Summer has set in and the rising temperatures are making us sweat! At the library we have air conditioning, lots of good books, and plenty of ways to spend some time cooling off in the summer. Did you know we also show movies?
Many of The Great American Read titles have been made into award winning films. We have several discussions coming up this summer featuring these titles! These film screenings and discussions are part of Henrico County Public Library’s programming for The Great American Read. Programming for The Great American Read is offered as part of a grant from the American Library Association and PBS.
The Color Purple: Film Screening + Discussion
Fairfield Library
Tuesday, July 10, 5:30 PM
Celie is a young African-American woman growing up in the early 20th century South. This movie follows Celie’s struggle to find her identity after suffering through years of abuse. Starring Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey, this Oscar-nominated film brings Alice Walker’s classic novel to life. From Warner Brothers Studios. Enjoli Moon, Founder and Creative Director of the Afrikana Film Festival, will be present to lead a discussion after the film. (1985, PG-13, 152 min.)
To Kill a Mockingbird: Film Screening + Discussion
Twin Hickory Library
Tuesday, August 14, 6:00 PM
Set in the Depression-era South, this film tells the story of Atticus Finch, a lawyer who defends an African-American man wrongly accused of raping a white woman. Due to the evidence Atticus reveals in the trial, his children are ridiculed and eventually attacked for his display of due diligence. Based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name, this film stars Gregory Peck and features Robert Duvall in his first major film role. A brief discussion of the film will follow the screening. From Universal Pictures. (1962, NR, 129 min.)
The Godfather: Film Screening + Discussion
Tuckahoe Library
Tuesday, September 11, 5:00pm
Screening of the classic Marlon Brando film, The Godfather. Frequently considered one of the greatest films ever made, winner of multiple Oscars, and based on the bestselling novel by Mario Puzo, this is an offer you can’t refuse. A brief discussion by Prof. Abigail Cheevers, of the University of Richmond’s English Department will follow the screening. (1972, R, 175 min.)
Frankenstein: Film Screening + Discussion
Libbie Mill Library
Thursday, October 11, 6:00pm
Widely considered one of the most iconic horror films ever made, Frankenstein tells the gruesome tale of Dr. Frankenstein, a mad scientist. Obsessed with creating life, he and his assistant assemble a human body from parts of deceased individuals. His friends and neighbors are horrified by the experiment. When the monster comes to life, it struggles to make sense of the world. This original 1931 version stars Boris Karloff as the monster, and is based on the novel of the same name. By Universal Pictures. J.M. Tyree, distinguished visiting professor to the VCU Cinema Department, will lead a brief discussion after the screening. (1931, NR, 71 min.)
Rebecca: Film Screening + Discussion
Varina Library
Tuesday, November 13, 6:00pm
Based on the thrilling gothic novel of the same name, Rebecca tells the story of Mrs. DeWinter, the second wife of a wealthy man. Arriving at Manderley, her new home, she quickly learns she is living in the shadow of her predecessor — the beautiful and mysterious Rebecca. Due to her husband’s frequent business trips, the new wife is often alone with the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who clearly dislikes her and glorifies Rebecca. This film adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel is directed by none other than The Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. A brief discussion will take place after the film screening. By Walt Disney Pictures. (1940, NR, 130 min.)
Also remember to vote for your favorite!
We also have lots of other films being shown this summer if those aren’t to your taste. There is something for all ages! Here are just a few we are excited about.
Musical Mondays
North Park Library
July 23, 6:30pm
Lady Sings the Blues – The story of the troubled life and career of the legendary Jazz singer, Billie Holiday. (1972, R, 84 min.)
July 30, 6:30pm
Cabaret – A nightclub singer and an English writer embark on a doomed romance in Weimar Republic-era Berlin, as the Nazi party begins steadily rising to power and the mood becomes dark. (1972, PG, 128 min.)
Family Movie: Coco
Glen Allen Library
July 19, 2pm
Suggested for ages 7 and up. Watch Coco with us; a vibrantly animated movie about a young boy’s journey into the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather. Refreshments provided. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. (2017, PG, 109 min.)
Teen Movie: Everything, Everything
Fairfield Library
July 31, 2pm
Join us as we watch Everything, Everything, an adaptation of the young adult novel by Nicola Yoon. A boy falls head of heels in love with his neighbor, only to learn she can’t ever leave the safety of her home. (PG-13, 2017, 97 min.)
Swashbuckling with Alexandre Dumas
Varina Library
August 4, 10am-5pm
Swords! Capes! French aristocrats getting into trouble!
10:00 AM The Count of Monte Cristo – Falsely imprisoned by his jealous “friend”, Dantes escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge. (PG-13, 2002, 2 hrs 11 min.)
12:30 PM The Three Musketeers – D’Artagnan sets off to Paris to becoming a Musketeer and meets the legendary Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. (PG, 1993, 1 hr 45 min.)
3:00 PM The Man in the Iron Mask – Paris starves while youthful Louis XIV revels, a mysterious solitary prisoner, face locked in an iron mask, languishes in the Bastille. (PG-13, 1998 2 hr 12 min.)
You can see all the film screenings and movies on our calendar.
We also have streaming movies available for when it is just too hot to leave your house! Check out our collection on Hoopla.
Henrico County Public Library News 