Panic in the Streets

LAYKA Lens, our new socially-distant film club, in partnership with our friends at the Los Angeles Review of Books (LARB), continues this month with the classic Panic in the Streets, which we discussed on June 24.

Elia Kazan’s 1950 film noir centers on public officials working together to prevent an epidemic from breaking out in New Orleans’ working-class immigrant communities. The film stars Richard Widmark, Barbara Bel Geddes, Jack Palance, and Zero Mostel!

On June 24, we discussed this immeasurably relevant film, centering around questions of community, contagion, knowledge, and power. Participants included:

• Moderator: Boris Dralyuk, Executive Editor, Los Angeles Review of Books

• Rob Adler Peckerar, Executive Director, Yiddishkayt

• J. Hoberman, Author, New York Times

• Karen Zumhagen-Yekplé, Professor, Tulane University