Amazing Tales from the Archive First, Robert Byrne of the Festival discussed the restoration of The Half Breed, the 1916 Douglas Fairbanks feature that will have its restoration premiere Saturday. He and his team had to work with three different, incomplete prints, most from questionable sources. Byrne divided his talk into three categories: Continuity: Trying … Continue reading SF Silent Film Festival, Saturday Report
What’s Screening: July 19 – 25
Sorry about the complete lack of a newsletter last week. I prepared one before going on vacation, but in the confusion of getting out of the house, I forgot to post it.Anyway, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, which opened last night, continues through Sunday. The Brainwash Drive-In/Bike-In/Walk-In Movie Festival opens Friday and runs weekend … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 19 – 25
Prix de Beaute: Silent Film Festival Opening Night
This year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival opened at the Castro Thursday night with Louise Brooks' last starring role, Prix de Beaute (The Price of Beauty). I wouldn't put this French feature quite in the same category as Pandora's Box, but I liked it very much. Brooks plays a working girl who enters and wins … Continue reading Prix de Beaute: Silent Film Festival Opening Night
The Big Trail: A Big Western Shot on Big Film
Raoul Walsh's The Big Trail is not by any stretch of the imagination a great film. But it's fascinating, historically unique, and beautiful to look at. I caught it Sunday night at the Pacific Film Archive. I'd seen it before--on Turner Classic Movies--but this was my first Big Trail big screen experience. It deserves the … Continue reading The Big Trail: A Big Western Shot on Big Film
What’s Screening: July 5 – 11
No film festivals in the Bay Area this week. But there are a few films I can tell you about (and I do mean a few). A The Night of the Hunter, Castro, Thursday. Widow and mother Shelley Winters makes a very bad choice for a second husband--a cruel, sanctimonious, violent, and criminally insane preacher … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 5 – 11
Jewish Film Festival Preview
So far, I've screened three films and one TV episode that will play this year's San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Here's what I thought of them: B+ Afternoon Delight The plot sounds like broad, comic farce: A young Jewish mother and housewife invites a stripper and sometimes prostitute to move into her home and become … Continue reading Jewish Film Festival Preview
What’s Screening: June 28 – July 4
How lucky that the Supreme Court upheld marriage equality in the middle of this year's Frameline LGBT Film Festival, which runs through Sunday. The Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival starts tonight and also runs through Sunday. As usual, I've placed Festival events at the end of this newsletter. A Twenty Feet from Stardom, Shattuck, Rafael, … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 28 – July 4
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival officially announced its 33rd run this morning. Probably the largest of all the "identity film festivals" in the area, it will play five venues around the Bay Area from July 25 through August 12. This year's theme, "Life through a Jew(ish) lens," raises two questions: What does that mean … Continue reading San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceaușescu
Kino Lorber is releasing this documentary on DVD next week. I watched and reviewed it prior to its screening at the 2011 San Francisco International Film Festival. I'm finally posting the review now. D- Documentary Written and directed by Andrei Ujica This is what an inept filmmaker can do. What should have been a fascinating … Continue reading The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceaușescu
What’s Screening: June 21 – 27
No festivals open this week. But DocFest continues through Sunday, while Frameline runs through the week and a bit beyond. I put my Frameline recommendations and warnings at the end of this newsletter. A A Hijacking, Elmwood, Embarcadero, Rafael, opens Friday. This isn’t your typical, fun, swashbuckling pirate movie. One truly harrowing thriller, A Hijacking … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 21 – 27
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