Town Hall Theater Hosts Expend Your Minds, Films of the 1960s

The revolutions of the 1960's were fueled by the movies. The counter-culture was a film culture, looking to movies to explore the social and political questions of the time.

Three key films from that period will play at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater throughout the summer. And in another nod to yesteryear, they'll be shown at 1960's prices - only $2.

The series begins with A Hard Day's Night, Richard Lester's ground-breaking 1964 look at a "typical" day in the life of The Beatles. This film invented the music video, and presents the band as funny and thoroughly endearing young men. The musical sequences are not to be missed, inventively shot and a reminder of how brilliantly these four musicians fused musical styles to create the sound of a generation.

A Hard Day's Night will be shown on Sunday, June 27, at 7 pm. At 6:30 pm, Nikki Morse will give an introductory talk on the film.

The key anti-establishment film of the period is Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider (1969). Hopper, Peter Fonda and a very young Jack Nicholson hop on their motorcycles in search of America. On the way they find flower children, pretentious intellectuals, rednecks, and, ultimately, tragedy. This low-budget film is a gritty exploration of what it means to be an outsider in American society.

Easy Rider will be shown on Sunday, July 25, at 7 pm.

The final film in the series was made in 1971, but for many it captures the spirit of the period better than any other film. Harold and Maude follows the gradual liberation of rich-kid Harold through his relationship with the free-spirited Maude, brilliantly played by Ruth Gordon. Maude is 79, but she's the youngest person in the film, open-hearted, totally free of "hang-ups", and always in search of new experiences. This is a film that is well worth seeing again.

Harold and Maude will be shown on Sunday, August 22, at 7 pm. At 6:30 pm, Middlebury College professor of media Jason Mittell will give an introductory talk on the film.

Tickets are only $2, and are available only at the door.

CAPTION: A Hard Day's Night (1964) opens the "Expand Your Mind" film series at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater, Sunday, June 27, at 7 pm. Tickets are only $2, and are available at the door. Nikki Morse will give an introductory talk on the film at 6:30 pm.

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