Showing movies to groups

[Rob Neufeld]

U.S. copyright law says you can show DVDs and videos at home to family and friends; and for face-to-face teaching activities as part of a curriculum at non-profit institutions. But showing movies to clubs, even without advertising, seems restricted. Here's the law.

Organizations can purchase an annual umbrella license for the showing of all movies. The cost depends upon the institution's profile, the frequency of showings, and the size of audiences. It still does not allow charging fees or advertising specific titles publicly. See the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation site for more information.

[Gary Carden]

Well, I've been doing this for years. I have four friends who come to my house and watch movies. It is my job to find a movie worth our time and advise them as to the date of the screening. Just to give you an idea, here are some of the movies that we have watched in the past year:
The King of Masks
Cinema Paradiso
Bladerunner
Romeo is Bleeding
Cane Toads
The Seventh Seal
Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Now, here is what makes us different from the usual couch potatoes. We talk about these movies. We argue a lot. Our moooovie night is one of my greatest pleasures.

[Rob Neufeld]

Hey, Gary, I don't know Cane Toads.

I am fascinated by great cinematic moments, and especially those that are low budget. I wonder if we could compile a list of great moments.

Here's one from me: when Cary Grant carries the glass of poisoned milk up the stairs to his wife in Suspicion. I guess it's well-known movie lore now, but Hitchcock put a battery powered light bulb inside the glass so that the milk stood out more.

[Gary Carden]

Rob,
You need to see "Cane Toads." I've watched it four times now, just ordered it again from Netflex. I have a considerable number of obscure and/or cult films that I love like "Dancing Outlaw" and "Muleskinner Blues."
There is also "Vernon, Florida." Another bit of movie lore. When the Frank Norris silent film, "McTeague" was filmed (nine hours) the director got preoccupied with a scene in which the heroine filled her bed with gold coins and rolled in them in a kind of ecstasy. The director employed people to tint the coins by hand so that they would glitter in the film. Can't think of the director's name....Is it Von Stoheim? He played Gloria Swanson's director in "Sunset Bulavard (sp) I can't spell tonight.