Disco in film to be discussed

The Disco Era has been captured in many art forms - music, fashion and dance - but some of the most vivid images of this time period are indelibly imprinted on American films of the 1970s.

Movies such as "Saturday Night Fever," "Boogie Nights," and "Thank God It's Friday" depict the influence of the disco invasion on American culture and provide a colorful trip back to a time when glitter and excess were the rage.

The Elmhurst History Museum explores the Disco Era in films of the 1970s with Peter Hawley, filmmaker, college educator, and founding chairman and dean of the film program at TriBeCa Flashpoint College in Chicago, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, in the museum's Education Center, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst.

Through film clips and lecture, Hawley will provide context for the disco invasion and investigate the impact of the genre on Hollywood films of the '70s.

The cost is $5 for nonmembers and free to members of the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation. Registration is required and may be made on the Elmhurst History Museum's website, www.elmhursthistory.org, in the Adult Programs section. Free, limited parking is available in the museum's parking lot.

The program is presented in connection with the Elmhurst History Museum's current exhibit, "Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died," which is on display through Dec. 31.

The exhibit explores the events that occurred at Disco Demolition Night July 12, 1979, when DJ Steve Dahl and his fans overflowed onto the field and disco met its demise. It's based on the book by Dahl with journalist Dave Hoekstra and photographer Paul Natkin.

Exhibit hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. General admission to the exhibit is free.