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 4 January

From Sorcerer’s Scissors to Adolph’s Busy Day: A New History of British Animation Part 1  (Screening format – DCP) The early years of British animation are brought back to the big screen in this eclectic programme of shorts freshly remastered by the BFI National Archive. Dance with Len Lye’s peanut-loving monkey, sing along with Anson Dyer’s cartoon Carmen, dodge Joe Noble’s shadow boxing with Sammy and Sausage, and just plain marvel at Hector Hoppin and Anthony Gross’ magnificent Technicolor Fox Hunt (1936).  Introduced by Jez Stewart, Curator (Animation) BFI National Archive.With live piano accompaniment from Costas Fotopoulos.  BFI Southbank, London  Link

6 January

10 January

Second Fiddle (Dir. Frank Tuttle, US, 1923) (Screening format – 35mm, ?mins) Second Fiddle refers to the position held by Jim Bradley (Glenn Hunter) within his family. Jim becomes a garage mechanic while older brother Herbert (Townsend Martin) goes off to college. On Herbert’s return home, he has no difficulty in stealing Jim’s girlfriend, Polly Crawford (Mary Astor).  But trouble comes in the form of murderer Cragg (William Nally) and it is then a question of who will prove the braver brother.  Find out more at allmovie.com .  Presented by Kennington Bioscope.  Introduced by renowned film historian Kevin Brownlow screening a print from his own collection.  With live musical accompaniment.  Cinema Museum, Lambeth, London    Link

11 January

The High Sign (Dir. Edward F Cline/Buster Keaton, US, 1921) (Screening format – not known, 21 mins)  In The High Sign, Buster Keaton plays a drifter who gets a job in a amusement park shooting gallery. Believing Buster is an expert marksman, both the murderous gang the Blinking Buzzards and the man they want to kill end up hiring him. The film ends with a wild chase through a house filled with secret passages. Find out more at sensesofcinema.com .   With live piano accompaniment by Mike Nolan.  Bridgeness Miners Welfare Club, Bo’ness, Scotland  (No Link – at 2pm)

12 January

Cabinet of Dr Caligari (Dir. Robert Wiene, 1920) (Screening format – not known,  77 mins) In the village of Holstenwall, fairground hypnotist Dr Caligari (Werner Krauss) puts on show a somnambulist called Cesare (Conrad Veidt) who has been asleep for twenty three years.  At night, Cesare walks the streets murdering people on the doctor’s orders.  A student (Friedrich Feher) suspects Caligari after a friend is found dead and it transpires that the doctor is the director of a lunatic asylum.  Fueled by the pessimism and gloom of post-war Germany, the sets by Hermann Warm stand unequaled as a shining example of Expressionist design.  Find out more at  wikipedia.org. With live piano accompaniment from Nick Pickvance.  Festival Theatre, Edinburgh.   Link

Show People (Dir. King Vidor, US, 1928) (Screening format – 35mm, 79mins) This delightful King Vidor comedy  features Marion Davies (also the film’s producer) as Peggy Pepper, an aspiring young actress fascinated by the allure of Hollywood. After meeting Billy Boone, the slapstick comedy actor played by William Haines, Marion begins her journey through the strange world of the dream factory… Look forward to cameo appearances by Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, William S. Hart and King Vidor himself! Find out more at moviessilently.com   .  With live piano accompaniment by Cyrus Gabrysch.  Birkbeck Cinema, London WC1 Link

Metropolis (Dir. Fritz Lang, 1927) (Screening format –not known , 149 mins) Made in Germany during the Weimar period, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and follows the attempts of Freder (Gustav Frohlich), the wealthy son of the city’s ruler, and Maria (Brigitte Helm), a poor worker, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes of their city. Filming took place in 1925 at a cost of approximately five million Reichmarks, making it the most expensive film ever released up to that point. It is regarded as a pioneering work of science fiction and is among the most influential films of all time. Following its world premiere in 1927, half an hour was cut from Fritz Lang’s masterpiece and lost to the world. Eighty years later a spectacular discovery was made when the footage was found in a small, dusty museum in Buenos Aires. The film was then painstakingly reconstructed and digitally restored so that at last audiences could see the iconic futuristic fairy tale as Lang had envisioned it. Find out more at silentfilm.org .  With recorded Huppertz score.  Stockport Plaza, Stockport Link

