If you haven't experienced Buster Keaton, this is the time to discover the greatest physical comedian since the invention of cinema. He could take a fall like nobody else, But he was more than that. He was a complete auteur, with a sense of what made a good story, and the feel of where to … Continue reading Buster Keaton at the Criterion Channel
Category: Silent Films
Keaton at the BAMPFA
I've been writing a lot about Buster Keaton lately, thanks to BAMPFA's series Camera Man: Buster Keaton. I've been a fan of the Great Stoneface for more than 50 years now. but it's great to experience these films theatrically, with live music and other people laughing. I missed Sherlock Jr., so my first experience of … Continue reading Keaton at the BAMPFA
My experiences at the Day of Silents
Yes, that's Silents, not Silence. It rained off and on in the Castro neighborhood, but it was dry and joyful (mostly) in the Castro theater. Two days before the Day, cinema made history. A selection of critics released their once-a-decade Sight & Sound of the Best Films of All Time. I'll get to that soon. … Continue reading My experiences at the Day of Silents
A Day of Silents at the Castro
Yes, that's Silents, not Silence. On Saturday, December 3, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival will have a one-day marathon of silent movies and live music. A Day of Silents will play at the Castro. These days, every time you go to that beautiful theater, you may be watching a movie there for the last … Continue reading A Day of Silents at the Castro
Stuck at home? Celebrate silent films if you can’t go to a theater
Today, if you have the time, watch a film with printed titles instead of dialogue. After all, today is Silent Movie Day. With the exceptions of the Sebastopol and the Elmwood, the theaters and festivals don't seem to care. If you're not a silent film fan, and you're wondering what's so special about 100-year-old movies, … Continue reading Stuck at home? Celebrate silent films if you can’t go to a theater
Buster Keaton’s Seven Chances at Niles
I attended a screening Saturday night of one of my favorite Buster Keaton films, Seven Chances (1925). It was at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. It was my first visit there since COVID changed our lives. This was part of the Broncho Billy & Friends Silent Film Festival, which ran Saturday and Sunday. The … Continue reading Buster Keaton’s Seven Chances at Niles
The last three days of the SF Silent Film Fest
In the last three days, I sat through seven films at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Here are the movies I saw, and here's what I thought about them. Monday I skipped the first movie, Skinner's Dress Suit. A friend told me I didn't miss anything. Actually, I skipped the first film on each … Continue reading The last three days of the SF Silent Film Fest
SF Silent Film Fest, Part 1
This year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival opened Thursday night - the first one since 2019. Rather than write about all the films I've seen so far, I'll give you some highlights and lowlights. But first, here's a taste of what the Castro Theater has become now that it's owned by Another Planet Entertainment (APE). … Continue reading SF Silent Film Fest, Part 1
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is coming back
I love silent movies - especially with live music. I also love the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. You can hear various musical ensembles. People dress for the occasion (well, I don't). You can take a seat for the whole day, usually next to people you know. Between movies, you can talk to important preservationists … Continue reading The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is coming back
Soviet bureaucracy & Vietnam: Two nights at BAMPFA
Over the last weekend I watched two interesting films at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). Both presentations involved actual live people along with moving pictures. My Grandmother Friday night, my wife and I attended a screening of the 1929 silent Soviet comedy, My Grandmother, with musical accompaniment by a little-known jazz duet called … Continue reading Soviet bureaucracy & Vietnam: Two nights at BAMPFA
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