It has been a great year and thanks for following me, really appreciate it :)
I just had to post this photo of Cary Grant couldn't resist. Mischievous isn't it.
Happy Holidays!
27.12.10
A Wee Bit of a hiatus
It has been a great year and thanks for following me, really appreciate it :)
I just had to post this photo of Cary Grant couldn't resist. Mischievous isn't it.
Happy Holidays!
21.12.10
Steamboat Bill, jr. - 1928 Film #8
Screenplay: Carl Harbaugh
Production: Joseph M. Schenck
Cinematography: Bert Haines, Devereaux Jennings
Editing: Sherman Kell
Special Effects: Benjamin Ribiere
Stunt double for Marion Byron: Louise Keaton
Players: Buster Keaton (William Canfield Jr), Marion Byron (Kitty King), Tom McGuire (John James King), Ernest Torrence (William "Steamboat Bill" Canfield Sr), Tom Lewis (Tom Carter - First Mate), James T. Mack (Minister).
69 minutes - BW - USA - Comedy
So here we are at number eight on the long line of films from 1928, just thought I should mention that they are in no order at all, its all very random.
When it comes to action filled silent comedy Buster Keaton tops everyone. Steamboat was your favourite comedy of 1928 taking 14 out of the 32 votes, it is great source of comedic entertainment on every level. Every time I watch a Buster Keaton film I always feel fulfilled, refreshed and sooo happy afterwards I guess that's why he my favourite comic. It's hard to believe that this film, which is so well loved today was once in its initial release called "a gloomy, sorry affair" by a New York Times critic, well there is nothing gloomy about this film that's for sure, its nothing short of genius.
"Willie" Canfield Jr is a familiar weak kneed Buster Keaton character. Son of a Steamboat captain, Willie on the advice of his mother goes from Boston to River Junction to see his estranged father William Sr to help out on his father's steamboat, there he sticks out like a sore thumb. Dressed in funny baggy pants, a beret, spotty bow tie, a silly moustache and accompanied with a ukulele, this wasn't at all how William Canfield Sr pictured his son. Willie's father William Canfield Sr (aka Steamboat Bill) owns the "old" steamboat"Stonewall Jackson" and business is tough, he is in rivalry with the owner of the "new" steamboat John James King, even his name rings superiority. Willie falls for John James King's daughter Kitty whom he knew from Boston, which doesn't sit well with their fathers. Things get even more exciting when Willie shows his heroic side when he breaks his father out of prison and of course the 15min cyclone sequence that puts most special effects today to shame!. Willie in the end proves himself to his father, wins the girl and the old Stonewall Jackson steamer is the only thing left standing.
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| Steamboats Stunts! Here is one of the most memorable Keaton stunts. as he stands in front of a house, the front comes crashing down and Keaton promptly goes through the window. (Photo Via Old Hollywood) |
Steamboat is an exciting and energetic comedy, supremely timed. A brilliant example of what Buster Keaton represented as a hard working and pioneering comedic showman. This was the last of nine Buster Keaton independent films, Steamboat followed College and The General. Due to Steamboat Bill Jr being the biggest financial, critical and commercial flop at that time of his career he moved to MGM where he made his last film with the Keaton trademark The Cameraman (1928).
It's hard to say why Steamboat flopped as I see nothing wrong with this film, for some reason 1928 just wasn't accepting it. But it has flourished with time, it features in the 1001 movie's you must see before you die and you should.
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| The hilarious 15min cyclone sequence (with no text boards), originally was suppose to be a flood, but due to a recent flooding Keaton was urged to change the climatic sequence to a cyclone, this caused the film to go waaay over budget. |
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| The hat gag, one of best gags of the film, where Keaton plays a parody of himself by dismissing his usual flat hat. |
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| Marion Byron as Kitty King |
Watch full movie Here. free and Legal
20.12.10
Disney's Steamboat Willie - short animation from 1928
Steamboat Willie, title parodied from Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill jr, released the same year. I do love Disney's classic animation, this cartoon is pretty significant and seeing as it was released in 1928 I had to post it! It was the third cartoon to feature Mickey Mouse and the first Disney cartoon with full synchronized sound.. It features Mickey doing some weird things with animals, the scenes with the cat and piglets in particular are bizarre, as Mickey uses all the animals as musical instruments. Still fun to watch, its only 7mins long so you might find yourself watching it a few times over.
