Live Screenings – September 2024 – Silentfilmcalendar.org

1 September

Shooting Stars (Dir. Anthony Asquith and A.V. Bramble, UK, 1928) (Screening format – digital, 80mins) At Zenith Studios, a starlet plots an escape to Hollywood with her lover and the murder of her superfluous husband. Shooting Stars is a must for any silent cinema fan. Offering a rare insight into the workings of a 1920s film studio, there are location scenes, comic stunts and an on-set jazz band which demonstrate just what life was like in the early days of cinema. Shooting Stars begins as a witty and affectionate look at the smoke-and-mirrors world of filmmaking, with many a wink to its audience, but as the paranoia associated with adultery takes its toll, the mood becomes somewhat darker. Find out more at screenonline.org.uk . With live musical accompaniment. BFI Southbank, London Link

7 September

Sherlock Jnr (Dir. Buster Keaton, 1924) (Screening format – not known, 45 mins) In Sherlock Jr, a kindly movie projectionist (Buster 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. With live musical accompaniment from the Lucky Dog Picturehouse. Royal Overseas League, London Link

9 September

11 September

Neil Brand Presents Laurel And Hardy After the national success of his long-running show ‘Neil Brand Presents Buster Keaton’, the composer/writer/broadcaster/musician returns with an all-new show about the immortal comedy duo recently portrayed in the hit film ‘Stan and Ollie’. Fully illustrated with stills, clips (both silent and sound) and Neil’s superlative piano accompaniment and culminating in two of the Boys’ best silent short films, Big Business and Liberty, this is a show that promises gales of laughter throughout, as well as getting under the skin of two warm, funny men who continue to make the world laugh when it needs it most. With live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand. Castle Theatre, Wellingborough Link

The Iron Horse (Dir. John Ford, US, 1924) (Screening format – 35mm, 150mins) This epic silent western concerns the building of the first transcontinental railroad and tells a story of double dealing among surveyors and contractors, attacks by the Cheyenne Indians, immigrants hoping for a better life, saloon girls deviously seducing railroad officials, sons struggling to realise the forgotten dreams of their now-dead fathers, and desperate last minute rides by the pony express. It culminates with the celebrated scene of the joining of the rails at Promontory Point, Utah. Director John Ford had already helmed nearly fifty B-movies during his movie-making apprenticeship but this is the one which catapulted him into the front ranks of American filmmakers. Made as Fox Studio’s response to Paramount’s The Covered Wagon released the previous year, The Iron Horse was one of the great blockbusters of Hollywood’s silent era, with over 6000 extras, construction of two whole towns; 2000 rail layers; a cavalry regiment; 800 Indians; 1300 buffalo; 2000 horses; 10,000 cattle. Find out more at cineaste.com Presented by the Kennington Bioscope. Introduced by renowned silent film historian and collector Kevin Brownlow. With live piano accompaniment. Cinema Museum, Kennington. Link

12 September

14 September

The Live Ghost Tent – The quarterly meeting of The Laurel and Hardy Society. Films being screened include Leave ‘Em Laughing (Dir. Clyde Bruckman, US, 1928) (Screening format – not known,21 mins) in which Stan gets toothache Ollie tries to help, but the more he helps, the more things go wrong! Look out for Edgar Kennedy making his first of many appearances in a L&H film. Find out more at laurel-and-hardy.com. With recorded score (?). Cinema Museum, Kennington Link

15 September

Slapstick Sunday In The Finishing Touch (1928), Stan and Ollie are hired to build a house – and, of course, it all goes spectacularly wrong. In Get Out and Get Under (1920) Harold Lloyd is in a hurry to get to the theatre to meet his sweetheart, but his misbehaving car causes chaos. And in The Balloonatic (1929) Buster Keaton finds himself accidentally floating away in a hot-air balloon. Plus a fourth surprise film… Presented by Northern Silents, With live musical accompaniment by Jonny Best (piano) and Jeff Davenport (percussion). Old Woollen, Sunny Bank Mills, Leeds Link

