Oct. 5, 2015
Kyle Guthrie
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There are several film clubs on campus, but Totally Classic Movies aims to set itself apart with an original selection of films.
TCM is a free club that shows old and modern classic films every Tuesday in the University Center. According to Thomas Price, senior history major and TCM president, they also provide free popcorn, trivia and occasional special events.
Established in 2012, TCM hopes to appeal to film fans, particularly audiences with an affiliation in the strange, unique and nerdy by having special events such as costume parties and movie trivia.
In addition to showing films that fill the niche of nerd culture like “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” TCM wants to reach broader audiences with its laid back approach to viewing and critiquing films.
Price outlined how the trivia nights help set TCM apart.
“Sometimes when we have special nights we will do prizes and we will do trivia associated with the film we are showing or the genre of the film.”
Every month TCM chooses a theme. This month, it’s “The strange and unusual.”
Kelly Carmody, senior and vice president of the film club, compared TCM with traditional film clubs.
“We are kind of different in the sense that it is more casual,” Carmody said.
“We may or may not discuss different pieces of the film afterward, but it is more laid back. It feels kind of like a Friday night group of friends kind of picking out a movie and watching it.”
She added how TCM aims to allow club members more input on the selection of films.
“Oftentimes what we will do is ask our different club members or different people that we come across ‘hey, we were thinking of doing this movie this week, is that something you would be interested in coming to see?’” Carmody said. “So we certainly like to get other people’s input in terms of what we show.”
TCM focuses on films that appeal highly to nerd and broad culture over audiences who are invested in film studies.
“The reason we pick films that appeal to the nerd culture is that they are the kinds of films that will bring people in,” Price said.
“While we like to introduce people to very special classic films ranging from ‘Gone with the Wind’ and ‘Casablanca,’ a lot of people usually in the nerd culture don’t seem at all interested in those kind of films. That is why we pick films that appeal more to the nerd culture and people of our generation,” he said.
In the past, these movies have included everything from Disney’s “Hercules” to “Animal House.”
TCM also looks to work with other clubs and groups on campus to create cross-promotional events.
“We love partnering with other organizations,” Price said. “In the past we have partnered with different clubs such as an environmental group on campus and showed ‘Ferngully: The Last Rainforest,’ which actually brought us a really nice attendance.”
TCM meets every Tuesday night for film screenings. Interested students can find more information on the club’s Mountain Lion Connect page.