Gia Copolla’s coming-of-age drama “Palo Alto” and Roman Polanski’s “Venus in Fur” open today at UNL’s Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center. Both films play through Aug. 7.
In “Palo Alto,” shy, sensitive April (played by Emma Roberts) is the class virgin, torn between an illicit flirtation with her soccer coach (James Franco) and a crush on stoner Teddy (Jack Kilmer). As one high school party blends into another, April and Teddy struggle to admit their mutual affection.
The film is an unflinching portrait of adolescent lust, boredom and self-destruction. It is Copolla’s debut film and based on Franco’s book “Palo Alto: Stories.”
“Venus in Fur” is based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway play by David Ives, which itself was based on Leopold von Scher-Masoch’s novella of the same name.
Alone in a Paris theater after a long day of auditions for his new play, writer-director Thomas (Mathieu Amalric) complains that no actresses have what it takes to play the lead female character — a woman who enters into an agreement with her male counterpart to dominate him as her slave. Thomas is about to leave the theater when actress Vanda (Emmanuelle Seigner) bursts in.
When Thomas reluctantly agrees to let her try out for the part, he is stunned and captivated by her transformation. Not only is Vanda a perfect fit (even sharing the character’s name), but she apparently has researched the role exhaustively, learned her lines by heart and even bought her own props. The likeness proves to be much more than skin-deep. As the extended “audition” builds momentum, Thomas moves from attraction to obsession until, with Vanda taking an ever more dominant role, the balance of power shifts completely.
“Venus in Fur is not rated. “Palo Alto” is rated R.
For more information at films at the Ross, go to http://www.theross.org or call 402-472-5353.
