I caught the Frank Capra/Harry Langdon comedy The Strong Man at the Pacific Film Archive Sunday. It was my first chance seeing it on the big screen. The movie has three bust-a-gut hilarious sequences, and it was great to share the gut-busting with a real audience. When I entered the theater, I stopped to say … Continue reading The Strong Man at the PFA
Category: Silent Films
Silent Film Festival: J’Accuse
There’s something very exciting about being present at the rediscovery of a classic. I, plus several hundred other people, experienced that excitement Saturday afternoon at the U.S. premiere of the restored J’Accuse, Abel Gance’s 1919 anti-war masterpiece. This was part of the Silent Film Festival Winter Event. You can also read overview of the event. … Continue reading Silent Film Festival: J’Accuse
Silent Film Festival Report
I spent all day yesterday at the Castro, attending the Silent Film Festival Winter Event. Could you think of a better way to spend a rainy day? (Okay, I can think of a better way to spend a rainy day, but my wife was unavailable for such things.) The festival got off to a slow … Continue reading Silent Film Festival Report
San Francisco Silent Film Festival Winter Event
I missed the big, three-day festival in July, and I’m determined to make this one. On Saturday, December 12, the Castro will come alive with crowds, film, and live music with four feature films—one a 162-minute epic—for the 5th annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival Winter Event. It will start at 11:30 with Chang: A … Continue reading San Francisco Silent Film Festival Winter Event
Silent Film Festivals
It’s June. For most of the Northern Hemisphere, that means warm, sunny days. But in the Bay Area, it means cold, fog, and silent movie anticipation. This year as in every year, late June and early July bring us two weekend-long silent film festivals. This year, personal issues will keep me away from the San … Continue reading Silent Film Festivals
SFIFF Report: The Lost World & Dengue Fever
Completely free of cold symptoms, I finally got back to Festival attendance last night, making my way to the Castro for the screening of the 1925 version of The Lost World. The Cambodian-American alternative indie band Dengue Fever provided the live musical accompaniment. The event was as much about Dengue Fever as it was about … Continue reading SFIFF Report: The Lost World & Dengue Fever
Coming to Niles
Good stuff coming to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. On Saturday, May 16, they're screening Wings, the 1927 WWI fighter pilot story best remembered as winner of the first Best Picture Oscar (except that the award wasn't called Best Picture at the time). But the event is much more than the Silent Film Museum … Continue reading Coming to Niles
Paths to Paradise in Niles
My wife and I drove to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum to catch a screening of Paths to Paradise last night. As I suspected, big fun. As is Niles' custom, the evening started with speakers, introductions, and two short comedies--in this case Harold Lloyd's "Chop Suey & Co." and Monty Banks' "Chasing Choo Choos." … Continue reading Paths to Paradise in Niles
Speaking of Silents
I attended the screening of 3 Bad Men at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum last night. I'd been wanting to see this John Ford silent western since I'd read Joseph McBride's Ford biography, where he described it as “the silent film pointing most clearly to the strengths of his mature masterpieces.” Visually, it was … Continue reading Speaking of Silents
metropolis Report
My wife and I attended the screening of Metropolis at Stanford University (not the Stanford theater) last night. This was as much a music event as a movie one--maybe more so. The West Coast premiere of Martin Matalon’s score, performed by members of the Santa Rosa orchestra under the baton of Bruno Ferrandis. My wife's … Continue reading metropolis Report
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