Hello fellow cinephiles! We at the Trent Film Society would like to send our deepest gratitude’s to those who joined us at our last screening of Hunt for the Wilderpeople. The screening was a great success, and we are glad that those who joined us enjoyed the film and engaged in fruitful discussions afterwards. In continuing with our comedy themed month of January, as a way to contrast the cold and mucky whether we are experiencing outside, we are excited to announce that on this upcoming Wednesday the 25th, we will be teaming up with the TGSA to screen Mel Brooks hilarious comedy film, The Producers. We have wanted to screen a Mel Brooks film ever since we all signed onto the Trent Film Society, so this screening is very exciting for us.

The Producers follows the character of Max Bialystock (Played hilariously by Zero Mostel), a Broadway producer who is down on his luck and is intensely searching for a financial success. After his new accountant, Leo Bloom (played by the late, great Gene Wilder), makes a passing remark about how if they found the right investors to fund a Broadway production which, if it is a flop, they could legally keep all of the money, Max and Leo conspire to produce Springtime for Hitler, the worst play ever to be put on Broadway. The film was Mel Brooks’s first directorial effort, which ultimately won him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay at the 1968 Oscars.

Some people may be familiar with The Producers by its Broadway musical production, which was a very popular show starring Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane which came out in the early 2000’s. That show did spawn a film adaptation in 2005, and while that film did have good qualities, it is widely assumed that if you are to watch one of The Producer’s films, it should be the 1967 original, which we are screening. Originally receiving polarized reviews in its initial release, Mel Brooks The Producers was dividing critics and audience’s due to its satirical approach to very dark content matter, particularly in relation to the films plot of making a musical film about Hitler, merely 23 years after the end of the second World War. While many critics were dissatisfied with this aspect of the film, as they felt it was very insensitive and crass, this type of satirical humor became a huge part of Mel Brooks’ films, often crudely satirizing the entertainment industry and other aspects of American society. Over time, the film did gain appraisal and it is seen as one of Brooks’s better comedies, along the lines of Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, and because of this, we at the Trent Film Society felt that this would not only be the best choice for our Mel Brooks screening, but also a great comedy to have in the beginning weeks of school. With it’s very over the top and manic energy, its hilarious musical numbers, and bizarre plot and story, The Producers acts as a funny diversion from the mucky and drab weather we are experiencing and we would love if you could join us in the viewing of this film!

Like all of our other screenings, this showing is absolutely free and open to the general public. This screening will be at Market Hall and will start at 8:00 PM. The cash bar will be open, so bring some cash if you would like some drinks during the film. Additionally, the film does contain some very crass and crude humor, so we would not recommend bringing children to the screening, and we warn that some of the humor may offend. See you all on Wednesday!