Thursday, Jan. 30: Pickford in Concord, N.H.; then a three-day weekend of silents in Boston

Mary Pickford in 'Sparrows' (1926), showing on Thursday, Jan. 30 at Red River Theatres in Concord, N.H., and then on Friday, Jan. 31 in 35mm at the Somerville Theatre.

Four days in a row of doing music for ambitious silent film programs? Wow, it's almost like I do this for a living!

But yes: on Thursday, Jan. 30, it's a Mary Pickford program hosted by author Christel Schmidt at Red River Theatres in Concord, N.H., and then THREE DAYS of silent film (all in 35mm) at the wonderful Somerville Theatre down in Davis Square, just outside downtown Boston.

We're getting a fair amount of publicity for these screenings, so first priority is getting details posted here for anyone looking for info. As it's coming up first, below is the text of the press release for the Pickford program at Red River in Concord.

For the trio of Somerville screenings this weekend, you'll find details by clicking on the 'Upcoming Screenings' link at upper right. We're showing 'Sparrows' (1926), 'Way Down East' (1920), and 'Wings' (1927). I'll post the full release for these once the Red River program happens.

Here we go!

* * *
MONDAY, JAN. 20, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Lost' silent film found in N.H. barn
to highlight Mary Pickford program at Red River

Screening on Thursday, Jan. 30 hosted by noted author;
includes feature film 'Sparrows' (1926) with live music

CONCORD, N.H.—A film thought lost for nearly a century until a copy was discovered in a New Hampshire barn will highlight a program at Concord's Red River Theatres on Thursday, Jan. 30.

The event, hosted by noted film scholar Christel Schmidt (at left), will feature a screening of 'Their First Misunderstanding,' a short drama starring Mary Pickford and her then-husband Owen Moore that was produced in 1911.

The program, which starts at 7 p.m., will also include a screening of Pickford's full-length feature film 'Sparrows' (1926), regarded as one of the masterpieces of the silent film era. The program will be held in Red River's 'Lincoln' cinema. General admission is $15 per person.

Long thought lost, 'Their First Misunderstanding' is notable because it was the first credited screen appearance of Pickford, who would go on to be one of Hollywood's first superstars and among the most powerful figures in Hollywood.

A 35mm print of the film was discovered in 2007 in a barn in Nelson, N.H. by a contractor who was hired to tear down the structure. The film has since been restored by Keene State College and the Library of Congress; its "re-premiere" at Keene State College last October was hailed by film experts worldwide as a major rediscovery.

The screening at Red River will be only the second time 'Their First Misunderstanding' has been publicly screened since its restoration.

The films will be accompanied by live music created by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician and Red River's house film accompanist.

Hosting the event is Christel Schmidt, noted Pickford expert and editor of 'Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies,' a book recently co-published by the Library of Congress and the University Press of Kentucky.

Schmidt will be on hand to sign copies of her book, an anthology of writing about one of the most important — and misunderstood — figures in American film history. Copies will be available for purchase and signing before and after the show.

Also on the program is Larry Benaquist, professor emeritus of film at Keene State, who coordinated the restoration of 'Their First Misunderstanding' and several other films discovered in Nelson, a small town about 10 miles north of Keene.

Only about 20 percent of all silent films produced in the U.S. survive today. Most were lost to decay, neglect, or deliberate destruction after silent film was superceded by talking pictures in the late 1920s. As a result, the rediscovery of any film title thought lost is considered rare and unusual.

Owen Moore and Mary Pickford in 'Their First Misunderstanding' (1911).

Screening 'Their First Misunderstanding' at Red River helps the theater fulfill its mission to bring out-of-the-ordinary cinema to New Hampshire residents.

"We're thrilled to be hosting only the second-ever screening of this early Pickford film that was discovered right here in New Hampshire," said Shelly Hudson, executive director of Red River. "It's amazing that this piece of cinema history has been unearthed in our own backyard, and we're glad to be able to give Granite State residents a chance not only to see it, but also understand more about its importantance."

Perspective on Pickford and her career will be provided by Schmidt, an independent researcher affiliated with the Library of Congress who has specialized in cataloging and tracking down all surviving Pickford films.

Pickford, an early superstar, was a major force in early Hollywood, helping establish the United Artists studio and serving as a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the annual Oscar awards.

However, Pickford's films receive little attention today, in part due to the myth that Pickford often played wholesome and traditional female characters.

In truth, Pickford's movies often required her to take action, challenge authority, and play strong roles uncommon for a woman of the era. In 'Sparrows' (1926), also on the Red River program, Pickford must single-handedly protect a group of orphans from an evil guardian, and then battle a pack of criminals. In a dramatic higlight, she leads the orphans on a perilous journey through a dangerous alligator-infested swamp.

"We hope this program helps people understand what a dynamic woman Mary Pickford was, both on screen and in her career," Hudson said. "If you've never experienced a silent film with live music, I encourage you to join us on Thursday, Jan. 30."

The screening is supported in part by HippoPress, the region's arts and entertainment newspaper, as well as the Concord Monitor, the Capitol Region's daily newspaper.

Red River Theatres, an independent cinema, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to screening a diverse program of first-run independent films, cult favorites, classics, local and regional film projects, and foreign films. The member-supported theater’s mission is to present film and the discussion of film as a way to entertain, broaden horizons and deepen appreciation of life for New Hampshire audiences of all ages.

Red River Theatres includes silent film in its programming to give today's audiences a chance to experience the great films of cinema's early years as they were intended: in restored prints, on the big screen, and with live music and an audience.