13 January

Cottage on Dartmoor (Dir. Anthony Asquith, 1929) (Screening format – not known, 84mins)  Joe (Uno Henning) works as a barber in a shop in a Devon town, alongside a manicurist called Sally (Norah Baring). He becomes infatuated with her and asks her out but  it is clear that Sally does not reciprocate Joe’s feelings.  Joe’s infatuation with her develops into obsession. Meanwhile a young  farmer Harry (Hans Schlettow), begins to woo Sally and the couple begin seeing each other which leaves Joe in despair. After a fight with Harry, Joe is jailed but swears revenge on Harry and Sally.  A Cottage on Dartmoor is a tale of love and revenge set in the bleak landscape of Dartmoor and a thoughtful distillation of the best of European silent film techniques from a director steeped in the work of the Soviet avant-garde and German expressionism. One of the last films of the silent era and a virtuoso piece of film-making, A Cottage on Dartmoor was a final passionate cry in defence of an art form soon to be obsolete. Find out more at    silentfilm.org. With live musical accompaniment from Wurlitza.  Calstock Arts, Calstock, Cornwall.  Link

14 January

Arsenal (Dir. Aleksandr Dovzhenko, USSR, 1928) (Screening format – not known, 87mins) Soldiers return to Ukraine to find their homeland teeming with strife and dissension, gripped in a conflict between nationalist forces and communists. One faction of soldiers, led by Timosh (Semyon Svashenko) supports the communists and takes command of a munitions factory at Kiev, converting the weapons arsenal into a fortress.  Still reeling from the trauma of war, Timosh and his comrades engage in a violent crusade that soon spreads across Ukraine. The second half pivots on the collision of Ukrainian nationalism and Soviet power with the Reds and the Whites, the Kiev strike, massacres and executions, religious processions with serpentine banners and mighty, bushy mustaches in extreme close-up! Dovzhenko’s progressive approach to editing – he was one of the pioneers of Soviet Montage – camerawork and narrative construction mark him out as an enduringly distinctive voice whose films retain their importance to this day.  Find out more at  imdb.com .  With live musical accompaniment by Bronnt Industries Kapital.  Phoenix Cinema, East Finchley, London Link

Gallant Hearts (aka Diler Jagar) (Dir. GP Pawar, Ind, 1931) (Screening format – DCP, 111mins) Continuing the BFI’s India on Film season from 2017, today they present Gallant Hearts, one of very few surviving Indian silents. This film shows the influence of Hollywood and particularly Douglas Fairbanks on the developing Indian film industry. Set in a storybook India, which allowed disparate Indian audiences to enjoy this adventure film, it features a spirited Zorro-like heroine and a hero straight out of The Thief of Baghdad.  When the good king of Magadh is poisoned by his brother, the evil Kalsen, the king’s infant son Chandrapratab is smuggled out by a loyal retainer and grows up in a forest to become the acrobat Hamir (Hamir) in love with his partner, the beautiful Saranga (Lalita Pawar). But they have not seen the last of the evil Kalsen…Find out more at imdb.com .  With live musical accompaniment.  BFI Southbank, London  Link

18 January

London Symphony (Dir.  Alex Barrett, UK, 2017) (Screening format – not known)  London Symphony  is a brand new silent film – a city symphony – which offers a poetic journey through London, a cosmopolitan city facing a challenge to its identity in the current political climate.  It is an artistic portrait of the city as it stands today, and a celebration of its culture and diversity. Find out more at londonsymphfilm.com . With recorded James McWilliam soundtrack. The Poly, Falmouth, Cornwall Link

