Americana musician Robert Earl Keen and the late British actor Peter Sellers might seem an odd couple, but the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston features both during Movies Houstonians Love: Robert Earl Keen presents Being There. Hal Ashby’s 1979 film follows a simple-minded gardener fittingly named Chance (Sellers) who lucks his way into high society and the upper echelons of political influence.
Marian Luntz, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s curator of film and video, says the film -series’ hosts are “people who you wouldn’t necessarily think of as associated with going to the movies.” And the films they love are sometimes surprising. Keen, for example, might have been expected to choose a film about music. “He’s a country-and-western performer, but…he loves films.” Past presenters have included rapper Bun B, former first lady Barbara Bush and Richard Linklater.
Luntz hints at a treat for Keen fans. “We always ask the presenter to invite somebody to introduce them, hopefully somebody with whom they’ve watched films.” Keen will be introduced by someone with “a good anecdote that you’re not going to be able to find on his website or by Googling him or by looking on Wikipedia.”
7 p.m. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-639-7515 or visit mfah.org. $9.
Mon., March 2, 7 p.m., 2015
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 4, 2015.
