LAB111 FILM LECTURE: JACK NICHOLSON — REBEL, RASCAL, LEGEND
December 4th 2025
On Thursday, December 4th, we invite you back for a new edition of our Film Lectures series in our Kapel — this time devoted to American screen icon Jack Nicholson. Film critic Hugo Emmerzael will guide the audience through Nicholson’s singular career, drawing on a rich selection of film clips to illuminate his evolution from countercultural rebel to Hollywood myth.
Emmerzael will explore Nicholson’s unmistakable screen persona, his collaborations with New Hollywood filmmakers, and the way his performances blend charm, danger, and emotional volatility. He’ll also examine recurring themes in Nicholson’s work — madness, masculinity, and the allure of rule-breaking — and how these shaped his lasting cultural impact. Join us for an evening that looks beyond the grin and the sunglasses to uncover the enduring mythos of Jack Nicholson.
Hugo Emmerzael is a film critic, curator, and programmer. He writes for Filmkrant, MUBI Notebook, Filmmaker Magazine, and Little White Lies, and has curated the Forum of the Directors at the Netherlands Film Festival since 2020. He works for Locarno Film Festival and has served on juries at Cannes, Venice, and Karlovy Vary.
This lecture will be presented in English.
