This past summer I got to spend a delightful chat over coffee with William Perry. When I started playing for silents back in 1981 while at NYU film school, Bill was the first person I sought out for advice. I’d… Read More »William Perry’s new suite for Ophicleide and Orch.
Tony Sarg designed the first balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. He also made a series of silhouette-animated cartoons in the 1920s. Here’s one. Transferred from a rare, home-use 16mm print from the 1930s.
40 minutes of rarely-seen vintage newsreels documenting Charles Lindbergh’s historic transatlantic flight on May 20, 1927 were recently released on a new DVD from Undcercrank Productions. Available on Amazon, the DVD also features a rare Monty Banks aviation silent comedy… Read More »Film of Charles Lindbergh’s May 20, 1927 transatlantic flight – new DVD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UNAVAILABLE TO GENERAL PUBLIC FOR 97 YEARS, THE POPULAR SILENT COMEDY FILM SERIES “THE MISHAPS OF MUSTY SUFFER” COMES TO DVD Renowned Silent Film Accompanist/Historian Ben Model Collaborates with Library of Congress to bring outrageous1916-17 films… Read More »“MUSTY SUFFER” SILENT FILMS UNSEEN SINCE 1916 COME TO DVD
On Sunday, March 23rd at 7:15pm, the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church (NYC) is hosting a FREE evening of silent comedies! Wind down your week – or kick off the one that’s starting – with two solid hours of belly-laugh-inducing classic comedies. … Read More »Hal Roach silent comedy shorts on Sun March 23 **FREE**
Working even harder this year on improving my playing/accompaniment. Last night, as an exercise, I hauled out the DVD of something I’m playing for later this month and ran it on my laptop (mute) and played for it… as wrong… Read More »Doin’ it wrong…on purpose
On Sunday, October 20th at 7:00, the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church (NYC) is hosting a free evening of silent comedies! Wind down your week – or kick off the one that’s starting – with two solid hours of belly-laugh-inducing classic comedies. … Read More »Harold Lloyd in “For Heaven’s Sake” Sun 10/20 *FREE*
I knew it. I just knew it. I’ve been looking for years for written evidence that silent film actors had to adjust the way they moved to compensate for the speed-up of silent film. It has always appeared to have… Read More »Undercranking’s “smoking gun” courtesy of Milton Sills
Tomorrow is the premiere of my new web-series, a bi-weekly YouTube release of a rare or lost silent film from my 16mm collection, newly transferred and scored. For now, these will only be available on YouTube (no DVDs). My first… Read More »Ready to see a silent film no audience has seen since 1928?
From today’s Newsday: Silent films amass a quiet following January 3, 2012 by JIM MERRITT. Special to Newsday Tonight’s Keaton film is getting a warm reception from about 60 people sitting in a screening room at the Cinema Arts Centre.… Read More »Newsday: “Silent Films Amass a Quiet Following”