19 January

Merry Without Melodies: A World of Silent Animation (Screening format – DCP)  To coincide with this month’s screening of early British animated shorts, newly remastered by the BFI National Archive, we offer a look at what was happening overseas in international animation during that period. To Émile Cohl’s absurdist doodles, Ladislaw Starewicz’s insect dramas and the adventures of a small screw in Soviet Russia, we add some more familiar faces, such as Felix the Cat. Introduced by Jez Stewart, Curator (Animation) BFI National Archive.  With live musical accompaniment by Stephen Horne.  BFI Southbank, London  Link

21 January

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Dir.Wallace Worsley, US, 1923) (Screening format – not known, 117mins) A classic silent film, full of drama, frights, romance, and excitement – Quasimodo’s story is told with the thrilling addition of a live score – bringing this extraordinary movie to life like never before.  Quasimodo is ordered to kidnap a gypsy girl, Esmerelda, by his wicked master, and an unlikely friendship forms between them. However, the reclusive hunchback is tested to his limits when Esmerelda is framed for attempted murder, and must fight back against the powers that have subjugated him. Victor Hugo’s tragic tale of the deformed bellringer and his love for Esmeralda, a doomed gypsy girl, has been filmed so many times and it’s not hard to see the film’s ageless appeal. While some movie lovers who cite the 1939 Charles Laughton version as their favorite interpretation, the general consensus  is that Chaney remains the definitive Quasimodo. Find out more at  wikipedia.org. With live organ accompaniment by Nick Miller.  St John’s Church, Hyde Park, London W2 Link

Variety (Dir. E A Dupont, Ger, 1925) (Screening format – not known, 94mins) Actor Emil Jannings was one of the most esteemed actors of his time, working with directors such as F.W. Murnau and Josef von Sternberg, before moving to America to become the first winner of the Oscar for Best Actor, and ending his career in disgrace after appearing in Nazi propaganda films. In this seamy melodrama, he plays Boss Huller, a former trapeze artist who abandons his family for a younger colleague (Lya De Putti). When the couple becomes a professional trio, a love  triangle is formed, and tragedy ensues. The film features some of the most inventive camerawork of the period, its ‘unchained’ approach making for breathtaking performance scenes. Find out more at moviessilently.com .  Presented as part of the 2018 International Mime Festival.  With live musical by acclaimed musicians Stephen Horne and Martin Pyne, who perform Horne’s original score which was received with great acclaim at last year’s HippFest.  Barbican, London Link

24 January

Hobart Bosworth Night   Hobart Bosworth (1867 – 1943) is most certainly not the first name which springs to mind when thinking of American silent film stars. But after you’ve joined South West Silents for their first free Club Screening of 2018  you will most certainly know and remember Hobart Bosworth!  The evening will showcase one of the key titles in Bosworth’s film career and provide a good introduction to the man who stars in one of the most incredible and shocking films ever to be made in Hollywood, Behind the Door (1919)(which will be screened by SWS on 9 Feb at Bristol’s Cube Cinema).  Introduced by Mark Fuller.  Lansdown Public House, Clifton, Bristol Link

 25 January

The Russian Revolution Through Its Films (Dir. Emmanuel Hanon, Fr, 2017)  The two decades following the Russian Revolution were marked by a collective of young people who profoundly influenced Russian Cinema. This artistic revolution was led by directors, actors, technicians and poets. Emmanuel Hamon’s documentary tells the story of this period through films produced between 1917 and 1934.  Find out more at imdb.com.  Followed by a panel discussion featuring director Emmanuel Hamon, screenwriter Thomas Cheysson, Dr Ailise Bulfin of UCD, and Donald Clarke of The Irish Times that will explore the use of images and technology as agents of social and political change.  Irish Film Institute, Dublin  Link

