Theme: Film Studies
Jon Lewis Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
May 4, 2017
Jon Lewis (b. 1955) is a Distinguished Professor of Film Studies who has been a member
of the OSU English faculty since arriving in 1984. The first professor in university
history to be dedicated full-time to Film Studies, Lewis created much of the curriculum
used in OSU's film classes today. He is also a prolific author who has written well-received
books on different shifts in Hollywood film culture, and is a scholar of the life
and work of director Francis Ford Coppola. His 2010 book on The Godfather has been translated into French, Turkish and Mandarin. In his interview, Lewis reflects
on his discovery and love of film; his work in creating a Film Studies program at
OSU; and the different books that he has authored over the course of his career.
Paul Turner Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 24, 2015
Paul Turner (b. 1961) is a former OSU student in English who has founded and operated
two independent cinemas in downtown Corvallis - The Avalon and The Darkside. A student
journalist while at Oregon State, Turner has spent the majority of his working life
managing and operating movie theaters, beginning with his first job as an assistant
at the Woodburn Drive-In (where he lived in an apartment located under the screen)
and including a decade running the Kuhn Cinema in Lebanon, Oregon. In a decidedly
colorful interview, Turner discusses his life-long affection for movies, his associations
with OSU, the births and evolutions of The Avalon and The Darkside, and the many memorable
moments that have arisen over the course of a career spent working in independent
theaters.