From the silent fictional documentary "Man of Aran" (1934) to the Oscar-winning classic "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) and contemporary films like "Trainspotting" (1996) and "The Eagle" (2011), the series attempts to provide a complete repertoire of British film spanning its early black and white beginnings to current critically acclaimed works.
"We wanted to cover well-known figures, such as Prospero from the Shakespearean play The Tempest,' as well as James Bond and Queen Victoria, and major directors like Danny Boyle and major actors like Helen Mirren and Laurence Olivier," DFS director Grey Cusack '11 said.
The series, proposed by Daniel Maxell-Crosby '02 and Sarah Maxell-Crosby '04, will coincide with the much talked about wedding on April 29 between Prince William and his fiance Kate Middleton. In honor of the wedding, DFS will show "The Young Victoria" (2009) on the same weekend. In the film, Emily Blunt plays the iconic Queen Victoria in her early years as she attempts to rule over a vast nation while navigating a love affair with Prince Albert and struggling to overcome her parents' overbearing hold.
"British film is a breed of its own," Cusack said. "It has a very interesting history, it has so many amazing actors and directors. I think overall, this fascination with British culture is because of their aristocracy and their traditions, which American culture diverges from."
Shakespeare's Prospero, another British icon, will have a place in the film series in a re-imagined iteration directed by Julie Taymor with a female lead. "The Tempest" (2010) will be playing in Spaulding Auditorium on April 17. Helen Mirren plays Prospera, a sorceress exiled to a small, mystical island. Using her magic, she becomes a master of the spirits and magical creatures that inhabit the island.
Mirren is no stranger to playing British icons she is best known for her portrayals of both Queen Elizabeth I and II, in the TV miniseries "Elizabeth I" (2005) and in an Oscar-winning performance in "The Queen" (2006).
In addition to "The Eagle," two other films released this year will be shown in the series. "Hanna" (2011) is an American film featuring Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, who gained accolades for her performances in "Atonement" (2007) and "The Lovely Bones" (2009). The title character is a teenager raised in the wilderness by her ex-CIA father to be a highly trained assassin. As she is chased across Europe by a ruthless operative played by Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett, Hanna's encounters leave her questioning her very existence.
The recently released "Jane Eyre" (2011) will also be shown in the series. Mia Wasikowska, who is best known for her performance as Alice in Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" (2010), stars as the titular character in this dark, Gothic adaptation of the classic Charlotte Bront novel.
DFS will contextualize these contemporary works by featuring many classic films that defined British cinema. Robert Flaherty's "Man of Aran" depicted pre-modern life on an island off the coast of Ireland and is considered one of the first great British films.
The film series will also feature films from the golden age of British cinema, the 1940s. "Black Narcissus" (1947), a film noted for its use of Technicolor, follows a group of Anglican nuns who form a convent in the Himalayas. "The Entertainer" (1960), starring screen legend Laurence Olivier, marks another significant era in British film history it is a hallmark film in the United Kingdom's "kitchen sink" realist cultural movement.
"British Invasion" will begin on Wednesday, March 30 with the famous James Bond classic "Goldfinger" (1964), starring Sean Connery in the lead role. The film is considered the greatest and most iconic in the James Bond film series, according to Cusack. The DFS Spring series will close with Stanley Kubrick's cult classic "A Clockwork Orange" (1971), a dark, satirical film set in a dystopian world, based on Anthony Burgess' 1962 novella of the same name.
"We like to go in with a bang and end with a bang," Cusack said. "We try to make sure that the first and the last film of the DFS series really make a mark."
