'The Phantom of the Opera' with Carl Davis

Conductor, Carl Davis, talks about the silent film "The Phantom of the Opera"

'The Gold Rush' with the Baltimore Symphony

April 15, 16, and 17, 2011
'The Gold Rush'
with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Marin Alsop

Press Release:
Baltimore, Md. (March 22, 2011) - BSO Music Director Marin Alsop leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in a performance of the original musical score from Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore and Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush was nominated in 1943 for an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording for its musical score he created with the assistance of Max Terr. Previously, the film had been entirely silent, but among the edits that Chaplin made for the re-release of his favorite film was the addition of the music score. Set during the time of the Klondike Gold Rush, the film was one of the first of Chaplin's classics to be converted into sound and has been on the American Film Institute's list of top 100 movies twice. It includes the hilarious "dance of the dinner rolls" scene.

"Chaplin was the first person to understand how deeply music could affect an audience's perception of a film," says BSO Music Director Marin Alsop, in an interview with Overture magazine. "His scores are operatic in nature and scope. Each character has well-developed and easily identifiable themes or motives, and Chaplin interweaves these various motives into a beautiful musical tapestry, following the action of the characters in the film."

Marin Alsop, Music Director
Hailed as one of the world's leading conductors for her artistic vision and commitment to accessibility in classical music, Marin Alsop made history with her appointment as the 12th music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. With her inaugural concerts in September 2007, she became the first woman to head a major American orchestra. She also holds the title of conductor emeritus at the Bournemouth Symphony in the United Kingdom, where she served as the principal conductor from 2002-2008, and is music director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California.

In 2005, Ms. Alsop was named a MacArthur Fellow, the first conductor ever to receive this prestigious award. In 2007, she was honored with a European Women of Achievement Award, in 2008 she was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 2009 Musical America named her "Conductor of the Year." In November 2010, she was inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame. In February 2011, Marin Alsop was named the music director of the Orquestra Sinfônica do estado de São Paulo (OSESP), or the São Paulo State Symphony
Orchestra, effective for the 2012-13 season. Ms. Alsop was named to Guardian's Top 100 Women list in March 2011.

A regular guest conductor with the New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, Ms. Alsop appears frequently as a guest conductor with the most distinguished orchestras around the world. In addition to her performance activities, she is also an active recording artist with award-winning cycles of Brahms, Barber and Dvorák.

Marin Alsop attended Yale University and received her master's degree from The Juilliard School. In 1989, her conducting career was launched when she won the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize at Tanglewood where she studied with Leonard Bernstein.

COMPLETE PROGRAM DETAILS
BSO Special Event: Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush
Friday, April 15, 2011 at 8 p.m.—Music Center at Strathmore
Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 8 p.m.—Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 3 p.m.—Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Tickets | Video on program | Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Screen legend, Elizabeth Taylor, has died...

Film icon and legend, Elizabeth Taylor, as died at the age of 79. BBC News report.

Paul Newman tribute to Elizabeth Taylor:


Elizabeth on on 'What's My Line?'

Brooklyn Public Library Silent Movie Matinee

9th Season - March - May 2011
Brooklyn Public Library
Silent Movie Matinee

Brooklyn, New York
Central Library, Dweck Center
Hosted by Ken Gordon

Pianist: Stuart Oderman

Still to come:
April 3rd - 'Charlie Chaplin birthing of The Tramp'
May 1, 2011 - 'Buster Keaton A Family Affair'

Special thanks to Ken Gordon.
Look for this article on the Brooklyn Library website.

The Reel Classic difference!

Seen this image of Jackie in your version of
Chaplin's 'THE KID'?
If not, you're in for a 'reel' treat!

Have all the lovely restored versions
of Charlie Chaplin's classic 'The Kid'?
But still feeling hungry for something new
in your Chaplin viewing?

Maybe it is time for you to check out the
Reel Classic difference!

'Revisiting The Kid'
1950s British Reissue Version
Special article and review of
Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid'
from Reel Classic DVD
LINK TO ARTICLE

Hollywood Heritage 25th & Chaplin's Birthday!

Latest from Janet Hoffmann with Hollywood Hertiage:

April 2, 2011
The Silent Society of Hollywood Heritage Celebrates 25 Years
Saturday April 2nd starting 1:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m.
THE INNOCENCE OF RUTH (1916) – Starring Viola Dana and Edward Earle, directed by John H. Collins, produced for the Edison Co. Dana stars as an orphan who ends up torn between the man she loves and an unscrupulous businessman. Print courtesy of the Library of Congress

2:30 p.m.
THE VEILED ADVENTURE (1919) – Starring Constance Talmadge and Harrison Ford, directed by Walter Edwards, produced for the Select Pictures Corp. Talmadge and Ford star as a young couple whose attempts to get married re thwarted when she finds a gray veil in his overcoat setting off a series of misadventures.

4:00 p.m.
THE FORBIDDEN CITY (1918) – Starring Norma Talmadge and Thomas Meighan, directed by Sidney Franklin, produced for Select Pictures Corp. Talmadge stars in a duel role, as the daughter of a Chinese Mandarin who secretly marries an American and their daughter who is later raised in the emperor’s harem.

