Chaplin in New York City July 16-Aug. 5th

Charlie Chaplin

All new 35 mm prints
New York City Film Forum
July 16 - August 5, 2010

Same Charlie Chaplin film tour that was in Los Angeles in June opens in the Big Apple in July. Includes all of Chaplin's classic feature films (City Lights to Edna Purviance's starring role in A Woman of Paris. Also includes some of the First National shorts. Tickets available online until July 9th. Catch it! LINK

Happy 4th of July and Fun Celebrating RO's Release!

Have a Safe & Sane

Rockin'
4th of July!

LINK to more 1910 - 'Hints for Sane Fourth'

(cartoons from Edna's husband, Jack, hometown paper)

AND...

As part of celebrating
The Rainbow Orchid Volume Two Release July 5, 2010:

Creative fun for yourself and the kids: Garen Ewing's Rainbow Orchid Fun Pack Part 1, creating a snow leopard! Match the numbers, but be as creative as you wish! Follow this LINK to Garen's site for details.

Happy Holiday! (a little Edna Purviance & Charlie Chaplin)

New stock of The Sea Gull books in Niles soon!

The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum has ordered more The Sea Gull books for their gift store. Check it out, if you are planning to go to the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Also can order at ednapurviance.com. Update July 6, 2010 - Books are there.

Donna Hill's "Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol"

Donna Hill's long awaited, "Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol" is now available.


"One of the most alluring, enigmatic, and simply irresistible movie icons of all time, Rudolph Valentino continues to inspire generation after generation of moviegoers. In Rudolph Valentino, The Silent Idol: His Life in Photographs, author Donna Hill retells the story of Valentino’s life using a treasure trove of rare photographs. Drawn from the author’s extensive collection and those of generous fellow collectors and archives, most of the images in this volume have not been seen since the 1920's; many have never been released publicly until now." - Blurb

Stephen Weissman 'Chaplin: A Life' in Russian!

Чарли Чаплин. История великого комика немого кино
Chaplin: A Life

Stephen Weissman 'Chaplin: A Life'
has been released in Russian.
Link
____________________________________________________

Update June 27, 2010 - Lisa Stein's "Syd Chaplin A Biography" will be released November 2010 by McFarland publishing.

Edna's October Surprise!

Edna's October 'Birthday' Surprise!
Details HERE!

Like to show your support for Edna?
Join Edna's Facebook Fan Page

The London Museum and the Charlie Chaplin Exhibit

The London Film Museum - London, England - See a glimpse of the museum, including the new Charlie Chaplin Exhibit.



Link to London Film Museum. Check out the latest exhibits!

The Sea Gull 'A Woman of the Sea' - at EdnaPurviance.com!

The Sea Gull "A Woman of the Sea"

by Linda Wada
available at ednapurviance.com
(Not available at any other online bookstore - New stock! Third edition!)
UPDATE June 28th: Thanks to everyone for the latest orders! Brand new stock on order today!

Comments about The Sea Gull

Kevin Brownlow - Silent Film Historian - London, England
"THE SEA GULL is an important contribution to film history, and worth buying for the stills alone. The look of the film, revealed in these marvellous photographs, makes it all the more tragic that it was destroyed.

This book provides the nearest experience we will have to seeing it. Thank you for all the hard work. It is much appreciated."

Thomas Gladysz - Writer/Reviewer - San Francisco Examiner
"Had you not known it was self-published, any reader would assume this book the product of a major concern. It’s beautifully printed. The layout is attractive, and the text is informative. And what’s more, it’s the only book on an interesting and worthwhile subject... Obviously a labor of love, this fine book is an appealing look into the past." - Examiner, syndicated nationally, USA, full article


John Baxter - author - Paris, France
"Thanks for sending THE SEA GULL so promptly. It's a fascinating piece of research - particularly since von Sternberg has been almost a lifelong interest. My most sincere congratulations."


Lon Davis, author - Silent Lives: 100 Biographies of the Silent Film Era
"For years I have read about the lost Chaplin-Von Sternberg-Purviance film, A Woman of the Sea, but I never thought I would see more of it. Thanks to the work that Linda and Wesley Wada have done, I can now envision what it may have been.

Linda’s book, The Sea Gull, is an astonishing accomplishment. The sheer quality of the photographs, and the overall presentation, will give silent film aficionados a book they will cherish forever."


David W. Toll - Nevada Writer - Edna Purviance Fan
"It is beautiful, informative and edifying all at once.
All your hard work has resulted in a marvelous achievement.
It's a great work and beautifully presented."


Luke McKernan - Bioscope - London, England
"...really is a remarkable production, engagingly written and beautifully designed. It does more than give self-publishing a good name - it makes it something imperative for anyone with the knowledge, vision and ability to write. It's a real contribution to film history."


Phil Wickham - The Douglas Centre - University of Exeter, England
"We have now catalogued this and the book is available in our library for researchers to consult. Congratulations on the book, which is a very beautiful and fascinating record of the film and Edna Purviance’s career."

Kate Guyonvarch - Association Chaplin - Paris, France
"I congratulate you on a very interesting and attractive book...
I really hope it may lead to the discovery of other material about The Seagull."


Charles Lonberger - Beverly Hills Outlook - Beverly Hills, California
"This book, compiled by Linda Wada, is as close to a reconstruction of the legendary, lost film, A Woman of the Sea as we will ever get, and is a Godsend to the film historian... This book’s real value lies in the light it sheds on director Josef von Sternberg’s genesis as a cineaste. ...a must have for the connoisseur of cinema."


