Warm, Dark and Silent ...

Robert Houdin sur la 12ème Avenue …

Seattle’s Spring and Summer of silent era film kicked off with the whimsy and mischief of Georges Melies at Northwest Film Forum. A packed house for the May 15 show will hopefully encourage more of the same. Spencer Sundell’s wonderful pre-show talk (in tails!) and incredibly thorough program were more than enough reason to attend, and of course, Georges is Meliezing!

… Gastronomica on Pine Street …
When the Clouds Roll By (1919)
Monday June 2, 7:00pm The Paramount, Seattle

Next up, Seattle Theater Group and The Paramount revisit their popular Silent Movie Mondays series with a spate of films from Hollywood’s original action hero, Douglas Faribanks. The first of four, When The Clouds Roll By (1919), has Doug at the mercy of a twisted psychologist who is secretly intent on driving the boy mad, His nightmare brought on by ferocious indigestion is a hilarious and surprising bit of early film surrealism. Of course, there’s a girl, a huge misunderstanding, Doug’s job on the line, and plenty of frantic racing around before the colossal dam-bursting finale. If that’s not enough, Dennis James at the Paramount’s original Publix Wurlitzer should ensure an eventful night (and series).

… Potlatch at The Moore …

In The Land of The Head Hunters (1914)
Tuesday June 10, 7:00pm The Moore Theater, Seattle

Among the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, Edward S. Curtis based most of his professional career in Seattle. The Curtis Studio served to finance the photographer’s passion for documenting the vanishing West and specifically, the nobility of the first Americans.

The centennial celebration of Seattle’s grand old theater on Second Avenue continues with what may be the finest and most memorable archival screening of a silent film presented locally for some time. The Burke Museum, Seattle Theater Group and Seattle International Film Festival will present Curtis’ docudrama, In The Land of The Head Hunters (1914) with it’s original accompanying score performed live, for the first time since it’s 1914 Seattle premier, at The Moore. The evening will include descendants of the original cast in a live performance.

SIFF’s only other silent film presentation for 2008 is a cabaret-style screening of F. W. Murnau’s Sunrise (1927) at The Triple Door. The rare opportunity to see this silent era film in it’s original context will be offered only once, and should not be missed.

… Adventures on Santa Monica Blvd …

Robin Hood (1922)
Monday June 16, 7:00pm The Paramount, Seattle

The Gaucho (1927)
Monday June 23, 7:00pm The Paramount, Seattle

The Mark of Zorro (1920)
Monday June 30, 7:00pm The Paramount, Seattle

Silent Movie Mondays return with what may be the best action adventure film of all time, Robin Hood (1922). Fairbanks’s took up every inch of the screen as young Robin, in this pre-cgi vehicle filled with acrobatic and astonishing stunts.
The final half of the series includes The Gaucho (1927), with Fairbanks’s at his peak, and the film that began the historical-action-adventure genre, The Mark of Zorro (1920).

… Stars at The Lynwood …

Show People (1928)
Saturday July 5, The Lynwood, Bainbridge Island

Bainbridge Island’s Historic Lynwood Theater celebrates its seventy-second anniversary with two screenings of King Vidor’s Show People (1928), starring Marion Davies and a never funnier Billy Haines. Dennis James will be on hand for the live musical accompaniment, hopefully with his brilliant adaptation of Carl Davis score performed two years ago in San Francisco. And speaking of …

… Silent Movie Heaven …

The Thirteenth Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival
July 11 – 13 The Castro Theater, San Francisco

America’s preeminent silent era film series just keeps getting better and better (how can it be?). The SFSFF opens with what is arguably Harold Lloyd’s finest, from silent film’s magical year, The Kid Brother (1927) and closes with another Marion Davies gem The Patsy (1928). I could write another 1000 words on the entire series, stay tuned, its just too wonderful! Can you feel the love?