Glenn’s Pick – Glenn Webb, Director of Programs – “Rosemary’s Baby” and the novel it is based on have grown into a new relevance. What appeared to be a story about the occult, perhaps with overtones of paranoia and critique of the social elite, now is a classic example of “gaslighting.” This is the abusive practice of manipulating information to make a victim or accuser question their own sanity or perception. This has recently taken the form of baseless claims of “fake news” by certain political figures, but also takes on a gender and sex abuse dimension in the me-too era, with Mia Farrow being the exemplification of women who aren’t believed, especially by the patronizing forces who are implicated. So this is what I think about the movie, and the implications often found in the easily dismissed genre of horror film, but you’ll want to hear what Jack Hanley and his cohort have to say about it on Sunday. You might have been lucky enough to experience Jack’s excellent session in the How To Watch a Movie series last year, or even one of his many sharp and clear talkbacks after movies at The Boe. He’ll be joined by horror and paranormal expert Bryan Bonner, as well as the head weirdo in charge of Friday Night Weird, Shay Wescott, to explore the history of horror film and its changing place in the art form of cinema. It’s like the best parts of a college class condensed to one sitting, so don’t miss it!
