Provisional programme 2018-19
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2018
23 Sept 7 Oct 21 Oct 4 Nov 18 Nov 2 Dec 9 Dec 2019 6 Jan 20 Jan 3 Feb 17 Feb 3 March 17 March |
The Post Lost in Paris* The Death of Stalin Three Billboards ... Bastards* The Shape of Water Lean on Pete The Nile Hilton Incident* Loving Vincent* Maudie Phantom Thread Custody* Lady Bird This is the programme we shall try to book - as usual it is subject to availability and one or two films may have to change. We shall confirm it here as soon as we can.
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If you have a comment on one of our films, please leave it below
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* Because of the difficulties we have experienced with the legibility of subtitles, we have deliberately included fewer subtitled films.
Tea and cakes downstairs each Sunday from 4:45pm
Film on-screen 5:30pm
Film on-screen 5:30pm
WELCOME TO the new season – our third year of residence in our temporary home, the Marine Theatre. We will again continue to keep you updated on the Regent’s progress. Since we last dimmed the lights there has been quite some publicity about the role of women in the industry, both in front of - and behind - the camera. Promoting their contribution is nothing new here in Lyme Regis, of course. We have done this since the fifth film of Season 1 (I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing), in 1988, and will continue to do so. More recently, however, to heighten public awareness and embolden film programmers, a three F system was pioneered here in the south west and has now gained international recognition. With a modest tweak, we have used it as follows: F = female director; F = noteworthy female role(s); f = female editor.
Summaries of the films to follow once the programme has been finalised.
Notes on the film selection process
In general terms, we are a FILM SOCIETY and so anything is fair game. In reality, however, we do respect our demographics and, whilst The Human Centipede might play a late night at Cambridge, it’s not really for us. Also, we do usually filter out the mainstream films (Potter, Bond etc) and those that have had strong first runs at local cinemas. Nor do we, as a rule, programme the older classics – membership has exceeded all expectations since we took the decision to focus on recent releases. Then.....
To conclude, the questionnaire is used and is important (whilst recognising that its format and style are not without flaws), but your committee has an overarching responsibility with regard to the final selection.
In general terms, we are a FILM SOCIETY and so anything is fair game. In reality, however, we do respect our demographics and, whilst The Human Centipede might play a late night at Cambridge, it’s not really for us. Also, we do usually filter out the mainstream films (Potter, Bond etc) and those that have had strong first runs at local cinemas. Nor do we, as a rule, programme the older classics – membership has exceeded all expectations since we took the decision to focus on recent releases. Then.....
- As Booking Officer, David monitors UK releases all year round. July to February releases make up the members’ questionnaire. This is an important part of the process and the results are collated carefully. However, the committee does not consider it to be binding on all decisions and it has never been used to provide all the titles. Why not? Well, a brand new title might subsequently garner poor reviews, the top six choices might all be French, or American, or war films and so the season might be unbalanced or repetitive.
- Committee members try and attend regional viewing sessions and we also welcome word of mouth feedback from members who have seen something in London, Paris or the States, for example. We try and see some of the borderline cases on DVD or distributor screeners.
- Suitable releases between March and June/July are then added to the questionnaire titles and the long list of up to 60 films goes on to a large spreadsheet with ratings etc.
- These sheets, plus reading materials and reviews are then distributed to committee members.
- We make the final stage as scientific as possible. There are two planning meetings. At the first, the committee goes through all 60 titles identifying the shortlist certainties and the ones we can dismiss (this is where the questionnaire comes into play and it is just as valuable in showing us the least popular titles). This reduces the number of films to about twenty.
- At the second meeting, a week later, the committee deliberates! The remaining titles and other details e.g. French romantic comedy, have been put on index cards. This helps to achieve a good balance and we can also vary the running order for a ‘best fit’. It is normal to agonize over the last couple of choices, but blood is most certainly not spilt and we end up with 13 titles and about 4 reserves. Easy! Unless the film has not been released after all, or, for budgetary reasons, the distributor has either not released it in digital format at all, or has quickly used the hard drive to store another title....
To conclude, the questionnaire is used and is important (whilst recognising that its format and style are not without flaws), but your committee has an overarching responsibility with regard to the final selection.