tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748835700568016792024-03-17T23:04:30.564-04:00Jeff Rapsis / Silent Film MusicChronicling the ongoing adventure of staging silent film screenings with live music in theaters in New England, USA and elsewhere, including once in remote East Greenland, well above the Arctic Circle. <br>Now over <b>947,000</b> page views!Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.comBlogger845125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-69730355974848919222024-03-11T15:52:00.000-04:002024-03-11T15:52:02.457-04:00On Friday, 3/15: at the Cleveland Cinematheque to do music for 'The Last Command' (1928)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEqEOJ8z9KKjh8JxJD6yvZ4OANLMb7mQIc2e4mq0Eduegqq48ow78u3LJl8ZEAzuYG136n5QfKfI7_1cjRueBQjtiZ3RCnZIsPgsSmmaEuC8lEZr7Hugdr_CmvQ1T2qAjD0E_mndij41TWsO-5TaMbGQQcXdsMP9z-xcT_cZvnXXrNFp2bCmWMYKPBig/s2696/last_command_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2696" data-original-width="2088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEqEOJ8z9KKjh8JxJD6yvZ4OANLMb7mQIc2e4mq0Eduegqq48ow78u3LJl8ZEAzuYG136n5QfKfI7_1cjRueBQjtiZ3RCnZIsPgsSmmaEuC8lEZr7Hugdr_CmvQ1T2qAjD0E_mndij41TWsO-5TaMbGQQcXdsMP9z-xcT_cZvnXXrNFp2bCmWMYKPBig/s320/last_command_B.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><i>Original promotional art for Emil Jannings in 'The Last Command' (1928).</i><p></p><p>Just a few notes prior to heading out to Cleveland to do music this Friday for 'The Last Command' (1928), one of the greatest silents (in my opinion) and which, surprisingly, they've never run at the Cinematheque.</p><p>I say surprisingly because the guy who's managed the Cinematheque for nearly 40 years, John Ewing, has an encyclopedic knowledgeable about cinema and often includes silent film programs in the venue's schedule.</p><p>Somehow, director Josef von Sternberg's most powerful silent, featuring a towering performance by Emil Jannings that helped him win the very first Academy Award for Best Actor, never made it to the Cinematheque's screen.</p><p>Well, that omission will be rectified on Friday, March 15—and just in time, too, as John is retiring this spring after almost four decades of service to Cleveland-area cinephiles. </p><p>It's been my pleasure to accompany Cinematheque programs over the years. And I appreciate the opportunity to head out for one last show during John's storied tenure.</p><p>Storied? Indeed—his impending retirement made headline news all over Ohio: <a href="https://www.clevescene.com/news/john-ewing-cinematheque-co-founder-will-retire-next-june-after-four-decades-42597701">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/08/cleveland-institute-of-art-cinematheque-director-john-ewing-announces-retirement.html">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/arts-culture/2023-08-18/john-ewing-to-wrap-40-years-at-cleveland-cinematheque">here</a>.</p><p>Happy trails, John! But not until I head out to Cleveland for one last round-up, which starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 15, and which includes not only 'The Last Command' but also a French film I've never heard of before: 'Menilmontant' (1926) from director Dimitri Kirsanoff.</p><p>Although it's my last screening under John's watch, it won't be my last visit to Cleveland as an accompanist. I'm already booked to do music on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 for 'The Lost World' (1925) at the 50th annual 36-hour sci-fi marathon at Case Western Reserve University, which is just a few blocks down Euclid Ave. from the Cinematheque. <br /></p><p>Okay, see you in Cleveland. But before I leave, a quick glance back at recent screenings, which included a seasonally and locationally appropriate showing of 'Way Down East' (1920) on Wednesday, March 6 at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H.</p><p>I saw "seasonally" because the film's climax takes place in New England at this time of year. And "locationally" because the Flying Monkey is not that far from the part of the Connecticut River Valley where the many of the film's exteriors were shot, including the sequence with Lillian Gish adrift on the ice floes.</p><p>We showed the 1931 re-release version of the film, which is about 40 minutes shorter than director D.W. Griffith's original cut. People seemed to enjoy it, and cheered when Gish was rescued by Richard Barthelmess just as she was about to go over the falls. </p><p>But somehow, to me it lacked the full-length version's monumental quality. The climax seemed to come too fast. Once again, I'm reminded that Griffith really knew what he was doing. <br /></p><p>In other news, a screening of the silent version of 'Peter Pan' (1924) in my hometown on Sunday, March 10 brought familiar faces to the Bedford (N.H.) Public Library. One woman asked me about a weekly column that I used to write for the local paper—which I stopped writing nearly 20 years ago now!<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBhgnpaD7usPdEHLGhXN2GfjkLtrk4p4ta7bkBWrWvi40hKGIWE6D3kZmMDE3oQ-uHzf5Jvllr10RUkIJBBvUGq0gS6dcyQNwIpaUrGyDEHaZkjMWs2xg7t9XWDpPImUWXmC93vfzKGPZHAkF6zXMfvi0R_XXWAucI5bbTlOxOb960C1FSJNeWyplYtA/s3892/IMG_3624_cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2227" data-original-width="3892" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBhgnpaD7usPdEHLGhXN2GfjkLtrk4p4ta7bkBWrWvi40hKGIWE6D3kZmMDE3oQ-uHzf5Jvllr10RUkIJBBvUGq0gS6dcyQNwIpaUrGyDEHaZkjMWs2xg7t9XWDpPImUWXmC93vfzKGPZHAkF6zXMfvi0R_XXWAucI5bbTlOxOb960C1FSJNeWyplYtA/w400-h229/IMG_3624_cropped.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i>Pre-show remarks at the Blazing Star Grange Hall in Danbury, N.H. </i><br /><p></p><p>But the real highlight of the past week was my now-annual appearance at the Blazing Star Grange Hall in Danbury, N.H., where a capacity crowd enjoyed Buster Keaton and Ernest Torrence in 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' (1928).</p><p>New Hampshire towns are full of former Grange Hall buildings that no longer house Grange chapters. But not Danbury, where the local Grange still maintains its own hall, which I think looks very much like it might have 100 years ago.</p><p>Although the programming includes a silent film program each year at about mud season, that doesn't mean new ideas aren't welcome. In that vein, last Saturday night saw the debut of a new "soup and bread supper" option to go along with movie night.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPLYZ-XeatnrpPHgeWfd4mrElL7IhHrwf6JVJ5iJuJSS_lS60njgWWG5mqhe9de0lEwSdQLXmdzBYmLjnRlRFFiC_9ZUvatcT2dBWIHUOUztLEvlnY2kw-uJvIP5uTwhO68Yja6Sl3PaglvKrP4bG9Qe4HF6a1yaC8D8MyqST41jL1XFzwAS4EwvRWvE/s4032/IMG_3618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPLYZ-XeatnrpPHgeWfd4mrElL7IhHrwf6JVJ5iJuJSS_lS60njgWWG5mqhe9de0lEwSdQLXmdzBYmLjnRlRFFiC_9ZUvatcT2dBWIHUOUztLEvlnY2kw-uJvIP5uTwhO68Yja6Sl3PaglvKrP4bG9Qe4HF6a1yaC8D8MyqST41jL1XFzwAS4EwvRWvE/w300-h400/IMG_3618.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>I was busy setting up, and I'd already eaten, so I didn't get downstairs until most of the soup was gone. Here's the impressive line-up:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZ0jsLvqKfcbeEwVZYvo-uphWxqshh1yoa_5uGi2h7oRyj8MIyYowzFhUSL3DWbUJT6Ifz4hG6DyqCJY6uqvvpo2ktNzOJyetK2dEDBnT1XpQKk5pJvuMy2MdzYbdfysd-_5d-dagfY9ufSRj5zbYr0GhGcFUGPkkxE4R2z-uVYTiAhbHVa5xUi0c7Zc/s3149/IMG_3621_cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="3149" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZ0jsLvqKfcbeEwVZYvo-uphWxqshh1yoa_5uGi2h7oRyj8MIyYowzFhUSL3DWbUJT6Ifz4hG6DyqCJY6uqvvpo2ktNzOJyetK2dEDBnT1XpQKk5pJvuMy2MdzYbdfysd-_5d-dagfY9ufSRj5zbYr0GhGcFUGPkkxE4R2z-uVYTiAhbHVa5xUi0c7Zc/s320/IMG_3621_cropped.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>This one seemed especially ambitious. Or maybe it was just the high tech crockpot used to serve it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjDrC4chjXv0NWVpNtkDbZqFiGTvW3Sh6mY33KNH36yeubKwG6fsAMwzCZXjpk00AuepkhQ-WzOOLMR9RsdoNiumPfNShjox-gN2L-UmI9acM5l0STT7UgpvT6CsAL22Tii7KSQIkhLNOjqI-t2iXoH3lD0apTC-YCPAlmCj99DtwBQmxLawo46ezFLs/s3505/IMG_3622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3505" data-original-width="2515" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjDrC4chjXv0NWVpNtkDbZqFiGTvW3Sh6mY33KNH36yeubKwG6fsAMwzCZXjpk00AuepkhQ-WzOOLMR9RsdoNiumPfNShjox-gN2L-UmI9acM5l0STT7UgpvT6CsAL22Tii7KSQIkhLNOjqI-t2iXoH3lD0apTC-YCPAlmCj99DtwBQmxLawo46ezFLs/s320/IMG_3622.JPG" width="230" /></a></div><p> And if the soup didn't fill you up, a makeshift concessions counter upstairs was ready for movie-goers. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwH_zt1OBXkUDNHnEKrZGnB3SboKbYffVA450KYkNnIjFNdijCvYiUdkh9YNsJByqN8SNPmS9Ic5O0Olj1tKCIBQGMvao5Ed7tjoLZ64H6vGdqeWzK3JBhlkax-kFH7ed9rLKG1gsCuQntuGxKTdvM0iIbPOaCz4CCm9KzGwpFvDnH3w1h6a7yYLMfgf8/s4032/IMG_3619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwH_zt1OBXkUDNHnEKrZGnB3SboKbYffVA450KYkNnIjFNdijCvYiUdkh9YNsJByqN8SNPmS9Ic5O0Olj1tKCIBQGMvao5Ed7tjoLZ64H6vGdqeWzK3JBhlkax-kFH7ed9rLKG1gsCuQntuGxKTdvM0iIbPOaCz4CCm9KzGwpFvDnH3w1h6a7yYLMfgf8/s320/IMG_3619.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p>The paper bags contain popcorn, freshly popped. Alas, Grange members sold only a handful of bags—maybe because everyone was full of soup!</p><p>And it was a conversation after the screening that gave me confidence that this was one Grange chapter that hadn't lost touch with its agricultural base.</p><p>What would happen to the uneaten and unsold popcorn? "The pigs would love it!"<br /></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-85161060697230836212024-03-04T01:27:00.002-05:002024-03-04T01:27:29.867-05:00Up next: 'Passion of Joan of Arc' (1928) on Monday, 3/4 at Garden Cinemas, Greenfield, Mass.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q5-SCy2iOhNH-gkQryUHa6A2yI-liwlEzi85u5KxAHLA9rfntcukUxtyuNOItmbJRbsIMrqrzRWiMJZTZqjWEpqXxQgmG2nLEA6fQma2aOHwjHzzRDiZcVlxcZNnpla8Pl0USkUnO8j4IL57_N_RgpI9ClDDvZ8u-hgGsOXh4s67_cUHnwI2Rx323-c/s1875/passion_joan_of_arc_photo_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="1875" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q5-SCy2iOhNH-gkQryUHa6A2yI-liwlEzi85u5KxAHLA9rfntcukUxtyuNOItmbJRbsIMrqrzRWiMJZTZqjWEpqXxQgmG2nLEA6fQma2aOHwjHzzRDiZcVlxcZNnpla8Pl0USkUnO8j4IL57_N_RgpI9ClDDvZ8u-hgGsOXh4s67_cUHnwI2Rx323-c/w400-h291/passion_joan_of_arc_photo_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Maria Falconetti in the title role of 'Joan of Arc' (1928).</i><p></p><p>From comedy to tragedy!</p><p>Yesterday brought howls of laughter at Harold Lloyd's antics in 'Why Worry?' (1923), which I accompanied at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.</p><p>Later today, I expect a very different reaction to 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' (1928), which I'll accompany at 6:30 p.m. at the Garden Cinemas in Greenfield, Mass.</p><p>It's a case not of Comedy Tonight, but Tragedy Tonight, and Comedy Yesterday Afternoon—with apologies to Stephen Sondheim.</p><p>If you're anywhere near Greenfield, Mass., hope you can make it to tonight's screening. 'Passion' is one of those films that really works only on the big screen and with live music.</p><p>So if you're in Cleveland, Ohio, Google maps says that's only a 10-hour drive. If you start early enough, there's no excuse!</p><p>More information in the press release below. See you there! <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3x1_xOvUVm_KkFV1uUKFwQs4mSDZiioc-0RjDagrw7h6e0PTWkRe58tbTAXPVwGrzLk0kIVsLGTwJJ9iaCvt6TzrpXW6zOIDmfhtGuS7jqpBraj0vPcrUPO0PPTs2nC3NQrJm2-hMBLqS6e5uH6sEQj2hlWFxPTryj0j3bEfbhjKMMtw2htWCulzWXQ/s2061/passion_joan_of_arc_poster_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2061" data-original-width="1347" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3x1_xOvUVm_KkFV1uUKFwQs4mSDZiioc-0RjDagrw7h6e0PTWkRe58tbTAXPVwGrzLk0kIVsLGTwJJ9iaCvt6TzrpXW6zOIDmfhtGuS7jqpBraj0vPcrUPO0PPTs2nC3NQrJm2-hMBLqS6e5uH6sEQj2hlWFxPTryj0j3bEfbhjKMMtw2htWCulzWXQ/w261-h400/passion_joan_of_arc_poster_A.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><i>An original poster for 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' (1928).</i><p>MONDAY, FEB. 26, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i></p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Rediscovered classic 'Joan of Arc' to be shown at Garden Cinemas on Monday, March 4</b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><br /></span>Groundbreaking drama, long thought lost until a copy was found in Norway, to be screened with live music<br /><br />GREENFIELD,
Mass.—A ground-breaking European feature film—considered lost for
decades until a copy surfaced in Oslo, Norway—will return to the big
screen in March at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield, Mass..<br /><br />'The
Passion of Joan of Arc' (1928), a film noted for its innovative camera
work and an acclaimed performance by actress Maria Falconetti, will be
screened on Monday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. as part of the Garden Cinemas'
Silent Film Series.<br /><br />
The
screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New
Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent
films.<br /><br />
Admission is $10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students. Tickets are available online or at the door.
<br /><br />Directed
by Denmark's Carl Theodor Dreyer, 'The Passion of Joan of Arc'
chronicles the trial of Jeanne d'Arc on charges of heresy, and the
efforts of her ecclesiastical jurists to force Jeanne to recant her
claims of holy visions.<br /><br />The film’s courtroom scenes are shot
almost exclusively in close-up, situating all the film’s meaning and
drama in the slightest movements of its protagonist’s face.<br /><br />Of
Falconetti's performance in the title role, critic Pauline Kael wrote
that her portrayal "may be the finest performance ever recorded on
film." Her performance was ranked 26th in Premiere Magazine's 100
Greatest Performances of All Time, the highest of any silent performance
on the list. Falconetti, a legendary French stage actress, made only
two films during her career.<br /><br />The film has a history of
controversy. The premiere of 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' in Paris on
Oct. 25, 1928 was delayed because of the longtime efforts of many French
nationalists, who objected to the fact that Dreyer was not Catholic and
not French and to the then-rumored casting of Lillian Gish as Joan.<br /><br />Before
the premiere, several cuts were made by order of the Archbishop of
Paris and by government censors. Dreyer had no say in these cuts and was
angry about them. Later that year, a fire at UFA studios in Berlin
destroyed the film's original negative and only a few copies of Dreyer's
original cut of the film existed. Dreyer was able to patch together a
new version of his original cut using alternate takes not initially
used. This version was also destroyed in a lab fire in 1929. Over the
years it became hard to find copies of Dreyer's second version and even
harder to find copies of the original version of the film.<br /><br />It was
banned in Britain for its portrayal of crude English soldiers who mock
and torment Joan in scenes that mirror biblical accounts of Christ's
mocking at the hands of Roman soldiers. The Archbishop of Paris was also
critical, demanding changes be made to the film.<br /><br />'The Passion of
Joan of Arc' was released near the end of the silent film era. About 80
percent of all movies made during that time are now lost due to
decomposition, carelessness, fire, or neglect. But copies of "missing"
films still occasionally turn up in archives and collections around the
world, so researchers and archivists continue to make discoveries.<br /><br />In
the case of 'The Passion of Joan of Arc,' the original version of the
film was lost for decades after a fire destroyed the master negative. In
1981, an employee of the Kikemark Sykehus mental institution in Oslo,
Norway found several film cans in a janitor's closet that were labeled
as being The Passion of Joan of Arc.<br /><br />The cans were sent to the
Norwegian Film Institute where they were first stored for three years
until finally being examined. It was then discovered that the prints
were of Dreyer's original cut of the film before government or church
censorship had taken place. No records exist of the film being shipped
to Oslo, but film historians believe that the then-director of the
institution may have requested a special copy.<br /><br />For 'The Passion
of Joan of Arc,' Rapsis will improvise a score from original musical
material that he creates beforehand, using a digital synthesizer to
recreate the sound and texture of a full orchestra.<br /><br />"What I try
to do," Rapsis said, "is create music that bridges the gap between a
film that might be 90 or 100 years old, and the musical expectations of
today's audiences."<br /><br />'The Passion of Joan of Arc' continues
another season of silent films presented with live music at the Garden
Cinemas. The series provides local audiences the opportunity to
experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big
screen, in good-looking prints, with live music, and with an audience.<br /><br />“These
films are still exciting experiences if you can show them as they were
designed to be screened,” said Rapsis, accompanist for the screenings.<br /><br />'The
Passion of Joan of Arc' will be shown on Monday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.
at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield, Mass.<br /><br />
<div>Admission is $10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students. Tickets at the door; advance tickets are available at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gardencinemas.net&source=gmail&ust=1709619104703000&usg=AOvVaw1F4E140wxN-FKgPC5vzMNn" href="http://www.gardencinemas.net" target="_blank">www.gardencinemas.net</a>. For more information, call the box office at (413) 774-4881.
</div>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-17510128877378064872024-03-02T10:32:00.008-05:002024-03-02T11:03:04.957-05:00Thoughts on how we all need a Topeka, plus 'Why Worry?' in Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, 3/3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOIFHRCYbfYiMJ-2iwxeXwKpyPtQCIU7JekTwFDKDgLJKpin2tX5UTrW6y8VTDZYMxd3j0d0DSz35Ltt3qo9u4Lr1JfBh5YwtcLMX10mf_3XteEm8l9JtfHkogMQpxbYX0xRxcRJcWxFv8kHal9HVnGGYBU09AoibAmiQ07N3IV1vMbywm1fUj2XinDA/s1800/why_worry_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1800" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOIFHRCYbfYiMJ-2iwxeXwKpyPtQCIU7JekTwFDKDgLJKpin2tX5UTrW6y8VTDZYMxd3j0d0DSz35Ltt3qo9u4Lr1JfBh5YwtcLMX10mf_3XteEm8l9JtfHkogMQpxbYX0xRxcRJcWxFv8kHal9HVnGGYBU09AoibAmiQ07N3IV1vMbywm1fUj2XinDA/w400-h297/why_worry_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Harold Lloyd has big shoes to fill in 'Why Worry?' (1923).</i><br /><p></p><p>Today's headlines getting you down? Then see a film from yesterday called 'Why Worry?' (1923), which I'm accompanying on Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.</p><p>Lots more info about this Harold Lloyd comedy in the press release pasted in below. With silent film, the audience is an important part of the show, so hope to see you there!</p><p>For now, here's a report from this year's Kansas Silent Film Festival, which took place on Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24 on the campus of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. </p><p>This was the 25th consecutive year I've attended this festival, which includes the pandemic year of 2021 when I staged my own version of it, "The Kansas Silent Film Festival in New Hampshire." </p><p>Why have I done this for so many years? Well, besides the films and the people, I think it represents hope and renewed possibilities, at least on a personal level.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxMgqtZgjCh7KtRuoY2c18mhBc2_mSL6604rT_RAxnDeMOV5r5V1Gmu_0OHuSjHBsZpgXMjCRDPC8ss1GJ8UVlflBp9OuLwKEhrX1T5kSHx23CCECzrMYpWW2eSm-bbSvMMe4WCIyIiIhh-J1W7BoAPVSvz7F-n5rNdoigKODuv2FQa-t81Komfz7rSs/s3021/IMG_3395.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="2616" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxMgqtZgjCh7KtRuoY2c18mhBc2_mSL6604rT_RAxnDeMOV5r5V1Gmu_0OHuSjHBsZpgXMjCRDPC8ss1GJ8UVlflBp9OuLwKEhrX1T5kSHx23CCECzrMYpWW2eSm-bbSvMMe4WCIyIiIhh-J1W7BoAPVSvz7F-n5rNdoigKODuv2FQa-t81Komfz7rSs/w346-h400/IMG_3395.JPG" width="346" /></a></div><i>Setting up: Larry Stendebach and Brian Sanders hang the banner on the White Concert Hall.</i><br /><p>I first attended it quite by random in the year 2000, just prior to co-founding a successful publishing business that's been a big part of my life ever. Something about the accidental nature of it all triggered something in me to move ahead with all this.<br /></p><p>And not long afterwards, the Kansas festival prompted me to embark on my own silent film journey—one that's involved creating music for silent film screenings for nearly 20 years now. </p><p>For a lot of us, our life path involves finding our own way to what we become. And for some of us, the path has to include random detours to make it uniquely our own. </p><p>It's one thing to follow a good example and learn from the paths that others have taken, to stand on the shoulders of those who came before you. But it's such a human thing to want to explore and find your own way—to pioneer, to discover, to learn and experience for yourself.<br /></p><p>So returning to Topeka once a year in late February has become something of a pilgrimage for me, with its own interior rituals such as fried pickles on Saturday morning at the Hanover Pancake House—itself a symbol of renewal, having risen from the rubble of the F5 tornado that roared through town in June 1966.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcKb5wet4Y87KI2xDerfuM0QDnbIPbqTt2uawmhItNW11HROcTQuVb_wHOAGz6bDcrYuQALAy6fQ42ttQ1fNhwF0fP8tvUmmEH_WYMWnbm_R8I0P55IV5u0FY2y-f4f9iMvlH1GYj5om-5sAJfXfGhyphenhyphenFq7UFCPtEvccFPQUdzVtijTi_Q0rQGrDSvPbE/s675/bill_kurtis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="506" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcKb5wet4Y87KI2xDerfuM0QDnbIPbqTt2uawmhItNW11HROcTQuVb_wHOAGz6bDcrYuQALAy6fQ42ttQ1fNhwF0fP8tvUmmEH_WYMWnbm_R8I0P55IV5u0FY2y-f4f9iMvlH1GYj5om-5sAJfXfGhyphenhyphenFq7UFCPtEvccFPQUdzVtijTi_Q0rQGrDSvPbE/w150-h200/bill_kurtis.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>(Interesting fact: a local TV reporter in Topeka at the time the tornado hit is credited with saving lives by sternly warning viewers, "For God's sake, take cover!" The reporter was a young Bill Kurtis, today the announcer for NPR's 'Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me.')<br /><p></p><p>And for me, Topeka has become a sort of Midwest version of Brigadoon: a distant community conjured out of the mist just once a year, a place where like-minded people gather to celebrate something most people don't understand or appreciate—and a place where I can pause and ponder what I've done, and what I can still do, to be the best version of myself. </p><p>We all need a Topeka. In my case, it actually happens to <i>be</i> Topeka.<br /></p><p>Well. <br /></p><p>For a comprehensive round-up of this year's films, I point you to a <a href="https://nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35533#p286428">wonderfully detailed write-up</a> by longtime attendee Bruce Calvert of Texas. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCgOoTKM9Tlhg3LYy0NgiFTuXAikOK5XQZFpaEGW-f9mGRHhyphenhyphenn10k-QFW30gFN3x65qCHddYSEL9CLdYV1ftYCMQlIQd2ScSOpznXAkCTiODA1yYVegsxgxZBXl-T-ffFmkjcehMRQoa9p8ESynJz93z8IebWWEa4qJREo2piBaGgHsWBPgkYt1YGOj8/s4032/IMG_3409.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCgOoTKM9Tlhg3LYy0NgiFTuXAikOK5XQZFpaEGW-f9mGRHhyphenhyphenn10k-QFW30gFN3x65qCHddYSEL9CLdYV1ftYCMQlIQd2ScSOpznXAkCTiODA1yYVegsxgxZBXl-T-ffFmkjcehMRQoa9p8ESynJz93z8IebWWEa4qJREo2piBaGgHsWBPgkYt1YGOj8/w300-h400/IMG_3409.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><i>Accompanist Ben Model provides music for 'Mabel's Blunder' (1914), a short Keystone comedy.</i><br /><p>For me, among the highlights was getting to hear other accompanists do their stuff for a wide range of films, and with large and appreciative audiences. </p><p>A special treat was to finally meet and hear Donald Sosin, one of the big names in the field, who was making his first appearance in Kansas.</p><p>I had the privilege of chauffeuring Donald to the Kansas City Airport (at 5 a.m.!), and we got chatting about a wide range of topics. I was surprised to find Donald was in the audience for my stuff, and he shared some useful observations.</p><p>And then just like that, it was over—until next year. </p><p>But until then, I'll continue with my own little circus, including Harold Lloyd's comedy 'Why Worry?' on Sunday, March 3 at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton.</p><p>More info below!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * * <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLmlqPukJd5Dkbtgf0zYGE9g6-QcdRMJGzn6EQ8Mjd8oaNlGWs1QRdT4rnA7hxxja0b5Tv2i9wkA3HCNXEQtyqVaIBQzFAUQdhl4tnNC8kmxOSDFbD_kqi3ZeH4MLQQQ87hlmUWNSRSIZqT3aJ9mdF8FTbtSZFrSnXF3yrX-UAIH86RryuVOrK8LNznM/s1201/why_worry_poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLmlqPukJd5Dkbtgf0zYGE9g6-QcdRMJGzn6EQ8Mjd8oaNlGWs1QRdT4rnA7hxxja0b5Tv2i9wkA3HCNXEQtyqVaIBQzFAUQdhl4tnNC8kmxOSDFbD_kqi3ZeH4MLQQQ87hlmUWNSRSIZqT3aJ9mdF8FTbtSZFrSnXF3yrX-UAIH86RryuVOrK8LNznM/w400-h320/why_worry_poster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>A vintage lobby card promoting Harold Lloyd's comedy 'Why Worry?' (1923).</i><br /><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr">TUESDAY, FEB. 20, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i></div><div dir="ltr">
<div><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Silent comedy 'Why Worry?' with live music at Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, March 3</span></b></div><br />Harold Lloyd finds himself caught up in south-of-the-border revolutionary hilarity in inventive 1920s farce</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><div>WILTON,
N.H.—
He was the bespectacled young man next door whose road to success was often plagued by perilous detours.<br /><br />He was Harold Lloyd, whose fast-paced comedies made him the most popular movie star of Hollywood's silent film era.<br /><br />See
for yourself why Lloyd was the top box office attraction of the 1920s
in a revival of 'Why Worry?' (1923), one of his top-grossing comedies.<br />
</div><div><br /></div><div>'Why Worry?' will be
screened with live music on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 2 p.m. at the Town
Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.</div><div><br /></div><div>The screening was originally scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 18, but was moved to Sunday, March 3 due to a scheduling conflict.<br /></div><br />Admission is free; donations are accepted, with $10 per person suggested to defray expenses.<br /><br /><div>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.</div><div><br /></div><div>
Lloyd's go-getter character proved immensely popular throughout the
1920s, with fans following him from one adventure to the next.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1y5WmraHYLyL2b7moBNccbeSaOxtqAwUBPVP3Rx27QroNFa0IAXGX1BSaqUHXG3AVcHCOWmImpZ7b8rCR02NXfWgh4O5FeF6Je-Jxn9LZg_Ihb3xn_11qmqMVaqSD1rLFV3k6PyXOhVSdShokCoqc074_W_lmq2KuA1FcJgTxN-yJWDT0UeW6tr0N-M/s1800/why_worry_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="1800" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1y5WmraHYLyL2b7moBNccbeSaOxtqAwUBPVP3Rx27QroNFa0IAXGX1BSaqUHXG3AVcHCOWmImpZ7b8rCR02NXfWgh4O5FeF6Je-Jxn9LZg_Ihb3xn_11qmqMVaqSD1rLFV3k6PyXOhVSdShokCoqc074_W_lmq2KuA1FcJgTxN-yJWDT0UeW6tr0N-M/w400-h306/why_worry_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Lloyd searches for footwear in 'Why Worry?' (1923).</i><br /> </div><div>In
the political satire 'Why Worry?', Harold plays a wealthy hypochondriac
traveling abroad who gets caught up in a local uprising.<br /><br />Thrown
into prison, Harold is forced to use his wits to escape and rescue his
nurse from the clutches of a dangerous revolutionary leader.<br /><br />Regarded
as one of Lloyd's most surreal movies, 'Why Worry?' features a cast
that includes an actual real-life giant—8-foot-tall John Aasen,
discovered in Minnesota during a national talent search.<br /><br />Rapsis
will improvise a musical score for 'Why Worry?' as the film screens. In
creating accompaniment for the Lloyd movies and other vintage classics,
Rapsis tries to bridge the gap between silent film and modern audiences.<br /><br />"Creating
the music on the spot is a bit of a high-wire act, but it contributes a
level of energy that's really crucial to the silent film experience,"
Rapsis said.<br />
</div><div><br /></div><div>'Why Worry?'
