1962/b&w/152 min. | Scr: Vladimir Nabokov, Stanley Kubrick; dir: Stanley Kubrick; w/ James Mason, Shelley Winters, Sue Lyon, Peter Sellers.

With the clout of a roadshow picture under his belt, Kubrick turned to a far riskier project for his follow-up to Spartacus: he hired Vladimir Nabokov’s to pen the screenplay adaptation of his controversial novel. But after Nabokov turned in a tome more than four hundred pages long, Kubrick and his producer James B. Harris radically edited it to suit a major motion picture, honing its humor in the process. James Mason stars as Humbert Humbert, who hides his twisted desires behind the façade of a suave European academic, made all the more palpable by Mason’s velvety baritone and pomaded elegance. Humbert insinuates himself into the life of fourteen-year-old Lolita (Sue Lyon, whose only prior credit of note was as “Miss Smile” for the Los Angeles County Dental Association). First, he’s a lodger in her home, though subsequently he becomes her stepfather, after marrying her lovesick mother (Shelley Winters). It’s not long before Humbert and his self-centered nymphet embark on a cross-country car trip closely shadowed by the ominous Clare Quilty (Peter Sellers). A visually rich adaptation of a novel that many felt could not be filmed, Kubrick’s Lolita is rendered with the sheen and polish of classic Hollywood. Lolita marks a major turning point for Kubrick: due to the book’s incendiary content, financing for the film had to be secured abroad through a British production company, meaning that the film was predominately shot in England. Kubrick subsequently settled there for the rest of his career.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) will host its 24th annual “A Time for Heroes” event. The star-studded occasion brings together families, celebrities, donors, and other supporters from across the country to prevent new HIV infections in babies, provide lifesaving treatments to HIV-positive mothers, and support pediatric AIDS research.

“A Time for Heroes” is a celebrity celebration jam-packed with live entertainment, music, and a host of activities for children and teens. This year’s activities include a skateboard demo area, 4-way trampoline, micro-race track, sports zone, photo booth, and creative arts and crafts. EGPAF is calling on the community to “Join Us. Inspire Others.” and participate in the fight to achieve an AIDS-free generation.

Sponsorships, family patron packages, and individual tickets are available here: https://secure.amothersfight.org/page/contribute/a-time-for-heroes-2013