Tuesday, June 3, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Nathanson, Ph.D., Muhlenberg College
Sofia Coppola’s feature debut as a director boldly explores the question of why five teenage girls growing up in middle-class 1970s suburbia would commit suicide. Adapted from the book by Jeffrey Eugenides, the film brings a uniquely cinematic gaze to this tragic tale of lost innocence. With a dreamy but haunting aesthetic, Coppola depicts the girls—and the boys who admire them—with a complex mixture of longing and mystery. Featuring nuanced performances by the young actors and a rich indie-music soundtrack, the movie can be situated in relation to Coppola’s career-long exploration of the complex experiences of teenage girls. Throughout The Virgin Suicides (1999), Coppola asks us to consider how young women’s experiences are defined by the places, histories, and perspectives of those encountering them.
This seminar will situate The Virgin Suicides in relation to the independent-cinema movement of the 1990s and the new generation of women directors who produced work alongside Coppola. We will consider the role of place—specifically the homes set in a middle-class suburban world—as we grapple with questions about youth, memory, and desire.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Coordinator Jill Malcolm with any questions.