(1923) will be screened with live music on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 2
p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.</div><br />Admission
is free; donations are accepted, with $10 per person suggested to
defray expenses. For more information, call the theater at (603)
654-3456.<br /></div><p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-53676619760208074462024-02-20T00:26:00.000-05:002024-02-20T00:26:00.359-05:00A big audience for a big celebration—plus some embarrassing confessions in a local newspaper<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuKmmbDpH9PUWv_HEiDOtwDH82Wjtp2JAQMnOxsBdY8L9KWulBj25SJVY-0uopepgOPyb4tiUbNW-YrB_k9uK4uD3cXUolI9IXCZsDdXn9xu76jdkQgNwP4g2g1D3y4zTxgsuAk_atHw2N8Q2OoimklaF8zpUp0GZTsqoXZ3hfin_EpU2yfLtcmZxD1k/s4032/keene_colonial_hunchback_audience.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="4032" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuKmmbDpH9PUWv_HEiDOtwDH82Wjtp2JAQMnOxsBdY8L9KWulBj25SJVY-0uopepgOPyb4tiUbNW-YrB_k9uK4uD3cXUolI9IXCZsDdXn9xu76jdkQgNwP4g2g1D3y4zTxgsuAk_atHw2N8Q2OoimklaF8zpUp0GZTsqoXZ3hfin_EpU2yfLtcmZxD1k/w400-h199/keene_colonial_hunchback_audience.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i>The audience for a screening of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Colonial Theatre in Keene, N.H.</i> <p></p><p>Wow! A screening of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' on Sunday, Feb. 18 was blessed with a very large and thoroughly engaged audience.</p><p>From the reaction to the film, you could tell you were intent on having a good time.</p><p>And that shouldn't be a surprise, as the screening was to celebrate the 100th birthday of venue: the Colonial Theatre in downtown Keene, N.H.</p><p>Depression, war, television, Tiny Tim, the Internet—nothing in the past century succeeded in darkening the marquee of the Colonial.</p><p>This makes it a rare survivor: a single screen downtown movie theater from the silent era that survives in its original configuration, and which is today thriving as the anchor of a performing arts center.</p><p>To celebrate, the decision was made to repeat the film that opened the Colonial in January 2024: Lon Chaney in the silent version of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame.'</p><p>And celebrate we did, with a steady stream of booing and cheering coming from the audience as the film screened.</p><p>One thing to note: I've never heard an audience cheer so lustily at the sequence where the peasants break into the aristocrat ball. Yaaah! Stick it to the callous oppressors!</p><p>Also, in my introductory remarks, I found myself recounting a personal experience I had in this same theater in 1971, when I was seven years old. We were spending our summers in Harrisville, a small nearby town, where our family had a lake cottage with a well but no running water.</p><p>So one Saturday my mother drove us all into town, where she dropped me and my older brother off at the Colonial for what she thought was a kiddie matinee while she visited a laundromat.</p><p>It WAS a kiddie matinee, except it really wasn't. It was the Gene Wilder version of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' in its original release, and I found it nothing short of terrifying. </p><p>When Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate river and gets stuck in a clear plastic pipe, it was more than I could stand. I ran up the aisle to escape. My brother found me hiding in a stall in the ladies' bathroom.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6HbkQ1d4gIZHmfiJOBR1941n5TBBFCZnV2g2IeWHhRdfLyKjv-JZJPRs7LIy9BoPmlTpbq_tbqEeV5NqmPm0GAvAX6uZBQwAZYEREaU64Gd6w8ao6qMYbxk1dKx_bsYcAMr7MsPcCaJna1hI3e71-dLQ54gF9DXW3qbLwiypW-9u_fj81fhrFfNwrbU/s1535/wonka_augustus_gloop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1535" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6HbkQ1d4gIZHmfiJOBR1941n5TBBFCZnV2g2IeWHhRdfLyKjv-JZJPRs7LIy9BoPmlTpbq_tbqEeV5NqmPm0GAvAX6uZBQwAZYEREaU64Gd6w8ao6qMYbxk1dKx_bsYcAMr7MsPcCaJna1hI3e71-dLQ54gF9DXW3qbLwiypW-9u_fj81fhrFfNwrbU/w400-h217/wonka_augustus_gloop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>August Gloop stuck in the pipe.</i><br /><p></p><p>Assuring me that it was just a movie, we returned to the theater just in time to see the Violet character turn into a giant human blueberry and get rolled off to "the juicing room."</p><p>Once again I ran up the aisle, this time through the lobby and outside into broad daylight, my brother this time in hot pursuit. I recall we spent the rest of the time on a park bench, with me inconsolable and hyperventilating. Thanks, Roald Dahl!</p><p>So I related this childhood anecdote to the audience for Hunckback, earned a few chuckles, and then moved on. What I didn't know was that a reporter for the local newspaper, the Keene Sentinel, was in attendance. And so this afternoon I found out that my Willy Wonka story made Page 2 of <a href="https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/keene-mayor-residents-celebrate-the-colonial-theater-s-100th-anniversary/article_8c6a9791-3cc1-5096-9bd8-6985cba6bbf4.html">today's paper</a>.</p><p>So my traumatic experience was newsworthy after all!</p><p>Next up for me: on Thursday, I head out to the Heartland to attend this year's Kansas Silent Film Festival, which takes place Friday and Saturday.</p><p>As I joke: Some people get to go to Aruba in February. I got to Topeka.</p><p>But looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. If you're in the vicinity of Washburn University (where the festival is held), I encourage you to take in some or all of the films. </p><p>Complete info available at the <a href="http://www.kssilentfilmfest.org/kssff2024/2024promo.html">Kansas Silent Film Festival website</a>. See you there!<br /></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-25636462255665758282024-02-17T09:57:00.003-05:002024-02-17T10:20:43.750-05:00Sunday, Feb. 18: Celebrate a theater's 100th anniversary with 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGIFHAKjgnhXsOi748myb_E0TGbty3W8UsRCXjw2tkuIhwJ_7-lUZ_Yd22jip_iP-XM6UhFcYPJMRnQCwYQncly2iomYxANgC9Fzvy_us_I1rxsWFlX2k5-Q0ZxgEdAVxxo1hRdtUBB6V0__-NEC4jN2h2Dz-zfevXu_OEeo7clUADdBgPpMHMXT_aE4/s3200/hunchback_C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="3200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGIFHAKjgnhXsOi748myb_E0TGbty3W8UsRCXjw2tkuIhwJ_7-lUZ_Yd22jip_iP-XM6UhFcYPJMRnQCwYQncly2iomYxANgC9Fzvy_us_I1rxsWFlX2k5-Q0ZxgEdAVxxo1hRdtUBB6V0__-NEC4jN2h2Dz-zfevXu_OEeo7clUADdBgPpMHMXT_aE4/w400-h210/hunchback_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Patsy Ruth Miller and Lon Chaney prepare to party, sort of, in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><br /><p></p><p>Okay, let's try that again!</p><p>Last month's 100th anniversary celebration for the Colonial Theatre in Keene, N.H. was upstaged by snow.</p><p>So this weekend brings the rescheduled "Party Like It's 1924," complete with cake and champagne. The fun, which is free and open to all, is on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.</p><p>The star of the show this time will not be Old Man Winter, but Lon Chaney playing the title role in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</p><p>It's the film that opened the theater back in January 1924, so they're rerunning the timeless film (with live music by me) to honor the equally timeless theater.</p><p>And it IS a rare survivor—a single screen downtown theater built originally as a silent-era moviehouse and vaudeville venue that remains pretty much intact.</p><p>Really! Check it out:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCleVPsnkCIbkbb1sV-RmTTq9ytsNdBJAhYaKie921N2lxIspwo7sH4Ky_Mjny-uNQXmWuALa9S4JFkdgYLeG01koIFI6uiE8BO2f6j02MNl_ZN5XAANF9sWo82NQmriJYJQJ5s9o1xIomSacN0Foyes0fJjUWj2X0ym-k3y9CeRVDZvGk5QyQnz_N1ng/s950/colonial_theatre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="950" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCleVPsnkCIbkbb1sV-RmTTq9ytsNdBJAhYaKie921N2lxIspwo7sH4Ky_Mjny-uNQXmWuALa9S4JFkdgYLeG01koIFI6uiE8BO2f6j02MNl_ZN5XAANF9sWo82NQmriJYJQJ5s9o1xIomSacN0Foyes0fJjUWj2X0ym-k3y9CeRVDZvGk5QyQnz_N1ng/w400-h288/colonial_theatre.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Come join the fun! More details about the film, the theater, and the celebration are in the press release below.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoM0BH2RlELTZnj3RSUhnAbWpAKhScWMkvoO1AGPuOvXVoab81trQj3HBijLndH4pvYo-SstkLSSnIkExcsKAF2dvyJL4tNvNTooa_FHNd378uP3wyfks2MGQaYxYmfE_9Uwu0AdQyItvZTw26y2QgbMko0x3Q21Dw0N1yUA3RsAm_y0ckuUb_e1i1k-M/s2705/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2705" data-original-width="1697" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoM0BH2RlELTZnj3RSUhnAbWpAKhScWMkvoO1AGPuOvXVoab81trQj3HBijLndH4pvYo-SstkLSSnIkExcsKAF2dvyJL4tNvNTooa_FHNd378uP3wyfks2MGQaYxYmfE_9Uwu0AdQyItvZTw26y2QgbMko0x3Q21Dw0N1yUA3RsAm_y0ckuUb_e1i1k-M/w251-h400/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><i>An original poster promoting 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><br /><p></p><p>MONDAY, FEB. 12, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chaney as Quasimodo in 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' on Sunday, Feb. 18 in Keene, N.H.</span></b><br /></span><br />Postponed from January: Celebrate
Colonial Theatre's 100th anniversary with free screening of classic
film that opened theater in 1924<br /><br />KEENE,
N.H.—It was a spectacular combination: Lon Chaney, the actor known as
the "Man of 1,000 Faces," and Universal's big screen adaptation of
Victor Hugo's sprawling tale of the tortured Quasimodo.<br /><br />The
result was the classic silent film version of 'The Hunchback of Notre
Dame' (1923) — a movie so popular that it was chosen as the opening
program at Keene's Colonial Theatre when it first opened to the public
on Jan. 29, 1924.<br /><br />Now, 100 years later, the Colonial will once again screen 'Hunchback' as part of a centennial celebration.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwolt035QyNzOnEemubrUAZJq7AuCWsZJ9awWHXon-TVEupkwKd4VTpEM1cNJSYyT9Src3tNr2_NPIxQYSJTLUqRcFy-uCtEYiy2rh-v3iHu8iXTSARw2wrWBqitILHS5stvE0SZbMQKZAcj7ZH-_Oe-ovVtiKoQsGNCkm5To5oOKUlG-_zcWjPKz-4s/s1024/colonial_theatre_billboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwolt035QyNzOnEemubrUAZJq7AuCWsZJ9awWHXon-TVEupkwKd4VTpEM1cNJSYyT9Src3tNr2_NPIxQYSJTLUqRcFy-uCtEYiy2rh-v3iHu8iXTSARw2wrWBqitILHS5stvE0SZbMQKZAcj7ZH-_Oe-ovVtiKoQsGNCkm5To5oOKUlG-_zcWjPKz-4s/w400-h225/colonial_theatre_billboard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div> </div><div>'The
Hunchback of Notre Dame' starring Lon Chaney will be shown on Sunday,
Feb. 18, 2024 at 2 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre, 95 Main St., Keene,
N.H. Admission is free, but attendees are asked to RSVP online in
advance at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.thecolonial.org&source=gmail&ust=1708114187195000&usg=AOvVaw22IcdTNEAg08dmXLu1m2fF" href="http://www.thecolonial.org" target="_blank">www.thecolonial.org</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The program was originally planned for January but was postponed due to inclement weather.<br /></div><br />Live music for the movie will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.<br /><br />The program includes cake and champagne afterwards.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2AzDSMSPTZt0z3JKjA7NRkgOHu3qxyiUuuRwf9xW9G_BJjEMHCDGy9f3s0T5t065c5eNs23wnZjQv2U_z4Pc1vl_xQ3x6lGz-tExRxSY_ioZ5_cgElMeeMo6A0CiG2BnB6BUQo6TY60SCvpkzKOItx0MfvBObKi4YqEaNlbu2BnbzeCX3RmsN_T7W_8/s1200/hunchback_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1200" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2AzDSMSPTZt0z3JKjA7NRkgOHu3qxyiUuuRwf9xW9G_BJjEMHCDGy9f3s0T5t065c5eNs23wnZjQv2U_z4Pc1vl_xQ3x6lGz-tExRxSY_ioZ5_cgElMeeMo6A0CiG2BnB6BUQo6TY60SCvpkzKOItx0MfvBObKi4YqEaNlbu2BnbzeCX3RmsN_T7W_8/w400-h325/hunchback_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><i>Lon Chaney post-whipping and Patsy Ruth Miller in 'Hunchback.'</i></p><p>'The
Hunchback of Notre Dame' is based on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, and is
notable for the grand sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as for
Chaney's performance and make-up as the tortured hunchback Quasimodo.<br /><br />The
film elevated Chaney, already a well-known character actor, to full
star status in Hollywood, and also helped set a standard for many later
horror films, including Chaney's 'The Phantom of the Opera' in 1925.<br /><br />While
Quasimodo is but one of many interconnecting characters in the original
Hugo novel, he dominates the narrative of this lavish Universal
production.<br /><br />In the story, Jehan (Brandon Hurst), the evil brother
of the archdeacon, lusts after a Gypsy named Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth
Miller) and commands the hunchback Quasimodo (Chaney) to capture her.<br /><br />Military
captain Phoebus (Norman Kerry) also loves Esmeralda and rescues her,
but the Gypsy is not unsympathetic to Quasimodo's condition, and an
unlikely bond forms between them.<br /><br />After vengeful Jehan frames
Esmeralda for the attempted murder of Phoebus, Quasimodo's feelings are
put to the test in a spectacular climax set in and around the Cathedral
of Notre Dame.<br /><br />As the hunchbacked bellringer Quasimodo, Chaney
adorned himself with a special device that made his cheeks jut out
grotesquely; a contact lens that blanked out one of his eyes; and, most
painfully, a huge rubber hump covered with coarse animal fur and
weighing anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds.<br /><br />Chaney deeply identified
with Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer at Notre Dame Cathedral who was
deafened by his work. Chaney was raised by deaf parents and did a lot
of his communication through pantomime.<br /><br />“The idea of doing the
picture was an old one of mine and I had studied Quasimodo until I knew
him like a brother, knew every ghoulish impulse of his heart and all the
inarticulate miseries of his soul,” Chaney told an interviewer with
Movie Weekly magazine in 1923.<br /><br />“Quasimodo and I lived together—we
became one. At least so it has since seemed to me. When I played him, I
forgot my own identity completely and for the time being lived and
suffered with the Hunchback of Notre Dame.”<br /><br />The film was a major box office hit for Universal Studios, and Chaney's performance continues to win accolades.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z3C1d41ol9c9EjNZSt921dQqkhAxRrHiRxkjdzJ4HXKjBerFH1ks7FfN5n4-9tbb36_mdfQ6Wn-b-B3EOvac2YLtc4mdH0tcfuTIVCoKToQ0Mw8BFQYz6mssLf4mM7HxIZiZ1575GYbhKDOUOUQRESnHzdp5Vn_2MhV1I-u0EcmKKLb9ETqBJSUU6rg/s1280/hunchback_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z3C1d41ol9c9EjNZSt921dQqkhAxRrHiRxkjdzJ4HXKjBerFH1ks7FfN5n4-9tbb36_mdfQ6Wn-b-B3EOvac2YLtc4mdH0tcfuTIVCoKToQ0Mw8BFQYz6mssLf4mM7HxIZiZ1575GYbhKDOUOUQRESnHzdp5Vn_2MhV1I-u0EcmKKLb9ETqBJSUU6rg/w400-h300/hunchback_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>A scene from 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><p></p><p>"An
awe-inspiring achievement, featuring magnificent sets (built on the
Universal backlot), the proverbial cast of thousands (the crowd scenes
are mesmerizing) and an opportunity to catch Lon Chaney at his most
commanding," wrote critic Matt Brunson of Creative Loafing in 2014.<br /><br />The
famous cathedral, a symbol of Paris and France, was severely damaged by
fire in 2019. After a long period of rebuilding, the Cathedral is
scheduled to reopen to the public in December 2024.<br /><br />Screening
this classic version of 'Hunchback' 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.<br /><br />"If you can put pieces of the experience back together
again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," said Rapsis, a
New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who creates music for
silent film screenings at venues around the country.<br /><br />"By showing the films as they were intended, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."<br /><br />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.<br /><br />'The Hunchback of
Notre Dame' (1923) starring Lon Chaney, will be screened with live music
on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre, 95 Main St.,
Keene, N.H. Admission is free, but attendees are asked to RVSP online in
advance at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.thecolonial.org&source=gmail&ust=1708114187195000&usg=AOvVaw22IcdTNEAg08dmXLu1m2fF" href="http://www.thecolonial.org" target="_blank">www.thecolonial.org</a>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WicmP6ajIKn5DXkmSuciGTU75o6ZVzg_TVmXVqE42VC5t08pWO8zQccqV6t7dztca8EMqsq1daHB3FYBU5h7sW5CCaNWFcHlIblaRusPgSJTHdpi-L9oVbErL0gYfSCsA2HcIJJRtJ7o3bDoHVhZQ1thiQwNLZtPtMtws33VAOEqflnDJapoKtqPVEA/s2048/colonial_theatre_100_years.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1525" data-original-width="2048" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WicmP6ajIKn5DXkmSuciGTU75o6ZVzg_TVmXVqE42VC5t08pWO8zQccqV6t7dztca8EMqsq1daHB3FYBU5h7sW5CCaNWFcHlIblaRusPgSJTHdpi-L9oVbErL0gYfSCsA2HcIJJRtJ7o3bDoHVhZQ1thiQwNLZtPtMtws33VAOEqflnDJapoKtqPVEA/w400-h297/colonial_theatre_100_years.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-87679448754669476502024-02-11T21:17:00.002-05:002024-02-11T22:38:57.551-05:00This Valentine's Day, fall in love with silent film by seeing 'Speedy' (1928) in Manchester, N.H.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzmb0adyfJ6lDekgabj9GK5lFG-emb08MtB2INRoxr89JsjjBUQCKfQPmt4gJQ1k_GNPLRdp3rAEdwywcO3Xv04KTRLWoAhtGTuqYLr6_aU8nd9OQ8K3_CAHN6rH1j8d4clgNpZCs3cfTG4MS6MF5Xe5rkngd515JH5nM5ztHqXaO4Y48nNxV1zqLR_Q/s1440/speedy_poster_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzmb0adyfJ6lDekgabj9GK5lFG-emb08MtB2INRoxr89JsjjBUQCKfQPmt4gJQ1k_GNPLRdp3rAEdwywcO3Xv04KTRLWoAhtGTuqYLr6_aU8nd9OQ8K3_CAHN6rH1j8d4clgNpZCs3cfTG4MS6MF5Xe5rkngd515JH5nM5ztHqXaO4Y48nNxV1zqLR_Q/w266-h400/speedy_poster_A.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><i>An original poster for 'Speedy' (1928).</i><br /><p></p><p>Doing anything for Valentine's Day?</p><p>If
you have plans, cancel them and see 'Speedy' (1928) instead. I'm
accompanying Harold Lloyd's final silent feature on Wednesday, Feb. 14
at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre in downtown Manchester, N.H.</p><p>More details in the press release pasted in below.</p><p>Even if you don't have a sweetie to bring along, 'Speedy' will help you fall in love—with silent film! <br /></p><p>One
of the great things about 'Speedy' is that much of it was filmed on
location in New York City. So it's a great way to see what life was like
in the Big Apple a century ago, at the height of the Roaring '20s.</p><p>And baseball fans will love it for the vintage shots of Yankee Stadium, and an extended cameo by none other than Babe Ruth. </p><p>And insurance adjusters will have a great time seeing all the rides in action during scenes filmed at Coney Island.</p><p>So: something for everyone! So see you on Valentine's Day. Details below. </p><p>But before we go...a couple of photos from a screening of Buster Keaton's 'The Navigator' (1924), with music by me, on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, R.I.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLfOq15tcuAqGLJFARIYkK8PUYskyEMUeQp3xD_EwvOZPUmfmbwq0urdMWM6JnHC6AeNnPletNoi_lUC5toK_24WPYa13wNVQxZvgEnWIDuyidSJqCHSaX6AQ9MGOimVAThyFU0G4L1FXacgu5NUEQ5eRv1Eag-XL8Y5msDqU1Ya_W02UinYqQ6ExGUg/s3088/IMG_3331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLfOq15tcuAqGLJFARIYkK8PUYskyEMUeQp3xD_EwvOZPUmfmbwq0urdMWM6JnHC6AeNnPletNoi_lUC5toK_24WPYa13wNVQxZvgEnWIDuyidSJqCHSaX6AQ9MGOimVAThyFU0G4L1FXacgu5NUEQ5eRv1Eag-XL8Y5msDqU1Ya_W02UinYqQ6ExGUg/w300-h400/IMG_3331.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p><i>First, me in front of the theater's custom poster...</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefYJp86YjOj21_MFGuDFvS5j-iEQFgwmIbiptsreZWY6geLxdk2f5vvQ8FJ9Yt7jR7KzKanm0ZYER7UHtLzyyVjpy0yozCvw9Cpb4HUDlmFIlQm_gJgwMz-flnAghnq-LIIE13EyKG3FzkxixiBqhWLLnr4lJgnNjnfO5m6dU1Iy3H7FYTQANDUxdrPg/s2730/IMG_3347_cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2451" data-original-width="2730" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefYJp86YjOj21_MFGuDFvS5j-iEQFgwmIbiptsreZWY6geLxdk2f5vvQ8FJ9Yt7jR7KzKanm0ZYER7UHtLzyyVjpy0yozCvw9Cpb4HUDlmFIlQm_gJgwMz-flnAghnq-LIIE13EyKG3FzkxixiBqhWLLnr4lJgnNjnfO5m6dU1Iy3H7FYTQANDUxdrPg/w400-h359/IMG_3347_cropped.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i>...and then me inside the theater, actually on the stage in front of the screen setting up my speakers. I looked up to see my name behind me, so snapped a quick selfie.</i><br /><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNlfTecWNtxgqcMuW18I2TApiaNDG2qIR1Iq-bIwG1rE6mLcY_SW65uH4SGAJ-g-maoa_gjscppbV9gCKgbiCMy_9pxK0POLJUQ_qCPKtIHUcE2bdAW41mtRgp94oWu7GHZKTc460_45mMMyyIN5h5H8-NN9zwU4p-dl8q4IRLmo-khG2heIc9HqLB2c/s2324/speedy_lobby_card.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="2324" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNlfTecWNtxgqcMuW18I2TApiaNDG2qIR1Iq-bIwG1rE6mLcY_SW65uH4SGAJ-g-maoa_gjscppbV9gCKgbiCMy_9pxK0POLJUQ_qCPKtIHUcE2bdAW41mtRgp94oWu7GHZKTc460_45mMMyyIN5h5H8-NN9zwU4p-dl8q4IRLmo-khG2heIc9HqLB2c/w400-h314/speedy_lobby_card.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>An original lobby card promoting 'Speedy' (1928).</i><br /><p></p><p>TUESDAY, JAN. 30, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Classic Harold Lloyd comedy 'Speedy' on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Rex Theatre </span></b><br /></span><br />Valentine's Day screening features live music; 1920s rom-com filmed on location in NYC with cameo by Babe Ruth<br /><br />MANCHESTER, N.H.—He was the bespectacled boy next door whose road to success was often paved with perilous detours.<br /><br />He was Harold Lloyd, whose fast-paced comedies made him the most popular movie star of Hollywood's silent film era.<br /><br />See
for yourself why Lloyd was the top box office attraction of the 1920s
in a revival of 'Speedy' (1928), one of his most popular comedies.<br /><br />The
film, shot on location in New York City, will be shown on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.
at the <span>Rex</span> Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.<br /><br />General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.palacetheatre.org&source=gmail&ust=1707784271237000&usg=AOvVaw3W7QKLCR-v8AIXiJHhe6NS" href="http://www.palacetheatre.org" target="_blank">www.palacetheatre.org</a>.</p><p> Live music for the movie will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGyACRfUmkQZ3iEOjZnQ3u4O-JmcYK750S4I67U40IYxYcXN5ecBG4OZSlQ5t-Swa5Nua9RGVRDZzKJUb8Gz6yNyht-eyCHRcapwMSXELH_0yJCO3PMAixNefe2bVZV-Cmh7xeKrRz04KLfZdtGzyrdu2fw4bzp6hsTsNXze_EkObmn6iHBhAEaaiidg/s1530/speedy_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1530" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGyACRfUmkQZ3iEOjZnQ3u4O-JmcYK750S4I67U40IYxYcXN5ecBG4OZSlQ5t-Swa5Nua9RGVRDZzKJUb8Gz6yNyht-eyCHRcapwMSXELH_0yJCO3PMAixNefe2bVZV-Cmh7xeKrRz04KLfZdtGzyrdu2fw4bzp6hsTsNXze_EkObmn6iHBhAEaaiidg/w400-h319/speedy_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Harold Lloyd and girlfriend Barbara Kent ride the subway in 'Speedy' (1928).</i><br /><p></p><p>'Speedy,'
Lloyd's final silent feature before the transition to talkies, finds
Harold as a baseball-crazed youth who must rescue the city's last
horse-drawn streetcar from gangsters bent on running it out of business.</p>Filmed
almost entirely on location in New York, 'Speedy' features remarkable
glimpses of the city at the end of the 1920s, including footage of Coney
Island and the original Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCS4_TQ11wsKTvu7JdF6X-n3uWoBvBL1unrERbLlFTVSpROVuRwlFQqt6_DAFCjU0gEfv3EnFq8-_fwmon20OnhhaBK8MZ448EftC0LGdT7bcO1iRe949P9ZetnbP7_OBOHMsf6YKJkZFB6hPyoh38khfTvQRttoq63h4brBtm_HzdnRwqEhuqI1y5_eY/s1600/speedy_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCS4_TQ11wsKTvu7JdF6X-n3uWoBvBL1unrERbLlFTVSpROVuRwlFQqt6_DAFCjU0gEfv3EnFq8-_fwmon20OnhhaBK8MZ448EftC0LGdT7bcO1iRe949P9ZetnbP7_OBOHMsf6YKJkZFB6hPyoh38khfTvQRttoq63h4brBtm_HzdnRwqEhuqI1y5_eY/w400-h254/speedy_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The latter
scenes include an extended appearance by Babe Ruth, then at the height
of his career during the team's storied 1927 season.<br /><br />"In
'Speedy,' New York City is practically a part of the cast," Rapsis said.
"In filming it on location, Lloyd knew scenes of New York would give
the picture added interest to audiences across the nation and around the
world. <br /><br />"But what he didn't anticipate was that today, the
location shots now provide a fascinating record of how life was lived in
the Big Apple in the 1920s," Rapsis said.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5Sm3ZZ5kCPET_DhZo6DuoQ-xgDsLYPVk2-zYK9TGER-cHb996wndb3I-FCLjIsEi_piH-w-_HolRY2K7LLCX3T0O9Ke5zrVnx4knZ4SGUUKgCjYGecdXtD6lJPNTUO64Fx3DwHYtfooBi6HmJQ2-K_nWXTSY-tXlPfZl8tbOEQsLldEh4oWZ9I9M150/s800/speedy_poster_B.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="370" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5Sm3ZZ5kCPET_DhZo6DuoQ-xgDsLYPVk2-zYK9TGER-cHb996wndb3I-FCLjIsEi_piH-w-_HolRY2K7LLCX3T0O9Ke5zrVnx4knZ4SGUUKgCjYGecdXtD6lJPNTUO64Fx3DwHYtfooBi6HmJQ2-K_nWXTSY-tXlPfZl8tbOEQsLldEh4oWZ9I9M150/s320/speedy_poster_B.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>Rapsis will improvise a
musical score for 'Speedy' as the film is screened. In creating
accompaniment for vintage classics, Rapsis tries to bridge the gap
between silent film and modern audiences.<br /><br /><div>"Creating the
music on the spot is a bit of a high-wire act, but it contributes a
level of energy that's really crucial to the silent film experience,"
Rapsis said.</div><br />'Speedy' (1928) will be screened with live music on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.
