Jacksonville, Florida, was the rather surprising place to make films, once upon a time - and by "once upon a time", I mean, "a century ago". In 1916, more than thirty companies shot films in Jacksonville, with some of the hottest stars of the time. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and Lionel Barrymore were among them, as well as a pre-Laurel Oliver Hardy.
The top studio in the Arlington section of town was entrepreneur Richard Norman's studio, appropriately named Norman Studios. Norman purchased the studio in 1920, and it was one of the first to make movies with an all-black cast. In addition to this surprising fact, Norman Studios may well be the only surviving silent film studio in the country. The rest have been demolished.
Political leaders Lake Ray and Glorious Johnson, intent on saving the studio, are trying to get local residents involved in the cause; the struggle to preserve this precious piece of film heritage has been going on for years. Ray, who served on the City Council in 2002, convinced the city to buy property on which the studio stands.
The idea is to turn the former studio into a silent film museum and film school, but there is a drawback - the cost will be close to three million dollars.
Only six features were shot at Norman Studios between 1920 and 1928, but they broke ground by featuring black actors in positive, non-stereotypical roles; the crew members were also black.
Norman's son, Richard E. Norman, supports the movement to save the studio; he states that his father (who was white) felt that making black-oriented movies was morally right, as well as good business sense.
For more information, go to www.normanstudios.org. They're in bad need of funds for this endeavor!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Avenging Conscience
I love this movie. It's one of Griffith's best, and Walthall's best. Anyone who really wants to know what Walthall was capable of doing, should watch this film. Griffith made it just before his (in)famous epic, The Birth of a Nation, which, of course, also starred Walthall.
In brief, Walthall is a young man with only one surviving relative, his uncle, who has raised him. When Walthall's character (simply known as "The Nephew" in the titles) falls in love, the uncle feels threatened by his nephew's lack of attention, and grows intolerant and demanding. This leads to...
A hell of a good story, is what it leads to. Walthall really shines in this movie, as the young man in love/devoted nephew/thwarted lover/criminal/nervous wreck. Nobody could do it the way he could, and he's just marvelous. The movie shows a strong Poe influence (even down to one of his poems). And the outdoor scenes! They show a bucolic Southern California that now only exists in these classic films. Isolated houses, empty fields, and even the sepia air looks better, somehow.
Great Halloween watching. Take a look.
In brief, Walthall is a young man with only one surviving relative, his uncle, who has raised him. When Walthall's character (simply known as "The Nephew" in the titles) falls in love, the uncle feels threatened by his nephew's lack of attention, and grows intolerant and demanding. This leads to...
A hell of a good story, is what it leads to. Walthall really shines in this movie, as the young man in love/devoted nephew/thwarted lover/criminal/nervous wreck. Nobody could do it the way he could, and he's just marvelous. The movie shows a strong Poe influence (even down to one of his poems). And the outdoor scenes! They show a bucolic Southern California that now only exists in these classic films. Isolated houses, empty fields, and even the sepia air looks better, somehow.
Great Halloween watching. Take a look.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Edna Purviance
Once leading lady to Charlie Chaplin, now all but forgotten. A dedicated group of film lovers have started an online petition to have Edna given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
If you want to sign the petition, click here.
If you want to sign the petition, click here.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Halloween
'Tis the season for watching scary movies, at least for me.
Here are a few recommendations:
Nosferatu (1922). Ground-breaking film from German director F.W. Murnau, with a fascinatingly ugly vampire (played by Max Schreck).
The Avenging Conscience (1915). The great Henry B. Walthall gives an outstanding performance as a man who has murdered his domineering uncle. Frightening dream sequences and hallucinations in this Poe-inspired Griffith film.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1924). John Barrymore plays the title characters. According to rumor, the appearance of Mr. Hyde caused the cameraman to faint.
The Man Who Laughs (1928). Not a horror film per se, but dark and richly atmospheric. Conrad Veidt is an English nobleman, Gwynplaine, whose father fell afoul of the King of England. In revenge, Gwynplaine (as a child) has been forced to undergo a surgical procedure in which a permanent smile is carved on his face. Outstanding performance by Veidt, and even Mary Philbin, as his love interest, is very effective.
The Penalty (1920). Another non-horror film, but hard-hitting and thoroughly gripping. Lon Chaney plays a man whose legs were amputated in childhood; as an adult, he has become a much-feared crime boss. Chaney's legs were strapped behind him for this role, and he really does appear to be legless.
Here are a few recommendations:
Nosferatu (1922). Ground-breaking film from German director F.W. Murnau, with a fascinatingly ugly vampire (played by Max Schreck).
The Avenging Conscience (1915). The great Henry B. Walthall gives an outstanding performance as a man who has murdered his domineering uncle. Frightening dream sequences and hallucinations in this Poe-inspired Griffith film.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1924). John Barrymore plays the title characters. According to rumor, the appearance of Mr. Hyde caused the cameraman to faint.
