'UFO' to land on campus, bringing nightly movies to Frist center

The UFO is coming to campus, but movie buffs, not science-fiction fanatics, are the ones waiting anxiously.

When John Ewalt '02, president of the University Film Organization, visited a friend at Johns Hopkins University last fall, he paid only two dollars to see "The Matrix," which was presented by a campus film society. Ewalt realized that a similar niche for showing popular movies on campus existed at Princeton and decided to take action.

By no coincidence, the premiere UFO movie showing will be "The Matrix" on April 20 in McCosh 10, Ewalt said. He added that at this first screening, students will be able to answer general movie trivia questions to be eligible for free prizes — including a DVD player, VHS copies of "The Matrix," assorted movies and posters.

"We want to do something to get people excited and give them a taste for what [UFO] will be like next year," Ewalt said.

According to Ewalt, UFO plans to show films in the Frist Campus Center theater every evening, Wednesday through Saturday, beginning next semester. "We are still determining the price. Hopefully admission will be free, but at most the cost would be $2.50."

"Thursday and Saturday will be our popular film series, and we will probably show the same movie both nights," Ewalt said, adding that the genre of movies shown will vary depending on the theme of the evening.

"Wednesday will be international or art film night. We plan to show an art film at least every other Wednesday, and if we attract enough people, then we would make it every Wednesday," Ewalt said. UFO intends to show sneak previews or hold other special events on Fridays, he added.

Members of UFO will have the opportunity "to evaluate fine films, not just to sit around and watch movies," Ewalt said. "We would like to initiate a directors' series, where we could bring in outside people to speak and stir discussion. After the film, people could react and bring up points about the film."

Ewalt expects many students, not only UFO members, to benefit from the student-run organization. "On some nights we might show a popular film at 9:30 or 10 and then again at 12 in the campus center. This is a way for students to have a kick-back night," he said, adding that he hopes the movies would contribute to the "date scene" on campus.

Frist Campus Center director Paul Breitman said the theater where UFO films will occur is a "multipurpose area that will be focused on film as well as dance."

Student, staff and faculty organizations all have access to the theater, Breitman said. "Organizations can provide us with proposals and then we will book space for them. If there is still space available, [the campus center] will seek to provide programming for the campus community."

Breitman said he hopes the film and performance hall will be in use "seven days, seven evenings a week," adding that there may be more than one event scheduled per night. "There might be a dance performance early in the evening and then a film showing later on," he said.

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According to Breitman, during Freshman Week in the fall, UFO plans to have "special showings every night for the freshmen to get them excited. We would like to have a special preview for them." He added that the normal UFO schedule would resume after Freshman Week.

Ewalt said the film society chose its name "to catch people's eyes. We want everyone to recognize the name, so if people say 'UFO,' everyone knows exactly what they are talking about."

Further information about UFO is available on the organization's Website at www.princeton.edu/~ufo.