Sunrise; A Song of Two Humans (Dir. F W Murnau, US, 1927) (Screening format – DCP, 94mins) F W Murnau’s debut American film, made at the technical zenith of the silent era  but already heralding the arrival of the talkies being one of the first silents made with synchronized musical score and sound effects soundtrack.  The simple story of a husband’s betrayal of his wife with a treacherous city girl, Sunrise moves from a fairytale-like depiction of rural life to a dynamic portrait of the bustling modern American city. Explored in elaborate tracking shots by Charles Rocher and Karl Struss’s pioneering camerawork, the city set was one of the most costly yet produced.  The result was a commercial flop, though the achievement did not go unheralded: Sunrise was awarded a special Oscar for unique and artistic production at the first ever Academy Awards and Janet Gaynor won the first Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.  The film’s legacy has endured, and it is now widely considered a masterpiece with many calling it the greatest film of the silent era. Find out more at theguardian.com.  Introduced by renowned film director Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire, Revolution etc).  With Hugo Riesenfeld recorded score.  BFI Southbank, London  Link

Her Night of Romance (Dir.  Sidney Franklin, UK, 1924) (Screening format – not known, 70 mins) American Dorothy Adams (Constance Talmadge) is the sole heiress to her father’s scrub brush fortune but she has no intention of being romanced for her money after she arrives in London. An impoverished British Lord (Paul Menford) impersonates a doctor to woo the heiress. The Lord is in love but his business associate (Joe Diamond) is only interested in the money. A funny, charming film with the unforgettable Constance Talmadge, an actor whose comic timing is impeccable but who is now almost completely forgotten.  Find out more at  tcm.com .  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.  Introduced by stand-up comedian Lucy Porter and with live piano accompaniment by John Sweeney.  Watershed, Bristol Link

Buster’s Greatest Movie (and Biggest Flop)  On its initial release, Buster Keaton’s ‘The General’ (1927) was not a financial or critical success, but is now considered as his finest onscreen achievement. Slapstick Festival is delighted to re-examine the classic comedy more than ninety years after its premiere, and to welcome Peter Kramer, Senior Fellow in the School of Art, Media and American Studies at the University of East Anglia, and author of the BFI classic on ‘The General’. Using illustrative clips from the film, Peter Kramer explores how Keaton chose and realised his most ambitious project.  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.    Watershed, Bristol Link

Skinner’s Dress Suit (Dir. William A. Seiter,  USA, 1926) (Screening format – not known, 70 mins)  Excited by her husband’s career prospects, Honey (Laura La Plante) starts making plans for spending the extra salary. But plans fall through, and Honey’s husband fails to tell her. A suit is bought and a tailor must be paid. This film stars Laura La Plante, Reginald Denny, and Hedda Hopper. La Plante, a well-known star at the time, almost always received top billing. Hedda Hopper later made her name as one of the entertainment industry’s most famous gossip columnists.  Find out more at moviessilently.com .   Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.   Introduced by film Historian and Academy Award winner Kevin Brownlow. With live piano accompaniment by Daan van den Hurk  Watershed, Bristol Link

Spite Marriage (Dir. Edward Sedgwick/Buster Keaton,  USA, 1929) (Screening format – not known, 76 mins)  Spite Marriage is Buster Keaton’s last silent film and one of his most underrated. Keaton plays a love-struck fan of an actress who agrees to marry him. What he does not know is that the actress is only using Keaton to make her old flame jealous. A famous scene from this film depicts Keaton trying to put his drunk wife to bed and was recreated by Keaton later in his career. Keaton intended for this film to be a talkie, but MGM made the ultimate decision to keep it as a silent.  Find out more at  whatwouldbusterkeatondo.com .  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.   Accompanied live by Guenter A. Buchwald, Frank Bockius and Romano Todesco performing as The European Silent Screen Virtuosi.  Arnolfini, Bristol  Link

26 January

The Young Keaton (1895-1917)  David Robinson traces the making of the Buster we know and love, starting with Keaton’s childhood training in vaudeville, and his subsequent transformation of all that he had learned of comedy and stagecraft to the new and very different medium of film.   The talk will recall Keatons’ appearances in English music hall – a bumpy week at the Palace in 1909 and a nostalgic tour in 1951 – and is illustrated with rare early pictures of the Keatons in vaudeville, and examples of Buster’s first film essays, in happy partnership with Roscoe Arbuckle.  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.     Watershed, Bristol Link

