Ben Model’s blog
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Recording scores for DVD releases is hard work…harder than scoring films live at a show is. It is, for me, anyway. There are a few factors that are obvious. Because the score is being recorded the stakes feel higher for me. At a show, if something doesn’t go quite right…
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Moving Day for Count Orlok
There’s nothing you can do about the laughs that the film Nosferatu (1922) gets with an audience. Or is there? Regardless of the translation from German, the intertitles like “Your wife has a lovely throat” get a laugh from an audience. We already know the Dracula story, and it’s the…
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ep. 26: reinterpreting 1929 Buster Keaton, playing into a film, anticipating mood transitions
Welcome and intro – reports on recent shows and recordings, and October DVD releases – starting a score at a performance: playing the audience into the film – performance clip: “The Temptress” with Garbo & Moreno, on organ at the LoC – explanation of the podcast’s theme – anticipating mood…
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ep. 25: performances in Tromsø, mood demos, universality of laughs, fitting hits to music (or not), “Diane” in reel 5
Welcome and intro – “Silent Film Days” in Tromsø, Norway – demonstrating musical moods for 5th graders – the universality of silent comedy – recording of score for One Week for students – making underscoring fit physical actions in an unobtrusive way – performance recording ofexcerpt from score for L&H…
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ep. 24: Stuart Oderman, playing the numbers in Detroit, Show People, The Crowd, DVD news
Welcome and intro – Stuart Oderman – DVD/Blu ray release of “When Knighthood Was In Flower” – holding back in playing in order to get audience inside a character’s head – performance excerpt from “Show People” – underscoring a moment that extends into a scene with different energy – performance…
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Stuart Oderman (1940-2017) – silent film pianist
The Adventures of Prince Achmed concluded, and as the curtain in MoMA’s Titus 2 theatre closed and the lights came up, I took my bows by the piano and then headed back to the booth, as I’d done after all my shows. This time I found a post-it note on…
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ep. 23: Tromsø, Kansas and Toronto Silent Film Festivals, Hindustan, W.C. Fields, being a 360 creator, Knighthood news
Welcome and intro – “Silent Film Days” festival Tromsø (Verdensteatret 100 År!) – performance clip “Madame de Thebes” – scoring “Why Change Your Wife” and hunting for “Hindustan” for the Kansas Silent Film Festival – performance clip “Why Change Your Wife?” – more about scoring WFYW and about seeing William…
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ep 22: special “Cruel and Unusual Comedy” podcast episode #3
00:00 Welcome, and intro to Cruel and Unusual Comedy — 04:02 More Plots and Plotters — 11:21 Ethnic Profiling: Stereotypically Speaking — 19:47 Loco Motives: On the Wrong Track — 27:52 Scared Silent — 36:27 Hits of the Past — 45:29 Working Girls.This episode contains chapter stops. (Your podcast player…
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ep 21: special “Cruel and Unusual Comedy” podcast episode #2
00:00 Welcome, and intro to Cruel and Unusual Comedy — 04:31 Westward Whoa — 14:36 Love and War: Romantic Skirmishes — 26:16 Family Jewels: Child Progeny — 34:29 Wage Slaves and Working Stiffs — 40:00 Slapstick HashThis episode contains chapter stops. (Your podcast player may or may not recognize these.)
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ep 20: special “Cruel and Unusual Comedy” podcast episode #1
00:00 welcome; intro to special “Cruel and Unusual Comedy” series and podcasts – 05:40 Plots and Plotters – 14:07 Chaplinitis – 26:15 Sports Injuries – 36:11 Arts Deprectiation. This episode contains chapter stops. (Your podcast player may or may not recognize these.)