Celebrate Canada with silent double feature with Clara Bow, Thomas Meighan on 7/9 at Somerville

A trade ad promoting 'The Canadian' (1926) to exhibitors.

Half-time!

Believe it or not, we're approaching the halfway mark on 2023.

The summer solstice has already come and gone. The 4th of July isn't far behind. 

Before you know it, we'll be stuffing turkeys and shopping for Christmas presents.

Well, before that can happen, there's a lot of silent film to watch—and to accompany!

After a little half-time break from performing, next up for me will be an unusual 'Salute to Canada' double feature at the Somerville Theater down in Somerville, Mass.

What's the occasion? Well, July 1 is Canada Day, roughly the equivalent of Independence Day (July 4) here in the U.S.

And we knew of not one but two 35mm prints of silent features set in Canada that our friends at the Library of Congress would let us borrow if we asked very, very nicely. 

And so, as they would say in Quebec, "Voila!" 

Calling all Canadians as we salute our fine neighbor to the north. Not sure if the theater will sell maple syrup products at the concession stand, but we will invite Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau to put in an appearance. 

For lots more info, check out the press release below. See you on the other side—at the Somerville on Sunday, July 9 for Clara Bow in 'Mantrap' (1926) and Thomas Meighan in 'The Canadian' (1926).

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Clara Bow on the hunt, in a manner of speaking, in 'Mantrap' (1926).

MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info, contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Head north! Clara Bow, Thomas Meighan star 'Salute to Canada' vintage double feature at Somerville Theatre

Classic battle-of-the-sex comedy 'Mantrap' plus outdoorsy drama 'The Canadian' (1926) to be shown in 35mm with live music on Sunday, July 9

SOMERVILLE, Mass.—Once early Hollywood learned the value of shooting on location, it wasn't long before filmmakers ventured north to Canada, where they found some of the world's most spectacular outdoor settings.

See for yourself with a special 'Salute to Canada' double feature of two early silent-era films set north of the border on Sunday, July 9 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.'

First up at 2 p.m. is 'Mantrap' (1926), in which  silent-era "It" girl Clara Bow stars in a battle-of-the-sexes comedy about a big city divorce lawyer hoping to get away from it all at a Canadian wilderness retreat.

Thomas Meighan and Mona Palma in a vintage still from 'The Canadian' (1926).

Then, at 3:40 p.m., it's 'The Canadian' (1926), a drama starring Thomas Meighan in the tale of a pioneering couple homesteading in Alberta, where they battle bad weather and financial woes.

Tickets for the double feature are $20; tickets for one film only are $16; seniors/children $12.

Both films will be screened with live music by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in accompanying silent films.

The movies will be shown via 35mm film prints on loan from the Library of Congress.

The Somerville Theatre's on-screen salute to Canada was inspired in part by Canada Day on July 1, which celebrates the anniversary of the Canadian Confederation established on July 1, 1867

"Seeing both these films today, on the big screen and with live music, is a great way to appreciate silent film's timeless ability to connect with audiences," said Ian Judge, the Somerville Theatre's creative director and general manager.

In reviving the two Canadian-set movies, the Somerville Theatre aims to show silent film as it was meant to be seen—in restored prints, on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"All those elements are important parts of the silent film experience," said Jeff Rapsis, who will accompany the film. "Recreate those conditions, and classics of early Hollywood leap back to life in ways that audiences still find 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.

"Creating a movie score on the fly is kind of a high-wire act, but it can often make for more excitement than if everything is planned out in advance," Rapsis said.

The Somerville Theatre's ongoing 'Silents, Please!' schedule features a broad range of titles, from well-known classics to obscure films rarely seen since their release, which in some cases was more than a century ago.

All films in the series will be shown using 35mm prints, with most on loan from the U.S. Library of Congress.

A roster of upcoming films in the 'Silents, Please!' series includes:

• Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, 2 p.m.: 'The Fire Brigade' (1926). MGM’s blockbuster production stars Charles Ray as the youngest in a long line of fearless Irish American firefighters. Things get complicated when he falls in love with the daughter (May McEvoy) of a crooked building contractor. Spectacular fire sequences with hand-colored effects included in this recent Library of Congress restoration.

• Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023, 2 p.m.: 'The Big Parade' (1925) starring John Gilbert, Renée Adoree. We salute Veterans Day with this sweeping saga about U.S. doughboys signing up and shipping off to France in 1917, where they face experiences that will change their lives forever—if they return. MGM blockbuster directed by King Vidor; one of the biggest box office triumphs of the silent era.

'Mantrap' (1926), a battle-of-the-sexes silent comedy starring Clara Bow, will be shown on Sunday, July 9 at 2 p.m., followed by Thomas Meighan in 'The Canadian' (1926) at 3:40 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Both films will be shown in 35mm with live music.

