The Boston Globe today reported that the curator of the Harvard Film Archive for the past five years, Bruce Jenkins, is leaving. The archive will be brought under the auspices of the Fine Arts Library at the university. The cinetrix is not entirely convinced this is a good idea.
Harvard officials declined yesterday to discuss the departure, and would not say whether he was fired or resigned. Jenkins declined to comment.
Which means there must be a great story out there. I will be trolling for the scuttlebutt and promise to report the real story if I uncover it.
The cinetrix still remembers fondly [by which she means, with schadenfreude to spare] when Harvard's top choices for curator six years ago, Tom Gunning and Linda Williams among them, turned the university down.
The Harvard Film Archive has an amazing collection. It will require someone with vision to turn it into an asset for scholars and fans alike. The cinetrix predicts that conservator Julie Buck is the one to lead the good fight--if the librarians let her.
