Students can watch “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” eat St. Joe’s pizza, and listen to commentary from College President Larry Arnn and the movie’s screenwriter at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.
The President’s Office and the Student Activities Office will host the movie night in the TV Lounge in the Grewcock Student Union.
Executive Assistant to the President Mary Ann Powers said the event is part of a series which Arnn began in the spring semester of 2025 with showings of two “Rocky” movies. Last spring, the movie nights featured Bill Murray films.
Arnn formed “The Committee” with Professors of English Justin Jackson and Stephen Smith to host movie nights with the Student Activities Board, according to Powers. She said the weeknight events give students a fun break from homework, with classic movies and dinners themed on the movies.
This movie night will not feature commentary from Jackson and Smith. Instead, Arnn will be joined by Bobby Herbeck, screenwriter of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
“Dr. Arnn is friends with Herbeck. He had the idea this summer to invite him to campus for a showing of the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’ movie as an installation of the movie series,” Powers said. “It is always a lot of fun, and the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ movie night will be extra special with Bobby Herbeck himself introducing the film and sharing a bit about his experience making the movie.”
The 1990 movie follows four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. They live in a sewer and fight crime with the help of their mentor, the mutant rat sensei Splinter, while avoiding the wrath of their archenemy Shredder.
Junior Martha Günsche said she’s planning on attending the movie night.
“It’s just a really random thing that Arnn is doing. It’s just fun, and it’ll be a cultural experience,” Günsche said. “I have a lot of friends who are Ninja Turtle fans, so I think it’ll be cool to tell them that I heard the screenwriter talk about it and maybe met him. I like food. I like Arnn. I think I’ll like Ninja Turtles.”
Senior Luke Jones said he’s also planning on going. He said the event will be a good use of his time.
“I’ve never seen the movie and heard mixed reviews about it, but if Arnn views it as worthwhile, I’d be foolish not to give it a chance,” Jones said. “Having the screenwriter there and delivering remarks is cool and a rare experience.”
Jones said the college is lucky to have a president who cares about spending time with students.
“Arnn is unique in the way he runs the college and interacts with the students,” Jones said. “This is just an example of that, considering film as both entertainment and a method of scholarship. And then the fact he sits and watches with us, he could just put on the event and not participate — he’s very busy after all — but he takes the time to stay because he sees the importance of it.”