Tickets for the double feature are $20; tickets for one film only are $16; seniors/children $12. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.somervilletheatre.com or call the box office at (617) 625-5700.

Heading west to Ogunquit, Maine for 'The Covered Wagon' (1923) on Wednesday, June 21

This Wednesday, it's back out to the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine for a screening of 'The Covered Wagon' (1923).

Showtime is 6 p.m. It's the latest in this season's summer silent film series at the Leavitt, where movies have been shown since 1925!

Lots more info in the press release below.

I'm pleased to report nearly 100 people packed the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. for yesterday's Father's Day screening.

The event even attracted a Charlie Chaplin impersonator from Newburyport, Mass. who brought along her dog Major, a white Labrador.

This was fortuitous because besides the featured attraction of  Chaplin's 'The Kid' (1921), we also screened his 1918 short 'A Dog's Life.'

And yes, Major bore a passing resemblance to Scraps, the dog in the film.

Had I been better prepared, we would have restaged the above still on the steps of the Town Hall Theatre.

Major attended the screenings, living up to his owner's promise that he would not attack any movie-goers.

He did, however, bark when audience members responded to the films. Good dog!

Okay, now it's time to go west...to Ogunquit? Well, to accompany 'The Covered Wagon' this coming Wednesday night. See you there!

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An original release poster for 'The Covered Wagon' (1923).

MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Climb aboard 'The Covered Wagon,' Hollywood's first Western blockbuster

Leavitt Theatre's summer silent film/live music series continues on Wednesday, June 21 with top-grossing film of 1923

OGUNQUIT, Maine—It was the first major Hollywood production to establish the Western as a serious and enduring genre.

It was 'The Covered Wagon' (1923), an epic adventure film that would go on to be the year's top box office attraction when released a century ago this summer.

See if for yourself—on the big screen and with live music—on Wednesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theater, 259 Main St, Route 1 in Ogunquit, Maine.

(Please note the start time of 6 p.m. is earlier than in prior seasons.)

Admission is $12 per person. Live music will be provided by accompanist Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations.

The show is the latest in the Leavitt Theatre's silent film series, which gives audiences the opportunity to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

Ernest Torrence and Alan Hale Sr. in 'The Covered Wagon' (1923).

In 'The Covered Wagon,' two caravans converge in 1848 at what is now Kansas City, and combine for the westward push 2,000 miles to Oregon.

On their quest the pilgrims will experience desert heat, mountain snow, hunger, and attack.

To complicate matters further, a love triangle develops, as pretty Molly Wingate must choose between Sam, a brute, and Will, the dashing captain of the other caravan.

Can Will overcome the skeleton in his closet and win Molly's heart?

The film's ensemble cast includes 1920s stars J. Warren Kerrigan, Ernest Torrence, and Alan Hale Sr., whose son (Alan Hale Jr.) would go on to play the Skiller in the 1960s sitcom 'Gilligan's Island.'

'The Covered Wagon' was directed by James Cruze based on a 1922 novel of the same name by Emerson Hough.

Some of the many original covered wagons rounded up for the film.

The film, produced by Paramount Pictures, required a large cast and film crew and many extras, and was filmed in locations that included Palm Springs, Calif. and several places in Nevada and Utah.

The dramatic buffalo hunt and buffalo stampede scenes were filmed on Antelope Island, Great Salt Lake, Utah.

The covered wagons gathered by Paramount from all over the Southwest were not replicas, but the real wagons that had brought the pioneers west. Many were cherished heirlooms of the families who owned them.

The producers offered the owners $2 a day and feed for their stock if they would bring the wagons for the movie.

Most of the extras seen on film are the families who owned the covered wagons and were perfectly at home driving them and living out of them during the production.

Ernest Torrance menaces J. Warren Kerrigan in 'The Covered Wagon' (1923).
 

"When 'The Covered Wagon' was filmed, the Old West wasn't that far in the past," said Jeff Rapsis, who will accompany the film. "So what we see today, 100 years after the film's release, has a remarkable authenticity."

This season's Leavitt Theatre silent film schedule features movies all celebrating their 100th anniversaries. Upcoming shows include:

• Wednesday, July 12 at 6 p.m.: 'Our Hospitality' (1923). Silent comic Buster Keaton's tale about a backwoods feud in the 1830s pokes fun at everything from southern customs to early railroad trains.

• Wednesday, July 26 at 6 p.m.: 'Zaza' (1923) starring Gloria Swanson. Romance set in France in which Swanson plays a hot-tempered provincial actress who gets entangled with a married diplomat.

• Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m.: 'The Pilgrim' (1923) starring Charlie Chaplin. As a convict on the lam, Chaplin impersonates a man of the cloth, with unexpected results.

• Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 6 p.m.: 'A Woman of Paris' (1923). Chaplin's drama about a kept woman (Edna Purviance) who runs into her former fiancé and finds herself torn between love and comfort.

