For any filmgoer whose perception of French influence in U.S. film is limited to quirky Gerard Depardieu comedies, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is about to offer some enlightenment.

Beginning Thursday, the museum will be presenting a weekly series entitled FredFilms, with an emphasis this semester on the best of post-World War II French cinema and American film noir.

Presented in the Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium of the museum's lower level, the "French Connections" series will follow a chronological schedule of screenings -- from the 1937 French film "Pepe le Moko" to films from the era of classic noir like "Double Indemnity" and "Gilda" to Francis Ford Coppola's paranoiac "The Conversation" of 1974.

Upcoming Film Schedule

Feb. 2-- "Port of Shadows"

Feb. 9-- "Double Indemnity"

Feb. 16-- "Gilda"

Feb. 23-- "Out of the Past"



All films start at 7 p.m. and are free to the public.

The film series' theme was conceived by honors associate professor Benjamin Alpers and museum director Eric Lee as an accompaniment to the recently hung Weitzenhoffer Collection of French Impressionism. While nature scenes of Impressionistic painting may seem to differ vastly from the urban landscapes typical of film noir, Lee said the two movements have surprising similarities.

"The paintings may not be as optimistic as they seem on the surface. When you look at them closely, there are many contradictions," he said. "They explore themes like prostitution and industrialization and commodification -- issues that deal with the modern world, much like film noir."

Lee also said that from a stylistic standpoint, Impressionism and film noir share an emphasis on the elements of "atmosphere, strong contrasts, light and shade."

For Alpers, who will be speaking briefly before each screening, the films were selected to show the cinematic influences between the two cultures.

"There is an ongoing dialogue between French and American film," he said.

The dialogue was born when, proceeding World War II, French critics and film enthusiasts gained access to the American films of the time. Having picked up on the connections in themes and cinematic conventions of these films, the French were compelled to draw on the films' "dark themes, dark lighting, twisty plots, and existential heroes," Alpers said.

These themes that predominated films of the 1940s continue to be explored to this day. Misha Nedeljkovish, professor of film and video studies, who teaches a class on film noir, said the genre's style is even prevalent in the latest Hollywood blockbusters.

"It's one of the greatest cinema styles in history," he said. "While you can say there are other influences -- French, Italian, or German expressionism -- it's really, truly indigenous to American culture."
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