Preview | Beyond the Femme Fatale

Plenty for Crime Lovers at SFSFF

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Anne M. Hockens

that-nights-wife-1930-001-gunman-with-wife-and-daghter

That Night’s Wife (1930) Directed by Yasujiro Ozu. Shown: Tokihiko Okada, Mitsuko Ichimura and Emiko Yagumo.

The Film Noir Foundation will be co-presenting Yasujiro Ozu’s 1930 proto-noir Sono yo no tsuma (That Night’s Wife), Friday, June 3, at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival running June 2-5 at the historic Castro Theatre. The Japanese director’s love for American crime pictures is on full display in this taut thriller. Over the course of one night, the fate of a Japanese family is radically altered when the father commits a robbery to pay for the medical treatment which may or may not save his daughter’s life. A good-hearted detective finds himself physically and emotionally entrapped by the family’s drama. This late-era Japanese silent will be accompanied live by composer and concert pianist Maud Nelissen. Co-presented by CAAM (Center for Asian American Media), BAMPFA, the Film Noir Foundation, and the Asian Art Museum.

Beggars of Life (1928) Directed by William A. Wellman Shown: Louise Brooks, Richard Arlen

Another remarkable crime drama, William A. Wellman’s Beggars of Life (1928), kicks off the festival on Thursday night. The chronically overrated Louise Brooks gives a good performance as a runaway girl who unsuccessfully disguises herself as a boy when she goes on the lam. She finds companionship on the road with a handsome vagabond (Richard Arlen) with whom she develops a tender relationship. However, the real standout of the film is Wallace Beery, who is both charismatic and terrifying as the leader of a homeless encampment where the pair find danger instead of refuge. Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra will provide the live musical accompaniment and film preservationist Rob Byrne will introduce the film. The screening is sponsored by McRoskey Mattress Company, underwritten by Friends of the Silent Film Festival, and co-presented by California Film Institute and the San Francisco Film Society.

The Last Warning (1929) Directed by Paul Leni.

The SFSFF’s crime spree continues on Saturday night with a screening of Paul Leni’s final film The Last Warning (1929). Laura La Plante, who previously starred in Leni’s Cat and the Canary (1927), once again finds herself in the middle of a paranoia inducing mystery set in a creepy location, this time an old Broadway theater. Universal Pictures restored the film, the first of 15 in their projected four year silent restoration project, a collaborative effort involving the Library of Congress, The Film Foundation, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, George Eastman House, UCLA Film & Television Archives, Association of Moving Image Archivists, and Hollywood Heritage. SFSFF favorite Donald Sosin and world trotting silent film accompanist Frank Bockius will accompany the film. Co-presented by 42nd Street Moon and MiDNiTES FOR MANiACS.

Les Deux Timides (1928) Directed by Rene Clair

The first of the SFSFF’s two closing night films takes a lighter look at crime. In René Clair’s last feature-length silent, Les deux timides (Two Timid Souls), a young attorney attempts to defend a client accused of beating his wife and then later becomes romantic rivals with him when they fall for the same woman. The Mont Alto Picture Orchestra will provide the accompaniment. This film was restored by the SFSFF in partnership with the Cinémathèque Française; the Cinémathèque’s curator Céline Ruivo will introduce the film. The screening is co-presented by the Alliance Française de San Francisco and Center for the Art of Translation, with special support from the French American Cultural Society, Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States and underwritten by Kenneth and Marjorie Sauer.

Visit the SFSFF’s website for the full schedule and to buy tickets.

Romance, Danger, Preservation and more at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Anne M. Hockens

Flesh and the Devil (1926)
Directed by Clarence Brown
Shown: Greta Garbo, John Gilbert

There’s something for everyone, from the silent film novice to the die-hard fan, at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, celebrating its 20^th Anniversary May 28 through Monday, June 1, 2015 at the historic Castro Theatre. As usual, the festival provides an impressive range of programming. Well known Hollywood fare is on offer, such as the silent version of Lewis Milestone’s critically acclaimed All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and Clarence Brown’s steamy Flesh and the Devil (1926), starring on and off screen lovers John Gilbert and Greta Garbo. But there are lesser known selections too, including Norrtullsligan, a 1923 Swedish comedy depicting four female office workers sharing an apartment as they make their way in the world. A format Hollywood would use repeatedly in the future, however, usually more darkly (most memorably in The Best of Everything).

This year, the festival has added another day of programming as well as a couple of new events. The New York’s Film Forum’s director of rep programming, Bruce Goldstein will host a trivia quiz called So You Think You Know Silents. Goldstein’s trivia quiz at the Turner Classic Movie film festival can only be described as fiendish, so expect gnashing of teeth from the contestants. The versatile Goldstein, along with the Gower Gluch Players, will provide musical accompaniment for Frank Capra’s The Donovan Affair (1929) later in the festival. For the first time, the SFSFF will present a live recreation of a lost soundtrack for a talkie. Besides providing music and sound effects, actors will dub dialog on the spot.

Beyond the careful programming and outstanding selection of accompanists, what makes the festival special is its focus on film preservation and restoration. Friday morning’s programming opens with a free event that provides a unique insight to that world, Amazing Tales of the Archives. Tales serves as a marvelous jumping off point for the festival. It’s a chance to learn of the effort and hard work behind preserving the world’s cinematic history and to sample the diversity of that history. The always entertaining Serge Bromberg is first on the bill. The preservationist, and founder of Lobster Films, will present Jacques Tourneur’s 1914 short Figures de cire (House of Wax) and share the 15 year saga of finding the film.

