1906 San Francisco Earthquake

Remembering the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
5:12 AM - April 18, 1906

The Artist DVD and BluRay Release June 26th!

THE ARTIST
DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASE
JUNE 26, 2012
more details

26th edition of Cineteca di Bologna

Cineteca di Bologna
Bologna, Italy
June, Saturday 23 through Saturday 30 2012
26th edition of Il Cinema Ritrovato

(Re)discovering Cinephilia

For several editions Il Cinema Ritrovato has managed to gather the finest cinephiles from around the world. This year we would like to discuss, listen and share opinions on the current status of cinephilia, or what can be defined as such. We feel that the present fragility of cinema – at least cinema as we known it - makes this discussion even more urgent.

Photo: Louise Brooks in Prix de Beauté by Augusto Genina (1930)

Piazza Maggiore will host two of many unmissable events for all cinephiles: the Orchestra of Teatro Comunale di Bologna will accompany Timothy Brock’s new score to Augusto Genina’s Prix de Beauté (Louise Brooks last European role) commissioned by the Orchestre National de Lyon in cooperation with the Institut Lumière; and a brand new restoration of La grande illusion - by Studio Canal and the Cinémathèque de Toulouse.


After the Great Crash. Cinema and the 1929 Crisis

As the Wall Street Crash of 1929 changed the world, cinema registered the earthquake that followed in different ways, some of the most immediate and ‘literal’ examples were not always the most interesting ones. The aftermath of the Great Depression translated into financial crisis, unemployment, the gap between the poor and the rich growing obscenely wider and people still ‘dancing on the edge of the volcano’ as World War II was approaching.

This atmosphere produced films like Seifenblasen (Dudow), New Earth (Ivens), Man's Castle (Borzage), Hard to Handle (LeRoy), Sonnenstrahl (Fejos), Darò un millione (Camerini) and Komödie om Geld (Ophuls), as well as the Swedish Petterson och Bendel by Per-Axel Brenner, probably the first European anti-Semitic film. Julien Duvivier’s 1933 masterpiece D avid Golder - adapted by Irène Némirowsky’s novel and with the great Harry Baur – will open the series.

Photo: Man’s Castle by Frank Borzage (1933)

Ivan Pyr’ev, Mosfilm’s Enigma

Following last year’s discovery of Boris Barnet’s delightful works, we are now paying a tribute to another Soviet master of musical films, comedy and drama. Undoubtedly, some of Pyr’ev’s films, such as The Party Card or Kuban Cossacks, a colourful celebration of Kolhoz happiness, are historically ambiguous to say the least, but how can we but admire an artist who was able to represent a gigantic fraud with such a vision, musicality and humour? Mostly known for his musicals, starring his wife Marina Ladynina, Pyr’ev made several films which are in no way inferior to the more popular production by Grigorj Alexandrov (and his wife Ljubov Orlova) and reached its peak with At Six o'clock after the War (1944), one of the most extraordinary films on the Second World War. Pyr’ev certainly worked for the regime but he certainly was no second rate director.

He was genuinely interested in the national folklore and in the ‘classics’ and had an eye for entertainment. At his best, like in the colour film Song of Siberia, Pyr’ev was a true poet. This programme is curated by Olaf Möller.

Photo: Kuban Cossaks by Ivan Pyr’ev (1950) (Austria Film Museum Collections)

Mrs Hitchcock a.k.a Alma Reville

Alma Reville, wife of Alfred Hitchcock, was a major influence on his work but she also had a filmmaking career of her own, both before and after their marriage in 1926. She started as editor's assistant and continuity girl and was senior to her future husband when they met at the Famous-Players-Lasky studio in Islington in the early 1920s. Alma was Assistant Director on Hitch’s first solo film, The Pleasure Garden, and he proposed on the boat home from Germany. Alma worked on nearly all of her husband’s films, either credited or more informally - they were famously spent their evenings discussing the day’s filming and refining their work.

Alma had a particular talent for continuity, editing and story structure and this is evident in the films she made with her husband like Murder! (1930) and those she made independently of her husband such as The Consta nt Nymph (1928),The First Born (1928 ), After the Verdict (1929). This programme is curated by Bryony Dixon (British Film Institute National Archive).