Accompanist Jeff Rapsis will create musical scores for each film live during its screening, in the manner of theater organists during the height of silent cinema.

"For most silent films, there was never any sheet music and no official score," Rapsis said. "So creating original music on the spot to help the film's impact is all part of the experience."

"That's one of the special qualities of silent cinema," Rapsis said. "Although the films themselves are often over a century old, each screening is a unique experience — a combination of the movie, the music, and the audience reaction."

'The Covered Wagon' (1923) will be screened on Wednesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theater, 259 Main St, Route 1 in Ogunquit, Maine.

Admission is $12 per person. For more info, call (207) 646-3123 or visit www.leavittheatre.com. 

A special treat for Father's Day: Chaplin's 'The Kid' on Sunday, June 18 in Wilton, N.H.

An original release poster for 'The Kid' (1921); the '6 reels' refer to the original format of 35mm film, which at the time came in reels generally lasting 10 to 12 minutes each.

It's Father's Day! And if you're still searching for a fun way to celebrate that the whole family can enjoy, look no further than the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

At 2 p.m., the theater will screen 'The Kid' (1921), Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama about fatherhood. It's silent, but the show includes live music by me. 

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10 per person to help cover expenses. 

Sound interesting? Lots more information in the press release below. See you there!

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Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan star in 'The Kid' (1921).

MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Chaplin's 'The Kid' (1921) to screen on Father's Day at Town Hall Theatre

Landmark silent film comedy/drama about raising an orphan to be presented with live music on Sunday, June 18

WILTON, N.H.—Silent film with live music returns to the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. with a screening of Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama 'The Kid' (1921) on Sunday, June 18 at 2 p.m.

The special Father's Day program will be presented with live music by Jeff Rapsis, one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10.

Chaplin was already the world's most popular comedian and filmmaker when he produced 'The Kid,' his first feature-length project.

The movie, with its daring mix of intense drama and slapstick comedy, proved an instant sensation and marked one of the high points of Chaplin's long career.

'The Kid' follows the story of a tramp (Chaplin) who attempts to raise an orphaned boy on his own. It includes several classic scenes, and is highlighted by a sequence in which Chaplin battles authorities attempting to return the child to an orphanage.

Co-starring with Chaplin in 'The Kid' was five-year-old Jackie Coogan, who turned in what many critics rank as the best child performance of the entire silent film era. Chaplin himself worked closely with the young Coogan for more than a year to develop the youngster's acting abilities.

Coogan went on to a long career that much later included the role of "Uncle Fester" in the popular 1960s Addams Family television show.

The Chaplin program continues the series of silent films presented with live music at the Town Hall Theatre. The series provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in restored prints, with live music, and with an audience.

"If you can put pieces of the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," Rapsis said. "By showing the films under the right conditions, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

Upcoming programs of silent film with live music at the Town Hall Theatre include:

• Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m., 'The Circle' (1925) starring Joan Crawford. Set among the aristocrats of Edwardian Britain, a comedy about an unhappy woman who considers leaving her dull husband for another man.

• Sunday, July 30 at 2 p.m., 'The Apple Tree Girl' (1917). Rarely screened early feature film produced in 1917 by Thomas Edison; story of a poor girl who goes to live with a wealthy aunt and her snooty cousin.

• Sunday, Aug. 20 at 2 p.m., 'Beau Brummel' (1924). Opulent drama about the rise and fall of the famous London gentleman, a commoner who nevertheless circulates in royal circles due to his sartorial prominence.

• Sunday, Aug. 27 at 2 p.m., 'The Divine Lady' (1929). Frank Lloyd won the 'Best Director' Oscar for this melodrama about the scandalous love affair between British naval hero Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton.

Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid' (1921) will be shown on Sunday, June 18 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

Admission is free; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to help defray expenses. For more information, call (603) 654-3456. For more about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

CRITIC QUOTE

“Chaplin's first real feature mixes slapstick and sentiment in a winning combination, as the Tramp raises a streetwise orphan. Wonderful film launched Coogan as a major child star, and it's easy to see why.”

– Leonard Maltin's Movie Guides

Time again for 'Safety Last' (1923), this time on Wednesday, June 14 at 6 p.m. in Ogunquit, Maine

Harold Lloyd still has his hat, but not for long, in 'Safety Last' (1923).

This summer we're going to party like it's 1923! 

Yes—for this season's silent film series at the historic Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine, every title was released in 1923.

There's a reason for that, which I'll get to in a moment.

But first, time to plug opening night, which is coming up on Wednesday, June 14.

To get things started with a bang, or at least a gasp, we're screening Harold Lloyd's iconic thrill comedy 'Safety Last' (1923).

Show time is 6 p.m. Admission is $12 per person. More details in the press release pasted in below.