“These films are still exciting experiences if you show them as they were designed to be screened,” said Rapsis, Red River's accompanist. “There’s a reason people first fell in love with the movies, and we hope to recreate that experience with the Pickford program and the other silent films we show at Red River. At their best, silent films were communal experience—one in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions.”

"Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies" will be presented on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. at Red River Theatres, 11 South Main St., Concord, N.H. Admission is $15 per person; for more info, call (603) 224-4600 or visit www.redrivertheatres.org. For more information about 'Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies, visit https://www.facebook.com/MaryPickfordQueenOfTheMovies. For more information about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Silent film accompaniment and boxing: The importance of staying in shape

Buster Keaton in the boxing comedy 'Battling Butler' (1926).

What does silent film accompaniment have to do with boxing? Quite a lot, at least the way I approach it.

Not that doing movie scores is some kind of battle or struggle for victory. What I'm thinking about it is the preparation and rituals that go into a successful "main event."

Consider: this past weekend saw a pair of really satisfying silent film screenings.

On Saturday, Jan. 25, Buster Keaton brought down the house (consisting of about 70 people) in Schagticoke, N.Y. with his adventures in the classic comedy 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' (1928).

And on Sunday, Jan. 26 in Wilton, N.H., Mary Pickford mesmerized an audience of about 100 in the melodrama 'Tess of the Storm County' (1922), a film I'd never done before.

For both shows, the live score came together naturally, and I felt strong and confident throughout the screenings. Everything happened quite fluently.

Even though I improvise, a lot of this was due to preparation that took place before curtain time.

For 'Steamboat Bill,' I drew from material I've been developing for several years over the course of repeated screenings. The score reflected this accumulated effort, I thought.

For 'Tess,' I came up some fresh material, including a hummable innocuous-sounding tune that first appears as a carefree jig, but later grows to play a prominent role in the story's dramatic high points.

In both cases, the result seemed to work well in bringing the film to life. I felt I was "in synch" with each picture and created music that helped it connect with the audience.

And this was good news, because earlier this month I felt otherwise. What happened was I had just returned from a month away from the keyboard (traveling in southern India), and the first few screenings were rough going.

So I guess I'm getting back in the swing of things after a month break.

And just in time, too. Two important gigs are looming: the Kansas Silent Film Festival in Topeka, Kansas at the end of February, and then Cinefest, the vintage film confab held every March in Syracuse, N.Y. For these events, I need to be in shape.

And that got me thinking of how accompanying silent films is a lot like being a boxer in training. You really need to be in the gym (or at the keyboard) pretty regularly to be in the right kind of shape when the main event comes around.

You can't just walk into the arena (or the cinema) and expect to do very well without putting in the time and effort to be prepared, both mentally and physically.

In boxing, that means roadwork and gym time and sparring. In silent film accompaniment, that means taking any opportunity to play before a live audience and immerse yourself in the craft.

(I've actually done some boxing—not competitively, but enough to know what it's like. Hence this line of thought.)

So since coming back from India, I've returned to training for the main events coming up in Kansas and then New York. Thinking of it this way helps keep me focused and compels me to challenge myself to push further.

And another thing about boxing is that once the bell rings, you have no choice but to stay in the moment: to be present in what's actually happening right in front of you, be ready for anything, and go wherever it takes you. Otherwise you risk suffering the consequences, which start at getting punched in the face and go up from there.

That's true in silent film, too. Once the film starts, the accompanist has to stay with it, maintaining concentration no matter what twists and turns the story takes. And if you do a really bad job, I suppose you do risk getting punched in the face, although that hasn't happened to me yet.

Carl Brisson in Hitchcock's 'The Ring' (1927).

There are other similarities. For one thing, at the end of a film, I sometimes feel just like Carl Brisson looks (above) in this still for Alfred Hitchcock's silent drama 'The Ring' (1927). But more often, I feel exhilarated and really alive, which reminds me of what it felt to actually do some sparring at Murphy's Boxing Gym in Manchester, N.H.

And just as boxers find that their sport can be so absorbing that it makes the rest of the world drop away, I find that the same thing happens with creating live music for silent films. After the opening titles, I find myself entering a mental state that some psychologists call "flow," but which I think of as intense concentration.

If it's going right, my critical faculties somehow partner with my creative subconscious, and I find it's possible to follow a film (even if I've never seen it) and improvise original music that fits the scene. At its best, the score can flow quite effortlessly. But it's all a result of complete absorption in the task at hand.

And that doesn't happen if I'm thinking about what's for lunch or about doing my income taxes. I have to be in the moment.

And I find the more I do it, the easier and more natural it becomes. Again, it's just like in boxing, where you repeat drills so all the complex body motions that go into throwing an effective uppercut come naturally, without having to think about them.

And that frees you up for strategy, right there in the ring. What are my opponent's weak spots? Is he leaving himself open? Will he tire before me? Should I work the body or go for the head?

In silent film accompaniment, I find that when the music is coming naturally, I can do a better job strategizing about how to make the overall picture work. Where's the high point of this scene? How does it relate to the climax of the picture? What do I need to hold back in reserve?

And then there's pacing and stamina. In the ring, a big part of success is being able to go the distance. It's not about landing a big punch, especially in amateur boxing. It's about staying focused and using technique and form to pile up points round by round. If you come on too strong, you'll tire early, and that's when you get your clock cleaned.

In silent film accompaniment, you need to pace yourself. You don't want to get too intense too soon, lest you leave yourself with no place to go when the film really does need a big gesture. And you need to be able to stay there, in real time with the film, for sometimes as long as three hours without a break.

And here's an interesting thought: music and fighting are actually combined in Muay Thai boxing as practiced in Thailand. There, the action inside the ring is usually accompanied by musicians who play a form of folk music that speeds up as the end of each round nears. This provides a cue to the fighters that time is running out, and also makes it more exciting to the boisterous fans.

