker light, entrance on your right. Ample parking
available on site.
We are taking a sabbatical from this series, which ran from 2004-2007 - look for other outdoor
locations/films on our summer calendar.
Movie Museum
at the Grange Hall
The Movie Museum was the name given to a summer film
series offered at the Grange Hall (Old Agricultural Hall) in the 1970s
in West Tisbury. Classic movies were screened in the Grange's second floor
theatre. Patrons endured hard wooden benches and the warm environs for
the love of watching movies together as a community. The Hall was restored
by the MV Preservation Trust in 1997-98. In 1999 a group of volunteers
came together to resurrect the tradition of movies at the Grange. A new
chapter in the life of the Movie Museum began with Thursday night screenings
of classic movies from the 1930's - 60's.
Join
us every Thursday night
Movies begin at 8 pm after a short introduction, and doors open for admission
at 7:30 PM. Admission prices are $6.00 for Adults, $4.00 for seniors and
those under the age of 18. (many bring cushions or even their own chairs.)
Society membership discounts apply. Popcorn
and lemonade can be purchased before the movie.
We are taking a sabbatical
from this series which ran from 1999-2006, look for other film locations instead on our summer
calendar.
After Movie Gatherings
The Martha's Vineyard Film Society hosts social gatherings
either before or after films. Past special screenings have included special
guests Jules Feiffer, Patricia Neal, William Styron, Paul Benedict, Tony
Shahloub and Brooke Adams to name a few.
Become a member and receive advance notice of special screenings and events.
More
than 50 film fans gathered on the Vineyard Haven Harbour to celebrate
and raise funds for the society's capital campaign to acquire new projection
and audio equipment. With that goal achieved, we are now in need of a
new Beta SP Player. We would appreciate any help you might consider giving
to the society to meet its goal. Your donation is fully tax exempted.
Contact Richard Paradise at rich@mvfilmsociety.com
for more information.