at the <span>Rex</span> Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.<br /><br /><div>General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.palacetheatre.org&source=gmail&ust=1707784271237000&usg=AOvVaw3W7QKLCR-v8AIXiJHhe6NS" href="http://www.palacetheatre.org" target="_blank">www.palacetheatre.org</a>. </div><div><br /></div>For more information, call (603) 668-5588.Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-91997139040974855192024-02-10T12:09:00.003-05:002024-02-10T12:09:56.110-05:00A weekend of 100th anniversaries with Buster Keaton in Newport, R.I. and Peter Pan in Somerville, Mass.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw9JBDoC4r-WE2yUfLq3cAa59rg9mBslBZIhV7p4l3ha7DXof3bSw5E1JIgFgS8aPxhIlXwyUFeaQ1AfDTfNhqHfMRj9_pEE8w9i6g1Dttv50ur4x6mSzZvjx7yXQqblcMZAMJSh2zrf5wjywG2ntM7Uqvym33T0wuQcitDH2FsRBYvqw5OP4SSHhGvc/s1500/navigator_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="1500" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw9JBDoC4r-WE2yUfLq3cAa59rg9mBslBZIhV7p4l3ha7DXof3bSw5E1JIgFgS8aPxhIlXwyUFeaQ1AfDTfNhqHfMRj9_pEE8w9i6g1Dttv50ur4x6mSzZvjx7yXQqblcMZAMJSh2zrf5wjywG2ntM7Uqvym33T0wuQcitDH2FsRBYvqw5OP4SSHhGvc/w400-h310/navigator_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Buster Keaton cooks up some well-timed comedy in 'The Navigator' (1924).</i><br /><p></p><p>Never mind the Superbowl—I'm attending a pair of 100th birthday parties this weekend!</p><p>This afternoon (Saturday, Feb. 10), it's Buster Keaton's 'The Navigator' (1924), which I'm accompanying at 4:30 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, R.I. More info in the press release pasted in below.</p><p>Then tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 11), it's the original big screen adaptation of 'Peter Pan' (1924), for which I'll do music at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass. I've pasted <i>that </i>press release in below as well.<br /></p><p>I think the Keaton screening is intended as a warm-up to Valentine's Day, while 'Peter Pan' is clearly family counterpoint to the Superbowl, which takes place later that day. </p><p>Well, whatever reason works for you, hope you can join us and take in one or both screenings this week. Besides being the date of this year's Superbowl, Sunday also happens to be National Guitar Day and also National Autism Day. </p><p>I don't know about you, but I can't think of better reasons to celebrate with a silent film screening!<br /></p><p>See you at the movies!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglE7U7lutI0_zz_m_ovYE8hfeT3VbiISXervE9019mXb7eokYvYck5z03kiL83hQWu545-fbHIqSFY-tvYc6RsoH7mbofTdI_J9n-tnRVXIBfl1g-6Nf0cACSPEqptj7KOTSEFVeO9X72W8d2uLfkrDbzAZWxrIAd1e4ju_hxEBSt7rzrOOLb14F-VlT4/s1600/navigator_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1302" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglE7U7lutI0_zz_m_ovYE8hfeT3VbiISXervE9019mXb7eokYvYck5z03kiL83hQWu545-fbHIqSFY-tvYc6RsoH7mbofTdI_J9n-tnRVXIBfl1g-6Nf0cACSPEqptj7KOTSEFVeO9X72W8d2uLfkrDbzAZWxrIAd1e4ju_hxEBSt7rzrOOLb14F-VlT4/w325-h400/navigator_B.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><i>Dressed for diving: Buster Keaton in 'The Navigator' (1924).</i><br /><p>MONDAY, JAN. 15, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Classic silent seafaring farce ‘The Navigator’ (1924) at Jane Pickens Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 10</span></b></span><br /><br />Buster Keaton's nautical masterpiece to be screened with live music at historic venue in downtown Newport, R.I.<br /><br />NEWPORT,
R.I.—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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />See for yourself with a screening of 'The
Navigator' (1924), one of Keaton's landmark feature films, on Saturday,
Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theatre Film and Event Center,
49 Touro St., Newport, R.I.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Admission is $16 per person. Tickets available online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://janepickens.com&source=gmail&ust=1706660914328000&usg=AOvVaw2hAht8lHee1A0FrI7hDYkS" href="https://janepickens.com" target="_blank">https://janepickens.com</a> or at the door.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMdC2OCy0tiAZcsX1OfOA14wI1UwEUclDKsAYhcpBiiMr6fONq5P6o9xdUubOPGZ27EXtTP88ZpHrTn6UFZf6T8F_vvh0ubQ5B2MZy6KEZl0oodR6MuxkG47sped7LQqv4ou06zKFM9BeApEeGV3q9q0SVcNEehVYQhE2aWguwUkSk6d3ZxtQJxEt1vY/s764/navigator_E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="478" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMdC2OCy0tiAZcsX1OfOA14wI1UwEUclDKsAYhcpBiiMr6fONq5P6o9xdUubOPGZ27EXtTP88ZpHrTn6UFZf6T8F_vvh0ubQ5B2MZy6KEZl0oodR6MuxkG47sped7LQqv4ou06zKFM9BeApEeGV3q9q0SVcNEehVYQhE2aWguwUkSk6d3ZxtQJxEt1vY/s320/navigator_E.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>'The
Navigator' is a comedy that 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.<br /><br />But when the ship runs aground on a remote island inhabited by cannibals, is Buster's resourcefulness enough to save the day?<br /><br />Filmed
at sea on a real ocean liner that Keaton treated as 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.<br /><br />The film is highlighted by underwater scenes, with
Keaton in an oversized antique diving suit, that were revolutionary at
the time.<br /><br />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.'<br /><br />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.<br /><br />In reviving 'The Navigator' at the
Jane Pickens Theatre, organizers aim 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.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NLWZjf1dI7XK2g7-IxnqDymSBqM_YJYY8vkjok0TG_Ih6YFwBXXmEX_BRmSqxPZ4ZngluovlGOim-Eia2UNB87s4JTLLTtVCEFLv8e4S7EbHA6dbmFCnUgjyBsigFD0lcLm6hBfx3Ils6GwIud8rOT66hWS8GylW9eNs7cqMcwrVnigaEM_xJgLAb4Y/s1800/navigator_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NLWZjf1dI7XK2g7-IxnqDymSBqM_YJYY8vkjok0TG_Ih6YFwBXXmEX_BRmSqxPZ4ZngluovlGOim-Eia2UNB87s4JTLLTtVCEFLv8e4S7EbHA6dbmFCnUgjyBsigFD0lcLm6hBfx3Ils6GwIud8rOT66hWS8GylW9eNs7cqMcwrVnigaEM_xJgLAb4Y/s320/navigator_A.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>"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 entertaining."<br /><br />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<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />'The Navigator' (1924) starring Buster Keaton will
be screened with live music on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. at the
Jane Pickens Theatre Film and Event Center, 49 Touro St., Newport, R.I.<br /><br />Admission is $16 per person. Tickets available online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://janepickens.com&source=gmail&ust=1706660914328000&usg=AOvVaw2hAht8lHee1A0FrI7hDYkS" href="https://janepickens.com" target="_blank">https://janepickens.com</a> or at the door. For more information, call the box office at (401) 846-5474.<br /><br />Critic comments on 'The Navigator':<br /><br />"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."<br /><i>—Jeffrey Anderson, Combustible Celluloid, 2001</i><br /><br />"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."<br /><i>—James Higgins, Turner Classic Movies, 2011</i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc13KvgXi0rYC-KfabZJwbk67db1J7z2j1QFyZAHYe6fDlJUCgyCBPXl0vSSZ2aHKbDR67h8YakzWI2RlE-YeUr947aTxziIcHBahVwvVspClwfd1ioG5U7Gub4EX4jc32N29sbkODoeZGEaSd5-uHKAeX7wQBEFdPysAZ6lJAzvFfgeY4lZg2YT8kA44/s1117/peter_pan_D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc13KvgXi0rYC-KfabZJwbk67db1J7z2j1QFyZAHYe6fDlJUCgyCBPXl0vSSZ2aHKbDR67h8YakzWI2RlE-YeUr947aTxziIcHBahVwvVspClwfd1ioG5U7Gub4EX4jc32N29sbkODoeZGEaSd5-uHKAeX7wQBEFdPysAZ6lJAzvFfgeY4lZg2YT8kA44/w323-h400/peter_pan_D.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><i>An original release poster for 'Peter Pan' (1924).</i><br /><p></p><p>TUESDAY, JAN. 30, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>For more info, contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rarely seen silent film version of 'Peter Pan' at Somerville Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 11</span></b><br /></span><br />Original big-screen adaptation of magical fantasy classic, a major 1924 hit, to be shown in 35mm with live musical score<br /><br />SOMERVILLE,
Mass.—It was the film that introduced movie-goers to visions of flying
children, magical fairies, human-like animals and menacing pirates.<br /><br />It
was the original silent film adaptation of 'Peter Pan,' a picture
personally supervised by author J.M. Barrie. The film was a major hit
when released in 1924, with audiences eager to get their first
big-screen look at the wonders of Neverland.<br /><br />Movie fans can see
for themselves when the first 'Peter Pan' (1924) is screened in 35mm on
Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square,
Somerville. <br /><br />The program will feature live music for the movie by
silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis. General admission tickets are $16
per person; seniors/children $12; tickets available online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.somervilletheatre.com&source=gmail&ust=1706698840954000&usg=AOvVaw3-wUcfXr2pdcfDItSAs_JJ" href="http://www.somervilletheatre.com" target="_blank">www.somervilletheatre.com</a> or at the door.<br /><br />Thought
lost for many years, and overshadowed by more recent adaptations, the
original silent 'Peter Pan' maintains its freshness and charm nearly a
century after its original release.<br /><br />In the story, first presented
as a stage play in 1904, three children in London are visited one night
by Peter Pan, a youth in search of his shadow. Pan shows his new
friends how to fly, and then convinces them to join him in a journey to
Neverland.<br /><br />There they encounter Indians, mermaids, and a band of
pirates whose leader, Captain Hook, is Pan's sworn enemy. The children
are captured by Hook and taken prisoner aboard his pirate ship, setting
the stage for an epic battle, the outcome of which will determine if the
children may ever return home.<br /><br />Though the Peter Pan story is
well-known today due to subsequent adaptations (and also merchandising
that includes a ubiquitous brand of peanut butter), the tale was
virtually new when Hollywood first brought it to film in the early
1920s.<br /><br />In England, author Barrie gave his blessing to the
first-ever screen adaptation, though he retained control over casting
and insisted that any written titles in the film be taken directly from
his own text.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhf1yOXY-t_6-1a2d5IYnBnwXdEM5ICr0LprUEBpWf2X8PIN4KlE9cIOE471maJQA6RM9G6bl7gSUMuSBFQ4pY3J84vYmiwfwSG-T-dzQgwucnyhQ_BC6fTNhWDX4MI57Z8vt0RzUtRPAMcv9MwnxbT4Ug63J1UIFfrNCLQu139dQ32RCd2w4g7oNxios/s1855/peter_pan_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1855" data-original-width="1376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhf1yOXY-t_6-1a2d5IYnBnwXdEM5ICr0LprUEBpWf2X8PIN4KlE9cIOE471maJQA6RM9G6bl7gSUMuSBFQ4pY3J84vYmiwfwSG-T-dzQgwucnyhQ_BC6fTNhWDX4MI57Z8vt0RzUtRPAMcv9MwnxbT4Ug63J1UIFfrNCLQu139dQ32RCd2w4g7oNxios/s320/peter_pan_A.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>After a major talent search, Barrie settled on
unknown 18-year-old actress Betty Bronson for the title role, and
filming began in 1924. The role of Captain Hook was played by noted
character actor Ernest Torrence, who invented the now-iconic villainous
pirate persona that would become a Hollywood legend.<br /><br />The film's
highlights include special effects that maintain their ability to dazzle
even today. The film's memorable images include a group of mermaids
entering the sea, a miniature Tinkerbell interacting with full-sized
children and adults, and a pirate ship lifting out of the water and
taking flight.<br /><br />'Peter Pan' also includes a cast of animal
characters played by humans in costume, including the family dog Nana
and an alligator who serves as Hook's nemesis, lending the film a
magical quality.<br /><br />After the film's release, no copies of the
original 'Peter Pan' were known to exist, and for many years the film
was regarded as lost. However, in the 1950s a single surviving print
turned up in the George Eastman Archives in Rochester, N.Y., from which
all copies today have descended.<br /><br />Accompanist Jeff Rapsis
specializes in creating live musical scores for films made prior to the
introduction of recorded sound. Rapsis creates film scores in real time,
as a movie is running, using a digital synthesizer to reproduce the
texture of a full orchestra. He averages about 120 performances per
year, and has created music for more than 380 different silent feature
films.<br /><br />"Improvising a movie score is a bit of a high wire act,
but it can result in music that fits a film's mood and action better
than anything that can be written down in advance," Rapsis said. "It
also lends a sense of excitement and adventure to the screening, as no
two performances are exactly alike."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiD5tRvSY6IndIoBjj2B1GRC1iEzl9VnieCa-yutQRWvvd-OPoCy4XgQAgp1GQG2yuXDld12w_tchR5LSK30SHPsFJ0aBQq3d8YTH0Rg3dHaHszH3aDGf32G9GXJEfwZyZAZmFM3A2UllQvelVEFjx4whOtHFnuooxbj1uDR-hqdOCy1E0MSP3O_ynyvs/s599/peter_pan_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiD5tRvSY6IndIoBjj2B1GRC1iEzl9VnieCa-yutQRWvvd-OPoCy4XgQAgp1GQG2yuXDld12w_tchR5LSK30SHPsFJ0aBQq3d8YTH0Rg3dHaHszH3aDGf32G9GXJEfwZyZAZmFM3A2UllQvelVEFjx4whOtHFnuooxbj1uDR-hqdOCy1E0MSP3O_ynyvs/s320/peter_pan_B.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>'Peter Pan' is the latest in the Somerville Theatre's 'Silents, Please' series.<br /><br />The
series gives movie-goers a chance to rediscover the experience of
silent cinema presented as it was intended: on the big screen using 35mm
prints, with live music, and with an audience.<br /><br />"If you can put
all the original elements together, the films of early Hollywood still
come to life," said Rapsis. "These are the films that caused people to
first fall in love with the movies."<br /><br />‘Peter Pan’ (1924) will be
shown on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis
Square, Somerville, Mass. Admission $16 per person; seniors/children
$12. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.somervilletheatre.com&source=gmail&ust=1706698840954000&usg=AOvVaw3-wUcfXr2pdcfDItSAs_JJ" href="http://www.somervilletheatre.com" target="_blank">www.somervilletheatre.com</a> or call the box office at (617) 625-5700.<br /><p></p><br />Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-37918309690494379592024-02-06T07:16:00.000-05:002024-02-06T07:16:23.311-05:00On Thursday, Feb. 8: 'The Flying Ace' (1926) for Black History Month at Aviation Museum of N.H.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYi7p0jZrWrJQJ9F-lwrzabiej3EYOpn1B_z-DfF4vlq8ZsdiGPo4s7MOpnLUEutw9XsrIZNrXngo63ptszI0uUSZx53_4TxzbXcZn82GH8X6xQ9qp8obFth97DNXAeW-7hZEmuXtUjUFNFLoOF8Z4CSsRds78dSrSqY2ZWewSRG8Swdyv7VRLKksdAU/s1430/flying_ace_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1430" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYi7p0jZrWrJQJ9F-lwrzabiej3EYOpn1B_z-DfF4vlq8ZsdiGPo4s7MOpnLUEutw9XsrIZNrXngo63ptszI0uUSZx53_4TxzbXcZn82GH8X6xQ9qp8obFth97DNXAeW-7hZEmuXtUjUFNFLoOF8Z4CSsRds78dSrSqY2ZWewSRG8Swdyv7VRLKksdAU/w400-h303/flying_ace_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Kathryn Boyd and Laurence Criner
star in 'The Flying Ace' (1926).</i><p></p><p>Up next, it's 'The Flying Ace' (1926), an aviation thriller with an all-Black cast that I'm accompanying at the Aviation Museum of N.H. for Black History Month.</p><p>Lots more about the film and details about the screening are in the press release pasted in below.</p><p>It's an unusual one for me because when I'm not accompanying silent films, I work as executive director of, yes, the Aviation Museum of N.H.!</p><p>People sometimes ask how I get booked to accompany screenings. In this case, I know someone on the inside.</p><p>Actually, because aviation was an exciting new thing in the 1920s, there are quite a few films that feature pilots and adventure. And newsreels of the time were full of mid-air stunts staged for the cameras.</p><p>So once in awhile, I bring my traveling circus/dog-and-pony show/silent film music addiction to the museum. Over the years, we've screened well-known films such as 'Wings' (1927) and not-so-well-known films such as 'The Flying Fleet' (1929) starring Ramon Novarro or the Monty Banks comedy 'Flying Luck' (1927).</p><p>I first encountered 'The Flying Ace' when it was included in "Pioneers of African-American Cinema," a collection issued in 2016 by Kino-Lorber.</p><p>I've since accompanied it many times, but I've been waiting to program it at the Aviation Museum of N.H. as a way to honor Black History Month.</p><p>This year seemed right. So on Thursday, Feb. 8, I hope you'll join us to experience one of the very films that survive from a time when film production was segregated—just like the cinemas themselves. </p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKism7WQVO5Im6srJTOc3X9nrhXbWoFFa0Zjs0P0grPStaa27Y_FyRCp2kbhAeNSF03IHGrJs-g_ljDVs-n6Cn1KcGgTeasF0Zu92wO-3uzV2SOUeyjAbgTKhf2QpAPmmCzjUOo01_KsOGGTfdAJDQHJ2q1nLI_wzQqHv68FacZxEZ39weAw-uRIi_r0/s2436/flying_ace_poster_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2436" data-original-width="1594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKism7WQVO5Im6srJTOc3X9nrhXbWoFFa0Zjs0P0grPStaa27Y_FyRCp2kbhAeNSF03IHGrJs-g_ljDVs-n6Cn1KcGgTeasF0Zu92wO-3uzV2SOUeyjAbgTKhf2QpAPmmCzjUOo01_KsOGGTfdAJDQHJ2q1nLI_wzQqHv68FacZxEZ39weAw-uRIi_r0/w261-h400/flying_ace_poster_B.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><p><i>An original poster for 'The Flying Ace' (1926).</i><br /></p><p>TUESDAY, JAN. 30, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><i><u>Honoring Black History Month</u></i><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Aviation Museum of N.H. to screen rare vintage aviation thriller with all-Black cast</span></b></span><br /><br />'The Flying Ace' (1926), recently added to U.S. National Film Registry, to be shown with live music on Thursday, Feb. 8<br /><br />LONDONDERRY, N.H. — Would discrimination exist in an America where everyone is Black?<br /><br />That's
among the questions posted by 'The Flying Ace' (1926), a rare surviving
example of movies produced early in the 20th century for Black
audiences in segregated cinemas.<br /><br />'The Flying Ace,' recently named
to the U.S. National Film Registry, will be screened in honor of Black
History Month on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Aviation Museum of
N.H., 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H. <br /><br />General admission is $10 per person. Member discounts do not apply to this event.<br /><br />The
screening will feature live music by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based
silent film accompanist and the museum's executive director.<br /><br />'The
Flying Ace' was produced by Norman Studios in Jacksonville, Fla., using
professionals such as Laurence Criner, a veteran of Harlem’s
prestigious all-black theater troupe the Lafayette Players, but also
many non-professionals for minor roles.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XUTh_OwbBA09tTWHUCdM_X3LSGYLlUdlvxMRMJnC-DtfBdGDxSqJUfm4eOgJtH2X2UWfE1aw5HnXbCAhCaj6zm3J0DXKUyDOPW7RZP3gmfxA2tVvwCr86eEZiC4Wj0p5RLXph4YkqGriz5ejRho1fgdDt5NuIO8Pdk0gY6NA6jO7gTDEkrNq5xqFxio/s2400/flying_ace_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="2400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XUTh_OwbBA09tTWHUCdM_X3LSGYLlUdlvxMRMJnC-DtfBdGDxSqJUfm4eOgJtH2X2UWfE1aw5HnXbCAhCaj6zm3J0DXKUyDOPW7RZP3gmfxA2tVvwCr86eEZiC4Wj0p5RLXph4YkqGriz5ejRho1fgdDt5NuIO8Pdk0gY6NA6jO7gTDEkrNq5xqFxio/w400-h225/flying_ace_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Kathryn Boyd and Laurence Criner
star in 'The Flying Ace.' </i><br /><br />In 'The Flying Ace,'
Criner plays Capt. Billy Stokes, a World War I fighter pilot known as
"The Flying Ace" because of his downing of seven enemy aircraft in
France.<br /><br />Returning home to resume his former job as a railroad
detective, he's assigned to locate a stationmaster who's gone missing
along with the $25,000 company payroll.<br /><br />While investigating,
Stokes begins romancing the stationmaster's daughter Ruth (Kathryn
Boyd), causing a rivalry with another suitor which leads to a break in
the case.<br /><br />With Ruth's safety now at risk, Stokes' dogged pursuit
of the suspects leads to climax highlighted by a dramatic airborne chase
which calls upon his piloting prowess.<br /><br />Films such as 'The Flying
Ace' were shown specifically to African-American audiences in areas of
the U.S. where theaters were segregated.<br /><br />Norman Studios was among
the nation's top film production companies making feature length and
short films for this market from the 1920s to the 1940s.<br /><br />Featuring
all-Black casts in stories meant to inspire and uplift, such films were
popular with African-American audiences at the time. In Norman Studios
films, the stories often took place in a world without the racial
barriers that existed at the time.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC_mVp5PfelHqWIgeLv2eJJfDE3s0ro24bjA2i5lYhYIOCOAxvSpkhSDUglAW5LqK78nYxVbd2M0XXwgMIOfUgiDV0UaRj0BnjdDkbX63PuXY_K7HRHxvOAzFStDC3XnkC7L_vEeGQnMTGoSMfi74dII-yIoJluyfn34h48NZOTt7CvlIjoWNS_PJS5k/s1500/flying_ace_poster_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="795" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC_mVp5PfelHqWIgeLv2eJJfDE3s0ro24bjA2i5lYhYIOCOAxvSpkhSDUglAW5LqK78nYxVbd2M0XXwgMIOfUgiDV0UaRj0BnjdDkbX63PuXY_K7HRHxvOAzFStDC3XnkC7L_vEeGQnMTGoSMfi74dII-yIoJluyfn34h48NZOTt7CvlIjoWNS_PJS5k/s320/flying_ace_poster_A.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><p>In 'The Flying Ace,' Capt.
Stokes is a pilot returning home from serving honorably in World War
I—but Blacks were not allowed to fly aircraft in the U.S. military until
1940.<br /><br />In an essay for the San Francisco Silent Film Festival,
critic Megan Pugh wrote that Capt. Billy Stokes "...is a model for the
ideals of racial uplift, fulfilling aspirations that Black Americans
were not yet allowed to achieve."<br /><br />"At a time when Hollywood
employed white actors in blackface to play shuffling servants and
mammies, the Norman Film Manufacturing Company...hired all-black casts
to play dignified roles."<br /><br />"Instead of tackling discrimination
head-on in his films, Norman created a kind of segregated dream world
where whites—and consequently, racism—didn’t even exist," Pugh wrote.<br /><br />"While
it’s impossible to measure the influence The Flying Ace had on its
viewers, it is reasonable to assume that audiences found its lead
character inspirational. Billy Stokes was a black male hero who would
have never made it onscreen in a Hollywood movie of the time," Pugh
wrote.<br /><br />Filmed in the Arlington area of Jacksonville, Fla., 'The
Flying Ace' is an unusual aviation melodrama in that no airplanes in the movie actually
leave the ground. The mid-air scenes were filmed in a studio in front
of neutral backdrops.<br /><br />Although 'The Flying Ace' may appear
crudely made to modern audiences, in 2021 the movie was named to the
U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being
"culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."<br /><br />Of
films produced for Black-only audiences in segregated theaters, very few
survive. 'The Flying Ace' is unusual in that it survives complete, and
in pristine condition. The film was included in 'Pioneers of African
American Cinema," a DVD collection released in 2016 by Kino-Lorber.<br /><br />A
live musical score for 'The Flying Ace' will be created by accompanist
Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer who specializes in music
for silent film presentations.<br /><br />Rapsis, who is also executive
director of the Aviation Museum, said the screening is a
rare chance to see the film as it was meant to be experienced—on the
big screen, with live music, and with an audience.<br /><br />The Aviation
Museum is open Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 1 to 4
p.m. Admission is $10 age 13 and up; $5 age 6-12, seniors 65 and over,
and veterans/active military; kids 5 and under free.<br /><br />The Aviation
Museum of N.H., located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H., is a
non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization dedicated to celebrating New
Hampshire’s role in aviation history and inspiring tomorrow’s aerospace
professionals. <br /><br />Named “Best Place to Take Kids” in southern New
Hampshire in the 2023 HippoPress Readers Poll, the Aviation Museum of
N.H. was recently awarded the prestigious ‘Non-Profit Impact Award’ by
the Center for N.H. Non-Profits.<br /><br />'The Flying Ace' (1926), a
silent aviation melodrama with an all-Black cast, will be shown with
live music in honor of Black History Month on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.
at the Aviation Museum of N.H., 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H.<br /><br />Tickets
are $10 per person at the door. Member discounts do not apply. Advance
tickets are available by phone at (603) 669-4877. <br /><br />For more information, visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.aviationmuseumofnh.org&source=gmail&ust=1706699736575000&usg=AOvVaw2-io1RECWBv_4Gzcguxk8q" href="http://www.aviationmuseumofnh.org" target="_blank">www.aviationmuseumofnh.org</a> or call (603) 669-4820. Follow the Aviation Museum on social media at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.facebook.com/nhahs&source=gmail&ust=1706699736575000&usg=AOvVaw2tuNiBDNTDv4ldyzP7hjV2" href="http://www.facebook.com/nhahs" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/nhahs</a>.<br /><br /></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-1514004880159734652024-02-04T12:02:00.002-05:002024-02-04T12:03:24.293-05:00Warm up for Valentine's Day with Garbo and Gilbert in 'Flesh and the Devil' on Monday, 2/5<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBnfOkiENE3DQyEo9GpyM_JoZMpsidfF0pevqxTuCnkPamJVV2sXTkPpUtzpi6MuqH_h_KMxiOiUjE1Hsao2Km6Aw1FpdSDeB_48s9Bs7H0Wb2R1mnnhDGhxXam86wGfgR7Rjk1lofdmvJW1Y0dj7L3WsP66C6OyY5bNZWQMzao9LaY7gTdNfnOVV1Jo/s2000/flesh_and_devil_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1593" data-original-width="2000" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBnfOkiENE3DQyEo9GpyM_JoZMpsidfF0pevqxTuCnkPamJVV2sXTkPpUtzpi6MuqH_h_KMxiOiUjE1Hsao2Km6Aw1FpdSDeB_48s9Bs7H0Wb2R1mnnhDGhxXam86wGfgR7Rjk1lofdmvJW1Y0dj7L3WsP66C6OyY5bNZWQMzao9LaY7gTdNfnOVV1Jo/w400-h319/flesh_and_devil_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in 'Flesh and the Devil' (1926).</i><p></p><p>Next up: it's 'Flesh and the Devil' (1926), a romantic thriller starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. I'm accompanying the film on Monday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Garden Cinemas in Greenfield, Mass.<br /></p><p> A massive success that cemented Garbo's career, the film features love scenes that were not faked, as the two stars were involved in a heated affair during filming. Director Clarence Brown later said he just had to start the cameras and then stand back!</p><p>Lots more info in the press release below. But first, a few notes about last night's screening at the Campton (N.H.) Historical Society, an annual event that includes a pot luck supper and a considerable amount of small-town charm.</p><p>For example: announcements prior to my introduction included an upcoming Antique Snowmobile Meet sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce. </p><p>When I got up to speak, I made the usual lame jokes (including one about the peanut brittle on the dessert table, which I said four out of five dentists recommended because it's so good for business), but then I realized something about the evening.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4tVwlXydHi6YCaltd5ETHYXHaFIt_TtxzbuO49HSiZ1TG3fiJyn1YEg9FaRVhTZy3ISxCj4q-eSHPtpTJUnC_vqdWqnv_rYuWu7Wi3TJLz6K0lPCX3sjKYXsZ-JDtRZqJYwr_WLX-Y7L8zz-5MStaBT71Ynk8FnCqi0ZBZ01kIgRfW_TS88GRWZHmN4/s4032/IMG_3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4tVwlXydHi6YCaltd5ETHYXHaFIt_TtxzbuO49HSiZ1TG3fiJyn1YEg9FaRVhTZy3ISxCj4q-eSHPtpTJUnC_vqdWqnv_rYuWu7Wi3TJLz6K0lPCX3sjKYXsZ-JDtRZqJYwr_WLX-Y7L8zz-5MStaBT71Ynk8FnCqi0ZBZ01kIgRfW_TS88GRWZHmN4/w400-h300/IMG_3236.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i>The scene prior to Saturday night's screening at the Campton Historical Society.</i><br /><p></p><p>I found myself saying that as a silent film accompanist, it's been my privilege to be invited to perform in such far-flung and glamorous show-biz meccas as Topeka, Kansas, where I'll perform later this month at the Kansas Silent Film Festival, and Cleveland, Ohio, where I get to accompany films in March.</p><p>But, I said, despite the romance of these exotic places, it was unlikely that any of them would include announcements about the Chamber of Commerce hosting antique snowmobile meets. </p><p>So the annual Pot Luck Supper / Silent Film Screening at the Campton Historical Society, traditionally held in the dead of winter, was special to me because it was home, or at least the small part of the world that was really familiar to me.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEie3Jl7a52NBHqE8_2zthfWOmUNh7LrnX39ZwNpidSOo4fhRZhQmXYMAHNMLJGDNRQUGX3f3gNZRA675zRCrGgUGgjzj5BTobpjYjmMTfdmJtQRH-WGPZ2Z1Sm9SUxoziMhpgAjWsAbSxXDnDMGpOHi_snZ8mH2ecGtAa5EjBSNL3qSt06K_sx5Iqo6Q/s4032/IMG_3213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEie3Jl7a52NBHqE8_2zthfWOmUNh7LrnX39ZwNpidSOo4fhRZhQmXYMAHNMLJGDNRQUGX3f3gNZRA675zRCrGgUGgjzj5BTobpjYjmMTfdmJtQRH-WGPZ2Z1Sm9SUxoziMhpgAjWsAbSxXDnDMGpOHi_snZ8mH2ecGtAa5EjBSNL3qSt06K_sx5Iqo6Q/w400-h300/IMG_3213.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i>Dig in! The 'Pot Luck Supper' portion of last night's program.</i> <p></p><p>Last night's screening was not without its celebrity guests, however. Prior the the show, when I was warming up at the keyboard, a woman came up to me and began chatting.</p><p>Her name was Danielle Freund-Buckman, and turn out she was the granddaughter legendary cinematographer Karl Freund's borther! That made her, let's see...Karl Freund's grand-niece, I think. </p><p>So I introduced her to the audience, members of which of course would have no idea who Karl Freund was. I explained he was not related to Sigmund <i>Freud</i>, whose name was different anyway, but he was a cinematographer for many influential films in the 1920s, including F.W. Murnau's 'The Last Laugh' (1924) and Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis' (1927).</p><p>I probably would have made a bigger impression by mentioning that Freund photographed 'Dracula' (1931) starring Bela Lugosi, and also directed Boris Karloff in 'The Mummy' (1932), and also an obscure picture called 'Moonlight and Pretzels' (1933) that is my FAVORITE 1930s musical, based on a single screening I saw at a long-ago Cinefest celebration in Syracuse, N.Y. (Another show biz capital!)</p><p>Instead, I mentioned the one thing that I knew would hit home: later in his career Freund developed the three-camera system used to shoot episodes of 'I Love Lucy' in the 1950s, and hundreds of sitcoms in the years since. Everyone perked up at that, and Mrs. Freund-Buckman was duly showered with applause. <br /></p><p>The film was Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' (1925), in the original version, which I've been played for multiple times in the past year after not accompanying it all for about a decade. </p><p>In recent screenings, I've learned how to do music for the final cliff-hanging sequence (literally!) in a way that I think heightens the tension and the resulting laughs. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18hwhwFIA_ZfqJKAFZ91aS_hyphenhyphenmJ6AjU58WW2iQNumaC_N8K9jWr9wgM5eazzc-VYxLRptCDjBcZbBqSz6Txfh4U95lC7Yz_64SoBzkVtbSB5rDHmdUSNaCR0_g7wHKjxtDveuaTXpQS_FQ5DiJgR6I4jlxqlUZhb6jooDIYjn2cM-HqMnS06K7I4GzMs/s688/The_gold_rush_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="688" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18hwhwFIA_ZfqJKAFZ91aS_hyphenhyphenmJ6AjU58WW2iQNumaC_N8K9jWr9wgM5eazzc-VYxLRptCDjBcZbBqSz6Txfh4U95lC7Yz_64SoBzkVtbSB5rDHmdUSNaCR0_g7wHKjxtDveuaTXpQS_FQ5DiJgR6I4jlxqlUZhb6jooDIYjn2cM-HqMnS06K7I4GzMs/w200-h154/The_gold_rush_14.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Take innocent music and keep it light and airy, with lots of pauses, as Chaplin and Mack Swain slowly discover their predicament. Only when Chaplin swings out the door do and everything becomes clear to the characters (although the audience has known what's going on all along) do you begin to amp up the music—in this case by taking the same music and boosting the tempo a bit, and maybe putting phrases in a minor key, but still keeping the texture as simple as possible.<p></p><p>In due course, you can ramp things up and get really big, but only right at the end, when Swain has escaped and found his mountain of gold, but Charlie is still trapped in the teetering cabin. </p><p>And even then you have to cut out at the moment Swain finally peers back into the cabin, and a still-trapped Chaplin wiggles his finger to indicate he's still awaiting rescue. Why? Because if the big music continued, it would step on the moment. But with near silence, the moment produces an explosive laugh. <br /></p><p>I followed this prescription last night. I'm not sure if the music really had anything to do with it, but audience reaction was huge, with people gasping and shrieking as the sequence unfolded, and then topped with a lusty cheer when Chaplin popped out just in the nick of time.<br /></p><p>Less is more!</p><p>See you at 'Flesh and the Devil' on Monday night in Greenfield, Mass.—yet another showbiz capital! (By virtue of it being the hometown of Penn Gillette of 'Penn & Teller' fame, and who once worked at the Garden Cinema.)</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXMr_mdMyVIDdrtG2mvSpsDf-7qW-pcN52_bEUlKCYQumPXkzIm41u5vLxmfp9yc40H5o_zMBwp-q6xUTti2gvjUQ1sZxs0iJOX6Rna4sjxySbp7nP188C0oD4dS3oaSe_CyK_-j7zwxNPapc6xUJ0Nhaq60RHtQY-UnXELzmuEiTYewqhlA0niT7ZQ8/s2112/flesh_and_devil_D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="1793" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXMr_mdMyVIDdrtG2mvSpsDf-7qW-pcN52_bEUlKCYQumPXkzIm41u5vLxmfp9yc40H5o_zMBwp-q6xUTti2gvjUQ1sZxs0iJOX6Rna4sjxySbp7nP188C0oD4dS3oaSe_CyK_-j7zwxNPapc6xUJ0Nhaq60RHtQY-UnXELzmuEiTYewqhlA0niT7ZQ8/w340-h400/flesh_and_devil_D.jpg" width="340" /></a></div><i>Original poster art for MGM's 'Flesh and the Devil' (1926).</i><p></p><p>MONDAY, JAN. 22, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a><br /></i><br /><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Garbo, Gilbert heat up the big screen in 'Flesh and the Devil' at Garden Cinemas</span></b><br /><br />Celebrity
couple fell passionately in love during filming of legendary silent
classic, to be shown with live music on Monday, Feb. 5 in Greenfleld, Mass.<br /><br />GREENFIELD,
Mass. - Rediscover the passionate romance between early superstars
Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in 'Flesh and the Devil' (1926), the
classic MGM silent melodrama that first brought the legendary Hollywood
couple together.<br /><br />'Flesh and the Devil' will be shown on Monday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield.<br /><br />The
screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New
Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent
films.<br /><br />Admission is $10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students. Tickets are available online or at the door.
<br /><br />Set
in Germany, 'Flesh and the Devil' tells the story of a love triangle
between two boyhood friends (Gilbert and Lars Hansen) and the amoral
seductress (Garbo) who comes between them. <br /><br />The two men are
eventually forced into a violent struggle over the woman, who marries
one but carries on an affair with the other.<br /><br />During the shooting,
Garbo and Gilbert developed their own highly charged off-screen
romantic affair, the passion of which director Clarence Brown delighted
in capturing on camera. <br /><br />Though Garbo and Gilbert eventually went
their separate ways, 'Flesh and the Devil' marked the very public
beginning of one of the legendary romances of early Hollywood.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uYxhoKkNFNck7xFlZ9GFUzc9hYqLXB_NIrGJOxP7Xw3c_QXFdAI7VJvGTPiOuC7JdSyHlmoCQdJJHq6EqjNg-ddaiisOpNM098ysqHE5UNobUlZFJDfplJbgFsuGwZyvDnc4GZSFkvQBjsnB_Dh1zEpmLJSJ8TldF4_D1rc7dqNdkfKYk7vgDv6Y2ME/s2525/flesh_and_devil_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="2525" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uYxhoKkNFNck7xFlZ9GFUzc9hYqLXB_NIrGJOxP7Xw3c_QXFdAI7VJvGTPiOuC7JdSyHlmoCQdJJHq6EqjNg-ddaiisOpNM098ysqHE5UNobUlZFJDfplJbgFsuGwZyvDnc4GZSFkvQBjsnB_Dh1zEpmLJSJ8TldF4_D1rc7dqNdkfKYk7vgDv6Y2ME/w400-h310/flesh_and_devil_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i> A close-up in more ways than one: Garbo and Gilbert in 'Flesh and the Devil' (1926).</i><br /><div> </div><div>'Flesh
and the Devil' is the latest installment of a
monthly series of silent film screenings at the Garden Cinemas. </div><div><br /></div><div>The
series aims to recreate the lost magic of early cinema by bringing
crucial elements needed for silent film to work: classic films in best
available prints; projection on the big screen; live musical
accompaniment; and a live audience.</div><br /><div>"These films are still moving
and intense experiences if you can show them as they were designed to
be screened," said Jeff Rapsis, who provides musical accompaniment for
the screenings. </div><div><br /></div><div>"There's a reason people first fell in love with the
movies. At their best, they were communal experiences in which the
presence of a large audience intensifies everyone's reactions."</div><p><br />The
appeal of 'Flesh and the Devil' has withstood the test of time. In
2006, the film was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally,
historically, or aesthetically significant."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaf3S3X26WTCmtmmt_3ouRWW7DhF1TtxDZBjXDJcv1bKw6xJ7HTOFG0SBIJdnOlUJGnFdnBoN74B3ueHxi1z16J8Z_F300BnRdR_XI2cddj-q9zhWU7rUg_9X2cGI6TeVaZrdptuHWoU0ooKzU3ZMfpitDjUsTn5EixDyfElmwS50sPs_IhlxnR-lqK10/s2000/flesh_and_devil_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1371" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaf3S3X26WTCmtmmt_3ouRWW7DhF1TtxDZBjXDJcv1bKw6xJ7HTOFG0SBIJdnOlUJGnFdnBoN74B3ueHxi1z16J8Z_F300BnRdR_XI2cddj-q9zhWU7rUg_9X2cGI6TeVaZrdptuHWoU0ooKzU3ZMfpitDjUsTn5EixDyfElmwS50sPs_IhlxnR-lqK10/s320/flesh_and_devil_C.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>Reviewers have
continued to praise the picture's many good qualities, often singling
out Garbo's performance as particularly memorable. <br /><br />"Pulsatingly
romantic, beautifully filmed, probably the best Garbo-Gilbert love
match," wrote critic Leonard Maltin, while David Parkinson of Empire
Magazine wrote that "Garbo is mesmerizing in this wild and heated
romance..." Carol Cling of the Las Vegas Review proclaimed 'Flesh and
the Devil' as "Garbo & Gilbert at their steamy, sultry silent peak."<br /><br />
Upcoming titles in the Garden Cinema's silent film series include:<br /><br />• Monday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>The Passion of Joan of Arc</b>'
(1928). Danish director Carl Dreyer's intense recreation of the trial
of Joan of Arc set new standards for cinematography and expanded the
language of film in new directions.<br /><br />• Monday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>Safety Last</b>'
(1923). The iconic image of Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a
downtown clock is just one scene of a remarkable thrill comedy that has
lost none of its power over audiences.
<br /><br />'Flesh and the Devil' will be
shown with live music
on Monday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield.<br /><br /><p></p><br /><div>Admission is $10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students. Tickets at the door; advance tickets are available at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gardencinemas.net&source=gmail&ust=1706660911938000&usg=AOvVaw1TvJgCLqvVtaomSiBVzjsX" href="http://www.gardencinemas.net" target="_blank">www.gardencinemas.net</a>. For more information, call the box office at (413) 774-4881.
