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 offered, 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 longtime 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, http://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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