Alfred Hitchcock often called Psycho “a big joke” and was horrified to discover that audiences “were taking it seriously.” But his flip attitude can’t disguise what made his 1960 film a landmark in movie history. Working without his usual menu of big budgets, big stars, and glamorous locations, Hitchcock crafted a masterful study of fear and anxiety that still has the power to shock. Psycho’s impact and influence can be felt not only in every horror and thriller film of the last 60 years, but also in serious works of art in every medium. This lecture will explore Hitchcock’s singular achievement, examining how the film was made and how it continues to haunt our cultural imagination.

The author’s own life inspired the fictional tale of Arnold Spirit, Jr., a fourteen-year-old living on the Spokane Indian Reservation and the choices he makes to navigate his adolescence under difficult circumstances. How did this 2007 novel wind up the most challenged book in the USA from 2010 to 2019? Please read the book so you can participate in our structured, facilitated, Zoom discussion.  (Note: Please join the meeting at 3 pm if you would like some assistance using the features of Zoom.  Otherwise, join us at 3:15 pm for the start of our discussion.) (See other book discussions: #515, 555, 591)

While much of Medieval philosophy is informed by the theological commitments of the thinkers of the day, there were rebel thinkers who sought new, interesting, and in some cases disturbing ways of making sense of being in the world. Giordano Bruno, Niccolo Machiavelli, and the Marquis de Sade proposed views that led to their vilification...but it doesn't mean they were wrong...in some cases hopefully they were. (See related classes #520, 558, 605)