This n That

This n That is my monthly posting on old news, new news and various tidbits that strike my fancy.

In case you've not read about this, maybe you've had your head burined in the sand?  Kevin Brownlow's massive restoration of the Abel Gance epic Napoleon will screen at the Oakland Paramount Theater in March/April 2012.  Carl Davis will be on hand to conduct his score for the film with the Easto Oakland Symphony Orchestra.  Four performances only, in the SF Bay, no other dates for the US are planned.  Tickets can be had at Ticketmaster.

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In the 1920s, Diana Serra Cary was known as "Baby Peggy." Signed to a million dollar contract at age five, this child actress was once one of the biggest little film stars in the world. At this special event, Cary will speak about her remarkable life in Hollywood more than 80 years ago, her recent work as a writer and film historian, and her lifelong love of books and reading.

Diana Serra Cary will be in conversation with arts journalist Thomas Gladysz. A short Baby Peggy film will also be shown. More info at the SFPL website.

This special event will take place in Koret Auditorium of the San Francisco Public Library. A book signing with Diana Serra Cary will follow.

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Milton Sills Alert!  I make no secret of my love for Milton Sills.  Sadly, I cannot be in LA for the screening of the 1928 film The Barker (also featuring Douglas Fairbanks Jr - equally hubba hubba)

Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre (in LA)

The Silent Treatment Series: THE BARKER (1928)

Dir. George Fitzmaurice, 1928, 35mm, 80 min. (Archival 35mm print courtesy of the UCLA Film & Television Archive)

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 - 8:00 PM

$10 / free for members

http://www.cinefamily.org/films/the-silent-treatment/

It’s hard to imagine that the majority of films from the silent era, despite their level of cinematic innovation and critical acclaim, could all but vanish from our narrowing narrative of film history. The Barker is the exemplar of lost classics — originally a hit play on Broadway, and adapted for the screen in 1928 with a stellar cast including the likes of burgeoning stars such as Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Betty Compson (who received an Academy Award nomination for her performance). Such was the film’s success that it merited two further high-profile remakes in 1933 and 1944, plus a syndicated Lux Radio Theater adaptation. And somehow, a film that managed to remain in the public consciousness for nearly two decades has disappeared. The Cinefamily and The Silent Treatment are proud to launch this picture back into the limelight with a spectacular 35mm print so crisp that it’ll leave the images lingering in your mind long after the curtains close. The film has a hopeful take on the troubles of modernization, when the greatest carnival barker in the world turns his back on the antiquated biz, only to rediscover his passion through the exploits of his city-bound son. Come participate in the resurrection of this fantastic film, and let your mind reel at the thought that something this good could go missing for so long! The evening’s feature is also one of the first films to utilize the “Vitaphone” process, so get ready to also experience a restored version of its original music/effects/minimal dialogue track!

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Soviet Film Posters (many from the silent era) have been on display in New York at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery.  The exhibition ends July 30th, but you can view the posters by clicking the link on this page marked "images."  Some wild poster art, including several Soviet posters for Harold Lloyd films like Safety Last and Buster Keaton.  Fabulous exhibit that I wish I could have seen in person.

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Have you purchased a DVD and absolutely loathe the score?  What do you do?  Do you watch the film in silence?  Do you grit your teeth and watch it anyway with a score that neither fits the film or your taste?  I admit, I'm rather traditional in my silent film score taste.  Well, you have another option to remedy a silent film headache.  Ben Model, acclaimed historian and performer has created altscore.com with modestly priced and wonderful alternate scores for many films on DVD.  The scores can be downloaded to your iPod, PC or burned on a CD to synch with the film.  Check it out! 

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Ronald Colman will be the star of the day during TCM's Summer Under the Stars on August 4th.  Scheduled are three silent films with the divine Ronnie.  The White Sister (1923) with Lillian Gish, Kiki with Norma Talmadge (directed by Clarence Brown) and Her Night of Romance with Constance Talmadge.  Don't miss them!

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The Silent Treatment is a quarterly newsletter that relates to silent film.  TST is also the presenter/promoter for the monthly silent film screenings with Cinefamily and The Silent Movie Theater mentioned above.  Brandy and Steve do great work and if you want to keep yourself in the loop, the newsletter is free and delievered to your email inbox.  Back issues are downloadable at the TSTNews website.  Always free and always worth a read!

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Lastly, I've been offloading bits and pieces of memorabilia, including some really nice vintage postcards of Rudolph Valentino.  You can check out my eBay auctions here or search for the seller ID rudyfan. More good movie stuff and decorative pieces and some vintage jewelery (including bakelite) will be posted soon.



Rare Nita Naldi Film to be Screened at Cinecon 46

Nita Naldi publicity portrait for The Breaking Point

Our friends at the Society for Cinephiles have begun slowly announcing titles for the upcoming annual Labor Day festival Cinecon in Hollywood. This film fan is THRILLED to announce that the rare film The Breaking Point which features my favorite vamp will be screening at Cinecon 46. Please visit their website for more information on when, where and how you can attend Cinecon. They also have a Facebook page were you can keep current.
It's no secret that I am a big fan of Nita Naldi. She positively steals Blood and Sand right out from under Rudolph Valentino and Lila Lee. Like her vampish predecessor, Theda Bara, a paltry number of films with Nita exist. Any opportunity to see a new film featuring Nita, well, that's the most exciting news we've heard in a long long time. The Daughters of Naldi will be out in force, of that I am sure. I'm also thrilled to bits as there will be a Milton Sills film screening.

