This Saturday in Maine: music for silent films starring canines; this Sunday in Massachusetts: 'Padlocked' (1926) at Somerville Theatre

A fairly evocative trade ad promoting the Paramount drama 'Padlocked' (1926).

My upcoming weekend consists of music for dogs in Maine, then music for people in Massachusetts. 

Ye—on Saturday, Aug. 9, I'll accompany a program of silent films starring canines at the Johnson Opera House in Gardiner, Maine. 

Then on Sunday, Aug. 10, I'll do music for 'Padlocked,' a 1920s morality drama, at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass.

Lots more about 'Padlocked' in the press release below. It's a film that hasn't been seen since 1926, but is now available after a 2023 restoration by the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

But about the dog program, which takes place on Saturday, Aug. 9 starting at noon. Officially, it's the Augusta Colonial Theatre's 3rd Annual Silent Film Festival. (It's being held in another venue, the Johnson Opera House in Gardiner, Maine, but don't let that throw you.)

Subtitled 'Dog Day Afternoon,' the program (curated by film restoration guru Ed Lorasso) is being promoted like this:

"Come join us for a paws-itively fun time at Johnson Hall Opera House for our 3rd Annual Silent Film Festival! Watch classic movies starring all the great furry friends of the silent film era: Jean the Vitagraph Dog, Shep the Dog, Teddy the Wonder Dog, and everyone's favorite Rin-Tin-Tin! Enjoy popcorn, drinks, and a tail-wagging good time. Don't miss out on this doggone awesome event!"

Dog puns aside, it promises to be a pretty compelling program.

It's a good variety of early short films, plus the full-length spectacular Warner Brothers feature 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925) starring Rin Tin Tin.

If you'd like to know why Rin Tin Tin was known as the "mortgage lifter" among theater owners, 'Clash of the Wolves' is a good example.  

Canine star Rin Tin Tin on set with 'Clash of the Wolves' costar June Marlow.

I've done many animal-themed silent film programs over the years. It was a popular genre in early cinema, and their charm and excitement still comes through. 

The dogs themselves are as compelling as any human performer. Really—after all, lacking the power of speech is no handicap in silent films. 

See for yourself by attending this off-beat program on Saturday, Aug. 9. For more info, a complete list of films, and to buy tickets, visit the festival's Eventbrite page.

And what about 'Padlocked' (1926), which I'm accompanying on Sunday, Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre? Lots of info in the press release below. See you there!

*     *     *

A scene from the long-unseen Paramount drama 'Padlocked' (1926).

MONDAY, AUG. 4, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Somerville Theatre to screen rare silent 'Padlocked' with live music on Sunday, Aug. 10

Restored 1920s morality drama from Paramount Pictures, based on provocative Cosmopolitan story; film unseen since its original 1926 release

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — Released at the height of the Roaring '20s, it played up the clash of Jazz Age temptations with traditional conservative morality.

It was 'Padlocked' (1926), a silent-era drama from Paramount Pictures—a movie unseen since its original release, but now available following a recent restoration.

The rarely screened film will be shown on Sunday, Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

Admission $17 adults; $13 members; $12 seniors/children. Tickets are available at somervilletheatre.com or at the door.

Live musical scoring will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer who specializes in music for silent film screenings.

'Padlocked,' based on a serialized story published in Cosmopolitan magazine, is an urbane 1920s drama that skewers the cruelty and hypocrisy of moral reformers.

The film stars Noah Beery Sr., Florence Turner, Lois Moran, Louise Dresser, Helen Jerome Eddy, Allan Simpson, and Richard Arlen.

A vintage trade ad promoting Paramount's drama 'Padlocked' (1926).
 

Beery plays Henry Gilbert, a wealthy do-gooder and domestic tyrant whose puritanism destroys the lives of his wife and daughter, played by Florence Turner and Lois Moran.

Gilbert's myopia about human character proves his undoing: he sees evil in innocent amusements, but is easily taken in by a gold-digging con artist.