Photo: Alma Reville and Alfred Hitchock (BFI Stills Posters and Designs Collection)

Japan Speaks Out! The First Talkies from the Rising Sun

In the United States and Western Europe, the transition to sound was rapid and practically complete by around 1930. In Japan, the process was slower and more gradual. Japan’s silent films were routinely accompanied by speech from a live narrator, the benshi, and early experiments with direct sound, were in progress as early as the mid-1920s. But sound films did not form the majority until 1936, and silents continued to be made until the outbreak of World War II. This retrospective, showing over two years, will explore the rich cinema of the transitional era, with a particular focus on the creative uses to which Japanese filmmakers put the emerging sound technology. 

From acknowledged masters such as Kenji Mizoguchi to neglected artists like Yasujiro Shimazu and Sotoji Kimura, filmmakers responded creatively to the challenges and opportunities of sound, producing a rich mixture of part-talkies, documentaries, musicals, and dramas united by their determination to exploit the new possibilities of sound cinema. This programme is curated by Alexander Jacoby and Johan Nordström, in collaboration with the National Film Center of Tokyo.

Photo: Namiko by Eizo Tanaka (1932) (From the National Film Centre of Tokyo)

(Latest Press Release from II Cinema Ritrovato)

For more details contact ll Cinema Ritrovato - LINK

The Rainbow Orchid Volume 3 by Garen Ewing

Congratulations GAREN! 
The Rainbow Orchid - Volume 3

Officially Released

APRIL 2, 2012

published by Egmont UK

creator and author

Garen Ewing

Garen Ewing's

The Adventures of Julius Chancer

After the cliffhanging ending of Rainbow Orchid Volume 2, the exciting conclusion about the search for The Rainbow Orchid has been released April 2, 2012, in Volume 3!  Set in the golden era of the late 1920s, Rainbow Orchid is a beautifully illustrated and detailed story about the search for the mysterious flower that takes the reader from the streets of England to high mountain passes, deep into the unknown. It's an adventure that will keep you looking over your shoulder to who may be following you next.

Garen's engaging ensemble of characters, surround Julius Chancer, as he takes silent film star, Lily Lawrence and others, on a quest to find the mysterious orchid to help save Lily's father from total ruin from the evil Urkaz Grope. But we learn, Grope isn't the only one interested in this rare wonder. And with Grope's evil and determined assistant, Evelyn Crow, anything is bound to happen.

Since it's release, The Rainbow Orchid has been a favorite with young and old alike, with fans around the world. It has also been added to many library collections, as well. Garen Ewing's intense research adds depth and dimensions to his story, you don't find in every comic or graphic novel.

If you love big adventure, filled with travel, steeped in history and intrigue, you should check out The Rainbow Orchid today at Garen's official Rainbow Orchid site.  Volumes 1, 2 and 3 are available at many online shops under graphic novels and/or comics, some with free shipping worldwide. Special signed and sketched editions can be bought directly from Garen Ewing at The Rainbow Orchid.

For more about The Rainbow Orchid visit Garen's official Rainbow Orchid site. Also, check out my extensive interview with Garen, with The Rainbow Orchid fan page, complete with links covering RO since the release of Volume One.

Here is a ten minute video from the one hour plus auto interview.

UPDATE: If you like to get The Rainbow Orchid in the USA and not pay shipping fees, the best place to order is from Book Depository. They ship worldwide for free. Excellent deal. Currently under $10.

Updated Note April 10th: Where can I buy The Rainbow Orchid? Especially from the USA? Amazon USA has just removed The Rainbow Orchid books from current sell, after having them available since their UK release in 2009. NOW, they have placed the books into regular Amazon shopping carts and posted  that The Rainbow Orchid Volume 1, 2 and 3 will not be available at AMAZON USA until October 2012! All three books are available at Garen's Rainbow Orchid shop, with special signed and sketched editions. If you just want to get the books, The Book Depository has The Rainbow Orchid Volume 3 (Vol. 1 and 2 are not available there) and Amazon UK has all three volumes, available. Otherwise, you will have to check ebay, for possible online purchases from varies sellers.

UPDATE - April 12, 2012 - Just received The Rainbow Orchid Volume 3 in the post this week! Beautiful publication. I can't give anything away, but it's a well paced, action filled adventure, beautifully illustrated, with some big surprises. Looking forward to getting my signed and sketched editions now! Excellent work, Garen!