Clara Bow puts up her dukes in 'Rough House Rosie' (1927), a lost film. I wouldn't mind going a few rounds with the 'It' girl.

And how about the notion of catharsis? Boxing allows participants a chance to transcend so-called "civilized" society. Instead, it gives us permission to engage in or witness something brutally physical, within certain limits, that is otherwise forbidden.

Likewise, silent film gives us permission to commune with big emotions that we often don't have a way of confronting or relishing in our own day-to-day living: Love! Fear! Joy! Revenge! Silent film gives permission to throw caution to the wind and let it all out.

You know, I find I like thinking of silent film in terms of boxing, and not just because it makes accompaniment seem just a little more macho than it really is.

But still, you won't find me swilling raw eggs for breakfast a la Sylvester Stallone in 'Rocky.' Among other reasons, my preferred breakfast food is Captain Crunch.

Pickford's 'Tess of the Storm Country' coming on Sunday, Jan. 26 in Wilton, N.H.; then other Pickford screenings next week

Saturday, Jan. 25 finds me on the road to one of my favorite yearly silent film gigs: the dead-of-winter "Silent Movie Night" and pot luck supper held each January at Liberty Ridge Farm in the small town of Schagticoke, N.Y., about 20 miles north of Albany, N.Y.

The Gifford family, which runs the recreational farm, won me in an auction several years ago, and the resulting performance in their barn/function room proved popular enough for me to be invited back each January. Everyone stuck in town for the winter (everyone from kids to old folks) comes out for a night of silent film and live music.

This year's featured attraction is Buster Keaton's great comedy 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' (1928), plus some short films to warm up both me and the audience. Plus there's more food than anyone could possibly eat. So if you're in the area and didn't get invited, I encourage you to come anyway. Bring a pot luck dish and no one will turn you away!

And after that I begin a week-long communion with Mary Pickford, courtesy several screenings that I have high hopes for.

On Sunday, Jan. 26, I'm doing music for Pickford's drama 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922) at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. Admission is free but we request a $5 donation to help defray expenses.

And then on Thursday, Jan. 30, I'm doing music for a special Pickford program in Concord, N.H.: a screening of the recently discovered Pickford short drama 'Their First Misunderstanding' (1911), a print of which was found in a barn in Nelson, N.H., of all places. The film has been restored in an effort overseen by Prof. Larry Benaquist of Keene (N.H.) State College.

The program, which also includes Pickford's great full-length feature 'Sparrows' (1926), is at Red River Theatres, 11 South Main St., Concord, and will be hosted by Christel Schmidt, author of "Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies." Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets are $15 a head. In case you're wondering, the show is in the "Lincoln" cinema, one of Red River's two big "main" theaters, rather than the much-smaller screening room, where we usually run silent film.

And then Christel and I are hauling down to Boston the next night for a Pickford tribute in 35mm at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. The program includes the first-ever screening of the restored 'Their First Misunderstanding' in 35mm. Also on the bill is another short drama titled 'The Dream' (1911) and then 'Sparrows' (1926), both in 35mm. The show starts at 8 p.m. and admission is $10 per person.

The Somerville's Pickford program is special not only because it's a rare chance to see some excellent Pickford material in 35mm in a real theater, but also because it launches the Somerville's own four-month "Centennial Celebration" to celebrate the theater's 100th birthday this coming May.

They'll be screening a dazzling list of titles representing the best cinema of the past century. And the weekend includes two more silents in 35mm: D.W. Griffith's melodrama 'Way Down East' (1920) on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m., and then the great World War I aviation epic 'Wings' (1927) on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 1 p.m. All seats $10.

So lots of great silent film coming up in our part of the world. If I was hoping to get "in training" for appearances coming up at the Kansas Silent Film Festival (Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1) and Cinefest in Syracuse, N.Y. (from Thursday, March 13 to Sunday, March 16), then I'm getting my wish.

Here's the press release for the Pickford program on Thursday, Jan. 30 at Red River. I'll post more info on the Somerville screenings as we get closer to the big weekend, which I'm already psyched about.

* * *

Mary Pickford and her then-new husband Owen Moore work through 'Their First Misunderstanding' (1911).

MONDAY, JAN. 20, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Lost' silent film found in N.H. barn
to highlight Mary Pickford program at Red River

Screening on Thursday, Jan. 30 hosted by noted author;
includes feature film 'Sparrows' (1926) with live music

CONCORD, N.H.—A film thought lost for nearly a century until a copy was discovered in a New Hampshire barn will highlight a program at Concord's Red River Theatres on Thursday, Jan. 30.

The event, hosted by noted film scholar Christel Schmidt, will feature a screening of 'Their First Misunderstanding,' a short drama starring Mary Pickford and her then-husband Owen Moore that was produced in 1911.

The program, which starts at 7 p.m., will also include a screening of Pickford's full-length feature film 'Sparrows' (1926), regarded as one of the masterpieces of the silent film era. The program will be held in Red River's 'Lincoln' cinema. General admission is $15 per person.

Long thought lost, 'Their First Misunderstanding' is notable because it was the first credited screen appearance of Pickford, who would go on to be one of Hollywood's first superstars and among the most powerful figures in Hollywood.

A 35mm print of the film was discovered in 2007 in a barn in Nelson, N.H. by a contractor who was hired to tear down the structure. The film has since been restored by Keene State College and the Library of Congress; its "re-premiere" at Keene State College last October was hailed by film experts worldwide as a major rediscovery.

The screening at Red River will be only the second time 'Their First Misunderstanding' has been publicly screened since its restoration.

