Bryn Mawr Film Institute: May at a Glance

This month at  will feature a number of classic film screenings, from Chariots of Fire to From Here to Eternity, and cult classics Blood and Lace and Kiss Me Deadly. There will also be a silent screening of The Mark of Zorro, but the Not-So-Silent Cinema quartet will be on hand to provide an original flamenco-based score.

BMFI's Public Relations Manager Devin Wachs tells us what to expect: 

Show People (7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 9)

This 1928 silent film, directed by the legendary King Lidor, is a comedy about a young actress who tries to make it big in Hollywood. This screening is in conjunction with the May film course Hollywood in the Mirror, which focuses on how the film industry portrays itself.

Blood and Lace (11:30 p.m. Friday, May 11)

A part of BMFI's Late Show series, this cult classic is about a girl who is sent to an orphanage after her prostitute mother and her client are murdered. Then, a killer begins stalking the grounds of the orphanage.

Live Simulcast: La Fille Mal Gardée (2:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16)

This dance performance is a live simulcast from the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House in London, and is about a girl who wants to marry the boy of her dreams, except her mother has other plans.

Mendelssohn Gala Feat. Lang Lang (1 p.m. Sunday, May 20)

This orchestra performance stars Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig featuring Lang Lang and is conducted by Riccardo Chailly. The broadcast includes five pieces by Mendelssohn and an encore piece by Chopin.

The Mark of Zorro (7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22)

This 1920 classic stars original action star Douglas Fairbanks in Zorro's first on-screen appearance. The silent screening will feature an original flamenco-based improvised score performed live by Not-So-Silent Cinema. 

Chariots of Fire (7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 23)

This 1981 UK classic about two determined track runners who compete in the 1924 Olympics won Best Picture and two other Oscars. The screening is part of BMFI's "What's Up, Doc" film series and will be introduced by 's Chief of Orthopedic Surgery Dr. Robert Good.

Kiss Me Deadly (11:30 p.m. Friday, May 25)

This 1955 cult classic, shown on 35mm, is a film noir about Cold War paranoia with an apocalyptic ending. The film, which was considered extremely violent for its time, is part of BMFI's Late Show series.

The Beatles: The Lost Concert (7 p.m. Tuesday, May 29)

This concert was the first-ever appearance by The Beatles in America, at the Washington Colusseum in Washington, D.C., in 1964. The footage was lost for decades, and the movie now includes interviews with musical celebrities, journalists, fans and people who attended the concert in person.

From Here to Eternity (7 p.m. Wednesday, May 30)

This film, based on a 1951 novel by James Jones, is about a group of soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the months leading up to the attacks on Pearl Harbor. The movie stars Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed. The screening is shown in conjunction with a Cinema Classics seminar from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., which includes a reading, an introductory lecture and a guided discussion after the film, taught by BMFI's Director of Education Andrew J. Douglas, PhD. The film by itself is regular admission; the Cinema Classics seminar is $25 for members and $30 for non-members, and includes admission to the film, as well as popcorn and a drink.

For more information, visit BMFI's website