</div>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-64218910651110738822024-01-31T08:24:00.000-05:002024-01-31T08:24:22.059-05:00Coming Saturday, Feb. 3: dinner and a movie (Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush') at Campton Historical Society<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQLO4hce1FhpEMyQJX0z1-7OGg0xHSFKVcBQ5oUDcNTkb-Fywh-oYuHJwDFPTQRV6OVrh-awKV1vWoNFYL9esOYfK6-umGJMSSxKyVPS_pBdnLuZPDkWeTeVE1UYSZ3cUUXtk_m1S4p-PfgBZ11U8sWEO-4WcD3oLr6MItUkJ_ot2nMlMh3tqelc6npU/s1280/gold_rush_german_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="908" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQLO4hce1FhpEMyQJX0z1-7OGg0xHSFKVcBQ5oUDcNTkb-Fywh-oYuHJwDFPTQRV6OVrh-awKV1vWoNFYL9esOYfK6-umGJMSSxKyVPS_pBdnLuZPDkWeTeVE1UYSZ3cUUXtk_m1S4p-PfgBZ11U8sWEO-4WcD3oLr6MItUkJ_ot2nMlMh3tqelc6npU/w284-h400/gold_rush_german_poster.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><i>A German poster for Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i><p></p><p>This weekend brings one of my favorite gigs of the year: the annual mid-winter potluck dinner and silent movie program at the Campton (N.H.) Historical Society.</p><p>We've been doing this for more than 10 years now. And I've come to believe that there's no better way to experience a silent film than in the dead of winter, surrounded by snowy woods, in a warm meetinghouse filled with people who've just enjoyed a pot luck supper. </p><p>Join us and experience this for yourself. This year's edition, which features Chaplin's epic comedy 'The Gold Rush' (1925) will take place on Saturday, Feb. 3. </p><p>The pot luck supper (be sure to bring a dish!) starts at 5 p.m. The movie comes afterwards—we usually start by 6:15 p.m. or so. </p><p>More information is in the press release below. Hope to see you there!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * * <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfvtPNZ89xu2GfsFmhtWskANawua6ymjZ9xJvH2_2_VlOhCFSZW8OaPvmOxsu1cggUHtUQGMvLfQlx3KhbQOh_RUwwkv00xNuVcCq6Iq5_O8saNbG5-C8OLUWZyIrczONTFZ77lrV0LNsTwRYN87XjWtlnrg_iWGZe7RUst93vv26PSTtrrDzE0ilyrA/s2200/gold_rush%20A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="2200" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfvtPNZ89xu2GfsFmhtWskANawua6ymjZ9xJvH2_2_VlOhCFSZW8OaPvmOxsu1cggUHtUQGMvLfQlx3KhbQOh_RUwwkv00xNuVcCq6Iq5_O8saNbG5-C8OLUWZyIrczONTFZ77lrV0LNsTwRYN87XjWtlnrg_iWGZe7RUst93vv26PSTtrrDzE0ilyrA/w400-h323/gold_rush%20A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Chaplin and his improvised foot warmer in 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i><br /><p>MONDAY, JAN. 15, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Silent comedy masterpiece 'The Gold Rush' to screen with live music in Campton, N.H. on Saturday, Feb. 3</span></b><br /><br />Dinner
and a movie: family-friendly Charlie Chaplin film is featured
attraction of local historical society's annual pot luck supper; public
welcome<br /><br />CAMPTON, N.H.— He was a comedic icon of the silent era, and 'The Gold Rush' was the movie that he wished to be remembered for.<br /><br />He was Charlie Chaplin, whose Little Tramp character was beloved by early film audiences and remains a global icon to this day.<br /><br />See
for yourself how it all began when 'The Gold Rush' (1925), a
feature-length film regarded as a Chaplin masterpiece, is screened by
the Campton Historical Society on Saturday, Feb. 3.<br /><br />The event, which is free and open to all, takes place at Old Campton Town Hall, 529 Route 175, Campton, N.H.<br /><br />It starts with a pot luck dinner at 5 p.m., with the film program to begin at 6 p.m.<br /><br />Those attending the pot luck dinner are asked to bring one of the following: soup, bread, salad, main dish, dessert or beverage.<br /><br />Live music for the silent film program will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.<br /><br />'The
Gold Rush,' a landmark comedy and one of the top-grossing films of the
silent era, finds Chaplin's iconic 'Little Tramp' character journeying
to the frozen wastelands of the Yukon. There as a prospector, the
Tramp's search for gold turns into a pursuit of romance, but with plenty
of laughs along the way.<br /><br />The film contains several famous
scenes, both comic and dramatic, including a starving Chaplin forced to
eat his shoe for Thanksgiving dinner and a heart-breaking New Year's Eve
celebration.<br /><br />As a comedian, Chaplin emerged as the first
superstar in the early days of cinema. From humble beginnings as a
musical hall entertainer in England, he came to Hollywood and used his
talents to quickly rise to the pinnacle of stardom in the then-new
medium of motion pictures. His popularity never waned, and his image
remains recognized around the world to this day.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCLJP8Dck6411WBh2OiiFCwLkMInyNx5YUO4hHniLwadiyfXInFMqNgCTE2RH0naiUrsEqSqG-JO6NGTAs_mTTb6IBq0XbvRBoXS3cEZ5YNRcUOroJTxm85KJhEsL0jRwXpLtkGC45y9jpHn7rkGyAU7TnxCNvyzhVTQ46iNWCz1mzkYGCH-zv5trXVg/s2000/gold_rush%20B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="2000" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCLJP8Dck6411WBh2OiiFCwLkMInyNx5YUO4hHniLwadiyfXInFMqNgCTE2RH0naiUrsEqSqG-JO6NGTAs_mTTb6IBq0XbvRBoXS3cEZ5YNRcUOroJTxm85KJhEsL0jRwXpLtkGC45y9jpHn7rkGyAU7TnxCNvyzhVTQ46iNWCz1mzkYGCH-zv5trXVg/w400-h308/gold_rush%20B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Shoe or Thanksgiving dinner? The definition of food changes according to how hungry you are.</i><br /><br />'The Gold Rush,'
regarded by many critics as Chaplin's best film, is a prime example of
his unique talent for combining slapstick comedy and intense dramatic
emotion.<br /><br />" 'The Gold Rush' is still an effective tear-jerker,"
wrote critic Eric Kohn of indieWIRE. "In the YouTube era, audiences —
myself included — often anoint the latest sneezing panda phenomenon as
comedic gold. Unless I’m missing something, however, nothing online has
come close to matching the mixture of affectionate fragility and
seamless comedic inspiration perfected by the Tramp."<br /><br />Rapsis, who
uses original themes to improvise silent film scores, said the best
silent film comedies often used visual humor to create laughter out of
simple situations. Because of this, audiences continue to respond to
them in the 21st century, especially if they're presented as intended —
with an audience and live music.<br /><br />"These comedies were created to
be shown on the big screen as a communal experience," Rapsis said. "With
an audience and live music, they still come to life as their creators
intended them to. So this screening is a great chance to experience
films that first caused people to fall in love with the movies," he
said.<br /><br />Rapsis achieves a traditional movie score sound for silent
film screenings by using a digital synthesizer that reproduces the
texture of the full orchestra.<br /><br />"Seeing a Charlie Chaplin film
with live music and an audience is one of the great experiences of the
cinema of any era," said Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film
musician who will accompany the film.<br /><br />"Films such as 'The Gold
Rush' were designed for a specific environment. If you can put those
conditions together again, you can get a sense of why people first fell
in love with the movies," Rapsis said.<br /><br />'The Gold Rush' will be
screened with live music on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. at Old Campton
Town Hall, 529 Route 175, Campton, N.H.<br /><br />The film will follow a
pot luck supper that starts at 5 p.m. Those attending the pot luck
dinner are asked to bring one of the following: soup, bread, salad, main
dish, dessert or beverage.<br /><br />The event is free and open to all, with donations accepted to support the Campton Historical Society.<br /><br />For more information, visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.camptonhistorical.org&source=gmail&ust=1706660913983000&usg=AOvVaw2WVjADsUCKoXKoTR5WC7Mo" href="http://www.camptonhistorical.org" target="_blank">www.camptonhistorical.org</a>. <br /><p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-4211709998525447502024-01-22T04:43:00.002-05:002024-01-27T16:08:41.913-05:00Sunday, Jan. 28: Chaney's 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' highlights Colonial's centennial celebration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2KptF34ADrxRMN9hwALfOsCNx7eLQWNnh2OUkdd5fIMgVBfPGSSWu-lqhs-xsN-IblGDSlXEoN9e59RHGKUhNA4JSyURE3SB69Bhzt8ZkXR05jFuuPIFz2bXdGsBMRvD9RjTVkuUUUpixol0s3G87W0AX_aRd_6G1uLT-6XrHWUXhnKLAekLj-8JAQU/s2048/colonial_theatre_100_years.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1525" data-original-width="2048" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2KptF34ADrxRMN9hwALfOsCNx7eLQWNnh2OUkdd5fIMgVBfPGSSWu-lqhs-xsN-IblGDSlXEoN9e59RHGKUhNA4JSyURE3SB69Bhzt8ZkXR05jFuuPIFz2bXdGsBMRvD9RjTVkuUUUpixol0s3G87W0AX_aRd_6G1uLT-6XrHWUXhnKLAekLj-8JAQU/w400-h297/colonial_theatre_100_years.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>The Colonial's marquee has brightened Keene's Main Street for a full century.</i><br /><p><span style="color: red;"><b>UPDATE! DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, THIS SCREENING IS POSTPONED TO SUNDAY, FEB. 18. </b></span></p><p>Talk about milestones!</p><p>This month, the Colonial Theatre of Keene, N.H. marks 100 years of service. </p><p>That's a century of movies and popcorn in that rarest of creatures: a downtown one-screen movie theater that was never multiplexed!<br /></p><p>And to celebrate, this Sunday, Jan. 28, the Colonial is turning the clocks all the way back to the very first motion picture that opened the place.</p><p>It's 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) starring Lon Chaney. It's my privilege to create live music for this special screening, which is at 2 p.m. and free to all.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOZaPgfLYnUd5MnchNI3hgLasy1pH23uheinHDDLU1GGY1s7AK4J0OUL_vK53lzPkg09bcp7I5x3zSxUqM0NqY4W1L5XM0SI16brDDGjNHiV9U7I79zRlM0Md2PRQFJR4UnNXnrht_Sf6IIDPQv7y72m7xUw_HAnwSPKNrAutzmTpinSl6C6wm-6za4w/s2705/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2705" data-original-width="1697" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOZaPgfLYnUd5MnchNI3hgLasy1pH23uheinHDDLU1GGY1s7AK4J0OUL_vK53lzPkg09bcp7I5x3zSxUqM0NqY4W1L5XM0SI16brDDGjNHiV9U7I79zRlM0Md2PRQFJR4UnNXnrht_Sf6IIDPQv7y72m7xUw_HAnwSPKNrAutzmTpinSl6C6wm-6za4w/s320/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>The theater is promoting the event with the tagline "Party Like It's 1924!" along with the movie poster showing Esmerelda dancing with a goat. I assume goats are optional. <br /><p></p><p>It's also a personal honor, as I have a history with the Colonial going back to at least 1971—back when the place hadn't even reached the half-century mark.</p><p>At that time, my family would spend summers in Harrisville, a small town outside of Keene. </p><p>My mother would drive us into Keene every other Saturday to do laundry. She'd park us at the Colonial for the children's matinee while she washed and dried.</p><p>I can pinpoint the year as 1971 because that was when 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' was released. </p><p>And I remember that because to an impressionable 7-year-old, there was no more terrifying film. Things were okay until they entered Wonka's factory, and ghastly things began happening to the children. </p><p>By the time Augustus Gloop got stuck in a clear plastic pipe, I couldn't take it anymore, running up the aisle to get away before anything else could happen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrgV_jaJVPQW548QLjxpf4HD3nsH74Vdv63SQbSTuOus24yuJZlZXETJSIfvUJshf_gRE8VaX-7Tmfp3XPt-ngUX9vrKD-4w_n8G6sqwL4ng7TuzYnamMjGduKWQDHIblMroMOszr9HnxXeAxD_NOyMYsmuXzocX9JOKvSFuNYAj0dcsR4joZaWZgGgo/s950/colonial_theatre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="950" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrgV_jaJVPQW548QLjxpf4HD3nsH74Vdv63SQbSTuOus24yuJZlZXETJSIfvUJshf_gRE8VaX-7Tmfp3XPt-ngUX9vrKD-4w_n8G6sqwL4ng7TuzYnamMjGduKWQDHIblMroMOszr9HnxXeAxD_NOyMYsmuXzocX9JOKvSFuNYAj0dcsR4joZaWZgGgo/w400-h288/colonial_theatre.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>The Colonial Theatre's interior, pretty much unchanged since it opened in 1924.</i><br /><p>My older brother found me in the ladies room hiding in a stall. Coaxing me out, we returned to the darkened theater just in time to see the girl blow up like a giant blueberry and then get rolled off to the "juicing room."</p><p>I fled back up the aisle and outside. What happened after that is a blank—we may have ended up on a park bench outside until my mother came to get us.</p><p>I've since recovered, but that original version with Gene Wilder in the title role still gives me the creeps. </p><p>Well, Chaney's 'Hunchback' can be creepy, too. But I hope it doesn't compel you to flee the theater!</p><p>Lots more info in the press release. Hope you'll join us this Sunday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. to celebrate the Colonial's centennial. </p><p>There will be cake! <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_me1fbllKywQr7ShLXLqtxghUYueFsqV5LJt4kDuQ4xwKs2rmw2L95jvZxREb23AZix_VUw1hD8TKIFuVqHsTOSMnLAQVZzAWrAIENCqCtRuE2F2pXvclRam1oFwU0DVWHKS336_kykvk2KLB3EcbbnFmiZjQ3JFbNgwKbtMQVEKxUr6jLaY9kQ6F78/s1200/hunchback_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1200" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_me1fbllKywQr7ShLXLqtxghUYueFsqV5LJt4kDuQ4xwKs2rmw2L95jvZxREb23AZix_VUw1hD8TKIFuVqHsTOSMnLAQVZzAWrAIENCqCtRuE2F2pXvclRam1oFwU0DVWHKS336_kykvk2KLB3EcbbnFmiZjQ3JFbNgwKbtMQVEKxUr6jLaY9kQ6F78/w400-h325/hunchback_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>A scene from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i> <p></p><p>MONDAY, JAN. 15, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Chaney as Quasimodo in 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' on Sunday, Jan. 28 in Keene, N.H.</span></b><br /></span><br />Celebrate
Colonial Theatre's 100th anniversary with free screening of classic
film that opened theater in 1924; featuring live music by Jeff Rapsis<br /><br />KEENE,
N.H.—It was a spectacular combination: Lon Chaney, the actor known as
the "Man of 1,000 Faces," and Universal's big screen adaptation of
Victor Hugo's sprawling tale of the tortured Quasimodo.<br /><br />The
result was the classic silent film version of 'The Hunchback of Notre
Dame' (1923) — a movie so popular that it was chosen as the opening
program at Keene's Colonial Theatre when it first opened to the public
on Jan. 29, 1924.<br /><br />Now, 100 years later, the Colonial will once again screen 'Hunchback' as part of a centennial celebration.<br /><br />'The
Hunchback of Notre Dame' starring Lon Chaney will be shown on Sunday,
Jan. 28, 2024 at 2 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre, 95 Main St., Keene,
N.H. Admission is free, but attendees are asked to RSVP online in
advance at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.thecolonial.org&source=gmail&ust=1705579822445000&usg=AOvVaw06-jhjhLD7qFZBBT4Fk5IH" href="http://www.thecolonial.org" target="_blank">www.thecolonial.org</a>.<br /><br />Live music for the movie will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.<br /><br />The program includes cake and champagne afterwards.<br /><br />'The
Hunchback of Notre Dame' is based on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, and is
notable for the grand sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as for
Chaney's performance and make-up as the tortured hunchback Quasimodo.<br /><br />The
film elevated Chaney, already a well-known character actor, to full
star status in Hollywood, and also helped set a standard for many later
horror films, including Chaney's 'The Phantom of the Opera' in 1925.<br /><br />While
Quasimodo is but one of many interconnecting characters in the original
Hugo novel, he dominates the narrative of this lavish Universal
production.<br /><br />In the story, Jehan (Brandon Hurst), the evil brother
of the archdeacon, lusts after a Gypsy named Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth
Miller) and commands the hunchback Quasimodo (Chaney) to capture her.<br /><br />Military
captain Phoebus (Norman Kerry) also loves Esmeralda and rescues her,
but the Gypsy is not unsympathetic to Quasimodo's condition, and an
unlikely bond forms between them.<br /><br />After vengeful Jehan frames
Esmeralda for the attempted murder of Phoebus, Quasimodo's feelings are
put to the test in a spectacular climax set in and around the Cathedral
of Notre Dame.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6w52zIJhfeztH3SnhmMaqJ75NCNH-t-kawDyzPRYXmIxOyRncH2-1wbkP304j5DQ03_YETTPHLHV2caM06lryFPZ2Ow15lOoQokLM56noHwEN2O6nbC_XVqDFSADBBphuqisbQKTp25DE_aQ7VKKY-RHhwLIzKf5zSciosQAACay9gNh5yrSe4G_tQQ/s1280/hunchback_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6w52zIJhfeztH3SnhmMaqJ75NCNH-t-kawDyzPRYXmIxOyRncH2-1wbkP304j5DQ03_YETTPHLHV2caM06lryFPZ2Ow15lOoQokLM56noHwEN2O6nbC_XVqDFSADBBphuqisbQKTp25DE_aQ7VKKY-RHhwLIzKf5zSciosQAACay9gNh5yrSe4G_tQQ/w400-h300/hunchback_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><i>A scene from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><p>As the hunchbacked bellringer Quasimodo, Chaney
adorned himself with a special device that made his cheeks jut out
grotesquely; a contact lens that blanked out one of his eyes; and, most
painfully, a huge rubber hump covered with coarse animal fur and
weighing anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds.<br /><br />Chaney deeply identified
with Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer at Notre Dame Cathedral who was
deafened by his work. Chaney was raised by deaf parents and did a lot
of his communication through pantomime.<br /><br />“The idea of doing the
picture was an old one of mine and I had studied Quasimodo until I knew
him like a brother, knew every ghoulish impulse of his heart and all the
inarticulate miseries of his soul,” Chaney told an interviewer with
Movie Weekly magazine in 1923.<br /><br />“Quasimodo and I lived together—we
became one. At least so it has since seemed to me. When I played him, I
forgot my own identity completely and for the time being lived and
suffered with the Hunchback of Notre Dame.”<br /><br />The film was a major box office hit for Universal Studios, and Chaney's performance continues to win accolades.<br /><br />"An
awe-inspiring achievement, featuring magnificent sets (built on the
Universal backlot), the proverbial cast of thousands (the crowd scenes
are mesmerizing) and an opportunity to catch Lon Chaney at his most
commanding," wrote critic Matt Brunson of Creative Loafing in 2014.<br /><br />The
famous cathedral, a symbol of Paris and France, was severely damaged by
fire in 2019. After a long period of rebuilding, the Cathedral is
scheduled to reopen to the public in December 2024.<br /><br />Screening
this classic version of 'Hunchback' 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.<br /><br />"If you can put pieces of the experience back together
again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," said Rapsis, a
New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who creates music for
silent film screenings at venues around the country.<br /><br />"By showing the films as they were intended, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."<br /><br />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.<br /><br />'The Hunchback of
Notre Dame' (1923) starring Lon Chaney, will be screened with live music
on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre, 95 Main St.,
Keene, N.H. Admission is free, but attendees are asked to RVSP online in
advance at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.thecolonial.org&source=gmail&ust=1705579822445000&usg=AOvVaw06-jhjhLD7qFZBBT4Fk5IH" href="http://www.thecolonial.org" target="_blank">www.thecolonial.org</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9nc-2034NJ5iads01OLqKb_O0vHQAtJk_sMLFREouVwVH7tgY7SgyWie1NwXcA6ocL2qjfpogQHgd2D2Sgzi5CUh3BlOQWiTdFLxZ8nLnhOs4oyNZOw9BX7rnB7LRMXLRVYXRJP1MSNLfGY9H4n4toOC9ga5Fm1xGmd72kUxtz1ZmAVLR5UotWLwRpg/s3200/hunchback_C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="3200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9nc-2034NJ5iads01OLqKb_O0vHQAtJk_sMLFREouVwVH7tgY7SgyWie1NwXcA6ocL2qjfpogQHgd2D2Sgzi5CUh3BlOQWiTdFLxZ8nLnhOs4oyNZOw9BX7rnB7LRMXLRVYXRJP1MSNLfGY9H4n4toOC9ga5Fm1xGmd72kUxtz1ZmAVLR5UotWLwRpg/w400-h210/hunchback_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-89288610581950366732024-01-02T16:48:00.000-05:002024-01-02T16:48:03.248-05:00Coming up next: 'The Last Command' on Sunday, Jan. 21 at Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFOjkj7CEPVngwqkvybkVO99fCerCCBlBGd2u2TmhGKRV4rhNlf5A0v9vBq6Ghwr4weviiKzA1D0cqLemMVOtNW7FZBmHcsVvmI0bU34hF9appIxgRMLEwgysEQjH5j8V84D-bZ_Qob3czzk7-QhDDMPk5Q40m5QwCHuaHSWAn9qKCk9LDcMtQmxAVM4/s2799/last_command_C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2247" data-original-width="2799" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFOjkj7CEPVngwqkvybkVO99fCerCCBlBGd2u2TmhGKRV4rhNlf5A0v9vBq6Ghwr4weviiKzA1D0cqLemMVOtNW7FZBmHcsVvmI0bU34hF9appIxgRMLEwgysEQjH5j8V84D-bZ_Qob3czzk7-QhDDMPk5Q40m5QwCHuaHSWAn9qKCk9LDcMtQmxAVM4/w400-h321/last_command_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Evelyn Brent and Emil Jannings in 'The Last Command' (1928).</i><br /><p></p><p>When asked which silent film is my favorite, I'm sometimes tempted to say 'The Last Command' (1928). For sheer story-telling audacity, there's nothing quite like it. </p><p>Plus it's really something to see Emil Jannings go berzerk at the end of this movie. No surprise that he took home the first-ever 'Best Actor' Academy Award that year.</p><p>So I'm pleased to say that up next is 'The Last Command' (1928), which I'll be accompanying on Sunday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. </p><p>More details are in the press release below. For now, here's a report from the New Year's Day screening of Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' (1925) that I accompanied at the Garden Cinemas in Greenfield, Mass.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_po-1R4GMZf0OPPkus7Ib_iUupgUaKSzdOA-TM1G_mbCBL8QuWYPg35jrJ28wiPpovSHNQ6RmpzyHMTY5-hXRU_1HF_Iw_PmWkVLpwR4asZe-bXhDysZT6XfIWkqIEvU3Lhcv8OOuQswFUGtTXAZD3iSRXB7QzL42EZXvFR87Uf0lt2CfRV2EblnM_-4/s4032/IMG_2355.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_po-1R4GMZf0OPPkus7Ib_iUupgUaKSzdOA-TM1G_mbCBL8QuWYPg35jrJ28wiPpovSHNQ6RmpzyHMTY5-hXRU_1HF_Iw_PmWkVLpwR4asZe-bXhDysZT6XfIWkqIEvU3Lhcv8OOuQswFUGtTXAZD3iSRXB7QzL42EZXvFR87Uf0lt2CfRV2EblnM_-4/w300-h400/IMG_2355.JPG" width="300" /></a></i></div><i>You never know what kind of promotion will be in place for silent film screenings in Greenfield. Here, a sidewalk blackboard is of interest to a passing canine. Too bad it wasn't a Rin Tin Tin film!</i><p></p><p>We've been doing silent films in Greenfield for a couple of years now—enough to build up an audience to the point where we get 50 to 60 people for each screening. </p><p>I wasn't sure if the pattern would hold for a screening on New Year's Day, but it did. What's more, they were not shy about reacting. Right from the start, at Chaplin's first entrance, the laughs came easily. </p><p>One really cool thing is that after years of fumbling around, I stumbled on a way to effectively accompany the climactic "hanging cabin" sequence. </p><p>To my way of thinking, the music should help support suspense and comedy at the same time, similar to what's called for when Harold Lloyd is climbing around the upper floors of that building in 'Safety Last.' What kind of music can communicate these contradictory moods?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51zku9k1ANVWnqaAtT6mQ8IR7wJ5eCpgoUMospw4Mfgm82jaCEEYREjualaOQz6UAwJlQczR54AwS2mZwEwPla0YAmg1-gDZrwuygvmuKJHkJdMmWRSuiqSgLYkzu03MCtt5oEE9XRlsYLEx8sV-xkpq8l48DqranIKedv-r5bxhPBHsMfa3Z2HCx0S8/s4032/IMG_2361.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51zku9k1ANVWnqaAtT6mQ8IR7wJ5eCpgoUMospw4Mfgm82jaCEEYREjualaOQz6UAwJlQczR54AwS2mZwEwPla0YAmg1-gDZrwuygvmuKJHkJdMmWRSuiqSgLYkzu03MCtt5oEE9XRlsYLEx8sV-xkpq8l48DqranIKedv-r5bxhPBHsMfa3Z2HCx0S8/w400-h300/IMG_2361.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i>Greenfield Garden Cinemas owner Isaac Mass welcomes audience members to our screening of 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i><br /><p></p><p>Last night, it occurred to me: the well-known "Morning Mood" melody from Grieg's Peer Gynt incidental music. As familiar and hackneyed as it is, it really does fit the scene when Chaplin and then Mack Swain awaken.</p><p>It could be that although <i>we</i> are aware of their predicament, <i>they</i> aren't. And so the music carries a double layer of meaning: a normal morning to them,anything but normal to us. The music is instantly ironic commentary.<br /></p><p>But then, as Chaplin and Swain gradually discover the peril they're in, the "Morning Mood" melody can be transformed in various ways to continue heightening the tension. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower, sometimes in the minor key or other mode, sometimes with off notes in the harmony or punctuated with dissonant chords or ominous pedal tones.</p><p>And then there's always our good friend silence to <i>really</i> rivet an audience's attention. After which Grieg's melody can reassert itself in even creepier fashion.<br /></p><p>All these elements combined to create a really satisfying accompaniment. I felt it augmented how Chaplin presented the sequence. Audience response to this sequence was the strongest that I can recall—for the first time in my experience, the film elicited shrieks and gasps among the laughs.</p><p>And the payoff: a hearty cheer (spoiler alert!) when Chaplin leaps from the cabin and lands on solid ground. Yes!<br /></p><p>If you'd like to experience this for yourself, I'll be doing 'The Gold Rush' again on Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Campton (N.H.) Historical Society. For more info, check the listings under the 'Upcoming Silent Film Screenings' link on the upper right corner of this page.</p><p>The screening, by the way, is part of a pot luck supper—ironic for a film in which so much of the comedy stems from starvation. </p><p>But for now, here's all you'll need to catch 'The Last Command' (1928) on Sunday, Jan. 21 in Wilton. See you there!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * * </p><div class="gmail_default"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREXxqgFRXS6ugnU120tWZzoENIIYbo7_TLtf1xC_F6zH-OaK9eVVW9QHlLuB0MbAu-JJaXx3ejkfO8ioi2H8EKXMXgoofeCq0z96uGQmLwUyfWao9vZcHaTrC59x1qk6cDYL8fVU77G4CwJV-WlK5MhonYyJGnFddZNgSbq3r9dLbBgLdKBF8zCxxzTo/s2696/last_command_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2696" data-original-width="2088" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREXxqgFRXS6ugnU120tWZzoENIIYbo7_TLtf1xC_F6zH-OaK9eVVW9QHlLuB0MbAu-JJaXx3ejkfO8ioi2H8EKXMXgoofeCq0z96uGQmLwUyfWao9vZcHaTrC59x1qk6cDYL8fVU77G4CwJV-WlK5MhonYyJGnFddZNgSbq3r9dLbBgLdKBF8zCxxzTo/w310-h400/last_command_B.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><i>Poster featuring Emil Jannings in 'The Last Command' (1928).</i><br /></div><div class="gmail_default"> </div><div class="gmail_default">TUESDAY, JAN. 2, 2024 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Silent epic 'The Last Command' with live music at Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 21</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><br />Josef von Sternberg's groundbreaking psychological drama won 'Best Actor' for Emil Jannings at first-ever Academy Awards<br /><br />WILTON, N.H.—'The Last Command' (1928), a silent film drama that won Emil
Jannings 'Best Actor' honors at the first-ever Academy Awards, will be
screened with live music on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 at 2 p.m.
at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.<br /><br />Admission is free; donations are accepted, with $10 per person suggested to defray expenses.<br /><br /><div>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.</div>
<br />'The
Last Command,' directed by Josef von Sternberg, tells the sweeping
story of a powerful general in Czarist Russia (Jannings) forced to flee
his homeland during the Bolshevik Revolution. He emigrates to America,
where he is reduced to living in poverty.<br /><br />Finding work as an
extra at a Hollywood studio, the former general lands the part of a
commanding officer in a movie about the Revolution, causing flashbacks
to his traumatic experiences. The conflict leads to a spectacular climax
and a towering performance that earned Jannings 'Best Actor' honors.</div><div class="gmail_default"></div><div class="gmail_default"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFguzDJXGyiMfzOybhZIObfPYck1VVvvvuHiLp5FuxAZ09wYA4PtOeAbwLoJ6EOrwwrNH_JsE0r3Ney0K4xe119ExH7bHHW8ebdusTCwCLvEs63hccpM7BwBSKBmrmUgBNtvSb3uHOf0cdui0YqFUKlu-hbqW7QqApCQns8uzfYUckeCmTK5WwBs12oc/s1577/last_command_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="1193" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFguzDJXGyiMfzOybhZIObfPYck1VVvvvuHiLp5FuxAZ09wYA4PtOeAbwLoJ6EOrwwrNH_JsE0r3Ney0K4xe119ExH7bHHW8ebdusTCwCLvEs63hccpM7BwBSKBmrmUgBNtvSb3uHOf0cdui0YqFUKlu-hbqW7QqApCQns8uzfYUckeCmTK5WwBs12oc/w303-h400/last_command_A.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><i>Emil Jannings in 'The Last Command' (1928).</i><br /><div class="gmail_default"><br />The
film takes audiences on a journey through big emotions as well as
issues of history, time, power, and especially a man's duty to his
country and to his fellow citizens—and what happens when the two
obligations diverge.<br /><br />'The Last Command' is also one of early
Hollywood's most creative and challenging looks at the global conflicts
that contributed to World War I.<br /><br />The film also stars a young
William Powell as a Hollywood movie director who crosses paths with the
general during the Revolution, and 1920s starlet Evelyn Brent as a
seductive Russian revolutionary.<br /><br />Rapsis, the accompanist, will
create the film's score live as the movie is shown.<br /><br />"Making up the music on the spot is kind of a high wire
act," Rapsis said. "But there's nothing like the energy and excitement
that comes with improvised live performance, especially when
accompanying a silent film."<br /><br />Critic Leonard Maltin hailed 'The
Last Command' as "a stunning silent drama...a fascinating story laced
with keen observations of life and work in Hollywood." Time Out of
London called it "the first Sternberg masterpiece, expertly poised
between satire and 'absurd' melodrama. The cast are fully equal to it;
Jannings, in particular, turns the characteristic role of the general
into an indelible portrait of arrogance, fervor and dementia."<br /><br />Director
Sternberg, a master of lighting and black-and-white photography,
created 'The Last Command' as a visual tour de force. The film is often
cited as a prime example of the emotional range and visual
accomplishment of silent films at their height, just prior to the coming
of pictures with recorded soundtracks.<br /><br />Rapsis said great silent
film dramas such as 'The Last Command' told stories that concentrate on
the "big" emotions such as Love, Despair, Anger, and Joy. Because of
this, audiences continue to respond to them in the 21st century,
especially if they're presented as intended—in a theater on the big
screen, with a live audience and live music.<br /><br />"Dramas such as 'The
Last Command' were created to be consumed as a communal experience,"
Rapsis said. "With an audience and live music, they come to life as
their creators intended them to. This screening at the Town Hall Theatre is a
great chance to experience films that first caused people to fall in
love with the movies."<br /><br />'The
Last Command' (1928) will be screened with live music
on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 at 2 p.m.
at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.<br /><br />Admission is free; donations are accepted, with $10 per person suggested to defray expenses.
For more information, call the theater at (603)
654-3456.</div>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-54777102787099985772023-12-26T09:04:00.000-05:002023-12-26T09:04:31.833-05:00Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' on New Year's Day in Greenfield, Mass. plus thanks to everyone!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kjuaWVSwhcNQl0bEKEoZ12PUQiGTyW5W3G_mE6M_djl6Adcp_dXbGgs3xoGjiRwOuy6cFMQBlTuvf4LI3GEIm2Z_X0m28lTtMCtVC8R8InhPBUfVcq222Jp_mFfltxHJCkS-ME0NxxVKPi-ECm6NP6nFpcA7z8JKGBDU9ETtH8-kQVEuPUpvgfiSnV8/s2200/gold_rush%20A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="2200" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kjuaWVSwhcNQl0bEKEoZ12PUQiGTyW5W3G_mE6M_djl6Adcp_dXbGgs3xoGjiRwOuy6cFMQBlTuvf4LI3GEIm2Z_X0m28lTtMCtVC8R8InhPBUfVcq222Jp_mFfltxHJCkS-ME0NxxVKPi-ECm6NP6nFpcA7z8JKGBDU9ETtH8-kQVEuPUpvgfiSnV8/w400-h323/gold_rush%20A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Charlie Chaplin warms his feet in 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i><br /><p></p><p>Happy holidays to everyone!</p><p>Next up I'm doing live music for Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' (1925) on New Year's Day (Jan. 1, 2024) at the Garden Cinemas in Greenfield, Mass.</p><p>Showtime is 6:30 p.m. Hope you'll join us for Chaplin's immortal comedy, set in the Klondike Gold Rush era. Lots more info is in the press release pasted in below.</p><p>For now in what I assume will be my final post of 2023, I'd like to thank everyone who attended or who otherwise supported my screenings in the past year.</p><p>I very much appreciate all the people, many unknown to me, who make it possible to continue to do live music for silent cinema a century after the format was reaching its peak.</p><p>They do that by buying tickets and attending screenings that I accompany. This is crucially important because without an audience, the experience doesn't work, either artistically or financially. </p><p>So thank you! Hope to see you all again in the new year—at least until the lights go down.</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR95asEnt5yFakYGQsgeMSvGSS_n86tOB9LKo_JnWTxNC0N8HGOLWTWEVHQ094HsVb_K55voj4-jqYmHYTnzgdJVV-MHvRtAeeMO1W2d3WU0PlkPVNNvYeU8N8SUB6lTn9n9lbW8LYWka38yEpd0R0KjKigS6P0EV78P86uCvQvpBgrYzq0IFc_lsueok/s2000/gold_rush%20B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="2000" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR95asEnt5yFakYGQsgeMSvGSS_n86tOB9LKo_JnWTxNC0N8HGOLWTWEVHQ094HsVb_K55voj4-jqYmHYTnzgdJVV-MHvRtAeeMO1W2d3WU0PlkPVNNvYeU8N8SUB6lTn9n9lbW8LYWka38yEpd0R0KjKigS6P0EV78P86uCvQvpBgrYzq0IFc_lsueok/w400-h308/gold_rush%20B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Chaplin consumes a shoe in a famous sequence from 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i> <p></p><p>TUESDAY, DEC. 26, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Charlie Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' in Greenfield, Mass. on Monday, Jan. 1</span></b><br /></span><br />Family
fun: Little Tramp's silent film comedy classic
set in the frozen Arctic to be screened with live music on New Year's Day<br /><br />GREENFIELD,
Mass. — Classic silent film comedy returns to the big screen on New
Year's Day with 'The Gold Rush' (1925), a classic comedy starring
Charlie
Chaplin.<br /><br />The screening will take place on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield.<br /><br />The
screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New
Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent
films.<br /><br />Admission is $10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students. Tickets are available online or at the door.