For the film's original release, Paramount's publicity machine played up the story's scandalous nature and contemporary relevance.

"A theme so powerful and so certain of overwhelming popularity," trumpeted ads promoting 'Padlocked.' "What a sweeping revelation of this restless age—and how superbly produced, with every possible box office value!"

'Padlocked' boasted several well-known names among its creative team.

Director Allan Dwan, already a Hollywood veteran, would go on to direct such classics as 'Sands of Iwo Jima' (1949) starring John Wayne.

'Padlocked' was an early example of the work of cinematographer James Wong Howe, who would later be nominated for 10 Academy Awards for cinematography, winning twice for 'The Rose Tattoo' (1955) and 'Hud' (1963).

 

A scene from Paramount's drama 'Padlocked' (1926).
 

The film, part of the Somerville's 'Silents, Please!' series, will be shown via a 35mm print produced by the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, which restored the film in 2023.

'Padlocked' hadn't been screened since its original release in1926; a sole surviving print was found in the Czech National Film Archive. Titles were translated back to English and other work restoration work done so the film could be made available to U.S. theaters.

"This is one reason why we continue to program silent films," said Ian Judge, the Somerville's creative director. "Rediscoveries from the silent era are being made all the time. We aim to give movie-goers the chance to experience these classic films as intended—on the big screen, with live music, with an audience, and shown using 35mm prints whenever possible."

To help bring 'Padlocked' to life at the Somerville, silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will create a soundtrack that mixes 1920s-style tunes with elements of contemporary movie scoring.

" 'Padlocked' is a great film for music," Rapsis said. "It has several lively cabaret scenes that I think today's audiences will find highly entertaining."

'Padlocked' (1926), a Paramount drama unseen since its original release, will be shown on Sunday, Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

Admission $17 adults; $13 members; $12 seniors/children. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.somervilletheatre.com or call the box office at (617) 625-5700.

Nosferatu: Not just for Halloween anymore! (During a pandemic, any time is Nosferatu time)

I'll never travel basic economy again!

Screening 'Nosferatu' with more than two months to Halloween? Really?

Well, consider. It's Friday the 13th. And we're in pandemic. So yes, it's as good a time as any for the original screen adaptation of the plague-infused Dracula tale.

And 'Nosferatu' (1922) is what I'll be accompanying tonight, starting at 8 p.m., on the lawn outside the Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water St., Newburyport, Mass. 

(And all the sailing ship action makes it a good fit for the Maritime Museum, too.)

Tickets are $15 each and are still available. And it's outdoors, so the screening may or may not include bats!

I don't actively seek out outdoor screenings to accompany, as just too many things can go wrong: summertime cloudbursts, bugs swarming around the keyboard light, fire trucks responding to a call. (Hopefully not at the screening.)

But outdoors or not, a gig is a gig, and summer is the time they happen in my part of the world. 

And so I'll be playing al fresco again on Tuesday, Aug. 17 up at Alton, N.H. Town Bandstand for a screening of 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925) starring Rin Tin Tin.

I was invited up there to be part of the town's extended "Old Home Days" festival in 2019, the year before the pandemic. We ran Buster Keaton's 'Seven Chances' (1925), and the response was good enough to merit a return this summer.

However, it came with an unusual request: for this year, please run a movie with a lot more action in it. 

Wow! It's a tough audience when Buster Keaton in 'Seven Chances' doesn't offer enough action. 

So this year I went with 'Clash' because it starts off fast (Rinty rescuing his own dog family from a raging forest fire) and then just never stops moving. (Also, the raging forest fire makes it as timely as Nosferatu during the pandemic.

And in between, I'm back indoors on Sunday, Aug. 15 to do music for the early 1916 silent adaptation of Jules Verne's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' The voyage starts at 4 p.m. at the Center for the Arts in Natick, Mass.

Lots more info in the press release below. Hope to see you there, or under the stars (and among the mosquitos) in Newburyport, Mass. tonight or Alton, N.H. next Tuesday!

