Coming up this weekend: Two screenings of 'The Lost World' (1925)

What happens when British literature meets silent film?

You get 'The Lost World' (1925), the ground-breaking adventure film that started Hollywood's long-lasting love affair with larger-than-life creatures.

The film is based on a 1912 story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who seems to have invented the "dinosaurs still living" genre after hearing lectures about expeditions in remote parts of Bolivia by British explorer Percy Harrison Fawcett.

Unhappily, 'The Lost World' nearly became 'The Lost Film,' as for years all we've had are severely truncated excerpts. But happily, in recent times film historians have pieced together a nearly complete version of 'The Lost World' that now gives us a good idea of what the excitement was all about.

And if you'd like to see 'The Lost World' as it was intended to be shown—on the big screen in a theater, with an audience and with music—well, you're in luck.

I'm accompanying 'The Lost World' twice in the next week: first on Thursday, July 3 at the Leavitt Theatre in Oqunquit, Maine, and then again on Sunday, July 6 as part of a double feature at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre.

I've done the film a couple of times before, and it's become one of my favorites because audiences really do respond strongly to it, even after all these years.

Yes, the stop motion animation of the pre-historic creatures is a little primitive by today's standards. But still, it's good enough for you to lose yourself in the story, and so the film still works.

My favorite screening came a few years ago at an annual convention for sci-fi and fantasy enthusiasts in Boston.

The audience was not your usual silent film buffs, but still hard-core into this kind of material. And everyone seemed to appreciate that this version of 'The Lost World' is the direct ancestor of so much beloved cinema to come—everything from 'King Kong' (1933) to Jurassic Park (1993).

So during the film's climax, in which a brontosaurus escapes and causes mayhem, everyone cheered lustily, as if they were present at the birth of an art form. Which they were, in a way.

One thing about 'The Lost World' is that I had no idea how many adaptations have been made since the original. Wallace Beery as Professor Challenger was succeeded by, among others, Claude Rains (1960); Basil Rathbone (1966); John Rhys-Davies (1992); Jonathan Pryce (2000); and even Bob Hoskins (2001).

But none of the adaptations that followed had an actor who really lit up the original: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself!

Yes, among the footage that's been restored is a prologue featuring scenes of the great author at his estate, smiling and apparently more than ready for his close-up.

Hope you can join us for one or the other of these screenings of a great movie. For more info, below is the press release for the Ogunquit screening. The Wilton screening is Sunday, July 6 at 4:30 p.m. and is part of a double feature, paired with 'Tarzan and the Golden Lion' (1927).

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MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info, contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Leavitt Theatre to screen restored 'Lost World' on Thursday, July 3

Ground-breaking first-ever dinosaur movie to be shown with live music

OGUNQUIT, Maine—Before there was 'Jurassic Park' or 'Godzilla' or even 'King Kong,' there was 'The Lost World.' The movie, a blockbuster hit when released in 1925, paved the way for Hollywood's enduring fascination with stories pitting mankind against larger-than-life creatures.

See for yourself when the Leavitt Theatre in downtown Ogunquit screens a restored version of 'The Lost World' for one showing only on Thursday, July 3 at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 per person.

'The Lost World' is the latest in the Leavitt Theatre's summer-long silent film series, which aims to show the best of early cinema the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

Live music for 'The Lost World' will be performed by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer and one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists.

'The Lost World' is a silent fantasy adventure film and an adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 novel of the same name. The movie was produced by First National Pictures, a precourser to Warner Brothers, and stars Wallace Beery as Professor Challenger.

The film was directed by Harry O. Hoyt and featured pioneering stop motion special effects by Willis O'Brien, who would go on to create the effects used to bring 'King Kong' to the screen in 1933.

'The Lost World' tells the tale of a British exploration team that journeys to South America to confirm reports of long-extinct creatures still roaming a remote high plateau deep in the jungle.

The landscape they discover, filled with a wide range of dinosaurs and other fantastic creatures, was enough to astonish movie-goers when 'The Lost World' first hit movie screens in February 1925. Scenes of a brontosaurus on the loose in central London broke new ground in terms of cinema's visual story-telling possibilities.

Early viewers of the film were especially impressed by special effects breakthroughs that allowed live actors to appear simultaneously on-screen with stop motion models of prehistoric creatures. This led to rumors that the filmmakers had actually discovered living prehistoric creatures.

Arthur Conan Doyle's novel and the movie version of 'The Lost World' proved so influential in the dinosaur genre that the title was borrowed by author Michael Crichton for his 1995 novel, and then used by director Steven Spielberg for 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' (1997), the sequel to the original 'Jurassic Park' movie of 1993.

In 1998, the original 'The Lost World' (1925) was deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Despite the film's popularity, only incomplete copies of 'The Lost World' survived from its initial run in the silent era. In recent years, historians have been piecing together 'The Lost World' from fragments found scattered among the world's film archives.

The version to be shown at the Leavitt includes footage from eight different prints. At 93 minutes in length, it's the most complete version of 'The Lost World' available. The edition includes rare footage of Arthur Conan Doyle that has been missing from most prints since the film's original release.

To accompany 'The Lost World,' Rapsis will use a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of the full orchestra. The score is created live in real time as the movie is screened. Rather than focus on authentic music of the period, Rapsis creates new music for silent films that draws from movie scoring techniques that today's audiences expect from the cinema.

