Hitchcock film festival coming to theater

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor
The Presque Isle District Library’s (PIDL) first- ever film festival boasts six films from the master of suspense, Sir Alfred Hitchcock.
The English director’s career spanned the silent and sound eras of Hollywood, as he terrified and delighted audiences with his cinematic gems.
Many of the classics will see a return to the big screen at the Rogers City Theater with the festival hosted by PIDL.
It begins Friday with a presentation from Michigan State University professor Bill Vincent, which will be followed by the suspenseful, “North by Northwest” starring Cary Grant.
Vincent, who has been teaching in the MSU Film Studies program since its inception, will arrive early Friday to talk with video production students at Rogers City High School.
“He will talk to the students a little about Hitchcock, but also about the opportunities at MSU,” said Belanger.
The students are expected to be in attendance throughout the weekend.
The professor’s presentation starts at 6 p.m., followed by a question and answer session. “North by Northwest” will be shown at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday’s lineup is “The Birds” at 2 p.m. and “Psycho” at 7:30 p.m.
On Sunday, “Rear Window” will be shown at 2 p.m. and “Vertigo” at 7:30 p.m.
There’s even an added movie to the lineup Saturday afternoon. The 1942 spy thriller, “Saboteur,” which highlights domestic terrorism during World War II, will get a run.
“The only concern is we have 238 seats, so once they are filled, that’s it,” said Anne Belanger, PIDL program director. She expects people from Cheboygan, Alpena and mid-state to be there.
PIDL had to purchase the DVDs, which will be shown on the theater’s digital projector. After the weekend, the films will be catalogued and available to its patrons.
Because the theater is considered a library branch, it is allowed to show movies by paying an annual license fee of $400. While it was privately owned, the royalty fees were much more.
PIDL has decided to not charge admission, but will accept donations to cover the annual licensing fees and other costs to operate the theater.
According to PIDL chairman Beach Hall, the plan is to not have any of the library’s general fund monies pay for theater operations.
“The fact that we can show films without having to pay additional royalties,” said Hall. “Depending on how this goes, there could be more.”
Starting next month, PIDL will be offering free movie classics Thursday afternoons at 2 p.m. The first movie is “Once Upon a Time in the West,” with Henry Fonda. It will be Feb. 23. The other Thursday matinee movies include “Murder by Death” in March, and “The Thin Man” in April.