See where Hollywood films around DC

DC pops up in the movies for good reason: if you want to show the halls of power, you go to Washington. And sometimes, when you're showing the halls of power, your characters have to go for a walk or get a drink. This is how places like Adams Morgan ended up in movies like Dave.

Last semester, our student staff member Sean put together this great map of all the different places in DC that have shown up on film, along with our call numbers for those movies. Most the movies filmed around the Mall, understandably, but you might be surprised to learn about Slam (HU DVD 158), which was filmed near Anacostia. We also liked that Damn Yankees (HU DVD 2706) takes place at Griffith Stadium, at the side of what's now Howard University Hospital.

The map doesn't have ever film every set in DC (no Transformers 3?), but it's a fun way to look around the city and see where movies you might love have stopped by our city. Thanks to Sean for putting this together!

For our Metroless day: public transit videos from our collection

In an unprecedented move, the entire Metro system is closed today. Whether or not this was the right choice, it means that DC is spending the day without its main form of public transit. There isn't a documentary about the DC Metro (as far as we know) so we've gathered together three timely media items about this unusual transportation problem.

Firstly and perhaps most seriously, you can stream Subway City, a documentary about all the people who pass through New York's underground rail system. It's not just about the commuters who use it to get to work but "those who work there, those who live there, and those who commit crimes there." Infrastructure on the scale of a subway system changes a city, and this film is a neat peek at what that cultural indentation looks like. (And today, you're seeing what happens when that system disappears.)

Next, for a bit of a laugh, the old newsreel Futuristic Transportation Needs (also streaming) features brief clips of vehicles meant to be the future of transport that missed the mark by a mile. Our favorite is the Aérotrain, the giant Flash Gordon-looking hovertrain pictured above.

And just for good measure, we also have a copy of the How I Met Your Mother episode Subway Wars (HU DVD 11576, Disc 1) in which the main characters try to out-race each other using whatever transportation they can find. The subway-riders don't win, though mostly because of an emotional forfeit.

The Metro may be increasingly dangerous, but be glad that you don't have to ride the Aérotrain. Hopefully we're back to normal tomororw

DC's most genuinely spooky place becomes a landmark

If you're an AU student who has made the trek to Georgetown, you've probably encountered the Exorcist steps, the legendary staircase famously used in a climactic scene from the bone-chillingly terrifying film The Exorcist. It's in an unassuming spot – behind a gas station on M Street – but it has for decades served as a beacon for local horror and movie fans.

At long last, the DC local government has decided to honor the Exorcist steps by making them an official city landmark. The commemoration ceremony will be held on October 30th at 6pm, right in time for Halloween. Public attendees are welcome and are invited to mingle beforehand with writer William Peter Blatty and author William Friedkin. (Bring something for them to autograph!)

American University and the School of Communications appear to be co-sponsoring this event, though we couldn't find anything official about that. Either way, it's still unlikely that you'll be able to go to the invitation-only screening of The Exorcist that follows the ceremony. But certainly head down to see a piece of DC movie trivia become DC history.

DC Digital Commons opens, offers powerful media resources

We're very proud of the services and equipment available at the New Media Center; our training sessions and studio spaces had great attendance last year, and users are walking away with finished projects and greater knowledge of multimedia software. We're always very happy when we see other universities and libraries offering these services too.

Color us excited that now DC Public Library is getting into the game! Today, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is opening the Digital Commons, a state-of-the-art multimedia lab available for all DC residents. The Digital Commons offers a plethora of services, including:

• Smart room meeting space for small businesses and independent groups
• Skype stations for videoconferencing
• Computers loaded with the Adobe Creative Suite
• A 3D printer and book printer for creative types (seriously!)
• Tutorial sessions on popular software and services
• A "Digital Bar" for test-driving the latest devices

We love to see these types of services available throughout the city. If you're a recent alumnus who wants to continue using cutting-edge multimedia resources, the Digital Commons is a great new resource.

Filmfest DC begins Thursday, April 12 and runs through Sunday, April 22!!

Welcome to Filmfest DC: April 12 - 22

The 26th Annual Washington, DC International Film Festival...for people who love movies! Featured this year will be:

• The Lighter Side - A series of international comedies. Politics isn't the only funny thing in Washington.
• Caribbean Journeys - New films from Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago, the Dominican Republic and more.
• Justice Matters - A series exploring issues of social justice.

Advance Tickets Now On Sale

Opening Night: April 12

Starbuck (Canada), directed by Ken Scott

As seen on the Filmfest DC website. For a list of theaters, showtimes, and more info, check out FilmfestDC.org

Dragon Tattoo Special Screening w/ The Embassy of Sweden - Wednesday, January 18 at 7pm

Wednesday, January 18
Screening: 7pm
Lincoln Theatre
1215 U St NW
Washington, DC

Join the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Embassy of Sweden for a special screening of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at the Lincoln Theatre.

Preceding the film:
Swedish Behind the Scenes:
An insight on the role that Sweden plays as a backdrop in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Buy tickets here.

Washington City Paper's Guide to Filmfest DC

The Washington City Paper has a pretty in depth guide to Filmfest DC. Check it out!
Filmfest DC: An Insanely Serious Guide

Filmfest DC Starts Today!

