UNM-LA News 

UNM-Los Alamos is hosting the free film series, “Fairy Tale Thursdays” at 6 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday through May in the UNM-LA Student Center Lecture Hall.

The series will explore the rich tradition of fairy tales in film.

On Feb. 23, host, Dr. Mickey Marsee, will show the 1946 Jean Cocteau cult classic, “La Belle et la Bete” (Beauty and the Beast, NR/ 97 min) in the Building 5 Lecture Hall. Marsee hosted the popular Monster Film Series in 2010.

Deemed one of the best dramatic presentations of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, Cocteau’s direction mixes fantasy with everyday life and has heavily influenced later filmmakers in putting fairy tales to screen.

Filmed in black and white (French with English subtitles), Cocteau’s version questions and mocks the courting ritual and daughters’ relationship with their fathers.

“In fact, early critics viewed the film as a horror story,” Marsee said. “A far cry from the Disney version, Cocteau explores an adult story of submission, enchantment, and disappointment.”

Next month’s films will include Spirited Away (2001) on March 8 and The Tale of Time Lost (1964) on March 22^.