Watch it here in all its restored glory: (Walt Disney used his own voice for the noises of Mickey, Minnie and The parrot)
17.12.10
Songs of the Week #5
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl I hope you all have a marvellous xmas. I can't believe how fast the year has gone! but that's always the case. Enjoy the song! one of my favourite Christmas songs of all time.
The theme song from the semi Christmas movie The Apartment. "The Jealous Lover" .
The Horse Ate the Hat (or The Italian Straw Hat) - 1928 Film #7
Screenplay: Rene Clair, (based on the stage play by Eugene Labiche and Marc Michel)
Editing: Rene ClairProduction: Alexandre Kamenka for Societe des Films Albatros
Director of Photography: Maurice Desfassiaux, Nicolas Roudakoff
Starring: Albert Prejean (Fadinard), Olga Tschechowa (Anais de Beauperthuis), Geymond Vital (Lieutenant Tavernier), Alex Allin (Felix), Marise Maia (Helene), Yvonneck (Nonancourt), Paul Ollivier (Uncle Vezinet), Louis Pre Fils (Cousin Bobin), Andre Volbert (Mayor), Jim Gerald (Monsieur de Beauperthuis)
Comedy - 122min - Silent - France
This elegant little farcical of a comedy is hardly remembered today. Its a shame because its a real pleasure to watch, there are so many great comedic moments that capturee how great silent comedy is and how it can escape from it's usual slapstick realm.
Fadinard is on his way to get married, until he is stopped in his tracks when his horse decides a straw hat that is sitting on a bush would make for a brilliant feast. Suddenly before the dapper Fadinard knows what hit him out from the bush pops out the aggressive Leutenant Tavernier and his lover Anais de Beauperthuis, the two have obviously been canoodling in the bushes. Anais is outraged that her hat is ruined because it could severely punish her marriage with the robust Monsieur de Beauperthuis. Fadinard doesn't really take it very seriously and tries to fob them off, well it is only a hat. But the couple pursue the issue and from then on Fadinard's wedding day is interrupted as he tries to find another Italian straw hat that is exactly the same. As it is a rare hat it becomes quite the task. And Ferdinard our hero embarks on his screwball adventure, he even leaves in the middle of his own wedding to go to the hat shop.
The plot is very thin but it doesn't really matter because of all the brilliant scenes, quirks and characters, this keeps things moving at a great pace. The film is quick witted and the ensemble cast of characters are the kind you would see in screwball comedy and its elegant's and charm remind's me of Ernst Lubitisch films. The cast of characters throughout the film have their own little annoyances they are constantly at odds with like their shoes not fitting right, a lost glove or a clip on tie not clipping and the deaf uncle whose hearing aid is clogged, these thing make for amusing scenarios that keep the film moving.
What's more there are hardly any title cards and the ones that do appear more or less just assure you of the going ons in the story to keep a solid narrative, but there is so much emphasis in the camera work and acting you almost don't need them, almost.
This elegant little farcical of a comedy is hardly remembered today. Its a shame because its a real pleasure to watch, there are so many great comedic moments that capturee how great silent comedy is and how it can escape from it's usual slapstick realm.
Fadinard is on his way to get married, until he is stopped in his tracks when his horse decides a straw hat that is sitting on a bush would make for a brilliant feast. Suddenly before the dapper Fadinard knows what hit him out from the bush pops out the aggressive Leutenant Tavernier and his lover Anais de Beauperthuis, the two have obviously been canoodling in the bushes. Anais is outraged that her hat is ruined because it could severely punish her marriage with the robust Monsieur de Beauperthuis. Fadinard doesn't really take it very seriously and tries to fob them off, well it is only a hat. But the couple pursue the issue and from then on Fadinard's wedding day is interrupted as he tries to find another Italian straw hat that is exactly the same. As it is a rare hat it becomes quite the task. And Ferdinard our hero embarks on his screwball adventure, he even leaves in the middle of his own wedding to go to the hat shop.
The plot is very thin but it doesn't really matter because of all the brilliant scenes, quirks and characters, this keeps things moving at a great pace. The film is quick witted and the ensemble cast of characters are the kind you would see in screwball comedy and its elegant's and charm remind's me of Ernst Lubitisch films. The cast of characters throughout the film have their own little annoyances they are constantly at odds with like their shoes not fitting right, a lost glove or a clip on tie not clipping and the deaf uncle whose hearing aid is clogged, these thing make for amusing scenarios that keep the film moving.
What's more there are hardly any title cards and the ones that do appear more or less just assure you of the going ons in the story to keep a solid narrative, but there is so much emphasis in the camera work and acting you almost don't need them, almost.