The Man Who Laughs (1928). Not a horror film per se, but dark and richly atmospheric. Conrad Veidt is an English nobleman, Gwynplaine, whose father fell afoul of the King of England. In revenge, Gwynplaine (as a child) has been forced to undergo a surgical procedure in which a permanent smile is carved on his face. Outstanding performance by Veidt, and even Mary Philbin, as his love interest, is very effective.
The Penalty (1920). Another non-horror film, but hard-hitting and thoroughly gripping. Lon Chaney plays a man whose legs were amputated in childhood; as an adult, he has become a much-feared crime boss. Chaney's legs were strapped behind him for this role, and he really does appear to be legless.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Shopping for goodies
With three major (in my view, anyway) holidays coming up, quite a few people are turning to the Internet to do their shopping, rather than risking the crowded streets, choked malls, and rabid shoppers.
Well, why not?
ShopWiki, which has another post here on my blog, is offering advice on HOW to buy things - what to look for - which is a great idea.
One of my goals is to have a home theater - by which I mean, a room especially designed for watching movies. Or TV, if you must, but for me, the movies are the important thing. Big screens! Sound! All the goodies that go with the experience, but without those rude people kicking your seat!
Of course, there's also the alternative of getting yourself a good TV.
Or, if you're saving up for the big stuff, in the meantime, you can go for a good computer system to watch your DVDs.
Why not?
I see above that I'm recommending this things not for your loved ones, but for you. If this is something you want, why not drop your loved ones a few heavy hints?
Happy holidays!
Well, why not?
ShopWiki, which has another post here on my blog, is offering advice on HOW to buy things - what to look for - which is a great idea.
One of my goals is to have a home theater - by which I mean, a room especially designed for watching movies. Or TV, if you must, but for me, the movies are the important thing. Big screens! Sound! All the goodies that go with the experience, but without those rude people kicking your seat!
Of course, there's also the alternative of getting yourself a good TV.
Or, if you're saving up for the big stuff, in the meantime, you can go for a good computer system to watch your DVDs.
Why not?
I see above that I'm recommending this things not for your loved ones, but for you. If this is something you want, why not drop your loved ones a few heavy hints?
Happy holidays!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Francis X. Bushman
The life of silent star Francis X. Bushman has finally been written!
Author Lon Davis, who recently published Silent Lives (a series of short biographies of silent stars), has finally completed a project that took almost 30 years.
Bushman (1883-1966) is best remembered for his role as Messala in the 1925 version of Ben-Hur. Unlike many stars of the silent era, he didn't have a problem adjusting to talkies... but the talkies may have had some problems adjusting to him. According to Bushman himself, he made an enemy of Louis B. Mayer, that same mogul who is rumored to have ruined the career of superstar John Gilbert. Evidently, Mayer hated Bushman's attitude; Bushman attempted to get more money during the shooting of Ben-Hur, and afterwards, found so much difficulty finding work that he placed the blame at Mayer's door.
At the age of 13, Davis met Beverly Bayne, Bushman's second wife. She had little, if anything, good to say about Bushman, but Davis was fascinated; this is when he began to research Bushman. Lon and his then-fiancee, Debra, began to co-author the manuscript in the early 1980s; they met Bushman's last wife, Iva, who kindly allowed them to view and even handle some of Bushman's silent-film paraphernalia (much of which they shipped to the Smithsonian later). The book was finished in 1983, but remained unsold until it was published by Bear Manor Media.
What happened to Bushman's career?
To hear Bushman tell it, it was because he made a powerful enemy out of Louis B. Mayer. In 1917, Bushman starred in Mayer’s first production, "The Great Secret," a serial that was something of a flop. When he was making "Ben-Hur" in the mid-twenties for the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer company, Bushman alienated Mayer by holding him up for more money when the production was stalled. After a few major movies at the end of the twenties, he turned to radio for the next two decades.
He did state that he loved the 1959 remake of Ben-Hur, and even helped to promote the film.
Will we see more of Bushman's films now?
I hope so!
Author Lon Davis, who recently published Silent Lives (a series of short biographies of silent stars), has finally completed a project that took almost 30 years.
Bushman (1883-1966) is best remembered for his role as Messala in the 1925 version of Ben-Hur. Unlike many stars of the silent era, he didn't have a problem adjusting to talkies... but the talkies may have had some problems adjusting to him. According to Bushman himself, he made an enemy of Louis B. Mayer, that same mogul who is rumored to have ruined the career of superstar John Gilbert. Evidently, Mayer hated Bushman's attitude; Bushman attempted to get more money during the shooting of Ben-Hur, and afterwards, found so much difficulty finding work that he placed the blame at Mayer's door.
At the age of 13, Davis met Beverly Bayne, Bushman's second wife. She had little, if anything, good to say about Bushman, but Davis was fascinated; this is when he began to research Bushman. Lon and his then-fiancee, Debra, began to co-author the manuscript in the early 1980s; they met Bushman's last wife, Iva, who kindly allowed them to view and even handle some of Bushman's silent-film paraphernalia (much of which they shipped to the Smithsonian later). The book was finished in 1983, but remained unsold until it was published by Bear Manor Media.
What happened to Bushman's career?
