New DVDs at Langsdale

Did you know that Langsdale Library offers a list of all of our newest DVDs? We do! Each month we'll post an update letting you know about a few select titles, but there are far too many to mention here so be sure to check out our comprehensive online list. There is an RSS feed to the list, so you can subscribe and be updated when new materials get listed each month.

New DVDs at Langsdale:

 

"A stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. Bounty hunter John Ruth and his fugitive Daisy race toward the town of Red Rock, where Ruth will bring Daisy to justice. Losing their lead on the blizzard, they seek refuge at Minnie's, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie's, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock."       "A biopic of Steve Jobs that takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution in order to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter. The story unfolds backstage at three iconic product launches, ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac."       "Chi-Raq is a modern day adaptation of the ancient Greek play 'Lysistrata' by Aristophanes. After the murder of a child by a stray bullet, a group of women led by Lysistrata organize against the on-going violence in Chicago's South Side, creating a movement that challenges the nature of race, sex and violence in America and around the world."     These are just a few of the many new DVDs at your Langsdale Library! To see the complete listing of new DVDs check out our list right here! If you want to receive updates when new materials get listed each month, you can subscribe to the list through the RSS feed.

Halloween DVDs at Langsdale

Whether you’re looking for suspense or gore, there is something to be found in the DVD stacks at Langsdale Library. That’s right, even Langsdale is in the Halloween spirit, offering several film titles dedicated to the fright, chills, and even laughs of Halloween. What exactly are you in the mood for?

Let’s start with the originals. The best thing about these films is that they did it first and sometimes best. These classics had chills and suspense, making the viewer feel like the situations depicted could possibly happen.  Maybe you have seen them, maybe you haven’t; either way they are worth watching. Check out some of these titles at Langsdale:

·         Prom Night: In this film, the perfect night out takes a disastrous turn when childhood friends start dropping like flies after they receive mysterious and obscene phone calls. Prom Night falls in the slasher film category; but its twists and turns make it entirely unpredictable. 

·         Rosemary’sBaby:  Absolutely chilling in every way. Adapted from Ira Levin’s novel, the story follows a New York couple expecting their first child. Rosemary’s husband, a struggling actor, makes a pact with the devil to boost his career. Directed by Roman Polanski.

·         Psycho: One of the most chilling films of all time. Before Michael, Freddy, or Leatherface, there was Norman Bates (loosely based on real-life serial killer Ed Gein). Norman is the mild-mannered mama’s boy who manages the Bates Motel. Where the “psycho” part comes in is that Norman is not what he appears to be. Norman and his composure unravels when Marion Crane checks into the motel but doesn't exactly check out. Directed by suspense master Alfred Hitchcock.

Zombies: they can be terrifying. They can be fast or slow.  Most importantly, they are popular horror flick fare for many different reasons. Zombie films can range from intense to very campy. Zombies, in a sense, represent our greatest fears and sometimes parts of us; maybe that’s why we love them.

·         Warm Bodies: Not as scary or as heavy hitting as previous entries in this subgenre; however, to put it in simple terms, it’s a cute film. Warm Bodies takes the idea of Romeo and Juliet and fuses it with a zombie apocalypse. It’s not scary, but it is a comical and  not-so-typical love story.

·         Zombieland is the witty tale of four strangers who find one another during a zombie apocalypse. Zombieland offers some social commentary about solitude and just how great life would be in a cultural wasteland. It mixes humor and horror and makes for a fun movie night.

·         28 Days Later is an intense look at what life would be like a in a real zombie apocalypse (Not very fun.)

·         Nightof the Living Dead: Directed by the “Godfather” of zombie films, George Romero creates simple yet terrifying classic tale of the undead. Seven people try to survive the night in trapped in a farmhouse.

So maybe zombies or the oldies aren't your thing… and that's okay! Langdale has other cool titles to check out: 

Retro:

·         The Rocky Horror Picture Show

·         Dracula

·         Invasion of the Body Snatchers

·         The Hills Have Eyes

·         Jaws

·         Suspiria

Modern:

·         The Blair Witch Project

·         Sweeney Todd : the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

·         Sleepy Hollow

·         Insidious

To find these titles, search our catalog or ask a librarian for help.

