Houses Squabble Over Films

Recent tensions between the Dunster and Quincy House film societies over the right to reserve movies have played like a scene out of Patriot Games--complete with confusion, mistrust and accusations of theft.

In June, the Quincy House Film Society claimed rights to show Bat- man Returns, Alien 3, Wayne's World and,fittingly, Patriot Games on campus thisyear.

But members of the Dunster society saidyesterday that they had earlier secured some ofthe same films. They said they were unaware of thepolicy changes that allowed Quincy to "steal" someof their movies, according to committeeCo-President James Chung '93.

The conflicts arose from confusion over theUniversity Film Council's decision last spring toextend the deadline for securing films for the1992-93 school year.

The council moved the last date for requestingfilms from the end of final exams to commencement.The film societies must claim, or "yellow tag"movies they wish to show and confirm within 14days to maintain exclusive rights.

Quincy House Film Committee Co-Chair Anne C.Smyth '93 said that she is confident that hercommittee has valid rights to the movies ityellow-tagged last spring. However, Smyth said,Quincy has agreed to give Wayne's World andAlien 3 back to Dunster.

Chung said that the new yellow-tagging ruleswere not brought to the attention of his committeealthough council members have insisted to him thatthe policy was voted on by the film council. Thecouncil is made up of administrators and studentsfrom the various house film societies.

"The whole situation sets a bad tone," saidDunster Co-Chair Samuel S. Linsky '93. "The rulesof the film council are not meant to encourage agame of who-snags-who.

But members of the Dunster society saidyesterday that they had earlier secured some ofthe same films. They said they were unaware of thepolicy changes that allowed Quincy to "steal" someof their movies, according to committeeCo-President James Chung '93.

The conflicts arose from confusion over theUniversity Film Council's decision last spring toextend the deadline for securing films for the1992-93 school year.

The council moved the last date for requestingfilms from the end of final exams to commencement.The film societies must claim, or "yellow tag"movies they wish to show and confirm within 14days to maintain exclusive rights.

Quincy House Film Committee Co-Chair Anne C.Smyth '93 said that she is confident that hercommittee has valid rights to the movies ityellow-tagged last spring. However, Smyth said,Quincy has agreed to give Wayne's World andAlien 3 back to Dunster.

Chung said that the new yellow-tagging ruleswere not brought to the attention of his committeealthough council members have insisted to him thatthe policy was voted on by the film council. Thecouncil is made up of administrators and studentsfrom the various house film societies.

"The whole situation sets a bad tone," saidDunster Co-Chair Samuel S. Linsky '93. "The rulesof the film council are not meant to encourage agame of who-snags-who.