UPDATE: June has been a GREAT month for The Rainbow Orchid, with a successful launch of The Rainbow Orchid Volume 3 and boxset at Stripdagen, and two excellent reviews in London The Observer, including one from comic actor and stage comic, Rhys Darby (best known as Murray Hewitt, in HBO's very funny, Flight of the Conchords.

Also, catch Garen's latest artwork for the weekly UK comic, The Phoenix. The four part series, The Bald Boy and the Dervish, with story by Ben Haggarty, appears in this week's issue #23.

Kevin Brownlow and the £100,000 minute

£100,000 for a minute of Charlie Chaplin? That and more will be learned in this series of videos from a recent event last year with some moments with Kevin Brownlow and Patrick Stanbury, from Photoplay.

First one includes some on NAPOLEON and a BUSTER KEATON DVD that a company produced with the wrong master.




Kevin talks about seeing a Mary Pickford film directed by Clarence Brown and how it started his collecting of US silent films.




Kevin talks about discovering a film library collection while on holiday and more...






£100,000 for a minute of Charlie Chaplin? That was the rate being charged by Chaplin's agent for any uses of Chaplin's films. With no budget for such a high amount, how Brownlow and Gill did get some Charlie Chaplin clips for HOLLYWOOD SERIES and continued to create UNKNOWN CHAPLIN SERIES.

Peter Pan

Huntington, New York

March 25, 2012

Peter Pan
Huntington's Cinema Arts Centre
 with pianist Ben Model

Suitable for all ages

Press Release from Susan Finkelstein: Ingeniously capturing the mysteries and adventures of childhood, James M. Barrie‘s timeless play became one of the most popular films of the twenties. Virtually unseen for decades, Paramount Studios’ 1924 production of Peter Pan has been fully restored from original nitrate materials, with authentic color tints.

Betty Bronson stars as Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, who charms Wendy and her brother to fly with him to Never Never Land. On this distant island of dreams and magic, they struggle to rescue the Lost Boys from Captian Hook (Ernest Torrence) and his band of pirates, encountering along the way the delightful fairy Tinkerbell (Virginia Browne Faire), a man-eating crocodile, and a band of valiant Indians (led by Anna May Wong). This memorable adaptation — which in turn inspired later film versions of the story — features a delightful cast, remarkable special effects by Roy Pomeroy, and fine photography by James Wong Howe (The Thin Man). (USA, 1924, 102 mins., 35mm print courtesy of Kino Lorber)

Ben Model is one of the USA’s leading silent film accompanists, and has been playing piano and organ for silents at the Museum of Modern Art in New York for the past 27 years. Ben co-curated MoMA’s “Cruel and Unusual Comedy”series and Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle retrospective, and also curated Shout!Factory’s new “Ernie Kovacs Collection” DVD box set.

A five-time recipient of the Meet The Composer grant, Ben is a regular accompanist at classic film festivals around the U.S.A. and in Norway, and performs at universities, museums, and historic theaters. Ben is the producer and co-founder of The Silent Clowns Film Series now in its 14th season in NYC. Ben’s recorded scores can be heard on numerous DVD releases from Kino Video and others. Ben’s composed ensemble scores for films by Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd are performed around the U.S. every year by orchestras and by concert bands.

For more information contact Cinema Arts Centre: LINK

100TH Anniversary of Niles Essanay

April 1, 2012

100TH Anniversary
History of Niles Essanay film studio

in Fremont, California

The original film studio is gone, but the memory is not!
Full day of celebration and events planned
Check Niles Essansay Silent Film Museum for details

Series of events planned!

'The Artist' Best Actor, Jean Dujardin

A few moments with Best Supporting Actor Christopher Plummer and Best Actor, Jean Dujardin from ABC News. John Goodman said in a recent interview; "Jean, spoke no English at the time. He's learned since, and I will never, I am hopeless at languages," he added." - Reuters

To see the ABC video interview, just click on the image or this LINK.
Jean Dujardin, Best Actor for the French silent film, The Artist

IT with Clara Bow

For another film on my list of favorite silent films for people new to them, is Clara Bow in IT, from 1927. It's charming, fun and just plain joyful!

'Show People' (1928) needs a quality DVD release!

With The Artist going into the widest release today, I hope it appears near you, and you will take the time to see it. Wonderful film, I really loved, and I have seen three times since January.

