how i saw over 42.5 films in 26 hours

photo courtesy of San Francisco Silent Film Festival

the 2007 san francisco silent film festival lasted from july 13 until july 15 and yes, i did watch more than 42 films including feature lengths, shorts and fragments.

there is a wide variety in the programming, which allows for the screening of all kinds of silent film. my favorite treasures to see are fragments from otherwise lost films, such as the pieces from two clara bow films, red hair and three weekends (both 1928).

the program of early french shorts was quite shocking. early filmmakers weren't concerned about offending their public in the least- i counted two beheadings (one most disturbingly realistic), a couple of impalements and one short, reputedly of the follies-bergeres, with much female nudity. the presenter was just as theatrical. he burned a piece of safety stock film and then a piece of nitrate live on-stage. watching the nitrate burn made me think of the devasting fire of henri langlois' cinemateque.

a pleasant surprise was the valley of the giants (1927). a plot involving logging in the wilds of california seemed a guaranteed yawn, even if it was seemingly inspired by the big four. director charles j brabin and cinematographer ted mccord created a stunning film with gorgeous vistas complimented by a runaway train which crashed off the side of a cliff! yeah!

also:
the student prince in old heidelberg 1927
directed by ernst lubitsch
stunning, i love his silent work

camille 1921
directed by and starring alla nazimova
incredibly melodramatic yet it still made me cry

miss lulu bett 1921
directed by william c demille
fantastic acting and an ending that had the crowd cheering

p.s.
the half movie was the godless girl (1929). a demille 2-hour-plus epic about religion at the end of a very full weekend sealed its own fate.

p.p.s
leonard maltin- i was standing on the platform waiting for the trolley. next to me a noisy group was scrambling around for quarters. guess who! there are lots of famous people in sf but i never expect to see them on public transit.