Ted Lu - Discover Chaplin - Montreal, Canada
"Let me first congratulate you on the fruition of your years of research and dedication to Chaplin's leading lady Edna Purviance.

I'm sure that Chaplin and Edna fans alike appreciate your efforts and commitments.

This ground breaking work has greatly enriched our understanding of Edna's life and works, and uncovered much of the mystery around "A Woman of the Sea," Chaplin's lost film.

Not for your dedication and perseverance, we might never even have a glimpse of the film.

I like the design of the book in particular. It looks very clean and classy. The stills from "The Sea Gull - A Woman of the Sea" with the reconstructed story line are no doubt the brightest spots of the book.

They not only help us better understand the film but also offer us an opportunity to appreciate the photography, the set, the decoration, the costume and of course the actors.

So "The Sea Gull - A Woman of the Sea" is not completely lost after all.

The book makes pleasant reading, with so many eye-catching still photos and a well-balanced story of Edna's private and professional life.

I hope you'll give us a fuller account of Edna's life and career before and after "The Sea Gull - A Woman of the Sea" in future editions."


Steve Weissman - author of 'Chaplin A Life'
"I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I thought the text and photos were fascinating." -
Some Comments from Fans

"I am very pleased with it and have to say I am very impressed with the presentation and the overall look of the book. Yourself and Wes have done fantastic work on this project. Also thanks again for the signatures. I will so treasure this book for years to come." - DL, Europe, Third Revised Edition

"... the photographs of seagull are great." - BK, Europe, Third Revised Edition (also bought First Edition)

"The book arrived - and it's lovely. I had it delivered to work where we know a little about publishing. My colleagues and I all agreed that you did a marvelous job, not only with the copy and design, but with choosing a printer." - Arlene Witt (New York)

"I think that you have every reason to be proud of it! The photo reproductions are extraordinary and the narrative is well-written and balanced. It's clear that you put in a lot of time and effort, and I'm grateful to you for it."I sincerely hope that The Sea Gull and eventually The Angel From Nevada will reach a wide audience for you and, of course, Edna. - W. Ayrovainen

Currently working on the biography of Edna Purviance and her family. From Edna's mother, Louisa, arrival to America from England to Edna's death in 1958. The life never known before and after her film career with Charles Chaplin, filled with the people most important to Edna and the town and families that helped led her to a career in films. If you thought Edna's life centered around only Charlie Chaplin, you don't know Edna Purviance... Watch this blog, EdnaPurviance.org or Edna Purviance Facebook Fan page as the project develops...

American Cinematheque's Aero Theatre Chaplin showing

UPDATE: "And Janus is taking these films out as a box set on DVD so they will be available to everyone all over the country!" - Hayley Yerington, Publicity Assistant, American Cinematheque, Los Angeles

Notice from American Cinematheque's Aero Theatre, as all the brand new Janus Film 35 mm prints of Charlie Chaplin films are being shown in the Los Angeles area starting June 17th through June 27th. If you live in the Los Angeles area, try to catch a screening!

American Cinematheque's Aero Theatre
Santa Monica, California
June 17th-27th, 2010

LINK ABOUT THE SHOWINGS
Watch for this great poster by comic artist Kate Beaton
(Thanks to Hayley Yerington, American Cinematheque, for the notice.)

Watch this link for more showing for national tour and the DVD release!
Also check out Janus Films for the current tour of 'Kurosawa at 100' tour

Best 'A Woman of Paris' for your Edna & Charlie Chaplin collection

While I am waiting for material from Great Britain to arrive for the Edna book I am currently working on, I thought I post about the best DVD to have in your collection of 'A Woman of Paris' starring Edna Purviance. The David Shepard re-release with Image Entertainment, replaced the film clips Charlie Chaplin removed during his re-edit of this film.

This DVD has the most complete film available for your 'A Woman of Paris' collection. It does come with Chaplin's last starring role in 'A King in New York'

I know, it is confusing to fans new to Chaplin, but Charlie re-edited all his copyrighted films from 1918-1967 for re-release (especially his early silent collections). The films Edna were in received some of the heaviest cuts, though, (The Gold Rush had many cuts too, from the original 1925 silent version, but Edna was not in this film).

Some of the scenes cut from Edna's films does help tell us Chaplin's original storytelling, but also hold clues, for a researcher, of Edna's life in films. Since the collection with Image have been out of print for several years, more important an ever, to try to get them for your collection.


Background of Paris: 'A Woman of Paris' was directed by Charlie Chaplin as the film to start Edna's independence film career. Instead, it nearly ended Edna's career (she would do two more films, both with all to some control by Chaplin) but Paris is the second to the last film she appears on screen (1927 Education de Prince' is on the list of missing films).

The film gave Chaplin critical acclaim as a great dramatic director, but except for Adophe Menjou (who was looking to boosting his career), if did basically nothing for the other players in the film. I will be covering this film from not only Edna's point of view but from other accounts during the filming. This film, as well as all of Edna's life, will have a fresh look, as well as a never before seen view of Edna Purviance, because her story has never been told.

Follow this link to the Image version. Note: I have gotten the $1.99 one from the comic bookshop seller and it was brand, new, sealed and matched exactly the one I bought in 2000. But buy from who you like to buy from.