*    *    *

MONDAY, JULY 26, 2021 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Natick Center for the Arts to screen original 1916 silent film version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'

Early adaptation of Jules Verne classic pioneered underwater photography; shown with live music on Sunday, Aug. 15

NATICK, Mass.—The original silent film version of the Jules Verne classic '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916) will be shown with live music on Sunday, Aug. 15 at 4 p.m. at the Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.

Tickets are $18; Center for the Arts members $15.

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

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

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

On board 'The Nautilus' in '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The original silent film version of '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916) will be screened with live music on Sunday, Aug. 15 at 4 p.m. at the Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.

Tickets are $18; Center for the Arts members $15. Tickets must be purchased in advance online at www.natickarts.org. For more information, call the Center box office at (508) 647-0097 or visit www.natickarts.org.
 

Going to the dogs: Rin Tin Tin's 'Clash of the Wolves' in Ogunquit on Wednesday, June 23

An original lobby card promoting 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925).

Woof! 

That's about all I have time to say about 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925), which is screening this week at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine with live music by me.

Come see it! Showtime is Wednesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. Lots more info about this crackerjack Rin Tin Tin adventure in the press release below. 

But I do need to report that reaction was surprisingly strong to a pair of obscure Westerns that I accompanied on Sunday, June 20 at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. 

'Salomy Jane' (1914) and 'The Old Oregon Trail' (1928), two titles for which I'd never played before, were both received enthusiastically by an unexpectedly large on audience. 

Our summer series of silent Westerns in Wilton continues on Sunday, July 11 with 'The Covered Wagon' (1923), a Paramount blockbuster that became the top-grossing film of 1923.

I've been saying that these Westerns are so old, they show the actual old West. So it shouldn't be surprising to learn that in making 'The Covered Wagon,' Paramount used actual surviving covered wagons that made the original migrations in the 1840s.

So do the math. The film, made in 1923, depicted life from 80 years earlier. That's the same as a film today set in the era of World War II. 

Or look at it this way: 'The Covered Wagon' is closer to the time of its 1840s setting than it is to the far-off future of the 2020s. 

But what's a century between friends?

Okay, here's the info about Rin Tin Tin. See you at the movies!

*  *  *

TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Rin Tin Tin leaps back into action Wednesday, June 23 at Leavitt Theatre

Legendary dog star races to the rescue in 'Clash of the Wolves' silent adventure film, presented with live music

OGUNQUIT, Maine — He couldn't speak. But that was no handicap for a star during the silent film era.

He was Rin Tin Tin, the legendary German Shepherd dog whose popularity rivaled that of any human performer when the movies were brand new.

See for yourself on Wednesday, June 23 at 7 p.m., when the Leavitt Theatre screens a vintage Rin Tin Tin silent adventure film with live music.

In 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925), Rin Tin Tin plays a wild wolf who befriends a prospector; together they hunt down a criminal intent on jumping the prospector's claim and stealing his girl.

'Clash of the Wolves' will be shown at the Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Route 1, Ogunquit. Admission $12 per person; tickets available at the door.

The film will be shown with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer and performer who specializes in scoring silent film.

Rin Tin Tin films were produced by then-struggling Warner Brothers and proved immensely popular around the world, with audiences marveling at the then-new German Shepherd breed's feats of derring-do as he out-smarted his human co-stars.

At the time, studio executives referred to Rin Tin Tin "the mortgage lifter" because the dog's pictures helped rescue the ailing studio from bankruptcy.

Rin Tin Tin was so popular, he was named "Best Actor" at the first-ever Academy Awards in 1929 until ceremony officials decided on a re-vote in favor of human performer Emil Jannings.

The Leavitt, a summer-only moviehouse, opened in 1923 at the height of the silent film era, and has been showing movies to summertime visitors for nearly a century.

The silent film series honors the theater's long service as a moviehouse that has entertained generations of Seacoast residents and visitors, in good times and in bad.

To improvise a live musical score for 'Clash of the Wolves,' silent film musician Jeff Rapsis will use a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of a full orchestra.

