Clark Art Institute, a Flim

Mariel Capanna Film Series: Time Constraints—Rope

Auditorium

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Mariel Capanna imposes time constraints upon herself as part of her painting practice. In honor of Capanna’s public spaces installation, this series showcases films by directors who worked within time constraints.

The series continues with a showing of Rope (1948). Director Alfred Hitchcock often imposed stylistic constraints upon himself and his film projects. It was a strange practice that transformed his thrillers into explorations of cinematic style. Lifeboat (1944) was set entirely in, you guessed it, a lifeboat. The Birds (1963) used more special effects shots than any film before it, up until Star Wars (1977). Picture Rear Window (1954), and you will start to see the pattern. Rope is, as the title hints, one continuous shot. It stars Jimmy Stewart as a detective trying to solve a murder in front of his nose. Stewart asserted that no film project made him more anxious. (Run time: 1 hour, 20 minutes)

Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524.

Image: Rope, Alfred Hitchcock, 1948