Meanwhile, there has been lots of people putting lists up of silent films to see. I have posted The Artist director's, Michel Hazanavicius, list earlier this week. I will be posting a few more silent films myself. Ones I have tested over the years with people, who don't normally don't watch silent films.

This is a film I would recommend, and I am really hoping a quality DVD will be released of it. Called, SHOW PEOPLE (1928), it is owned by TCM, part of the MGM collection. No quality DVD of this film is available at this time, only copies from VHS tapes and recordings off of TCM broadcast, which I wouldn't want anyone buying. There are a few high priced VHS tapes of the film still being re-sold, but a proper DVD release has not been made of this film.

It's a wonderful comedy starring Marion Davis, and one of her best! There is plenty in here, that reminds me of The Artist, but with a different story, with a small town girl coming to Hollywood and struggling to get a job in show business. I don't want give away the plot, but it loaded with footage, filmed right in Hollywood and with the big stars from that day.

It's the perfect film to watch for a double bill with The Artist, just no quality DVD of it. This video is a very poor image of the film, but has just a taste. Write TCM to let them know, we love to have a quality release of SHOW PEOPLE.

Director Michel Hazanavicius and his Favorite Silent Films

If you love The Artist, and came out of the theatre, wanting to see more silent films, a good place to start, is to see some of the films the director of The Artist really enjoys.

Best Director winner, Michel Hazanavicius, shares his Favorite Silent Films, that include City Girl, The Crowd, The Unknown, Underworld, Docks of New York, Sunrise, and more... (Great list, by the way.)

Also a special mention, that include Josef von Sternberg, Charlie Chaplin and director, Billy Wilder.

Update: A few clips of the films mentioned. These online are not the best quality.

The Crowd - Directed by King Vidor



Underworld - Directed by Josef von Sternberg
(first Sternberg film released after Chaplin didn't release Sternberg's 'A Woman of the Sea')



City Girl - Directed by F.W. Murnau (two clips)






The Unknown - Directed by Tod Browning (with Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford)



Sunrise - F.W. Murnau (with Janet Gaynor)

Congratulations to THE ARTIST and HUGO

It was a GREAT night for silent films, with THE ARTIST winning the five top awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, Best Original Score by Ludovic Bource and Best Costume.

Hugo won the five top awards for Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, Art Direction and Best Cinematography.

I'm just THRILLED to see THE ARTIST win best picture! I have seen it three times, already, and loved it more each time I saw it. I have been listening to the score since January and it has been great to write Edna Purviance's family biography to. 

Here's the original trailer that excited me about the film last May. And now it would be a great time to see again! Watch for it in your area!

Interesting in seeing more silent film events? Check this LINK!

UPDATE! Starting MARCH 2, 2012, The ARTIST will be increasing the theatre screens from 900+ to 2000! If you haven't seen it, see it early.

UPDATE: A wonderful open letter to Jean Dujardin from Melissa Fairbanks, the granddaughter to Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. - Jean Dujardin did thank Melissa, during this thank you speech, at the Oscars. LINK

Charlie Chaplin Honorary Oscar 40th Anniversary

April 1972, Charlie Chaplin returned to America for the first time in 20 years. It was an historical moment remembered by all who saw it. It was the first time I was introduced to Chaplin, and I have been a fan of his, ever since.

Here is a short video version of the actual moment. (Hopefully, someday, The Academy will share the full moment, without any cuts.)


Charlie Chaplin Oscar d'Honneur 1972 by BryanAiki

BBC 4 Radio "The Chaplin Archive" Return Broadcast

If you missed the last on air broadcast of 'The Chaplin Archives' with Matthew Sweet, BBC 4 Radio is rebroadcasting the two part program. It's the program that covered the letter about Chaplin's birth that made news. Don't know how long these will be available, but if as usual, just one week starting today.

LINKS: EPISODE 1 | EPISODE 2

Gance's 'Napoleon' with Kevin Brownlow on PBS

March 24, 25, 31 and April 1, 2012

San Francisco Silent Film Festival

Abel Gance's 'NAPOLEON'

Paramount Theatre

Oakland, California 

Here is a recent news segment with Jeffery Brown on PBS Newshour talking to Kevin Brownlow about this once in a lifetime screening in the USA. Carl Davis will be conducting the orchestra and Kevin Brownlow will be the guest host for this special four day event. If you can make it, it's highly recommended. For Tickets, contact SFSFF.