'Safety Last' is the first of this season's nine-film line-up, which extends all the way to the Saturday before Halloween.

And yes, every film was released 100 years ago, in 1923. 

The reason for this is that last fall, when we planned out the season, the aim was to celebrate a long-awaited milestone: the Leavitt's 100th birthday!

And what better way to pay tribute to a seasonal moviehouse that's endured for a full century than to show movies that were on screen during its first summer? (The photo of the Leavitt's exterior is from Cinema Treasures.)

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the centennial.

Max Clayton, whose family has owned and operated the Leavitt since the 1970s, last year began looking into local historical records to see if he could unearth photos or other ephemera from the Leavitt's early years.

What he found instead was a surprise: the Leavitt didn't actually start showing movies until 1925!

It turned out the long-assumed 1923 opening date was apparently the year that plans were first announced for a new-fangled moviehouse in Ogunquit, a popular beach resort then as now.

But the sprawling wood-frame building housing the theater wasn't completed and actually showing movies until two years later.

Oops! Well, what to do?

Max decided to hold off on all the 100th-birthday celebration plans until 2025, and rightly so. It'll be quite a season when it finally arrives.

But as for the silent film schedule: I'd already put together a solid all-1923 line-up, including several titles requested by audience members. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

What's the line-up? Something for everyone, as you'll see in the press release below. 

And here's the flyer promoting it.

And we'll start things out this Wednesday night (June 14) with 'Safety Last' at 6 p.m. 

If you're in the vicinity, why not come to Ogunquit for some Harold Lloyd—and maybe some gelato at Caffé Prego!

 If my fingers are sticking to the keys (like Harold sticks to the building he's climbing), you'll know why.

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Harold Lloyd co-stars with downtown Los Angeles in 'Safety Last' (1923).

MONDAY, MAY 22, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Hang on! Leavitt Theatre to celebrate 100th anniversary of silent film classic 'Safety Last'

Thrill comedy climaxed by Harold Lloyd's iconic building climb; screening with live music on Wednesday, June 14

OGUNQUIT, Maine—It's a cinematic image so powerful, people who've never seen the movie instantly recognize it.

The vision of Harold Lloyd hanging from the hands of a huge clock, from the climax of his silent comedy 'Safety Last,' (1923), has emerged as a symbol of early Hollywood and movie magic.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the film's original release with a screening of 'Safety Last' on Wednesday, June 14 at 6 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St, Route 1 in Ogunquit, Maine.

(Please note the start time of 6 p.m. is earlier than in prior seasons.)

Admission is $12 per person. Live music will be provided by accompanist Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations.

The show is the latest in the Leavitt Theatre's silent film series, which gives audiences the opportunity to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

'Safety Last' follows young go-getter Lloyd to the big city, where he hopes to make his mark in business, then send for his small town sweetheart.

His career at a downtown department store stalls, however, until he gets a chance to pitch a surefire publicity idea—hire a human fly to climb the building's exterior.

But when the human fly has a last-minute run-in with the law, Harold is forced to make the climb himself, floor by floor, with his sweetheart looking on.

The result is an extended sequence filmed without trick photography that blends comedy and terror, holding viewers spellbound.

Lloyd, along with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, is regarded as one of the silent screen's three great clowns.

Lloyd's character, an ambitious young man ready to struggle to win the day, proved hugely popular in the 1920s.

While Chaplin and Keaton were always favored by the critics, Lloyd's films reigned as the top-grossing comedies throughout the period.

Silent film at the Leavitt Theatre gives today's audiences the chance to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"Put the whole experience back together, and you can see why people first fell in love with the movies," said Rapsis, who practices the nearly lost art of live silent film accompaniment.

Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra, creating a traditional "movie score" sound.

"Seeing 'Safety Last' with an audience is one of the great thrill rides of the cinema of any era, silent or sound," Rapsis said. "Harold's iconic building climb, filmed without trick photography, continues to provoke audience responses nearly 100 years after film was first released."

Tributes to the clock-hanging scene have appeared in several contemporary films, most recently in Martin Scorsese's 'Hugo' (2011), which includes clips from 'Safety Last.'

This season's Leavitt Theatre silent film schedule features movies all celebrating their 100th anniversaries. Upcoming shows include:

• Wednesday, June 21 at 6 p.m.: 'The Covered Wagon' (1923). A pioneering epic of the old West! Two wagon caravans converge at what is now Kansas City, and combine for the push to Oregon.

• Wednesday, July 12 at 6 p.m.: 'Our Hospitality' (1923). Silent comic Buster Keaton's tale about a backwoods feud in the 1830s pokes fun at everything from southern customs to early railroad trains.

• Wednesday, July 26 at 6 p.m.: 'Zaza' (1923) starring Gloria Swanson. Romance set in France in which Swanson plays a hot-tempered provincial actress who gets entangled with a married diplomat.

• Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m.: 'The Pilgrim' (1923) starring Charlie Chaplin. As a convict on the lam, Chaplin impersonates a man of the cloth, with unexpected results.

• Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 6 p.m.: 'A Woman of Paris' (1923). Chaplin's drama about a kept woman (Edna Purviance) who runs into her former fiancé and finds herself torn between love and comfort.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Harold Lloyd's iconic thrill comedy 'Safety Last' (1923) with a screening on Wednesday, June 14 at 6 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St, Route 1 in Ogunquit, Maine.

Admission is $12 per person. For more info, call (207) 646-3123 or visit www.leavittheatre.com.

CRITIC COMMENTS ON ‘SAFETY LAST’:

"Impossible to watch without undergoing visitations of vertigo, Safety Last's climactic sequence is all it's reputed to be.”
—TV Guide

"Harold Lloyd manages to make the characters sympathetic enough to carry the audience's concern on his journey of crazy stunts and mishaps. One of the best of this era."
—David Parkinson, Empire Magazine

"The climb has both comic and dramatic weight because it is both a thrilling exercise in physical humor and a thematically rich evocation of the pressures men feel to succeed, lest they be viewed as less than a man."
—James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk

Lillian Gish and 'The Wind' blowing into Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, June 11 with live music

An original release poster for 'The Wind' (1928).

The weekend forecast calls for 'The Wind' (1928) to be felt on Sunday, June 11 in Wilton, N.H.

There, at the Town Hall Theatre, at 2 p.m., the MGM classic silent drama starring Lillian Gish will be screened with live music by me. 

Lots more info on the press release pasted in below. For now, a few thoughts on recent screenings—and then a confession.

Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of accompanying the original silent version '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916) at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center in Plymouth, N.H.

The screening attracted a lively crowd of nearly 100 people—quite large by the standards of the monthly screenings I've done there for more than 10 years now.

Pre-show at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center.

By "lively," I mean very reactive to what was on the screen. Because of the somewhat primitive nature of the movie-making to today's eyes, people were prone to laugh at some of the drama—at scenes and sequences that weren't going for laughs, but were getting them.

I remember early on in this adventure of creating music for silent film screenings, it bothered me when accompanying a film intended to be serious, but which audiences treated as hilarious.

Was I doing something wrong?

I specifically remember a screening of 'Phantom of the Opera' around Halloween one year, at which Mary Philbin's broad gestures produced belly laughs worthy of Mack Swain. 

It seemed to spin the whole experience away from the deeply felt communion with big emotions that's one of the great things about silent cinema, I think. And it helped spoil it for everyone else.

What to do? Well, over the years, in speaking before film screenings, I've learned to try to set expectations by not over emphasizing the "audience participation" element of the experience. Feel free to react. But try to let the film in and do what its makers wanted it to do.

Yes, the audience is a crucial element of the silent film experience. However, the show should really be mostly on the screen, and not among your fellow theater-goers. 

But for '20,000 Leagues'—well, it's such a trippy film to modern eyes, I bowed to the inevitable. After making sure everyone know this was NOT the Disney version from the 1950s with James Mason as Captain Nemo, I said it was okay to treat it as a kind of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" experience.

And many did! And in this case, it seemed to be okay. Yes, there was a lot of hooting and hollering at the film's more implausible elements, all the way up to the bizarre flashback ending, described as a story "Jules Verne never told."

But there was also genuine emotion present throughout the film. There was wonder at the primitive underwater photography. (Because the undersea scenes were viewed behind a big glass window in Nemo's 'Nautilus,' I felt justified in playing Philip Glass music during these sequences.)

There was also heartbreak at Nemo's own backstory. It was still there, not washed away by the laughter but somehow still present to be savored. Maybe the laughter helped unlock the way to more tender emotions. Anyway, it worked.

Another interesting experience occurred last week, when I played the same film to two very different audiences. It was Buster Keaton's 'Our Hospitality' (1923), first to a gymnasium filled with 400 middle schoolers, then two days later to an audience of about 40 senior citizens.

The audience at Great Brook Middle School in Antrim, N.H.

In both cases, Keaton killed. The young kids were into it, and the older folks, too. How amazing that a 100-year-old entertainment can still have such broad appeal and speak to such a wide range of people after so much time.

Finally, there was Greta Garbo in 'The Temptress' (1926), a little-regarded drama that I've found has a mesmerizing effect on modern audiences. 

We screened it last Saturday in Brandon, Vt., and it literally stunned the audience into silence. The film ended with mouths agape. Applause seemed to be an afterthought, or somehow inappropriate. 

This might have been because people were waiting for the second "happy" ending, which we showed after a pause to change digital reels, so to speak. After that, applause came forth.

However, a quick post-film poll indicated that virtually everyone present preferred the original "tragic" ending. So much for Louis B. Mayer's faith in Hollywood-style happy endings!

