nwFilmCenter

Milos Forman

"I discovered very soon that you can speak different languages and have different customs, but human nature is the same everywhere."—Milos Forman

Milos Forman has been making films of remarkable wit and insight for more than 40 years, first in Czechoslovakia and then, after the 1968 Soviet invasion, in the United States. No matter how disparate they seem on the surface, his works are united by a deep empathy for his characters, especially those who march to the beat of their own drummers. The sharp antiauthoritarian spirit and heartfelt humanism of his films have impressed audiences internationally with their ability to capture the zeitgeist of the moment, whatever the era, whatever the culture. We are pleased to screen nine of his finest works, including the classic ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, filmed in Salem 33 years ago. Special thanks to Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film, Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Czech Center, New York; The National Film Archive, Prague; and Irena Kovarova, independent curator.

Fri, Aug 1, 2008 at 7 PM	TAKING OFF DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN US In this rarely seen, darkly affectionate satire, a husband and wife embark on a wild-goose chase to find their runaway daughter, and wind up experimenting with the wild habits of youth counterculture. In his first film after migrating to the U.S. in the wake of the Soviet crackdown, Forman offers a fresh, idiosyncratic perspective on his adopted country. With Buck Henry and Ike and Tina Turner, who contribute electrifying performances. ( 93 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Aug 2, 2008 at 7 PM Sun, Aug 3, 2008 at 7 PM	THE FIREMAN'S BALL DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN CZECHOSLOVAKIA/ITALY The last film Forman made in his homeland is perhaps the finest example of the trademark combination of warm humanism and stinging social commentary of the Czech New Wave. A party organized by a small-town fire department builds into comic mayhem and thinly veiled political allegory in this satire, which was banned by the Czech government. This deceptively simple masterpiece is a sharp, lucid representation of human weakness and moral decay. ( 71 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Aug 2, 2008 at 8:45 PM Sun, Aug 3, 2008 at 8:45 PM	LOVES OF A BLOND DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN CZECHOSLOVAKIA Forman 's breakthrough film, a commentary on the perils of totalitarianism, follows the everyday life and sexual fumbles of a naive teenage girl in a dreary town. A cornerstone of the Czech New Wave, the film grapples with the realities of injustice and disillusionment; yet its international popularity was due in part to the optimism and tenderness of its outlook. ( 88 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 7 PM Sun, Aug 10, 2008 at 8:45 PM	AUDITION DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN CZECHOSLOVAKIA This mix of documentary and fiction offers a humorous look at different kinds of competitions and the motivations of their talented—and not-so-talented—participants. Set to a wonderful soundtrack that includes Czech pop, folk, and orchestra music, Forman 's first major work is both light and passionate in tone. ( 77 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 8:45 PM Sun, Aug 10, 2008 at 7 PM	BLACK PETER DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN CZECHOSLOVAKIA An empathetic look at the alienation of Czech youth, Forman 's first fiction feature depicts the miserable title character at his grocery store job as a fink/"detective." In his off-hours, he clashes with his old-fashioned father, pines for a classmate, and in general manifests the ironic resignation so typical of Forman 's characters. Using nonprofessional actors, improvisation, and vérité camerawork, the film exhibits the qualities that would place Forman at the forefront of the Czech New Wave and anticipates his future success on the 1970s Hollywood auteur scene. ( 85 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 7 PM	AMADEUS DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN US Plagued by jealousy of—and admiration for—his rival, Mozart (Tom Hulce), the mediocre court composer Salieri (F. Murry Abraham) narrates his encounters with the childish but sublimely gifted prodigy. This visually lavish period piece—which mixes fact and fiction, high art and vulgarity, meticulous detail and jarring anachronism—tears through the stuffy conventions of the genre with a swell of operatic emotions. To film AMADEUS, Forman returned to Prague for the first time since he left his homeland. ( 180 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 7 PM	ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN US Based on Ken Kesey 's novel and featuring indelible performances by Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, CUCKOO'S NEST remains one of Forman 's most acclaimed films. Nicholson, a convict in a psychiatric hospital, leads his fellow inmates in defying the icy Nurse Ratched, one of the greatest villains in film history. This rallying cry against authority and conformity struck a nerve with viewers, and the film became the second ever to win all five major Academy Awards. Introducing the film tonight and on hand for a post-film discussion will be Boyd Harris, Member of the Oregon Arts Commission and University of Oregon college roommate of Ken Kesey, author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. ( 133 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 7 PM	RAGTIME DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN US Driven by his experience of injustice and personal loss, Coalhouse Walker, a black piano player, sets off a nationwide campaign of terror in 1906 New York. Based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow, the story dramatizes the interconnection of lives (both actual and imaginary) across the social spectrum, capturing the sense of possibility and political awakening that characterized the turn of the twentieth century. The large cast features Brad Dourif and James Cagney, who came out of retirement to star in this sprawling epic. ( 155 min ) Sponsored by the Czech Society of Oregon. ^ Top
Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 7 PM	GOYA 'S GHOSTS DIRECTOR: MILOS FORMAN SPAIN/US Forman 's most recent historical drama intertwines the Spanish Inquisition, the rise of Napoleon, and the life of Goya, featuring a heady mix of real and invented characters and exquisitely detailed, Goya-inspired set pieces. Brother Lorenzo (Javier Bardem) is a fervent believer in Inquisitional extremes who is ascending (and descending) the rungs of society. Goya (Stellan Skarsgård) is the bystander through whose eyes we see Spain 's tumultuous upheaval. ( 117 min ) ^ Top
Thu, Sep 18, 2008 at 8 PM	PERVERSION OF JUSTICE NORTHWEST TRACKING — VISITING ARTISTS DIRECTOR: MELISSA MUMMERT US The harsh impact of mandatory sentencing laws comes into focus as a young mother of three receives two life sentences for her first drug offense. ( 30 min ) THE BEST OF POWFEST: The annual Portland Women's Film Festival, produced by Sour Apple Productions in partnership with Film Action Oregon, focuses on celebrating the cinematic contribution of international and local women filmmakers. Tonight we present a selection of outstanding local films showcased at last Spring's Powfest and welcome the filmmakers. ^ Top