The Vagabond Queen (Dir. Géza von Bolváry, UK, 1929) (Screening format – not known, 62mins)  The Vagabond Queen is a 1929 British comedy film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Betty Balfour. It was the final film directed in Britain by Bolváry before he returned to Germany.  Balfour was referred to as “Britain’s Queen of Happiness.” She was a popular British screen actress most widely known for her Cockney flower girl character, ‘Squibs.’ Balfour also appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Champagne (1928). Balfour never made the move to Hollywood and her career was largely comprised of British and European films. In The Vagabond Queen she plays a young woman who takes the place of a Princess who is a target for an assassination with hilarious consequences. A rare opportunity to see Balfour at her finest. Find out more at imdb.com.  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.     Introduced by comedian Lucy Porter.  Watershed, Bristol Link

Cocl & Seff: Austria’s Laurel & Hardy Chris Serle unearths one of the first slapstick duos of film history – Cocl & Seff, the character names played by Rudolf Walter and Josef Holub who performed together from 1913. The core element of their comedy was the play-off between a larger more intelligent character and one that was thinner and more stupid. Sound familiar? This was obviously seen more famously in Laurel & Hardy.  Only a few Cocl & Seff films have survived to this day. The Filmarchiv Austria has made a few discoveries in its search for Austrian productions in the world’s film archives.  This is a rare opportunity to see this pair in action. Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.  With live accompaniment from John Sweeney (piano) and Elizabeth-Jane Baldry (harp) and introduced by Chris Serle.  Watershed, Bristol Link

Lost and Found Slapstick is privileged to premiere an unprecedented group of star comedies just rediscovered after a century in limbo.  The Cinematheque Francaise offers a new Max Linder film. The collector Anthony Saffrey presents four films: two hitherto unknown titles by the cinema’s first comic star Andre Deed, along with THE LADY SKATER, a near prehistoric but hilarious British chase film, and LOVE AND LUNCH, an early film by William A.Seiter (later director of SKINNER’S DRESS SUIT) starring an unrecorded Chaplin imitator, Ray Hughes.  Also works by Spanish/Italian/US comic star Marcel Perez and German genius Karl Valentin. Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.  Introduced by Anthony Saffrey and historian David Robinson.  Accompanied live by Dan Van den Hurk on piano and Elizabeth-Jane Baldry on solo harp.  Watershed, Bristol Link

Keaton: The MGM Years  Kevin Brownlow presents a fascinating insight into this period of Keaton’s onscreen career in a presentation which includes a full screening of: So Funny it Hurt: Buster Keaton and MGM (2004). In this fascinating documentary from filmmaker Kevin Brownlow, we see Buster Keaton’s successes and struggles to achieve his Hollywood dream. It chronicles the comedian’s MGM period which lasted only five years but shows his artistic compromise with the studio, money and relationship troubles and his growing dependency on alcohol as he attempts to adjust to the arrival of the talkies. The film features fascinating rare footage, including interviews with Buster himself and is narrated by Keaton’s colleague and friend James Karen.  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.  Kevin will be in discussion with film historian and author David Robinson.  Watershed, Bristol Link