And now, the confession. As a former journalist and editor, I take pride in composing press releases that I think reflect a fairly high standard within the profession. I take time to research and synthesize and write. I put them together to be easy-to-use by harried editors. It's the one useful skill I have!

So it's with some trepidation that I reveal that the press release below was actually composed by generative AI—specifically, the ChatGPT application that's been in the news so much lately.

Not long ago I scoffed at this, vowing to never make use of AI in this fashion. But after experimenting with it for innocuous purposes, such as writing celebratory limericks for co-worker and colleagues, I got curious about what AI could do in the press release department.

The result is below. What it produced is definitely not what I would have written, but it wasn't bad. There was some unnecessary hyperbole that I edited out, but it did a pretty good job capturing the film's importance and why people might want to see it.

It also got the who-what-when correct, prompting me to fill in any missing but necessary information.

So I sent it out, and yes—it was picked up by some of the few remaining local news outlets we have in this part of the country. 

I don't think I'll make a habit out this. But I'm here to say the future is now, even in the arcane field of silent film press releases.

Sounds like another story Jules Verne never wrote!

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Classic still of Lillian Gish losing her grip in 'The Wind' (1928).

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Lillian Gish stars in silent classic 'The Wind' on Sunday, June 11 at Town Hall Theatre

Screening features live music; rare chance to see renowned MGM drama on big screen

WILTON, N.H.—The Town Hall Theatre is delighted to announce a special screening of the timeless classic silent film, 'The Wind,' starring the legendary Lillian Gish. This remarkable cinematic experience will take place on Sunday, June 11, at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10. Attendees will also have the pleasure of enjoying live music accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

Directed by Victor Sjöström and released in 1928, 'The Wind' has long been regarded as a masterpiece of early silent cinema.

The film tells the gripping story of a young woman named Letty Mason (Lillian Gish) who moves to a desolate Texas prairie, where she battles against the relentless forces of nature and confronts her own internal demons.

Gish's exceptional performance, coupled with Sjöström's visionary direction, has secured 'The Wind' a place in film history as one of the most significant and haunting films of its time.

Lillian Gish and suitor Montagu Love in 'The Wind' (1928).

The screening of 'The Wind' at the Town Hall Theatre presents a rare opportunity for cinephiles and film enthusiasts to experience the magic of silent cinema in its purest form.

The film's powerful narrative, combined with Gish's mesmerizing acting, will transport the audience to the stark landscapes of the Texas prairie, allowing attendees to feel the turmoil and struggle faced by the characters.

In 1993, the film was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Adding to the enchantment of the event, acclaimed silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will provide a live musical score, enriching the viewing experience with his talent for capturing the mood and emotion of each scene.

The Town Hall Theatre invites the community to join them on Sunday, June 11, at 2 p.m., for this unique cinematic event.

While admission is free, a suggested donation of $10 will support the preservation and restoration of classic films and the continuation of such captivating screenings in the future. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to witness a silent film masterpiece with live music accompaniment!

For more information contact the theater at (603) 654-3456. 

 Hey! That thing may be loaded!

On Wednesday, June 7, travel '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' at Flying Monkey, Plymouth, N.H.

Original poster, complete with giant squid, promoting the 1916 version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.'

For a long time, I thought '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' was a reference to how deep Captain Nemo's Submarine could go, not how far. 

I now know better. A league, at least in terms of nautical measurement, is about 3 nautical miles, which translates to about 3.4 land miles. So it's like running a 5K, plus a little more.

There! Now that that's cleared up.

This week brings a rare chance to see the original silent film adaptation of Jules Verne's '20000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916) on the big screen and with live music. 

I'm accompanying this early epic, the first to make extensive use of underwater photography, on Wednesday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

Don't expect anything like the classic Disney classic version from 1954 with James Mason playing Captain Nemo. 

This first-ever version actually weaves together at least two other Verne tales into a strange bouillabaisse (hey, it's French!) that's really something.

On the plus side, the preserved film looks GREAT. But on the down side, several sequences involving Charles Denver are out of the correct order, lending an extra-strange element to an already bizarre movie.

But it's all part of the experience, which you can only have if you join us on Wednesday, June 7 at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse. Come by car, bus, or submarine!

Just watch out for any giant squids!

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Capt. Nemo scans the horizon from his submarine, the Nautilus.

MONDAY, MAY 22, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Flying Monkey to screen original 1916 silent film version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'

Early adaptation of Jules Verne classic pioneered underwater photography; shown with live music on Wednesday, June 7

PLYMOUTH, N.H.—The original silent film version of the Jules Verne classic '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916) will be shown with live music on Wednesday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

General admission tickets are $10 and available at door or in advance by calling the box office at (603) 536-2551 or online at www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist.