The films will be accompanied by live music created by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician and Red River's house film accompanist.

Hosting the event is Christel Schmidt, noted Pickford expert and editor of 'Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies,' a book recently co-published by the Library of Congress and the University Press of Kentucky.

Schmidt will be on hand to sign copies of her book, an anthology of writing about one of the most important — and misunderstood — figures in American film history. Copies will be available for purchase and signing before and after the show.

Also on the program is Larry Benaquist, professor emeritus of film at Keene State, who coordinated the restoration of 'Their First Misunderstanding' and several other films discovered in Nelson, a small town about 10 miles north of Keene.

Only about 20 percent of all silent films produced in the U.S. survive today. Most were lost to decay, neglect, or deliberate destruction after silent film was superceded by talking pictures in the late 1920s. As a result, the rediscovery of any film title thought lost is considered rare and unusual.

Screening 'Their First Misunderstanding' at Red River helps the theater fulfill its mission to bring out-of-the-ordinary cinema to New Hampshire residents.

"We're thrilled to be hosting only the second-ever screening of this early Pickford film that was discovered right here in New Hampshire," said Shelly Hudson, executive director of Red River. "It's amazing that this piece of cinema history has been unearthed in our own backyard, and we're glad to be able to give Granite State residents a chance not only to see it, but also understand more about its importantance."

Perspective on Pickford and her career will be provided by Schmidt, an independent researcher affiliated with the Library of Congress who has specialized in cataloging and tracking down all surviving Pickford films.

Pickford, an early superstar, was a major force in early Hollywood, helping establish the United Artists studio and serving as a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the annual Oscar awards.

However, Pickford's films receive little attention today, in part due to the myth that Pickford often played wholesome and traditional female characters.

In truth, Pickford's movies often required her to take action, challenge authority, and play strong roles uncommon for a woman of the era. In 'Sparrows' (1926), also on the Red River program, Pickford must single-handedly protect a group of orphans from an evil guardian, and then battle a pack of criminals. In a dramatic higlight, she leads the orphans on a perilous journey through a dangerous alligator-infested swamp.

"We hope this program helps people understand what a dynamic woman Mary Pickford was, both on screen and in her career," Hudson said. "If you've never experienced a silent film with live music, I encourage you to join us on Thursday, Jan. 30."

The screening is supported in part by HippoPress, the region's arts and entertainment newspaper.

Red River Theatres, an independent cinema, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to screening a diverse program of first-run independent films, cult favorites, classics, local and regional film projects, and foreign films. The member-supported theater’s mission is to present film and the discussion of film as a way to entertain, broaden horizons and deepen appreciation of life for New Hampshire audiences of all ages.

Red River Theatres includes silent film in its programming to give today's audiences a chance to experience the great films of cinema's early years as they were intended: in restored prints, on the big screen, and with live music and an audience.

“These films are still exciting experiences if you show them as they were designed to be screened,” said Rapsis, Red River's accompanist. “There’s a reason people first fell in love with the movies, and we hope to recreate that experience with the Pickford program and the other silent films we show at Red River. At their best, silent films were communal experience—one in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions.”

"Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies" will be presented on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. at Red River Theatres, 11 South Main St., Concord, N.H. Admission is $15 per person; for more info, call (603) 224-4600 or visit www.redrivertheatres.org. For more information about 'Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies, visit https://www.facebook.com/MaryPickfordQueenOfTheMovies. For more information about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

I am a 'disgrace,' and other opinions on screening 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915)

The Klu Klux Klan in a scene from D.W. Griffith's 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915), which I screened to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Two great screenings in two days: 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915) at Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and then 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. on Thursday, Jan. 23.

I'm definitely feeling back in the swing of things after returning from several weeks in the fascinating nation of India.

More screenings coming this weekend, but now it's time to get something off my chest.

'The Birth of a Nation' is a ground-breaking film, but it's also full of racism. Each January, I try to program the picture around Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a way to show how far we've come. And I take pains to explain this in advance in press releases and blog posts and so on.

Most people seem to understand this. But earlier this month, when I sent out a quick e-mail listing upcoming screenings, I did not provide all the necessary context. I thought the links to more info elsewhere online would be enough.

Well, I was mistaken. Almost immediately in response, I received this note from someone on my e-mail list:

I'm sorry Jeff

To pick Birth of a Nation as a tribute to MLK when there are so many positive films? And so many racists that will get encouragement from this- esp in mostly lily white NE?

You can't rationalize this away.

Put yourself in the place of a black person. Or a black parent esp.

You really fucked up. Big Time.

I used to enjoy your presentations

Probably not any more. And I'm forwarding my stance and your amazing lack of humanity to many others.

You are a disgrace with no perspective who doesn't recognize his own inner racist to do this.

Wow! Kinda harsh, don't you think? I didn't know who wrote this, as I don't keep records who gives me their e-mail address.

Still, I was compelled to reply:

Hi there!

Wow, sorry you feel that way!

My two cents: I've actually done 'Birth' as the centerpiece of several MLK tributes in recent years. I've found it works very well as a way to show what Dr. King and others were up against in the struggle for justice. It doesn't promote racism. It celebrates the magnitude of the struggle against it.

That's especially true in New England, where we never had to deal with some of the things shown in the film, even though we're a part of the same nation. So maybe it's more important to show it in "lily white" New England. I grew up here, and never saw Jim Crow in action. But this film helps me understand the context and how it could have persisted for so long, even up into our times.

Perhaps the quick e-mail I sent out gave the wrong impression. I'm not running the film to celebrate racism or to somehow oppose what Dr. King stood for.