The restored 'The Lost World' will be shown on Thursday, July 3 at 8 p.m. at the Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Ogunquit. Admission is $10 per person. For more information, call (207) 646-3123 or visit www.leavittheatre.com. For more information on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Animal series continues on Sunday, June 29 with 'Rex the Wonder Horse' in Wilton, N.H.

Any show involving animals is bound to contain surprises. And our 'Rex the Wonder Horse' double feature will be no exception.

The program, set for Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m. at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre, won't consist solely of horsing around.

No indeed—we have time for a few extra added attractions, as both features are pretty compact. So there's room for a few cinematic treats that I hope audiences will find worthwhile.

Speaking of audiences: our part of the world (New England) has been in the grip of a stretch of absolutely beautiful weather: day after day of sunny skies, warm air, and low humidity. It's like California without—well, California!

And from the forecast, it looks as if this great run will continue at least through the weekend.

Ordinarily, beautiful weather would cut into attendance. But around here, the weather has been just so gosh-darned nice that by showtime next Sunday, people might be coming down with the opposite of cabin fever.

I don't know if such a condition exists. But if it does, I would be the first to prescribe an afternoon in a darkened theater as just the place to recuperate from this overdose of terrific weather.

If you'd like more info about the show, Rex the Wonder Horse, or this summer's "All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza," the text of the press release is pasted in below.

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Rex the Wonder Horse and master of multiple media platforms, too.

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre
continues classic animal film series

Next program on Sunday, June 29 features 'Rex the Wonder Horse' double feature, live music

WILTON, N.H. — Rex the Wonder Horse gallops across the silver screen once again in the next installment of the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's summer series of films starring animals.

On Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m., the amazing horse appears in two action-packed equine adventures. In 'Wild Beauty' (1927), Rex plays an untamed horse used by the villains (humans, of course) to foil a high-stakes derby, with unexpected results. In 'The Devil Horse' (1926), Rex aids pioneers on the Great Plains in battling a fierce tribe of Native Americans.

The double feature is free and open to the public. A donation of $5 per person is suggested to help defray costs.

See for yourself this summer how animal stars helped establish the popularity of motion pictures with the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's summer-long retrospective of the great non-human performers of early cinema.

Dubbed "The All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza," the series runs through August and encompasses a total of 13 silent feature films with animals of all types in the lead roles.

"These animal pictures were hugely popular during the silent era, and it's easy to see why," said Dennis Markaverich, owner/operator at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. "They're full of action and adventure, and it's going to be a real thrill to see them back on the big screen this summer."

Live music for the screenings will be performed by Jeff Rapsis of Bedford, N.H., one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists.

Spotlighted in the June 29 program, Rex the Wonder Horse (also known as "King of the Horses" during his long career) was a 16 hands (64 in; 1.63 m) Morgan stallion who starred in films and film serials in the 1920s and '30s.

His trainer was Jack "Swede" Lindell, who found him in a boys' school in Golden, Colo. He discovered that Rex had the unusual behavior of trying to bite a whip when it was cracked. Lindell encouraged this and would often stand behind the camera to get a dramatic shot on film. Lindell never left Rex alone on set unless he was locked in his own trailer.

Besides well-known stars such as Rex the Wonder Horse, the series will include the work of more obscure performers such as Thunder the Dog, Strongheart (another German Shepherd), and the only surviving film featuring pachyderm Oscar the Elephant. Other pictures feature monkeys, lions, and even dinosaurs.

"At their heart, these pictures capitalized on people's love of animals to produce great entertainment," Markaverich said. "They still work, and really do come to life when shown in a theater with live music and an audience. Also, because of the passage of time, they're perhaps even more interesting today than they were when first released."

The series runs now through August. Upcoming programs include:

• Sunday, July 6, 4:30 p.m.: 'Lions & Dinosaurs Double Feature.' Two classic animal-centric features from the silent era, both inspired by British literature. 'Tarzan and the Golden Lion' (1927), an early screen adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, finds Tarzan adopting an orphaned lion cub, with unexpected results. And Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's epic 'The Lost World' (1925), about an expedition to a plateau still inhabited pre-historic creatures, paved the way for all dinosaur pictures to come.

• Sunday, July 20, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Dynamic Doggie Duo.' Explore the action-packed work of two popular canine stars from Hollywood's silent era. 'Phantom of the Forest' (1926) finds Thunder the Dog in California's wild Redwood country, where he thwarts a crook planning to steal oil-rich land from its owner and saves a baby from a forest fire. In 'The Return of Boston Blackie' (1927), Strongheart the German Shepherd plays sidekick to the famous jewel thief, freshly out of jail and trying to turn over a new leaf.

• Sunday, Aug. 17, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Pair of Pachyderms in Big Roles.' A double feature of films with elephants! 'Soul of the Beast' (1923) stars Oscar the Elephant, who accompanies a circus runaway fleeing a mean stepfather. In 'Chang' (1927), shot on location in rural Siam (now Thailand), a native family in the back country battles the jungle for survival. Chang was nominated for the Academy Award for Unique and Artistic Production at the first Academy Awards in 1929, the only year when that award was presented.

• Sunday, Aug. 31, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Triple Feature Finale.' His Master's Voice' (1925) finds Thunder the Dog helping human co-star George Hackathorne overcome his cowardice on the battlefield; in 'The Return of the Grey Wolf' (1923), Leader the Dog comes to the aid of his master, a fur trapper blinded in an accident; and in 'Guardians of the Wild' (1928), Rex the Wonder Horse returns to help the good guys fight the bad guys over the fate of a pristine patch of wilderness that he calls home.

