Medicine, Film, And Society Series, At Williams College
WILLIAMSTOWN - The series Medicine, Film, and Society begins Monday, Sept. 8, with an examination of the themes of doctor-patient communication, family dissonance, and decisions about "what to do with the rest of your life."Monday's screening will feature "Ikiru" (1952), directed by the Japanese cinematographer Akira Kurasowa, followed by short segments from "Dark Victory" (1939), starring Bette Davis, and "The Bucket List" (2007), with Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, and Sean Hayes. The screening will be held in Thompson Biology Lab room 112 on the Williams campus at 7 p.m.
A discussion following the film will be led by retired professor of medicine Dr. Mel Krant, who practiced in Boston, taught at Tufts, UMass, and Harvard Medical Schools, and trained at New York University and Harvard. He will be joined by other professionals from the community.
The event, as is the rest of this six-part series, is free and the public is invited.
The other presentations in this series are listed below. All events begin at 7 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 22, "Elephant Man" (1980) directed by David Lynch and a segment of "Freaks" (1932) about sideshow performers, films concerned with congenital aberrations and societal discriminations. Scheduled for the Thompson Biology Lab room 112.
Monday, Oct 6, The British and American film, "El Norte" (1983) will be screened. It focuses on health care of illegal immigrants in the United States. Weston Hall, room 10, on the Williams campus.
Monday, Nov. 3, "Man Without a Face" (1993), directed by Mel Gibson, and a short film by Dr. Krant about burns. The discussion following the films will focus on the societal problems faced by individuals and their families surviving major burns. Weston Hall, room 10.
Monday, Nov. 17, "Philadelphia" (1993) with its themes of homosexuality and discrimination and its compelling story about the early days of AIDS in the U.S. Weston Hall, room 10.
Tuesday, December 2, segments from the award winning "Beat the Drum" (2003) and the HBO film "Yesterday," both dealing with AIDS in Africa and the themes of reluctance to discuss disease and the absence of appropriate medical treatment. Weston Hall, room 10.
There will also be a spring series of six film events, dealing with such issues as problems of medical insurance, emerging new diseases, autism, psychiatric disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other congenital disorders. Weston Hall, room 10.
For building locations on the Williams campus, please consult the map outside the driveway entrance to the Security Office located in Hopkins Hall on Main Street (Rte. 2), next to the Thompson Memorial Chapel, or call the Office of Public Affairs (413) 597-4277. The map can also be found on the web at www.williams.edu/home/campusmap/
For more information, contact Ann Beauchamp at 413-597-2120 or ann.m.beauchamp@williams.edu, or Jane Cary at 413-597-2598 or jdc1@williams.edu.
