Course Catalog

Cold War Shivers: Science Fiction Cinema in the 1950s NEW!

The 1950s in America was a time of bright optimism and unparalleled technological advancement. But the recently ended world war and its atomic aftermath ushered in a new era of heightened scientific curiosity, combined with an increasing concern about the future which resulted in a time of considerable nervous energy -- one that spawned rock and roll, beatniks, and flying saucers. Together these seemingly disparate elements helped define a film genre that would not only entertain but challenge and stimulate movie-goers (many of them young children) to brand new levels of perception. Six classics of this enduring film genre will be viewed in their entirety and discussed with respect to their meanings and subtexts as well as the purely fascinating entertainment they provide. From the poetic ruminations of Ray Bradbury to the spectacular special effects of Ray Harryhausen, COLD WAR SHIVERS promises to be an eye and mind-opening experience! Course Film List: 1. FIVE (1951) 2. IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953) 3. THEM! (1954) 4. EARTH vs. THE FLYING SAUCERS (1956) 5. INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) 6. THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957) About the Instructor: Elliot Lavine has been one of the foremost film programmers in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1990. As program director for the notorious ROXIE CINEMA in San Francisco he was responsible for enriching the local movie landscape with an eclectic range of films that spanned virtually every decade from the 1920s through the new millennium. In 2010 he received the Marlon Riggs Award from the San Francisco Critics Circle for "his revival of rare archival and independent titles, and his role in the renewed popularity of film noir and pre-Production Code features." Prior to his programming activities, he was a student in San Francisco State University's Cinema department after receiving his liberal arts degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

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