I should have included a link to a little more context that has already been on my blog. Here it is:

http://www.silentfilmlivemusic.blogspot.com/2014/01/coming-on-wednesday-jan-22-birth-of_19.html

My error for not doing this in the first place. Hope you'll reconsider, even to the point of joining us on Wednesday to see the film for what it is: a masterpiece flawed by racism, as I point out on the Web site, and which I will explain to people at the screening.

By itself, the film is just a piece of celluloid. But it's up to us to give it meaning and learn what we can from it. It can teach us a lot, as Roger Ebert has pointed out:

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-birth-of-a-nation-1915

Happy to talk more about this, though tone down the "inner racist" rhetoric. Glad you have strong feelings, but benefit of the doubt, please. :)

Jeff R.

And that was that, I thought. You can't please everyone. Some people must imagine they're celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day by calling out "inner racists" such as me who need to be exposed. Well, that'll teach me!

But on the day of show, I realized this note would provide a vivid way to show the audience how 'The Birth of a Nation' still creates controversy almost a century after its release.

Also, I felt this was yet another example of someone hiding behind the anonymity of e-mail and the Internet to lob bullshit that serves no constructive purpose.

Time to do a little calling out of my own, I thought.

So here's a follow-up note:

Hi again,

Just a quick follow-up from Jeff Rapsis. I wanted you to know I plan to use your thoughts from yesterday in introducing 'The Birth of a Nation' tomorrow night at Merrimack College. I think reading your note will help people understand how this film can still engender strong feelings even today, nearly a century after its release.

Thanks again for sharing how you felt, although I do think you jumped to some pretty severe and inaccurate conclusions. But that's my fault for not explaining in the newsletter why 'The Birth of a Nation' was chosen and how it's appropriate for MLK Day.

Even so, you may not agree, which is fine.

But I certainly dispute your assertion that I'm some kind of closet racist. We can discuss that in detail any time you'd like to meet for coffee or whatever. I don't keep records of who gives me their e-mail address for silent film news, so I don't know who you are. Therefore, next move on that is up to you.

All the best,

Jeff Rapsis
(603) 236-9237

That night at the theater, I did read the note out loud prior to 'Birth of a Nation.' People were open-mouthed in amazement! And it gave me a chance to invoke the spirit of Jack Benny by getting the end of the tirade, and then pausing just long enough before crying out an exasperated "Well!"

The next morning, I got this from my mystery correspondent:

I'd rather you not. It was a personal message to you.
This movie can perpetuate racism and is better left in the vault.

Too late! But I used the opportunity to further explain why I disagreed, and also how I felt about anonymous name-calling:

Sorry, too late! But it did help everyone appreciate the kind of bigotry that's associated with this picture, so thank you.

Anyway, I wasn't asking for permission. Because you choose to hide behind the anonymity of e-mail to call me racist and decry my "lack of humanity," I don't see why I shouldn't use your comments as I see fit. I'll be using them in a blog post later today, and elsewhere.

To me, they're a good example of the kind of fear that comes from when people don't take the time to understand. Ironically, that's one of the dynamics that fuels bigotry in the first place.

Yes, I should have provided a bit more context in my communication, and I'll try to improve.

But think twice before you hit the Send button when you're calling people racist. And if you do, have the courage to identify yourself and be willing to back up your assertions like any serious person. That might be a better way to honor Dr. King after all.

Jeff Rapsis

To date, I haven't received a response. If I do, I'll let you know. I certainly do hope to continue the conversation, as it might actually bring about the apology that I think I deserve.

But maybe that's just my "lack of humanity" talking again.

Coming on Wednesday, Jan. 22: 'Birth of a Nation' in North Andover, Mass.

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I'll be spending part of it preparing for a screening of 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915) later this week at Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass.

Showing this film poses problems. It's a landmark piece of cinema, sure. But it also contains a healthy dose of good old racism as it existed in this nation a century ago.

The racism, which in part was responsible for reigniting the Ku Klux Klan, is enough to make 'The Birth of a Nation' permanently damaged goods in the eyes of some. One theater manager whom I greatly respect said he would never, ever run the film, as it would bring an avalanche of protest to his doorstep.

But I think Martin Luther King Day provides a great opportunity for today's audiences to experience 'The Birth of a Nation' in a thoughtful context. This film, which Woodrow Wilson likened to "writing history with lightning," shows in a palpable way how far we've come. Also, it can get us thinking about how far we still have to go.

So I'm pleased to be creating live music for this film on Wednesday, Jan. 22 as part of the this year's silent film series at the Rogers Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass.

Start time is 7 p.m., and it's a long film, so I'll keep opening remarks brief. Admission is free. Don't miss this rare opportunity to see a classic of early Hollywood on the big screen in its full-length version, with live music and an audience.

For more information, here's the text of a press release that went out earlier...

* * *

THURSDAY, DEC. 26, 2013 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

‘Birth of a Nation’: Silent film masterpiece or racist artifact?

Controversial movie to be screened with live music for MLK Day on Jan. 22 at Merrimack College

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.—What if a movie was acclaimed as a masterpiece, but portrayed the Ku Klux Klan as heroes? What if a movie aimed to show the realities of life during the Civil War, and yet used white actors playing roles in blackface? What does it say if a movie was clearly racist, depicting blacks as an inferior sub-species to whites, but was still a box office smash?

Those are among the questions posed by ‘The Birth of a Nation’ (1915), the ground-breaking epic film from director D.W. Griffith, which continues to inspire controversy nearly a century after its initial release.

In honor of Martin Luther King Day this year, a restored print of the film will be screened with live music at the Rogers Center for the Arts, Merrimack College, 315 North Turnpike St., North Andover, Mass. The screening, part of the Rogers Center’s silent film series, will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014 at 7 p.m.

