Scheider's "Plays on Film" Comes to Amagansett

[caption id="attachment_66143" align="alignnone" width="800"] Christian Scheider[/caption]

By Michelle Trauring

As with many ideas, they often start with a raucous debate.

In this case, it was between Christian Scheider and a philosophy PhD candidate at The New School, who happens to be his friend. And they simply could not agree why it is that plays are constantly redone, but films are typically re-watched — not remade.

They never did reach a consensus, Scheider recalled during a telephone interview last week, though it is a burning question he intends to answer — or at least try to — during his series, “Plays on Film,” which started Wednesday, July 5, at the Amagansett Free Library.

“Plays are designed to be redone, and nobody really approaches film the same way,” he said, and in the same breath noting Sophia Coppola did just win best director at Cannes for “The Beguiled,” which is a feminist adaptation of Clint Eastwood’s circa-1971 film.

“We need more of that,” he continued. “With time, a story has new relevance and perspective. When I look at an adaptation, I try to look at it as independent from its original, but yeah, of course I’m affected by the comparison — from a technical standpoint. I’m mostly interested in how they did it and why they did it.”

The Sagaponack native, and son of “Jaws” actor, the late Roy Scheider, can’t help himself. After adapting Kurt Vonnegut’s novel “Galápagos” into a full-scale production three summers ago — as well directing, producing and writing several theatrical and filmmaking projects since — he has a mind for it, and endless questions.

Scheider chose to kick off the series with “Fences,” directed by and starring Denzel Washington, based on the eponymous Pulitzer-Prize winning play by August Wilson, who completed the screenplay before his death in 2005. After the film screens, he will open up floor for discussion.

“I want to suss out why it is that these directors chose to re-approach these plays as films now,” he said. “Why ‘Fences’ now? Why is that play being chosen out of the many to become a film? If film is a modern currency for drama, more so than plays are, why are we choosing that one? The notion of selection is, itself, an artistic choice.”

The same could be said of the series lineup, which will also include “Coriolanus,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Marat/Sade” and “Bug.” In Scheider’s eyes, not all of the films he’s chosen are perfect — and that’s not what matters. It’s about the ambition. That’s what he loves, he said.

“I wonder why more films aren’t readapted by directors. Wouldn’t it be amazing to see a contemporary take on ‘Citizen Kane’? Some people say, ‘Oh that’s ridiculous, ‘Citizen Kane’ exists, it’s done,’” he said. “To me, that’s limiting. Some people may say, ‘It’s a waste of time. Go make a different film.’ And I kind of understand that, but on the other hand, I think some stories are better and more relevant than others. Even if you do it purely as an exercise, it’s certainly not a wasted exercise. And it’s not a wasted experience to talk about it.”

“Plays on Film,” a new series hosted and curated by Christian Scheider, will kick off with a screening of “Fences” on Wednesday, July 5, at 7 p.m. at the Amagansett Free Library. A discussion will follow. Additional films will include “Coriolanus” on July 12, “Glengarry Glen Ross” on July 19, “A Raisin in the Sun” on August 2, “Marat/Sade” on August 9 and “Bug” on August 16. Admission is free. Starting at 5:30 p.m., Felice’s restaurant will include a complimentary glass of wine with dinner after presenting a film ticket. For more information, call (631) 267-3810, or visit amaglibrary.org.