SFSFF 2011 - Friday

Today began with another episode of Amazing Tales from the Archives. This time, the presenters told stories of trying to identify films that have become separated from their titles or never had them to begin with. It really seems like a giant puzzle, trying to label a fragment by the hairstyles, type of cars, and even design of streetlights. Melissa Levesque said she had run a vintage clothing store for years, so she had an advantage when it came to identification by fashion. It sounds like a fun game to me! These programs by archivists are what inspired by to become an archivist myself. I was able to talk to a few of the presenters afterwards who had all kinds of advice for me as well as contacts. I'm further on my path to archivism now!

A Heart of the Forest (1913?) directed by Ralph Ince, tinted one-reel shown as a demonstration of the archivists' efforts.

Two newsreel segments, each featuring First Ladies wielding movie cameras:

Mrs. Harding, "Cameraman"? (1922)

Coolidge Trapshooting (1928)

Huckleberry Finn (1920) Entertaining, but I'd rather be talking more with the archivists. Directed by William Desmond Taylor. The director cast an actual African-American in the role of Jim, but I still find it hard to watch depictions of slaves.

Newsreel segment:

St. Louis to Chicago Airmail (1926) featuring a 4 year old Charles Lindbergh

I was Born, But... (1932) I love Ozu, and now I do even more. While watching this it struck me is how "silent" his later sound films are. The way that his actors take a breath and look into the camera before speaking, I half expect a title card to appear after the mouth starts to move. Here the camera moves in a brisk pan across the home instead of the famous pillow shots but the same lovely, leisurely pacing is already in place.

The Great White Silence (1924) The cameraman survived the Scott expedition to the South Pole and edited his film into a documentary that he took on the lecture circuit. Everyone loved the penguins, but I was fascinated to see how they travelled. Seeing the men pull the dog-sled themselves, set up camp and live in the tent was moving considering the end of the journey. Gorgeous glass slide photographs too.

Origin of Beethoven's Midnight Symphony (1909) featured some convincing double exposures.

Il Fuoco (1915) I was warned in advanced by accompanist Stephen Horne that this film was a little dated, and he was right. The costumes were absolutely stunning Art Nouveau creations of velvet and feathers. Its too bad the acting was rather hammy, rendering the swoops and leers of the actors as humorous and overly calculated. It seemed that they would pause mid-scene (or "vogue" in modern terms) as though waiting for suggestions from the director. It may have been the height of talent in Italy in 1915, but I was exhausted from nearly 12 hours in the theater. Stephen Horne's score was great and he was joined by Jill Tracy, who breathed lyric-free vocalizations which gave the music a Rosemary's Baby quality. It really helped temper the anachronisms of this dated movie. All this and the crowd were enjoying themselves but I left half-way through to rest up for Saturday.