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10/07/2019
By Katharine Webster

Silence your cellphone, Spinoza.

Pass the popcorn, Plato.

Before talking philosophy, we鈥檙e going to watch a movie together because, as you once so wisely said, Plato, 鈥淵ou can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.鈥�

That鈥檚 the idea behind the Philosophy Department鈥檚 鈥淧hilosophy and Film鈥� series at the in downtown Lowell, which invites students and members of the public to watch a popular movie for free and then discuss it with a philosophy professor afterward.

The Philosophy and Film series, now in its third year, has featured recent movies like 鈥淕et Out,鈥� followed by a conversation on race and the horror genre led by Assoc. Teaching Prof. Christa Hodapp, as well as older films like 1991鈥檚 Academy Award-winning 鈥淭helma and Louise.鈥�

The series began three years ago when several philosophy professors who share a love of film decided it would be a great way to make philosophy more accessible for both students and the public. Former assistant teaching professor Heidi Furey was awarded a Chancellor鈥檚 2020 Grant to start the series in spring 2017.

鈥淭he goal is to make philosophy fun with film,鈥� says Hodapp, who now coordinates the series. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to have our students and faculty come into contact with the local community and to have the local community come into contact with us and see what we do. We鈥檝e had such a positive response and great attendance.鈥�

Image by K. webster

The Philosophy Department has continued to fund the series at the Luna Theater in , a treasure trove of independent businesses in a renovated mill building on Jackson Street.

The movies, which are shown once a month during the academic year, draw philosophy majors and minors as well as other students and community members. Students in philosophy classes can get extra credit for attending, but many show up without that incentive.

Ayse Sezen, a senior computer science major, says she came to the free movies last spring while taking a metaphysics class with Hodapp. Although Sezen isn鈥檛 taking any philosophy classes this semester, she arrived early to see the first film in the fall series, 鈥淭he Wrestler.鈥�

Sezen says she gets something different from each film and professor. She was especially moved by 鈥淭he Fountain鈥� last semester, with its themes of disease, death, Buddhism and reincarnation.

鈥淚n Buddhism, they don鈥檛 view death as a bad thing. I lost my mom to cancer, so it was a nice way to think about it 鈥� that maybe death isn鈥檛 just an end, but also a beginning,鈥� she said.

Image by K. Webster

Lena Maxwell, a city resident, said she came to 鈥淏eing John Malkovich鈥� last year and was fascinated by the discussion 鈥� 鈥淭he dilemma was: Should you, just because you can, enter someone else鈥檚 body?鈥� It was so enjoyable that she brought a friend, Maria Roach, to watch 鈥淭he Wrestler,鈥� starring Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei.

鈥淚 said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go out and do something intellectual,鈥欌�� Maxwell said. 鈥淚 like the discussion part a lot. It鈥檚 a great idea.鈥�

Asst. Prof. Jos茅 Mendoza, a political philosopher, chose 鈥淭he Wrestler鈥� and led the discussion afterward, asking provocative questions about the alienating and self-destructive working conditions for Rourke鈥檚 and Tomei鈥檚 characters 鈥� a wrestler who鈥檚 two decades past his prime and an exotic dancer whose years on the job are also starting to tell.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a sense that we get enjoyment out of the destruction of other folks鈥� bodies. What does that say about us?鈥� Mendoza asked. 鈥淗ow many of you watched the (Patriots-Bills) football game yesterday?鈥�

Philosophy major Armando Cruz, a senior who grew up in the Dominican Republic and New York City, said it was his first time attending the series because he lives in Boston and works and studies full time.

鈥淚 was really curious about how you could make this movie into a philosophical message,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 like to hear what other people are thinking, as well 鈥� not just the crowd, but the professors, too.鈥�

He particularly enjoyed 鈥淭he Wrestler鈥� because he could relate to a major theme. Wrestling is a very popular sport in both places where he grew up, where many people also look at sports as a way up and out to a better life.

Cruz said his takeaway was that 鈥淭he Wrestler鈥� is about each character鈥檚 struggle with identity. Rourke鈥檚 character ultimately decides he belongs in the ring as Randy the Ram, even though he knows it might kill him, while Tomei鈥檚 character focuses on her life outside the club.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e both able to figure out their identity, what defines them,鈥� Cruz said.

And that, according to Spinoza, should set them on the path to liberation: 鈥淭o understand is to be free.鈥�

For more information on the series, visit the and look for movies tagged 鈥淧hilosophy and Film,鈥� usually on the last Monday of the month.