Amanda K.

My name is Amanda K. and I'm the PPL cataloger, and the head of the Silver Screen Saturday and Docu-Saturday film programs. I'm also a big cinephile and will help steer you toward some awesome old films you've perhaps never heard of before. My undergrad degree is in English Literature so it's fair to say I'm rather fond of fiction.

The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham has long been one of my favorite novels. The story is narrated by an author, seemingly a stand-in for Maugham himself, as he makes the acquaintance of an intially unremarkable seeming man by the name of Strickland. As the story progresses, we see Strickland break away from societal norms and embrace the life of a bohemian artist in early 1900's Paris. Let it be said now: Strickland is no romantic hero, and a reader might find themselves despising him by the end, but you'll become just as intrigued by his evolution as the narrator himself. Maugham does an excellent job of conveying the complexities of life and the hunger behind artistic drive.

The Red Shoes , filmed in 1948, starring Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, and Marius Goring. This film is one that sticks with you long after you've seen it. The dreamlike visual effects for the Red Shoes ballet scenes are far ahead of their time, and Moira Shearer as ballerina Victoria Page steals every scene she is in. This is another work of fiction that brilliantly conveys the intense drive artists feel in pursuing their craft, at the risk of other facets of their lives falling apart. 

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell is a complex tale,  incorporating Mitchell's penchant for polyphonic narrative and "Russian Doll" style structure, in which each narrative sits within the following story. This makes for a fascinating read as you discover how each timeline connects. From pre-colonial times to Europe around the time of WW1, to nuclear power protests in the 1970s, to a distant and frightening future, Cloud Atlas has a little something for everyone to enjoy. 

Now, Voyager, from 1942 starring Bette Davis, Claude Rains, and Paul Henreid.  Don't let the older release date scare you away, this timeless tale is sure to strike a chord with modern audiences. A timid and neurotic "spinster" (Bette Davis was at the ripe old age of 34 in this film), oppressed by her stern New England high-society mother, breaks free with the help of psychiatrist Dr. Jasquith (Claude Rains) and an unexpected relationship with an empathetic married man (Paul Henreid, whose elegant and soothing voice could drone on for hours and hours with no complaints here). This film also has one of the earliest and most iconic uses of the trope "Wow, she's not wearing glasses!"

Orlando by Virginia Wolf

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix