Rediscovering the lost art of movie immersion

The lights dim, cell phones are shut off, voices are hush, and proper movie-watching etiquette ensues. Not even the rattling of candy wrappers or the crunch of popcorn will distract the viewer from total movie immersion. And total immersion is exactly what Eric Braysmith, instructor in English, wants when visitors come to enjoy his free public film series, Friday Night in the Forum. The series can be seen on select Friday evenings at 7:30 in Forum I of the Wright Administration Building.

Minus the over-priced snacks, high-back seats, and the cost of a ticket, the Forum theater experience is the same as visiting any commercial theater. The movies are shown in their original formats and languages (with sub-titles) on a large screen with theatrical DLP widescreen projection and surround sound system.

The film series began as an extension of his Introduction to Film class, allowing students to gain extra credit. Braysmith thought why not open the doors to the public as well? The selections are a diverse collection of foreign films, avant-garde art flicks, and atmospheric nature documentaries. "I'm looking for movies that haven't played locally, and are a little bit edgier and not quite as mainstream," said Braysmith.

Last year the theater was upgraded from a 35mm projector to a digital projector, which has allowed Braysmith to revisit a few classics not available in the older format. "We'll be showing Barry Lyndon, a Stanley Kubrick film," Braysmith said. "It was shot by candlelight and would be a great one to talk about its history. It was a phenomenal movie in its day. It'll be interesting to see how it holds up." 

The film is followed by an informal "chat" about the movie, offering attendees the opportunity to get Braysmith's expert analysis on the films, whose content can at times be challenging to interpret. From time to time, he also will invite well-versed guest speakers to engage the audience. Surprisingly, almost every film in this series is one Braysmith is seeing for the first time, increasing the pressure when the credits roll and he makes his way to the front of the crowd to answer questions and provide analysis. "I can hear my friends as I'm walking the gauntlet, taunting me, and saying 'oh you're sunk', but luckily something usually clicks and I have these a-ha moments."

With the absence of distractions, visitors can enjoy a personal relationship with the movie they're seeing. "We showed the documentary, Sansara. It's a gorgeous non-verbal documentary film with a meditative feel," said Braysmith. "You wouldn't have the patience to sit there with a cat on your lap and the phone ringing, but in here you can sit and let it wave over you."

When asked what he wants the audience to take from the Friday Night in the Forum experience, Braysmith replies simply "I hope they enjoy the movie."

The schedule for Friday Night in the Forum can be found on Facebook, as well as USI calendar and USI Today Announcements. ♦