Thanks to an out-of-the-blue opportunity from our generous friends at the Jean Cocteau Cinema, we’ll be able to offer a number of classes this fall, running from October 16 to November 25.

October is movie month, with William “Bud” Cox’s Film Noir: Fatalism in L.A. on Oct. 16 & 23, Steve Ovitsky’s Gershwin in Hollywood on Oct. 28, and Mark Tiarks’ See Fred Dance without Ginger! (But with Joan, Rita, Eleanor, Paulette, and Cyd) on Oct. 30.

All classes at the Jean Cocteau will begin at 3:30 pm.

See below for more information on each class, on the new format which will provide for more social interaction between attendees and presenters, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

COST: Each class session will cost just $15 and you can sign up for them using the theater’s ticketing system at the following links:

Film Noir: Fatalism in L.A. (2 sessions)

Gershwin in Hollywood

See Fred Dance without Ginger!

Questions? Please email director@renesan.org for the fastest reply.

OUR NEW FORMAT

Each session will be 90 minutes long, without a break but with a meet-and-greet opportunity for attendees and presenters immediately afterwards in the theater’s outdoor plaza (weather permitting) or in the cozy lobby bar. The Jean

Cocteau’s refreshment stand will be open before and after each session for snacks, classic movie theater candy, drinks, and the best popcorn to be found in Santa Fe.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Film Noir: Fatalism in L.A.

Los Angeles has a history that reveals the many contradictions emblematic in film noir, in which the American dream was treated with bitter irony because wealth and power were all that mattered. We’ll look at four films set in Los Angeles — Double Indemnity, Chinatown, Heat, and L.A. Confidential — where bourgeois domestic life became so stultifying that crime became irresistibly attractive to those trapped in it.

Gershwin in Hollywood

George Gershwin wrote five film scores — the seldom-screened Delicious and Girl Crazy from 1931-32, and the well-known Shall We Dance?, A Damsel in Distress, and The Goldwyn Follies from 1937, the last year of his life. This multimedia presentation about Gershwin’s Hollywood experiences features interviews with his friends, photographs, anecdotes, and video excerpts from all five films.

See Fred Dance without Ginger! (But with Joan, Rita, Eleanor, Paulette, and Cyd)

The Fred Astaire musicals with Ginger Rogers may be the most iconic, but over the course of his career Fred made many more films with partners other than Ginger. We’ll see him hoofing it with Joan Fontaine, Rita Hayworth (who just may have been his favorite), Paulette Goddard, Eleanor Powell (whose tap dancing intimidated him), Cyd Charisse, and more.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will the presenters be amplified?

Yes! The Jean Cocteau has state-of-the-art sound and video systems. If you haven’t been there in a few years, you’ll also find that it now has MUCH more comfortable seats!

Where can I park?

There are a number of parking options close to the theater, including the city’s underground lot (the north pedestrian stairs and elevator are closest to theater) as well as street parking.

Is there handicapped parking?

Yes! The best options are on Market Street in between Manhattan and Montezuma or behind the retail shops on the northwest corner of Guadalupe and Montezuma (Chico’s, Peruvian Connection, On Your Feet)

Is there wheelchair-accessible seating?

Yes! Please email info@jeancocteaucinema.com at least 24 hours before each class if you require wheelchair access.

Does the theater have assistive-listening devices?

No, not yet.