Calendar
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Monday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Retroformat Live! presents: Direct from the Kansas Silent Film Festival, An Encore Presentation of Retroformat’s tribute to the Al Christie Studios, with "Sailor Beware" (1927) starring Billy Dooley, and the great thrill-comedy "Hold Your Breath" (1924) starring Dorothy Devore! Last February, Retroformat Silent Films was honored to be part of this year’s online Kansas Silent Film Festival, when we presented a special sneak peak of our coming online library by featuring two great comedies produced by the Christie Film Company, a forgotten giant of the silent film era. Both films featured brand new, original piano accompaniment by Retroformat’s Musical Director and Los Angeles’ premiere live film accompanist, Cliff Retallick!
Al Christie and his brother Charles Christie produced hundreds of comedy shorts and features, rivaling the output of Mack Sennett and Hal Roach. Unfortunately, the Christie films have not been well preserved and are often overlooked. “Sailor Beware” from 1927, directed by William Watson and featuring Billy Dooley and Vera Steadman, is an example of how imaginative Christie comedies could be. The darkly bizarre story revolves around an infected guinea pig that has escaped from a laboratory. Dooley stars as a clueless sailor (whose uniform is worn backwards) who comes home to bring his girlfriend, played by Vera Steadman, an innocent gift - of a pet guinea pig. “Hold Your Breath” from 1924 features one of Christie’s major comedy stars, Dorothy Devore, as a newspaper reporter out to prove herself, in a feminist take on the “thrill comedy” genre pioneered by Harold Lloyd, with plenty of great footage of Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles. Walter Heirs, Tully Marshall and Max Davidson are also seen. Unfortunately, only about half of this film is currently known to have survived, but this 45-minute Kodascope version is a true delight. Also available on Facebook...
Debuting Soon : Retroformat's Online Silent Film Subscription Library We're hard at work creating the only online library dedicated exclusively to the silent film era, with new titles to be added each month! Future date to be announced:
Harold Lloyd's Safety Last in 35mm, with Suzanne Lloyd in person. Special Kid's Matinee at 3:00 p.m.! Evening show at 7:30 p.m. includes Harold Lloyd Home Movies! Hollywood Legion Theater at Post 43 Retroformat Silent Films and the Hollywood Legion Theater at Post 43 will present special matinee and evening screenings of Harold Lloyd’s iconic masterpiece Safety Last! Retroformat Silent Films will present two 35mm screenings of Harold Lloyd’s iconic comedy masterpiece Safety Last! in partnership with the Hollywood Legion Theater at Post 43 Saturday March 28. Our special Kid’s Matinee at 3:00 p.m. will make a perfect introduction for families to silent film comedy.
At the 7:30 p.m. show, Suzanne Lloyd will narrate a special presentation of her grandfather’s home movies. Both screenings will be introduced by Ms. Lloyd, with a discussion to be moderated by Randy Haberkamp, Managing Director of the Foundation and Preservation Program of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Live piano accompaniment will be provided at both shows by Retroformat Musical Director Cliff Retallick. Safety Last! is the original thrill-comedy by the man who invented the genre. The image of Harold Lloyd dangling from a giant clock over downtown L.A. is one of cinema’s most unforgettable moments, but that’s just one of its many delights. This screening represents a rare opportunity to see it projected in 35mm, its original format, at Hollywood’s breathtaking Legion Theater. General admission tickets for the evening show are $25.00. Veterans, seniors and students are $20, and children under 12 are discounted at $12.50. Limited VIP tickets are available for $40.00, which includes parking, drinks, tours & more. Matinee prices are $20.00 for general admission and $12.50 for children under 12. Free parking will be available across the street in the lot adjacent to the Hollywood Heritage Museum. Tickets will be available...soon. |