2006 Kansas Silent Film Festival review
Bruce Calvert
was disappointed about the schedule. Because this was their 10th
anniversary, they were mostly running war-horse films that they had shown in
their previous years that were the most requested for a revival. However,
David Shepard was a guest presenter this year, so I decided to go anyway.
Another great reason to go is the always wonderful live music by the Mont
Alto Motion Picture Orchestra and organists Marvin Faulwell and Greg
Foreman. The event is free, and the crowds for the evening shows are huge,
which really makes the comedies even funnier.
My wife and kids wanted to tag along this year. They stayed for all of the
short comedies and enjoyed most of them. I couldn't convince them to sit
through the entire program. I missed a few of the films that I had already
seen because the kids went swimming at the motel.
TEDDY AT THE THROTTLE (1917) [**] I bought this film on Super 8mm back when
I was a teenager, so I've seen it a few times. My six-year-old was excited
because the film starred the dog, Teddy. However, as he sat in my lap and I
whispered the titles in his ear, he quickly became bored. This film has a
lot of plot and titles, and not a lot of laughs until the final three
minutes when Gloria is chained to the tracks and Teddy comes to the rescue.
Teddy is barely in the film until the final few minutes. Bobby Vernon's
dance-on-a-wire is always good for a few laughs, and Gloria Swanson looks
really young in this film.
LIBERTY (1929) [***1/2] This Laurel & Hardy film was the very first Super
8mm film that I bought when I was a kid. I have it on DVD too. The boys have
escaped from prison, and quickly change into street-clothes in their getaway
car. I've always thought that the pant mix-up part was very funny, but the
high-rise half of this short was a little forced. Seeing this film with
several hundred laughing people, including my two kids, who were really
cackling, really changed my mind. This film is one of L&H's best.
SUNRISE (1927) [****] This was my first time for this film, and I was blown
away by it. Sure, it is a simple story of a man who is bored with his wife
and under the spell of vixen from the city. The outdoor sets were
incredible. The pedestrians on the city streets were even choreographed.
George O'Brien really gives the performance of his life, and Janet Gaynor
makes the humble country-wife likable. I really wished I had bought more Fox
DVDs to get that free SUNRISE DVD. Before the film, David Shepard showed
some rushes from the film, including two very long and complex tracking
shots. The studio-bound shot where O'Brien meets Livingston in the woods was
incredible, and I was really looking for it during the film. An outstanding
score by Mont Alto accompanied a beautiful print.
EASY STREET (1917) [***1/2] I guess that everybody was sleepy for the first
film of the morning. The crowd didn't get into this Chaplin Mutual as much
as I expected. As presenter Denise Morrison pointed out, Chaplin was able to
find comedy in poverty and even drug abuse, which surely surprised some
people who are unfamiliar with silent films.
HIGH AND DIZZY (1920) [***] Harold's first thrill comedy is good, not great.
All of the prints that I've ever seen are dupey, but I have not seen the
Lloyd Trust's new version. The crowd really roared when Harold got locked
out on the window ledge. My kids loved it when Harold's drunk pal Roy Brooks
put his jacket on, around the pole, and was immobilized until Harold ripped
up his jacket.
WILD AND WOLLY (1917) [**1/2] I've been wanting to see this one for years.
Douglas Fairbanks has some great stunts in it, as usual. The plot is an
elaborate joke, and it wasn't as funny as I expected. The town of Bitter
Creek, Arizona needs a new road built by the mining company. The mining
company owner sends his son, Doug to check out the local situation. Doug's
crazy about the Wild West, although he's never been there. The town is
actually very modern, but they pretend to be a wild west town to get on
Doug's good side. Doug has an ingenious way to get out of the locked
saloon -- through the roof! And clever Anita Loos finds another use for the
hole later in the film. This film is definitely worth a look as a good
example of Fairbanks early career. The print was a little dark in a few
shots, but otherwise fine.
AN UNSEEN EMEMY (1912) [***] The D.W. Griffith Biograph short was the debut
film for both Lillian & Dorothy Gish. Griffith builds up suspense as the
teenage girls are locked in their house while a burglar and the maid steal
money from the safe. The close ups of the gun through the hole in the wall,
are very effective. I thought it interesting the even at this stage in their
careers, Dorothy's character was the more reckless, as she tried to grab the
gun while Lillian suffered in the corner.