This year the festival will feature provocative Italian films and cutting edge work from Romania, the hottest spot on the international cinema scene. Fans can also look forward to "The Tango Singer" (Argentina), "Hipsters" (Russia), "Medal of Honor" (Romania), "Heliopolis" (Egypt), "Will You Marry Us" (Switzerland), "25 Carats" (Spain) and scores of other international award winning films. Now celebrating its 24th year, Filmfest DC presents over 80 feature premieres, restored classics, shorts and special events in an enjoyable atmosphere for movie lovers. New this year is the Social Justice Award. The festival's audience is widely diverse, curious and knowledgeable and Filmfest DC has developed into one of the city's major cultural events. As seen on NPR.org

See dates, showtimes, and film descriptions at FilmfestDC.org

Albert Brooks is on twitter...

Follow his neurotic tweets. And check out some of his films:

1. Broadcast News(HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 3504)
2. Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World(HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 6737)
3. Finding Nemo(HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 836)
4. Defending Your Life(HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 6519)
5. Lost in America(HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 4557)
6. Real Life(HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 6108)

Our City Film Festival - Bablyon Central - Sunday, February 13 at 3:15pm

Babylon Central, the debut film of Thievery Corporation's Eric Hilton will be screened here in Washington, DC at the Fourth Annual Our City Film Festival on Sunday, February 13 at 3:15pm. Tickets are available here for $10.

Where:
Goethe Institute
812 7th St NW
Washington, DC

Babylon Central Official Trailer:


Interview clip with Eric Hilton

TONIGHT! This Summer's Final Screen on the Green - Bonnie and Clyde

Tonight, in a few short hours, will be the final Screen on the Green for the summer. Tonight's film is Bonnie and Clyde. Media Services has this classic on DVD and we also have a Blu-ray version. See Screen on the Green details below:

What It's About:
Meet Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. They rob banks. Explosive (if romanticized) crime drama, set during the Depression, follows the Barrow gang's crime sprees from Kansas to Texas. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty were blessed with their juiciest roles yet, but Oscars went to the cinematography and to supporting actress Estelle Parsons. A career launcher for Parsons, it also showcased another newcomer, Gene Wilder. Director Arthur Penn made his markwith one of the most influential movies of the 1960's and that legendary climax became the stuff of cinematic lore. (Warnder Bros., 1967) 111 Min.

Where:
The screen is located off of Constitution Avenue, between 4th & 7th Streets.

When:
Tonight at sunset (around 8pm). The movie will play unless there are extreme weather conditions. For weather updates call: 877.262.5866

Nearest Subway Stop:
The Smithsonian stop (blue/orange line)

What to Bring:
Blankets, snacks, beverages, umbrellas, bug spray, warm clothes. You can pack snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for a picnic vibe.

What Not to Bring:
weapons, drugs, alcohol, and tall chairs are among the forbidden items.

Official site:
http://www.nps.gov/nama/

Netflix- window to our souls

The New York Times website has a great interactive map of Netflix data which shows the popularity of various movie rentals across zip codes. They've mapped twelve major urban areas including DC. The maps reveal unexpected patterns. Why does I Love You Man, the Paul Rudd tour de force, stand out in zip code 20057 as the top rented movie here but nowhere else? Is Georgetown University full of Rudd fans?

link

Bicycle Film Fest Comes to DC

Cycle-punk, cyclocross, fixee - the gradations of the bicycle subculture are varied. The BFF comes to town December 5 and takes a look at guys, gals and bikes around the world.
Saturday December 5
Screenings at United States Navy Memorial Theater - 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW
5:00 PM | Program 1 - ROAD TO ROUBAIX
7:00 PM | Program 2 - WHERE ARE YOU GO
9:00 PM | Program 3 - Urban Bike Shorts
10:00 PM | After Party

For more information, trailers and a full film list go to Bicycle Film Festival

National Geographic in DC

Click here to see the National Geographic website for details.

"Step into a world of entertaining presentations by today's leading explorers, scientists, photographers, and performing artists."

Some upcoming films include:

Redwoods Transect

El Regalo de la Pachamama

Barking Water

Before Tomorrow

The Fall of Womenland

Tickets for the general public are $18, or you can check out their free film series...

Upcoming titles include:

A Short Trip Around the World - A collection of six short films (9/22)

Terra Antarctica (9/29)

Kingdom of the Blue Whale (10/6)

Secrets of Angkor (10/13)

The Mountain Music Project (10/27)

La Ofrenda: Days of the Dead (11/3)

The Real Dragon Emperor (11/10)

A combination of films from the Native American powwow and beyond (11/24)

Hooked: Monster Fish of Mongolia (12/1)

Direct from the Moon (12/8)

America’s Wild Spaces: Death Valley (12/15)

HBO’s Screen on the Green cancelled for 2009...

HBO has canceled the long-running Screen on the Green program for 2009, according to a representative from HBO’s consumer affairs department.

However, Crystal City is still running their outdoor movie nights, go here for more details:

http://www.crystalcity.org/eventdetail.asp?IdEvent=412

WashingtonPost.com Project: On Being

This woman from WashingtonPost.com, Jennifer Crandall has been creating these three minute video profiles about different people in Washington, DC. She features a new person each week. I highly recommend checking them out, especially the one with the little kid named Gio.
http://specials.washingtonpost.com/onbeing/