The "All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza" continues with a double feature of movies featuring equine superstar Rex the Wonder Horse on Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Admission is free, with a donation of $5 per person suggested to help defray expenses.

For more info, call (603) 654-3456 or visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Today's lesson: How mountain climbing and silent film accompaniment don't mix

The rocky summit of Mount Monadnock in southwestern New Hampshire, about a 45-minute drive from the Wilton Town Hall Theatre.

Last Sunday at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre, I accompanied the opening program in a series of silent films that star animals.

But before doing that, I hiked to the summit of Mount Monadnock as part of a friend's 50th birthday celebration.

And guess what? I discovered that there are probably better ways to prepare for accompanying a three-hour double feature than tramping up and down a 3,165-foot peak right before.

For one thing, I didn't have a chance to shower prior to the screening. So even though I changed into my "concert" outfit, I was feeling pretty grungy, covered in dry sweat, sunscreen, and insect repellent.

Yes, both Rin Tin Tin films took place in the great outdoors, but feeling (and smelling) like I was still on the trail didn't help me much with the accompaniment.

Rin Tin Tin on set with frequent silent co-star June Marlowe.

But there's more! The hike was followed by a birthday celebration featuring hand-made specialty pizzas. These were cooked in a wood-fired outdoor stove at a friend's nearby lakeside home.

I had to make an early departure from the post-hike party due to the screening, so I scarfed my share of the pizza, which was fantastic.

But then, about an hour into the screening, I couldn't help but notice that a layer of fresh oil was now being added to the other stuff coating my skin.

This didn't help. Between the dirt and the sweat and now the grease, I felt more like a stoker in a steamship's boiler room than a silent film accompanist.

But this begs the question: is there much difference anyway?

Still, I'm pleased to report that our opening "animal" program went over really well. Turnout was pretty good for a sunny Father's Day: about 80 people altogether.

A double feature of Rin Tin Tin flicks, 'The Night Cry' (1923) and 'The Night Cry' (1926), kept the audience engaged. Although the films were in rough shape, Rinty earned some cheers for his feats of derring-do in both films.

Looking ahead, the general trend will be towards obscurity. Upcoming performers include such little-known names as Thunder the Dog and Oscar the Elephant. But I hope Rin Tin Tin was enough to spark interest in what's to come.

After all, exhibitors called him "the mortgage lifter" for good reason.

Otherwise, things are a little quiet now, with just a handful of screenings until after the 4th of July holiday. The schedule roars to life after that, however, with shows in four states in the first half of July.

For now, here's the press release about our next "animal" show in Wilton, which features Rex the Wonder Horse. Hope you can join us!

* * *

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre continues classic animal film series

Next program on Sunday, June 29 features
'Rex the Wonder Horse' double feature, live music

WILTON, N.H. — Rex the Wonder Horse gallops across the silver screen once again in the next installment of the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's summer series of films starring animals.

On Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m., the amazing horse appears in two action-packed equine adventures. In 'Wild Beauty' (1927), Rex plays an untamed horse used by the villains (humans, of course) to foil a high-stakes derby, with unexpected results. In 'The Devil Horse' (1926), Rex aids pioneers on the Great Plains in battling a fierce tribe of Native Americans.

The double feature is free and open to the public. A donation of $5 per person is suggested to help defray costs.

See for yourself this summer how animal stars helped establish the popularity of motion pictures with the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's summer-long retrospective of the great non-human performers of early cinema.

Dubbed "The All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza," the series runs through August and encompasses a total of 13 silent feature films with animals of all types in the lead roles.

"These animal pictures were hugely popular during the silent era, and it's easy to see why," said Dennis Markaverich, owner/operator at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. "They're full of action and adventure, and it's going to be a real thrill to see them back on the big screen this summer."

Live music for the screenings will be performed by Jeff Rapsis of Bedford, N.H., one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists.

Spotlighted in the June 29 program, Rex the Wonder Horse (also known as "King of the Horses" during his long career) was a 16 hands (64 in; 1.63 m) Morgan stallion who starred in films and film serials in the 1920s and '30s.

His trainer was Jack "Swede" Lindell, who found him in a boys' school in Golden, Colo. He discovered that Rex had the unusual behavior of trying to bite a whip when it was cracked. Lindell encouraged this and would often stand behind the camera to get a dramatic shot on film. Lindell never left Rex alone on set unless he was locked in his own trailer.

Besides well-known stars such as Rex the Wonder Horse, the series will include the work of more obscure performers such as Thunder the Dog, Strongheart (another German Shepherd), and the only surviving film featuring pachyderm Oscar the Elephant. Other pictures feature monkeys, lions, and even dinosaurs.

"At their heart, these pictures capitalized on people's love of animals to produce great entertainment," Markaverich said. "They still work, and really do come to life when shown in a theater with live music and an audience. Also, because of the passage of time, they're perhaps even more interesting today than they were when first released."

The series runs now through August. Upcoming programs include:

• Sunday, July 6, 4:30 p.m.: 'Lions & Dinosaurs Double Feature.' Two classic animal-centric features from the silent era, both inspired by British literature. 'Tarzan and the Golden Lion' (1927), an early screen adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, finds Tarzan adopting an orphaned lion cub, with unexpected results. And Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's epic 'The Lost World' (1925), about an expedition to a plateau still inhabited pre-historic creatures, paved the way for all dinosaur pictures to come.

