Jan. 29 is a day of movie presentations at the Creston and District Public Library.
Starting at 2 p.m., as part of the Films That Make You Think series, will be Art & Copy, a powerful film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray, it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time — people who've profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising's “creative revolution” of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation.
Those featured in Art & Copy were responsible for “Just Do It”, “I Love NY”, “Where's the Beef?”, “Got Milk”, “Think Different” and brilliant campaigns for everything from cars to presidents. They managed to grab the attention of millions and truly move them. Visually interwoven with their stories, TV satellites are launched, billboards are erected, and the social and cultural impact of their ads are brought to light in this dynamic exploration of art, commerce, and human emotion.
Later that evening, at 7 p.m., we present Rigoletto, a tragic opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was adapted by Francesco Maria Piave from the play Le Roi s’amuse by Victor Hugo. Verdi faced problems with censorship due to the fact that the original story cast the French king in a very bad light; the problem was solved by changing the characters' names, replacing the French king with the Duke of Mantua, and moving the setting from Paris to 16th-century Mantua. The famous tenor aria La donna e mobile is sung by the Duke of Mantua in the third act. Verdi, knowing that the song would be a hit, worked hard to conceal it from the audience until the premiere, even refusing to let the tenor learn the melody until very close to the premiere. Jacqueline Marie Clement will once again be a special guest to introduce the opera.
Both films will be presented in the library meeting room. Contact the library at 250-428-4141 or info@crestonlibrary.com for more information.