Dark Rooms: Simon Schama's "The Power of Art"

In 2008 I moved out on my own, like completely on my own, like no roommates (good riddance), no dorms, nothing but me and a room. I was just about to start my first semester at UB, so a couple days before the start of class I moved into a tiny but still pretty comfortable studio apartment a few blocks north of the Washington Monument, on Calvert Street. The initial weeks were a mess. It was mid-August, so: hot. And, BGE wouldn’t come for almost two weeks—something to do with the previous tenants not paying their bill—so when I was at home, which I tried to be as little as possible, I sat around as the day squeezed me out onto the linoleum floors, and at night I tried to savor every crisp drop of the coldest beer I could find at the local liquor store.

I’ve never been happier to go to class than during those weeks. After class, I went directly to the library, picked a spot in a study room and rooted myself to the chair. The glittering potential and resultant optimism I felt signing the lease had started slipping into some kind of maelstrom of stress as the hot, dark days turned to weeks. This was five years ago. Though, in retrospect, it wasn’t that bad. Like most things that don’t physically hurt you—and even some that do—problems seem bigger and the barbs longer as they’re happening; what, in the moment, stresses us out, when looked at differently, big-picture-wise, are just mild inconveniences. Those first weeks on Calvert were such weeks. Painful in its dull time, chock full of boredom and stubbed toes and unanswered emails and uncharged cell phones that sat on the bed next to me like a pouty and spiteful child, unwilling to acknowledge my presence.

And the Winners Were…

I consider myself a self-professed movie buff (you can more-or-less find me in a movie theater every other weekend), but it seems that lately I’ve fallen off my a-game. Weeks passed after the premiere of the 2014 Oscars, and I had yet to watch all of the films that came away winners. Thankfully, Langsdale came to my rescue by acquiring many of the Oscar’s heavy-hitters on DVD. Please feel free to stop by and check out any of the award-winners listed below. I’ve recently returned all of these myself:

12 Years a Slave: Based off the 1853 memoir written by Solomon Northurp. Director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave follows the story of a free black man from New York who is abducted by slave traders and forced to work on plantations in Louisiana. This film is not for the faint of heart, vividly depicting the brutal and savage reality of slavery in the South. Winner: Best Picture; Actress in a Supporting Role (Lupita Nyong'o); and Adapted Screenplay.

Dallas Buyer’s Club: Matthew McConaughey gives arguably his best performance as Ron Woodroof, a wild-living rodeo cowboy diagnosed with HIV and given only 30 days to live. Ron’s determination to fight the disease leads him to the discovery of alternative treatments, and eventually the creation of an underground pharmaceutical operation for fellow AIDS patients who are discontented with their current treatments. The movie deals with strong themes of endurance, dignity and the will of human beings to survive. Winner: Best Actor (Matthew McConaughey); Actor in a Supporting Role (Jared Leto); and Makeup and Hairstyling.

Gravity: After the tragic destruction of their shuttle, medical engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) lose all communication with Earth and must fight for survival by plunging deeper into the vastness of outer space. This cinematographic masterpiece by Alfonso Cuaron is, if nothing else, a visual treat for the eyes.Winner: Best Director (Alfonso Cuaron); Original Score; Cinematography; Film Editing; Sound Editing; and Sound Mixing.

Blue Jasmine: After the failure of her marriage to a wealthy New York businessman, narcissist Jasmine Francis moves in with her middle-class sister and struggles to adjust her life to one without wealth or privilege. Director Woody Allen strikes again with a film that seamlessly mixes dark comedy and heavy-handed drama. And Cate Blanchett does a superb job in leading an exceptional cast. Winner: Best Actress (Cate Blanchett).

I'm Dreaming of a Non-Christmas

Cast of "White Christmas" (via Smithsonian.com)

When it comes to holiday down-time, folks usually choose seasonally appropriate flicks to get them in the mood for merriment. Most of these traditional holiday movies are great, but you can watch a humiliated kid try on a pink bunny suit only so many times. And, the truth is, many of the best seasonal flicks encourage you to have a complete emotional meltdown before the final credits roll. Be honest: have you ever watched Judy Garland sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in Meet Me in St. Louis without completely losing it? Are you able to maintain stoicism when Clarence the Angel explains to George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life that his wished-for nonexistence in an alternate universe cost many soldiers their lives (“Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry!”)? Of course not! It’s the saddest line in the most emotional Christmas movie imaginable. And who wants to break down and cry during the holidays? Anyway, that’s what visiting with relatives is for.