"The Rin Tin Tin films are great pictures for audience reaction, even today," Rapsis said. "They're full of fast-paced action, great stunts, and above all they really move!"

"If you're new to the art form of silent film, seeing the Rin Tin Tin pictures in a theater with live music is a terrific way to get acquainted with the enduring power of this kind of movie-making," Rapsis said.

Rin Tin Tin remained popular throughout the silent film era and until his death in 1932, which made headlines around the globe. But his progeny went on to star in later films and TV shows, keeping the name before the public for generations.

Rin Tin Tin's descendants are still bred, continuing the bloodline to the present day. The ongoing Rin Tin Tin phenomenon inspired a recent book, "Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend" by New Yorker writer Susan Orlean.

Upcoming titles in the Leavitt's silent film series include:

• Wednesday, July 7, 7 p.m.: 'Safety Last' (1923) starring Harold Lloyd. The iconic image of Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a downtown clock is only one small piece of a remarkable thrill comedy from 1923  that has lost none of its power over audiences. See it for yourself on the big screen!

• Wednesday, July 21, 7 p.m.: 'Peter Pan' (1924). Celebrate summer with the original silent film adaptation from 1924 of J.M. Barrie's immortal tale of the boy who wouldn't grow up. Join the Darling children as they follow Peter to Never Land to do battle with the evil Captain Hook.

• Wednesday, Aug. 4, 7 p.m.: 'Seven Chances' (1925) starring Buster Keaton. Buster is about to be saved from bankruptcy by an unexpected inheritance of $7 million—but only if he gets married by 7 p.m. that very day. Can Buster somehow find the girl of his dreams while being pursued by an army of women?

• Wednesday, Aug. 18, 7 p.m.: 'Wild Orchids' (1928) starring Greta Garbo. Steamy romantic thriller from 1928. An older man takes his young wife to Java where he plans to invest in tea plantations. Aboard ship, a young man (and member of the island's royal family) resolves to make her acquaintance.

• Saturday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m.: 'Nosferatu' (1922) directed by F.W. Murnau. Just in time for Halloween: the original vampire film, this loose adaptation of the 'Dracula' story just gets weirder and creepier as the years go by. Released in 1922, and complete with timely references to plagues and pandemics

‘Clash of the Wolves' (1925) starring Rin Tin Tin will be shown with live music on Wednesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Fine Arts Theatre, 259 Main St., Route 1, Ogunquit. Admission $12 per person; tickets available at the door.

For more info, call (207) 646-3123 or visit www.leavittheatre.com.

Up next: Rin Tin Tin in Plymouth, N.H. on Thursday 6/3, plus pandemic thank you notes

Rin Tin Tin shares a moment on the set with frequent human co-star June Marlowe.

Next up: we go to the dogs with canine superstar Rin Tin Tin in 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925). It's a rip-roaring (and tail-wagging) adventure flick screening with live music by me on Thursday, June 3 at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. More details in the press release below.

And as we cruise through this year's Memorial Day weekend (marked by dank, rainy weather in New England), a look at the calendar shows it's the last weekend for me until September that does not include some kind of silent film screening with live music.

To me, that's the surest sign that the Covid-19 pandemic is finally lifting. All of my usual summer series are back up and running in 2021, and there's even a new series starting at the Rex Theatre in downtown Manchester, N.H. 

That's quite a change from this time last year, when ALL screenings were cancelled due to you-know-what. And it's been slim pickings ever since, with screenings later resuming only in the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H., the Flying Monkey in Plymouth, N.H., and at the Center for the Arts in Natick, Mass.

I'm indebted to these three venues for staying open and trying to run some programming, even at a time when first-run movies and live music acts just weren't realistic options. But they all soldiered on with silent film/live music programs, which did bring in audiences during the pandemic.

At the Town Hall Theatre, owner/operator Dennis Markaverich actually increased the silent film schedule during the pandemic, more than doubling the number of screenings during a typical month. This led to a spate of adventurous programming, including Fritz Lang's two-part 1922 epic 'Dr. Mabuse Der Spieler' last fall and a two-day marathon screening of all 15 chapters of 'The Woman in Grey,' a multi-part serial from 1920.