Admission to the screening is free and the public is welcome. The program will be accompanied live by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis.

Organizers of the Rogers Center’s film series specifically chose the occasion of Martin Luther King Day to screen ‘The Birth of a Nation,’ long regarded as a masterpiece of early cinema but tarnished by racism and prejudice.

“Although ‘The Birth of a Nation’ has been reviled for its blatant and pervasive racism, it was a huge hit in its day and was accepted as one of the landmarks of early cinema,” said Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who will perform a live score for the movie.

“Screening this compromised classic to honor Martin Luther King Day is a chance for today’s audiences to appreciate how far we’ve come, and to also ponder how many of the prejudices on display in this film that we may still harbor, even unconsciously,” Rapsis said.

As the first-ever Hollywood blockbuster, ‘The Birth of a Nation’ thrilled audiences in 1915 with its large-scale wartime action sequences, its recreation of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and spectacular photography by cameraman G.W. Bitzer.

Even at the time of its release, the movie was regarded as monumentally insensitive to issues of race, depicting blacks as a sub-race inferior to whites and portraying Ku Klux Klan members as heroes. Conceived by Griffith, a native Southerner, as a saga of two families caught up in the Civil War and its aftermath, many viewers and critics regarded the film as a prolonged statement of cinematic bigotry.

Seen today, the film abounds with offensive racial comments and imagery both overt and implied. To complicate matters for contemporary audiences, Griffith had all leading roles of black characters played by white actors in blackface; black actors were kept in the background or used only for crowd scenes, which lends the film a surreal quality to modern viewers.

Despite the racism, the film’s innovative and powerful story-telling techniques, as well as its massive scale, opened Hollywood’s eyes to the full potential of cinema as an art form, exerting a powerful influence on generations of filmmakers to come.

The film’s pervasive influence extended beyond theaters, at times in unfortunate ways. As an unintended consequence, ’The Birth of a Nation’ inspired a revival of the then-dormant Klan, which flourished anew in the south thorough the 1920s, making extensive use of Griffith’s film for propaganda purposes.

The controversy continues today, with ‘Birth of a Nation’ inspiring passions nearly a century after its release. Has enough time passed for today’s audiences to regard this landmark film as an artifact of its time, or an indication of enduring prejudice? This Martin Luther King’s Day, decide for yourself how far we’ve come with a screening of a restored print of this tarnished American classic the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

The film stars Lillian Gish (at right), Mae Marsh, Henry Walthall, and dozens of other silent-era performers. Gish, who died in 1993 at age 99, continued to act in films as late as 1987, when she appeared in ‘The Whales of August.’ Her later work includes an appearance on the TV series ‘The Love Boat’ in 1981.

All movies in the Rogers Centers’s silent film series were popular when first released, but are rarely screened today in a way that allows them to be seen at their best. They were not made to be shown on television; to revive them, organizers aim to show the films at the Rogers Center as they were intended—in top quality restored prints, on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

‘The Birth of a Nation’ will be shown in honor of Martin Luther King Day on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. at the Rogers Center for the Arts, Merrimack College, 315 North Turnpike St., North Andover, Mass. Admission to the screenings is free and the public is welcome. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

CRITIC COMMENTS on ‘THE BIRTH OF A NATION’

“...the film represents how racist a white American could be in 1915 without realizing he was racist at all. That is worth knowing. Blacks already knew that, had known it for a long time, witnessed it painfully again every day, but "The Birth of a Nation" demonstrated it in clear view, and the importance of the film includes the clarity of its demonstration. That it is a mirror of its time is, sadly, one of its values.”
—Roger Ebert, 2003, The Chicago Sun-Times

“If one can put the racial overtones aside, this is quuote probably the most accurate celluloid representation of Civil War times to exist. It was made only 50 years after the Civil War ended, when many people who had actually been through the war were still alive to give first hand accounts.”
—Robert K. Klepper, ‘Silent Films,’ (1999)

“More than a hugely successful spectacle, it was a masterpiece—using Griffith’s trademark cinematic techniques and combinging emotional intensity and epic sweep—but it was a deeply tainted one. Its racism—consciously intended by the filmmaker or not—makes parts of ‘Birth’ extremely difficult to watch today.”
—Peter Kobel, ‘Silent Movies,’ (2007)

Report from 'Arisia 2014' film room: You were expecting a Hunchback?

Okay, back in the silent film saddle after three weeks away from the keyboard bopping around southern India.

First screening was Friday, Jan. 17 at "Arisia," a four-day confab billed as New England's largest sci-fi/fantasy convention. Held each year at the Westin Hotel in Boston, it's one of my favorite events on the calendar because of the luminaries with whom I get to mingle:

I tell ya, the life of a silent film accompanist is just one glamorous encounter after another. That's me on the left.

Each year Arisia features a film room where they run honest-to-goodness actual 16mm film and even some 35mm for the entire four days. When they started this 25 years ago, home video was still in its infancy (VHS still battling Betamax), and so it was still a rare treat to see film of any type outside of a theater.

Well, they've kept running film all this time, and by now what's old is new again: the all-film program is a unique hold-out from an earlier era, and somehow fits quite well into the offerings at a sci fi/fantasy gathering.

And each year they run at least one silent with live music. A few years ago, I was asked to come down to accompany Keaton's 'The General' (1926), and it went well enough for me to be asked back each time.