The following afternoon, Bromberg will receive the 2015 SFSFF Award after a screening of Visages de enfants (1925). The award is given to “organizations and individuals for to honor distinguished contributions to the preservation and restoration of silent-era movies.” Bromberg will also appear on stage in conversation with the legendary silent film historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow prior to a screening of the newly restored Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925, Dir. Fred Niblo) which closes the festival. Previous SFSFF Award recipient Photoplay (Brownlow is one of its directors) and TCM restored the film. The film will be presented with a soundtrack scored by Carl Davis, probably the highest regarded silent film composer working today.

Playbill from William Gillette’s stage production of Sherlock Holmes.

Film restorer Robert Byrne will also take the stage during Tales to describe the technical, historical, and curatorial aspects of reconstructing and restoring Sherlock Holmes (1916), starring William Gillette. The SFSFF and the Cinémathèque Française joined forces to restore the film, presumed lost until a complete dupe negative was identified in the vaults of the Cinémathèque last year. The restored film will play on Sunday night. Gillette originated the role of Sherlock Holmes on stage and many of the traits we associate with Holmes today were created by the actor and not by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For example, Gillette originated the deer-stalker hat as Holmes’ preferred chapeau, so iconic that even Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern day Sherlock still feels compelled to wear at press conferences. Holmes fans should be ecstatic at the prospect of seeing what has been considered the definitive performance of the role for the first time in 100 years. The closest they’ve been able to come to it before, was Orson Welles’ recreation of Gillette’s play and performance on his anthology radio drama, The Mercury Theatre on the Air.

The British Film Institute’s senior curator of silent film, Bryony Dixon will also present at Tales. He will screen the BFI’s collection of footage documenting the 1915 torpedoing of the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania by a German U-boat. The sinking of the passenger ship immediately caused an international outcry and the incident was invoked repeatedly in ongoing effort to enlist the United Sates in the alliance against Germany during World War I. Cecil B. De Mille exploited the incident two years later, for both commercial and propaganda purposes, in his film The Little American (1917) starring Mary Pickford.

The festival recently announced an addition to the Tales line-up, “2015 marks 100 years since the birth of the Technicolor Corporation. In recognition of this centennial, Movette Film Transfer’s Jennifer Miko will offer a rare glimpse of a unique home movie shot on the grounds of La Cuesta Encantada, more commonly known as Hearst Castle. We will feast our eyes on a stunning tour–filmed in two-strip Tech–with the architect, Julia Morgan, and the Chief himself, W.R. Hearst.” Donald Sosin will provide the accompaniment for the entire program. Actor Paul McGann, best known for either Dr. Who or Withnail and I depending on the audience, will provide narration for the Lusitania footage. The program is co-presented by Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive and the National Film Preservation Foundation

Attending the SFSFF is like traveling back in time. Attendees see silent film the way they were meant to be seen, on the big screen of a movie palace with live accompaniment and a companionable audience. Some of the festival goers even wear clothes from the 20s which adds to the period feeling. Learn more about this year’s festival and buy tickets at www.SilentFilm.org

Communal Viewing: TCM Classic Film Festival

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Anne M. Hockens

Jules Dassin’s Rififi (1955)

TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL 2015
March 26-29
Hollywood, CA

The TCM Classic Film Festival returns to Hollywood March 26-29, providing a chance for fans to watch cinematic classics the way they were meant to be seen—on the big screen, with an audience. This year’s theme History According to Hollywood explores how the dream factory’s portrayal of history shapes our view of it. Besides a diverse array of films depicting historical events and characters like 1776 (1972) and Patton (1970), four restorations will make their world premieres at the festival, including Jules Dassin’s beautifully wrought and highly influential heist film Rififi (1955), presented by Film Noir Foundation president Eddie Muller, who is hosting at least 10 films.

nightmare-alley-tyrone-power-joan-blondell-1947_arm

Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell share a steamy moment in Nightmare Alley (1947).

Noir lovers have plenty to enjoy, including the Film Noir Foundation-funded 35mm restoration of Too Late for Tears (1949), hosted by Muller. As part of the festival’s “Discoveries” program, TCM will screen Nightmare Alley (1947), featuring Tyrone Power’s uncharacteristically dark performance as a ruthless carny. Legendary character actor Norman Lloyd will join Muller for a discussion following Anthony Mann’s Reign of Terror (1949). Set in the bloody days of the French Revolution, the film is a rare example of a historically-based noir. TCM also tips its hat to the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, with screenings of Rebecca (1940) and Psycho (1960). Muller will also be hosting Nightmare and Rebecca, Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright will be in attendance at Psycho. For more on the festival, visit the official website.

International Noir Returns to Roxie

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Anne M. Hockens

Midcentury Productions (Don Malcolm) and I Wake Up Dreaming (Elliot Lavine) have combined forces to expose audiences to the international noir movement that flourished after WWII and continued well past Hollywood’s noir era. A RARE NOIR IS GOOD TO FIND will present 15 noirs March 19-23 at San Francisco’s Roxie Theatre. France, Hong Kong, Finland, Japan, Denmark, Mexico, Greece, Brazil, Poland, and Korea are all represented in the festival. As well as spanning continents, the films in the festival span decades with release dates ranging between 1949 and1974. Jules Dassin’s 1974 Greek produced noir The Rehearsal (I dokimi) reflects the increasing political bent of the films of the era with its examination/recreation of a massacre of Athenian college students by the Greek junta performed on a darkly lit New York sound-stage. Film scholar and FNF Board of Directors member Foster Hirsch will interview one of the film’s ensemble cast members, Stathis Giallelis, following the screening on March 22. For a complete line up of films visit the official website.