Last modified: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Actor, filmmaker Crispin Glover brings eccentric films, slideshows to IU Cinema
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 5, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Crispin Hellion Glover, an actor and director who creates unconventional films that are often filled with disturbing themes, will visit IU Cinema this month.
Photo by Rocky Schenck
Crispin Glover
Perhaps best known for his roles as George McFly in "Back to the Future" and the Thin Man in the recent "Charlie's Angels" reboots, Glover made his directorial debut in 2005 with "What Is It?," a surreal film with a cast largely composed of actors with Down syndrome.
"Glover is a fascinating filmmaker who stretches the boundaries of film with his use of images, characters and story, considered both a provocateur and mad genius," IU Cinema director Jon Vickers said. "He also invokes the spirit of a traveling vaudevillian, combining theater, film and an interactive experience. He remains in the venue until every patron has had a personal experience with Crispin Glover. While we felt it important to make his work available to our audiences, we also want to remind viewers that his subject matter and images will be offensive to some."
IU Cinema will screen two examples of Glover's work:
- 7 p.m. Feb. 15, "It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine" -- Screenwriter Steven C. Stewart stars in a semi-autobiographical, psycho-sexual tale that is part horror film, part exploitation picture and part documentary.
- 7 p.m. Feb. 16, "What Is It?" -- Glover -- who wrote, directed and appears in two roles in this film -- describes it as "the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are snails, salt, a pipe and how to get home while being tormented by a hubristic racist inner psyche."
Glover will also share his "Big Slide Show" -- a one-hour dramatic narration of eight books from the 1800s available in the public domain that he has retextualized using his own words and images -- before each of the screenings. Each slideshow will be different.
Following the film screenings, Glover will participate in a question-and-answer session and will then be available to speak individually with audience members. Three of Glover's illustrated books will be sold on site.
The events are co-sponsored by the Ryder Film Series.
"The films are certainly provocative and subversive and, in fact, that description may be an understatement," Ryder director Peter LoPilato said. "Glover does not allow the films to be experienced in a conventional movie theater setting. They can only be seen when he is present. In that sense, this is a rare opportunity."
Tickets for both screenings are $18 each. Tickets can be obtained at the IU Auditorium Box Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; one hour before any screening at the cinema; or by phone at 812-855-1103 for a $10 service fee per order.
Both the films and slideshows contain explicit and potentially offensive material, and no one younger than 18 will be admitted.