• Sunday, July 20, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Dynamic Doggie Duo.' Explore the action-packed work of two popular canine stars from Hollywood's silent era. 'Phantom of the Forest' (1926) finds Thunder the Dog in California's wild Redwood country, where he thwarts a crook planning to steal oil-rich land from its owner and saves a baby from a forest fire. In 'The Return of Boston Blackie' (1927), Strongheart the German Shepherd plays sidekick to the famous jewel thief, freshly out of jail and trying to turn over a new leaf.

• Sunday, Aug. 17, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Pair of Pachyderms in Big Roles.' A double feature of films with elephants! 'Soul of the Beast' (1923) stars Oscar the Elephant, who accompanies a circus runaway fleeing a mean stepfather. In 'Chang' (1927), shot on location in rural Siam (now Thailand), a native family in the back country battles the jungle for survival. Chang was nominated for the Academy Award for Unique and Artistic Production at the first Academy Awards in 1929, the only year when that award was presented.

• Sunday, Aug. 31, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Triple Feature Finale.' His Master's Voice' (1925) finds Thunder the Dog helping human co-star George Hackathorne overcome his cowardice on the battlefield; in 'The Return of the Grey Wolf' (1923), Leader the Dog comes to the aid of his master, a fur trapper blinded in an accident; and in 'Guardians of the Wild' (1928), Rex the Wonder Horse returns to help the good guys fight the bad guys over the fate of a pristine patch of wilderness that he calls home.

The "All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza" continues with a double feature of movies featuring equine superstar Rex the Wonder Horse on Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Admission is free, with a donation of $5 per person suggested to help defray expenses.

For more info, call (603) 654-3456 or visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Silent screen animal magnetism: 'Rin Tin Tin' in Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, June 15

Rin Tin Tin is accused of killing sheep in 'The Night Cry' (1926).

I'm in the midst of a four-day silent film accompaniment mini-marathon, with screenings each day in four different locations.

The climax comes on Sunday, June 15, when we launch our 'All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza' at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre.

This three-month series of pictures starring animals open with a pair of crackerjack Rin Tin Tin features: 'Where the North Begins' (1923) and 'The Night Cry' (1926).

These are great films for audience reaction. I've just looked at 'The Night Cry,' which I wasn't familiar with, and you can see why these films were so popular.

So I encourage everyone to attend, with one caution.

Many of these pictures (including the two we're showing on Sunday) contain scenes of violence, gun play, and more. So parents with very young or sensitive children should be aware.

I think most kids (and adults, too) who might be bothered by such things should be fine if they're told in advance, and if they're reminded it's only a movie.

More info about the series and the Rin Tin Tin films is below.

Tonight I make the trek to Brandon, Vt., where we're doing a program of Harold Lloyd films.

And then it's back to New Hampshire, where I'm hiking up Mount Monadnock on Sunday prior to the animal films in Wilton. I figger that'll help get me in the mood.

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Rin Tin Tin in a quiet moment on set with frequent co-star June Marlowe.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre to run classic animal movie series this summer

Opening program on Sunday, June 15 features
'Rin Tin Tin' double feature with live music

WILTON, N.H. — They couldn't speak, but that was no handicap in the silent film era.

They were the great animal stars of early Hollywood: amazing dogs, horses, and monkeys who became as popular as any human performer when the movies were young.

See for yourself this summer how animal stars helped establish the popularity of motion pictures with the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's summer-long retrospective of the great non-human performers of early cinema.

Dubbed "The All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza," the series runs from June through August and encompasses a total of 13 silent feature films with animals of all types in the lead roles.

The series launches on Sunday, June 15 with a double feature of action films starring Rin Tin Tin, the German Shepherd who became the most popular animal star of the silent film era.

Often known as "Rinty," the dog starred in more than a dozen feature films in the 1920s, playing a large part in building the Warner Bros. studio into the powerhouse that it remains today.

'Where the North Begins' (1923), Rinty's first starring vehicle, finds our canine hero raised by a pack of wolves, befriending a fur trapper, and accused of killing a baby before all is made right.

In 'The Night Cry' (1926), a giant condor is killing sheep and Rinty is unjustly accused. Can he clear his name and save the farm at the same time?

"These animal pictures were hugely popular during the silent era, and it's easy to see why," said Dennis Markaverich, owner/operator at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. "They're full of action and adventure, and it's going to be a real thrill to see them back on the big screen this summer."

Live music for the June 15 opening and all subsequent screenings will be performed by Jeff Rapsis of Bedford, N.H., one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists.

All shows will be free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5 per person to help defray expenses.

Besides well-known stars such as Rin Tin Tin, the series will include the work of more obscure performers such as Thunder the Dog, Strongheart (another German Shepherd), and the only surviving film featuring pachyderm star Oscar the Elephant. Other pictures feature monkeys, lions, and even dinosaurs.

"At their heart, these pictures capitalized on people's love of animals to produce great entertainment," Rapsis said. "They still work, and really do come to life when shown in a theater with live music and an audience. Also, because of the passage of time, they're perhaps even more interesting today than they were when first released."

The films will be shown during June, July, and August. Upcoming programs include:

• Sunday, June 29, 4:30 p.m.: 'Ride with Rex the Wonder Horse.' Two action-packed equine adventures starring Rex the Wonder Horse. In 'Wild Beauty' (1926), Rex plays an untamed horse used by the villains (humans, of course) to foil a high-stakes derby, with unexpected results. In 'The Devil Horse' (1926), Rex aids pioneers on the Great Plains in battling a fierce tribe of Native Americans.

