The Afternoon Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts:
I used to go to most of these showings. They were an important part of my cinematic education and I miss them. I got to see some amazing rarely screened stuff as well as some established classics. The films were often, but not always, shown in chronological order i.e. silent films and early talking films first and recent films last. The films were shown in the Lecture Hall, the Holley Room or the South Court Screening Room. Admission was one dollar.
There seem to be no years listed on most of the brochures. I’ll need to do some detective work to put them into their proper order. I believe that this series ran from 1975 to 1990 or so. when I find out the details I’ll add them here.
As of late October 2024, I still have one showcase of my tribute to the Detroit Film Theatre on display. It’s in the case by the exit door of the University of Detroit Mercy Library, McNichols Campus. This post is another part of my tribute to them, Detroit movie memories!
A listing, in alphabetical order:
First, from 1975 to 1977 there were at least three series entitled american film panorama. These series screened 10 American films (from, roughly, 1918 to 1956). The following 19 programs were under the heading of Afternoon Film Theatre.
African American Independent Cinema (1930-1950) 16 films: The Earliest is from 1927. The program included a lecture by the late James E. Wheeler.
L’Age D’or The Golden Age of French Cinema The 20 films shown range from 1931-1939.
The Age of Chivalry The 15 films shown range from 1923 to 1978. This series includes films from England, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Spain and the USSR.
The Amazing Films of Tod Browning included 12 Browning films, half of them silent and half of them talkies. Part Two featured 9 silent films from France by Max Linder.
Angels of the Silver Screen The dozen films shown range from 1934 to 1963. They’re mostly from the United States but one from Italy and two from Great Britain are included.
Auto-Americans (shown with “Vintage Car-toons”) 16 films: This was probably 1984-85 as the films shown range from 1915 to 1984.
East European Cinema 16 films: These were made from 1955 to 1970 in such countries as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Director Milos Forman appeared in person at an evening showing of his 1979 film HAIR on January 26 (in 1980 or 1981?? I was there.)
Family Portraits 22 films, including two trilogies. Thy were released between 1931 and 1980 and came from many countries including France, Italy, Sweden, Canada, Japan and the United States.
Hollywood and the Cold War These 16 films were made from 1944 to 1956. This series was probably in 1982 or 1983. There was a lecture by Nora Sayre in connection with her book Running Time: Films of the Cold War.
Love and Death Before the CodeThese 14 films were made between 1927 and 1933. They’re all from the United States, in the days before Hollywood tool to “radical self-censorship.”
Made in Japan (Post-war Japanese Cinema) These 14 films were made 1945 and 1970. Part Two, in June and July featured four programs of old newsreel films from 1898 to 1959. The schedule is labeled Spring/Summer 1982. Thanks for that.
Medieval Japan This was probably in late 1985 or 1986. The screenings included ten classic films shown with ten documentary shorts. The films shown were released between 1953 and 1980.
The Movies, Mr. Griffith, and Lillian Gish 17 films, mostly starring Lillian Gish. They were made between 1913 and 1928. Except for two films from Italy (directed by Henry King) they were made in the USA.
The Old West (Vintage American Horse Opera) 21 films from 1903 to 1941. This schedule is labeled 1983, thanks. The films were each shown along with animation: “Oh Boy! A cartoon with every movie!” Some of the cartoons had western themes. These films, both shorts and feature films, were screened in chronological order
The Satire and comedy of Ernst Lubitsch and Rene Clair This schedule is labeled Fall/Winter 1981-1982. Thanks for that. There are 22 films: 10 from Lubitsch (1919 to 1946) and 11 from Clair (1924-1944). Part Two, in December, featured 8 films starring Mary Pickford.
Silent Soviet Cinema 1917-1930 (Comedies, Tragedies & Revolutionaries) These 14 films included at least 4 well-known classics and a good group of more obscure works.
Things That Were Once Men! (Transformation in the Horror Film) These 15 films were screened in chronological order spanning the years from 1920 to 1983. The program was connected with a symposium on the horror film on April 8, 1989. Speakers included Andrew Sarris and Bart Testa.
Welcome Strangers! (Science Fiction Films of the 1950’s) These 18 films were mostly from the USA. There were also films from Japan and Great Britain. The schedule is labeled Summer/Fall 1982. Thanks for that.
Women in the Early Cinema (Directors & Heroines) These 16 films, screened in chronological order. From September to early November, there were 9 films directed by women. The rest of the year had 7 films with actresses in strong central roles.
To be continued!
Cinema, Movies and Motion Pictures 
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