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Life in Film: Chris Foster

Chris Foster, self-described socialist and porter at Corpus Christi, says his taste is ‘eclectically varied’ and that he likes comedy. We sit down for a coffee, and talk social justice and film. Thanks, Chris!

Q: What was the first film you remember watching as a child?

A: Whistle Down The Wind. I was ten. It’s about three children living in the countryside who find a fugitive on their farm. It’s always stuck with me. I saw it in the cinema. Now that I think about it, it’s particularly striking that it is a film about innocence, since I watched it when I was still young and innocent.

Q: What about when you were a teenager?

A: I must have seen The Graduate when I was 14 — in The Odeon, of course. It was very hard to get into at first, but then I found it very daring. The same year, The Bicycle Thieves was released, which is obviously a very different film in the genre of Italian neo-realism, and about social issues. It made a big impression on me. Social mores were changing then. A big example of that was Woodstock, which I remember seeing also. It was about the festival — one of the best concert movies ever made, really.

Q: What then is your favourite film ever?

A: Oh, I’ve made notes on this [Li: Because I warned him beforehand, Chris has taken extensive notes, which he now refers to. He is the ideal interviewee.] Probably The Third Man, which is classic noir, for its stark cinematography and darkness. It was scored by Anton Karas, as I remember. And my favourite actor of all time, Orson Welles, was in it. It’s a film about disappointment.

Q: Would you say you go in for disappointment in a big way?

A: Haha! Yes, probably. A couple of my other favourite films are about that. All Quiet On The Western Front, for example, is a film about men who slowly lose their idealism and humanity. Heart of the Matter is about a man whose entire life is disappointing. To Kill A Mockingbird isn’t so much about disappointment as it is about injustice. But really, it’s as much about when I saw these things as anything else.

Q: Really? What films do you like that aren’t about disappointment?

A: Oh, Z, which is about a political murder in Greece. That was release in 1969 — I’m showing my age. And Paths of Glory, which was directed by Stanley Kubrick and starred Kirk Douglas. The Winslow Boy. That’s about honour. I’d say I have eclectically varied taste. I like comedy, too.

Q: One last question — what are some recently-released films you enjoyed?

A: The Browning Version has one of the most touching speeches I’ve ever heard on screen. It always makes me cry, and reminds me of the need for more kindness and understanding in all our lives. But that’s not recent. Days of Glory is pretty new. It’s all about films which make a difference.

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