The Essential Cinema Screening Series is set to “premiere” this Thursday in the Mass Media and Technology Hall Auditorium at 7 p.m. 

The ongoing series will showcase classic movies on the auditorium’s big screen. The first films to be screened will be Jaws and 8 ½.

The free series will be held the 1st and 3rd Thursday every month for the res of the school year.

While the series is being presented by WKU’s SJ&B and Film Club, the idea for having a film series here at WKU came from Assistant Professor Travis Newton. He was inspired to host the event after seeing “Lawrence of Arabia” at an independent theatre in L.A.

“Seeing that film on the big screen, it’s like a different experience than watching it at home,” Newton said.

It was an experience that Newton believes other students should have.He plans on showing “Lawrence of Arabia” in addition to others.

“I want to get students to see these films on the big screen rather than see it on television,” Newton said.

Assisting Newton with the film series is Assistant Professor Ron Demarse, who said he had high hopes for the series.

“I think it will go really well,” Demarse said. “Travis is screening films that are interesting to the students and are historically important. Students have seemed enthusiastic about it so far.”