Media, Manipulation, and the Demise of Public Discourse
Our community enrichment cinema course continues in spring 2026. Participants will watch and discuss three movies exploring the portrayal of comedy in cinema. Our public course will examine how humor has changed over time, including the decline of the romantic comedy.
Each class session will include a pre-screening lecture followed by a showing of the film. Afterward, audience members will engage in conversation about the content events featured, the ways directors presented the subjects, and cinematic techniques used that may answer some questions while raising others.
Each class begins at 6:00 p.m. in Morgan Auditorium at Penn State Schuylkill’s Student Community Center.
Cost: $30 for community members
Free for Penn State Schuylkill students, faculty and staff members (see campus newsletter for details)
Film Schedule
Monday, March 23, 2026
A League of Their Own
(Penny Marshall, 1992)
Set during World War II, this film explores the creation of the first women’s professional baseball league. The story focuses on two sisters—one a talented, sweet-swinging catcher (Geena Davis) and the other a pouty, impulsive pitcher (Lori Petty)—who play on the same team. Their rivalry intensifies under the leadership of their manager, a washed-up, hard-drinking former Major Leaguer (Tom Hanks).
Monday, April 20, 2026
Major League
(David S. Ward, 1989)
A group of misfit players attempts to lift the Cleveland Indians out of a 34-year slump.
Meet the instructor
This course is taught by Dr. D.J. Higgins, assistant teaching professor of film/video and music at Penn State Schuylkill. Dr. Higgins earned the Doctor of Philosophy in Modern Languages from Middlebury College and is an active filmmaker, having directed, written, and produced several award-winning short films.
For more community events at Penn State Schuylkill, check out the programming at Art Space.