This is a great week for silent movie lovers. Bay Area theaters are screening three shows this week with live musical accompaniment, from such masters of the art as Murnau, Méliès, and Chaplin. But if you prefer talking in your movies, local cinemas will screen works from Truffaut, Coppola, and Hitchcock. But no festivals. The … Continue reading What’s Screening: February 18 – 24
Tag: Georges Méliès
Fun stuff on Criterion, Part 2: Chaplin & Méliès
Last week I told you about a Preston Sturges series available on The Criterion Channel. This week, I'm telling you about two other series on the Channel intended just to entertain. One is about the most loved comedian of all time. The other was one of the first filmmakers to use the medium to tell … Continue reading Fun stuff on Criterion, Part 2: Chaplin & Méliès
Before Armstrong: Moon Missions from Méliès to Kubrick
I should have written this article weeks ago. But I got the idea a month too late. On or around July 20, The Rafael, The New Parkway, and The Roxie celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. But most of their programs centered on documentaries. But why not celebrate the anniversary with a series of fictitious … Continue reading Before Armstrong: Moon Missions from Méliès to Kubrick
My 15 Best Moviegoing Experiences of 2018
I went to the movies quite a bit in 2018, and it was often a wonderful experience. I attended six (I think) Bay Area film festivals, numerous special presentations, and just plain really good movies. In May, I flew to Rochester, New York for the Nitrate Picture Show. For four days of screenings and museum … Continue reading My 15 Best Moviegoing Experiences of 2018
What’s Screening: September 21 – 27
Spike Lee, Gilda Radner, Ingmar Bergman, Laurel and Hardy, James Dean, and a young girl accused of witchcraft. Add three film festivals and there's plenty to see in Bay Area movie theaters this week. Festivals The SF Latino Film Festival continues through this week and beyond The Homage to Marcello Mastroianni takes over the Castro … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 21 – 27
Blu-ray review: A Trip to the Moon in many colors and musical scores
Why would anyone spend up to $40 (MSRP; you can buy it for less) for a Blu-ray of a movie that runs only 15 minutes? There are several good reasons. George Méliès' A Trip to the Moon is not only a fun and imaginative entertainment; it's also one of the most important motion pictures ever … Continue reading Blu-ray review: A Trip to the Moon in many colors and musical scores
A Million and One Nights: Saturday at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival
It's Tuesday, so it's time to tell you about Saturday at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. I'm won't discuss every film screened that day; just the ones I want to talk about. A lot of the films, not just on Saturday but throughout the whole festival, were new restorations. It seemed as if every … Continue reading A Million and One Nights: Saturday at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival
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