It is a scene many University of South Carolina students remember well — cuddled up with their friends in middle school getting ready to watch Disney Channel’s newest original movie on their living room television. With Carolina After Dark’s Spring DCOM Series, students are able to experience some of their favorite childhood movies in a different way.
Since the '90s, Disney Channel has produced over 100 original movies. With showings through the month of April, the new series features multiple popular Disney Channel Original Movies, including favorites like "13th Year" and "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century." All movies are being shown at the Russell House Theater, free of charge to students and staff with a CarolinaCard.
Carolina Productions and Carolina After Dark coordinator Carly Rice worked with a team to develop the series and choose which movies would be featured.
“The Cinematic Committee and Carolina Productions [were] talking about .... wanting to do it, and I already been thinking it so we kind of put our heads together,” Rice said.
With dozens of movies to choose from, Rice wanted the movies featured to be of interest to Carolina students.
“I could pick my favorites, but mine might be not as well known," Rice said.
While Carolina After Dark has created movie series before, Rice believes this is the first Disney Channel specific series. Because these movies originally aired on television instead of in the movie theater, this may be the first time audiences get to see DCOMs in a larger setting.
"I never really, I guess, thought about seeing a Disney Channel original movie on campus in the Russell House because if you're like me maybe you're trying to find it in the deep darkness of the internet at like 2 a.m.," Rice said.
Rice hopes that students enjoy the series, and that students may have suggestions for a similar series in the fall. She may even try to include some of her favorite DCOMs, which is a difficult decision.
“I would say it’s a tie between 'Brink' and 'Johnny Tsunami,'” said Rice.
Movie Schedule:
"The Thirteenth Year" - April 9
"Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" - April 10
"Cadet Kelly" - April 23
"Camp Rock" - April 24
"Descendants" - April 25