• Sunday, July 6, 4:30 p.m.: 'Lions & Dinosaurs Double Feature.' Two classic animal-centric features from the silent era, both inspired by British literature. 'Tarzan and the Golden Lion' (1927), an early screen adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, finds Tarzan adopting an orphaned lion cub, with unexpected results. And Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's epic 'The Lost World' (1925), about an expedition to a plateau still inhabited pre-historic creatures, paved the way for all dinosaur pictures to come.

• Sunday, July 20, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Dynamic Doggie Duo.' Explore the action-packed work of two popular canine stars from Hollywood's silent era. 'Phantom of the Forest' (1926) finds Thunder the Dog in California's wild Redwood country, where he thwarts a crook planning to steal oil-rich land from its owner and saves a baby from a forest fire. In 'The Return of Boston Blackie' (1927), Strongheart the German Shepherd plays sidekick to the famous jewel thief, freshly out of jail and trying to turn over a new leaf.

• Sunday, Aug. 17, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Pair of Pachyderms in Big Roles.' A double feature of films with elephants! 'Soul of the Beast' (1923) stars Oscar the Elephant, who accompanies a circus runaway fleeing a mean stepfather. In 'Chang' (1927), shot on location in rural Siam (now Thailand), a native family in the back country battles the jungle for survival. Chang was nominated for the Academy Award for Unique and Artistic Production at the first Academy Awards in 1929, the only year when that award was presented.

• Sunday, Aug. 31, 4:30 p.m.: 'A Triple Feature Finale.' His Master's Voice' (1925) finds Thunder the Dog helping human co-star George Hackathorne overcome his cowardice on the battlefield; in 'The Return of the Grey Wolf' (1923), Leader the Dog comes to the aid of his master, a fur trapper blinded in an accident; and in 'Guardians of the Wild' (1928), Rex the Wonder Horse returns to help the good guys fight the bad guys over the fate of a pristine patch of wilderness that he calls home.

The "All-Star Animal Summer Silent Film Extravaganza" begins with a double feature of movies featuring canine superstar Rin Tin Tin on Sunday, June 15 at 4:30 p.m at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Admission is free, with a donation of $5 per person suggested to help defray expenses. For more info, call (603) 654-3456 or visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Updating the era of railroad dominance to understand John Ford's 'The Iron Horse' (1924)

Tonight we're screening a great silent, 'The Iron Horse' (1924), at 7 p.m. at Red River Theatres in downtown Concord, N.H.

Directed by a young John Ford, the film depicts the building of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. It's notable for many reasons, not the least of which is its amazing location photography.

Because most Americans today do not use railroads for travel, a film such as the 'Iron Horse' is unlikely to connect with contemporary audiences the same way it would have at the time of its original release. In the 1920s, everyone travelled by train.

So how to make up for that? In introducing the film, I plan to point out that a good way to look at 'The Iron Horse' is that when it was released, the completion of the transcontinental railroad was only about a half-century in the past, or within memory of a lot of people still around.

Here was this amazing era-defining accomplishment that helped shape so much of American life and society, and yet there were people around who had been born before it had been created.

How can we relate to this today? Well, today the function of our passenger rail network has largely been taken over by the Interstate Highway System. And isn't it convenient that the Interstate system was created in 1956, which is almost precisely as far in our rear-view mirror as the transcontinental railroad was in the 1920s?

So to understand the impact of 'The Iron Horse' on its original audiences, you need to not only remember how new movies were, but you also have to allow for how prevalent railroads were in everyone's lives back then. And to do that, you might try imagining a film celebrating the heroic construction of...(drum roll, please)...the Interstate Highway System!

And this raises the question: Who's going to play Dwight D. Eisenhower?

One more thought about 'The Iron Horse.' Silent films being a niche activity, I'm willing to consider any avenue to get an audience. So for this train-related picture, I posted a notice on a local railfan bulletin board. You'll find it listed someone down the roster of topics. As of now, the post has had 183 views.

I don't know if this will get any attendees from the world of "foamers." (That's the term for railfans used by actual railroad employees, and refers to the tendency to foam at the mouth in the presence of a train.) But I was amused by the registration process to post on the board, which required you to prove your expertise.

How? In order to gain access to the railfan bulletin board, you needed to know the train-related character who was once used to promote the popular "Good & Plenty" candy!

I knew it, hence my ability to post. Do you?

I'll give the answer at tonight's screening, so there's another incentive to make the trek. In the meantime, for more info, here's the text of the press release. Hope to see you there!

* * *

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

John Ford's 'The Iron Horse’ to be screened with live music on Friday, June 13 at Concord's Red River Theatres

Construction of transcontinental railroad is setting
for legendary director's groundbreaking silent film epic

CONCORD, N.H.—The battle to complete the transcontinental railroad provides the setting for 'The Iron Horse,' a John Ford-directed silent film epic that mixes history and fiction.

Shot in the wide open spaces of New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, 'The Iron Horse' set new standards for location photography and was a huge hit for Fox Studios when released in 1924.

'The Iron Horse' will be screened with live music on Friday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at Red River Theaters, 11 South Main St., Concord, N.H. Tickets are $10 per person.

Though based on actual historical events, 'The Iron Horse' weaves fictional story lines into the massive effort to build a railroad across the West, linking California with the rest of the nation.