For these reasons, some like to go rogue when it comes to watching yuletide flicks. My friend Gina’s recent text message to me reminded me of one of my go-to Christmas staples: Zack Snyder’s 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead (“When are we going to watch it?! I need to get in the Xmas mood!” she pressed). Sure, George Romero’s original is amazing and, truthfully, didn’t need a makeover. Also, Dawn of the Dead 2004 is gruesome, bloody, and contains zero references to sleds, reindeer, snow, elves, fruitcake, or Santa whatsoever. Still, I find that enjoyable movies are also very comforting--even those that depict an action-packed zombie apocalypse, wherein the human race speeds stealthily towards its doom.

Other staffers at Langsdale Library have ideas about their favorite non-holiday holiday movies. Reference librarian Lindsay Simmons and technical services library technician Nick Richards both cite Edward Scissorhands as a film they think brings on good cheer. Besides, admits Nick, “I’m obsessed with Johnny Depp.”

The Simpsons are the festive choice of Adam Shutz (class of ’11, administrative assistant): “Over the holidays I spend a lot of time with my cousins, and the only thing we can agree on to watch are DVDs of The Simpsons. We end up watching one episode after another.”

Head of reference, Michael Shochet, is partial to The Princess Bride. Why? Michael explains: “Because it is about true love, which is, of course, the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice M.L.T.--mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, when the mutton is nice and lean, and the tomato is ripe.”

Circulation library Erin Toepfner is fond of watching the Back to the Future trilogy. “It’s one of my favorite movies,” gushes Erin, “It’s one I can watch over and over again.”

Book and Document Delivery’s reserves coordinator, Brian Chetelat, will be treating himself to a screening of Harold and Maude, citing the quirky 1972 film as “my all-time favorite.” Brian continues, “Even though it ends with Maude’s death, there are so many uplifting messages, and the Cat Stevens' soundtrack is the icing on the cake.”

Amélie is a favorite of reference librarian Catherine Johnson. Said she, “While it’s not a holiday movie, Amélie’s fantastic worldview and dedication to making things better for the people around her is a good reminder to be kind to the people around us and that sometimes even small gestures can make a big difference.” How uplifting! 

“The holidays are as good a time as any for ‘90s nostalgia,” opines special collections librarian Aidan Faust, citing his choice of the off-color “holiday classic” Pulp Fiction. He continues, “I don't tend to re-watch movies much, but this one's an exception. Never gets boring.” 

Langsdale wishes you a wonderful winter break. See you in 2014!

It’s Break Time! Check Out our DVD’s!

Ready for a break? After a long semester of writing papers and studying for tests, we bet you are ready for some rest and relaxation! Starting Monday, Dec. 16, you can check out a total of 10 DVD’s from the Library, and they won’t be due back until Monday, January 6, 2014.

Langsdale Library’s winter break hours are:

December 18th – 20th: Open, 8:00am – 6:00pm 

December 21, 2013 – January 1, 2014: CLOSED 

January 2, 2014: Re-open, 8am – 6pm

Horror at Langsdale

It’s that time of year again. Time to get your spook on! Here’s a sampling of some of the titles that Langsdale owns to help you celebrate fright night.

Did you check out our staff member Adele’s October display on the 1st floor? Come in and take a look before it comes down. If you can’t take a peek, get some suggestions for our circulation staff or search for you own choices.

WorldCat Lists: Showcasing UB Authors and Langsdale Collections

If you missed the Faculty Authors celebration held at Langsdale on October 23 (or even if you didn't), you can browse a list of books authored by UB faculty and available at Langsdale by going to WorldCat Lists.

WorldCat is the name of the software behind the catalog accessed by clicking on the "Books" tab on Langsdale's web site. In addition to the "traditional" catalog function of locating books and DVD's held by Langsdale and other libraries, WorldCat offers the option of creating local lists of materials. To showcase UB authors and some commonly sought-after materials in Langsdale's collection, we have created lists of the following:

• UB Faculty Authors
• UB Alumni Authors
• UB Fraud Library
• UB Leisure Reading
• UB Games
• UB DVDs

Each WorldCat List can hold only 500 titles, so unfortunately we couldn't have a single list of all our DVDs. You'll find those lists subdivided by date.