The Horse Ate the Hat was released January of 1928 in France and didn't hit American theatres until 1931. The late release is mainly because film maker Rene Clair didn't really make a splash until then, with his masterpieces A nous la Liberte (Freedom for us) and The Million came great acclaim.
The film is set in 1895 Paris, the original play made it's debut in the 1850's and was contemporary, Clair's decided change in time could be because 1895 is often regarded as the birth of film. The play was really successful and was being revived right into the 20th century. What is great about the film is the things Clair was able to do that wasn't shown on the stage, like apparently the stage version didn't show the horse actually eating the hat. Well film is just whole different ball game, like for instance there's a great over head shot of the wedding guests greeting each other, there are many great shots in this film, many representing the kind of filming that was done when the earliest movie's were made in 1895. Rene Clair was attracted to the plays ongoing action, otherwise he wasn't that thrilled in adapting it. His choice in changing the era and match 1895's filming endeavours like with scenes that just stay still and don't trolley along makes the film that much more appealing, two thumbs up Clair. And there are minimal close ups, so the actors were back lit to make sure they didn't blend into the beautiful decorative sets.
Great movie, go watch it
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R.I.P BLAKE EDWARDS
9.12.10
Happy Birthday Margaret Hamilton
[Margerat Hamilton on making personal appearances] “Almost always they want me to laugh like the Witch. And sometimes when I go to schools, if we’re in an auditorium, I’ll do it. And there’s always a funny reaction, like Oh geez, they wish they hadn’t asked. They’re scared. They’re really scared for a second. Even adolescents.
I guess for a minute they get the feeling they got when they watched the picture. They like to hear it but they don’t like to hear it. And then they go, ‘Ohhhhhhhhhh.’…The picture made a terrible impression of some kind on them, sometimes a ghastly impression, but most of them got over it, I guess… Because when I talk like the Witch and when I laugh, there is a hesitation, and then they clap. They’re clapping at hearing the sound again.”
-via The Making of the Wizard of Oz by A. Harmetz (via Old Hollywood)
Songs of the Week # 4
I love this song, remind's me so much of a 20s - 30s tune, which I think is the intention.
The Beatles-Honey Pie (The White Album). The slide show for this so awesome aswell.
Beatlemania, Another super White Album song I love so much: Blackbird
A Hard Act to Follow
I just watched thee* documentary all about Buster Keaton on you tube (watch Here). Written and directed by film historians Kevin Brownlow and David Gill, it was released onto television as a three parter in 1987. The doco is really superb, it features television and radio interviews by Keaton himself. His widow Eleanor Keaton and alot of people who worked with him feature in interviews and it is narrated by If....s director Lindsay Anderson. It seems to be one of the greatest executed documentaries I have seen and definitely the best on a silent star. Kevin Brownlow (Author of such books as The Parades Gone By and Behind the Mask of Innocence) and David Gill made this as a follow up to their 1980 documentary tv series Hollywood, they also made Unknown Chaplin (1983) and as part of the American Masters series wrote Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius. So it's safe to say that Kevin Brownlow is the most authoritative figure when it comes to silent film. Fellow film historian David Gill died in 1997. What amazing work they did.
I don't want to repeat myself from last year when he won the poll for most talented comic. But Buster Keaton had an incredible life, the documentary covers the hard time he had at MGM as they tried to change his character and his style of film making, naturally as sound came in it was more about the witty dialogue but he sill had chances to do some of his classic acts, but was not allowed to do his most daring ones. He loved doing the risky stunts he just knew how to make people laugh, wasn't really concerned about the injuries that sometimes followed some of his stunts, ever since he was a wee lad on vaudeville he was being chucked about and he loved it. So yeah you should definitely get around to watching the documentary if you haven't, it doesn't get much better.
7.12.10
Songs of The Week # 3
Shirley Maclaine singing Jack Lemmon's favourite George Gershwin song "I've got a crush on you". and with Jack Lemmon's son Chris on piano. At the 1988 AFI life time achievement award for Lemmon.
Oh they have got to be my favourite on screen pair. Shirley Maclaine is so multi talented.
The Zombies- Brief Candles from their 1968 Odyssey and Oracle album.
I just got this album recently, this is probably the most repeated song from it at the moment, but the whole thing is amazing I love their psychedelic rock pop sound and melodies, they broke up around the time of the release so they didn't release another album until they got together again in the 90s and again in 2004.