I'm glad, as it gets me in front of audience that doesn't usually see a lot of silent film, but is open to new things, or maybe things so old they're new again. (See above.) Consider a blurb for this year's convention that ran in the Boston Globe this week:

"Some of the top picks include New England’s largest Masquerade competition, an art show where participants can purchase sci-fi/fantasy art pieces, graceful period dances, a showing of the silent film The Hunchback of Notre Dame accompanied by live organist Jeff Rapsis, and a gender-reversed presentation of Star Trek’s “The Trouble with Tribbles.” There truly is something for everyone."

Rats! I'm sorry I missed that gender-reversed presentation of Star Trek’s “The Trouble with Tribbles.”

Despite the often battered and splicy prints turned up by the film crew, the screenings draw a good crowd and always provoke a lively reaction. Last year, a showing of 'The Lost World' (1925) was highlighted by full-throated cheering by the audience near the end, when the dinosaur gets loose and starts ravaging the streets of London, sowing the seeds for generations of stop-motion action to come.

This year, it was 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923), one of Lon Chaney's iconic roles. Or so I thought.

What we thought we were getting...

This past Friday night, after getting all my gear into the hotel (no easy task, having to dodge guys with giant sabres and courtesans from the future) and outside the film room for the 10 p.m. showing, I found there was a change in plan. The print of 'Hunchback' never arrived! So, at the last minute, an old print of Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' (1925) was to be screened in its place.

...and what we actually got.

Wow! Nothing like a sudden shift of program to help you get over a 10.5-hour time difference. The good news is that no one in the audience of about 40 people seemed to be disappointed when I announced the switch. The bad news is that I had plugged my synthesizer and sound equipment into the same jury-rigged line that fed a pair of colored spotlights at the base of the screen.

So, when the movie (and the music) started, the lights then went down, taking the music down with it. Ooops! So we had to stop while I figured out a better way to set things up. I was a little concerned because the old Korg isn't designed to be powered down by a variable dimmer switch, but it fired right back up again and off we went.

Gotta add that to the list of things to watch out for: don't plug your stuff into something that's going to be shut off while the movie's running. Duh!

But once underway, Chaplin prevailed, even in a dupey old print that left my eyes tired just watching it. It says something for the strength of silent film (and for what Chaplin accomplished in particular) that reaction was strong, even if the film didn't look nearly as good as it should.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to find more time to prepare for screenings, and so I did go through 'Hunchback' prior to the screening. That won't go for naught, as we're running the film later this week, on Thursday, Jan. 23 at the Flying Monkey up in Plymouth.

But if we have to run 'The Gold Rush' up there as well, I'm ready for that, too.

On India's 'Bollywood' blockbusters: A modern form of silent cinema?

Today's Bollywood: Louder than ever, but a cousin to silent cinema.

I've just returned from a trip to southern India, and one of the highlights was seeing the latest Bollywood blockbuster where it's meant to be seen: on the big screen in a movie theater filled with fans.

I know what you're thinking: Bollywood? What's that got to do with silent film?

Turns out quite a lot, actually.

And yes, I didn't "get" Bollywood myself until an earlier visit to India in 2006, when I first saw a Bollywood film in its native environment: in this case, the Raj Mandir, a vintage movie palace about the size of Radio City Music Hall in the western city of Jaipur.

The exterior of the Raj Mandir in Jaipur.

The theater was memorable because it looked like a cross between a Las Vegas casino and the Emerald City from 'The Wizard of Oz.' But film, whose title I can't recall, was entirely forgettable: some light-as-a-feather romantic escapade that ran for more than three hours, including an intermission.

But the experience was unforgettable: a noisy crowd totally into the film, responding and reacting to it with wild abandon, calling friends on cell phones to provide updates on the latest plot twists or dance numbers. Families were sharing entire picnic meals, arguing over who would get the last drumstick.

And just as many have journeyed to India for discovery, I had to go there to "get" Bollywood. And the secret was this: Bollywood offered escape. It was the same kind of escape that Hollywood once offered, via Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, during the depths of the Great Depression. And not to be too hard on India, which remains a developing nation, but if most citizens need anything from its cinema, it's escape.

The over-the-top lobby of the Raj Mandir: escape even in the architecture!

And Bollywood gives it to them: films filled with action, adventure, comedy, romance, improbable fantasy dance numbers, and more, with absurd plots acted out by beautiful people living lives beyond the means of most Bollywood fans. It's the ultimate wish-fulfillment.

Also, Bollywood movies focus on the BIG emotions: Love with a capital L, and Hate, and Revenge, and Joy, and so on. Nothing subtle here. It's a cousin to opera, which is all about the experience of outsized emotions—as is a lot of the best silent film, too.

This time, we were in Bangalore, where there's no equivalent to the "Raj Mandir" movie palace. So a group of friends and I went to the Forum mall, a brand new shopping center that's topped by an 11-screen multiplex on the upper levels.

The Forum Mall in Bangalore: not quite the Raj Mandir, but still a wild sight.

Not knowing what to see, we asked staffers at the hotel and also people in the mall what the big must-see movie was. The answer came back almost unanimously: we had to see 'Dhoom 3,' a mega-blockbuster that had hit theaters just two weeks before.

Not in favor, surprisingly, was our Indian tour guide, Shasha, who called 'Dhoom 3' a "crap movie" and shook his head in disbelief that we'd even consider attending. But he went along with us just the same.

After confirming with the bemused box office clerk that 'Dhoom 3' was the picture to see, we got our assigned-seating tickets (that's the way they do it India) for 200 rupees each, or about $3.30. Quite a bargain! We then went through security, where a theater staffer warned us that the film was in Hindi, not English.

"That's fine," I said. "This is an experiment in the international language of cinema."

"Well, then carry on," he replied.

Another poster for 'Dhoom 3': in Hindi, the word 'Dhoom' means a combination of uproar, noise, and smoke.