Dennis also indulged me with a week-long series of silent comedy programs last summer, an aviation film festival last fall, a week of obscure silent features in January, and a three-day recreation of the Kansas Silent Film Festival in February. So it's been a year to remember, for all the right reasons. Thank you, Dennis!

Now I'm looking forward to getting back to accompanying silent films in a wider range of venues this summer, including the Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall (starting Saturday, June 5 with 'The Mark of Zorro'), the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine (starting Wednesday, June 9 with Chaplin's 'The Kid'), and — new this summer! — the Rex Theatre in Manchester, N.H. with Buster Keaton on Thursday, July 15.

A complete list of all silent film screenings on my calendar is available online by clicking on "Upcoming Silent Film Screenings" at the top right corner of this page. Also, send me your e-mail address and you'll get a monthly round-up of upcoming programs of silent film with live music. 

With so many bookings on the calendar, I'm tempted to say it's great to be back. But quite a few venues are still not back to showing regular screenings, especially in the Boston area, where tight restrictions were lifted only this weekend. 

So it may be awhile before we get to enjoy silent films again at the Somerville Theatre, the Coolidge Corner, the Brattle, or other Beantown locales. Stay tuned!

For now, you can catch Rin Tin Tin on Thursday, June 3 at the Flying Monkey. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. and more info in the press release below. See you at the movies!

*    *    *

The opening title of 'Clash of the Wolves.'

MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Rin Tin Tin leaps back into action Thursday, June 3 at Flying Monkey

Legendary dog star races to the rescue in 'Clash of the Wolves' silent adventure film, presented with live music

PLYMOUTH, N.H.. — He couldn't speak. But that was no handicap for a star during the silent film era.

He was Rin Tin Tin, the legendary German Shepherd dog whose popularity rivaled that of any human performer when the movies were brand new.

See for yourself on Thursday, June 3 at 6:30 p.m., when the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center screens a vintage Rin Tin Tin silent adventure film with live music.

In 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925), Rin Tin Tin plays a wild wolf who befriends a prospector; together they hunt down a criminal intent on jumping the prospector's claim and stealing his girl.

'Clash of the Wolves' will be shown at the Flying Monkey, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H. Admission $10 per person, tickets available at the door or via www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

The film will be shown with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer and performer who specializes in scoring silent film.

An original lobby card promoting 'Clash of the Wolves.'

Rin Tin Tin films were produced by then-struggling Warner Brothers and proved immensely popular around the world, with audiences marveling at the then-new German Shepherd breed's feats of derring-do as he out-smarted his human co-stars.

At the time, studio executives referred to Rin Tin Tin "the mortgage lifter" because the dog's pictures helped rescue the ailing studio from bankruptcy.

Rin Tin Tin was so popular, he was named "Best Actor" at the first-ever Academy Awards in 1929 until ceremony officials decided on a re-vote in favor of human performer Emil Jannings.

To improvise a live musical score for 'Clash of the Wolves,' silent film musician Jeff Rapsis will use a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of a full orchestra.

"The Rin Tin Tin films are great pictures for audience reaction, even today," Rapsis said. "They're full of fast-paced action, great stunts, and above all they really move!"

"If you're new to the art form of silent film, seeing the Rin Tin Tin pictures in a theater with live music is a terrific way to get acquainted with the enduring power of this kind of movie-making," Rapsis said.

Rin Tin Tin remained popular throughout the silent film era and until his death in 1932, which made headlines around the globe. But his progeny went on to star in later films and TV shows, keeping the name before the public for generations.

Rin Tin Tin's descendants are still bred, continuing the bloodline to the present day. The ongoing Rin Tin Tin phenomenon inspired a recent book, "Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend" by New Yorker writer Susan Orlean.

‘Clash of the Wolves' (1925) starring Rin Tin Tin will be shown with live music on Thursday, June 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H. For more info, call (603) 536-2551.