The project, authorized by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 at the height of the Civil War, was not completed until 1869 with the driving of the Golden Spike in Utah.

Although only a half-century in the past when 'The Iron Horse' was made, the completion of the transcontinental railroad had already taken on a mythic status as part of the nation's story.

The film's narratives includes appearances by iconic historical figures such as Lincoln, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok.

Director John Ford was just 31, but already a veteran of 35 features and dozens more two-reelers, many of them westerns, when he lobbied William Fox to helm 'The Iron Horse.'

George O'Brien and Madge Bellamy in 'The Iron Horse.' O'Brien is the one in the saddle.

For the leading role of Davy Brandon, Ford cast an unknown. George O'Brien had been a stuntman, extra, and camera assistant when Ford, impressed by his screen tests and his pluck, cast him over the studio's reservations.

'The Iron Horse' made O'Brien a western star and his subsequent career included many more Ford films as well as the lead in F.W. Murnau's masterpiece 'Sunrise' (1927).

The female lead was played by Madge Bellamy, a major leading actress of the silent film era.

Taking advantage of the movie camera's flexibility, Ford and his crew shot the film on location in New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona. Locations were chosen for wide open spaces and dramatic landscapes.

The production battled snow constantly, and the shooting day often began with the entire company shoveling and sweeping the snow off the streets of the sets.

To add authenticity, Ford brought in real Native Americans to play the "Indians" (they also doubled as Chinese laborers for a few shots) and hired local cowboys for the riding scenes and stunts.

The film opened to rave reviews and became one of Fox's biggest hits of the silent era, earning over $2 million on a negative cost of $250,000.

John Ford's first American epic is about the nation's physical and symbolic unification in the wake of the Civil War. It is, in many ways, the birth of Ford's essential themes: the meeting of cultures (the Irish, the Italian, and in a rather token way, the Chinese laborers of the West Coast), the sprouting of civilization (at least as defined by the American settlers) in the wilderness, and the building of a community in a shared purpose.

The frontier towns that spring up like desert weeds and pull up roots to follow the construction crews are pockets of both wild anarchy and native justice, and Ford's location shooting set the human drama against the magnificent Western landscapes.

The screening at Red River is a chance to experience 'The Iron Horse' as it was intended to be seen: in a high quality print on the big screen, with live music and with an audience.

'The Iron Horse' will be screened with live music performed by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

Rapsis, who uses original themes to improvise silent film scores, said silent film dramas such as 'The Iron Horse' focused on big and universal human emotions such as Love, Despair, Anger, and Joy.

Because of this, audiences continue to respond to them today, especially if they're presented as intended — with a live audience and live music.

"Dramas such as 'The Iron Horse' were created to be shown on the big screen as a communal experience," Rapsis said. "With an audience and live music, they can give audiences today a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

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.

Upcoming events in Red River's silent film program include:

• Friday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m.: 'The Last Command' (1928). Emil Jannings snagged the first-ever Best Actor Academy Award for his towering portrayal of a Czarist general and patriot forced to contend with the Russian Revolution in this sweeping late silent drama directed by Josef von Sternberg. One of early Hollywood's most creative and challenging looks at World War I.

• Friday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.: 'Nosferatu' (1922). Celebrate Halloween by experiencing the original silent film adaptation of Bram Stoker's famous 'Dracula' story. Still scary after all these years—in fact, some critics believe this version is not only the best ever done, but has actually become creepier with the passage of time.

• Friday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.: 'Charlie Chaplin Comedy Night.' Spend part of Thanksgiving weekend with the Little Tramp on the 100th anniversary of his first screen appearances. The whole family will enjoy restored prints of some of Chaplin's most popular comedies shown the way they were intended: on the big screen, with live music, and an audience.

'The Iron Horse' will be shown on Friday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at Red River Theatres, 11 South Main St., Concord, N.H. Admission is $10 per person; for more info, call (603) 224-4600 or visit www.redrivertheatres.org. For more information about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Thoughts on 'The Navigator': Cannibals, racism, and laughter

Buster boils an egg in 'The Navigator.'

Something not so funny happened at our screening of Buster Keaton's great comedy 'The Navigator' this past Sunday.

The film reaches a climax when Buster and his lady friend, stranded alone on a drifting ocean liner, run aground on a tropical-looking island.

Through a pair of binoculars, they see the place is not deserted, but swarming with what Keaton somehow immediately identifies as cannibals. "We're safer on the boat," he says.

But the boat is now sinking, leading to further adventures, both on deck and underwater, as Buster matches wits with the primitive island people, who are depicted with all the subtlety of cartoon boogeymen.

Most of this was missed by at least one member of the audience--a woman who was so offended by this unexpected blast of vintage racism that she left the theater and escaped to the lobby.

Wow! I only found out about this afterwards, when she approached me to discuss her reaction. We had a nice chat, actually, about the challenges of presenting films from an era when different ideas about so many things held sway, including race.

Her point was an interesting one: the racism was bad, but what really offended her was that so many people around her didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. (In fact, they were laughing, which is what Buster intended.)

Anyway, she asked that we provide some kind of disclaimer prior to screenings at the Somerville Theatre, where we're doing a monthly series. I didn't object, saying that those of us who are marinated in silent film sometimes lose track of how old-time racism can come across to newbies unprepared for it.

But at the same time, I don't want to go overboard (hey, a pun!) with political correctness. Buster Keaton's films need no apologies from me or anyone. If you can't accept the obvious fact that they're a product of their times, then don't watch. But don't fault others for accepting the movies on their own terms, or actually enjoying them.