<br /><br />'The Gold Rush,' a
landmark comedy and one of the top-grossing films of the silent era,
finds Chaplin's iconic 'Little Tramp' character journeying to the frozen
wastelands of the Yukon. There as a prospector, the Tramp's search for
gold turns into a pursuit of romance, but with plenty of laughs along
the way.<br /><br />The film contains several famous scenes, both comic and
dramatic, including a starving Chaplin forced to eat his shoe for
Thanksgiving dinner and a heart-breaking New Year's Eve celebration.<br /><br />As
a comedian, Chaplin emerged as the first superstar in the early days of
cinema. From humble beginnings as a musical hall entertainer in
England, he came to Hollywood and used his talents to quickly rise to
the pinnacle of stardom in the then-new medium of motion pictures. His
popularity never waned, and his image remains recognized around the
world to this day.<br /><br />'The Gold Rush,' regarded by many critics as
Chaplin's best film, is a prime example of his unique talent for
combining slapstick comedy and intense dramatic emotion.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2m0qMDrVlEE0KHCAmQrsVcGczt2dlmEF_Q-eWBVIv0nzkI06Faul-H7eolYiCFMoDbLt0bOo9waOCog_YN0SoGQUNCgJIbioDIittstIN_CphiB3fBHwXCwLntrjteLZb83-XCQYu6iHNT4OI1WEuBk5UxbOMGOH-KfE1yswgqUcb8Sox9V2l06F9Mj0/s1995/gold_rush%20C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1995" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2m0qMDrVlEE0KHCAmQrsVcGczt2dlmEF_Q-eWBVIv0nzkI06Faul-H7eolYiCFMoDbLt0bOo9waOCog_YN0SoGQUNCgJIbioDIittstIN_CphiB3fBHwXCwLntrjteLZb83-XCQYu6iHNT4OI1WEuBk5UxbOMGOH-KfE1yswgqUcb8Sox9V2l06F9Mj0/w400-h343/gold_rush%20C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Chaplin in 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i><br /><br />" 'The
Gold Rush' is still an effective tear-jerker," wrote critic Eric Kohn of
indieWIRE. "In the YouTube era, audiences — myself included — often
anoint the latest sneezing panda phenomenon as comedic gold. Unless I’m
missing something, however, nothing online has come close to matching
the mixture of affectionate fragility and seamless comedic inspiration
perfected by the Tramp."<br /><br />Rapsis, who uses original themes to
improvise silent film scores, said the best silent film comedies often
used visual humor to create laughter out of simple situations. Because
of this, audiences continue to respond to them in the 21st century,
especially if they're presented as intended — with an audience and live
music.<br /><br />"These comedies were created to be shown on the big screen
as a communal experience," Rapsis said. "With an audience and live
music, they still come to life as their creators intended them to. So
this screening is a great chance to experience films that first caused
people to fall in love with the movies," he said.<br /><p></p><div>Rapsis achieves
a traditional movie score sound for silent film screenings by using a
digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra.</div><div><br /></div><div>
Upcoming titles in the Garden Cinema's silent film series include:<br /><br />• Monday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>Flesh and the Devil</b>'
(1926). Just in time for Valentine's Day! Garbo and Gilbert steam up
the camera lens in this torrid romance set in 19th century European high
society.<br /><br />• Monday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>The Passion of Joan of Arc</b>'
(1928). Danish director Carl Dreyer's intense recreation of the trial
of Joan of Arc set new standards for cinematography and expanded the
language of film in new directions.<br /><br />• Monday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>Safety Last</b>'
(1923). The iconic image of Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a
downtown clock is just one scene of a remarkable thrill comedy that has
lost none of its power over audiences.
</div><div><br /></div><div>Charlie Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' will be
screened with live music on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at the
Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield.</div><div><br /></div>
Admission is $10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students.
Tickets are at the door; advance tickets are available at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gardencinemas.net&source=gmail&ust=1703681180761000&usg=AOvVaw1bYw841iqM9BHTjxw_VO1U" href="http://www.gardencinemas.net" target="_blank">www.gardencinemas.net</a>. For more information, call the box office at (413) 774-4881.<br /><p><br /></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-68044701589084027102023-12-10T04:46:00.000-05:002023-12-10T04:46:04.523-05:00Two shows to go: 'My Best Girl' on Sunday, Dec. 10, then 'Why Worry?' on Wednesday, Dec. 13<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGvN8xBhJsppW6dV3lBmdBAm9pxv6gyjbtAl_NLw6UeOZz3QWVPZsPjqg4CbvBn8wE3zsTPsJnPphcrO4N2jx9MuqcMHa4TILeyHiKzgyGKjbGBYR__QFb8yPAG4rVFPHKKPCqOSDATzD0YfQktkwYQOrXGMPtM_N7ogYSXVDlRTTbY_4NB3PlPJLGtA/s759/my_best_girl_lobby_card.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="759" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGvN8xBhJsppW6dV3lBmdBAm9pxv6gyjbtAl_NLw6UeOZz3QWVPZsPjqg4CbvBn8wE3zsTPsJnPphcrO4N2jx9MuqcMHa4TILeyHiKzgyGKjbGBYR__QFb8yPAG4rVFPHKKPCqOSDATzD0YfQktkwYQOrXGMPtM_N7ogYSXVDlRTTbY_4NB3PlPJLGtA/s320/my_best_girl_lobby_card.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><i>An original lobby card depicting Mary Pickford and Buddy Rogers in 'My Best Girl' (1927).</i><p></p><p>Just a couple of shows left in 2023 as the year draws to a close.</p><p>Today (Sunday, Dec. 10) it's Mary Pickford and Buddy Rogers in 'My Best Girl' (1927), which I'll accompany at 4 p.m. at the Natick Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.</p><p>More about the film and the screening are in the press release pasted in below.<br /></p><p>After that, the only show left is Harold Lloyd's comedy 'Why Worry?' (1923), which I'm accompanying on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at the Coolidge Theatre in Brookline, Mass.</p><p>And that's it. </p><p>I'll be back at it in 2024, but at a reduced pace.</p><p>For 15 years, I've pushed myself to be a better accompanist in the only way I know how—by doing it a lot.</p><p>By a lot, I mean an average of 120 shows per year, or about two or three each week. That's more than 1,000 shows in the past decade, even factoring in the pandemic, which slowed things down for a time. <br /></p><p>It's been a rewarding experience. Through all this time spent in
darkened theaters, playing music that's largely improvised on the spot, I think I've developed a musical vocabulary that otherwise wouldn't have
emerged, I think. That's important to me. </p><p>Plus, it's just been fun.</p><p>But it's also been a lot of work. Most of these screenings have come about by my own efforts—of reaching out, convincing venue managers to take a chance on something different, and then working hard to help build an audience.</p><p>That takes time and effort. And then there's travel time. Some venues I work regularly are a three-hour drive one way. Add that in, and you've got a minimum 10-hour commitment for certain gigs. </p><p>So it adds up. Not that I've minded. Keeping a busy schedule is part of my identity—if anyone remarks on my crowded calendar, I usually say something like I'm "the Jake LaMotta of silent film accompaniment—I just keep on coming."<br /></p><p>Well, in the coming year, I plan focus more exclusively on my work as executive director of the Aviation Museum of N.H., a non-profit organization that I've had the privilege of leading for the past five years. <br /></p><p>The museum has come a long way in the past five years. We now boast a robust youth education effort that includes a high school student plane-building program, a successful aviation summer camp, and more. </p><p>But there's a long way to go, and I've just agreed to a five-year commitment to continue the work. <br /></p><p>I'll still do film music—in fact, one of my upcoming gigs is at the Aviation Museum, where I'll accompany 'The Flying Ace' (1926) in February for Black History Month. </p><p>But I'd also like to take my hard-won musical vocabulary and see what I can do with it in terms of music that gets written down.</p><p>So some of my musical energies will go into composing, rather than improvising. I'm creating a piece for a concert of works by New Hampshire composers at the Manchester (N.H.) Community Music School, and I hope other works will follow.</p><p>I expect there will be some crossover work related to my film accompaniment efforts. </p><p>For example, for the silent version of 'Peter Pan' (1924), which I've accompanied probably two dozen times, I've developed a suite of material that I think would lend itself to some kind of orchestral suite in the manner of the tone poems of Richard Strauss, say. </p><p>We'll see. But in real terms, it means that going forward I'll have to be more selective in my performing gigs as I take time to start writing stuff down. <br /></p><p>Okay, here's more info about 'My Best Girl,' which I'll accompany this afternoon down in Natick, Mass. Hope to see you there!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYOHHvYcgaHNHm398OxQP1BGgUCeS9Xcm1CyezmzmNuiN9A34hCq5UdwvHfRVPdZQEYWPC94qxaJwZJJrH9lERrkbrB0IbfLm4SeIdKF9g9rBAbrKXtyNWTjCVv44SMmDkmOuNf1LIgekk2_JuowNx6cOJ2RJvZgYQHvBANvXKPCYTGwF8psM4Xw5_vQ/s1024/my_best_girl_advertisement.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1024" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYOHHvYcgaHNHm398OxQP1BGgUCeS9Xcm1CyezmzmNuiN9A34hCq5UdwvHfRVPdZQEYWPC94qxaJwZJJrH9lERrkbrB0IbfLm4SeIdKF9g9rBAbrKXtyNWTjCVv44SMmDkmOuNf1LIgekk2_JuowNx6cOJ2RJvZgYQHvBANvXKPCYTGwF8psM4Xw5_vQ/w400-h351/my_best_girl_advertisement.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Vintage print ad for 'My Best Girl' (1927). </i><p></p><p>MONDAY, NOV. 20, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Mary Pickford's 'My Best Girl' with live music at Natick Center for Arts on Sunday, Dec. 10</span></b><br /><br />Sparkling romantic comedy showcases talents of movie industry pioneer known as 'America's Sweetheart'<br /><br />NATICK,
Mass.— She was known as 'America's Sweetheart,' but often played
assertive take-charge characters that made her a role model to women and
movie-goers around the world.<br /><br />She was Mary Pickford, who ruled the entertainment industry as the Queen of Hollywood during the silent era.<br /><br />See
for yourself with a screening of 'My Best Girl' (1927), one of
Pickford's landmark feature films, on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. at TCAN
Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.<br /><br />The screening,
the latest in the Center for the Art's silent film series, will feature
live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who
specializes in creating music for silent films.<br /><br />Admission is $10 per person for members; $12 for non-members. Tickets are available online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.natickarts.org&source=gmail&ust=1702285372944000&usg=AOvVaw3J79uQHhM7JrDqeb-qN8v3" href="http://www.natickarts.org" target="_blank">www.natickarts.org</a> or at the door. <br /><br />The
show is the latest in TCAN'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.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAZ1kRI-oJ2OMsB0e8XKNkGAxp-woc6j5YtuuTDaOOi1MIVbwv2-CUVaTQvVtzJz_nnFbow1TLlWbk6u1Nc7VgyI4VBNdDbI4UO0khtQmeIMKZcf6qwLt3p94MTCL9ppRSsUPCS-BVTLFU2dtx33x_P5wfvZTBcA12kmQBB-NIdYV-Oy76-Ch2-MTgZ8/s640/my_best_girl_trade_ad.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAZ1kRI-oJ2OMsB0e8XKNkGAxp-woc6j5YtuuTDaOOi1MIVbwv2-CUVaTQvVtzJz_nnFbow1TLlWbk6u1Nc7VgyI4VBNdDbI4UO0khtQmeIMKZcf6qwLt3p94MTCL9ppRSsUPCS-BVTLFU2dtx33x_P5wfvZTBcA12kmQBB-NIdYV-Oy76-Ch2-MTgZ8/s320/my_best_girl_trade_ad.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>Set in a big
city department store, 'My Best Girl' explores what happens when romance
blossoms between a humble clerk and the wealthy store owner's son?<br /><br />The
result is a sparkling “rich man, poor girl” romantic comedy from 1927
starring Pickford alongside leading man Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, who
would later become Pickford's real-life husband.<br /><br />An industry
pioneer who became Hollywood’s first movie star, Pickford enjoyed a
cult-like popularity throughout the silent era that made her a national
icon and an international celebrity.<br /><br />Pickford also possessed a
business savvy that gave her nearly total control of her creative
output, with her own production company and a partnership in a major
film distribution company, all before she was 30 years old.<br /><br />Dubbed
"America's Sweetheart" early in her screen career, the nickname was
misleading, as Pickford's popularity was rooted in her portrayal of
assertive women often forced to battle for justice in a male-dominated
world.<br /><br />After starring in hundreds of short dramas from 1910 to
1915, Pickford's popularity led to starring roles in feature films
starting in the mid-1910s.<br /><br />In 1919, she joined industry icons
D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in creating
the United Artists studio. In 1920, she married Fairbanks, with the pair
reigning as Hollywood's royal couple for the remainder of the silent
era.<br /><br />In the 1920s, Pickford reduced her output to one picture per
year. 'My Best Girl' was her last silent feature before the industry
switched to talking pictures.<br /><br />Pickford made several successful talking pictures, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film 'Coquette' in 1929.<br /><br />Pickford, however, chose to retire in 1933. She lived in semi-seclusion until her death in 1979.<br /><br />Accompanist
Jeff Rapsis will improvise an original musical score for 'My Best Girl'
live as the movie is shown, as was done during the silent film era.<br /><br />"When
the score gets made up on the spot, it creates a special energy that's
an important part of the silent film experience," said Rapsis, who uses a
digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of a full orchestra for the
accompaniment.<br /><br />With TCAN's screening of 'My Best Girl,'
audiences will get a chance to experience silent film as it was meant to
be seen—in a high quality print, on a large screen, with live music,
and with an audience.<br /><br />"All those elements are important parts of
the silent film experience," Rapsis said. "Recreate those conditions,
and the classics of early Hollywood leap back to life in ways that can
still move audiences today."<br /><br />‘My Best Girl’ (1927) starring Mary
Pickford and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers will be shown with live music on
Sunday, Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. at TCAN Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St.,
Natick, Mass.<br /><br />Admission is $10 per person for members; $12 for non-members. Tickets are available online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.natickarts.org&source=gmail&ust=1702285372944000&usg=AOvVaw3J79uQHhM7JrDqeb-qN8v3" href="http://www.natickarts.org" target="_blank">www.natickarts.org</a> or at the door. <p><br /></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-76429676007899124412023-11-12T23:41:00.002-05:002023-11-13T13:35:31.231-05:00Coming up: Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' on Thanksgiving weekend, then a reduced performing schedule starting in 2024<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN_7E6y9HBoqQdqdlwizPHJ8Ytcu_NigsMPgJ9KPLSzcgyXA1k2Bv3vrNovCC4_wZXbAjlZkprqfFf2juhbulkhDntrhWLSrBoy50S1-OIN-nUVQn-prcJvyXo0Z6axz1H_T9-CF4xVk0jLA1S9E9UKUHhLX81t5cVkywKhSrxr6sEvSD40ntkIzRo4Q/s2401/gold_rush_poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2401" data-original-width="1765" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN_7E6y9HBoqQdqdlwizPHJ8Ytcu_NigsMPgJ9KPLSzcgyXA1k2Bv3vrNovCC4_wZXbAjlZkprqfFf2juhbulkhDntrhWLSrBoy50S1-OIN-nUVQn-prcJvyXo0Z6axz1H_T9-CF4xVk0jLA1S9E9UKUHhLX81t5cVkywKhSrxr6sEvSD40ntkIzRo4Q/w294-h400/gold_rush_poster.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><i>A poster for 'The Gold Rush' (1925) starring Charlie Chaplin.</i><p></p><p>Just
finished a busy weekend of accompanying four shows in three days,
including two separate screenings of 'The Big Parade' (1925) and also
'Wings' (1927)—both big gulps.<br /></p><p>With Halloween and now Veterans Day in the
rear-view mirror, the performance schedule quiets down, with just a few
screenings between now and New Year's Day.</p><p>And it's likely to stay
quiet in 2024, as I cut back on my live performance commitments in
order to focus on my day job and other creative pursuits. More on that as things take shape. <br /></p><p>In the meantime, next up is Charlie Chaplin's 'The
Gold Rush' (1925), which I'm accompanying on Thanksgiving weekend (on
Sunday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m.) at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.</p><p>More on that screening in the press release below.</p><p>And now, a few notes on this past weekend's shows.</p><p>'Wings'
was screened Friday night at the Epsilon Spires venue in Brattleboro,
Vt., where I got to play their Etsey pipe organ. (It's a former Baptist
church and the organ came with it.) Small turnout but attentive
movie-goers, judging from the reactions throughout.<br /></p><p>Afterwards,
a couple told me they attended only because the husband likes vintage
planes, and didn't expect to stay more than a half-hour because, you
know, those "silent movies."</p><p>But the experience was nothing like
what they expected, and they ended up staying for the whole thing. So,
small audience, but at least one small victory for the form.</p><p>Saturday
found me navigating unexpectedly closed roads over mountain passes to
get to the Residences at Otter Creek, a retirement and assisted living
community in Middlebury, Vt.</p><p>I made it just in time to present a 2
p.m. Veterans Day program of silent film comedies: 'A Sailor-Made Man'
(1921) starring Harold Lloyd and Chaplin's 'Shoulder Arms' (1918). </p><p>Alas, another small turnout. Interestingly, although the average age of those in the room was well above 80, <i>nobody</i> had heard of Harold Lloyd. <i>Nobody! </i></p><p>I guess not everyone has attended Pordenone or the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. (Neither have I, for that matter.)</p><p>The
screenings were enjoyed by all, it seems, including the gentleman who
decided to get up and walk right in front of the keyboard during the
Lloyd film, getting his shoes caught up in my cables and nearly falling
down before I stopped playing to help untangle him. </p><p>I'm guessing
this doesn't happen too often at Pordenone or the San Francisco Silent
Film Festival. But it's the world I work in—all part of bringing
silent film to life for people outside the big venues.</p><p>Speaking
of which: I then drove down Route 7 to Brandon
(birthplace of Stephen Douglas, the "Little Giant," who debated Abraham
Lincoln), where we ended the 2023 Brandon Town Hall Silent Film Series
with a Veterans Day screening of 'The Big Parade' (1925).</p><p>The
screening almost didn't happen because yours truly didn't realize 'The
Big Parade' was on a Blu-ray disc, and I hadn't put the Blu-ray player
in the traveling crate. Ooops!</p><p>But a call to Dennis Marsden of the
town hall produced a work-around (using their own disc player and
projector) kept me from having to haul ass down to Rutland in hopes of
finding a Blu-ray player with RCA connectors to use for the show. </p><p>Knowing
that I would accompany a 35mm print of the 'The Big Parade' in
Boston the next day, I thought of the Brandon screening as my
opportunity to reacquaint myself with the film, which I hadn't
accompanied in some time.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGwdgc5DZw9TFSgtSVs2D86Ki7RBhLQhMPmSRsNmEIYaqxVyozTaasX3KbMhQyWkPjVYDgsPXzy3HDIuqjYrRXfhOwEy7t34WXf1RAq7gJI1EVFV7qON6l674g2fCBIB-OC-XW3AwoHsdR4Cih_LzZoqJKDaj7a2wRrLr4QIMAujUHyiP9C_729_PSz0/s3354/big%20parade%20pic%20A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2568" data-original-width="3354" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGwdgc5DZw9TFSgtSVs2D86Ki7RBhLQhMPmSRsNmEIYaqxVyozTaasX3KbMhQyWkPjVYDgsPXzy3HDIuqjYrRXfhOwEy7t34WXf1RAq7gJI1EVFV7qON6l674g2fCBIB-OC-XW3AwoHsdR4Cih_LzZoqJKDaj7a2wRrLr4QIMAujUHyiP9C_729_PSz0/w400-h306/big%20parade%20pic%20A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>A whimsical moment from 'The Big Parade' (1925).</i><br /><p></p><p>Funny thing, though—despite a complete
lack of preparation, music for the Brandon screening fell together just
perfectly, I thought. I had good stuff for almost every scene and
sequence, and material I used early was enough to hold the score
together for the remainder of the movie. </p><p>And the audience (about 60 people) was into it! Laughs at all the right places; open-mouthed silence at other moments. </p><p>By
the time we finished our 2½-hour journey together, everyone was spent,
including me. The film received a huge ovation. Afterwards, more
than one person told me they couldn't believe the movie was 2½ hours
long.</p><p>Neither could I. When accompanying, once you get into "the
zone," time seems to be suspended, or something happens to you
perception of it passing.</p><p>So that got me ready for 'The Big Parade' on Sunday, Nov. 12 at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass. Right?</p><p>Well, wrong. As sometimes happens, for whatever reason, this time the score <i>didn't</i> fall together naturally. It went okay, yes, but not like the night before, when I felt I was hitting every moment just right.</p><p>Maybe
it was fatigue. You don't play 10 hours of film in three days and not
start to get—well, a little fuzzy sometimes, especially in hours 9 and
10.</p><p>And, unlike in Brandon, the audience was <i>very</i> quiet. Of the nearly 100 people who attended, utterly no laughs in places where there <i>should</i> be, and little reaction of any kind evident.</p><p>Example: there's that incredible sustained take (about five minutes, I think) in which John Gilbert shows <span><span>Renée Adorée</span></span> how to chew gum. In Brandon, it produced an increasing amount of laughter as it progressed. In Somerville, nothing.</p><p>Why? Beats me. <br /></p><p>It
wasn't because I was overplaying or stepping on the film. In both
cases, I kept the underscoring as light as a feather, frequently using
actual silence to punctuate moments when either character registered
confusion or incomprehension. </p><p>(That's what I hear accompanists do at places like Pordenone or San Francisco. For us folks working the provinces, it's in our tool kit, too.)<br /></p><p>Well, that's that. </p><p>And
now, details on 'The Gold Rush' (1925), coming on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 2
p.m. to a theater near you, if you happen to live near the Town Hall
Theatre in Wilton, N.H.... <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4CjpPcUE_immtys7mabjzqmU-9bYBjAmwkHP6T8DtCQehCYlF3TD3UqZXaIuyHi_ajizVloUUShFfpkTtVdwjZYzEHv3FpGkDfsSIKrZj21fVQWdmzwybBOl2fm5f7PwKvdTnbPV96jxH-n1pTIhmtI0rPR41CqnCr2JxFJ7eszObR5zA14P4cuwPpc/s2000/gold_rush%20B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="2000" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4CjpPcUE_immtys7mabjzqmU-9bYBjAmwkHP6T8DtCQehCYlF3TD3UqZXaIuyHi_ajizVloUUShFfpkTtVdwjZYzEHv3FpGkDfsSIKrZj21fVQWdmzwybBOl2fm5f7PwKvdTnbPV96jxH-n1pTIhmtI0rPR41CqnCr2JxFJ7eszObR5zA14P4cuwPpc/w400-h308/gold_rush%20B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Thanksgiving Dinner, anyone? Charlie Chaplin in 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i><br /><p>SATURDAY, NOV. 4, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Charlie Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' in Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, Nov. 26 </span></b></span><br /><br />Family
fun on Thanksgiving weekend: Little Tramp's silent film comedy classic
set in the frozen Arctic to be screened with live music<br /><br />WILTON,
N.H. — Classic silent film comedy returns to the big screen this month
in Wilton with 'The Gold Rush' (1925), a classic comedy starring Charlie
Chaplin.<br /><br />The screening will take place on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.<br /><br />Admission is free; donations are accepted, with $10 per person suggested to defray expenses.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />'The Gold Rush,' a
landmark comedy and one of the top-grossing films of the silent era,
finds Chaplin's iconic 'Little Tramp' character journeying to the frozen
wastelands of the Yukon. There as a prospector, the Tramp's search for
gold turns into a pursuit of romance, but with plenty of laughs along
the way.<br /><br />The film contains several famous scenes, both comic and
dramatic, including a starving Chaplin forced to eat his shoe for
Thanksgiving dinner and a heart-breaking New Year's Eve celebration.<br /><br />As
a comedian, Chaplin emerged as the first superstar in the early days of
cinema. From humble beginnings as a musical hall entertainer in
England, he came to Hollywood and used his talents to quickly rise to
the pinnacle of stardom in the then-new medium of motion pictures. His
popularity never waned, and his image remains recognized around the
world to this day.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBXPX3r3MxitIwZPswQx6BPq8WnkimTYZKSkmK2g3y3FQ-4FYuoW3JAF7iC-yRam1yJVPVlUKeZY5jAOJ6Odc2Ovea_XF8LiPcaLd98I1Cp0v-yiACoIo0Wn2M1NJK_SF-UoguB-VwpUNdZDZsF2d3xwcIO1OJ-TSKuqDAOBYe66DLYUJmDb2-rO_gMM/s2200/gold_rush%20A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="2200" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBXPX3r3MxitIwZPswQx6BPq8WnkimTYZKSkmK2g3y3FQ-4FYuoW3JAF7iC-yRam1yJVPVlUKeZY5jAOJ6Odc2Ovea_XF8LiPcaLd98I1Cp0v-yiACoIo0Wn2M1NJK_SF-UoguB-VwpUNdZDZsF2d3xwcIO1OJ-TSKuqDAOBYe66DLYUJmDb2-rO_gMM/s320/gold_rush%20A.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>Chaplin warms up his feet in 'The Gold Rush' (1925).</i><br /><br />'The Gold Rush,' regarded by many critics as
Chaplin's best film, is a prime example of his unique talent for
combining slapstick comedy and intense dramatic emotion.<br /><br />" 'The
Gold Rush' is still an effective tear-jerker," wrote critic Eric Kohn of
indieWIRE. "In the YouTube era, audiences — myself included — often
anoint the latest sneezing panda phenomenon as comedic gold. Unless I’m
missing something, however, nothing online has come close to matching
the mixture of affectionate fragility and seamless comedic inspiration
perfected by the Tramp."<br /><br />Rapsis, who uses original themes to
improvise silent film scores, said the best silent film comedies often
used visual humor to create laughter out of simple situations. Because
of this, audiences continue to respond to them in the 21st century,
especially if they're presented as intended — with an audience and live
music.<br /><br />"These comedies were created to be shown on the big screen
as a communal experience," Rapsis said. "With an audience and live
music, they still come to life as their creators intended them to. So
this screening is a great chance to experience films that first caused
people to fall in love with the movies," he said.<br /><br />Rapsis achieves
a traditional movie score sound for silent film screenings by using a
digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra.<br /><br />'The Gold Rush' will be screened on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.<br /><br />Admission
is free; donations are accepted, with $10 per person suggested to
defray expenses. For more information, call the theater at (603)
654-3456.<p><br /></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-63825786952539433822023-11-09T10:49:00.002-05:002023-11-10T09:45:22.587-05:00Slow news day! Boston's WBUR-FM runs piece on my silent film accompaniment work; plus: 'Wings' in Brattleboro, Vt. on Friday, Nov. 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUo7soojke8UaFvVVV4gu0nyEvmoVrYcZWqNJx8i90OyTAVGRh7Kjdd8qbfXjUa7njDtFfwSLhTDoJTIXXmhgy1uM7uAaOStXkgaLG3BP8mtxgTpd_3iP2sjWEBO7yhFkq9kH__iMi3FTSdFNDXCRu4ZEe1WZ4YF0Ndr_HHxwvIwwxksd4rb9VREsCptU/s1000/1107_rapsis-01-1000x667.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUo7soojke8UaFvVVV4gu0nyEvmoVrYcZWqNJx8i90OyTAVGRh7Kjdd8qbfXjUa7njDtFfwSLhTDoJTIXXmhgy1uM7uAaOStXkgaLG3BP8mtxgTpd_3iP2sjWEBO7yhFkq9kH__iMi3FTSdFNDXCRu4ZEe1WZ4YF0Ndr_HHxwvIwwxksd4rb9VREsCptU/w400-h266/1107_rapsis-01-1000x667.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Accompanying 'The Gold Rush' at the Jane Pickens Theater in Newport, R.I. Photo by Robin Lubbock /WBUR 90.9 FM.</i><p></p><p>I want to thank Amelia Mason of WBUR 90.0 FM in Boston for all the effort that went into putting together a story about me that aired today during Morning Edition.</p><p>Amelia took the trouble to come all the way down to Newport for a recent screening of 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) that I accompanied there. </p><p>We talked a great deal, and she was somehow able to edit my rambling into a coherent story. </p><p>She also got me talking about my larger life journey—about how I chose not to pursue music in college, but then came back to it decades later via silent film accompaniment.</p><p>Two weeks later, WBUR photographer Robin Lubbock came down to the same venue to photograph me doing music for the 1925 version of Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush.'</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwr3fX3Unqx_2_4yh5tiDv7JuZ13AwvmnsID0Jo5VIE5XYOufZx6k0sCGL1tq7quF-LIrMIkk9cfQ8zGGm-bzqs_BMJmVj9ngfzqw8hk8tPWnqo2qMFIUTj9zbSbLWyPwdgCI7B1QkEFxxegMj7Rdwtn2Qij3HJe7tmvGnKXyrUGfr-vzOXS0FvCbtuBg/s1000/231109_wbur_piece.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwr3fX3Unqx_2_4yh5tiDv7JuZ13AwvmnsID0Jo5VIE5XYOufZx6k0sCGL1tq7quF-LIrMIkk9cfQ8zGGm-bzqs_BMJmVj9ngfzqw8hk8tPWnqo2qMFIUTj9zbSbLWyPwdgCI7B1QkEFxxegMj7Rdwtn2Qij3HJe7tmvGnKXyrUGfr-vzOXS0FvCbtuBg/w400-h266/231109_wbur_piece.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>It's not easy to get usable images from inside a darkened theatre. Photo by Robin Lubbock /WBUR 90.9 FM.</i> <p></p><p>The result was a piece that went beyond the usual "live music for old movies" angle and instead explored how a person (me!) unexpectedly discovered a mid-life outlet for creative energy. </p><p>So thanks to Amelia and Robin and all their colleagues at WBUR for taking time to put together a wonderful piece. Although the focus was on me, I hope it helps raise awareness for vintage cinema and all the people and venues that keep it before the public.</p><p>Here's a link to the audio file:</p><p><a href="https://dcs-spotify.megaphone.fm/BUR9058007314.mp3">https://dcs-spotify.megaphone.fm/BUR9058007314.mp3</a><br /></p><p>And here's a link to the online piece, which has significant differences from the radio story:</p><p><a href="https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/11/09/silent-film-music-composer-jeff-rapsis">https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/11/09/silent-film-music-composer-jeff-rapsis</a><br /></p><p>And as an added bonus, they spelled my name right! You'd be surprised how often that <i>doesn't</i> happen.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMgzcQxadiW1-iFoUG6dTnfg3TlO2bmMASBAgmCIYs6wX8nhXYJvgGRMo6BPWCdOlg9BSdU1J-Wq7Zq2BKRzVN7MwLFR6e4xBCTJ2WtjZlec2-RoFLQn4SvW-DZzNWc6Jc6K8DoWpE1a3LvL3vp7YmQVUYmxKI56YW5_OhQlE79-qg-oZYZmQFcsLRdE/s1000/1107_rapsis-06-1000x667.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMgzcQxadiW1-iFoUG6dTnfg3TlO2bmMASBAgmCIYs6wX8nhXYJvgGRMo6BPWCdOlg9BSdU1J-Wq7Zq2BKRzVN7MwLFR6e4xBCTJ2WtjZlec2-RoFLQn4SvW-DZzNWc6Jc6K8DoWpE1a3LvL3vp7YmQVUYmxKI56YW5_OhQlE79-qg-oZYZmQFcsLRdE/s320/1107_rapsis-06-1000x667.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i>Me at the Jane Pickens Theater in Newport, R.I. Photo by Robin Lubbock /WBUR 90.9 FM</i> <br /><p></p><p>Today is a "day off" from silent film accompaniment, which I need because starting tomorrow it's four shows in three days—mostly screenings designed to salute Veterans Day, which is Saturday, Nov. 11.</p><p>After I do 'Wings' (1927) on Friday night in Brattleboro, Vt., then it's a 'two-fer' on Saturday: at 2 p.m., program of comedies at the Residence at Otter Creek, a retirement community in Middlebury, Vt., then at 7 p.m. it's 'The Big Parade' (1925) at 7 p.m. at Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall.</p><p>The weekend concludes with another 'Big Parade,' this one on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Somerville.</p><p> The Somerville screening will be via a 35mm print from the Library of Congress. I've accompanied this print before and it's truly gorgeous. </p><p>But next up: 'Wings' (1927) on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro, Vt.</p><p>More info and details in the press release below. See you at the movies!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqGErWkcz8HFqmbiYUaRzdmxJpd3yxZ-oEuQ1YwryCRlycOn2YdAZClqaZSxs2SxiSLTlSYOhElIVcuuWbb5KPf142YMgRqISCXH2-gFezKPb9l-9AvnEyhU7t7eNvj-_ZSCHHf6X2kNLOT9UGHZlj2Hk8b4wbFKABMO0eLJOHiH3Y43z7WwEuQeOUrE/s1100/wings_posterC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="855" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqGErWkcz8HFqmbiYUaRzdmxJpd3yxZ-oEuQ1YwryCRlycOn2YdAZClqaZSxs2SxiSLTlSYOhElIVcuuWbb5KPf142YMgRqISCXH2-gFezKPb9l-9AvnEyhU7t7eNvj-_ZSCHHf6X2kNLOT9UGHZlj2Hk8b4wbFKABMO0eLJOHiH3Y43z7WwEuQeOUrE/w311-h400/wings_posterC.jpg" width="311" /></a></i></div><i></i><p></p><p><i>An original poster for Paramount's 'Wings' (1927).</i><br /></p><p>SATURDAY, NOV. 4, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Epic silent film 'Wings' (1927) on Friday, Nov. 10 at Brattleboro's Epsilon Spires</span></b></span><br /><br />Story of U.S. aviators in World War I won first-ever 'Best Picture'; screening to feature live organ accompaniment<br /><br />BRATTLEBORO,
Vt.—It won 'Best Picture' at the very first Academy Awards, with
spectacular midair flying sequences and a dramatic story that still
mesmerizes audiences today.<br /><br />'Wings' (1927), a drama about U.S.
pilots in the skies over Europe during World War I, will be shown with
live music on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Epsilon Spires, 190 Main
St., Brattleboro, Vt.<br /><br />Admission is $20 per person, with all veterans admitted free in honor of Veterans Day. Tickets may be purchased in advance at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.epsilonspires.org&source=gmail&ust=1699182438495000&usg=AOvVaw2qNv6CrfvYBXJGFT43O8yn" href="http://www.epsilonspires.org" target="_blank">www.epsilonspires.org</a> or at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m.<br /><br />The
screening will feature live accompaniment on the venue's Estey pipe
organ by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician. <br /><br />The
show will allow audiences to experience 'Wings' the way its makers
originally intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an
audience.<br /><br />'Wings,' a blockbuster hit in its original release,
recounts the adventures of U.S. pilots flying combat missions behind
enemy lines at the height of World War I in Europe. 'Wings' stunned
audiences with aerial dogfight footage, vivid and realistic battle
scenes, and dramatic love-triangle plot.<br /></p><div>'Wings' stars Clara
Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, and Richard Arlen. The rarely-seen film
also marked one of the first screen appearances of Gary Cooper, who
plays a supporting role. </div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvQZC5ocRCClJKX5xSqvH5z2vAQYZ52y89LpDr0EeuI-QvnODUJxri6bkO7-8YSPmhybd5JjGLdKxytjTCBMIeGgk80RcxiNijhPIwYvr5R0m2xSi19iwarh8b2OBS9tvUDHK_O_Vk7uEEBtBn02ZdHGq4ZiXx22pEjhG5jVis8q2rpqOFP1gKZABJDw/s2048/wings_E.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="2048" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvQZC5ocRCClJKX5xSqvH5z2vAQYZ52y89LpDr0EeuI-QvnODUJxri6bkO7-8YSPmhybd5JjGLdKxytjTCBMIeGgk80RcxiNijhPIwYvr5R0m2xSi19iwarh8b2OBS9tvUDHK_O_Vk7uEEBtBn02ZdHGq4ZiXx22pEjhG5jVis8q2rpqOFP1gKZABJDw/w400-h306/wings_E.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Buddy Rogers, Gary Cooper, and Richard Arlen in 'Wings' (1927).</i><br /><div><br /></div><div>Directed by William
Wellman, 'Wings' was lauded by critics for its gripping story, superb
photography, and technical innovations.</div><p><br />'Wings' is notable as
one of the first Hollywood films to take audiences directly into
battlefield trenches and vividly depict combat action. Aviation buffs
will also enjoy 'Wings' as the film is filled with scenes of vintage
aircraft from the early days of flight.<br /><br />Seen today, the film also
allows contemporary audiences a window into the era of World War I,
which was fought in Europe from 1914 to 1918.<br /><br />" 'Wings' is not
only a terrific movie, but seeing it on the big screen is also a great
chance to appreciate what earlier generations of servicemen and women
endured," accompanist Jeff Rapsis said.<br /><br />"It's a war that has
faded somewhat from our collective consciousness, but it defined life in
the United States for a big chunk of the 20th century. This film
captures how World War I affected the nation, and also shows in detail
what it was like to serve one's country a century ago."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZi1lsYeqlmhjRDI9oqInjNFyn9sx-wVzsw-GaCanZqPk4L-UOLJW16Syu9KocFbRQqlY2QSTB-vt-hxgf7dapgiD8HapFsDLBWC5O-xp3cc4CBQCKTdSPMvWmlL19XQ991DmyEqZa5MZwnDA3lF0tdU1mkBA-pSVGGaYmXQ17otAt6C6BtgdPmFrb4Y/s1201/wings_posterB.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZi1lsYeqlmhjRDI9oqInjNFyn9sx-wVzsw-GaCanZqPk4L-UOLJW16Syu9KocFbRQqlY2QSTB-vt-hxgf7dapgiD8HapFsDLBWC5O-xp3cc4CBQCKTdSPMvWmlL19XQ991DmyEqZa5MZwnDA3lF0tdU1mkBA-pSVGGaYmXQ17otAt6C6BtgdPmFrb4Y/s320/wings_posterB.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>Rapsis, a
composer who specializes in film music, will create a score for 'Wings'
on the spot, improvising the music as the movie unfolds to enhance the
on-screen action as well as respond to audience reactions. Rapsis
performs the music on a digital synthesizer, which is capable of
producing a wide range of theatre organ and orchestral textures.<br /><br />"Live
music was an integral part of the silent film experience," Rapsis said.