In production for more than two years by Universal, the original silent film version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' is an epic retelling of the classic Jules Verne novel, and with elements from other Verne stories mixed in.

Allen Holubar stars as the domineering Captain Nemo, who rescues the passengers of an American naval vessel after ramming them with his iron-clad steampunk submarine, The Nautilus.

Incorporating material from Verne’s 'Mysterious Island,' the film also follows the adventures of a group of Civil War soldiers whose hot-air balloon crash lands on an exotic island, where they encounter the untamed “Child of Nature” (Jane Gail).

Calling itself “The First Submarine Photoplay Ever Filmed,” the film is highlighted by pioneering underwater photography, including an underwater funeral and a deep sea diver’s battle with a giant cephalopod.

The film, directed by Stuart Paton, was filmed largely in the Bahamas to take advantage of shallow seas and bright sunshine.

Several methods were devised to capture scenes underwater, including a sort of "reverse periscope lens" that used mirrors in long tubes to enable a camera onboard ship to film below the surface.

The film has little in common with a later adaption released in 1954 by Walt Disney Studios and starring James Mason.

In honor of extraordinary technical and artistic achievement, the silent version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Accompanist Jeff Rapsis will create a musical score for '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' live during the screening, in the manner of theater organists during the height of silent cinema.

"For most silent films, including '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,' there was never any sheet music and no official score," Rapsis said. "So creating original music on the spot to help the film's impact is all part of the experience of silent cinema."

"That's one of the special qualities of silent cinema," Rapsis said. "Although the film itself is well over a century old, each screening is a unique experience — a combination of the movie, the music, and the audience reaction."

The original silent film version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916) will be screened with live music on Wednesday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

General admission tickets are $10 and available at door or in advance by calling the box office at (603) 536-2551 or online at www.flyingmonkeynh.com.
 

Garbo in 'The Temptress' (1926) on Saturday, 6/3 in Brandon, Vt.: one film, two different endings

Greta Garbo and Antonio Moreno star in the steamy romantic thriller 'The Temptress' (1926).

Road trip! This weekend it's two shows in northern Vermont, both far enough away to prompt an overnight stay in beautiful downtown Rutland.

On Saturday, June 3, I'll accompany Greta Garbo in 'The Temptress' (1926), an intense MGM drama that's come down to us with two very different endings. We'll show them both in a screening scheduled to start at 7 p.m. 

Lots more info in the press release below.

The next day, it's Buster Keaton in 'Our Hospitality' (1923), which I'll accompany on Sunday, June 4 at 2 p.m. at The Residence at Otter Creek, 350 Lodge Road, Middlebury, Vt. 

It's free and open to the public, so hope to see you there!

And now a couple of words about last night's screening of 'Peter Pan (1924), shown at the Rex Theatre in downtown Manchester, N.H.

With live music, it sometimes it just happens. Everything falls together. You have the right stuff at the right time. Each scene flows smoothly into the next, and you catch all the moments where music can make a difference.

That's what happened last night with 'Peter Pan.' And it's a really good feeling.

I think it's not completely a matter of luck. 'Peter Pan' is one of those titles that I accompany often enough to have developed a suite of material that gives me a head start. 

So there's a theme for Peter Pan, and also for Captain Hook, and Tinkerbell. And there's "at home" music, which turns out to be made out of pieces of the familiar "No Place Like Home" melody, which is handy because that very tune shows up near the film's conclusion. 

So with that as a starting point, and more than an hour of warm-up time, plus adequate sleep, I was able to turn in what I felt was a polished and effective score. 

I don't know what it says about my musical abilities, but I guess you'd have to call it the "slot machine school of live performance." 

Just like the one-armed bandit, if you pull the lever enough times, you're bound to hit the jackpot once in a while!

See you in Vermont this weekend, or back in N.H. next week for a screening of the silent film version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' More on that later...

*   *    *

Greta Garbo and Antonio Moreno star in the steamy romantic thriller 'The Temptress' (1926).

MONDAY, MAY 22, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Greta Garbo stars in 'The Temptress' (1926), a film with two endings, on Saturday, June 3 in Brandon, Vt.

Both conclusions to be shown when steamy silent romantic drama is screened with live music at Brandon Town Hall and Community Center

BRANDON, Vt.—It's a film with two completely different endings: one sad and tragic, and the other uplifting and positive.

It's 'The Temptress' (1926), an MGM romantic drama starring Greta Garbo, then just starting a legendary Hollywood career.

Studio boss Louis B. Mayer found the original ending to 'The Temptress' so depressing, he ordered a second—and much happier—conclusion.

See both endings when 'The Temptress' is screened with live music on Saturday, June 3 at 7 p.m. at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt.

All are welcome to this family-friendly event. Admission is free, with free will donations accepted in support of ongoing Town Hall renovations.

