By Steve Whiteman
After a half hour of commercials and two hours of explosions at the multiplex, have you ever had the feeling that there must be a better way to spend a Saturday night?
The Woodland Hills classic film seminar Life is Too Short to Watch Lousy Movies, set to begin its ninth year, has a few openings for congenial people interested in viewing and discussing great movies. Regular participation with guaranteed seating and space-available participation are both available, and there is no charge for the films or the programs.
Meetings are held on the first Saturday of every month and are conducted like a friendly, laid back seminar by Steve Whiteman, a long-time film buff with a 12,000-item video library. Programs usually include a cartoon, Coming Attractions, the feature film, and clips and commentary on personnel and genres, with thoughtful discussion interspersed.
Last year, Ormewood Park resident Ann Fowler heard about the group, gave it a try, and signed up as a 2014 regular. “I love going to Steve’s movie group every month,” Fowler says. “It’s fun to watch classics with other film enthusiasts and Steve shows a wide variety of genres – comedies, dramas, film noir, westerns, foreign classics and more. He also provides background information about each motion picture and the historical context in which it was made. Good food, nice company—it’s always a great night of entertainment!”
Interested? Have a look at the group’s website, ClassicFilmAppreciation.webs.com, which explains how things work. Then to be notified of future films, sign up for the mailing list as a space-available “Drop In” participant on the Contact Us page of the site. After attending a couple of screenings, signing up as a “Regular” gets you a guaranteed seat and additional benefits. Steve can answer questions at ClassicFilmAppreciation@gmail.com.
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