Sherlock Jr (Dir. Buster Keaton, US, 1924) + A Dog’s Life (Dir. Charles Chaplin, US, 1918) + Angora Love (Dir. Lewis R Foster, US, 1929) (Screening format – not known, 45/33/21 mins) In perhaps Buster Keaton’s best loved and most innovative film Sherlock Jr a kindly movie projectionist (Keaton) longs to be a detective. When his fiancée (Kathryn McGuire) is robbed by a local thief (Ward Crane), the poor projectionist is framed for the crime. Using his amateur detective skills, the projectionist follows the thief to the train station – only to find himself locked in a train car.  Disheartened, he returns to his movie theatre, where he falls asleep and dreams that he is the great Sherlock Holmes.   Although not a popular success on its initial release, the film has come to be recognised as a Keaton classic with its special effects and elaborate stunts making it a landmark in motion picture history.  Find out more at  silentfilm.org. Charlie Chaplin’s A Dog’s Life sees the little tramp along with his dog ‘Scraps’ unable to land a job. Things take a turn for the better when Charlie befriends down-and-out singer (Edna Purviance) and particularly when Scraps finds a money filled wallet.  But can Charlie keep hold of the wallet and the girl? Find out more at wikipedia.org .   In Angora Love, Laurel and Hardy are adopted by a runaway goat, whose noise and aroma in turn get the goat of their suspicious landlord. Attempts to bathe the smelly animal result in a waterlogged free-for-all.  Find out more at laurelandhardycentral.com .  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Comedy Festival.  Sherlock Jr is accompanied by the world premiere of a new, semi-improvised score composed by Guenter A. Buchwald and performed by the renowned European Silent Screen Virtuosi and members of Bristol Ensemble. A Dog’s Life features Chaplin’s own composition for the film and will be performed by a 15-piece Bristol Ensemble conducted by maestro Guenter A. Buchwald.  Colston Hall, Bristol  Link

27 January

From Sorcerer’s Scissors to Adolph’s Busy Day: A New History of British Animation Part 1  (Screening format – DCP) The early years of British animation are brought back to the big screen in this eclectic programme of shorts freshly remastered by the BFI National Archive. Dance with Len Lye’s peanut-loving monkey, sing along with Anson Dyer’s cartoon Carmen, dodge Joe Noble’s shadow boxing with Sammy and Sausage, and just plain marvel at Hector Hoppin and Anthony Gross’ magnificent Technicolor Fox Hunt (1936).  With live piano accompaniment from Andrew Youdell.  BFI Southbank, London  Link

Young Slapstick: Silent Comedy Mayhem.  This programme features a selection of the fastest and funniest silent comedies featuring Buster Keaton’s hilarious Neighbours (1920) and Charlie Chaplin’s classic The Adventurer (1917). Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.  Comedian Mark Olver hosts this special introductory event for young people and families with clips featuring fantastic prat falls, stunts and laugh out loud moments to remember.  With live piano accompaniment.  Colston Hall, Bristol  Link

Three Ages (Dir. Buster Keaton, US, 1923) (Screening format – not known, 63 mins) This is the first feature-length film to be directed by and star Buster Keaton – his previous films all being shorts. Set over three different historical eras; the Stone Age, Roman times and 1920s New York. In all of these periods Keaton stars as a young man, The Boy, striving for the attention of a beautiful lady, The Girl, (Margaret Leahy) against a bigger, stronger and richer suitor, The Villain (Wallace Beery). A parody of D.W. Griffith’s 1916 screen masterpiece Intolerance (1916), the comedy lies in watching the same story unfold again and again over different periods in history.  Find out more at tcm.com .  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.  As Aardman Animation’s latest feature, the pre-historic Early Man (2018) hits cinema screens we are delighted to welcome their Director and co-founder Peter Lord who joins us to introduce the stone age Keaton in this rarely screened Keaton comedy. With live piano accompaniment by Daan Van den Hurk.  Watershed, Bristol Link

When You Fall Down  Inspired by the career of Buster Keaton, James Dangerfield has created a musical that explores the silent star’s life and career. The show follows Keaton’s life from his first filmmaking experiences in 1917 to his signing on with MGM 11 years later. When You Fall Down previewed this year in London, and received its premiere at the 2017 International Buster Keaton Festival in Michigan, USA. Featuring original music and songs, join us for this show celebrating “The Great Stone Face” and the magic of moviemaking.  Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival. Colston Hall, Bristol  Link