The screening, the latest in the venue's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

Live music for each silent film program will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer and composer who specializes in scoring and presenting silent films.

In 'The Temptress,' Garbo plays Elena, the wife of Monsieur Canterac (Lionel Barrymore) and the mistress of rich Parisian banker Monsieur Fontenoy (Marc MacDermott).

When the banker's friend Robledo (Antonio Moreno), a dynamic young engineer building a massive dam in Argentina, visits Paris, the fickle Elena immediately falls in love with him.

Elena follows Robledo to Argentina, where her presence leads to a whip duel between Robledo and his rival, Manos Duros (Roy D'Arcy).

She then indirectly causes the collapse of Robledo's dam, which is where the two versions of the film diverge.

In the original version, Elena returns to Paris and the movie concludes tragically.

The revised version sees the film end in Argentina on a much happier note.

Both endings will be screened in Brandon: first the original "tragic" conclusion, then the more optimistic ending.

Garbo, who first won notice in her native Sweden, came to Hollywood at age 19. 'The Temptress,' her second film for MGM, helped establish her as a major star.

Initially, the director of 'The Temptress' was Garbo's mentor-lover, the brilliant Mauritz Stiller. But he was replaced halfway through by Fred Niblo, giving 'The Temptress' two different styles.

The screening is sponsored by local residents Gary and Nancy Meffe.

Silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will improvise a musical score to 'The Temptress' in real time as the movie is screened.

In creating music for 'The Temptress' and other vintage classics, Rapsis tries to bridge the gap between silent film and modern audiences.

"Live music adds an element of energy to a silent film screening that's really crucial to the experience," Rapsis said.

It's the 13th year of Brandon's popular silent film series, which gives residents and visitors a chance to see great movies from the pioneering days of cinema as they were meant to be shown—on the big screen, with an audience, and accompanied by live music.

Screenings are held once a month, generally on Saturday nights and running through November. Admission is free; donations are encouraged, with proceeds to benefit the Town Hall's ongoing restoration.

Over the years, silent film donations have helped support projects including handicapped access to the 19th century building; renovating the bathrooms; and restoring the structure's original slate roof.

Other films in this year's Brandon Town Hall silent film series include:

• Saturday, July 15, 7 p.m.: 'The General' (1926) starring Buster Keaton. Buster's Civil War-era masterpiece tells the story of a Confederate railroad engineer whose train is hijacked by Northern spies. One of the great movies of any era! Sponsored by Gary and Nancy Meffe; Ben and Claudette Lawton; Bertram D. Coolidge; Frank and Ettie Spezzano; Ronald, Carolyn and Rickly Hayes; and Hayes Pallets.

• Friday, Aug. 18, 7 p.m.: 'The Ten Commandments' (1923) directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Long before Charlton Heston played Moses in Technicolor, director Cecil B. DeMille filmed this silent blockbuster on a grand scale. Many say it surpasses the remake—see for yourself as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the film's original release. Sponsored by Bruce Ness and Nancy Spaulding-Ness

• Saturday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m.: 'The Freshman' (1925) starring Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston. We welcome football season with Harold Lloyd's blockbuster hit about a college boy who dreams of gridiron greatness. One of Lloyd's all-time best! Sponsored by Frank Mazza and Linda Zaragoza; Kathy and Wayne Rausenberger; Edward Loedding and Dorothy Leysath.

• Saturday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m.: 'My Best Girl' (1926) starring Mary Pickford, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers. In a big city department store, romance blossoms between a humble stockroom clerk and the store owner's son—who is already engaged! A sparkling “rich man, poor girl” romantic comedy from 1927 starring screen icon Mary Pickford and Charles 'Buddy Rogers,' her future real-life husband. Sponsored by Harold and Jean Somerset; Fyles Brothers, Inc.; and Jeanette Devino.

• Friday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m.: 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927). Can a group of distant relatives survive the night in a haunted house to learn the secret of a madman's will? Find out in the original Gothic thriller from silent film director Paul Leni. Just in time for Halloween, a movie filled with deep shadows, dark secrets, and a surprisingly timeless mix of humor and horror that will keep you guessing. Sponsored by Pam and Steve Douglass.

• Saturday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.: 'The Big Parade' (1925) starring John Gilbert. We salute Veterans Day with this sweeping saga about U.S. doughboys signing up and shipping off to France in 1917, where they face experiences that will change their lives forever—if they return. MGM blockbuster directed by King Vidor; one of the biggest box office triumphs of the silent era. Sponsored by Donald and Dolores Furnari; Jeanette Devino; and Lorrie Byrom.

The romantic drama ‘The Temptress’ starring Greta Garbo will be shown with live music on Saturday, June 3 at 7 p.m. at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt. All are welcome to this family-friendly event.

Admission is free, with free will donations accepted in support of ongoing Town Hall renovations. For more info, visit www.brandontownhall.com.