BROKEN BLOSSOMS (1919) [****] While there are people who think that
INTOLERANCE or BIRTH OF A NATION were D.W. Griffith's masterpieces, I think
his best is BROKEN BLOSSOMS. Adolph Zukor was horrified at this stunning
tragedy, and let Griffith release it through United Artists. You can't beat
seeing this film in a gorgeous tinted print with Marvin Faulwell on the
organ and Bob Keckeisen on drums. David Shepard correctly pointed out that
Griffith pioneered less emoting in films with props, such as the one chair
in the Battling Burrows flat (so Lucy can never sit) and the doll that Lucy
pines for and later clutches. All three leads are incredible, especially
with their body language. Notice Barthelmess' hunched-over shuffle, with his
arms always close to his body. And Donald Crisp always walks around hulking
with his arms stuck out so you can see his muscles.
The DAVID SHEPARD film preservation presentation was a treat. Mr. Shepard
lit a strip of nitrate film to show how flammable it was, and it went up in
flames! There were gasps from the audience at the color from CYRANO DE
BERGERAC (1925). And after showing a clip from NANOOK OF THE NORTH, David
stunned us by saying that one shot included frames from six or eight
different prints. He also showed clips from THE LOST WORLD (1925).
A TRIO OF CINEMA WONDERS included three short nickelodeon films. THE BLACK
IMP (1904) [***] was a Méliès short starring the man himself as a traveler
who is bedeviled in his hotel room by a devil-like being. Lots of
stop-motion substitution that my kids got a kick out of. THE DANCING PIG
(1907, Pathé) [**1/2] starred a man in a pig costume, wearing clothes, who
danced with a ballerina. It was really bizarre, and drew lots of laughs. THE
ACROBATIC FLY (1908) [**1/2] was part trick-film and part nature film. A fly
laid on it's back and spun objects around with its legs, including another
fly. David Shepard explained that many flies gave their lives for this film
because early film stock was so slow, and they had to use a high
magnification lens, which called for lots of hot lights!
GERTIE THE DINOSAUR (1914) [***1/2] was a recreation of the original Winsor
McCay vaudeville act with this film, with Mr. Shepard playing McCay. This
film doesn't make much sense by itself, but it is a delight with the live
stage patter.
LIMOUSINE LOVE (1928) [****] is one of my favorite Charley Chase films.
Charley runs out of gas on the way to his wedding. While he is away from his
car, Edgar Kennedy's wife Viola Richard hides in his car while her drenched
clothes dry on a tree. Of course, Charley comes back and drives to his
wedding, not realizing that a nude woman is in the back of his car! This
film features a great performance by Edgar Kennedy as Viola's husband.
Due to family obligations, I missed THE NEW YORK HAT (1912) with Mary
Pickford, SEVEN CHANCES (1925) with Buster Keaton, and THE EAGLE (1925) with
Rudolph Valentino. But I've seen them all several times before, and I have
the first two on DVD.
If you've never been to the KSFF, I can't recommend it too much. The people
there are very friendly. They always have nice vintage memorabilia on
display. The live music is outstanding. And it's all free. Unfortunately, I
couldn't attend the after-show get-together this year, but the whole family
enjoyed the festival. Rodney, I barely got to say hello this year, but Mont
Alto was excellent as always. I did get to have long conversations with Mr.
Shepard and festival director Bill Shaffer, and that's the kind of thing
that makes these festivals really enjoyable.
Carol Yoho will probably have photos from this year's event on their website
at http://www.kssilentfilmfest.org/ in a few days.
--
Bruce Calvert
--
Visit the Silent Film Still Archive
http://home.comcast.net/~silentfilm/home.htm
Old Movie Fan
your comments and can tell you had a really great time, especially with
much of it being presented by David Shepard.
"Broken Blossoms" is a favorite of mine too, somewhere between my
favorite Griffith, "Way Down East" and "Tol'able David".
Rich Wagner
Larry S
family, as well.
Bruce's reviews say it all, so what more can I say????
Larry S.
"Bruce Calvert" <silentf...@comcast.net> wrote in message
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