Author: Ben Model

  • video blog posting – riding the rails to Astoria for a Chaplin show

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    Ben Model

    Here’s my latest video blog. Take a ride to and from the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria with me on the N and the R as I head out to play for a school group screening of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant”.

  • belated blog post from Eldridge St, Indian Lake and Astoria

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    Ben Model

    Here’s a new installment of my video blog, in which we visit the historic Eldridge St Synagogue for a Max Davidson show, the 1938 Indian Lake Theater and “Safety Last”, and the gala re-opening of the Museum of the Moving Image.

  • was this sequence timed to music? could be…

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    Ben Model

    I’ve found in numerous in Chaplin films that certaiin sequences and routines fit a musical beat and structure, that a bit of business will fit nicely an 8 or 16 bar phrase. It may have been an innate thing with Chaplin, and he may not have intended this at all. First time it popped up…

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    Ben Model

    Here’s a rare 1927 comedy short that I’ve just scored and uploaded to YouTube. I used a virtual piano software from Native Instruments, and chose the Steingraeber upright instead of one of the grands (e.g. Steinway D), as it seemed like a good fit. Enjoy! Ben [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km4FowS0Xms&fs=1&hl=en_US]

  • “Spice of the Program” downloadable MP3

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    Ben Model

    I’ve just discovered that Naxos’ music download site, ClassicsOnline.com, has my chamber piece available. There are a few other sites that have the CD available, including iTunes, but you have to buy the whole CD to get my piece. On the Naxos site you can buy just my track, for $2.39. Click here to go…

  • views of the Indian Lake Theatre, Indian Lake NY

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    Ben Model

    Here are some photos I took of the Indian Lake Theatre in Indian Lake, NY. They brought me up to present and accompany Harold Lloyd’s “Safety Last” on Sunday, November 21st. The theatre was built in 1938 and was a summer-season-only movie theater, and continued to be so for the next several decades. The theatre…

  • article in “Lake Champlain Weekly” re Safety Last show

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    Ben Model

    This very nice article appeared in the Nov 17-23, 2010 issue of the Lake Champlain weekly, a feature story promoting the “Safety Last” show I did for the Champlain Valley Film Society on Nov 20. In the CVFS’s 8-year history, the #2 and #3 ranking movies in terms of attendance were last year’s showing of…

  • orchestra and organ at the Egptian Theatre in Boise

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    Ben Model

    I know, I know…it’s two months later, but anyway here is my video blog entry for my trip to Boise, ID in September. Enjoy!

  • Nosferatu at MoMA, on Time Inc website

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    Ben Model

    Here’s a cool video profile on me, just posted on the Time Inc. website, and made by Jim Fields. This was shot in the early spring, but I will actually be playing for “Schreck” in December during MoMA’s “Weimar Kino” series. Enjoy! If you wanna see it on the Time Inc. site click here. http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

  • Sept 1, in Tromsø Norway – school show

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    Ben Model

    Here is a new videoblog entry from my first day (back) in Tromsø, Norway. You’ll get to see what the Verdensteatret theatre looks like, and get a glimpse at one of the three shows we did for groups of 5th-graders.