7:30 p.m.
A DASH THROUGH THE CLOUDS (1912) – Starring Mabel Normand and directed by Mack Sennett, this one-reel Biograph film served as a blueprint for the films they would later make at Keystone. Mabel is an aviation enthusiast who rescues her suitor from an angry mob with the help of an airplane.

7:45 p.m.
ELLA CINDERS (1926) – Starring Colleen Moore and Lloyd Hughes, directed by Alfred E. Green, produced for First National Pictures. Moore stars as a young Hollywood hopeful who tries to become a movie star in an attempt to win her boyfriend’s attention in this comedy based on the comic strip, “Ella Cinders.”



April 13, 2011
Birthday Tribute to Charlie Chaplin

7:30 p.m.
A Birthday Tribute to Charlie Chaplin featuring The Gentleman Tramp (documentary) IN PERSON: Writer and director, Richard Patterson

In the 21st century, Charlie Chaplin is still one of the most universally recognized symbols in motion picture history. His unparalleled career stands as a benchmark for all who follow. The Hollywood Heritage Museum honors the immortal Tramp with an evening of rare film and artifacts on display in our lobby.

In 1975, filmmaker Richard Patterson produced a documentary on Charles Chaplin which was the first such film that included scenes from later films including City Lights, Modern Times, The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux, Limelight and others. It also contains footage of Chaplin from decades worth of newsreels, home movies and footage taken of him at his home in Vevey in 1974. He is the only person who had full access to Charlie and Oona and was able to film them at their home.

The Gentleman Tramp is one of the finest documentaries on Chaplin and is not a talking heads testimonial. Rather, it unfolds Charlie’s personal life in pictures and story through the use of transcripts, film sequences, news articles, memorabilia and all in the space of seventy eight minutes. Its visual style and swift pace makes it one of the best and most entertaining film documentaries you’re likely to see. Nominated for a Golden Globe, this is the first public screening in decades.

Hosted by three-time Emmy award winner and Hollywood Heritage board member Stan Taffel, this is one night you won’t soon forget. There will be some surprise film screened as well from Mr. Taffel’s Chaplin archive.

To learn more contact:
Hollywood Heritage Museum
Lasky-DeMille Barn 2100 N. Highland Avenue
(Across from the Hollywood Bowl) Free Parking

Thoughts to our Edna and Charlie friends in Japan...

All our concerns to our Edna and Charlie friends in Japan, today, as a 8.9 earthquake has hit the country. It is now listed at the 5th strongest, on record. With tsunami warnings on all the Pacific coast region, a video of the wave hitting Tokyo Airport today...

Thia Megia singing Chaplin's SMILE theme

The latest contestant singing SMILE on 'American Idol' is Thia Megia. Interesting she didn't know this song is the music of Charlie Chaplin's from the 1930s film MODERN TIMES, with lyrics added in the 1950s by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. It was first made famous, as a song, by Nat King Cole in 1954.

Thia Megia performance:




The stereo version from the first singer to perform SMILE, Nat King Cole.



More about SMILE at this LINK.

Charlie Chaplin's Swiss home lost???

News flash from Art Info, and not good... Has Charlie Chaplin's Swiss home and museum been lost to a risky estate deal??? Terribly sad news, if true... LINK

'Charlie' in London by Benjamin Robinson

Here is the latest

Edna fan page addition
'Charlie' in London
photos by
Benjamin Robinson

LINK

Our last fan page
'Tour of Charlie's Switzerland'
by Rainer Mann
LINK

More about
Benjamin Robinson,
and his music, at this link

2011 Trader Joe's Silent Mondays

April 4, 11, 18, & 25, 2011
Trader Joe's
Silent Movie Mondays
The Paramount Theatre
Seattle, Washington

It's time again for Trade Joe's Silent Mondays, with live music by Jim Riggs on the Wurlitzer Organ.

Films include:
April 4 – The Docks of New York
April 11 – Speedy
April 18 – The Crowd
April 25 – The Cameraman

Ben Model Time Magazine profile

Silent film pianist Ben Model
profile for Time Magazine...

California is full of March Fun!

March 9, 2011

Hollywood Heritage
Presents

The World of Golden-Age
Screenwriter Irving Brecher

"The Wicked Wit of the West"

Link to more Details!

Niles Essanay

Silent Film Museum

Has a MARCH full of FUN!
With Chaplin, Stan & Oliver, Buster
and MUCH MORE!

See the latest schedule at this link

Also sneak peek at the 2011 Bronco Billy Festival!

Glimpse inside Vevey and links for this week

It's the first day of March! So here are a few links to enjoy this week.

FIRST: If you missed the performance of 'SMILE' on the Oscars Sunday night, here is the full segment at the home of the Oscars. Celine Dion singing 'Smile' for the 'In Memorian' - LINK

SECOND: 6 Days left to hear Part Two of The Chaplin Archives from the BBC Radio 4 - LINK

Third: Here is a video glimpse inside Chaplin's home in Vevey, Switzerland. The video was create by people who bought the 'Zepped' film in 2009. This short video features their visit to Chaplin's home.