"At the time, most films weren't released with sheet music or scores.
Studios relied on local musicians to come up with an effective score
that was different in every theater. At its best, this approach created
an energy and a connection that added a great deal to a film's impact.
That's what I try to recreate," Rapsis said.<br /><br />'Wings' runs about
2½ hours and will be shown with one intermission. The film is a
family-friendly drama but not suitable for very young children due to
its length and intense wartime battle scenes.<br /><br />‘Wings’ (1927)
starring Clara Bow, Buddy Rogers and Richard Arlen will be shown with
live music in honor of Veterans Day on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at
Epsilon Spires, 190 Main St., Brattleboro, Vt.<br /><br />Admission is $20 per person, with all veterans receiving free admission. Tickets may be purchased in advance at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.epsilonspires.org&source=gmail&ust=1699182438495000&usg=AOvVaw2qNv6CrfvYBXJGFT43O8yn" href="http://www.epsilonspires.org" target="_blank">www.epsilonspires.org</a> or at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m.Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-80865534518251117952023-11-08T10:18:00.001-05:002023-11-08T10:18:41.115-05:00Tonight in Plymouth, N.H.! All for one, one for all in 'The Three Musketeers' (1921) with live music<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Hl_s9mCAQHtMIlZ3t45aGSB8JocZxCFwRldyUfb1o0fbXqKDJ0FEjudLySR-VJdapnoerYLsBRcpoRBxTX9ttOM_mO5Y_XWWgEWueJ_s3QgPqoxF27XEQrJL7QbR7zE-utfk65K8bc3DE2CX9f1j98700FriPqVq-zGFM4T21kndL_stzf3keULlOzY/s400/three_musketeers_bar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="400" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Hl_s9mCAQHtMIlZ3t45aGSB8JocZxCFwRldyUfb1o0fbXqKDJ0FEjudLySR-VJdapnoerYLsBRcpoRBxTX9ttOM_mO5Y_XWWgEWueJ_s3QgPqoxF27XEQrJL7QbR7zE-utfk65K8bc3DE2CX9f1j98700FriPqVq-zGFM4T21kndL_stzf3keULlOzY/s320/three_musketeers_bar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><i>The original 'Three Musketeers' candy bar, introduced in 1932, contained three sections of flavoured nougat: one vanilla, one chocolate, and one strawberry, hence the name. The bar went all chocolate in 1945, but the name stayed the same. </i><br /></p><p></p><p>I dare say it's one of the best opening sentences of any press release I've issued:</p><blockquote><p>PLYMOUTH, N.H.—Long before it became a candy bar in the concession
stand, 'The Three Musketeers' was on the big screen as a swashbuckling
silent film, a major hit of 1921.</p></blockquote><p>You won't get that in a press release from an AI chatbot no matter how generative its intelligence. </p><p>Yes, tonight (Wednesday, Nov. 7) brings a screening of the early Douglas Fairbanks swashbuckler, with live music by me. Showtime is at 6:30 p.m.; lots more info about the film is in the press release pasted in below. </p><p>First, a quick round-up of recent gigs.</p><p>Saturday, Nov. 4 saw my first post-pandemic appearance at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, where they run silent film programs with live music every weekend all year round.</p><p>I've enjoyed helping out when I'm out there, and it was great to return and reconnect with everyone.</p><p>The evening's feature was the 1925 version of 'Raffles the Amateur Cracksman,' with actor House Peters in the title role. Yes, it's about crime, but the trick with a film like this, which at its heart is light-hearted, is to treat it very lightly.</p><p>That's what I did: mostly light cocktail/dance music, but always to underscore the action, highlight any emotional subtext (of which there was little), and keep things skipping along.</p><p>'Raffles' was preceded by two shorts: the 1912 Griffith classic 'The Musketeers of Pig Alley' (hey, there's that Musketeers theme again!) plus a Stan Laurel solo comedy. </p><p>We were fortunate in that one person in the audience was a big and easy laugher. All it takes in one of these to help loosen up an audience, and that's what happened Saturday night in Niles. With one fearless soul leading the way, everyone else had permission to laugh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzUin7UE13Mk3JUoELmojgBEBizZYas_ojxhWuLxUYpFbcNB6qOI_JjZwnu9I_szwxuET-5Y1-KLzPciMsx6x0thwxo4-e0Qg8ZW24md5LCIo4b8-CExOjd4OdTS9PUBsWDgVl7suWKyKgLE54O7L3KKQLM_enkNstCaEYyqDi8vk8v4SfGOnK6H4AXo/s4032/IMG_1092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzUin7UE13Mk3JUoELmojgBEBizZYas_ojxhWuLxUYpFbcNB6qOI_JjZwnu9I_szwxuET-5Y1-KLzPciMsx6x0thwxo4-e0Qg8ZW24md5LCIo4b8-CExOjd4OdTS9PUBsWDgVl7suWKyKgLE54O7L3KKQLM_enkNstCaEYyqDi8vk8v4SfGOnK6H4AXo/w400-h300/IMG_1092.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i>At the Garden: owner/operator Isaac Mass unveils the venue's 2024 schedule of silent films.</i><br /><p>Monday, Nov. 6 found me at the Garden Cinema in Greenfield, Mass. to
accompany a screening of 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926), starring Lillian
Gish, who also starred in the Griffith film shown at Niles.</p><p>To my
surprise, 'The Scarlett Letter' drew 59 people on a Monday night. Wow!
We've been doing silents in Greenfield on and off for a couple of years
now, and an audience seems to be developing.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ71SVSzpZdGvBgSQff2cY3whET4VPgZ09BvNKWBKx2oZoxjQT9dDQR2Npdyq-KmNNqSxmGdL7Y590m80csllUtQ4viME3iYzTiX9yx_dnyz_ef8J2gD5ekTY3fWYoDHfPRxG0D_hsNzXJiQRnj0RAaa5QxoNAk8tvv1W1blTFUg8fYnrx936D6fzQ_0Q/s3088/IMG_1131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ71SVSzpZdGvBgSQff2cY3whET4VPgZ09BvNKWBKx2oZoxjQT9dDQR2Npdyq-KmNNqSxmGdL7Y590m80csllUtQ4viME3iYzTiX9yx_dnyz_ef8J2gD5ekTY3fWYoDHfPRxG0D_hsNzXJiQRnj0RAaa5QxoNAk8tvv1W1blTFUg8fYnrx936D6fzQ_0Q/s320/IMG_1131.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Yesterday afternoon I hauled myself down to Newport, R.I. to accompany a screening of Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' (1925) at the Jane Pickens Theater.<p></p><p>The film was programmed as part of the town's 'Restaurant/Foodie Week' due primarily to its famous Thanksgiving scene in which Chaplin and co-star Mack Swain consume a shoe.</p><p>In introducing the film, I got a big laugh by saying: "The film is a surprising choice for restaurant week because it was inspired in part by cannabilism."</p><p>Then, looking at two little girls sitting close by with their parents, I couldn't resist saying into the microphone: "For you young folks, that's<i> people eating other people</i>."</p><p>And then I recounted the story of how Chaplin was looking at images of the ill-fated Donner party, etc. </p><p>A bonus at last night's screening was the presence of a photographer on assignment from WBUR-FM, the Boston NPR station. They're doing a piece on me that I believe will air any day now. Stay tuned!</p><p>And that brings us to tonight; 'The Three Musketeers' (1921) at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center (like the candy bar, quite a mouthful). </p><p>Press release is below. See you at the movies. <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OO5Rcd1GIoRKoyRd-lm0Ag9o6msxdtBrJEZbbgRLcGd0FGW0sFqRgpOx2xSvNb1pGyEtfZ9pZisJaDPdK6lzJ_QrBElCseZLpREAQJDf_7dy87vVCX-PrLP9WmMbvVVAkN2lp-sWrvs-Vg5wUwr1PtEQzYgPZSb0obGHbdWdVFpeEMscBHWjqo_l4qg/s800/three_musketeers_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="656" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OO5Rcd1GIoRKoyRd-lm0Ag9o6msxdtBrJEZbbgRLcGd0FGW0sFqRgpOx2xSvNb1pGyEtfZ9pZisJaDPdK6lzJ_QrBElCseZLpREAQJDf_7dy87vVCX-PrLP9WmMbvVVAkN2lp-sWrvs-Vg5wUwr1PtEQzYgPZSb0obGHbdWdVFpeEMscBHWjqo_l4qg/w328-h400/three_musketeers_A.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>All for one and one for all: a scene from 'The Three Musketeers' (1921).</i></p><p>WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">'Three Musketeers' with live music at Flying Monkey on Wednesday, Nov. 8</span></b></span><br /><br />It's 'all for one and one for all' in classic silent film swashbuckler starring Douglas Fairbanks<br /><br />PLYMOUTH,
N.H.—Long before it became a candy bar in the concession stand, 'The
Three Musketeers' was on the big screen as a swashbuckling silent film, a
major hit of 1921.<br /><br />And now, more than a century later, it
returns: 'The Three Musketeers' (1921), starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr.,
will be shown with live music on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the
Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth,
N.H.<br /><br />The program will feature live accompaniment by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis. Admission is $10 per person.<br /><br />'The
Three Musketeers,' adapted from the classic Alexandre Dumas novel and
directed by Fred Niblo, is a costume drama set amid palace intrigue in
17th century France.<br /><br />Fairbanks plays the leading role of
D'Artagnan, who after challenging musketeers Athos (Leon Barry), Porthos
(George Siegmann) and Aramis (Eugene Pallette) to a duel, joins forces
with them in opposition of the scheming Cardinal Richelieu (Nigel De
Brulier).<br /><br />Plotting to discredit Queen Anne (Mary McLaren) in the
eyes of her husband King Louis XIII (Adolphe Menjou), Richelieu
dispatches Milady de Winter (Barbara La Marr) to pilfer the diamond
brooch given by Anne to her British lover, the Duke of Buckingham
(Thomas Holding).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXdAxyJ6P2AmJC6LQG2pgtGt25PntVucz5M5NHtH4Xt8bjFMkGyLeF_Wg0EumjV1jKRdloImW-q5wbmOG8oVOiOB6-5Z-l5XcQUde3C6TU4SW54EdsqLmouFwD_IbfqvekgUQ8YWxCDQvHZF74YOl9rkLrzfPrYO-wxNWWQckjqgIcy9uYTxgtEfFhAs/s944/three_musketeers_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="944" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXdAxyJ6P2AmJC6LQG2pgtGt25PntVucz5M5NHtH4Xt8bjFMkGyLeF_Wg0EumjV1jKRdloImW-q5wbmOG8oVOiOB6-5Z-l5XcQUde3C6TU4SW54EdsqLmouFwD_IbfqvekgUQ8YWxCDQvHZF74YOl9rkLrzfPrYO-wxNWWQckjqgIcy9uYTxgtEfFhAs/w400-h333/three_musketeers_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Marguerite de la Motte and Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. in 'The Three Musketeers.'</i><br /><br />With the help of the lovely Constance
(Marguerite de la Motte), D'Artagnan and the Musketeers race against
time to retrieve the brooch and save their Queen.<br /><br />The athletic
Douglas Fairbanks's one-handed handspring to grab a sword during a fight
scene in 'The Three Musketeers' is considered as one of the great
stunts of early cinema.<br /><br />Critics point to 'The Three Musketeers' as a turning point in Fairbanks' career.<br /><br />"
'The Three Musketeers' was the first of the grand Fairbanks costume
films, filled with exemplary production values and ornamentation," wrote
author Jeffrey Vance in 2008. "With 'The Three Musketeers,' he at last
found his metier and crystallized his celebrity and his cinema."<br /><br />Fairbanks,
among the most popular stars of the 1920s, was the inspiration for the
character of George Valentin in the Oscar-winning Best Picture 'The
Artist' (2011). Fairbanks was known for films that used the then-new
medium of motion pictures to transport audiences to historical time
periods for grand adventures and athletic stunts.<br /><br />He's often referred to as "Douglas Fairbanks Sr." to avoid confusion with his son, the actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr.<br /><br />As
early as it is, the Fairbanks version of 'Three Musketeers' was not the
first big-screen adaptation of the classic Dumas tale. At least a
half-dozen earlier versions were filmed in the U.S. and Europe. Over the
years, at least 24 different adaptation of the 'Musketeer' saga have
been released, attesting to the timeless popularity of Dumas' tale.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWl2dE_UaVYsZ19agt6C1fwvKEqB5UhLyRDu99Z8HDJWNxZEUvYsayeZcUeOmFRfIqEg_bixHsPlbAygb3cje3WpWwCIL9MfRIi33L3k1NFcyx1mHpieZXmIppJdd_3F5vIRmnNQuBsYBPVvQ5hb4LuK3tkJaCTxcA0LV5_Sr61TY4uBUrdU3TVmEbkwk/s1189/three_musketeers_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1189" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWl2dE_UaVYsZ19agt6C1fwvKEqB5UhLyRDu99Z8HDJWNxZEUvYsayeZcUeOmFRfIqEg_bixHsPlbAygb3cje3WpWwCIL9MfRIi33L3k1NFcyx1mHpieZXmIppJdd_3F5vIRmnNQuBsYBPVvQ5hb4LuK3tkJaCTxcA0LV5_Sr61TY4uBUrdU3TVmEbkwk/w400-h251/three_musketeers_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Douglas Fairbanks in 'The Three Musketeers' (1921).</i><br /><br />Live
music for 'The Three Musketeers' will be provided by silent film
accompanist Jeff Rapsis, who uses a digital synthesizer to create a
traditional full orchestra "movie score" sound.<br /><br />"Seeing a Fairbanks picture in a theater with live music and an audience is a classic movie experience," Rapsis said.<br /><br />Rapsis emphasized the unique value of seeing early cinema as it was originally presented.<br /><br />"These
films were designed for the big screen, live music, and large
audiences. If you put it all together again, you get a sense of why
people first fell in love with the movies," Rapsis said.<br /><br />'The
Three Musketeers' (1921) starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr., will be
screened with live music on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying
Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, N.H. <br /><br />General admission tickets are $10 at door or in advance by calling the box office at (603) 536-2551 or online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.flyingmonkeynh.com&source=gmail&ust=1698950006801000&usg=AOvVaw2_HbJ-j25CZuGBbws6-gXo" href="http://www.flyingmonkeynh.com" target="_blank">www.flyingmonkeynh.com</a>.<br /><p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-66956559901259129822023-11-01T13:12:00.004-04:002023-11-01T13:12:57.574-04:00Monday, Nov. 6: Lillian Gish plus some Puritan-era hanky panky in 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAl65LmmG7o4WI70jyrTn1SBnwnCK6QmZTBS2WFaIGtlOdUZmv8dU6HWl_GUuHoQnrRokUkpFbajXqaMfgsiaFdmVNFw872jeZjHsmRUM-VQ-1n9sVXStKdk7AEpa0bZbFTpFuRMoXwZIGWPuXSVMNSyrwO7Jv1CWKv5BVmYN621qGfgfyO4c2qY0ANkc/s2500/scarlet_letter_lobby_card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1966" data-original-width="2500" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAl65LmmG7o4WI70jyrTn1SBnwnCK6QmZTBS2WFaIGtlOdUZmv8dU6HWl_GUuHoQnrRokUkpFbajXqaMfgsiaFdmVNFw872jeZjHsmRUM-VQ-1n9sVXStKdk7AEpa0bZbFTpFuRMoXwZIGWPuXSVMNSyrwO7Jv1CWKv5BVmYN621qGfgfyO4c2qY0ANkc/w400-h315/scarlet_letter_lobby_card.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>An original lobby card promoting Lillian Gish in 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926).</i><p></p><p>With Halloween in the rear view mirror, time for a break from the annual marathon of spooky silent film screenings. </p><p>But not for long! </p><p>The pace resumes again on Monday, Nov. 6, when I'll accompany the MGM's big-budget adaptation of 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) at the Garden Cinemas in Greenfield, Mass. </p><p>Showtime is 6:30 p.m. Lots more info about the film and the screening is in the press release pasted at the end of this post.</p><p>Then on Tuesday, it's Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' (1925) in Newport, R.I., then 'The Three Musketeers' (1921) in Plymouth, N.H., then a total of four shows on the weekend around Veterans Day, including three biggies: one 'Wings' (1927) and two screenings of 'The Big Parade' (1925). <br /></p><p>But before any of that, this weekend I have the privilege of sitting in as accompanist at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Niles, Calif. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-5TF-vj_uFwwh2Mo86z5nYW8rwEXqXF5lbw90EuVCJD_KYsqXuBrmOb7UuLQm0Q1_ywMpp5tNg_zbPGph4hmpMyWlfOLbGlNISfflg6u86c2TOBZQ__NMNhnZjVX_KLIPYsp87u_M2Gj4PQeFc9rGgUjt2rR0ufxPtsX7o-cbIvYCvlvKkmp2ARhwe4/s319/raffles_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="209" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-5TF-vj_uFwwh2Mo86z5nYW8rwEXqXF5lbw90EuVCJD_KYsqXuBrmOb7UuLQm0Q1_ywMpp5tNg_zbPGph4hmpMyWlfOLbGlNISfflg6u86c2TOBZQ__NMNhnZjVX_KLIPYsp87u_M2Gj4PQeFc9rGgUjt2rR0ufxPtsX7o-cbIvYCvlvKkmp2ARhwe4/s1600/raffles_poster.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>On Saturday, Nov. 4, I'll do live music for a program highlighted by the 1925 feature film 'Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman.' <p></p><p>By the way, what a film this is for names. It stars "House Peters," which sounds like a name out of Monty Python's Flying Circus. And it's directed by "King Baggot," who was actually quite a big name in early cinema. </p><p>The cast also includes Hedda Hopper and stalwart character actor Walter Long, a New Hampshire native.<br /></p><p>It's the first time since the pandemic that I've gone out to Niles, which is in on the east side of San Francisco Bay, about halfway between Oakland and San Jose.</p><p>Prior to everything shutting down, I'd generally go out there twice a year to accompany programs. It's the only venue I know of that runs silent film programs each week all year round, so it's worth the pilgrimage to do my part. </p><p>Let's hope this weekend's screening marks the resumption of this ritual. I like going out to San Francisco to do this. The whole area reminds me of the model railroad layouts I dreamed about as a child. And the ramen is much better than anything you can get in New England.</p><p>Speaking of which: I invite you to join me for MGM's adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel set in 1600s Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony on Monday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 a.m. </p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiKAa9GgidLYA7Ss-dHiV-Iv1Si0ou-MkAXMTO8HWTIksrgviUGwqPq3CIhNfEKVPeDGG3I7e99CbVFSXom4PC9OeGWxIcyea1OfcGrRcF3PfDBD-y_F2ITeU47JWDfWy-SvY1RNw7Bl4sAXgxfJCE-jqWB3NNfNUH9KoWNGwhXcIO9s1YC55HvyiwjE/s1920/scarlet_letter_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiKAa9GgidLYA7Ss-dHiV-Iv1Si0ou-MkAXMTO8HWTIksrgviUGwqPq3CIhNfEKVPeDGG3I7e99CbVFSXom4PC9OeGWxIcyea1OfcGrRcF3PfDBD-y_F2ITeU47JWDfWy-SvY1RNw7Bl4sAXgxfJCE-jqWB3NNfNUH9KoWNGwhXcIO9s1YC55HvyiwjE/w400-h225/scarlet_letter_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Lillian Gish stars in 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926)</i><br /><p></p><p>MONDAY, OCT. 30, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Greenfield's Garden Cinemas to screen 1926 silent film version of 'The Scarlet Letter'</span></b></span><br /><br />Early
adaptation of Nathanial Hawthorne classic tale of old New England
features Lillian Gish in lead role; shown with live music on Monday,
Nov. 6.<br /><br />GREENFIELD, Mass.— It was a picture that MGM studio boss
Louis B. Mayer didn't want to make, fearing the scandalous story of
adultery in old New England would offend the movie-going public.<br /><br />But
silent screen star Lillian Gish, then at the height of her fame,
insisted that 'The Scarlet Letter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne would be her
next film.<br /><br />Gish prevailed, and the result was MGM's splashy big
budget adaptation of a classic literary tale anchored by Gish's landmark
performance as Hester Prynne.<br /><br />See it for yourself when 'The
Scarlet Letter' (1926) will be shown with live music on Monday, Nov. 6
at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield.<br /><br />The
screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New
Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent
films.<br /><br />Admission is $10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students. Tickets are available online or at the door.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ11EQ-hh8zYq-JXblECZlUCkoigqvhaVlhNEHi5j9mLO2w4cayw0NBAu65n0ZpF_0E8u7XjhK0nkuo8u03Zzq24snsfC2WEP7UOOiQOD7p0fjJ7gpcmZ7Wu5sLmNgeX3FbK4nE9xKes_36teRb8iEbHHXy9EdzDQZGzBUHCWEdhtG83ZTpTk7MSeHcno/s2835/scarlet_letter_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2835" data-original-width="1799" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ11EQ-hh8zYq-JXblECZlUCkoigqvhaVlhNEHi5j9mLO2w4cayw0NBAu65n0ZpF_0E8u7XjhK0nkuo8u03Zzq24snsfC2WEP7UOOiQOD7p0fjJ7gpcmZ7Wu5sLmNgeX3FbK4nE9xKes_36teRb8iEbHHXy9EdzDQZGzBUHCWEdhtG83ZTpTk7MSeHcno/s320/scarlet_letter_poster.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>Adapted
from Hawthorne's 1850 classic novel set in the Puritan Massachusetts
Bay Colony from 1642 to 1649, 'The Scarlet Letter' featured Lillian Gish
in the leading role as Hester Prynne. <br /><br />Hester is married to
Roger Prynne, whom she does not love. During her husband's long absence
she walks in the woods with her pastor, the Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, and
they soon fall in love. <br /><br />When a child is born to her, she is
condemned to wear upon her breast the brand of Adulteress and is shunned
when she refuses to divulge the name of the child's father. <br /><br />The situation leads to a shattering climax in which a community is forced to confront its own hypocrisy and double standards.<br /><br />'The Scarlet Letter' was directed by Victor Seastrom, a Swedish filmmaker brought to Hollywood by MGM. <br /><br />Seastrom's talent for memorable visuals is evident throughout 'The Scarlet Letter.'<br /><br />Film
critic Paul Malcolm observed that “early in the film Gish, as Prynne,
loses her bonnet chasing a songbird through a summer glade. When the
wind catches her waist-long tresses, Gish appears for an instant as if
she had stepped into a painting by Botticelli."<br /><br /><p></p><div>The film was
the second that Gish made under her contract with MGM and a departure
from the ingénue roles she had performed in service to director D.W.
Griffith. </div><div><br /></div><div>Her first MGM picture was an
adaption of 'La Bohème' with co-star John Gilbert, in which she played
the pathetic consumptive Mimi.</div><br />Although 'The Scarlet Letter'
cost MGM nearly $500,000 to make, it proved a solid box office hit,
earning a profit of just under $300,000.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08Kt1ynF2FEnrf5ztR1UD_eTpRc3iI8qqmSn0YjqIRRskwUFrGyV1oZXEhxEv2sYtSSmA1YtiIJI9fcN0B_60SyTWT5okDpFV-IqlXtVjxGA2Ga4T02Xyej1i-K2lPWF1OOouUcJY0GS-LOAwJ-CsWqA6POSyEUkcbmZpjCdHmOn8df_seli2U-1jHRU/s2048/scarlet_letter_trade_ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1533" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08Kt1ynF2FEnrf5ztR1UD_eTpRc3iI8qqmSn0YjqIRRskwUFrGyV1oZXEhxEv2sYtSSmA1YtiIJI9fcN0B_60SyTWT5okDpFV-IqlXtVjxGA2Ga4T02Xyej1i-K2lPWF1OOouUcJY0GS-LOAwJ-CsWqA6POSyEUkcbmZpjCdHmOn8df_seli2U-1jHRU/w300-h400/scarlet_letter_trade_ad.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><i>An exhibition trade ad promoting 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926).</i><p>In screening 'The
Scarlet Letter,' the Garden Cinemas aim to recreate all essential
elements of silent film experience: high quality prints shown on a large
screen, with live music and an audience.<br /><br />"These films caused
people to fall in love with the movies for a very good reason," said
Jeff Rapsis, who will improvise a musical score during the screening.