Laurel & Hardy Classics Slapstick festival are delighted to welcome comedian and writer Lee Mack as he hosts this special one-off event celebrating two of his top comedy heroes; Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Best known for his standup comedy, writing and starring in the long running sitcom ‘Not Going Out’ and as a team captain in ‘Would I Lie to You?’ Lee hosts this unique evening of hilarious extracts, comedy and film.  Complete with full comedy shorts, clips and live music Lee brings the timeless Stan & Ollie back to the big screen where they belong, in front of a live audience.  Including a complete screening of the newly restored, long thought-to-be-lost Laurel and Hardy silent comedy, Battle of the Century (1927). Presented as part of Bristol’s Slapstick Festival.  With live musical accompaniment featuring the world premiere of a new semi-improvised score for Battle of the Century from composer Guenter A. Buchwald performed live by the European Silent Screen Virtuosi . Colston Hall, Bristol  Link

28 January

Safety Last (Dir. Fred C Newmeyer/Sam Taylor, US, 1923) (Screening format – not known, 73mins) A boy (Harold Lloyd) moves to New York City to make enough money to support his loving girlfriend (Mildred Davis), but soon discovers that making it in the big city is harder than it looks. When he hears that a store manager will pay $1,000 to anyone who can draw people to his store, he convinces his friend, the “human fly,” (Bill Strother) to climb the building and split the profit with him. But when his pal gets in trouble with the law, he must complete the crazy stunt on his own. The image of Harold Lloyd hanging desperately from the hands of a skyscraper clock during Safety Last!  is one of the great icons of film history (although it was achieved with a certain amount of film trickery) and this remains one of the best and best loved comedies of the silent era.  Find out more at rogerebert.com.  With live piano accompaniment by Lillian Henley.  Palace Cinema, Broadstairs, Kent  Link

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, UK, 1927)  (Screening format – not known, 91 mins ) In The Lodger, a serial killer known as “The Avenger” is on the loose in London, murdering blonde women. A mysterious man (Ivor Novello)  arrives at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Bunting looking for a room to rent. The Bunting’s daughter (June Tripp)  is a blonde model and is seeing one of the detectives (Malcolm Keen) assigned to the case. The detective becomes jealous of the lodger and begins to suspect he may be the ‘Avenger’.  Based on a best-selling novel by Marie Belloc Lowndes, first published in 1913, loosely based on the Jack the Ripper murders,  The Lodger was Hitchcock’s first thriller, and his first critical and commercial success. Made shortly after his return from Germany, the film betrays the influence of the German expressionist tradition established in such films as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) and Nosferatu (1922). Find out more at silentfilm.org .  With live musical accompaniment by electro-improvisational group Grok.  Genesis Cinema, London  Link

Pandora’s Box (Dir. G W Pabst, Ger, 1929) (Screening format – not known, 135mins)  Based on two plays by the German author Frank Wedekind, Erdgeist (Earth Spirit, 1895), which Pabst himself had directed for the stage, and Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora’s Box, 1904), the silent drama follows the tumultuous life of the showgirl Lulu whose unselfconscious sexuality brings about the ruin of all those that fall for her and eventually her own.  In a daring move, Pabst chose a little known American actress over the more experienced Marlene Dietrich for the part of Lulu, a decision that made the young Louise Brooks an international star. Her innocent looks paired with her natural erotic allure and sense of movement – Brooks was also a dancer – perfectly matched Pabst’s idea of his heroine as unwitting seductress. Subjected to cuts to eliminate some of its “scandalous” content and unfavourably reviewed by critics at the time, it is now considered one of the boldest and most modern films of the Weimar era highlighting Pabst’s command of camera language and montage.  Find out more at silentlondon.co.uk .  With live piano accompaniment by Stephen Horne and an introduction by Silent London’s Pamela Hutchinson, author of a new BFI Film Classics book on Pandora’s Box. Home, Manchester.   Link

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NB. Whilst every effort has been taken to ensure that the information contained in these listings is accurate, silentfilmcalendar.org can take no responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies. You are strongly advised to confirm with the venue that the event remains as detailed, particularly if traveling any distance to attend.