Part of “Snubbed: Great Movies, No Nominations”
Introduced by Michael Schulman, author of Oscar Wars, with a book signing following the screening
Dir. Todd Haynes. 1995, 119 mins. 35mm. With Julianne Moore, Xander Berkeley, Peter Friedman, Beth Grant, April Grace, James Le Gros, Dean Norris. After several years of roles in smaller films and TV work, Moore emerged as a major talent, but she did so with barely a whisper. As Carol White, a housewife who believes she has become allergic to the chemical toxins in her environment and eventually escapes to a sinister self-help retreat, Moore holds the screen with compelling unassertiveness. Haynes, coming off his Sundance controversy with the brilliant New Queer breakthrough Poison, brought a visionary, Antonioni-esque compositional elegance to this psychological horror story, which touches upon a host of contemporary societal plagues without ever leaving fragile Carol’s side. Safe would ultimately be named the best film of the decade in a Village Voice critics poll, but the film was too far afield of the Academy’s radar, despite vocal supporters rallying behind Moore’s heartbreaking work.
Michael Schulman’s Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears (2023, HarperCollins) offers a lively history of the Academy Awards, chronicling the brutal battles, the starry rivalries, and the colorful behind-the-scenes drama. Copies will be available for purchase in the Museum Shop, with a book signing following the screening. MoMI members receive a 15% discount.
Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11).