CAL Film Series
Youth in the Movies: Coming of Age
The 2018 Fall CAL Film Series: The Directors
NAU’s College of Arts and Letters Film Series, which is co-sponsored by the Cline Library and the School of Communication, promotes understanding and appreciation of cinema through Northern Arizona University and the greater Flagstaff community.
Before each movie, a local film expert offers a short introduction to set the film in its historical, artistic, and cultural context. Each film is followed by a discussion.
The CAL film series blends well-known audience favorites along with lesser-known movies, as well as a mix of genres, artists, and decades, moving chronologically from past to present so that audiences can see the evolution of the art form.
Why is this film series important to the NAU?
The College of Arts and Letters Film Series celebrates 15 years drawing campus and community to the big screen to promote an understanding and appreciation of cinema.
The Fall 2018 film series begins our two-season focus on youth in the movies with 15 films about coming of age.
We begin this season in 1938 with the triple Oscar-nominated “Angels with Dirty Faces.” This classic film stars Pat O’Brien and James Cagney as childhood friends who grow up to be a priest and a gangster, respectively, and who are fighting for the souls of the members of the neighborhood gang. Our other 1930s film is the poignant but funny family comedy “I Was Born, but…”, directed by legendary Japanese director Yasujirô Ozu.
If you need special accommodations, please contact Disability Resources: DR@nau.edu, Phone: 928-523-8773 or TTY: 928-523-6906. We suggest contacting Disability Resources 48 hours prior to the event as some accommodations may take a reasonable time frame to arrange. Assisted listening systems are also available.
Fall 2018 schedule
Admission is free, but donations are welcome!
August 28: 7th Angels with Dirty Faces Accordion Closed
Directed by Michael Curtiz; Starring James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, the Dead End Kids; 1938. 97 min. NR
Juvenile delinquent buddies grow up to be a priest and a gangster; fight over the fate and souls of a young neighborhood gang played by the Dead End Kids in their old neighborhood.
September 4: I Was Born, but…. Accordion Closed
Directed by Yasujirô Ozu; Starring Tatsuo Saitō, Tomio Aoki, Hideo Sugawara; 1932. 100 min. NR
Winner of Best film of the year in Japan, this silent film centers on two young brothers who lose faith in their father because he may be less important than they believed.
September 11: Shadow of a Doubt Accordion Closed
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Starring Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten, Macdonald Carey ; 1943. 108 min. PG
Hitchcock’s psychological thriller stars the wonderful Teresa Wright as a teenager whose beloved uncle might be a killer.
September 18: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Accordion Closed
Directed by Elia Kazan; Starring Dorothy McGuire, Peggy Ann Garner, James Dunn; 1945. 129 min. PG
The bestselling novel became an Oscar winner about an adolescent girl coming of age in early 20th century Brooklyn, dealing with poverty and a loving alcoholic father.
September 25: A.I. Accordion Closed
Directed by Steven Spielberg; Starring Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O’Connor, William Hurt; 2001. 146 min. PG-13
In this futuristic take on Pinocchio, Steven Spielberg directed Haley Joel Osment as a robotic boy yearning to be real.
October 2: Oliver Twist Accordion Closed
Directed by David Lean; Robert Newton, Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, John Howard Davies; 1948. 105 min. Not Rated
David Lean directed the Charles Dickens classic about an orphan boy trained as a London pickpocket, with Alec Guinness in one of his earliest and greatest roles.
October 9: The 400 Blows Accordion Closed
Directed by François Truffaut; Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, Claire Maurier; 1959. 99 min. Not Rated
François Truffaut’s debut film about a misunderstood adolescent is a defining film of the French New Wave, a Cannes award winner, and widely considered one of the greatest French films of all time. (In French with English subtitles.)
October 16: American Graffiti Accordion Closed
Directed by George Lucas; Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat; 1973. 110 min. PG
George Lucas’ Oscar-nominated box office smash (featuring a great rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack) about recent high school grads cruising the streets on the night before leaving for college.
October 23: The Breakfast Club Accordion Closed
Directed by John Hughes; Starring Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald; 1985. 97 min. R
Five high school students with nothing in common are forced together in detention only to discover that they have more in common than anyone thought.
October 30: Carrie Accordion Closed
Directed by Brian De Palma; Starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, John Travolta; 1976. 98 mins. R
For Halloween, we give you Sissy Spacek delivering a terrifying performance as Stephen King’s shy telekinetic teen bullied to the point of catastrophic revenge.
November 6: Election Accordion Closed
Directed by Alexander Payne; Starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein; 1999. 103 min. R
The lives of an obsessive overachieving student and her high school teacher intersect during student body elections.
November 13: Dazed and Confused Accordion Closed
Directed by Richard Linklater; Starring Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey; 1993. 102 min. R
Richard Linklater’s hilarious coming of age comedy about the last day of high school in 1976 did little business when released but has since become a cult classic.
November 20: Rushmore Accordion Closed
Rushmore Still
Directed by Wes Anderson; Starring Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams; 1998. 93 min. R
This comedy-drama about an eccentric teenager at a private school was Wes Anderson’s second film, Jason Schwartzman’s first, and the movie that established Bill Murray as a respected indie film actor.
November 27: Ghost World Accordion Closed
Directed by Terry Zwigoff; Starring Scarlett Johansson, Thora Birch, Steve Buscemi; 2001, 111 min., R
Scarlett Johansson and Thora Birch star as best friends who have a falling out when one tries to help lonely Steve Buscemi’s love life in this cult classic adapted from Daniel Clowes’ graphic novel.
December 4: The Florida Project Accordion Closed
Directed by Sean Baker; Starring Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince; 2017, 111 min. R
In Willem Dafoe’s 2017 Best Supporting Oscar nod, this Flagstaff premier follows a precocious 6-year old, her ragtag friends, and rebellious mother, living just outside Walt Disney World.
Parking at NAU
Free weeknight parking behind Cline Library in lot P13 requires a permit, which community members can get by registering with NAU Parking:
- Create a Guest Account for designated free parking at nau.edu/guest.
- Then contact NAU Parking by calling 928-523-6623 or emailing ask.parking@nau.edu to verify you are not affiliated with NAU.
- After completing this one-time registration, you will be able to print a free evening parking permit at home for each film. This permit must be displayed on your vehicle dashboard while parked for the event.
Contact College of Arts and Letters