Hearst Film Scene

06/16/2026

Hitchcock was a huge reader. Most of his films drew from novels he encountered. "Vertigo" (1958) was no exception: based on the French novel "D'Entre Les Morts" (1954) [Translation: "The Living and The Dead"] by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac.

06/15/2026

There have been a number of movies made based on the yarns of Philip K. Dick. “Bladerunner” (1982) is definitely one of the better films based on his work. The film was inspired by his novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” (1968)

06/10/2026

Dorothy Hughes novel "In A Lonely Place" was adapted for one of Bogart's darker on-screen endeavors. The Nicholas Ray vehicle (1950) presents Bogie as a lonely, depressed and slightly demented screenwriter struggling after being accused of murder. Definitely dark...but a film that draws you in until its startling end.

06/09/2026

Watched the Charlton Heston, Edward G Robinson sci-fi classic "Soylent Green" (1973) on YouTube the other night. In the novel the movie is based on ("Make Room! Make Room!" by Harry Harrison) Soylent is derived from a combination of SOY-beans + LENT-ils. In the film, of course, the contents of Soylent Green are a bit less humane (and a bit more human). Fun film to revisit. Glad we weren't eating Soylent in 2022.

06/07/2026

Over the summer we’ll be reflecting more upon films and the books that inspired them. Good excuse to both read and watch over the next few months. Here’s a display rack of some if those inspirational novels.

06/06/2026

Found myself re-watching Steven Soderbergh's Contagion last night. The 2011 film hit the nail on the head predicting what would ultimately be our response to COVID a decade later. I watch this thinking how quickly we've reverted to our bad habits. This as Andes and Ebola outbreaks get lost in the new cycles. Worth a re-visit...and reminder of that not-so-distant bad dream.

06/03/2026

Beautiful night for a movie under the stars at the Hearst.

Join us under the stars tonight for the kickoff of our 2nd Annual Hearst Outdoor Film Screenings in the sculpture garden. We are screening a classic, The Neverending Story (1984, PG) at 8:45 p.m. BYO blanket, chair, snacks, and beverages. Fun for all ages, free & open to all!

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen; Written by Herman Weigel and Wolfgang Petersen

On his way to school, Bastian ducks into a bookstore to avoid bullies. Sneaking away with a book called The Neverending Story, Bastian begins reading it in the school attic. The novel is about Fantasia, a fantasy land threatened by “The Nothing,” a darkness that destroys everything it touches. See less

05/23/2026

Over the next few months we'll be talking about films and the books that inspired them. I love this artists approach of creating vintage looking book cover art for some classic films. {Images drawn from "Good Movies as Old Books: Films Reimagined as Vintage Book Covers " by Matt Stevens. Copyright © 2025. Illustrated by Matt Stevens. Published by Chronicle books.}