Doc Films This winter the University of Chicago’s venerable student film society is presenting a weekly retrospective on Howard Hughes—a real poke in the eye to auteurists, because the control-freak producer was the scourge of directors as brilliant and varied as Howard Hawks, Nicholas Ray, and Preston Sturges. This sort of quixotic programming is what makes Doc such a treasure: it’s been around so long (since 1932) and explored so many avenues of world cinema that it can actually drive the debate. Just last month Doc welcomed cartoonist Ivan Brunetti to present the manic Olsen and Johnson comedy Hellzapoppin’ and presented the Chicago premiere of James Benning’s art film about trains, RR; and its weekly series this term (which concludes March 11) has ranged from the expected (films by John Ford, David Lynch, and David Cronenberg) to the unexpected (a historical survey of sexploitation flicks). For less adventurous moviegoers, Doc’s weekend screenings often give Chicagoans their last chance to see recent commercial releases in 35-millimeter before they go to video. 
Max Palevsky Cinema, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th, 773-702-8575, docfilms.uchicago.edu. —J.R. Jones
University of Chicago Film Studies Center Primarily an archival facility for students, faculty, and credentialed researchers, the Film Center also presents occasional screenings and/or lectures. In the past year these have ranged from landmark experimental work (by Joyce Wieland, Yvonne Rainer, and Hollis Frampton) to classics (Robert Bresson’s Au Hasard Balthazar, Mary Pickford in My Best Girl) to the long-running Pictures and Sounds series, which pairs avant-garde shorts with live music curated by WHPK (see Music). Upcoming programs include Shirley Clarke’s 1961 feature The Connection (Fri 3/12, 7 PM), short works by Lynne Sachs (Sat 3/13, 7 PM), and a lunchtime lecture on Hollywood screenwriter Ben Hecht by Italian scholar Giaime Alonge (Tue 3/16, 12:30 PM). Cobb Hall, 5811 S. Ellis, room 306, 773-702-8596, filmstudiescenter.uchicago.edu. —JJ