IN THIS SECTION
THE POWER OF FILM
Enrollment is now open for Howard Suber's The Power of Film online weekend seminar
Don't miss the final UCLA seminar from beloved Professor Howard Suber!
Students, alumni and fans from all over the world now have the chance to join Howard online for a live Q&A and lecture weekend as he expands on all six episodes of his Turner Classic Movies/HBO MAX series The Power of Film
THE POWER OF FILM is about the inner workings of America’s most popular and memorable films. It’s hosted by legendary UCLA Film School Professor Emeritus Howard Suber, Ph.D., whose insights are interwoven with dramatic clips from an incredible array of powerful and beloved movies from the last century through today. For over fifty years, Professor Suber taught directors, screenwriters, producers, and scholars the defining principles and hidden patterns of great films.
THE POWER OF FILM distills these teachings into six episodes with clarity, humor, and an understanding of the history of storytelling from Aristotle to Shakespeare to Coppola and beyond. Neither a technical analysis nor a review, this series reveals the psychological underpinnings of why certain films affect viewers so deeply and can impact viewers for generations beyond their release. Using dramatic film scenes, Suber uncovers mysteries, dispels myths, and explains powerful themes that have impacted us for millennia.
Though THE POWER OF FILM is about movies, it’s really about ourselves. By examining the psyche of the audience, Suber ultimately inspires us— as the heroes of our own stories— to realize that we can seize our own destinies, “that we CAN change our world.”
ONE WEEKEND ONLY!
Enrollment Deadline:
April 1, 2025
Seminar Dates: Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6
This seminar will take place ONLINE only.
All times are Pacific Time.
Tuition: $99
Per Howard's request, to make the event more accessible to all, tuition is only $99 to attend the entire weekend.
This seminar is one weekend only, and will not be offered here again.
Space is limited.
Don't miss your chance to attend!
day one schedule--April 5
Part 1--Popular and Memorable
Saturday, 10:00am to 12:00pm
Many of the most commercially successful American films are quickly forgotten. A tiny fraction are truly memorable, lasting from one generation to another. Why? Movies discussed include: The Godfather, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Star Wars, Bambi, A Place In The Sun and others.
Part 2--TRAPPED
Saturday, 12:15pm to 2:15pm
Most memorable stories, whether told in movies or in real life, are about traps. The most memorable are generally about the loss, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph the central character must engage in to escape their trap. Movies discussed include: Casablanca, Lawrence of Arabia, Moonlight, Apocalypse Now!, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and others.
Part 3--CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS
Saturday, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
There’s no such thing as an interesting character; there are only interesting character relationships. But, like religions, myths, and the most durable dramas, most memorable plots center on a single individual, around whom the most important action and characters revolve. Movies discussed include: Sideways, E.T., Do The Right Thing, Thelma and Louise, Schindler's List and others.
day TWO schedule--April 6
Part 4--HEROES & VILLAINS
SUNday, 10:00am to 12:00pm
Memorable films are often a compensation for what we don’t see in the real world—justice, commitment, and altruism. Movies frequently treat the central characters as if they were heroes or villains, but sometimes the two are more similar than they seem. Movies discussed include: Vertigo, High Noon, Wonder Woman, The Exorcist, Dr.Strangelove and others.
Part 5--THE POWER OF PARADOX
SUNday, 12:15pm to 2:00pm
In almost every memorable film, things are not what they seem, and learning the truth creates much of the tension in the film. Often, the truth of the film is quite paradoxical, which is what makes us want to keep watching. Movies discussed include: Get Out, The Social Network, Citizen Kane, Tootsie, The Big Lebowski and others.
Part 6--LOVE AND MEANING
SUNday, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
It’s often said that Hollywood films have to have a happy ending, but when you consider the most memorable love stories it’s astonishing how many of them end with the separation or death of one or both lovers. Often, the paradox underlying the film helps explain why they last in our memories. Movies discussed include: Whiplash, Harold and Maude, Toy Story, A Star Is Born, The Wizard of Oz and others.
CONCLUSION
SUNday, 5:15pm to 6:00pm
The final viewing and discussion will be followed by a conversation with Howard and Directors/Executive Producers Laura Gabbert and Doug Pray on the making of The Power of Film.
Praise for The Power of Film
“Howard Suber’s understanding of film storytelling is surprisingly contrary to what 'everyone knows.' A remarkable work.”
—Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather, Apocalypse Now
“By connecting us to what makes our stories powerful, Howard Suber connects us to who we are as human beings. An extraordinary and essential series.”
—Alexander Payne, Director/Screenwriter, The Holdovers, Sideways, Downsizing, Nebraska, About Schmidt
"What Aristotle did for drama, Howard Suber has now done for film."
--David Koepp, Screenwriter, Mission Impossible, Jurassic Park, Spiderman, Indiana Jones series
"A one-of-a-kind odyssey into the soul of cinema and why it matters.”
—Wade Major, LAist, FilmWeek
"Suber genuinely helps us understand 'the power of film'—why it has been the predominant art form for more than a century, and why it continues to have such power over the lives we all lead."
—Geoffrey Gilmore, former Director, Sundance Film Festival
"Put this on the shelf between Aristotle’s Poetics and your Oxford English Dictionary; Professor Suber knows more about what’s important about film storytelling than anyone I’ve ever encountered, and he presents it here in an
incredibly clear, useful, and provocative way."
—Daniel Pyne, Screenwriter, The Sum of All Fears,
Any Given Sunday, The Manchurian Candidate, Bosch
“The Power of Film is destined to become a classic. People will return to it again and again because it is useful-- not just for those learning their craft, but for seasoned veterans.”
—Gil Cates, former President, Directors Guild of America;
Producer, Academy Awards
“Howard Suber brings decades of filmic and life experience to questions that everyone working in film, whether beginner or professional, must deal with.”
—Laeta Kalogridis, screenwriter/executive producer Avatar, Shutter Island, Altered Carbon, Alita: Battle Angel
“This is a fun watch, the kind of academic lecture where people applaud at the end... it's THAT level of entertaining.”
—Alonso Duralde, Linoleum Knife
ENROLL Today!
Limited spots are now available for Howard Suber's The Power of Film online weekend seminar.
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