Admission $10 per person, tickets available at the door or online at www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

 

Rin Tin Tin meets with studio executives to plot his next career move.
 

This week: Romance in Manchester, then double-feature dog adventure up north

Nils Asther and Greta Garbo consider their options in 'Wild Orchids' (1929), a late MGM silent.

It's February, and the calendar brings with it two ways to warm up: screenings for Valentine's Day, and screenings at a small town historical society's annual pot luck supper and movie night.

Not that the occasions are mutually exclusive...

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, our monthly feature at the Manchester (N.H.) City Library is 'Wild Orchids' (1929), a torrid late MGM silent starring Greta Garbo.

Showtime is 6 p.m.; admission is free, with donations accepted and oh-so-appreciated.

And then on Saturday, Feb. 6, I haul myself up to the Campton (again N.H.) Historical Society, where we're running a double feature of Rin Tin Tin adventure films.

Showtime is—well, the annual potluck supper is at 5 p.m., and we usually start the movie program sometime after 6 p.m.

Free admission again, although if you're attending the pot luck it's good manners to bring a dish to share.

Of the two programs, the Garbo film is new to me. And after doing two screenings of Griffith's 'Intolerance' in the past week (plus one of 'Metropolis'), I'm really looking forward to taking it slow and letting the romantic tension build.

I don't generally send out press releases for the Manchester City Library series, in part because I'm just lazy, but also because I tend to program obscure or lesser-known titles that are unlikely to draw a big crowd anyway.

We do have our loyal attendees, but anyone is welcome to pop in. Hope to see you there!

I did, however, send out a release for the program up in Campton, which is about an hour north of home base and in the foothills of the White Mountains.

So if you're interested in joining us on Saturday, Feb. 6, lots of detail below.

And one program note: I had also planned a Valentine's Day silent film screening at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre this month, but the schedule has become impossible.

Originally set for Sunday, Feb. 14, we had to move it to Sunday, Feb. 7. And then I had something come up which takes me out of the area that day. And then I'm booked for the rest of the month and into March, so...

So apologies to regular attendees of the monthly series in Wilton. We'll be back on schedule in March with 'Ben Hur' (1925) Sunday, March 27. (Hey, that's Easter!)

* * *

MONDAY, JAN. 18, 2016 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Rin Tin Tin leaps back into action Saturday, Feb. 6 at Campton Historical Society

Legendary dog star races to the rescue in double feature of rare classic silent adventure films presented with live music

CAMPTON, N.H. — He couldn't speak. But that was no handicap for a star during the silent film era.

He was Rin Tin Tin, the legendary German Shepherd dog whose popularity rivaled that of any human performer when the movies were brand new.

See for yourself on Saturday, Feb. 6, when the Campton Historical Society screens a double feature of vintage Rin Tin Tin silent adventure films with live music.

The evening begins with a pot luck supper at 5 p.m. The film program, which is free and open to the public, will start at about 6:15 p.m.

In 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925), Rin Tin Tin plays a wild wolf who befriends a prospector; together they hunt down a criminal intent on jumping the prospector's claim and stealing his girl.

In 'The Night Cry' (1926), Rin Tin Tin is unjustly accused of killing sheep in ranching country; this forces him to flee for his life and hunt down the true killer on his own.

Both melodramas were produced by then-struggling Warner Bros. Studio. Rin Tin Tin films proved immensely popular around the world, with audiences marvelling at the then-new German Shepherd breed's feats of derring-do as he often out-smarted his human co-stars.

At the time, studio executives referred to Rin Tin Tin as "the mortgage lifter" because the dog's pictures helped rescue the ailing studio from bankruptcy.

Rin Tin Tin was so popular, he was named "Best Actor" at the first-ever Academy Awards in 1929 until ceremony officials decided on a re-vote in favor of human performer Emil Jannings.

Both films at the Campton Historical Society will be accompanied live by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis, who uses a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of a full orchestra.

