The 2019 Kansas Silent Film Festival is set to take place Friday & Saturday, February 23 & 24, 2018, at White Concert Hall, Washburn University, in Topeka, Kansas.
The theme of this year's festival, the 23rd annual event, is "Lost films, recovered or restored." The festival notes, "In thinking about what we wanted to do for our 23rd event it dawned on us that we talk a lot about what is lost—there is a pretty high percentage out there of silent films that are lost and gone forever. But what about the successes? What about the films that were thought lost but were found in foreign archives, with collectors, and in some really lucky cases, tucked in the hay in a barn. All the films showing this year were lost then found, or simply needed restoration to bring them back to life."
It is an admirable theme, one I think also exciting -- imagine seeing something once thought gone forever! My only quibble is that the festival didn't program the recently found Louise Brooks' fragment, Now We're in the Air (1927). It would have been a great fit, and marked something of a return. Kansas is Louise Brooks' home state; the actress was born in Cherryvale, and grew up in Independence and Wichita.
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Intermission
Warm-up Music by Jeff Rapsis
Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
Dinner
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The theme of this year's festival, the 23rd annual event, is "Lost films, recovered or restored." The festival notes, "In thinking about what we wanted to do for our 23rd event it dawned on us that we talk a lot about what is lost—there is a pretty high percentage out there of silent films that are lost and gone forever. But what about the successes? What about the films that were thought lost but were found in foreign archives, with collectors, and in some really lucky cases, tucked in the hay in a barn. All the films showing this year were lost then found, or simply needed restoration to bring them back to life."
It is an admirable theme, one I think also exciting -- imagine seeing something once thought gone forever! My only quibble is that the festival didn't program the recently found Louise Brooks' fragment, Now We're in the Air (1927). It would have been a great fit, and marked something of a return. Kansas is Louise Brooks' home state; the actress was born in Cherryvale, and grew up in Independence and Wichita.
FREE ADMISSION for all showings
Fri. Feb. 22, 2019, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
Overture by Jeff Rapsis
Welcome and Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
Many of these films were considered lost at one time
Welcome and Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
Many of these films were considered lost at one time
Frankenstein 14 min. | (1910) | Edison Company —Music by Marvin Faulwell& Bob Keckeisen |
Metropolis 148 min. | (1927) | directed byFritz Lang —Music by the Alloy Orchestra, with intermission |
Sat. Feb. 23, 2019, 9:00 a.m.-Noon
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
Overature by Bill Beningfield
Welcome and Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
Overature by Bill Beningfield
Welcome and Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
Film Documentary 60 min. | On DVD, a special presentation by KSFF | |
Cruel Cruel Love 10 min. | (1914) | withCharlie Chaplin —Music by Bill Beningfield |
Hard Luck 23 min. | (1921) | with Buster Keaton —Music by Jeff Rapsis |
Venus of the South Seas 56 min. | (1924) | with Annette Kellerman, partly in Prizma color —Music by Jeff Rapsis and Bob Keckeisen |
Lunch Break (on your own), resuming at 1:30 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 23, 2019, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
Overature by Marvin Faulwell
Welcome and Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
Sat. Feb. 23, 2019, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
Overature by Marvin Faulwell
Welcome and Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
El Hotel Eléctrico 8 min. | (1908) | with Segundo de Chomón —Music byJeff Rapsis |
The Cook 20 min. | (1918) | with Roscoe Arbuckle & Buster Keaton —Music by Bill Beningfield |
The Daughter of Dawn 78 min. | (1920) | a Native American Film —Music byMarvin Faulwell& Bob Keckeisen |
Intermission
Warm-up Music by Jeff Rapsis
Intros by Denise Morrison, Film Historian
When Lincoln Paid 30 min. | (1913) | with Francis Ford (courtesy of Keene College) —Music by Jeff Rapsis |
Bucking Broadway 53 min. | (1917) | with Harry Carey / a John Ford Film —Music by Jeff Rapsis |
Dinner
Special Dinner Event, Our Eleventh Annual CINEMA-DINNER, Seating begins @ 5:15 p.m. Dinner: 5:15-7:15 p.m. Ben Model, who has played piano and organ with us before. His presentation"Undercranking: The Magic Behind the Slapstick"describes a technique which made action sequences (and especially comic action sequences) appear to be running much faster than usual. Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd knew all about Undercranking, but it appears others in the silent film era knew about it and employed it, too. Ben will illustrate his presentation with some incredible film clips. — This event is by reservation only. Dinner is $40. Contact Bill Shaffer atbill.shaffer@washburn.edu to reserve your space— |
Sat. Feb. 23, 2019, 7:30-10:00 p.m.
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
@ White Concert Hall, Washburn University
Battle of the Century 20 min. | (1927) | with Laurel and Hardy / Special 16mm film print —Music byMarvin Faulwell& Bob Keckeisen |
When Knighthood Was In Flower 115 min. | (1922) | with Marion Davies —Music by Ben Model |