Susan Alexander Kane she wasn't
Marion Davies fame today is partly due to the hoopla concerning herself and the fictional character of Susan Alexander Kane from Orson Welles's classic Citizen Kane. That's how I came to know who she was and after viewing some of her silent movie clips on The Battle over Citizen Kane I really wanted to see the silent comedies she was in. She was a naturally funny, free spirited and really kind person in life. She excelled at doing impersonations of dramatic silent sirens, and accents. Her impersonations in The Patsy are so funny, in this she lets us laugh at the waif Lillian Gish image for once. She also got quite good reception in her flashy costume dramas in the 1910's and her most popular film from of her time was Marianne, her first talkie (she also starred and produced the silent version), a drama, romance and musical. Today many regard her as the first screwball female comedian, so like the first Carole Lombard, they do have the same goofiness and they were both naturally that way.
Marion Davies wasn't Mrs Kane II; they just had some things in common like they both had blonde hair, drank and were romantically linked to wealthy newspaper men who sought to rule their careers. Hearst helped Marion's career grow and Kane controlled Susan's from the beginning, Susan was his puppet. Because Charles Foster Kane resonated with William Randolph Hearst in many ways it was assumed that Susan Alexander was a portrayal of Davies, who was Hearst's partner for over 30 years. Some clear separations between the two: Susan = "singer", she left Kane, Marion = talented comic and stayed with Hearst until his death in 1951, they were actually in love.
These wonderful shots are from The Stars have lost their Glitter on tumblr.
*Top Marion Davies photos found on AliceJapan on flickr
5.12.10
Poll: 1928 comedies
Chaplin's The Circus
Harold Lloyd's Speedy
Buster Keaton's (Joseph M. Schenck) Steamboat Bill jr
King Vidor's (with Irving Tharlberg and Marion Davies) Show People
King Vidor's (with William Randolph Hearst & Marion Davies) The Pasty
All great films in there own rights, but which is your favourite amongst them?
4.12.10
The Circus - 1928 Film #6
Director: Charles Chaplin
Screenplay:" "
Music: " "
Editing: " "
Starring: Charles Chaplin (Tramp), Merna Kennedy (Circus Rider), Henry Bergman (Old Clown), Harry Crocker (Rex the tightrope walker), Allan Garcia (Ringmaster), Stanley "aka Tiny" Sandford (Troupes Foreman), George Davis (Magician), Betty Morrissey (Magicians Assistant), John Rand (Clown), Steve Murphy (Pickpocket).
72 min
The tramp gets himself into trouble with the law while visiting the circus. A pickpocket slips his stolen goods into the tramps pocket, the tramp then gets caught with the loot. Being chased by the cops he runs into the main circus act and turns a heckling and bored audience into hysteric’s. He is then hired by the circus’s asshole of a ringmaster and the tramp becomes the circus’s prize act, little does he know it, because he is unconscious of how funny he is. The ringmaster makes sure that the Tramp doesn’t know he’s the one turning out the profits. The tramp falls in love with the ringmaster’s daughter Merna, the circus rider who is physically abused by her tyrant of a father.
I LOVE this movie it’s laugh out loud funny hasn’t dated at all, it’s touching, even suspenseful and makes you remember why Charlie Chaplin is one of the three kings of silent comedy. His blend of tragedy and comedy makes you really connect and sympathize with the lovable tramp; it’s really a wonder why this little beaut is so overshadowed by his other works, too good to miss. I haven't seen that many of his features, The Kid is my favourite of his that I have seen, City Lights is also in there too, and now this. Took me awhile to see his movie's, after my sister brought me a City Lights novelty mug a few christmas's ago I felt obliged to watch it, after all I couldn't have a novelty cup for a movie I hadn't seen, geez that would be what i call madness, I am now thankful for that mug lol thanks Amy. Like I'm glad I'm doing this 1928 series I probably wouldn't of got around to viewing The Circus yet, if I hadn't decided on watching alot of movie's from this great year.
Watching the film you wouldn't know it as its not lacking anything and its rich in everything but Charlie was in personal turmoil, his scandalous divorce was public news, this and troubles with production, the studio actually burnt down and the rest, this all lead up to his nervous breakdown. But still never quitting he evantually released a great picture, with his name on almost every credit, and he got rewarded with an Academy Award, a special one, only ever given once for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus. And his score is awesome as well, I was toe tapping away, re-released in 1969, Chaplin at 80 years old sings the opening title song which i think is the one that features on the dvd. He was a one man show.
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