"The Rin Tin Tin films are great pictures for audience reaction, even today," Rapsis said. "They're full of fast-paced action, great stunts—and above all, they really move!"

"If you're new to the silent film art form, seeing the Rin Tin Tin pictures in a theater with live music is a terrific way to get acquainted with the enduring power of this kind of movie-making," Rapsis said.

Rin Tin Tin remained popular until his death in 1932, which made headlines around the globe. But his progeny went on to star in later films and TV shows, keeping the name before the public for generations.

Rin Tin Tin's descendants are still bred, continuing the bloodline to the present day. The ongoing Rin Tin Tin phenomenon inspired a recent book, "Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend" by New Yorker writer Susan Orlean.

The Rin Tin Tin double feature at the Campton Historical Society aims to recreate the silent film experience as early movie audiences knew it: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"When you put the silent film experience back together, it's amazing how the movies jump to life," Rapsis said. "You can really get a sense of why people got so excited about movies when they were new."

A double feature of silent-era Rin Tin Tin adventures will be shown with live music on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 6:15 p.m. at the Campton Historical Society, Campton Town Hall, Route 175, Campton, N.H. The program is free and open to the public, and will be preceded by a pot luck supper starting at 5 p.m. For more details, visit www.camptonhistorical.org. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Tired of snow? At Somerville Theatre, Rin Tin Tin heats up the screen this weekend!

It's true: Canine star Rin Tin Tin usually came across as more intelligent than his human co-stars.

We've already got as much as five feet snow on the ground here, and more is supposed to fall this weekend.

But it'll take more than mere snowflakes to stop Rin Tin Tin from racing across the Somerville Theatre's big screen on Sunday afternoon.

Yes, we restart our monthly series of silent film programs at the Somerville on Sunday, Feb. 8 with a rip-roaring Rin Tin Tin double feature!

The program starts at 2 p.m. and includes two crackerjack adventures starring everyone's favorite silent-era canine star. And trust me: these pictures really move. There's a reason Rin Tin Tin was among the most popular performers in silent film.

First up is 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925), a fast-paced adventure set out West in prospecting country.

By the way, it's not the old West. The film is actually set in the current day, with Tin Lizzies and other features of then-contemporary life.

But it's old now. And one of the joys of watching a film like this is to see what life was like in a great time of transition.

It's followed by 'The Night Cry' (1926), a film set in California's ranching country. This melodrama pits Rinty against an unusual nemesis. (Come see for yourself.)

They're both being shown via 35mm prints supplied by the Library of Congress, and with live music by me!

Add in an audience and the Somerville Theatre's great vintage theater ambiance, and you have all the ingredients needed to resurrect the original excitement of the silent film experience.

Even cat lovers will enjoy this program! More details in the press release below.

Hope to see you at the Somerville this Sunday afternoon!

* * *

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 2015 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Rin Tin Tin leaps back into action Sunday, Feb. 8 on Somerville Theatre's big screen

Legendary dog star races to the rescue in double feature of rare classic silent adventure films, presented in 35mm and with live music

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — He couldn't speak. But that was no handicap for a star during the silent film era.

He was Rin Tin Tin, the legendary German Shepherd dog whose popularity rivaled that of any human performer when the movies were brand new.

See for yourself on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m., when the Somerville Theatre screens a double feature of vintage Rin Tin Tin silent adventure films in 35mm and with live music.

In 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925), Rin Tin Tin plays a wild wolf who befriends a prospector; together they hunt down a criminal intent on jumping the prospector's claim and stealing his girl.

In 'The Night Cry' (1926), Rin Tin Tin is unjustly accused of killing sheep in ranching country; this forces him to flee for his life and hunt down the true killer on his own.

Both films are rarely seen on the big screen now due to lack of availability of prints. For the Feb. 8 program, the Somerville is making use of restored 35mm prints on loan from the U.S. Library of Congress.

Both melodramas were produced by then-struggling Warner Brothers and proved immensely popular around the world, with audiences marvelling at the then-new German Shepherd breed's feats of derring-do as he often out-smarted his human co-stars.

