Author Archives: Mark DuPré

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About Mark DuPré

Retired (associate) pastor at a Christian church. Retired film professor at Rochester Institute of Technology. Husband for nearly 50 years to the lovely and talented Diane. Father to three children and father-in-law to three more amazing people. I continue some ministry duties even though retired from the pastoral staff position. Right now I'm co-writing a book, co-writing a serious musical drama, and am half-way through writing (on my own a month-long devotional.

The Garden of Allah (1936)

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Mark DuPré

Such a curiosity! The film is visually stunning, stolid, lumpy and howlingly unbelievable. But it’s worth a look for several reasons. The story is so out of our time as to be worthy of archeological study. A young woman who … Continue reading →

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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Mark DuPré

If you somehow managed to cross The Fault in Our Stars with Juno, you might get something like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. That’s neither a compliment nor an insult, just something of a description. Me and Earl … Continue reading →

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Judgment at Nuremburg and A Man for All Seasons: The Cinema of Conscience

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Mark DuPré

When I teach my students about editing, I make sure to point out that it has a dual power—to both contrast and compare. Classic scenes of violence cut with scenes of a holy rite (The Godfather, Part One) or violence … Continue reading →

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Far from the Madding Crowd

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Mark DuPré

Far from the Madding Crowd is the newest cinematic incarnation of the Thomas Hardy novel, but it perhaps fits most comfortably somewhere between a top-of-the-line Masterpiece Theatre production and the recent slew of Jane Austen films. That’s not a criticism, … Continue reading →

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Avengers: Age of Ultron

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Mark DuPré

The latest installment in the Marvel universe film world is such a box office phenomenon (already at more than $1 billion internationally) that it seems inconsequential or trifling to attempt a real analysis of the thing. Yet on we trudge…. … Continue reading →

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Woman in Gold

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Mark DuPré

Woman in Gold, starring the legendary Helen Mirren, is a great story and a so-so film. It’s based on the true account of a famous Austrian painting seized illegally and immorally by the Nazis from its rightful owner, and the … Continue reading →

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Do You Believe?

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Mark DuPré

Do You Believe? is uneven, bumpy, and at times simply unbelievable. It’s also the best Hollywood-style “Christian” movie of its type. The acting, while uneven, is a huge step above the norm. Its cinematography, too, is by far the best … Continue reading →

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An Open Letter to Christopher Plummer

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Mark DuPré

Dear Mr. Plummer: I am making a presentation soon on The Sound of Music, and chose it partially due to the attention recently given to it on its 50th anniversary. Although you’re making nice right now, we all know you’ve … Continue reading →

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The Red Shoes (1948, British)

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Mark DuPré

The Red Shoes is a 1948 British Technicolor wonder that also happens to be a film about ballet and the constant struggle between being a great artist and having a life (see Whiplash for the most recent cinematic reminder). The … Continue reading →

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Whiplash

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Mark DuPré

Saw the triple-Oscar winner a couple of weeks ago. The film is about a young and talented drummer and his teacher at a Julliard-like arts school who puts him through the ringer personally and musically. The two technical awards were … Continue reading →

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