You can find all the Langsdale lists here.

If you would like to see a list we haven't thought of, suggestions are welcome. Contact Betty Landesman, Head of Technical Services and Content Management at Langsdale Library, 410-837-4204, blandesman@ubalt.edu.

Holy Motors: The Weirdest (and Best) Movie of the Year

The past year has been a pretty good one for cinephiles. Not great. But good. While the caliber of movies coming out of Hollywood is on average very, very, very low (and yes I did need three verys. Did you see Battleship? No? Good. Hopefully you like yourself more than that), the big movie houses still producing a lot of what resembles repackaged, empty calories than anything worth the mind to think about ten seconds after the credits. Yet there have been enough inventive and affecting foreign and indy movies to give some sliver of hope that culture, especially US culture, hasn’t once and for all fallen into some dark and strangely reflective pond, happily swimming in their own narcissism and consumerism (which are pretty much the same thing). And while some of these good art-house/indy/foreign movies have gotten some small dose of praise (The Master and Beasts of the Southern Wild, two truly excellent films, were both nominated for Best Picture), there have been a few others that have flown a little low of the media hype machine.

Holy Motors is one such movie that has been passed over not just by critics and award committees, but by
the public as well. I will warn you here: it is not a movie that everyone will like. It has no over-arching

Spring Break at Langsdale

via Flicker user Mortsan

Ready for the cold weather to be over?

Spring Break is Monday, March 18 through Sunday, March 24, 2013. Langsdale Library will be open regular hours, with the exception of being closed Sunday, March 17th and Saturday, March 23rd.

Stop in to check out a book or two to read over the break. Langsdale has quite the collection of Leisure Reading materials.

No time to read? Take a look at our extensive DVD collection. We’re sure that there’s something there that will catch your eye.

Whatever you decide to do this Spring Break, enjoy!

Oscars and the Library

After hearing about the Oscars last week, I’ve decided to write about Langsdale. Odd link, isn’t it? Well, I personally didn’t watch the Oscars, but I listened to the media buzz about the stars’ attire and the great pictures nominated. This led me to the DVD collection at Langsdale. A lot of students come into the library to study and sometimes forget that we have a great leisure reading and DVD collection. Students can at times be so focused on getting their work done that they develop tunnel vision. Some rarely treat themselves.

About a month ago, I was shopping at Target, and as I approached the cashier I noticed the sign for “$5 DVDs.” I bought three DVDs that day and as of now, have only watched one, Julia & Julie. Want to know the most astonishing fact? This movie premiered in theaters August 7, 2009. It’s 2013 and it took me almost five years to get around to watching a movie with my favorite actress, Meryl Streep. So what do I want you to take away from this blog post? Let’s see:

1. Try to relieve stress: Treat yourself to a movie, new shirt, or check out a book. Allot yourself some “you” time. It’s a stress reliever.
    
2. Check out Langsdale’s DVD collection & leisure reading: Try checking out our DVD collection at least once a semester. There are plenty of Oscar award-winning pictures with award-winning actors/actresses. Rumor has it that we’ll be getting Argo – a three time award winning picture featuring George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Ben Affleck.
    
3. For everyone: Try NOT to fall victim to work overload. Find small tasks that help you relax and enjoy some leisure time.

The Best of the Black and Whites

I was watching The Simpsons on Sunday, wherein a frustrated Homer Simpson longed to transform into someone radically cooler than he, himself, is. One of the things he used to describe his complete lack of with it-ness, which he hoped desperately to change, was that “black and white films make me angry.”  If you recognize yourself in this remark, I have some fantastic news for you: if you check out DVDs from Langsdale Library between now and December 19th, you will be able to keep them until we reopen on January 3rd. Not only do you get to hold onto films for an extended loan period, but patrons may check out up to 10 films at a time! This is a perfect way to divest yourself of your lame, super-square prejudice against black and white cinema. Some recommended titles:

• The Best Years of Our Lives, where a soldier returns home from World War II to a chilly reception from his ungrateful tramp of a wife, and wonders why he made the world safe for democracy in the first place. The film features an awesome real-life veteran with a hook for hand who lights a cigarette, among other feats.  
• Sunset Boulevard (maybe one of the greatest B&W movies ever), where a faded and kooky former silent film star goes berserk on the not-so-spry-himself rent boy who double crosses her.  This is the go-to movie if you’ve ever wondered what kind of person buys an expensive coffin for her deceased pet chimpanzee.
• A Night at the Opera, which answers the question of how many passengers can fit into a cruise ship cabin at once. Really, any of the Marx brothers’ movies are great—my particular favorite is Duck Soup. Did you know that Harpo Marx was a darling of the cognoscenti, and was considered part of the Algonquin Round Table (an elite group of New York City literary types) due to his association with drama critic and scribe Alexander Woollcott?  Or that Harpo and Chico were entirely self-taught musicians?  Rent these movies and marvel at their sundry cultural achievements.  Why can’t you be like them?

Of course we have many contemporary DVD titles in vivid color for you to enjoy as well. Stop by and pick up your ten DVDs today.

Happy holidays from Langsdale Library—we’ll see you in 2013!

Mini Breaks

The Granger Collection / Universal Images Group

There are moments every semester when I need a mini break. A moment in which I don't think of papers, studying, assignments, test, quizzes, midterms, finals, or grades. Matter of fact, I like to pretend that I already have my degree and that I am so rich I don't have to work. In these moments I like to watch a movie or read a book that I've wanted to indulge in but haven't had the time.

Langsdale lets me unfold into my make-believe fantasy every other week by providing an array of DVDs and a special place for leisure reading. Not to mention, it’s super easy to go online ahead of time to see what movies and books are available.

Join me in my mini break!

Extended Due Dates + Ten-DVD Checkout Bonus = A Renewed Purpose in Life

“It's so weird having no real obligations or deadlines. Yesterday I was almost completely unproductive. Not sure if I liked it.” - Rachel Wooley, Class of 2013, via Facebook

Have the dearth of lectures to listen to, term papers to write and final exams to study for left you with the mid-to-late December blues? Do you feel as uneasy and directionless as Ms. Wooley? Langsdale Circulation has the cure for what ails you: From today (December 15th) until 6 p.m. on December 21st, you can check out TEN DVDs* from our collection, and keep them until—wait for it—January 4th, 2012! Not only will watching 10 movies give you a raison d'être this holiday season, but the January 4th deadline will help keep your cat-like state of academic responsiveness in check. Also, becoming reacquainted with leisure-time activities will make you an interesting and sought-after conversationalist at your upcoming holiday gatherings. Why let hot new titles like Bridesmaids, Crazy Stupid Love, Insidious, and Horrible Bosses gather dust on the shelves over winter break? Stop by Langsdale Library and check out ten DVDs today!

*Ten DVDs= 10 discs, not 10 titles. If you check out, say, Season 4 of The Wire, the 5 discs that are in the set will count against your 10-DVD total.

Spooky books and DVDs are brain food this October

You may have heard rumors that Langsdale is haunted, and given the sinister offerings the library has in store this October, this may well be the case. Consider the display on the first floor in front of the Circulation desk, where a rotting zombie corpse decomposes beneath glass, his bony fingers clutching frightening and thematically appropriate gems from our DVD collection (available for checkout once you’ve pried Return of the Living Dead or Zombieland from his cold, dead hands.)

We also have some great new books that are in sync with the season: Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror by Jason Zinoman (PN 1995.9 .H6Z56 2011) chronicles the 1970s golden age of cinema and the significance of exploitation and horror films in shaping the era (the book dishes the dirt on such vaunted auteurs as John Carpenter, Brian DePalma, Wes Craven and Roman Polanski.)

Psychologist and Professor Jeffrey A Kottler’s book Lust for Blood (HM 1116 .K68 2011) explores the strange human fascination with violence, virtual and otherwise, in a variety of forms such as horror movies, news stories, chicken fights, video games, boxing, graphic novels, and the like. The Zombie Autopsies: Secret Notebooks from the Apocalypse (PS 3619.C435 Z66 2011) by Steven C. Schlozman, M.D. (really!) will make you queasy with its graphic illustrations of dissected reanimated corpses. Zombie Autopsies mimics the style of a clinical diary, but within its meticulous illustrations and faux-scientific observations beats the heart of a graphic novel that both science nerds and die-hard pulp enthusiasts can love.