WRL’s Throwback Thursday Film Series

Now in its 19th year, the Throwback Thursday Film Series screens a variety of classic and contemporary movies for an adult audience. All films are shown in the Williamsburg Library Theatre.

December’s theme: Fallen Stars

December 1: Broadcast News (1987)
Holly Hunter plays a workaholic TV producer whose preference for hard news is threatened by the handsome, but shallow, new anchorman (William Hurt, 1950-2022) to whom she is frustratingly attracted. Albert Brooks costars under the direction of James L. Brooks. R 2hr 13min

December 8: Thief (1981)
A skilled safecracker’s (James Caan, 1940-2022) plan to leave the criminal life behind after one final diamond heist is violently thwarted by his gangster cohorts. Caan is excellent in this crackerjack crime thriller, the debut film of director Michael Mann (Heat). R 2hr 3min

December 15: Xanadu (1980)
This surreal fantasy is about a Greek muse (Olivia Newton-John, 1948-2022) who inspires an artist (Michael Beck) and an aging big-band musician (Gene Kelly) to fulfill their dreams by opening a roller-disco. The story is bizarre but fun, the costumes are SO 1980s, and the songs by ELO are quite catchy. PG 1hr 36min

December 22: To Sir, With Love (1967)
Sidney Poitier (1927-2022) plays a novice teacher dealing with hostile students in a working-class area of east London in this popular drama. Written for the screen and directed by author James Clavell (Shogun) with pop star Lulu singing the title song. NR 1hr 45min

December 29: The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
John Frankenheimer directed this chilling film about an American soldier (Laurence Harvey) who was brainwashed while in a communist POW camp. Angela Lansbury (1925-2022) received her third Academy Award nomination for her superb performance as the soldier’s domineering mother. Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh costar in this excellent cold war thriller. PG-13 2hr 6min