For the Love of Film - Film Preservation Blogathon - What's Left if the Film is Lost?

It is a very sad, sad, SAD fact that over 90% of films made in the silent era are lost forever. There are so many forgotten faces and forgotten films from this rich period of film history. Many stars have a good rate of survival while others have nothing left but some stills, lobby cards and posters to chronicle a career. This is what is left of a film that is lost for the ages. A glimpse, a few stills, a stone litho poster, a couple of frames with ripped sprocket holes.

Offered for your pleasure are some stills,

posters and lobby cards for films that are lost.

Just for fun and so this is not so completely depressing,

I've included a few that are still with us including links where to get them on DVD.

Thanks to archivists and collectors from around the world for the few that do survive.

Red Hair (1928) - status LOST

A window card from Red Hair, only a few fragments remain.
The color snippets are tantalizingly wonderful of the incandescent Clara Bow.

The Impossible Mrs. Bellew (1922) - status LOST

Gloria Swanson would be well remembered for nothing else but Sunset Blvd., true it's a magnificent film. She was one of the biggest and most popular stars of the silent era. Many of her De Mille films survive, but little remain of her major starring period for Paramount from 1921 to 1925. You can't tell me this dramatic card (and fabulous gown) does not make you want to see this film. It does me! It's with great joy that I can report that Swanson's 1925 film Stage Struck does exist at Eastman House and if you get a chance to see it, do not miss it.

The Rose of Blood (1918) - status LOST

Theda Bara, one the biggest stars in the teens. The survival rate of her films is pathetically small. The 1915 breakthrough film A Fool There Was survives, but her lost 1917 film Cleopatra is among the most desired of all films from the era.

Flaming Youth (1923) - status LOST

As Colleen Moore quoted F. Scott Fitzgerald, "I was the spark and Colleen Moore was the torch that lit Flaming Youth." Sadly, it appears we shall never know as only tiny fragments remain of this film.

An American Venus (1926) - status LOST

Publicity portrait of the divine Louise Brooks.

Arizona (1916) - status LOST

On average, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. has a fabulous survival rate.

Arizona is not among them.

The Sea Hawk (1924) - status available on DVD

A gorgeous one-sheet poster.
This film is true to Sabatini's novel, unlike the Errol Flynn talkie which only retained the title. Milton Sills is not well known today, and he should be, he was a real hunk and a darn good actor, too.

Marc McDermott and Milton Sills in The Sea Hawk.

The Claw (1918) - status LOST

Clara Kimball Young
If you want to read more about Clara Kimball Young and some other wonderful
Unsung Divas of the Silent Screen, you must visit
Greta de Groat's excellent website devoted to these fine ladies.

In the Palace of the King (1923) - status LOST

A gorgeously costumed Blanche Sweet.

Uncharted Seas (1921) - status LOST

Alice Lake and Rudolph Valentino.

Yes, I know my previous posting was all about this film,
this is merely an excuse to use another still from the film. Sue me!

Camille (1927) - status LOST
An unbearably handsome Gilbert Roland as Armand and Norma Talmadge as Camille
in this 1927 modern adaptation. Maddeningly lost for the ages, for now.

In a bit of happy news, a couple of Norma Talmadge films (and two films with sister Connie) are soon to be released on DVD by our friends at KINO. We must thank the terrific Joe Yranski for these. I can hardly wait!

Hollywood (1923) - status LOST

Virtually every star on the Paramount lot had a cameo in this film.
All that remains are stills and this fantastic poster image.

Tiptoes (1927) - status LOST

Dorothy Gish and Will Rogers are pictured on the UK lobby card. Dorothy was noted as being a delightful comedienne and made many light and fun films, very few of which survive. Dorothy is less well known than her more dramatic sister Lillian and this is a real shame.

Dorothy can be seen in a charming 1916 film called Gretchen the Greenhorn, thanks to our friends at the National Film Preservation Foundation. This film is included on the More Treasures From American Film Archives and well worth a viewing for Dorothy and the many other fabulous treats on the DVD set.

We film fans are fortunate, thanks to companies like Milestone Films, Flicker Alley, KINO and Warner Archive, more and more obscure films are being rediscovered and released on DVD. This benefits us so we can see these rare films, own them in our home libraries and share them with friends and spread the gospel that CGI does not always a great film make. Unfamiliar performers become familiar, we can judge and critique their work, we can bask again in the magic of film from an earlier time.

The tireless work of the archivists, the film collectors who donate material and the film fans who donate money to aid in preservation of our cinematic legacy are all to be applauded. Our friends at KINO, Milestone and Flicker Alley are in business, to be sure, but they are also great lovers of film. This shows in the material they release and make available for film buffs, like me. They work with the Library of Congress, the George Eastman House and UCLA Film and Television Archive to name but a few.

Several of the stills I've used are from Bruce Calvert's terrific site The Silent Film Still Archive. Thanks Bruce for allowing me to pick and choose for this blogathon.

Please do your bit and donate $5, $10, $15 or $20 to the National Film Preservation Foundation. Even in these economically challenging times a few dimes will save something we can't easily replace. We can't save every single precious frame of the nitrate, but we can try. I'm a glass half full person, please help!

Nitrate Can't Wait! Please Donate Here.

Fundraising blogathon hosted by Ferdy on Films, etc., and The Self-Styled Siren to benefit the National Film Preservation Foundation.