It's not like this hasn't come up before. Check out this post about 'The Birth of a Nation,' a veritable powder keg of on-screen racism. But it's a film still worth watching today, a century after its release, in part because it shows how pervasive racism was, and how accepted it was by so many in American society of the time.

And this makes a larger point: as the years pass, films from the silent era can gather layers of meaning and interest that their makers never intended. That's one reason I think people will continue to come back to these movies, even as time marches on. (Another is how they're open to new music, but that's a whole other topic.)

Speaking of cannibals (what a great transition!), a guy who attended Sunday's screening of 'The Navigator' uncovered something in the movie that I'd never heard before.

After the show, I got this e-mail from Vincent Recca:

My son and I spoke with you briefly after the screening of 'The Navigator' and I overheard someone ask if the cannibal chief was played by the same actor as the chief in 'King Kong'. In reading up on 'The Navigator' today, I happened across the answer:

http://www.tcm.com/this-month/movie-news.html?id=504149

It seems possible that Rollo's fight with the invading cannibals inspired a memorable scene in Walt Disney's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' Some of Keaton's films use racial stereotypes in gags that aren't malicious yet haven't aged well. In 'The Navigator,' Keaton presents an entire black tribe without resorting to 'darkie' humor. The cannibal king is played by Noble Johnson, a noted friend and associate of both Keaton and Lon Chaney. A decade later Johnson portrayed the imposing native chief in 'King Kong.'

So the tribe leader in 'The Navigator' was the same guy who played the head chief in 'King Kong.' And I always thought if you've seen one cannibal, you've seen them all.

Oops! There I go again!

Reasons you should see 'The Navigator' on Sunday, June 8 at the Someville Theater

Starting with zero, we count the reasons to see 'The Navigator.'

Okay, 10 reasons to see Buster Keaton's 'The Navigator' (1924) on Sunday, June 8 at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

1. Showtime is at 2 p.m., which means you have the whole morning for church, and you'll still be out in time to enjoy the remainder of Sunday afternoon and evening.

2. It's being shown in 35mm, the native format for silent film. With the recent conversion to digital formats, it's not going to be easy to see any film in 35mm in the years to come. Silent film will be especially hard to come by in 35mm: not just the prints, but the knowledge and skill and equipment needed to project it properly in a large theater. All of this you get with the Somerville's show.

3. It's a great example of 'found' comedy. Buster and his crew started with getting use of the ocean liner first, almost by accident, and went from there. They created a story (and all the gags with it) around the ship, so 'The Navigator' has a wonderfully organic feel to it. Sequence after sequence comes clearly from what Buster and his team found on board The Buford.

4. Speaking of The Buford: the ship used in 'The Navigator' is an interesting piece of history all by itself. Prior to becoming Keaton's biggest prop, it was used by the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Labor to deport 249 non-citizens (including activist Emma Goldman) to Russia from the United States because of their alleged anarchist or syndicalist political beliefs.

5. 'The Navigator' contains some underwater sequences that are, well, groundbreaking. To get them, Keaton went up to Lake Tahoe, where the water is clear but freezing cold, and shot footage around a mock-up of the ship's exterior. It's clearly Keaton in the bulky diving suit, and his ability to get laughs while even under the most rigorous and demanding physical conditions is really something to see.

6. The program includes two rarely seen Keaton short comedies, both in 35mm. One is 'Convict 13,' which takes Buster from the golf course to a grim prison camp; the other is 'The Electric House,' in which Keaton gets to indulge in his passion for gadgetry. Both are full of Keaton's unique brand of physical comedy and are great warm-ups for 'The Navigator.'

7. The musical accompaniment is live and made up right there on the spot. I sometimes neglect to play up this angle because the main focus should be on the film, which the music should support. But the improv element really does add a certain freshness and immediacy to a silent film screening that makes it different from other movie-going experiences.

8. You just have to see Buster in his old-school deep-sea diving gear.

9. The Somerville Theatre sells beer and liquor. The fine print: "You must have a valid Massachusetts I.D. or U.S. Passport in order to purchase beer or wine."

10. 'The Navigator' is funny. Really. But it's only really as funny as it ought to be when seen on the big screen, and with live music, and with a live audience, as it was intended to be shown. See for yourself by joining us on Sunday, June 8 for this screening at the Somerville Theatre.

If you'd like more info, the press release is below. Hope to see you at 'The Navigator,' and at all the upcoming films that make up the Somerville Theatre's 'Silents, Please!' series.

* * *

Buster tries boiling an egg in 'The Navigator' (1924).

SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Classic silent comedy ‘The Navigator’ (1924)
in Somerville (Ma.) on Sunday, June 8

Buster Keaton's nautical masterpiece to be screened
in 35mm with live music at Somerville Theatre

SOMERVILLE, Mass.—He never smiled on camera, earning him the nickname of "the Great Stone Face." But Buster Keaton's comedies rocked Hollywood's silent era with laughter throughout the 1920s. Acclaimed for their originality and clever visual gags, and also admired for their authentic location shots and amazing stunts, Keaton's films remain popular crowd-pleasers today.

See for yourself with a screening of 'The Navigator' (1924), one of Keaton's landmark feature films, at the historic Somerville Theatre on Sunday, June 8 at 2 p.m. The program, which launches a monthly series at the Somerville dubbed 'Silents Please,' will be accompanied by live music performed by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is $15 per person, $12 students/seniors.

