The Mineola Public Library is offering cinephiles a rare opportunity to revisit the work of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors: Gene Hackman.
The library will continue its Gene Hackman Film Festival on three remaining Tuesdays—May 27, June 3, and June 24. The festival will feature expert commentary from film historian and longtime presenter Keith Crocker. The screenings begin at 1 p.m., and registration is required.
Crocker, a seasoned film scholar and presenter for more than 30 years, brings his deep cinematic knowledge and passion to the event. The library gave him full freedom to curate the program, selecting three of Hackman’s most iconic films to honor the actor’s powerful and often underappreciated performances.
“I had received an email from the program director at the Mineola Library and they wanted to put on a Gene Hackman tribute,” Crocker said. “They gave me carte blanche; I was able to pick the films and set them up for the programming. The idea is to have an intro and an outro, take questions regarding the movies and to screen a full movie.”
The film lineup spans decades of Hackman’s career. The festival continues on May 27 with “Scarecrow” (1973), followed by “The Conversation” (1974) on June 3 and concludes on June 24 with “Unforgiven” (1992). Each screening is more than just a movie showing—it’s an interactive film seminar aimed at fostering appreciation for Hackman’s wide-ranging talent.
Though Hackman is widely known for “The French Connection,” which Crocker recently screened separately at the library on May 13, the selected films offer a broader view of the actor’s versatility.
“I wanted to stick mostly with his 1970s output,” Crocker explained. “That’s kind of where my heart is with those movies at that particular time. I also like to catch an actor or actress when they’re just getting started—when they’re making their introductions, in a way.”
Crocker, who refers to his presentations as “cinematic seminars,” isn’t new to this type of engagement. With a degree in film from the New York Institute of Technology and decades of experience speaking at libraries and community centers, he blends scholarship with an infectious enthusiasm.
“My job is not to put people to sleep. It’s to engage,” he said. “There are people out there who can talk about movies, but they are not always good speakers. Movie screenings and discussions should be a little bit fun, not too intellectual. My goal is to get people talking.”
That sense of engagement is critical to the success of events like this, particularly for older patrons.
“What’s starting to happen is the people and I mean retirees—because that’s who I’m predominantly meeting with when I go to a library—are missing the camaraderie of going to a movie,” Crocker said. “They’re finding that camaraderie again by coming to the library, seeing a film and listening to an intro and an outro. There’s a comfort to being able to ask questions and see familiar faces.”
Crocker’s passion for cinema dates back to childhood. Growing up in a family of six, he recalls bonding over movies aired on TV in the late 1960s and early 1970s, often gravitating toward horror and science fiction. That early interest led him to study film, work as a projectionist and eventually turn his passion into a career in film education and programming.
In addition to the Gene Hackman series, Crocker runs other curated programs such as “Pop Culture Cinema” at East Meadow Public Library and “Film Noir Theater” at Bryant Library in Roslyn. These long-running events have cultivated a loyal following.
“We’ve been running Pop Culture Cinema since pre-COVID,” he said. “We do a lot of films from the 1940s to the early 1980s. We just showed ‘The Tingler’ with Vincent Price for his birthday month.”
With each screening, Crocker brings a personal touch that resonates with audiences.
“I want people to feel a friendly connection when they come to a film screening, not just coming to hear a speaker lecture about a film,” he said.
For fans of classic cinema and Gene Hackman’s commanding presence, the Mineola Public Library’s film festival offers more than just nostalgia—it’s a thoughtful and engaging cinematic experience.
The Mineola Public Library is located at 195 Marcellus Road in Mineola. Seating is limited and registration is required. Visit www.mineolalibrary.info or call 516-746-8488 to reserve a spot.