"They were unique experiences, and if you can recreate the conditions
under which they were shown, they have a great deal of life in them.<br /><br />"Though
they're the ancestors of today's movies, silent film is a very
different art form than what you see at the multiplex today, so it's
worth checking out as something totally different," Rapsis said.<br /><br />Rapsis
performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the
full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.<br /><br />The
Garden Theatre's silent film schedule features vintage Hollywood
dramas, thrillers, and adventure flicks, all with live music. Upcoming
shows include:<br /><br />• Monday, Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>Robin Hood</b>'
(1922). Douglas Fairbanks Sr. stars in the original big screen
adaptation of 'Robin Hood,' one of the biggest box office hits of the
silent era.<br /><br />• Monday, Jan. 1 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>The Gold Rush</b>'
(1925). Charlie Chaplin's beloved 'Little Tramp' character tries his
hand at prospecting in the Yukon, finding romance instead. All-time
classic comedy!<br /><br />• Monday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>Flesh and the Devil</b>'
(1926). Just in time for Valentine's Day! Garbo and Gilbert steam up
the camera lens in this torrid romance set in 19th century European high
society.<br /><br />• Monday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>The Passion of Joan of Arc</b>'
(1928). Danish director Carl Dreyer's intense recreation of the trial
of Joan of Arc set new standards for cinematography and expanded the
language of film in new directions.<br /><br />• Monday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m.: '<b>Safety Last</b>'
(1923). The iconic image of Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a
downtown clock is only one small piece of a remarkable thrill comedy
that has lost none of its power over audiences.<br /><br />The silent film
version of 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) will be screened with live music
on Monday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361
Main St., Greenfield.<br /><br />The screening will feature live
accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who
specializes in creating music for silent films.<br /><br />Admission is
$10.50 adults, $8:50 for children, seniors, and students. Tickets are at
the door; advance tickets are available at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gardencinemas.net&source=gmail&ust=1698931300313000&usg=AOvVaw3J3jPyrlSnOshiC2jCjLeZ" href="http://www.gardencinemas.net" target="_blank">www.gardencinemas.net</a>. For more information, call the box office at (413) 774-4881.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBIedyqxBZEBXIE_WSjCq94b6k1n6pFRyrdgT8waMAcDTy4N8sYXv809WxZ67_UiVnAaThJTmpFHXvuFUO6rTIOCXnl60yXckDrWRbLHtigOMb5R6AU8W7d9C90WkOVGAvfW0C3VVQdsfMtVYWuckeW5opUbeYJkMup3hjkvyA7raVEpkGAZgzIrOj9g/s1600/scarlet_letter_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBIedyqxBZEBXIE_WSjCq94b6k1n6pFRyrdgT8waMAcDTy4N8sYXv809WxZ67_UiVnAaThJTmpFHXvuFUO6rTIOCXnl60yXckDrWRbLHtigOMb5R6AU8W7d9C90WkOVGAvfW0C3VVQdsfMtVYWuckeW5opUbeYJkMup3hjkvyA7raVEpkGAZgzIrOj9g/w400-h306/scarlet_letter_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Karl Dane provides some comic relief in 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926).</i><br /> <p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-13252916839049509322023-10-30T11:27:00.003-04:002023-10-30T11:27:41.161-04:00Tonight in Jaffrey, N.H.: Classic 'Dracula' (1931) with Bela Lugosi, live musical underscoring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DTZaYk3eUIBM3Sg38__WXMjkNkJ0RcIKY0UeiBsefRVJdxDlm8dLlZ13jEBiVk0JlI3XLVme3Vpj6FDgDse0od0idd71eguxmDtkPzG_UOyogL8c8W8x8vRw5KW_xM3yYRI7zlCloSnnkRs1R_jMNTHHtQ_k90TtuYr7odP2uw7OmzWkSegM_9XxTGA/s2936/dracula_poster_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2936" data-original-width="1954" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DTZaYk3eUIBM3Sg38__WXMjkNkJ0RcIKY0UeiBsefRVJdxDlm8dLlZ13jEBiVk0JlI3XLVme3Vpj6FDgDse0od0idd71eguxmDtkPzG_UOyogL8c8W8x8vRw5KW_xM3yYRI7zlCloSnnkRs1R_jMNTHHtQ_k90TtuYr7odP2uw7OmzWkSegM_9XxTGA/w266-h400/dracula_poster_A.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><i>A poster promoting the original release of 'Dracula' (1931).</i><p></p><p>And now for something completely different! <br /></p><p>As the final installment this year's marathon of Halloween screenings, I'll do live music for 'Dracula' (1931) at the Park Theatre tonight (Monday, Oct. 30) at 7 p.m. at the Park Theatre, 19 Main St., in Jaffrey, N.H.</p><p>Wait? Isn't 'Dracula' one of them new-fangled talking pictures? </p><p>Yes it is—which is why what I'll be doing is something completely different, at least for me. <br /></p><p>Come join us! Lots more info and details in the press release pasted in below. </p><p>For now, let me say that it's been a fun year for Halloween screenings, with a good mix of the big three with lesser known titles.</p><p>The big three: ''Phantom of the Opera' (1925); 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923); and 'Nosferatu' (1922). I accompanied each twice in the past three weeks!<br /></p><p>As for the lesser known films, this year marked my first encounter with 'The Magician' (1926), directed by Rex Ingram and based on a William Somerset Maugham tale.</p><p>I wasn't aware of this film until recently, and accompanied it yesterday afternoon for the first time at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H., and wow! </p><p>Starring Paul Wegener (of 'Der Golem' fame) and Alice Terry, the film makes for quite the Halloween creepfest. Elaborate visions of the underworld, plus the sight of Terry tied to a table as Wegener prepares to "operate," are just a few highlights of this disturbing picture.</p><p>I look forward to putting it in the rotation for future Halloweens!<br /></p><p>Also, last night saw me do music for 'Nosferatu' (1922) at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine.</p><p>The final screening of the Leavitt's 2023 season, it took place while the Leavitt still pretty much set up for the theater's annual 'Haunted House' promotion.</p><p>So the seats were filled with "guests" such as this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ihUvuqGCu9hSxgFWQQRHz07NvZIgxpZlsJV15cG8a0e-zSkghZeIn2GfOj3rmRVz-ms6He119jDmeN7o7TI2h4kXGZGu2DTd0hNWQ_WtwIYhsRL1eWa5nwiUu7qzBndKXsAkLBa0Fd7vUojeOrWC1Ke6CDtkQzyx8aGBMVao_2ph4YO3xlWDfIR5T_Q/s4032/IMG_1058%5B1%5D.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ihUvuqGCu9hSxgFWQQRHz07NvZIgxpZlsJV15cG8a0e-zSkghZeIn2GfOj3rmRVz-ms6He119jDmeN7o7TI2h4kXGZGu2DTd0hNWQ_WtwIYhsRL1eWa5nwiUu7qzBndKXsAkLBa0Fd7vUojeOrWC1Ke6CDtkQzyx8aGBMVao_2ph4YO3xlWDfIR5T_Q/w300-h400/IMG_1058%5B1%5D.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>My, they make for a handsome couple, don't they?</p><p>Well, I hope they (and you) can join us this evening for Tod Browning's 'Dracula' (1931) with live music. Press release is below...</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gfPoJP3YjDhyphenhyphenBH45yASIsk3G7kPmX00oGM3dN2bOflT9fJKWnzv1GwXe_3HPVwPQmpBsjBcyQhJSH6m9lpc5N51zGX2eF0kfhC5v_3eggukVdfOOTn1t5Kq1LkSGQfo0m6Q6mEX27XLoLfUkREvlz_MbHx9jKrwE2oZyjNT2HudD4S3G3BuynXQb45U/s3142/dracula_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2235" data-original-width="3142" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gfPoJP3YjDhyphenhyphenBH45yASIsk3G7kPmX00oGM3dN2bOflT9fJKWnzv1GwXe_3HPVwPQmpBsjBcyQhJSH6m9lpc5N51zGX2eF0kfhC5v_3eggukVdfOOTn1t5Kq1LkSGQfo0m6Q6mEX27XLoLfUkREvlz_MbHx9jKrwE2oZyjNT2HudD4S3G3BuynXQb45U/w400-h285/dracula_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Bela Lugosi stalks a victim in 'Dracula' (1931).</i><br /><div> </div><div>TUESDAY, OCT. 17, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</div><div><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Halloween special: Lugosi's 'Dracula' on big screen with new live score</span></b></span><br /><br />Horror classic to be shown at Park Theatre in Jaffrey, N.H. on Monday, Oct. 30 for one screening only<br /><br />JAFFREY, N.H. — Do you dare spend Halloween braving 'Dracula' on the big screen?<br /><br />That's
the question at the Park Theatre, where the classic 1931 version
of 'Dracula' starring Bela Lugosi will run for one showing only on Monday, Oct. 30.<br /><br />Showtime is 7 p.m. at the Park Theatre, located at 19 Main St., Jaffrey, N.H. </p><p> General admission tickets are $10. Tickets are available online at <a href="http://theparktheatre.org">theparktheatre.org</a> or at the box office.<br /><br />The screening will feature live music by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire musician who specializes in creating live musical accompaniment for silent film screenings.<br /><br />Although
'Dracula' is a talking picture, it was released with virtually no
musical score, a common practice during the transition period from
silent to sound pictures.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVO1nky2q8qf6DxiOqrKOtkAUZfFwNCmqn62lBw564jZhy4AG4mdxvnXH6baoyCZH0NAqV4A_2cuwEwm5NE6BK7Sy1-CeiVqiI8EYwyiIXIfuerefRgpZHSLPoN5GTIrbS7lZjU5bIbrAYVBKXITM_wD6XJkXA8fXgNpKaCEf1of2r7szGHyAqV8Q28w/s2935/dracula_poster_B.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2935" data-original-width="1913" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVO1nky2q8qf6DxiOqrKOtkAUZfFwNCmqn62lBw564jZhy4AG4mdxvnXH6baoyCZH0NAqV4A_2cuwEwm5NE6BK7Sy1-CeiVqiI8EYwyiIXIfuerefRgpZHSLPoN5GTIrbS7lZjU5bIbrAYVBKXITM_wD6XJkXA8fXgNpKaCEf1of2r7szGHyAqV8Q28w/s320/dracula_poster_B.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><p>Rapsis will perform original music live
during the screening using a digital keyboard to recreate the texture
of a full orchestra.<br /><br />Directed by Tod Browning, 'Dracula' was a
sensational box office success and has mesmerized movie audiences ever
since with its eerie visuals and Lugosi's iconic performance. <br /><br />The
story opens in far-off Transylvania, where mysterious Count Dracula
hypnotizes a British soldier, Renfield (Dwight Frye), into becoming his
mindless slave.<br /><br />Dracula then travels to England and takes up
residence in an old castle. Soon the Count begins to wreak havoc,
sucking the blood of young women and turning them into vampires. <br /><br />When
he sets his sights on Mina (Helen Chandler), the daughter of a
prominent doctor, vampire-hunter Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) is
enlisted to put a stop to Dracula's never-ending bloodlust.<br /><br />'Dracula'
was released when Hollywood and movie theatres were still undergoing
the transition from the silent era to pictures with synchronized sound
and dialogue.<br /><br />During the silent era, studios did not produce
official scores for most films. Instead, accompaniment was left up to
local musicians, and could vary greatly from one moviehouse to another. <br /><br />When
studios converted to talking pictures, the tradition of recording a
musical score was not well established. In the case of 'Dracula,'
Universal omitted music in part to save production costs.<br /><br />As a result, after the opening credits, the 1931 'Dracula' contains no music except for a brief scene in an opera house. <br /><br />In
recent decades, composers have experimented with creating original
music for the movie—most notably Philip Glass, who composed a score in
1998 for the Kronos string quartet.<br /><br />Rapsis sees 'Dracula' as closely linked to the silent-era tradition of films shown with live music.<br /><br />"Tod
Browning was a prolific director of silent films, including many
thrillers that anticipate 'Dracula,' " Rapsis said. "So even though
'Dracula' is a talking picture, Browning's filmmaking style is strongly
rooted in the silent era, when it was assumed that local musicians would
be important collaborators in a picture's effect on an audience."<br /><br />Unlike
the Glass score, which plays almost continuously during the movie,
Rapsis will use music only in certain places where he feels it will
either enhance the mood, heighten tension, or signify a change in the
emotional line of the story.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FF-xJ-oLdIB3iR6MCy1NvDPGd4FI3r6sMkKbdYLbkXD7MJ8yNJ9a6ZuPY0uJcmU-nSmIY-C2OXEKnPKDCkMLdY_L8J7fTTKh5jb7zWLA-ognzVjU31bpjJMn4YFmWwi3CbcZ9K3uP40BPJ2lrgvL4CnqpicAU6WT5uBO4HKpTiDKraM0eJ64kkN8m18/s3500/dracula_D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FF-xJ-oLdIB3iR6MCy1NvDPGd4FI3r6sMkKbdYLbkXD7MJ8yNJ9a6ZuPY0uJcmU-nSmIY-C2OXEKnPKDCkMLdY_L8J7fTTKh5jb7zWLA-ognzVjU31bpjJMn4YFmWwi3CbcZ9K3uP40BPJ2lrgvL4CnqpicAU6WT5uBO4HKpTiDKraM0eJ64kkN8m18/w400-h260/dracula_D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>In the catacombs under Carfax Abbey. Hey, maybe we should have gotten the film sponsored by <a href="https://www.carfaxonline.com/landingPage">Carfax</a>.<br /></i><br />Although 'Dracula' is not a silent
film, there are definitely places where the silence speaks volumes and
remains very effective," Rapsis said. "I hope to leave those intact, but
enrich other parts of the film in the way that only music can."<br /><br />Rapsis works largely by improvising as a film plays in the theater, in the tradition of theater organists of the 1920s.<br /><br />"There's
something very special about the in-the-moment energy of a live
improvised performance," Rapsis said. "It's never the same, and at its
best it really can help a film connect with an audience and make the
whole experience come together." <br /><br />The original 'Dracula' (1931)
starring Bela Lugosi will be shown with live music for one
screening only on Monday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Park Theatre, 19 Main St., Jaffrey, N.H.<br /><br />Tickets are $10 per person. For more info, call the theater at (603) 532-9300 or visit <a href="http://www.theparktheatre.org">www.theparktheatre.org</a>.<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-79375656813852431232023-10-27T09:56:00.002-04:002023-10-27T12:43:15.772-04:00Tonight in Vermont: 'Cat and the Canary,' then 'Nosferatu' and 'The Magician' on Sunday, Oct. 29<i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NB3IO_zF1i3obzdo_YGIMXZ2prfZesJbplc-pq5YazaVU0Zrh5DjZ9N0HIqksyie1xqUHuplxLhrw5j2L1MT1lcl92HmQL5LCoel-BjEPHwOEcIYCYyKjFpJAHSN2zNsNQTAQMOADUPgdmwAF3hNBI8wEukLFEb071You-UNxjYOVypEcYJmSXb2sD4/s4032/IMG_1040.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NB3IO_zF1i3obzdo_YGIMXZ2prfZesJbplc-pq5YazaVU0Zrh5DjZ9N0HIqksyie1xqUHuplxLhrw5j2L1MT1lcl92HmQL5LCoel-BjEPHwOEcIYCYyKjFpJAHSN2zNsNQTAQMOADUPgdmwAF3hNBI8wEukLFEb071You-UNxjYOVypEcYJmSXb2sD4/w400-h300/IMG_1040.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Outside the Jane Pickens Theatre last night in Newport, R.I. </i><br /><p>As Halloween approaches, the silent film screenings build up to a fever pitch.</p><p>Next up: Tonight (Friday, Oct. 27), it's 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927) in Brandon, Vt. More details are in the press release pasted in below.</p><p>Last night, it was 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) in Newport, R.I. About 120 people piled into the Jane Pickens Theater to experience this classic. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yZv2JBnU_99KtElAkCmcozbtqP6rktwRcqwxpdBe-3lHhl0ztfqxEzvmWmIAKDDzlVgz6Swh9JOmwil0WBkK8z6qy6hRWAyvANKrL35Rg7TBTD5zEvHI8pexX1x7V2CZYviG4VTvguh1Y6dXQ5fQIEFBii0iISFYtyaBfW39fmrGLc0PGyNk4iF8x80/s4032/IMG_1046.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yZv2JBnU_99KtElAkCmcozbtqP6rktwRcqwxpdBe-3lHhl0ztfqxEzvmWmIAKDDzlVgz6Swh9JOmwil0WBkK8z6qy6hRWAyvANKrL35Rg7TBTD5zEvHI8pexX1x7V2CZYviG4VTvguh1Y6dXQ5fQIEFBii0iISFYtyaBfW39fmrGLc0PGyNk4iF8x80/w400-h300/IMG_1046.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>I got a big laugh when I introduced myself, saying: "If any of you have come here tonight to experience the soaring, passionate melodies of Andrew Lloyd Webber's magnificent score, I'm afraid you're going to be <i>sadly disappointed</i>."</p><p>One nice surprise was that the theater had actually put my name on the marquee. So I had to take a picture, even if it required me to point my phone directly at a streetlight:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfbZO9ZTpPI2WqBjF0BxtRAqA4cuBR_9wvkTz17gE6LbViQvU92wqOaWozOX8LWrLNPzOJuWOmDjvaIv7VMsI9obtncTTDcUMGMPGB-QIDs7mgldf1_32LJPpJD-ZOZ8cz3LnnoEptjOI9AlVFMjc49tpw50333pIx7Lp-SkgfWAN5WOHJUdOhfm32DQ/s4032/IMG_1044.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfbZO9ZTpPI2WqBjF0BxtRAqA4cuBR_9wvkTz17gE6LbViQvU92wqOaWozOX8LWrLNPzOJuWOmDjvaIv7VMsI9obtncTTDcUMGMPGB-QIDs7mgldf1_32LJPpJD-ZOZ8cz3LnnoEptjOI9AlVFMjc49tpw50333pIx7Lp-SkgfWAN5WOHJUdOhfm32DQ/w400-h300/IMG_1044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>The night before, it was an equally well-attended screening of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) in Manchester, N.H.—about 120 people at the Rex Theatre. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSprglyuEZdsYNaL86E6sF6-4GozWBC22C9WSY7fH0kV71fspMN0ROPmmMf4pNPPT7MZ4t6qmY55Fx0AyPX165XLKZocZwsxawNU2Dfi-JoxbSPzKt3u2lVUsfpaXzgDnhig3-LqA6oalclHwNoS_bh-dCrMjEJcp1wlxYVL9j7sY_QD80kf87LSiYOg/s4032/IMG_1025.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSprglyuEZdsYNaL86E6sF6-4GozWBC22C9WSY7fH0kV71fspMN0ROPmmMf4pNPPT7MZ4t6qmY55Fx0AyPX165XLKZocZwsxawNU2Dfi-JoxbSPzKt3u2lVUsfpaXzgDnhig3-LqA6oalclHwNoS_bh-dCrMjEJcp1wlxYVL9j7sY_QD80kf87LSiYOg/w400-h300/IMG_1025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Looking beyond tonight's screening of 'The Cat and the Canary' up in Brandon, Vt., it's a double-header on Sunday, Oct. 29. <p></p><p>At 2 p.m., I'll accompany 'The Magician' (1926) at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. It's a last-minute addition to their schedule and mine. </p><p>'The Magician' concerns a scientist (Paul Wegener) who uses an ancient
spell to reanimate a dead body. The secret missing ingredient is, of
course, the blood of a virgin, making it a good bet for Halloween. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GXDCGyGjaWaJkOGqToizuJYAu_ZCyqGvIbv4ZI03wOksre-OPRbWb_MXscqLHAACmjniIrX7iNcR4fhywb3VnxPV-QyAL_1x5wXpc_sUPG0kBSX0hc-t0Ub0c5egYAJmOD7CBJA1fMyTL90rXTDPuv1wUXJbkmk68eysI60c0kfkWoPSBYqo3Y5gDcI/s1484/magician_poster_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GXDCGyGjaWaJkOGqToizuJYAu_ZCyqGvIbv4ZI03wOksre-OPRbWb_MXscqLHAACmjniIrX7iNcR4fhywb3VnxPV-QyAL_1x5wXpc_sUPG0kBSX0hc-t0Ub0c5egYAJmOD7CBJA1fMyTL90rXTDPuv1wUXJbkmk68eysI60c0kfkWoPSBYqo3Y5gDcI/w270-h400/magician_poster_A.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><i>A Spanish language poster that captures the flavor of 'The Magician' (1926).</i><br /><p></p><p>Directed by the great Rex Ingram (who helmed 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' in 1921), 'The Magician' is a film I've never done before and only recently learned about. The theater was kind enough to add it to their schedule, so off we go.<br /></p><p>Then on Sunday at 7 p.m., it's 'Nosferatu' (1922) out at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine. And on Monday, Oct. 30 at the Park Theatre in Jaffrey, N.H., it's live underscoring for 'Dracula' (1931), the early talkie starring Bela Lugosi that was released without music. </p><p>And the comes the finish line—Halloween itself!</p><p>I get a break for a few days, but then will be at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum out in Fremont, Calif. to sit in as accompanist for another film I've not accompanied before: 'Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman' (1925)</p><p>The museum has provided this helpful description and plot summary: </p><p><i>"RAFFLES, THE AMATEUR CRACKSMAN (USA, 1925) Raffles, the debonair society burglar, can’t resist a dare, when a noted criminologist claims that he would prevent a threatened theft in the home of an upper crust family. Of course, Raffles gets the pearls, but he promises the beautiful Lady Gwendolyn that he will return them and reform, which he does. With House Peters, Miss Du Pont, Hedda Hopper, Walter Long. Directed by King Baggot. (This is not to be confused with the John Barrymore version (1917), in which the story line is somewhat different.) </i><br /></p><p>This is my first appearance at the Niles museum since they've reopened after the pandemic, so it'll be great to be back. </p><p>And for those of you who, like me, never heard of King Baggot, I'm pleased to report that he had quite a career on stage in his youth and before the camera during the early days of cinema. </p><p>Here's an excerpt of his entry in the always unimpeachable Wikipedia:<br /></p><p>"The first individually <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publicity" title="Publicity">publicized</a> <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_man" title="Leading man">leading man</a>
in America, Baggot was referred to as 'King of the Movies,' 'The Most
Photographed Man in the World' and 'The Man Whose Face Is As Familiar As
The Man In The Moon.' "</p><p>Wow! It'll be an honor to be collaborating with the Man in the Moon. <br /></p><p>So if you find yourself in the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday, Nov. 4, drop by for what should be an interesting night at the movies. <br /></p><p>And now, here's all the info about tonight's screening of 'The Cat and the Canary' up in Brandon, Vt. Hope you'll join us!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3tG4DVjbHw7t7l6H4yZ782l10Zd_58KuMWmLNQSGIND2Fhdx5RqyTzMfAG1kQmap75Jar1u56cJCzot-435_RZyD-62Auow5abqBEJB_cDWO3Pv7ilYLqgQlsGEdpG46VB_YDDPGYVBWqMRzZYA36WtUWevNc35JmzZJlVcogHvE_ZoMU-rzaJa5upo/s1710/cat_and_canary_C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="1710" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3tG4DVjbHw7t7l6H4yZ782l10Zd_58KuMWmLNQSGIND2Fhdx5RqyTzMfAG1kQmap75Jar1u56cJCzot-435_RZyD-62Auow5abqBEJB_cDWO3Pv7ilYLqgQlsGEdpG46VB_YDDPGYVBWqMRzZYA36WtUWevNc35JmzZJlVcogHvE_ZoMU-rzaJa5upo/w400-h305/cat_and_canary_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Tully Marshall in an awkward moment in 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927).</i><br /><p></p><p>WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">'Cat and Canary' (1927) to play Brandon Town Hall with live music on Friday, Oct. 27</span></b></span><br /><br />Just in time for Halloween: Creepy haunted house silent film thriller to be shown after sundown<br /><br />BRANDON, Vt.—'The Cat and the Canary' (1927), a haunted house thriller from
Hollywood’s silent film era, will be screened with live music on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at <span>the</span> Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt.<br /><br />All
are welcome to this family-friendly movie. Admission is free, with free
will donations accepted in support of ongoing Town Hall renovations.<br /><br /></p><div><span>The</span> screening, <span>the</span> latest in <span>the</span>
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. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Please note that this
program takes place on a Friday, rather than the usual Saturday night
for most Brandon Town Hall silent film programs. <br /></div><p><br />'The
Cat and the Canary' stands as the original movie thriller—the first
picture to feature the reading of a will in a haunted mansion complete
with clutching hands, a masked killer, disappearing bodies, and secret
passageways. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVXPtzQtL4jFTQIKUu_aAnZ8M2qlRXs0LiIsdWeutXMCnK204vwxwy8B8yqT0jZbtSk6iyv_eWnnSPNjS8S_izRlimLxEWUHQfpQ7_rfKNtXuw2AcsLeLd7GwmaMaYVfXsHF24NAgkhOROhsZREsr15XvIzI3-As7hrh1Yuv3NES5VrIIpNizyI1uo9w/s1329/cat_and_canary_B.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVXPtzQtL4jFTQIKUu_aAnZ8M2qlRXs0LiIsdWeutXMCnK204vwxwy8B8yqT0jZbtSk6iyv_eWnnSPNjS8S_izRlimLxEWUHQfpQ7_rfKNtXuw2AcsLeLd7GwmaMaYVfXsHF24NAgkhOROhsZREsr15XvIzI3-As7hrh1Yuv3NES5VrIIpNizyI1uo9w/s320/cat_and_canary_B.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><p>Silent film starlet Laura LaPlante leads the cast as
a young heiress who must spend the night in the creepy old mansion,
which is filled with relatives who all have motives to frighten her out
of her wits. Meanwhile, a dangerous escaped lunatic is loose on the
grounds. Can she and the others make it through the night?<br /><br />Created
for Universal Pictures by German filmmaker Paul Leni and based on a hit
stage play, 'The Cat and the Canary' proved popular enough to inspire
several remakes, including one starring Bob Hope. It was also the
forerunner of all the great Universal horror classics of the 1930s and
'40s.<br /><br />The Brandon Town Hall screening will use a fully restored print
that shows the film as audiences would have originally experienced it.
'The Cat and the Canary' will be accompanied by live music by New
Hampshire composer Jeff Rapsis, who specializes in silent film scoring.<br /><br />Rapsis will improvise the score on the spot during the screening.<br /><br />"Silent
film is all about the audience experience, and this one is a perfect
Halloween crowd-pleaser," Rapsis said. "It has something for
everyone—spooky scenes, some good comedy, and it's all fine for the
whole family."<br /><br />Critics praise the original 'Cat and the Canary' for its wild visual design and cutting edge cinematography.<br /><br />Film
reviewer Michael Phillips singled out the film for using "a fluidly
moving camera and elaborate, expressionist sets and lighting to achieve
some of the most memorable shots in silent film, from the amazing
tracking shots down the curtain-lined main hallway to the dramatic zooms
and pans that accompany the film's shocks."<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8XLLwQonXWsyWEs_ObBRATTnsC7ObHWllvhrGR_BQAHTwEJH-AE9o04agwz3z_eXZrtluHlfV-qbEAM9gte1EDGG5ibtgU2Kg44NWQeUT3sBf0kK5BG3FNuHjtemfjTwLeYXvhuOj0NEqgTCQqSrE19w40ZYyd7TJ8imYXErPlEv5KL2ood1RuqaNn0/s1660/cat_and_canary_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1660" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8XLLwQonXWsyWEs_ObBRATTnsC7ObHWllvhrGR_BQAHTwEJH-AE9o04agwz3z_eXZrtluHlfV-qbEAM9gte1EDGG5ibtgU2Kg44NWQeUT3sBf0kK5BG3FNuHjtemfjTwLeYXvhuOj0NEqgTCQqSrE19w40ZYyd7TJ8imYXErPlEv5KL2ood1RuqaNn0/w400-h241/cat_and_canary_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><i>Laura LaPlante in 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927). </i></div><div> </div><div>Leonard Maltin
called the original 'Cat and the Canary' a "delightful silent classic,
the forerunner of all "old dark house" mysteries."</div><div><br /></div><div>
<span>The</span> Brandon Town Hall screening of '<span>The Cat and the Canary</span>' is sponsored by
Pam and Steve Douglass.
<br /><br />Upcoming programs in <span>the</span> Brandon Town Hall's silent film series include:<br /><br />• Saturday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.: '<b><span>The</span> Big Parade</b>'
(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 <span>the</span> biggest box office triumphs of <span>the</span> silent era. Sponsored by Donald and Dolores Furnari; Jeanette Devino; and Lorrie Byrom.<br />
</div><br />'Cat and the Canary' will be shown
on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at <span>the</span> Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt.<br /><br />Admission is free, with free
will donations accepted in support of ongoing Town Hall renovations.
For more info, visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.brandontownhall.com&source=gmail&ust=1697722246611000&usg=AOvVaw1gWRpnwKdM_ahr2oqZk7WK" href="http://www.brandontownhall.com" target="_blank">www.brandontownhall.com</a>.
