From the destruction of a railroad bridge―with a train on top―in The General (1926) to the collapse of a house around his ears in Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928), Buster Keaton went to great lengths to entertain his public. While his characters walked away stone-faced and unharmed, the actor often … [Read more...] about Sherlock Jr.
Sherlock Holmes
The earth moved a year ago when film curator Céline Ruivo broke the news that William Gillette’s Sherlock Holmes had been discovered in the vaults of the Cinémathèque française. The 1916 film, starring Gillette and based on his play, had long been considered the great missing link in the history of … [Read more...] about Sherlock Holmes
The Shakedown
“Each boxing match is a story,” Joyce Carol Oates wrote about the enduring appeal of the centuries-old blood sport. “A highly condensed, highly dramatic story ….” Long a popular subject for writers, from Homer to Colette, these compact dramas also drew the attention of cinema’s pioneers who sought … [Read more...] about The Shakedown
Sex in Chains
The author of Eros im Zuchthaus, the basis for Sex in Chains, wasn’t going to wait around for the world to change. Karl Plättner was well known to authorities as a troublemaker from his rebellious adolescence through his years as an ironworker and political organizer. Drafted at the start of World … [Read more...] about Sex in Chains
Seventh Heaven
You can read the program essay for our 2018 screening of Seventh Heaven here Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell were one of the great romantic teams in movie history. Their first film together, Seventh Heaven, is the transcendent film romance of the silent era, and is also the first of three films … [Read more...] about Seventh Heaven
Seven Years Bad Luck
Gabriel-Maximilien Leuvielle, better known as Max Linder, began his movie career in 1905. Working for France’s Pathé-Frères until 1914, he made more than 400 films, quickly becoming the studio’s major star, portraying a French dandy, always elegant and usually desperately in trouble while trying to … [Read more...] about Seven Years Bad Luck
Serge Bromberg’s Treasure Trove
World-famous preservationist and entertainer Serge Bromberg has long been a collector of celluloid images and has regularly organized cine-shows he calls Retour de Flamme where he presents rare and often unique footage. With the recent discovery of Buster Keaton’s THE BLACKSMITH as a cornerstone for … [Read more...] about Serge Bromberg’s Treasure Trove
Serge Bromberg Presents…
A Collection of Short Films Today when we go to the movies, we can sink into multiplex recliners and absorb the show without acknowledging or interacting with another human being. More than a hundred years ago, early cinema offered an alternative experience, with active audience engagement … [Read more...] about Serge Bromberg Presents…