At the Chazen: Austen, Kawabata, Oates, and Didion On Film
CLUELESS
Presented in conjunction with the Chazen Museum of Art’s exhibition, Petah Coyne: How Much A Heart Can Hold, this Sunday afternoon series presents four feature films that are all adaptations of stories or novels by writers who influenced Coyne’s body of work: Jane Austen, Yusanari Kawabata, Joyce Carol Oates, and Joan Didion. Each of these authors inspired original Coyne works in the exhibition, which can be viewed at the Chazen September 9 through December 23.
- Sun., Sep. 22 | 2:00 PMChazen
In mid-90s Beverly Hills, rich and popular Cher (Silverstone) rules her high school. When she gives klutzy new student Tai (Brittany Murphy) a makeover, Tai becomes more popular. Funny, stylish, and driven by its own memorable vernacular, this box-office hit was Heckerling’s second successful tour of California teendom after Fast Times at Ridgemont High. “Still the best Jane Austen adaptation” (Jane Hu, The Ringer), Clueless is loosely based on Austen’s 1815 novel, Emma.
- Sun., Oct. 27 | 2:00 PMChazen
Based on a story by co-screenwriter Yusanari Kawabata, this silent film milestone has been hailed as the Japanese equivalent of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. A Page of Madness focuses on a husband struggling to connect with his insane wife amidst the harrowing asylum where she lives and he works as a janitor. Disturbing and daring, the film was considered lost for over 40 years until director Kinugasa discovered a single 35mm print hidden in his home. The digital version that will be shown features a score by the Alloy Orchestra.
- Sun., Nov. 17 | 2:00 PMChazen
In this haunting adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates' celebrated short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", a teenage girl experiences an unsettling awakening. In her breakout lead performance, Laura Dern personifies the thrill and terror of adolescence as Connie, whose carefree summer is shattered by a menacing encounter with a mysterious stranger (Williams).
- Sun., Dec. 8 | 2:00 PMChazen
In contemporary Los Angeles, a failed actress (Weld), descends into madness after the dissolution of her marriage to a self-obsessed director (Perkins). Writer Joan Didion, known for her exploration of California landscapes and mythologies, wrote the screenplay, an adaptation of her own novel about the dark side of tinseltown. Never released on home video in any format, an excellent archival 35mm print will be shown.