And yes, one of the attractions of attending a Bollywood film is that it's not in English. The stories are usually so simple and transparent that you don't need to really understand the dialogue. In fact, somehow keeping all the words abstract allows you fill it in with your own version, which can make things more intense than if you knew the language. And there we are: the power of silent cinema all over again, even when a film does have dialogue.

Weirdly, even though the people in our group bought tickets at different times, all our seats wound up being together, way back in the very last row of the theater. This has happened each time I've seen a Bollywood film in India, so it's definitely a practice to seat foreigners up and out of the way, and I never pondered why until I asked an Indian woman seated next to me on the plane home.

"Oh, they do that for your own protection," she said, which I found hilarious until I remembered that the key villain in 'Dhoom 3' was, yes, a rich American banker who destroys the dreams of innocent Indians, setting the whole revenge plot in motion. Alas, we are the new Nazis.

No such bad vibes were given off, however, as we took our seats in the brand new theater, which looked a lot like a high-end cinema back home: steeply raked seating, plush reclining seats, overall very comfortable. Early arrivees for the 6 p.m. screening of 'Dhoom 3' were treated to a rotating series of ads, some local and some national, and all over the map in terms of quality.

It was a Tuesday night, so the theater was only about half-full when the lights went down, even though 'Dhoom 3' was sweeping the nation and was already the highest-grossing Bollywood epic ever. Surprisingly, the pre-show announcements included a request for patrons to turn off their mobile phones during the show, which seemed to me to go against the whole culture of how movies are seen in India. But there's apparently a solid financial reason to stop phone use: nowaways, phones can be used to tape a new hit movie and are apparently the source of many pirated editions of popular films.

It was also apparent that this theater was not one of those in India that still employ carbon arc projection. (And 'Dhoom 3' seems to have been conceived, shot, and issued purely in digital format, judging by the credits.) Well, so much for old school film technology, which I was kinda hoping to experience. But the image (and sound) could not have been more vivid, I thought.

After some over-the-top coming attractions, 'Dhoom 3' began, and I immediately knew we were in trouble with the opening title, which stated "CHICAGO 1990." Bollywood films can be hilarious enough, but when they're set in the U.S., the unintended comedy quotient can go over the top. An earlier film set in the U.S., 'My Name is Khan' (2010), was probably the funniest film I've seen in a theater since 'Borat' (2006).

'Dhoom 3,' which is indeed set almost entirely in Chicago, did a surprisingly good job of avoiding unintentional hilarity. Some things stuck out, though: Chicago 1990 (seen frequently in flashbacks) looks more like London 1888. The film asks us to believe that the monumental building on Lake Michigan is home to the "Great Indian Circus" rather than the Shedd Aquarium at the Field Museum of Natural History, and that it just stays abandoned for more than two decades. One helping of suspension of disbelief, please!

The Shedd Aquarium fills in as the long-time home of 'The Great Indian Circus' in 'Dhoom 3.'

And yes, many of the walk-on parts of Americans come across as absurdly phoney: an amusement park security guard announces that it's closing time in the most cheerful manner possible. And a final motorcycle chase through downtown Chicago ends suddenly outside of town at...Hoover Dam! Or at least I thought it was Hoover Dam until a quick Web search found it to actually be a dam in Switzerland, where a lot of Bollywood filming takes place because the scenery is so idyllic. (Indeed, what was supposed to the "Chicago Train Station" had rolling stock of the Schweizer Bundesbahn, or the Swiss Federal Railways, on its tracks.)

And we're supposed to believe that the gorgeous blond American cop assigned to help two crimefighters from Mumbai just happens to speak a little Hindi! A second helping, please!

Well, on the other hand, the American setting meant big chunks were actually in English (with Hindi subtitles), making 'Dhoom 3' just a little bit easier to follow. And having the action take place in Chicago did lend the whole thing a special interest that might have been missing if it had been set in insert-nameless-Indian-megalopolis-here.

But 'Dhoom 3' delivered in spades in what you expect from a Bollywood film: action, adventure, romance, comedy—it was clearly in the tradition of "something for everyone," just like the circus that was at the center of the film's plot.

A production still from 'Dhoom 3' taken during one of the kinetic high-speed motorcycle chases through downtown Chicago, complete with fake "Chicago Police" squad car.

Of special note was the soundtrack, which was produced using the new Dolby Atmos system and which was completely overpowering. Yes, it was clearly too loud in some (well many) action sequences and climaxes, but throughout it had a robust bloom to it which was just exciting to behold. It reminded me of how Berlioz used to just revel in the experience of sound: it was such a pleasure to be in the presence of something done so well.

And the reaction? My colleagues, all Bollywood newbies except for our tour guide, were unanimous: 'Dhoom 3' was AWESOME! At intermission and then at the end, we were all drained and giddy by what was a truly cathartic time in the cinema. For days afterwards, everyone was saying it was the surprise highlight of their trip to India, which otherwise was heavy on temples and historic and cultural sites.

Maybe all that make a bit of pop culture stand out all the more. But to me, it served as a powerful reminder of how important it is to experience cinema in a theater with an audience. Silent or not, it's completely different from watching a film on TV by yourself, or on YouTube, or on your cell phone, God help you.

It's almost like some kind of critical mass is necessary for big (and shared) emotions to happen. A theater full of strangers, all responding to something amazing, and by that response, opening up each other to respond more intensely, until we're all part of a collective catharsis.

When it happens, there's nothing like it. And Bollywood films seem to me to have a high batting average. So if you get a chance to see a Bollywood film in its native environment—in a theater with an audience—by all means go.

And now we return to our regularly scheduled blogging about silent film...