To hear Bushman tell it, it was because he made a powerful enemy out of Louis B. Mayer. In 1917, Bushman starred in Mayer’s first production, "The Great Secret," a serial that was something of a flop. When he was making "Ben-Hur" in the mid-twenties for the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer company, Bushman alienated Mayer by holding him up for more money when the production was stalled. After a few major movies at the end of the twenties, he turned to radio for the next two decades.
He did state that he loved the 1959 remake of Ben-Hur, and even helped to promote the film.
Will we see more of Bushman's films now?
I hope so!
Monday, September 7, 2009
For Charley Chase fans
The most common reaction is "Who?" The second most common reaction is, "Oh, you mean Charlie Chaplin, don't you?"
Nope, Charley Chase. He was another silent comedians, not one of the Big Three, but very popular. A recent article states that his collected works are now available on DVD.
Write Jordan Young states:
"To my mind there are two kinds of people—those who love Charley Chase, and those who never heard of him. All Day Entertainment's Becoming Charley Chase, recently released by VCI Entertainment, is a 4-DVD box set affectionately put together by people who are clearly in the first category; it’s not the work of a soulless corporation trying to make a fast buck, like so many video releases these days.
"This collection should do much to bolster the reputation of this most unjustly underrated comedian of the 1920s and ‘30s, perhaps best remembered now for an uproarious cameo in Laurel and Hardy’s Sons of the Desert. One disc is devoted to Chase’s embryonic 1915 work for Mack Sennett; two discs are comprised of 1924-1925 shorts made at Hal Roach Studios; and a fourth samples his efforts directing other comics, including his brother James Parrott (who himself directed many of Charley’s comedies, as well of some of Laurel and Hardy’s best), Will Rogers and Snub Pollard. Our Gang, whose earliest comedies Chase supervised as Director General at Roach, are seen as guest stars in The Fraidy Cat.
"Even the Chase aficionado who has all or most of these 40-odd comedy shorts in 8mm, 16mm, Laserdisc or VHS will find the box hard to resist. There are new scores for all titles, with some highly entertaining and imaginative work by the Snark Ensemble, Ben Model, the Redwine Jazz Band, and the West End Jazz Band. There are also optional audio commentaries on all films by a gaggle of Chase historians and film scholars; a 45-minute documentary, The Parrott Chase; and an archival interview with Chase's daughter June.
"The quality of the films is erratic but not for lack of effort; producer David Kalat notes how he acquired six prints of one especially poor-looking title, and choose the best of the lot. We’re fortunate so many of Chase’s silent shorts exist, as the tantalizing fragments of some lost ones remind us... A DVD set of his ‘30s Columbia shorts is in the works; meanwhile, for more on Charley visit the definitive website."
As always, I'm DELIGHTED to see more silent films coming out on DVD. We just don't have enough; DVD hasn't yet caught up to VHS in terms of the number of films available, especially those from the silent era. I always love sharing the news of another silent release.
Nope, Charley Chase. He was another silent comedians, not one of the Big Three, but very popular. A recent article states that his collected works are now available on DVD.
Write Jordan Young states:
"To my mind there are two kinds of people—those who love Charley Chase, and those who never heard of him. All Day Entertainment's Becoming Charley Chase, recently released by VCI Entertainment, is a 4-DVD box set affectionately put together by people who are clearly in the first category; it’s not the work of a soulless corporation trying to make a fast buck, like so many video releases these days.
"This collection should do much to bolster the reputation of this most unjustly underrated comedian of the 1920s and ‘30s, perhaps best remembered now for an uproarious cameo in Laurel and Hardy’s Sons of the Desert. One disc is devoted to Chase’s embryonic 1915 work for Mack Sennett; two discs are comprised of 1924-1925 shorts made at Hal Roach Studios; and a fourth samples his efforts directing other comics, including his brother James Parrott (who himself directed many of Charley’s comedies, as well of some of Laurel and Hardy’s best), Will Rogers and Snub Pollard. Our Gang, whose earliest comedies Chase supervised as Director General at Roach, are seen as guest stars in The Fraidy Cat.
"Even the Chase aficionado who has all or most of these 40-odd comedy shorts in 8mm, 16mm, Laserdisc or VHS will find the box hard to resist. There are new scores for all titles, with some highly entertaining and imaginative work by the Snark Ensemble, Ben Model, the Redwine Jazz Band, and the West End Jazz Band. There are also optional audio commentaries on all films by a gaggle of Chase historians and film scholars; a 45-minute documentary, The Parrott Chase; and an archival interview with Chase's daughter June.
"The quality of the films is erratic but not for lack of effort; producer David Kalat notes how he acquired six prints of one especially poor-looking title, and choose the best of the lot. We’re fortunate so many of Chase’s silent shorts exist, as the tantalizing fragments of some lost ones remind us... A DVD set of his ‘30s Columbia shorts is in the works; meanwhile, for more on Charley visit the definitive website."
As always, I'm DELIGHTED to see more silent films coming out on DVD. We just don't have enough; DVD hasn't yet caught up to VHS in terms of the number of films available, especially those from the silent era. I always love sharing the news of another silent release.
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