Poil de Carotte (Dir. Julien Duvivier, Fr, 1925) (Screening format – digital, 78mins) Duvivier’s child’s-eye portrait of his dysfunctional family in provincial France is an emotional roller-coaster and one of his finest films. Known by the demeaning nickname Poil de Carotte (carrot-top), the unhappy protagonist of Duvivier’s film endures the cruelty of a mother who appears to hate him as a symbol of her loveless marriage, suffers the neglect of his siblings and feels the indifference of a father who has as little to do with his family as possible. Despite the child’s charm and kindly nature, misery is piled on misery as the drama edges towards a heartrending climax. The film captures the natural beauty of a remote village in High Alps and its embrace of a child’s perspective proves exceptionally moving. Find out more at silentfilm.org Introduced by Bryony Dixon, curator BFI National Archives. With live musical accompaniment by Stephen Horne. BFI Southbank, London Link

Carmen Of The North (Dir. Maurits Binger/Hans Nesna, Neth, 1919) (Screening format – not known, 60mins) Annie Bos, the Netherlands’ first real film diva, plays the sensual Carmen, a femme fatale who winds Jozef around her little finger and drives him to despair. Jozef, played by the Dutch ‘Latin lover’ Adelqui Migliar, falls for the charms of the seductive Carmen. For her, he abandons his fiancée and his mother and deserts from the army. But then Carmen leaves Jozef for opera singer Dalboni. Things quickly start to go downhill for him after that. The climax takes place in a theatre where Dalboni is performing – a terrible tragedy unfolds behind the scenes. Carmen of the North was the most important film to come out of Filmfabriek Hollandia, the biggest film producer in Dutch history, which had been founded by Maurits Binger. It is a loose adaptation of Prosper Mérimée’s novelle Carmen – known mainly for the opera French composer Georges Bizet based on it. Find out more at wikipedia.org With live organ accompaniment by Donald Mackenzie. Musical Museum, Brentford Link

18 September

19 September

20 September

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. Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Meg Morley. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

21 September

Wild And Woozy: Part 1 Renowned silent film historian and author Steve Massa take you through a crazy trip of pratfalls and mind blowing stunts from some of the most forgotten silent comedians of the 1910s and 1920s. The selection of short films, specially selected by Steve, includes some real rarities from film archives from around the world and stars the likes of Fred Mace, Norman Taurog and Al St John. Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. Introduced by Steve Massa. With live piano accompaniment by Meg Morley. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

Fearless The Dog Double Bill Fearless the Dog was a shortlived canine rival to Rin Tin Tin, starring in 13 short but action packed adventure films between 1926-7. First up in this double bill is The Love Fighter(1926) – In the trenches of the First World War, Jack and Danny befriend fierce fighter Fearless the Dog. A stint in a rural idyll in the French countryside brings love in the shape of Fifi and Yvonne, but when the war ends the boys must make tracks back to the USA. But that’s just the start of the adventure!Find out more at imdb.com. Its followed by A Dumb Romeo (1926) in which Fearless is in love with the neighbour’s dog although love isn’t running smoothly. But when jewel thieves steal a priceless string of pearls Fearless the Dog is on the case and sure to prevail, in both crime fighting and romance! Find out more at imdb.com Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Dominic Irving. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

Silent Comedy Triple Treat The three greatest silent comedians come together for one awesome show presented by piano dynamo and much-oved broadcaster Neil Brand. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd each star in one of their classic silents (titles tbc) and each film celebrates the amazing stunt work of these three silent film maestros. Expect plenty of thrills for young and old! Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

Champagne (Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, Br, 1928) (Screening format – not known, 105mins) Rom-Com is not a film genre normally associated with Alfred Hitchcock but this would be his second romantic comedy of the year after The Farmer’s Wife. In Champagne, a spoilt rich girl leads a life of luxury on the profits from her father’s champagne business. To bring her back down to earth, he tells her that all the money has been lost and so she must go seek her fortune. The film’s star is Betty Balfour — one of the country’s most popular leading actresses and known as “Britain’s Queen of Happiness”. The film wasn’t a favourite with its director, who thought it “probably the lowest ebb in my output”, and critics at the time seemed to agree with the film suffering poor box office returns. However, there are some nicely shot scenes, particularly an opening sequence filmed through a champagne glass and of course Betty Balfour is always good value for money. But there are also early signs of the darker Hitchcock, with the heroine under threat from the mystery man, a theme that would run through so much of Hitchcock’s subsequent output. Find out more at screenonline.org.uk Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Meg Morley. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

