UCLA FESTIVAL OF PRESERVATION TOUR!

The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean at The Cinematheque

NEW, RESTORED 35mm PRINT! Ripe for rediscovery! Pioneering female independent Juleen Compton wrote, directed, and self-financed this strange, surreal tale of a blond teenager (Sharon Henesy) whose clairvoyant powers are exploited by a Beatles-like rock band operating out of a roadside attraction called the Plastic Dome. The “Norma Jean” of the title is an intentional nod to Marilyn Monroe. The film was shot in the Ozarks with a cast of young unknowns, including Sam Waterston (Law & Order) in his film debut. Noted French film composer Michel Legrand penned the fine score. “Stylistically accomplished ... An impressive example of American independent feature filmmaking during the mid-1960s and an uncommon portrayal, for the time, of female agency” (Maya Montañez Smukler, UCLA). Preservation funded by Century Arts Foundation.

Run Time: 82 Minutes
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Juleen Compton: (Re)Discovering a Female Pioneer of 1960s Independent
The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean and Stranded are two newly-restored works by unjustly-forgotten, ahead-of-her-time Juleen Compton, a distinctive independent filmmaker who was one of the very few women making feature films in the 1960s.