This is enormous news; I alluded to it in a Silent Film Festival post, but it well-deserves its own mention.

Abe Gance’s epic film, Napoleon, is to be shown as never before seen in its complete restoration by famed film historian Kevin Brownlow. This includes, so I gather, its entire 5 and a half hour runtime AND the epic battle scenes which require three projectors to run simultaneously.

It is running for four showings only, March 24, 25, 31, April 1, 2012.

Tickets are on sale now, and range from 40 dollars to 120 dollars.  Click on jump to purchase tickets and see some scenes with a review from youtube user Spartacus007. Read More…

Program 1: Russian program

Chess Fever by Pudovkin

I was surprised to see that the Russians, in their Soviet era filmmaking, were able to have just as many funny gags as the American comedians of the time. Chess fever is about Russia mad with chess, specifically focusing on one man who allows chess to take over his mind and destroy his marriage-to-be. Very funny overall – by the director of Mother. Read More…

The third day continued to deliver high quality accompaniment to high quality prints of high quality films.

Program 1

Orphan Film – Tribal Law

This film was an interesting little novelty from the archive about Native Americans – a woman is kidnapped, so a man tries to save her and rides away. The highlight of the piece was the sign pointing one way to “United States” and the other way to “Mexico”.

Main Feature – The Blizzard

This is a Swedish silent film by director Mauritz Stiller (of Erotikon fame.) I found this film highly interesting; the plot is not particularly predictable or typical. The film dubs itself a “saga,” and deserves the appellation – it carries over five parts, following a boy through manhood. He obsesses over the memory and legacy of his grandfather and wants nothing more than to live up to his reputation.  He learns the violin as a result – to the dismay of his mother. I will not summarize the plot, but some of the main themes were that of art and love versus economy – in the end art saved the day (told through an interesting foreshadowed allusion to Faust.) The film contains a bit of his depth into madness, which was interesting, and then it all ties together with a very funny and satisfying ending. Read More…

The judgment of the art directors and curators was once again sound, and the three programs I saw were fantastic.

Program 1:

Orphan Film

The program began with an anonymously created short about a plane flying around the camera, and featuring a baby Charles Lindbergh. A nice little novelty that one never would have had the chance to experience if someone didn’t find the film in an archive and decide to put it on.

I Was Born, But… by Yasujiro Ozu

This was the film that I was most excited to see in the festival and was not disappointed. It is a coming of age film set and shot in pre-war military dictatorship Japan, in 1932, about two brothers whom, with their father and mother, move to the suburbs so that, we soon find out, the father can live closer to his boss. The boys are immediately picked on and try to avoid the bullies. The mood and atmosphere are unique, and reminded me more than anything of that of many of the French New Wave films, including Truffaut’s 400 Blows – one of a simple, lighthearted exterior and a dark and complicated interior. In this case, the problem in the interior seems to be one of class, and the dual worlds of the children and adulthood illustrate this. In childhood, wealth does not matter – what matters is strength (perhaps acquired by eating a sparrow’s egg) and friendship with the strong; in adulthood, class and wealth are all that matter, and to get ahead you must be rich or grovel at the feet of the wealthy. Like the French New Wave, you can’t help but be charmed by all that you see, and yet it makes you inadvertently consider a difficult subject. Read More…

It’s a privilege to be able to cover the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. I admire silent film greatly as an artform, and can understand why many of the greats said it was pure cinema. Over the next few days I will post recaps and will introduce the following day’s programs, so you will remain updated!

First, the big news, which was introduced to us in part by film historian Kevin Brownlow:

Next year, on March 24, 25, 31, and April 1st, 2012, Abel Gance’s 1927 film “Napoleon” will be shown in its entirety for the first time in U.S. history.

This work is considered to be, still, one of the most daring and epic works in the history of film – its runtime is around 5 and a half hours, and parts of the film require three projectors to simultaneously play.

It will be showing at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland.

This is going to be an amazing experience, and one which I wouldn’t miss for the world. Tickets go on sale on Monday, July 18th.

For the programming… Read More…

Once again silent film enthusiasts have a reason to cheer, as the Castro Theatre plays host to the 16th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival.  From July 14th to July 17th expect professional musical accompaniment by those wonderful organ players that you see performing before every movie doing their thing to some great silent films.  Of course, what would a silent film festival be without at least one Charlie Chaplin film.

Follow the jump to see a full list of the films, Tom’s Silent Film Festival diary, and how to purchase tickets. Read More…

Here is the schedule for the 4 day event:

Thursday, July 15

7:00 PM The Iron Horse General $20 Members $17

9:45 PM Opening Night Party General $30 Members $25

Friday, July 16

11:30 AM Amazing Tales from the Archives I: Lost and Found Films General and Members Free

2:00 PM A Spray of Plum Blossoms General $14 Members $12

6:00 PM Rotaie General $14 Members $12

8:15 PM Metropolis General $20 Members $17

Saturday, July 17

10:00 AM The Big Buisness of Short, Funny Films (3 Short Films, The Cook, Pass The Gravy and Big Buisness) General $14 Members $12

12:00 noon Variations on a Theme (A special moderated program on compsing music for silent films) General $14 Members $12

2:00 PM The Flying Ace General $14 Members $12

4:00 PM The Strong Man General $14 Members $12

6:30 PM Diary of a Lost Girl General $17 Members $15

9:30 PM Haxan General $14 Members $12

Sunday, July 18

10:00 AM Amazing Tales from the Archives II: First the Bad News… Then the Good! General and Members Free

12 noon The Shakedown General $14 Members $12

2:30 PM Man With a Movie Camera General $14 Members $12

4:30 PM The Woman Disputed General $14 Members $12

7:30 PM L’heureuse mort General $17 Members $15

Dates: July 15th – 18th

“Silent filmmakers produced masterpieces and crowd-thrilling entertainments. Remarkable for their artistry and their inestimable value as historical documents, silent films show us how our ancestors thought, spoke, dressed and lived. It is through these films that the world first came to love movies, and learned how to appreciate them as art. They have influenced every generation of filmmakers, and continue to inspire audiences nearly a century after they were made.

“We believe the best way to truly appreciate the power and beauty of a silent film is by seeing it as it was meant to be seen: on the big screen with live musical accompaniment. For fifteen years, we’ve hand selected the finest 35mm prints, engaged leading musicians to compose and perform live era-authentic musical scores, and invited filmmakers, authors, stars, archivists, and scholars to provide context and commentary for each film.

“We are committed to exploring the broad spectrum of silent film. Our programming is a lively and thought-provoking mix of education and entertainment which combines established American classics, lesser-known gems, rare and/or recently restored films, and important international work, including films from China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, France and Russia.”

- San Francisco Silent Film Festival Website

Official Website