Epic Double Bill: Clash Of The Wolves (Dir. Noel M Smith, US, 1925) and Sherlock Jnr (Dir. Buster Keaton, US, 1924) (Screening format – not known, 74/45 mins) In a UK premiere of this brand new restoration of the action packed thrill ride that is Clash Of The Wolves, wonderdog Rin Tin Tin stars as Lobo, leader of a wild wolf pack. Befriended by a lone prospector, Lobo repays this kindness by defending the prospector from a scheming claim-jumper. Clash of the Wolves marked the cinematic pinnacle of the original Rin Tin Tin, a German shepherd rescued from a World War I battlefield, and brought to America where he became a screen sensation. Find out more at silentfilm.org. In Sherlock Jr, a kindly movie projectionist (Buster 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. Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Dominic Irving and Meg Morley. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

22 September

Wild And Woozy: Part 2 Renowned silent film historian and author Steve Massa gives us a second helping of crazy pratfalls and mind blowing stunts from some of the most forgotten silent comedy titles. This edition includes stars such as Larry Semon, Lupino Lane and Billy Bevan. Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. Introduced by Steve Massa. With live piano accompaniment by Meg Morley. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

Action Dog Stars Double Bill The Skyrider (Dir. Alan James, US, 1928) and Teeth (Dir. John G Blystone, US, 1924) (Screening format – not known, 50/70 mins) After Rin Tin Tin saved Warner Brothers from bankruptcy, several independent studios found lookalike dogs and built movies around them, hoping audiences wouldn’t know the difference. They had names like Thunder, Champion, Leader, Ranger, Dynamite, Lightning, Tarzan, Napoleon Bonaparte, Sandow, Strongheart, and Peter the Great. These animal acts were usually paired with a clueless young man in need of moral fortification. The Skyrider features Champion the Dog, and tells the story of an ill tempered boy who tries to seek revenge for losing much of his inheritance. Expect plenty of high drama and high end stunt work involving a plane. Find out (not much) more at wikipedia.org. Teeth is a classic Tom Mix western and this screening is the UK premiere of a brand new restoration of this forgotten gem, also starring Duke the Dog (as ‘Teeth’) and includes an early performance from future silent film star George Bancroft as ‘the bad guy’. But not to be outdone by this canine rival, Tom Mix’s horse, Tony, also puts in a strong performance. Find out more at wikipedia.org Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Dominic Irving. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

Hollywood: Hazard of the Game A very rare chance to see an episode of Kevin Brownlow and David Gill’s highly celebrated Thames Television series Hollywood. This episode (Hazard of the Game) dedicates itself to celebrate the many aspects of stunt work during the silent era in Hollywood. Including highlighting a key stunt in The Beloved Rogue, being shown later this evening. . Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With recoded score. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

The Ring (Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, Br, 1927) (Screening format – not known, 108mins) The Ring is Hitchcock’s one and only original screenplay. It’s a love triangle melodrama set in the world of prizefight boxing. When Jack ‘One Round’ Sander is discovered by promoter James Ware, his career takes off. But rival Bob Corby, heavyweight champion, takes an interest in his girlfriend and you just know that the sparks (and the gloves) are going to fly. The Ring was the first film released by the newly established British International Pictures which Hitchcock had joined following his disappoint over his two previous films, Downhill (1927) and Easy Virtue (1927), made for Gainsborough. The action senes are beautifully shot and the inter-titles kept to a minimum with the visuals largely carrying the plot. The film was a major hit with the critics with one review calling it “…the most magnificent British film ever made” although it was apparently not particularly successful at the box office. Find out more at silentfilm.org. Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Dominic Irving. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