At the time,studio executives referred to Rin Tin Tin "the mortgage lifter" because the dog's pictures helped rescue the ailing studio from bankruptcy.

Rin Tin Tin was so popular, he was named "Best Actor" at the first-ever Academy Awards in 1929 until ceremony officials decided on a re-vote in favor of human performer Emil Jannings.

Both films at the Somerville will be accompanied live by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis, who uses a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of a full orchestra.

"The Rin Tin Tin films are great pictures for audience reaction, even today," Rapsis said. "They're full of fast-paced action, great stunts, and above all they really move!"

"If you're new to the silent film art form, seeing the Rin Tin Tin pictures in a theater with live music is a terrific way to get acquainted with the enduring power of this kind of movie-making," Rapsis said.

Our canine hero attends to some important studio business.

Rin Tin Tin remained popular throughout the silent film era and until his death in 1932, which made headlines around the globe. But his progency went on to star in later films and TV shows, keeping the name before the public for generations.

Rin Tin Tin's descendants are still bred, continuing the bloodline to the present day. The ongoing Rin Tin Tin phenomenon inspired a recent book, "Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend" by New Yorker writer Susan Orlean.

The Rin Tin Tin double feature opens the Somerville's 2015 "Silents, Please!" program, which aims to recreate the silent film experience as early movie audiences knew it.

Each month, the Somerville Theatre will screen a silent film program in the facility's 900-seat main theatre, always in 35mm and with live music.

"These are the films that caused people to first fall in love with the movies, and they're also part of our theater's heritage," said Ian Judge, general manager of the Somerville, which celebrated its 100th birthday last year.

"When you put the silent film experience back together, it's amazing how the movies jump to life," Judge said. "You can really get a sense of why people got so excited about movies when they were new."

Upcoming programs in the Somerville Theatre's "Silents, Please!" series include:

• Sunday, March 8, 2015, 2 p.m.: 'A Silent Surprise: W.C. Fields Double Feature.' Long before his nasal twang resounded throughout movie theaters, a younger W.C. Fields had a very successful career as a silent film actor. In 'Sally of the Sawdust' (1925), Fields plays a circus con artist who adopts an orphan (directed by no less than D.W. Griffith!); 'Running Wild' (1927) finds Fields as a hen-pecked husband who turns to hypnosis to assert control in his household.

• Sunday, April 5, 2015, 2 p.m.: The original 'Ten Commandments' (1923). Long before Charlton Heston played Moses in Technicolor, director Cecil B. DeMille filmed this silent blockbuster on a grand scale. Many say it surpasses the remake! See for yourself, on Easter Sunday, in a 35mm print provided by the Library of Congress.

• Sunday, May 3, 2015, 2 p.m.: 'The Cameraman' (1928) starring Buster Keaton. Stone-faced Buster attempts to impress the girl of his dreams by becoming a glamorous newsreel cameraman, with disastrous (but hilarious) results. A classic comedy from the peak of the silent film era.

• Sunday, June 7, 2015, 2 p.m.: 'Show People' (1928) starring Marion Davies, William Haines, directed by King Vidor. A young woman tries to break into the movies as a dramatic actress, but can only find work as a pie target in slapstick comedies. Director King Vidor's insider valentine to silent-era movie-making is packed with eye-popping cameo appearances of everyone from John Gilbert to Charlie Chaplin! Plus warm-up comedy 'Play Safe' (1927) starring Monty Banks, with what's regarded as the greatest train chase sequence of the silent era.

• Sunday, July 5, 2015, 2 p.m.: 'The Big Parade' (1925) starring John Gilbert, Renee Adoree, directed by King Vidor. Sweeping World War I saga about U.S. doughboys signing up and shipping off to France, where they face experiences that will change their lives forever—if they return.

A double feature of silent-era Rin Tin Tin adventures will be shown in 35mm and with live music on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Tickets are $15 per person, with discounts for students and seniors. For more info, call the theater at (617) 625-5700 or visit www.somervilletheatreonline.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.