The Somerville Theatre, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, continues to screen revival films in their native 35mm format whenever possible.

'The Navigator' follows the adventures of wealthy nitwit Rollo Treadway (Keaton) and his pampered girlfriend, who find themselves adrift alone on a massive ocean liner. Forced to fend for themselves without servants, the pair attempt to cope with day-to-day life, creating classic comedy in the process.

But when the ship runs aground on a remote island inhabited by cannibals, is Buster's resourcefulness enough to save the day?

Filmed at sea on a real ocean liner that Keaton turned into the largest prop in comedy history, 'The Navigator' has been hailed as one of the most original and distinctive movies to come out of silent film's golden era of comedy. The film was highlighted by underwater scenes, with Keaton in an oversized antique diving suit, that were revolutionary at the time.

The program also includes two of Keaton's short comedies, both from 35mm prints: 'Convict 13' and 'The Electric House.'

Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician who accompanies shows at venues across New England, said Keaton's films weren't intended to be shown on television or viewed at home.

In reviving 'The Navigator,' the Somerville Theatre aims to show silent film as it was meant to be seen—in high quality prints, on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"All those elements are important parts of the silent film experience," said Rapsis. "Recreate those conditions, and classics of early Hollywood such as 'The Navigator' leap back to life in ways that audiences still find hugely entertaining."

Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra, creating a traditional "movie score" sound. He improvises the complete score in real time during the screening

"What I do is something of a high wire act—kind of like 'Who's Line Is It Anyway' for film scoring," Rapsis said. "But it definitely creates a one-of-a-kind spontaneity that reflects the energy of the film as well as the audience's reaction to it."

Keaton, along with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, stands today as one of the silent screen's three great clowns. Some critics regard Keaton as the best of all; Roger Ebert wrote in 2002 that "in an extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, (Keaton) worked without interruption on a series of films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies."

As a performer, Keaton was uniquely suited to the demands of silent comedy. Born in 1895, he made his stage debut as a toddler, joining his family's knockabout vaudeville act and learning to take falls and do acrobatic stunts at an early age.

A remarkable pantomime artist, Keaton naturally used his whole body to communicate emotions from sadness to surprise. And in an era with no post-production special effects, Keaton's acrobatic talents enabled him to perform all his own stunts, including some spectacular examples in 'The Navigator.'

'The Navigator' marks the restart of the Somerville's monthly program of screening silent films in 35mm with live music. Dubbed 'Silents, Please!', the series aims to help audiences understand why people first fell in love with the movies.

"It's a real pleasure to put these pictures on the big screen so that they can be seen as intended," said Ian Judge, the Somerville's manager. "People who've never experienced silent film like this are surpised at how well they work when you put all the elements back together."

Following 'The Navigator' (1924) on Sunday, June 8 at 2 p.m., the Somerville has scheduled the following silent films to be shown in 35mm in the venue's main theater. All will be screened with live music by Jeff Rapsis.

• Sunday, July 13, 2 p.m.: 'Orphans of the Storm' (1921) starring Lillian and Dorothy Gish. Pay tribute to Bastille Day with D.W. Griffith's silent blockbuster set during the French Revolution. The story: Country girl Lillian Gish accompanies her blind sister Dorothy to Paris for an operation to restore her sight. Separated and then swept up in events beyond their control, they each must fight to survive amidst chaos that threatens to destroy the nation.

• Sunday, Aug. 10, 2 p.m.: 'Chaplin Short Comedies' starring Charlie Chaplin. Program includes 'A Dog's Life' (1918), 'Shoulder Arms' (1918), and others. Spend an afternoon with the Little Tramp on the 100th anniversary of his first screen appearances. The whole family will enjoy restored prints of some of Chaplin's most popular comedies.

• Sunday, Sept. 14, 2 p.m.: 'The Kid Brother' (1927) starring Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston. Often cited as Lloyd's masterpiece, this ambitious silent film comedy/drama tells the story of Harold Hickory, youngest son of a powerful rural sheriff. When his father is unjustly jailed, Harold is forced to prove himself and clear his father's name.

• Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m.: 'The Crowd' (1928). Director King Vidor's intense drama about the life of an everyman who aims high, but life has other ideas. Released by MGM near the end of the silent era, and filled with iconic scenes showing the eloquence of silent film at its most fluent.

• Sunday, Nov. 16, 2 p.m.: 'The Strong Man' (1926) starring Harry Langdon. With World War I over, baby-faced soldier Harry Langdon searches for the girl who sent such moving letters to him in the trenches. Directed by a very young Frank Capra, 'The Strong Man' is today hailed as Langdon's best feature, and also one of the greatest comedies of the silent film era.

'The Navigator' (1924) starring Buster Keaton will be screened in 35mm with live music on Sunday, June 8 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theater, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Admission is $15 adults, $12 students/seniors; general admission seating. For more information, call (617) 625-5700 or visit http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com.

For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Critic comments on 'The Navigator':

"The Navigator looks and feels like it could be one of today's summer mega-blockbusters. It has a great, simple premise that includes the destroying of a huge set. It's endlessly imaginative, funny, inventive, etc. It's one of the greatest movies I have ever seen."
—Jeffrey Anderson, Combustible Celluloid, 2001

"His comic timing is brilliant. He says more in his face than most actors today do with their face and voices. It's a very funny story with dozens of very memorable comic scenes. A true classic."
—James Higgins, Turner Classic Movies, 2011