The Beloved Rogue (Dir. Alan Crosland, US, 1927) (Screening format – not known, 94mins) A lavish spectacle boasting the set designs of Oscar winning art director William Cameron Menzies (The Thief of Baghdad), The Beloved Rogue is Hollywood myth-making at its most ambitious…and entertaining. Hollywood star John Barrymore sought to out-swashbuckle Douglas Fairbanks in his breathless depiction of France’s rapscallion poet, thief and vagabond: François Villon (1431-1463). To prove his mettle, he bounds over the snowy rooftops of Paris, scales a castle tower, and is hurled skyward by the royal catapult, but this is no mere stunt picture. Barrymore wielded a simmering sexuality that Fairbanks lacked, endowing the film with an element of eroticism that perfectly suits Villon, who loved “France earnestly, Frenchwomen excessively, French wine exclusively.” Beyond Barrymore, the cast is sprinkled with celebrated character actors. Fresh from a series of diabolical roles in the German silent cinema, Conrad Veidt (The Man Who Laughs, Casablanca) made his American film debut as the sinister King Louis XI. Appearing here as the scheming Thibault d’Aussigny and François’s sidekick Beppo the Dwarf, Henry Victor and Angelo Rossitto would reunite five years later in Tod Browning’s Freaks. The Beloved Rogue is a star studded action packed roller coaster which symbolises the true greatness of Hollywood in the silent era. Find out more at moviessilently.com. Presented by The Rex Cinema and South West Silents as part of the Wareham Silent Film Weekender. With live piano accompaniment by Meg Morley. Rex Cinema, Wareham Link

The Blood of a Poet (aka Le Sang d’un poète) (Dir. Jean Cocteau, Fr, 1930) (Screening format – digital, 55 mis) Directing this, his first film, Jean Cocteau approached the movie screen as ‘the true mirror reflecting the flesh and blood of [his] dreams’. Told in four parts, The Blood of a Poet begins with an artist in his studio speaking to a living statue, then stepping through a mirror into another realm. While its images and set pieces are dense with interpretive possibilities, broadly the film is understood as a kind of subversive autobiography and an exploration of the relationship between creator and creation. It is also a fascinating souvenir of a vanished avant-garde, featuring the only on-screen performance by photographer Lee Miller. Find out more at thechasbah.com With a musical score by Paul Robinson performed live by the HarmonieBand ensemble featuring Dai Pritchard (Saxophone), Tim Massa (Counter Tenor), Kim Mackrell (Cello) and Paul Robinson (Accordion). Barbican, London Link

24 September

The General (Dir. Buster Keaton/Clyde Bruckman, 1926) (Screening format – not known, 75mins) Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made and one of the most revered comedies of the silent era, Buster Keaton’s effortless masterpiece sees hapless Southern railroad engineer Johnny Gray (Keaton) facing off against Union soldiers during the American Civil War. When Johnny’s fiancée, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack), is accidentally taken away while on a train stolen by Northern forces, Gray pursues the soldiers, using various modes of transportation in comic action scenes that highlight Keaton’s boundless, innovative wit and joyful, lighthearted dexterity, to reclaim the train and thereby save the South. Find out more at busterkeaton.com . With live musical accompaniment by Harmonieband. Village Cinema, Hurstpierpoint Link

25 September

26 September

28 September

Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (Dir. Benjamin Christensen, Swe., 1922) ( Screening format – not known, 105mins) A fictionalized documentary with dramatic reconstructions showing the evolution of witchcraft, from its pagan roots to its confusion with hysteria in modern (1922) Europe. Based partly on Christensen’s study of the Malleus Maleficarum, a 15th-century German guide for inquisitors, Häxan is a study of how superstition and the misunderstanding of diseases and mental illness could lead to the hysteria of the witch hunts. Although it won acclaim in Denmark and Sweden when first released, Haxan was heavily censored or banned outright in many countries. But it is now considered to be Christensen’s finest work, a witches’ brew of the scary, the grotesque, and the darkly humorous. Find out more at thedevilsmanor.blogspot.co.uk . Presented by South West Silents. With live musical accompaniment by Stephen Horne. IMAX, Bristol Link

29 September

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