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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013 • OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331
DAILYBAROMETER.COM
VOLUME CXVI, NUMBER 86
The Darkside of cinema
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Rajagopal wants students to see the big picture
Darkside Cinema downtown shows audiences a unique, quirky cinematic experience
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By Lara von Linsowe-Wilson The Daily Barometer
Located on 4th Street in downtown Corvallis is the Darkside Cinema, the only independently- owned and operated movie theater in Corvallis. Opened by OSU alumnus Paul Turner in April of 2005, Darkside is a local hotspot for seeing unique films not found in mainstream multiplexes. Movies shown at the theater range in genre from art to independent to foreign films, with showings from international film festivals showcased throughout the year. In addition to showing films for the general public, Darkside also has a number of collaborations with Oregon State each year, stemming from the relationships Turner formed with OSU professors and students during his college years. During fall term, a foreign language course, FLL 399, is offered in correspondence with the International Film Festival held at Darkside each November. During the course, which is open to all majors, students learn the basics of film analysis. One of the films currently being shown is “Chasing Ice,” an awardwinning documentary surveying the effects of Global Warming. Turner says a number of OSU professors have sent their students in to see the film for its ties with oceanography, as well as photography. “We do a lot of programs with the different colleges [at OSU],” Turner said. “We have both formal and informal associations with the university.” Apart from the eye-catching artwork and comical posters decking the walls of the cinema, one of the main aspects that sets Darkside apart from other theaters in the area is the use of 35mm film to show its movies. Turner is one of few in the area trained to use
OSU instructor Indira Rajagopal emphasizes application, accessibility in education By Katherine Choi The Daily Barometer
Vinay Bikkina
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
From left, Joey Bauer, Darkside Cinema manager, Samantha Sied, chairman of Crossroads International Festival and Lee Welch, also part of Crossroads International Festival. the film, and actually prefers it to the more modern methods used today. “You get to see a real movie here, rather than something digital,” Turner said. Darkside Cinema relies on several means to advertise its company, but the main method is through the movies themselves. “Theaters are product revenue, the movies have their own advertising that comes with them,” Turner said. A lot of times films shown at Darkside have won numerous awards and festivals, drawing in large crowds of movie enthusiasts. “Oftentimes the venue is secondary, and the film is primary,” Turner said.
Freshman OSU student Ben Hamlin has already seen many films at the Darkside, and has been especially drawn to the film festivals held there. Hamlin attended both the International Film Festival held during fall term as well as the Crossroads International Film Festival, which took place at the cinema on Sunday. “It’s always interesting to view films made in different countries, as it allows us to see the world through different perspectives,” Hamlin said. “I’d definitely recommend stopping by Darkside to anyone who has any interest in international or independent film-making.” Darkside is open every day of the week, with $6 movie specials available
daily. The theater also offers rentals for birthday parties and private shows, as well as inexpensive onscreen advertising for other local or non-profit businesses in the Corvallis area. Titles currently playing also include “Amour,” “Hitchcock,” “Hyde Park on Hudson” and a series of OscarNominated Animated Shorts. For more information on any of these films, or to see a complete listing of showtimes and ticket prices, visit their website at www.darksidecinema.com. Lara von Linsowe-Wilson, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
When Nero came to power in Ancient Rome, he used poisonous mushrooms to eliminate his predecessor. Students may not see the connection between this historical assassination and the life sciences, but University Honors College Eminent Professor award winner Indira Rajagopal offers a link between them. “Here is a situation where the succession of who was in power depended upon knowledge of which mushrooms were poisonous and which were not,” said Indira Rajagopal, adjunct senior instructor of biochemistry and biophysics at Oregon State University. Indira Rajagopal “You want to understand everything in the light of what you learn in each area, and that connection sometimes gets lost for students.” Rajagopal first discovered her passion for teaching and education as a postdoctoral student. Though she intended to dedicate much of her time to research, she found teaching to be rewarding and full of satisfaction. “There’s something about explaining a subject that you love to somebody, and then they get it and get excited about it,” Rajagopal said. “And then, when you see that returning spark in See RAJAGOPAL | page 2
Products of intricate woodworking illustrate a rich history of Oregon Bexell Hall is home to a series of murals dating back to the 1930s, include famous OSU personalities
goal of the murals was to specifically represent famous personalities associated with the college as pioneers of Oregon. “They didn’t tell the artist, ‘Here’s a wall, go nuts,’” McCreary said. “We want this work to symbolize something that was very close to the By Jodie Davaz heart of Oregon State ... at the time.” special to The Daily Barometer Some of the famous personalities seen on The scenes depicted on the wooden murals the murals include Clara Waldo, Abigail Scott inside Bexell Hall are as rich as the history of Duniway, Ira Kidder, Margaret Snell, Dr. John Oregon State University itself. Featured on the McLoughlin, James Withycombe and three panels are some of the most important figures of deans: Grant Adelbert Covell, Arthur Burton Oregon State history — the founding fathers of Cordley and John Andrew Bexell. the college, according to Karl McCreary. In particular, the depiction of Duniway was McCreary, an archivist who deals with arrange- significant, according to McCreary. She was a ment, description and cataloguing, said the major player in the Oregon suffrage movement, n
which granted women the right to vote in 1912 — eight years before the national right to vote was given. Only 25 years after she met her goal, Duniway was memorialized in wood. The murals date back to the mid-1930s, when the Works Progress Administration was paying artists to create works of art for public buildings. The artist, Aimee Gorham, had worked on similar wood inlay murals for Jefferson High School and in the urban neighborhood of Irvington in Portland. The archives in the Valley Library contained specific documents referring to the mural, including notes about who and what Gorham was to include in the work. A tree of life motif was prevalent to represent Oregon’s forest industry.
Much of the artwork was inspired by biblical verses, said McCreary. “This is something you would not have today,” McCreary said. “Now, there is a pretty strong ethic to separate state and religion, yet, they decided back then that Bible verses would inspire the art. It’s an interesting little window onto a time.” Some receipts for materials requested by Gorham were also included in the documents for the “WPA Wood Inlay Project for Commerce Hall,” including 12 rolls of Scotch tape and some Cellophane valued at more than $40 — or more than $653 with current inflation. Jodie Davaz, KBVR News Director news@dailybarometer.com
marissa solini
| KBVR
Murals surrounding the entry to Bexell Hall depict people, including Clara Waldo, Margaret Snell and James Withycombe. The pieces were made possible by the Works Progress Administration.created after the depression.