<p> </p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-12141361154583562762023-10-23T09:42:00.002-04:002023-10-23T09:42:37.918-04:00Pre-Halloween parade continues with Lon Chaney starring in 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Rex Theatre in Manchester, N.H.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Rbdy5B9wx-XvaoRG3V343murp6BkMB_Rn7in8x6O22Db3KcWO9D6ktFW5La2V4ODpKIMpJrdmqr2F6JkhIr4PRdtOqeZPSbKrgC9bf8XbJn6FaV8iefmTaCRLXx-aniL4BVk2gsPCq6ahtRF6NY9g0jnoOfgO-iwO_a3iqD6nVU7bbOL2uCoVWQjje8/s2705/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2705" data-original-width="1697" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Rbdy5B9wx-XvaoRG3V343murp6BkMB_Rn7in8x6O22Db3KcWO9D6ktFW5La2V4ODpKIMpJrdmqr2F6JkhIr4PRdtOqeZPSbKrgC9bf8XbJn6FaV8iefmTaCRLXx-aniL4BVk2gsPCq6ahtRF6NY9g0jnoOfgO-iwO_a3iqD6nVU7bbOL2uCoVWQjje8/w251-h400/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><i>A poster for the 1923 release of 'Hunchback of Notre Dame.'</i><br /><p></p><p>Up next: a 100th anniversary screening of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the Rex Theatre in Manchester, N.H.</p><p>As of this morning, the venue has sold 69 tickets, so should be a good crowd on hand—always a good thing for a silent film program!</p><p>Below is a press release with all the details. Come join us for this classic big screen adaptation of Victor Hugo's sprawling novel set in medieval Paris. </p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlYsMSrN6EreWBJkFYtdRjtHjo0n7FjY3gd7k_VRFqMakH0vsFcA-Ls4sh8bSp6e8DKgEYh2B0Sxyqk0mhD3hHU8jUKZcXAWoM2CtarcmY6N6JVZwYGwDBhezbt7TvajoAC8D1FyS-uLzo-lTtaHVsKA_sSvzR8X2jvYSNXL8z0dc9Ai86NHC9STEDCY/s1200/hunchback_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1200" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlYsMSrN6EreWBJkFYtdRjtHjo0n7FjY3gd7k_VRFqMakH0vsFcA-Ls4sh8bSp6e8DKgEYh2B0Sxyqk0mhD3hHU8jUKZcXAWoM2CtarcmY6N6JVZwYGwDBhezbt7TvajoAC8D1FyS-uLzo-lTtaHVsKA_sSvzR8X2jvYSNXL8z0dc9Ai86NHC9STEDCY/w400-h325/hunchback_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>The classic image: Lon Chaney as the Hunchback being comforted after his undeserved public flogging.</i><br /><p>WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Chaney as Quasimodo in 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' on Wednesday, Oct. 25 in Manchester, N.H.</span></b><br /><br />Celebrate
100th anniversary of classic silent version with pre-Halloween
screening at Rex Theatre; featuring live music by Jeff Rapsis<br /><br />MANCHESTER,
N.H.—It was a spectacular combination: Lon Chaney, the actor known as
the "Man of 1,000 Faces," and Universal's big screen adaptation of
Victor Hugo's sprawling tale of the tortured Quasimodo.<br /><br />The
result was the classic silent film version of 'The Hunchback of Notre
Dame' (1923), to be shown with live music on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7
p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.<br /><br />General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.palacetheatre.org&source=gmail&ust=1697717916887000&usg=AOvVaw184kWSX9CGYP55mW--RYrH" href="http://www.palacetheatre.org" target="_blank">www.palacetheatre.org</a>.<br /><br />Live music for the movie will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.<br /><br />"We
felt that with the upcoming reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in 2024,
audiences would appreciate a chance to see this film, which takes place
throughout the iconic structure," Rapsis said.<br /><br />The famous cathedral, a symbol of Paris and France, was severely damaged by fire in 2019.<br /><br />The
film is based on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, and is notable for the grand
sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as for Chaney's performance
and make-up as the tortured hunchback Quasimodo.<br /><br />The film
elevated Chaney, already a well-known character actor, to full star
status in Hollywood, and also helped set a standard for many later
horror films, including Chaney's 'The Phantom of the Opera' in 1925.<br /><br />While
Quasimodo is but one of many interconnecting characters in the original
Hugo novel, he dominates the narrative of this expensive Universal
production.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_12WpyiZo_CJUWn2LpvEWtbIyoVc9bFrO8vYbkIbGd_NJMhZ4dGpwSmbLFsrNhEDWoMHWH8WB9kXcQKt28r8J0fniLIdIRmMrFfaPVhI8T75de-7EYHY-WTBNkasNVLGKv87WCI_7fQbWcDPQjCUpXMUlGkFu-nEk41fhj0-vqJwpalMCmMQwRNrXDc/s3200/hunchback_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="3200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_12WpyiZo_CJUWn2LpvEWtbIyoVc9bFrO8vYbkIbGd_NJMhZ4dGpwSmbLFsrNhEDWoMHWH8WB9kXcQKt28r8J0fniLIdIRmMrFfaPVhI8T75de-7EYHY-WTBNkasNVLGKv87WCI_7fQbWcDPQjCUpXMUlGkFu-nEk41fhj0-vqJwpalMCmMQwRNrXDc/w400-h210/hunchback_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Lon Chaney and Patsy Ruth Miller in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><p>In the story, Jehan (Brandon Hurst), the evil brother
of the archdeacon, lusts after a Gypsy named Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth
Miller) and commands the hunchback Quasimodo (Chaney) to capture her.<br /><br />Military
captain Phoebus (Norman Kerry) also loves Esmeralda and rescues her,
but the Gypsy is not unsympathetic to Quasimodo's condition, and an
unlikely bond forms between them.<br /><br />After vengeful Jehan frames
Esmeralda for the attempted murder of Phoebus, Quasimodo's feelings are
put to the test in a spectacular climax set in and around the Cathedral
of Notre Dame.<br /><br />As the hunchbacked bellringer Quasimodo, Chaney
adorned himself with a special device that made his cheeks jut out
grotesquely; a contact lens that blanked out one of his eyes; and, most
painfully, a huge rubber hump covered with coarse animal fur and
weighing anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds.<br /><br />Chaney deeply identified
with Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer at Notre Dame Cathedral who was
deafened by his work. Chaney was raised by deaf parents and did a lot
of his communication through pantomime.<br /><br />“The idea of doing the
picture was an old one of mine and I had studied Quasimodo until I knew
him like a brother, knew every ghoulish impulse of his heart and all the
inarticulate miseries of his soul,” Chaney told an interviewer with
Movie Weekly magazine in 1923.<br /><br />“Quasimodo and I lived together—we
became one. At least so it has since seemed to me. When I played him, I
forgot my own identity completely and for the time being lived and
suffered with the Hunchback of Notre Dame.”<br /><br />The film was a major box office hit for Universal Studios, and Chaney's performance continues to win accolades.<br /><br />"An
awe-inspiring achievement, featuring magnificent sets (built on the
Universal backlot), the proverbial cast of thousands (the crowd scenes
are mesmerizing) and an opportunity to catch Lon Chaney at his most
commanding," wrote critic Matt Brunson of Creative Loafing in 2014.<br /><br />Screening
this classic version of 'Hunchback' 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.<br /><br />"If you can put pieces of the experience back together
again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," said Rapsis, a
New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who creates music for
silent film screenings at venues around the country.<br /><br />"By showing the films as they were intended, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."<br /><br />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.<br /><br />'The Hunchback of
Notre Dame' (1923) starring Lon Chaney, will be screened with live music
on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St.,
Manchester, N.H.<br /><br />General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.palacetheatre.org&source=gmail&ust=1697717916887000&usg=AOvVaw184kWSX9CGYP55mW--RYrH" href="http://www.palacetheatre.org" target="_blank">www.palacetheatre.org</a>. <br /></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-70497666079422498272023-10-19T10:08:00.001-04:002023-10-19T10:09:14.669-04:00Pre-Halloween spookfest: 'Nosferatu' on Sunday, Oct. 22 at Town Hall Theatre, Wilton, N.H.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiid4PQthRZjBju4XjngAcDrjY7CXlpFzE-xQR6bj7apW6uW7SQiMtldRp51ZEq4NitQ81muzgGxjaZt-ztgzwznkmirzgpcPg-OcvlshEQK8zU56p23ipNTMyNKOKXrWQWFgJPAeOt90MzVpjaPNr7PAixZgEKtbHmWIpVU8J7vlkVjAsoaYtyYRgaEDI/s3189/nosferatu_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2485" data-original-width="3189" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiid4PQthRZjBju4XjngAcDrjY7CXlpFzE-xQR6bj7apW6uW7SQiMtldRp51ZEq4NitQ81muzgGxjaZt-ztgzwznkmirzgpcPg-OcvlshEQK8zU56p23ipNTMyNKOKXrWQWFgJPAeOt90MzVpjaPNr7PAixZgEKtbHmWIpVU8J7vlkVjAsoaYtyYRgaEDI/w400-h311/nosferatu_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Just one word today:</p><p><i>Nosferatu!</i></p><p>We're screening it on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton N.H.</p><p>More details in the press release below.</p><p>And remember—in silent film, no one can hear you scream!</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuRI9M7_isj-A3q-Tp5TI9xkQ-tBYej1KQJevw6qke6FfMNOaedywnKuicok36YD2U9g1VNO5yZdG_EavJ0WS7jd-7ZRDVkvEMNdjPvX0SzGOGVbOO1jM8VRRICQ3Cq_JsAUVI-5k5PTwb1tbg0kdkhEAiC_yI0l44ywjL55s2lluqH0-gE7RQix8RYs/s1577/nosferatu_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="1175" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuRI9M7_isj-A3q-Tp5TI9xkQ-tBYej1KQJevw6qke6FfMNOaedywnKuicok36YD2U9g1VNO5yZdG_EavJ0WS7jd-7ZRDVkvEMNdjPvX0SzGOGVbOO1jM8VRRICQ3Cq_JsAUVI-5k5PTwb1tbg0kdkhEAiC_yI0l44ywjL55s2lluqH0-gE7RQix8RYs/w298-h400/nosferatu_poster.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>A modern poster for 'Nosferatu' (1922).<br /><p>WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Creepy classic thriller 'Nosferatu' to screen at Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 22</span></b><br /></span><br />Prepare for Halloween with silent horror movie and live music—see it if you dare!<br /><br />WILTON, N.H.— Get into the Halloween spirit with a classic silent film thriller.<br /><br />'Nosferatu'
(1922), the first screen adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel 'Dracula,'
will be shown with live music on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Town
Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.<br /><br />Admission is free; donations are accepted, with $10 per person suggested to defray expenses.<br /><br />The screening will feature live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician.<br /><br />'Nosferatu'
(1922), directed by German filmmaker F.W. Murnau, remains a landmark of
the cinematic horror genre. It was among the first movies to use visual
design to convey unease and terror.<br /><br />To modern viewers, the passage of time has made 'Nosferatu' seem even more strange and otherworldly.<br /><br />It's
an atmosphere that silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will enhance by
improvising live music on the spot for the screening.<br /><br />"The
original 'Nosferatu' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time
goes by," said Rapsis, a resident of Bedford, N.H. who accompanies
silent film screenings at venues across the nation.<br /><br />"It's a great
way to celebrate Halloween and the power of silent film to transport
audiences to strange and unusual places," Rapsis said.<br /><br />In
'Nosferatu,' actor Max Schreck portrays the title character, a
mysterious count from Transylvania who travels to the German city of
Bremen to take up residence.<br /><br />In the town, a rise in deaths from
the plague is attributed to the count's arrival. Only when a young woman
reads "The Book of Vampires" does it become clear how to rid the town
of this frightening menace.<br /><br />Director Murnau told the story with
strange camera angles, weird lighting, and special effects that include
sequences deliberately speeded up.<br /><br />Although 'Nosferatu' is
suitable for all family members, the overall program may be too intense
for very young children to enjoy.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxdiTm-v7hcWEUgG5hnpBwivDqBoxqmdmTMi4FI_Fl9HQpWyOIHgd1jH_kMs4xtzh8iKOq4SnGj1R6Vk8G9YbNywpbq_LtDPADmsVRwIqyYgo22ByRVDvOhNKG7zern4CXUeiD_aH7aziCvIlfiqi0egMJVjeSOZVex7ozsCuLehjp43BBrFIFKqZEsQ/s1920/nosferatu_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxdiTm-v7hcWEUgG5hnpBwivDqBoxqmdmTMi4FI_Fl9HQpWyOIHgd1jH_kMs4xtzh8iKOq4SnGj1R6Vk8G9YbNywpbq_LtDPADmsVRwIqyYgo22ByRVDvOhNKG7zern4CXUeiD_aH7aziCvIlfiqi0egMJVjeSOZVex7ozsCuLehjp43BBrFIFKqZEsQ/w400-h250/nosferatu_B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>From 'Nosferatu' (1922): a shadowy character.</i><br /><br />Modern critics say the original 'Nosferatu' still packs a powerful cinematic punch.<br /><br />“Early
film version of Dracula is brilliantly eerie, full of imaginative
touches that none of the later films quite recaptured,” Leonard Maltin
wrote recently.<br /><br />Critic Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader called
'Nosferatu' "...a masterpiece of German silent cinema and easily the
most effective version of Dracula on record.”<br /><br />Despite the status
of 'Nosferatu' as a landmark of early cinema, another scary aspect of
the film is that it was almost lost forever.<br /><br />The film, shot in
1921 and released in 1922, was an unauthorized adaptation of Stoker's
novel, with names and other details changed because the studio could not
obtain rights to the novel.<br /><br />Thus "vampire" became "Nosferatu"
and "Count Dracula" became "Count Orlok." After the film was released,
Stoker's widow filed a copyright infringement lawsuit and won; all known
prints and negatives were destroyed under the terms of settlement.<br /><br />However,
intact copies of the film would surface later, allowing 'Nosferatu' to
be restored and screened today as audiences originally saw it. The image
of actor Max Schreck as the vampire has become so well known that it
appeared in a recent 'Sponge Bob Squarepants' episode.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5vUl2veSIaOvSbHhoXLiCBOIobIP__p20oFK_INHhf7F4B2NQP55DkziYMgMrOZyrlPnOnKRb5RLOhr8aOaOhK3Q7YbEZ7Cnx5GU-yD4I-5XXD6VSZ-iSNjjkOp52-Kf5UaQU9GdaFljzoF-7KwQJ7swZGSFNkN3U3LAE0JBH4TSiPe3rjSMmtH_GH0/s1024/nosferatu_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5vUl2veSIaOvSbHhoXLiCBOIobIP__p20oFK_INHhf7F4B2NQP55DkziYMgMrOZyrlPnOnKRb5RLOhr8aOaOhK3Q7YbEZ7Cnx5GU-yD4I-5XXD6VSZ-iSNjjkOp52-Kf5UaQU9GdaFljzoF-7KwQJ7swZGSFNkN3U3LAE0JBH4TSiPe3rjSMmtH_GH0/w400-h300/nosferatu_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Out of the box: A scene from 'Nosferatu' (1922).</i><p>In
screening silent films at the Town Hall Theater, organizers aim to
show early cinema as it was meant to be seen—in restored prints, on a
large screen, with live music, and with an audience.<br /><br />"All those
elements are important parts of the silent film experience," said
Rapsis, who will accompany the film. "Recreate those conditions, and
classics of early cinema such as 'Nosferatu' leap back to life in ways
that audiences still find entertaining."<br /><br />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.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />The
classic early horror thriller ‘Nosferatu’ will be shown with live music
on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St.,
Wilton, N.H.<br /><br />Admission is free; donations are accepted, with $10
per person suggested to defray expenses. For more information, call the
theater at (603) 654-3456.<br /> </p><br />Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-46817394791547765682023-10-18T11:03:00.000-04:002023-10-18T11:03:28.046-04:00Tonight: A double dose of Lon Chaney in 'The Unknown' and 'Zanzibar' in Plymouth, N.H.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RdNnZWpRdxu-i4pqMuOId4lt2D_9lQTzBdsZ35x0LlrxLkYUFTr1A25qbqEz0IBRnAH4fc5-TO9oALOSv6qD8_gT145Cwl5OOR4m-tRGWJfclEftPWw7MJELW_YbhILz99MY2PMTZLHkM0UgXwqe8x0t2Pp8JNCl01QC9C9sKI3uPEJsgLHes3vDleA/s1200/unknown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1200" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RdNnZWpRdxu-i4pqMuOId4lt2D_9lQTzBdsZ35x0LlrxLkYUFTr1A25qbqEz0IBRnAH4fc5-TO9oALOSv6qD8_gT145Cwl5OOR4m-tRGWJfclEftPWw7MJELW_YbhILz99MY2PMTZLHkM0UgXwqe8x0t2Pp8JNCl01QC9C9sKI3uPEJsgLHes3vDleA/w400-h299/unknown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Joan Crawford consoles an armless Lon Chaney in 'The Unknown' (1927).</i><br /><p></p><p>Examples of perfect pairings:</p><p>• Wine and cheese. </p><p>• Chocolate and peanut better. </p><p>• 'The Unknown' (1927) and 'West of Zanzibar' (1928). </p><p>Yes, two Tod Browning-directed thrillers that go together are films in which Lon Chaney is armless in one, and cannot use his legs in the other.</p><p>Wow! And that's what you'll get tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Plymouth, N.H. at our "Halloween Creepfest" double feature silent film program at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse. </p><p>I'm especially excited because it's the first time I'll do music for the newly restored (and much longer) edition that was recently completed.</p><p>For years, I've play the only circulating version of 'The Unknown'—a slightly truncated version that runs less than 50 minutes. </p><p>It's always been effective and enjoyable, but clearly some things were missing. Among other clues: MGM would never have released a feature film at that length. </p><p>But a recent effort to scour archives for prints of 'The Unknown' uncovered enough "new" footage to boost the film's length up to 66 minutes. </p><p>So that's a lot of unknown 'Unknown.' We'll see what it adds tonight at the Flying Monkey. (Somehow, I think director Browning would have appreciated a theater named 'The Flying Monkey.')\</p><p>Hope to see you there. More details in the press release below: <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUvxTeUa8ummvYzV0_ve-m063wS7v2VrU0ge1ITpuoLh97JW__WF7AldeCFZLe2dhGNtFlYjOktZJi-EBCmIWvXUDwqml_EfgbuTqIrpHC8A2JIH3XLtWlxgQcW2JvKwmMMOF8Y3fj6jlAYE2O8cG5H12APTMOEbLim2jgyFUYeTLt8w77DNvtb0-FIo/s2880/west_of_zanzibar_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUvxTeUa8ummvYzV0_ve-m063wS7v2VrU0ge1ITpuoLh97JW__WF7AldeCFZLe2dhGNtFlYjOktZJi-EBCmIWvXUDwqml_EfgbuTqIrpHC8A2JIH3XLtWlxgQcW2JvKwmMMOF8Y3fj6jlAYE2O8cG5H12APTMOEbLim2jgyFUYeTLt8w77DNvtb0-FIo/w300-h400/west_of_zanzibar_poster.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><i>An original poster for 'West of Zanzibar' (1928), a thriller starring Lon Chaney.</i><p></p><p>MONDAY, OCT. 9, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Lon Chaney Halloween 'Creepfest' double feature at Flying Monkey on Wednesday, Oct. 18</span></b><br /><br />Among
Chaney's most challenging roles: In 'The Unknown,' he's without arms;
in 'West of Zanzibar,' he's paralyzed from the waist down<br /><br />PLYMOUTH, N.H.—Get into the Halloween spirit with classic silent horror films starring legendary actor Lon Chaney.<br /><br />Two
movies starring Chaney, 'The Unknown' (1927) and 'West of Zanzibar'
(1928), combine for a creepy double feature on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at
6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39
South Main St., Plymouth, N.H. <br /><br />The program will feature live accompaniment by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis.<br /><br />Admission is $10 per person.<br /><br />'The
Unknown' (1927) features Chaney as "Alonzo the Armless," a circus
knife-thrower with a dark past who uses his feet to perform his act. The
film co-stars a very young Joan Crawford.<br /><br />In 'West of Zanzibar'
(1929), Chaney plays a vaudeville magician who seeks revenge after
becoming paralyzed from the waist down. The film co-stars Lionel
Barrymore. <br /><br />Both films were produced by MGM and directed by Tod
Browning, who specialized in exploring the dark and creepy side of
circus life. Browning's career later culminated with his bizarre early
talkie film 'Freaks' (1932), starring a cast of deformed carnival
performers.<br /><br />Lon Chaney is today regarded as one of the most
versatile and powerful actors of early cinema, renowned for his
characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters,
and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup.<br /><br />Chaney remains
famous for his starring roles in such silent horror films as 'The
Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).
His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques he developed
earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces."<br /><br />But Chaney
starred in dozens of other films throughout the silent era, many of
them aimed at the growing appetite among movie audiences for the
strange, macabre, or downright weird.<br /><br />In 'The Unknown,' Chaney's
character "Alonzo the Armless" is indeed without both arms. This forces
him to use his feet to perform tasks that range from throwing knives in
his circus act to smoking a cigarette. In one scene, Chaney uses his
feet to strum a guitar.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dtYd__lAaQHhWNN5g3QFG_n-qDqrrbbHBRo7aJQcRtMopJz7KN8WadZ7C-ACpKvMhBL8wKpFec9Te96qqOdPYhN5bwG89NL2fu5uXjX24_ZMHt1dHaN6kBqIebFYIp8hnAx0yPVtss9IH-5BERDMXEnxaVT6Q3x0DY0USP1tL8JRAPlCMie5uIjPq74/s3500/west_of_zanzibar_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dtYd__lAaQHhWNN5g3QFG_n-qDqrrbbHBRo7aJQcRtMopJz7KN8WadZ7C-ACpKvMhBL8wKpFec9Te96qqOdPYhN5bwG89NL2fu5uXjX24_ZMHt1dHaN6kBqIebFYIp8hnAx0yPVtss9IH-5BERDMXEnxaVT6Q3x0DY0USP1tL8JRAPlCMie5uIjPq74/w400-h260/west_of_zanzibar_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Lon Chaney and Lionel Barrymore in 'West of Zanzibar' (1928).</i><br /><br />'West of Zanzibar' requires Chaney to
play his role without using his legs. When not using a wheelchair, he
uses his hands and arms to crawl across floors.<br /><br />To modern viewers, the passage of time has made these unusual films seem even more strange and otherworldly.<br /><br />It's
an atmosphere that silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will try to
enhance by improvising live music on the spot for the screenings.<br /><br />"Many
of the Lon Chaney features seem to get creepier as more time goes by,"
said Rapsis, who is based in New Hampshire and ranks as one of the
nation's leading silent film accompanists. "Today, they're a great way
to celebrate Halloween and the power of silent film to transport
audiences to strange and unusual places."<br /><br />Both films are suitable for all family members, but the overall program may be too much for very young children to enjoy.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdFvcPOhEDV4IdehhM2PJsBkeLOqcZ4GIN_NXw9iJ-EspzrZx94zpF91qSt8YhFiM86Lw62dyL4at0Z4WsKTyCWRt48TgNW98vAu5H_o6f58T11GF4x_DAB6uSN248N_24W0NEQAjQv7ew1kOGiYpmD3GhBkWiOzyvJhkx8zE8OhqFnfV8nPT9aRm47c/s1200/unknown_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="772" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdFvcPOhEDV4IdehhM2PJsBkeLOqcZ4GIN_NXw9iJ-EspzrZx94zpF91qSt8YhFiM86Lw62dyL4at0Z4WsKTyCWRt48TgNW98vAu5H_o6f58T11GF4x_DAB6uSN248N_24W0NEQAjQv7ew1kOGiYpmD3GhBkWiOzyvJhkx8zE8OhqFnfV8nPT9aRm47c/s320/unknown_poster.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>Modern critics say 'The Unknown' still packs a powerful cinematic punch.<br /><br />The
film "...revels in the seedy circus life, and creates some incredible
set pieces, from Chaney's knife-throwing act to a sinister, cavernous
doctor's lab,” wrote Jeffrey M. Anderson of Combustible Celluloid.<br /><br />All
movies in the Flying Monkey's silent film series were popular when
first seen by audiences in the 1920s, but are rarely screened today in a
way that allows them to be seen at their best. They were not made to be
shown in the home. To revive them, organizers aim to show the films as
they were intended—in top quality restored prints, on a large screen,
with live music, and before a live audience.<br /><br />"If you can put it
all together again, these films still contain tremendous excitement,"
Rapsis said. "By staging these screenings of features from Hollywood's
early days, you can see why people first fell in love with the movies."<br /><br />'The
Unknown’ (1927) and 'West of Zanzibar' (1928) will be shown on
Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and
Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, N.H.<br /><br />General admission tickets are $10 at door or in advance by calling the box office at (603) 536-2551 or online at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.flyingmonkeynh.com&source=gmail&ust=1697553912281000&usg=AOvVaw0Rhxhld2OYWZUCCkVe2ko5" href="http://www.flyingmonkeynh.com" target="_blank">www.flyingmonkeynh.com</a>.<br /><p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-85653415715056623732023-10-16T11:14:00.002-04:002023-10-16T11:14:47.594-04:00Make a date with the 'Phantom': tonight at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Mass.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy-h08rzQhye52cOvNsyTH-nyd7bwSXXLLPxJ9ZOAEpJA7J8PlhzBMpBZEzZ4rDDCkG51oGBBo_lDEh-gu5jgCpe-AODbhaXs9QvFqvvHlguocMKCXeDtG0NEiQfJ06TpKcFDXKsLezNWa4k5gdaNKDx0kDZPw_AzpvPyg0xTOPb7g1cX7WtR1c7t6kg/s2464/phantom_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy-h08rzQhye52cOvNsyTH-nyd7bwSXXLLPxJ9ZOAEpJA7J8PlhzBMpBZEzZ4rDDCkG51oGBBo_lDEh-gu5jgCpe-AODbhaXs9QvFqvvHlguocMKCXeDtG0NEiQfJ06TpKcFDXKsLezNWa4k5gdaNKDx0kDZPw_AzpvPyg0xTOPb7g1cX7WtR1c7t6kg/w249-h400/phantom_poster.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>An original poster for 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).<i><br /></i><p></p><p>Doing music for 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) tonight at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Mass. will be a bit of a homecoming for me, as it's the first silent film I tried accompanying in front of an audience.</p><p>Tonight's screening, by the way, starts at 7 p.m. at the Coolidge, a marvelous neighborhood theater at 290 Harvard St. in Brookline, Mass., close to the Green Line, with its trolleys clanging up and down Beacon Street.</p><p>Lots more details about the screening in the press release below.</p><p>My first 'Phantom' came about in the summer of 2006, when I noticed the schedule of a large theater in Manchester, N.H. was dark on Halloween Day that year. </p><p>I suggested something like a screening of the classic Lon Chaney version of 'Phantom,' with me possibly putting together a score for some kind of live music. To my surprise, the theater readily agreed!</p><p>Plenty of time to knock together some kind of score, right? But then July because August, which then turned into September. And then the next thing you know it's October, and then it's the week of the show, and I hadn't prepared a single cue.</p><p>So with the show a few days away, I realized I'd have no choice to wing it on my digital synthesizer, which I'd used to create the score for 'Dangerous Crosswinds' (2005), an independent feature-length drama made here in my home state of New Hampshire.</p><p>Hauling my synthesizer into the theater, I didn't know what to expect. But it only took about 10 minutes for me to realize: "Hey, this is great!"</p><p>For me, it was a revelation. I could sit down at a keyboard and come up with music that reflected what was happening on screen. Not just that, but music that could anticipate, enhance, and comment on the action—almost as if it was part of the movie itself.</p><p>Which, of course, it was, if only for that moment. Although there were tentative moments and some things didn't work out as expected, it all came out quite polished and left me wanting to do more.</p><p>Which takes us to tonight. Join me for the original silent screen adaptation of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) with Lon Chaney in the title role. More info in the press release below.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> * * *<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJknidZjYYcAoAj5GNx9YymOq5SjuDpaO2lSavnhVk1NVAMZgBfSlYBwyB4XmPcpFHm6xwF67NTOjmoGGJ1hNDsMZ_pMghtDSJQmDh9Ku1XZDTGYngMoCD4J-yIno7OrridJrq6nU4FjtAEcLnwuCqeOp3w063rXOeY9JRT9c6elBjTGPviBdKKH7wkFg/s900/phantom_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="697" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJknidZjYYcAoAj5GNx9YymOq5SjuDpaO2lSavnhVk1NVAMZgBfSlYBwyB4XmPcpFHm6xwF67NTOjmoGGJ1hNDsMZ_pMghtDSJQmDh9Ku1XZDTGYngMoCD4J-yIno7OrridJrq6nU4FjtAEcLnwuCqeOp3w063rXOeY9JRT9c6elBjTGPviBdKKH7wkFg/s320/phantom_A.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><i>Lon Chaney's iconic transformation into the Phantom!</i><br /><p></p><p>MONDAY, OCT. 9, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>'Phantom of the Opera' with live music at Coolidge Corner Theatre on Monday, Oct. 16</b><br /></span><br /></span>Just in time for Halloween: Pioneer classic silent horror flick starring Lon Chaney shown on the big screen with live music<br /><br />BROOKLINE, Mass.—Get into the Halloween spirit with a timeless silent horror film!<br /><br />'The
Phantom of the Opera' (1925), the silent big screen adaptation of the
classic thriller, will be shown with live music on Monday, Oct. 16 at 7
p.m. at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline, Mass.<br /><br />The
screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New
Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent
films.<br /><br />Tickets $23 per person general admission; students $20.<br /><br />The
show will allow audience members to experience the silent 'Phantom' the
way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and
with an audience. <br /><br />'The Phantom of the Opera,' starring
legendary actor Lon Chaney in the title role, remains a landmark work of
the cinematic horror genre. To modern viewers, the passage of time has
made this unusual film seem even more strange and otherworldly.<br /><br />It's
an atmosphere that silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will enhance by
improvising live music on the spot for the screening.<br /><br />"The
original 'Phantom' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time
passes," said Rapsis, who frequently accompanies films throughout the
nation. "It's a great way to celebrate Halloween, and also the power of
silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8cArz2TFrqnZm8MdpmTiHjL6AYiRE5Exx49wbNhTUvb5OSajHrqTA6FoqCmPE4cWeBlvZOLUcn4hhH8vEZSgaffM2pmiGSMpWljQPgL0Ww7bsfzDZ3U0YGGlIbS0LT3svjfO4v3gyrmBQ0LwG8DAJl4PNjgcOa-hHh9rxmnGiNE-JEyRBugK2QKBRU4/s1500/phantom_B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1204" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8cArz2TFrqnZm8MdpmTiHjL6AYiRE5Exx49wbNhTUvb5OSajHrqTA6FoqCmPE4cWeBlvZOLUcn4hhH8vEZSgaffM2pmiGSMpWljQPgL0Ww7bsfzDZ3U0YGGlIbS0LT3svjfO4v3gyrmBQ0LwG8DAJl4PNjgcOa-hHh9rxmnGiNE-JEyRBugK2QKBRU4/w321-h400/phantom_B.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><i>Lon Chaney menaces Mary Philbin in 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925).</i><br /><p>'The
Phantom of the Opera,' adapted from a 19th century novel by French
author Gaston Leroux, featured Chaney as the deformed Phantom who haunts
the opera house. The Phantom, seen only in the shadows, causes murder
and mayhem in an attempt to force the opera's management to make the
woman he loves into a star.<br /><br />The film is most famous for Lon
Chaney's intentionally horrific, self-applied make-up, which was kept a
studio secret until the film's premiere.<br /><br />Chaney transformed his
face by painting his eye sockets black, creating a cadaverous skull-like
visage. He also pulled the tip of his nose up and pinned it in place
with wire, enlarged his nostrils with black paint, and put a set of
jagged false teeth into his mouth to complete the ghastly deformed look
of the Phantom.<br /><br />Chaney's disfigured face is kept covered in the
film until the now-famous unmasking scene, which prompted gasps of
terror from the film's original audiences.<br /><br />"No one had ever seen
anything like this before," Rapsis said. "Chaney, with his portrayal of
'The Phantom,' really pushed the boundaries of what movies could do."<br /><br />Chaney,
known as the "Man of a Thousand Faces" due to his versatility with
make-up, also played Quasimodo in the silent 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'
(1923) and circus performer 'Alonzo the Armless' in Tod Browning's 'The
Unknown' (1927).<br /><br />The large cast of 'Phantom of the Opera'
includes Mary Philbin as Christine Daaé, as the Phantom's love interest;
character actor Snitz Edwards; and many other stars of the silent
period.<br /><br />'The Phantom of the Opera' proved so popular in its
original release and again in a 1930 reissue that it led Universal
Studios to launch a series of horror films, many of which are also
regarded as true classics of the genre, including 'Dracula' (1931),
'Frankenstein' (1931), and 'The Mummy' (1932).<br /><br />The silent film
version of 'Phantom' also paved the way for numerous other adaptations
of the story, up to and including the wildly successful Andrew Lloyd
Webber musical from 1986 that continues to run on Broadway and in
productions around the world.<br /><br />‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925)
will be shown on Monday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Coolidge Corner
Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline, Mass. Tickets $23; students $20.
For more information, call the box office at (617) 734-2501 or visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.coolidge.org&source=gmail&ust=1697553910370000&usg=AOvVaw1A3kA51-iP4XDpY0-PSpuh" href="http://www.coolidge.org" target="_blank">www.coolidge.org</a>.<br /> </p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-474883570056801679.post-89064381652198903922023-09-29T06:48:00.005-04:002023-09-29T06:50:48.587-04:00Ring a bell for 'Silent Movie Day' with Lon Chaney in the 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) this evening in Derry, N.H. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwE0IpA71Wz5J-qLJ-F9lTaB_V3dEYiXJEFM1Fh8XrAWpVZSOtzmtDA3jpjwzTva6I0N84jMX_fENuWwH3jOx8Cy6qPr7PyF6qfoxlPusO23ywJPjO4my1V2jj6W52rQ9Zd6VdbJqNOe8H4G3w9DMCD2_mHrAN-6WC7iTuzWoRlGmsXN_OlJEmxGCHVw/s2705/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2705" data-original-width="1697" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwE0IpA71Wz5J-qLJ-F9lTaB_V3dEYiXJEFM1Fh8XrAWpVZSOtzmtDA3jpjwzTva6I0N84jMX_fENuWwH3jOx8Cy6qPr7PyF6qfoxlPusO23ywJPjO4my1V2jj6W52rQ9Zd6VdbJqNOe8H4G3w9DMCD2_mHrAN-6WC7iTuzWoRlGmsXN_OlJEmxGCHVw/w251-h400/hunchback_poster_A.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br />Happy Silent Movie Day!<p></p><p>I'm celebrating this not-quite-Hallmark holiday (yet) by accompanying a screening of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (19230 starring Lon Chaney.</p><p>Showtime is tonight (Friday, Sept. 29) at 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House. Details in the press release below.</p><p>And talk about celebrating—this evening's screening comes in the middle of a run of six screenings in six days!</p><p>Last Wednesday, it was Buster Keaton's 'Seven Chances' (1925) at the Rex Theatre in Manchester, N.H.; then yesterday is was Keaton's 'Our Hospitality' (1923) for a retirement community in Concord, N.H. </p><p>Tomorrow, I'll be down in Cambridge, Mass. to accompany a screening of Keaton's 'Three Ages' (1923) at the Brattle Cinema; then it's another 'Hunchback' on Sunday, Oct. 1 in Natick, Mass., and then on Monday, Oct. 2 it's the John Barrymore 'Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde' (1920) at the Garden Cinemas out in Greenfield, Mass. </p><p>So as we observe Silent Movie Day 2023, I hope you'll join me for a silent film screening or two (or six) near you!</p><p>Here's the press release for tonight's 'Hunchback' screening:</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-E6p3w5P6tv9CkiE7VgOr5iFdWjLl6mxGqLim5o5gD0gxbDw2SzzenbaqDGAuup6kiScTS9IP5SSemqJsy5Rz4Wu948PhvvgMgLuMTioZhAMxzhuQvGkaqb2Elw1SXqu9HIZzFk9RGQlcTouSrf-2KPCg8i3sFzcG0ZyxLdURu39qRMEm8q90fEJLTOk/s1200/hunchback_A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1200" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-E6p3w5P6tv9CkiE7VgOr5iFdWjLl6mxGqLim5o5gD0gxbDw2SzzenbaqDGAuup6kiScTS9IP5SSemqJsy5Rz4Wu948PhvvgMgLuMTioZhAMxzhuQvGkaqb2Elw1SXqu9HIZzFk9RGQlcTouSrf-2KPCg8i3sFzcG0ZyxLdURu39qRMEm8q90fEJLTOk/w400-h325/hunchback_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Lon Chaney in the title role of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><br /><p>THURSDAY, SEPT. 21, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><i>Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • <a href="mailto:jeffrapsis@gmail.com" target="_blank">jeffrapsis@gmail.com</a></i><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Chaney as Quasimodo in '<span>Hunchback</span> <span>of</span> <span>Notre</span> <span>Dame</span>' on Friday, Sept. 29 in Derry, N.H.</span></b><br /><br />Celebrate 100th anniversary <span>of</span> classic silent version with screening at Derry Opera House; featuring live music by Jeff Rapsis<br /><br />DERRY, N.H.—It was a spectacular combination: Lon Chaney, the actor known as the "Man <span>of</span> 1,000 Faces," and Universal's big screen adaptation <span>of</span> Victor Hugo's sprawling tale <span>of</span> the tortured Quasimodo.<br /><br />The result was the classic silent film version <span>of</span> 'The <span>Hunchback</span> <span>of</span> <span>Notre</span> <span>Dame</span>' (1923), to be shown with live music on Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House, 29 West Broadway, Derry, N.H.<br /><br />The special 100th anniversary screening will be accompanied with live music by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis. <br /><br />The screening is organized by the Derry Public Library. Admission is free and the program is open to all.<br /><br />"We felt that with the upcoming reopening <span>of</span> <span>Notre</span> <span>Dame</span>
Cathedral in 2024, audiences would appreciate a chance to see this
film, which takes place throughout the iconic structure," Rapsis said.<br /><br />The famous cathedral, a symbol <span>of</span> Paris and France, was severely damaged by fire in 2019.<br /><br />The
film is based on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, and is notable for the grand
sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as for Chaney's performance
and make-up as the tortured <span>hunchback</span> Quasimodo.<br /><br />The
film elevated Chaney, already a well-known character actor, to full
star status in Hollywood, and also helped set a standard for many later
horror films, including Chaney's 'The Phantom <span>of</span> the Opera' in 1925.<br /><br />While Quasimodo is but one <span>of</span> many interconnecting characters in the original Hugo novel, he dominates the narrative <span>of</span> this expensive Universal production.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyYwSD0siv0E21s-hVMWMYCYMMVBJTTE7ZBH5FbQAHbUZClj3XkFVvnWFZodFQximNifHNLXFhEVFXlXwt85pk22KbnxZ44wkbkHpR1WOflR5lHKdv8tiXaVh7aXSwqESzwIY0gZ80eNkzIFWkUfPv-1FphMBmXsLitFlB8a4XaVxqgTnUuiRbI9M9AE/s1280/hunchback_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyYwSD0siv0E21s-hVMWMYCYMMVBJTTE7ZBH5FbQAHbUZClj3XkFVvnWFZodFQximNifHNLXFhEVFXlXwt85pk22KbnxZ44wkbkHpR1WOflR5lHKdv8tiXaVh7aXSwqESzwIY0gZ80eNkzIFWkUfPv-1FphMBmXsLitFlB8a4XaVxqgTnUuiRbI9M9AE/s320/hunchback_B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>A scene from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><br /><br />In the story, Jehan (Brandon Hurst), the evil brother <span>of</span> the archdeacon, lusts after a Gypsy named Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) and commands the <span>hunchback</span> Quasimodo (Chaney) to capture her.<br /><br />Military
captain Phoebus (Norman Kerry) also loves Esmeralda and rescues her,
but the Gypsy is not unsympathetic to Quasimodo's condition, and an
unlikely bond forms between them.<br /><br />After vengeful Jehan frames Esmeralda for the attempted murder <span>of</span> Phoebus, Quasimodo's feelings are put to the test in a spectacular climax set in and around the Cathedral <span>of</span> <span>Notre</span> <span>Dame</span>.<br /><br />As
the hunchbacked bellringer Quasimodo, Chaney adorned himself with a
special device that made his cheeks jut out grotesquely; a contact lens
that blanked out one <span>of</span> his eyes; and, most painfully, a huge rubber hump covered with coarse animal fur and weighing anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds.<br /><br />Chaney deeply identified with Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer at <span>Notre</span> <span>Dame</span> Cathedral who was deafened by his work. Chaney was raised by deaf parents and did a lot <span>of</span> his communication through pantomime.<br /><br />“The idea <span>of</span> doing the picture was an old one <span>of</span> mine and I had studied Quasimodo until I knew him like a brother, knew every ghoulish impulse <span>of</span> his heart and all the inarticulate miseries <span>of</span> his soul,” Chaney told an interviewer with Movie Weekly magazine in 1923.<br /><br />“Quasimodo
and I lived together—we became one. At least so it has since seemed to
me. When I played him, I forgot my own identity completely and for the
time being lived and suffered with the <span>Hunchback</span> <span>of</span> <span>Notre</span> <span>Dame</span>.”<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9KH-wLPd3nCf_WCvS7bwmsS6xMWWzamZQBjtv4F0oP_W6CX4JQe3fr671ulwW8IBwxtd8KPpYuHh2bLc5RT0C_WtzrYHsxfPZ0bkjaUvH0ndgHkiK27_1rh-1Gkhyphenhypheng_ASl315XJjkn3HuMO-UtdL-oEgs5IAsc75gZspv4av1zEYFphQSTCUztOJSY4/s3200/hunchback_C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="3200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9KH-wLPd3nCf_WCvS7bwmsS6xMWWzamZQBjtv4F0oP_W6CX4JQe3fr671ulwW8IBwxtd8KPpYuHh2bLc5RT0C_WtzrYHsxfPZ0bkjaUvH0ndgHkiK27_1rh-1Gkhyphenhypheng_ASl315XJjkn3HuMO-UtdL-oEgs5IAsc75gZspv4av1zEYFphQSTCUztOJSY4/w400-h210/hunchback_C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>A scene from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923).</i><br /><br />The film was a major box office hit for Universal Studios, and Chaney's performance continues to win accolades even today.<br /><br />"An awe-inspiring achievement, featuring magnificent sets (built on the Universal backlot), the proverbial cast <span>of</span>
thousands (the crowd scenes are mesmerizing) and an opportunity to
catch Lon Chaney at his most commanding," wrote critic Matt Brunson <span>of</span> Creative Loafing in 2014.<br /><br />Screening this classic version <span>of</span> '<span>Hunchback</span>'
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.<br /><br />"If you can put pieces <span>of</span>
the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films
snap back to life," said Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film
accompanist who creates music for silent film screenings at venues
around the country.<br /><br />"By showing the films as they were intended, you can really get a sense <span>of</span> why people first fell in love with the movies."<br /><br />In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture <span>of</span> the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.<br /><br />'The <span>Hunchback</span> <span>of</span> <span>Notre</span> <span>Dame</span>'
(1923) starring Lon Chaney, will be screened with live music on Friday,
Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House, 29 West Broadway, Derry,
N.H.<br /><br />Admission is free. For more info, visit <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.derrypl.org&source=gmail&ust=1696069801949000&usg=AOvVaw3VOEhyFi1tZk4OeiwgdKg-" href="http://www.derrypl.org" target="_blank">www.derrypl.org</a> or call (603) 432-6140.<p></p>Jeff Rapsishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17644170925769760796noreply@blogger.com0